Seeking Thoughts on a Radio for a Beginner AM DX'er

[MUTNAV]

I've had good results with the Tecsun PL-880 and a small loop nearby. The 880 can be found right at or below $100 used nowadays.

It's nice because there are so many audio bandwidth choices so you can really fine-tune the sound.

Another reason why I agree with the poster above- if they have a laptop, an SDR is a very attractive option for AM DX. user selectable bandwidth really helps with copyability. I have an HF+ Discovery and it's brilliant for AM but it's more expensive than your budget.

I have to agree, I may be a little misguided here, but if a radio has any sort of reasonable sensitivity, then the more important thing is the selectivity, adjustable bandwidths, and resistance to overload, less intermod distortion etc...

Sensitivity can be 'effectively' improved with a larger or better antenna.

Unless the radio will be used absolutely 'barefoot'. Which may be the objective here.

Thanks
Joel

 

[a29zuk]

This was a sensitive and selective portable. I used it to DX back in the 70's.

I replaced the slide controls with a single potentiometer. The tone control was eliminated but it sounded fine.

REALISTIC TRF 655 LONG RANGE RADIO AM only Realistic 12-655 | #244672411

REALISTIC TRF 655 LONG RANGE RADIO Realistic 12-655 from Radio Shack Long Range TRF Circuit – AM only Earphone Jack and External Antenna Jack AC/DC Built-in AC Cord. Also works on 4 “C” batteries for

www.worthpoint.com

Jim

 

[Boombox]

This was a sensitive and selective portable. I used it to DX back in the 70's.

I replaced the slide controls with a single potentiometer. The tone control was eliminated but it sounded fine.

REALISTIC TRF 655 LONG RANGE RADIO AM only Realistic 12-655 | #244672411

REALISTIC TRF 655 LONG RANGE RADIO Realistic 12-655 from Radio Shack Long Range TRF Circuit – AM only Earphone Jack and External Antenna Jack AC/DC Built-in AC Cord. Also works on 4 “C” batteries for

www.worthpoint.com

Jim

Agreed on the Realistic TRF 12-655. The 656 is good also, the 655 having an edge because of a larger loopstick.

After a few years (I got it at a thrift store, well-used) dealing with scratchiness on the volume control I swapped the two controls, and that fixed the problem.

The direction of both controls is reversed, of course, but I can live with that.

 

[w2xq]

The new CCrane EP PRO may be a solution for you.

Sometimes simple works . . . really well! Exploring the CCrane EP PRO

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM This particular adventure began about three weeks ago with an email from CCrane. “Timeless, Easy to Use with Long Range Radio Reception” the headline read. Further, the acco…

swling.com

I have no opinion on the radio, nor have I seen or heard one. That said, the website has an excellent reputation.

HTH.

 

[a29zuk]

The new CCrane EP PRO may be a solution for you.

Sometimes simple works . . . really well! Exploring the CCrane EP PRO

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM This particular adventure began about three weeks ago with an email from CCrane. “Timeless, Easy to Use with Long Range Radio Reception” the headline read. Further, the acco…

swling.com

I have no opinion on the radio, nor have I seen or heard one. That said, the website has an excellent reputation.

HTH.

Was suggested in thread #10...but it's always nice to read Jock's reviews.

Jim

 

[MUTNAV]

The new CCrane EP PRO may be a solution for you.

Sometimes simple works . . . really well! Exploring the CCrane EP PRO

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM This particular adventure began about three weeks ago with an email from CCrane. “Timeless, Easy to Use with Long Range Radio Reception” the headline read. Further, the acco…

swling.com

I have no opinion on the radio, nor have I seen or heard one. That said, the website has an excellent reputation.

HTH.

I would think for AM DX, a person would want to have a digital display, even at home with locals I find it a pain trying to seperate stations, I have to listen to them for a while to find out if I'm on the right frequency.

Thanks
Joel

 

[a29zuk]

I would think for AM DX, a person would want to have a digital display, even at home with locals I find it a pain trying to seperate stations, I have to listen to them for a while to find out if I'm on the right frequency.

