Radio Recommendation Wanted

[Greenwtch]

Hello, I live in Central Florida and want a Sw/HF receiver to listen all over the world. I’d like to be able to catch chat on other frequencies too, but SW is my focus right now. I would like the most powerful setup that I can get for up to $500 and I own my home so adding an antenna isn’t a problem. Working on getting a tech license and then a Gen.but for now not needing to transmit. Thanks for the advice!

 

[G7RUX]

A number of capable HF receivers are available but the most performance for the least cost would probably be an SDR and a decent filter for HF.

 

[dkcorlfla]

A number of capable HF receivers are available but the most performance for the least cost would probably be an SDR and a decent filter for HF.

SDRplay RSP1A HRO $125 I have one myself, has a solid front end and I have not needed any extra filters. BTW - I run mine under Linux using Cubic SDR with excellent results. If you run Windows you can use SDRuno (I think that's what't it's called) for even more built in filters and features. Even if you get your general the SDRplay will be very nice to have around.

 

[G7RUX]

SDRplay RSP1A HRO $125 I have one myself, has a solid front end and I have not needed any extra filters. BTW - I run mine under Linux using Cubic SDR with excellent results. If you run Windows you can use SDRuno (I think that's what't it's called) for even more built in filters and features. Even if you get your general the SDRplay will be very nice to have around.

Indeed, I was thinking about a simple SDR dongle but there are better quality/performance (and more expensive) units available.

 

[tuihill]

Indeed, I was thinking about a simple SDR dongle but there are better quality/performance (and more expensive) units available.

I have found great success with my new Airspy HF+ Discovery running SDR++. $169 USD.

 

[merlin]

My want list is the Airspy HF+ discovery and SDRuno. Helping the front end, a wideband preselector.
Best antenna I have had for the job is an 80' T3FD, but with enough real estate a 120' gets down to VLF.
Probably way beyond cost range, the best receivers on the planet are surplus Mil Spec, like the
Watkins Johnson WJ-4711 or Harris RF-590. Icom IC-R9000L fits in there too.
IF you can find them, they are expensive, like 2 to 3 grand.

 

[tuihill]

My want list is the Airspy HF+ discovery and SDRuno. Helping the front end, a wideband preselector.
Best antenna I have had for the job is an 80' T3FD, but with enough real estate a 120' gets down to VLF.
Probably way beyond cost range, the best receivers on the planet are surplus Mil Spec, like the
Watkins Johnson WJ-4711 or Harris RF-590. Icom IC-R9000L fits in there too.
IF you can find them, they are expensive, like 2 to 3 grand.

My other radio is a Drake R8B with factory VHF board. Paid CAD $2500 in 1998. Still in mint condition and works perfectly.
It and the Airspy run off a 60' Alpha Delta SWL DX Sloper.

 

[Greenwtch]

Not wanting to run pc software, looking for a base or portable radio please. Give me your top 3recommendations?

 

[dkcorlfla]

Indeed, I was thinking about a simple SDR dongle but there are better quality/performance (and more expensive) units available.

I also have the RTL-SDR v3 (must be the genuine v3) and it can indeed receive HF direct. It's only about $30 Receives HF provided there is nothing close by to swamp the front end. It does work but there is a day and night different between it and the SDRplay. The SDRplay is WAY better!

 

[Boombox]

Any decent Tecsun will get you into the ballpark for SW broadcast listening. If it has SSB you can listen to HF ham bands and other stuff, too. That would leave $350-$400 for an antenna, should you go the Tecsun route. Also, a Tecsun would be more portable. They work well enough off the whip to hear a lot.

 

[mitbr]

I second the sdrplay... I have the sdrplay rspdx and have been very impressed with it. HRO carries them around 200 dollars get one you wont be disappointed.
Tim

 

[mitbr]

Not wanting to run pc software, looking for a base or portable radio please. Give me your top 3recommendations?

May I ask why??

