Satisfaction In Utility Monitoring?

[KB2GOM]

However, clicking a mouse to tune is no substitute for spinning a weighted, silky smooth VFO.

. . . and the old retrocrank (me) said: "Yes, brother, preach it . . . say Amen, say hallelujah! (sigh)

 

[Boombox]

Lots of things aren't as fun as they used to be. But they ARE more expensive.

True, although when accounting for inflation, a Tecsun PL-330 will bring in everything a Sangean 909 (around $225 or so in 1998, which is more like $450 in today's money) will bring in. And the Tecsun costs a lot less, comparatively.

 

[UTE-GE]

I have an old Sangean ATS-803A I have always enjoyed. Bought about 10 yrs ago for a reasonable price. Dad liked it so much I got him one, but he just couldn't get used to all the buttons/functions. I really thought he would enjoy listening to CW. He was an AF radio man in the late 50's. Listen for the "Reds" communications. He still could take down CW like nobodys business.

 

[Token]

Having used online SDRs. the waterfall is very easy to get used to. When using my NRD-525 or any of my old HF receivers, I feel lost without the waterfall for a while. However, clicking a mouse to tune is no substitute for spinning a weighted, silky smooth VFO.

Waterfalls and Ute listening go together exceptionally well. Unless you are just setting on known frequencies, Ute signals tend to be short, fleeting, and unscheduled. The more interesting ones are often on unknown / unpublished frequencies. Waterfalls are designed specifically to assist in those instances.

On the subject of waterfalls, I used my first one for spectrum monitoring in about 1980 or so, and always wanted one for hobby use. Panadapters and spectrum displays are awesome, but the waterfall brings the whole time element (histogram) to your visualization. Until SDR became inexpensive enough for hobby use, waterfalls were just not practical. I shifted over to mostly SDR radios here 15 or so years ago, and today, to me, operating without a waterfall is kind of like operating with blinders on, or losing a sense.

T!

 

[devicelab]

Waterfalls and Ute listening go together exceptionally well. I shifted over to mostly SDR radios here 15 or so years ago, and today, to me, operating without a waterfall is kind of like operating with blinders on, or losing a sense.

Ah... 2008 was a very good year for HF monitoring!