Thanks
Joel

Not for us old timers. Most of the stations from 540 to 1200khz are ingrained in my memory.
For instance 880 WCBS New York.. all news all the time, 780 WBBM Chicago.. all news, 700 WLW Cincinnati Reds baseball, Bengals football, etc. These stations are used for markers and you can count up or down to figure out the channel on your analog dial.

We just want that sensitivity combined with good selectivity.

Jim

 

[Boombox]

I would think for AM DX, a person would want to have a digital display, even at home with locals I find it a pain trying to seperate stations, I have to listen to them for a while to find out if I'm on the right frequency.

Thanks
Joel

With an analog radio, or analog tuned radio, like the CC EP Pro -- as mentioned just above -- you can 'count the channels' from known stations and frequencies. It is a learned art, I suppose, but once you get to know the MW band it's not that difficult. I do it with my Superadios, my DX-350, my Realistic TRF, and my Sony ICF-38 and SRF-59 as well. With some radios it's easier to do than with others. But it's not undoable.

At the same time, there are so many good AM band radios with a digital display, good performance as well as multiple bandwidths, that today a MW DXer probably has more great choices than they did in the 1970s or 80s, when it was comm rigs, Radio Shack TRF portables, maybe a Superadio, boomboxes, or Walkmen.

 

[cistercian]

With an analog radio, or analog tuned radio, like the CC EP Pro -- as mentioned just above -- you can 'count the channels' from known stations and frequencies. It is a learned art, I suppose, but once you get to know the MW band it's not that difficult. I do it with my Superadios, my DX-350, my Realistic TRF, and my Sony ICF-38 and SRF-59 as well. With some radios it's easier to do than with others. But it's not undoable.

At the same time, there are so many good AM band radios with a digital display, good performance as well as multiple bandwidths, that today a MW DXer probably has more great choices than they did in the 1970s or 80s, when it was comm rigs, Radio Shack TRF portables, maybe a Superadio, boomboxes, or Walkmen.

The cool thing about my old GE is the frequency counter. The combination of true analog tuning and an accurate frequency readout is compelling to say the least. On alkaline cells switching it on would drop the voltage quite a bit. Since I loaded the Tenergy Centura NIMH
D cells in it it performs better than it ever has when I spot check the frequency. Even on AC engaging the counter would dim the dial lights and cause some AC hum even when it was brand new!!!
It loves the current of the modern cells. The vacuum fluorescent display is the culprit. Especially the heater in the display.

My best old AM BCB rig was a Hammarlund SP-600JX. Incredible on a longwire. Great tuning action with a serious flywheel tuning
mechanism. Probably the only thing better would be a Collins R-390. But they are not as fun to tune...my pal swears by his.

 

[a29zuk]

Along with my PR-D15 I use a Palstar R30. It is an excellent BCB DX rig with great filters and excellent audio. With the DX Engineering NCC-2 and two 85' antennas I can steer and null stations without spinning the radio

I do have a Collins R-390 but it's out in the garage. I listen to it when doing projects out there.

Jim

 

[Boombox]

FWIW, my (new) Sangean PR-D4W is difficult to beat for a recommendation. Sounds terrific through a decent ($25 Sony) pair of headphones, which is something that is often overlooked in MW DXing. The multiple bandwidths help in this regard -- 4 khz and 3 khz bandwidth take you to Superadio territory, sound-wise, and the radio is almost as good without an external loop as it is with one.

I just did some DXing with the PR-D4W using a 1.5 ft plastic milk crate loop, and when I pulled the loop away, detuned it and set it aside, and then re-upped the tuning on the PR-D4W (click down a channel, click back up to the target channel, so it will re-set the RF amp to the available antenna it 'sees') it was the same performance through my headphones. Maybe half a db difference? I was surprised. This was on 1650 khz, in the X-band, which is a good testing ground for MW DX radios. The 120mm loopstick inside the radio is about 10 mm thick and the radio really uses it well.