 

[Grunddiigg]

Any decent Tecsun will get you into the ballpark for SW broadcast listening. If it has SSB you can listen to HF ham bands and other stuff, too. That would leave $350-$400 for an antenna, should you go the Tecsun route. Also, a Tecsun would be more portable. They work well enough off the whip to hear a lot.

Tecsuns are great especially if you get away from your house RF.

That would leave enough to get a nice wellbrook antenna setup.

There are also a lot of great old radios though I would go on a radio review binge if I were you.

 

[dkcorlfla]

Not wanting to run pc software, looking for a base or portable radio please. Give me your top 3recommendations?

If your sure you are going to go for your ham radio license then it might make sense to go ahead a get a transceiver. The Icom 718 is a solid rig with an excellent receiver that does not use a PC. Used ones can be had inside your budget. For RX only a small 12 amp power supply will power it up for RX no problem. Then later you could use the small power supply for your VHF and UHF rig.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

If you're sure you are going to go for your ham radio license then it might make sense to go ahead a get a transceiver. The Icom 718 is a solid rig with an excellent receiver that does not use a PC. Used ones can be had inside your budget.

Consider doing this^^^
This transceiver has an excellent general coverage RX for SWL.
You can receive but not transmit until you get your license.
A new one is a bit more than your budget but in the long run less expensive than buying a receiver now and then buying a transceiver later when you get licensed. (note: you will also need a DC power supply and an antenna set-up with grounding and lightning protection so factor these into your budget).
This rig is simple to operate for a new ham.
The Tech license has HF privileges so you can get on the air as soon as you get licensed... btw, 10 meters has been wide open lately.
Good luck on your exam.

 

[N6JPA]

Check out a Ya

Hello, I live in Central Florida and want a Sw/HF receiver to listen all over the world. I’d like to be able to catch chat on other frequencies too, but SW is my focus right now. I would like the most powerful setup that I can get for up to $500 and I own my home so adding an antenna isn’t a problem. Working on getting a tech license and then a Gen.but for now not needing to transmit. Thanks for the advice!Check out

Check out a Yaesu Ft-891 1.00 to 30 MHz & 50-54 MHz transceiver. It has a basic spectrum scope and good receive. Putting up a dipole antenna with a simple antenna tuner will work great for the 1-30 MHz bands. When you get a tech license you can operate voice 28.300 to 28.500 MHz around the world and 50-54 MHz. The sunspots are high now so you can work the world when the bands open up on 28 and 50 MHz.
35 years ago I worked the world on ten meters with a 25 watt mobile radio and a 5/8 wave antenna.

 

[devicelab]

For SWL general coverage go with something like a Tecsun PL-880. It's lightweight and portable. It has a rechargeable battery and it has real USB/LSB functionality. This will save you some $$$ and allow you to learn about the HF world. It's a love/hate thing so don't be surprised if you get easily frustrated. You can not listen "all over the world" -- so get that fantasy out of your head.

If you have $$$ to spend and want to get something that you can use your TECH license with immediately, then forget the older radios. The 718 is old tech and not worth the money. Avoid used gear for now.

I'd start with a QRP rig. The Xiegu G90 or X6100 is a great investment. They're a little more advanced then the PL-880 so be sure you're ready for that. With a simple TECH license, you can work 10m and if the ionosphere behaves, you can talk quite far with just a simple (easy to make) dipole antenna. You can build one for $20 these days. The G90 is on sale right now and will get you 20w output. The X6100 is only 10w output but has more advanced features and a "easier to read" waterfall display. Again, these are more advanced radios and you may want to get the PL-880 first. FWIW, one big selling point to either Xiegu radio is that they come with built-in antenna tuners.

The Yaesu FT-891 is also a good started rig with 100w output but it has a couple of idiotic bugs. I can't quite recommend it. It also doesn't have an antenna tuner and that adds a $150 to the price.

