Found a Radio Shack DX-100 for $25. I will have fun playing with it. Not top of the line, but I don't have a lot of money. I like old radios.
Radio Shack DX-100
- Thread starter tonyclark
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When that radio was released, it was one of the best general coverage short wave receivers on the market. With a long wire antenna, you will be able to hear stations from around the world depending on the time of day. Unfortunately, many countries, including the US, have cut back on state sponsored broadcasts.
W9NES
Member
Tony, Great Find on the Dx-100 for $25.00. You can also find great deals at Garage Sales and also on Craig's list.I own a lot of Radio Shack Equipment including(3) Radio Shack Pro-2096's (1) Radio Shack Pro-96.Radio Shack Dx-394,DX-392,DX-360,DX-440, PRO-2037, PRO-2030, PRO-58, PRO-2005, PRO-53, PRO-83, PRO-95, PRO-89, PRO-23, PRO-31,PRO-22. 1 PAIR OF TRC-226(40 CHANNEL CB Handhelds) 1 PAIR OF TRC-223 3 CHANNEL CB HANDHELDS.
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Real nice collection.W9NES
I like the DX-394. Maybe when I have money ahead, I'll look for one.
W9NES
Member
Tonyclark,Thanks for your post. I also have Regency and Uniden scanners both programable and crystal.I also have (4) Kenwood HF receivers which include a R-1000,R-2000,R-5000, and a R-600 and a AOR-2515 and a Collins R-392 Military HF receiver.
ridgescan
Member
Nice
do you have or are you going to have an outdoor wire setup for it? I never saw this rig till you brought it up here-I like it!
do you have or are you going to have an outdoor wire setup for it? I never saw this rig till you brought it up here-I like it!
As of right now I do not have a long wire setup. I do have about 40' of wire, just need insulators.Going to put a pully on one end too with a weight.
ridgescan
Member
Hey that 40' will wake her up just fine! I hope you enjoy some great DX sessions on that nice looking rig. I googled it and she looks to be a neat rig indeed and I have several Realistic brand radios from that era and they are high quality, well built in Japan radios. Keep us posted on it.
and I have several Realistic brand radios from that era and they are high quality, well built in Japan radios. Keep us posted on it.Token
Member
KC5EIB, are you sure you are thinking of the right radio? The DX-100 was made from 1981 to 1984 and it was the lowest cost entry level desktop Radio Shack had at the time, indeed possibly ever. The DX-100 was the entry level, the DX-200 was the mid level, and the DX-300/302 was the top end.
The DX-100, being entry level, came up short on filtering and image rejection. But if what you wanted to hear was the shortwave broadcasters of the day it would pull in all the big names. It served as a "gateway" radio for many people in that time, kind of like the Hallicrafters S-38 (and similar radios) did in the 50's and 60's.
I have pretty much all of the Radio Shack DX series here (among others). In the Radio Shack Desktop DX series collection here is a DX-75, DX-100, DX-150A, DX-150B, DX-160, SX-200, DX-300, and DX-302. Conspicuously absent is a DX-150, I really need to pick one up.
T!
ridgescan
Member
I'm sure all that is true just based on your vast direct ownership of said radios Token-but I will tell you that even my Patrolman-9 is surprizingly selective and quieting when tried on the longwire!
I still fire up my DX-100 from time to time. It suffers terribly from "thermal fade" or wander and wont stay tuned to the frequency you leave it on. Back in the day I was able to hear a couple of numbers stations and even grabbed a "sky king" transmission with it - but it took a LOT of work. Someday I'd like to get back into SW listening...
Well got the radio, seems OK to me. CW/SSB and channel A is nothing just quite, channel B - D can hear noise. Is that normal? The AM setting and A - D all work fine. Picks up fair with the built in whip. A long wire is a must.
My Regency 123b should come today, will go beside my Pearce Simpson Bengal CB Base.
My Regency 123b should come today, will go beside my Pearce Simpson Bengal CB Base.
Tony, Great Find on the Dx-100 for $25.00. You can also find great deals at Garage Sales and also on Craig's list.I own a lot of Radio Shack Equipment including(3) Radio Shack Pro-2096's (1) Radio Shack Pro-96.Radio Shack Dx-394,DX-392,DX-360,DX-440, PRO-2037, PRO-2030, PRO-58, PRO-2005, PRO-53, PRO-83, PRO-95, PRO-89, PRO-23, PRO-31,PRO-22. 1 PAIR OF TRC-226(40 CHANNEL CB Handhelds) 1 PAIR OF TRC-223 3 CHANNEL CB HANDHELDS. pleaze post pic of them all
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Token
Member
Yes, it is normal for the radio to not receive in Band A when in SSB/CW mode but it does receive in AM mode. For some reason the makers decided you would not need SSB/CW in that band so in that position the radio acts as if you are in “STD BY”. It might have something to do with the mixing and conversion scheme, but I have never looked at the schematic with that in mind to confirm it.
By the way, A, B, C and D are not channels, but rather bands, as they are marked above the knob. Band A covers the frequency range of 0.52 to 1.62 MHZ, B covers 1.55 to 4.50 MHz, C covers 4.50 to 13.0 MHz, and D covers 13.0 to 30 MHz.
These bands are not to be confused with designated bands in the shortwave spectrum, such as 80 meters, 41 meters, 19 meters, etc.
Channels and Bands have two different meanings in radio. In general a channel is a specific frequency, and bands are a range of frequencies.
Also, I expressed those bands in MHz (MegaHertz) because that is the way they are printed on the front of your radio. However, it is most common on shortwave to express frequencies in kHz (kiloHertz). To convert from MHz to kHz just move the decimal three places to the right, or multiply the number by 1000 if you prefer. Example, 13.0 MHz would be 13000 kHz, 4.5 MHz would be 4500 kHz, and 0.52 MHz would be 520 kHz. The reason for expressing in kHz is that last ones digit. It is important when telling another listener that you give him a frequency close enough that he can also tune to the signal, and saying 13.0 MHz leaves the ones and tens places open, and might cover a range of 13000 to 13099 kHz. You can put over 30 SSB HF signals in that 99 kHz undefined area, and you can put up to 20 AM signals in that range. Worse yet just saying 13 MHz leave the entire range from 13000 to 13999 kHz open, and there can literally be hundreds of frequencies in use in that range.
Yes, and external antenna will work better, even a modest 15 or 20 feet of wire will surpass the built in whip.
T!
Thanks guys for the all the answers.
Token, I don't know why I said channels. lol I meant bands.
Token, I don't know why I said channels. lol I meant bands.
RADIO-WLOF
Newbie
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- Oct 7, 2013
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Realistic DX-100
Hello i just got one to for $35+$7 to ship when is get here i will post pic's and tell you how it dose it has mod's i don't know what kind yet but will know when it get's here,,And will try the 20 foot of wire thing I wish I knew what gauge wire to use and should it bare or insulated wire i have CB coax i will look in to that but being new to this hole Shortwave thing i will let you kn ow the not to and to do and hope to here the same
Hello i just got one to for $35+$7 to ship when is get here i will post pic's and tell you how it dose it has mod's i don't know what kind yet but will know when it get's here,,And will try the 20 foot of wire thing I wish I knew what gauge wire to use and should it bare or insulated wire i have CB coax i will look in to that but being new to this hole Shortwave thing i will let you kn ow the not to and to do and hope to here the same
SpectreOZ
Member
I used one for ages (still have it or at least my son does), drift is the primary issue easily rectified with a decent heatsink on the VFO transistor however this itself can create issues (especially if it's weighty), a handful of mods make it a much more useable radio now especially the D10 RX boost mod
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