The ICOM 705 is a solid choice but they're hard to find right now and will run you around $1300-ish. It doesn't have a built-in tuner either. It's a 'simpler' rig to run but it still may be too advanced for you right now.

The PL-880 is an excellent receiver and will save you serious $$$ -- which you'll need in future years -- for buying/building all sorts of antennas.

I will also had the CountyComm GP-7 portable receiver to this list. It's similar to the Tecsun and it does work OK. It's not as good as the PL-880 but for its size/weight, it'd be a decent 'first time' rig.

PS. I should point out the G90 and FT-891 require an external power source. The X6100 and ICOM 705 have internal batteries. They only get you 5W output but that kind of makes it fun. Also, the ICOM 705 has VHF/UHF plus digital DSTAR functionality.

Cheers.

Xiegu Link: HF Transceivers
PL-880 Link: Amazon.com
FT-891 Link: YAESU, FT-891, Transceivers Base HF-6M, FT891
ICOM 705: ICOM, IC-705, Transceivers Portable QRP, IC705
GP7: CountyComm GP-7 SSB ( GEN 4 ) General Purpose Radio - Organic Gray ( 2023 Batch )

 

[Boombox]

For SWL general coverage go with something like a Tecsun PL-880. It's lightweight and portable. It has a rechargeable battery and it has real USB/LSB functionality. This will save you some $$$ and allow you to learn about the HF world. It's a love/hate thing so don't be surprised if you get easily frustrated. You can not listen "all over the world" -- so get that fantasy out of your head.

If you have $$$ to spend and want to get something that you can use your TECH license with immediately, then forget the older radios. The 718 is old tech and not worth the money. Avoid used gear for now.

I'd start with a QRP rig. The Xiegu G90 or X6100 is a great investment. They're a little more advanced then the PL-880 so be sure you're ready for that. With a simple TECH license, you can work 10m and if the ionosphere behaves, you can talk quite far with just a simple (easy to make) dipole antenna. You can build one for $20 these days. The G90 is on sale right now and will get you 20w output. The X6100 is only 10w output but has more advanced features and a "easier to read" waterfall display. Again, these are more advanced radios and you may want to get the PL-880 first. FWIW, one big selling point to either Xiegu radio is that they come with built-in antenna tuners.

The Yaesu FT-891 is also a good started rig with 100w output but it has a couple of idiotic bugs. I can't quite recommend it. It also doesn't have an antenna tuner and that adds a $150 to the price.

Great advice overall, but I take issue with the statement that you can not listen 'all over the world' on a Tecsun, and that it is just a fantasy. I have a Grundig G2 (probably performs slightly less than a PL880, but has a similar chip inside) which receives China broadcasting to Europe from Kashgar, and I get them readably sometimes -- just on the whip. I also can hear the transmitters used by religious and other broadcasters in Madagascar, broadcasting to Africa. All off the whip.

I have a 25 ft indoor antenna that is in the room, so it might be adding some signal inductively (through the proximity effect) but I'm not sure of the amount of it. Either way, reception on the G2 is all off the whip. If I had a good, outdoor antenna, of course, I'd probably hear a lot more.

I get similar (and slightly better) results with my Tecsun PL398. So when the ionosphere is cooperating, you can hear the world.

And I live in a hole, in the PNW. So hearing signals on the SWBC broadcast bands from other parts of the world is indeed possible on a portable. Is it a regular occurrence? Probably not. A lot of it depends on propagation. But Tecsuns do rather well off of simple set ups.

Will you get more signal with a proper antenna? Yes.

The QRP rigs you mention sound great, by the way.

 

[w2xq]

Not wanting to run pc software, looking for a base or portable radio please. Give me your top 3recommendations?

You may want to look at SWLing.com - a world of shortwave radio reviews, news, articles, how-to guides and innovations for reviews of virtually all of the portable radios in the current marketplace. HTH.

 

[Dirk_SDR]

A small and very good SW receiver is the Airspy HF+ Discovery. I use it daily for SW listening.