I'm glad I got it. The main 'trick' for MW DXers is sometimes you have to re-up the tuning -- when you tune to a channel, sometimes it doesn't maximize 100%, so you click down a channel, click back up to the target channel, and it will maximize it better. It's a 3 second or so process. Using an external loop you do the same.

If you are using an external loop and tuning up or down the band channel by channel, the radio will peak a lot quicker to the external loop, as it's basically seeing the same signal from the antenna. Doing that it's more like using an analog IF chip radio.

The AGC on the PR-D4W is faster than my PR-D5, but slower than my other DSP chip radios. I would say it's about right for listening to a frequency or station for any length of time.

 

[cc333]

I recently got a PR-D4W, and all I have to say is WOW! It is one of the best sounding AM radios I've ever heard (my GE Super Radio 3 is a close second).

I haven't used it much for DXing yet as I'm still getting acquainted with it, but I tried it out on some of the locals, and it sounded quite good over its speaker. It sounds better still on headphones.

c

 

[WA8ZTZ]

to the OP...

Well, you got a lot of food for thought here. Hope it's not too overwhelming.
Just about any AM radio is good enough to get you started. Even the most basic AM
portable can be turned into a DX machine with the addition of an inexpensive inductively coupled loop antenna.
All kinds of simple plans for such if you search or you can buy something like the AN 200 loop or similar.

The important thing is to just get started and the rest will eventually fall into place. As a challenge, try to
log all 50 States. The first 10 will be fairly easy, you can probably do it in several evenings of listening. The
next 10 will require some effort but not too hard. Getting to 30 States is really going to take some digging
through the QRM and QRN. Logging the last 20 will put you in a very elite group. Good luck and have fun.

 

[cistercian]

FWIW, my (new) Sangean PR-D4W is difficult to beat for a recommendation. Sounds terrific through a decent ($25 Sony) pair of headphones, which is something that is often overlooked in MW DXing. The multiple bandwidths help in this regard -- 4 khz and 3 khz bandwidth take you to Superadio territory, sound-wise, and the radio is almost as good without an external loop as it is with one.

I just did some DXing with the PR-D4W using a 1.5 ft plastic milk crate loop, and when I pulled the loop away, detuned it and set it aside, and then re-upped the tuning on the PR-D4W (click down a channel, click back up to the target channel, so it will re-set the RF amp to the available antenna it 'sees') it was the same performance through my headphones. Maybe half a db difference? I was surprised. This was on 1650 khz, in the X-band, which is a good testing ground for MW DX radios. The 120mm loopstick inside the radio is about 10 mm thick and the radio really uses it well.

I'm glad I got it. The main 'trick' for MW DXers is sometimes you have to re-up the tuning -- when you tune to a channel, sometimes it doesn't maximize 100%, so you click down a channel, click back up to the target channel, and it will maximize it better. It's a 3 second or so process. Using an external loop you do the same.

If you are using an external loop and tuning up or down the band channel by channel, the radio will peak a lot quicker to the external loop, as it's basically seeing the same signal from the antenna. Doing that it's more like using an analog IF chip radio.

The AGC on the PR-D4W is faster than my PR-D5, but slower than my other DSP chip radios. I would say it's about right for listening to a frequency or station for any length of time.

I continue to compare the D4W to the PR-D15 and I think for a newbie the D4W is definitely the way to go. I live in a very high daytime signal level zone. I can easily light an LED brightly off my 4 foot loop on 3 stations without rotating it!
During the day I like pairing the loop to the D4W and logging stations that are very weak. It is amazing how well the combo works.

I like this site to look for targets since I can select fringe reception. A great site for figuring out what you are hearing at night too.

Find Radio Stations by Call Letters

Find Radio Stations by Call Letters

radio-locator.com

The D4W is happier in high signal environments than the D15. A big high Q loop makes either radio a real beast!
The trick of tuning up or down one channel to make certain it tunes correctly is spot on and valuable advice. In a high signal area like mine I find turning the radio for best reception then re-tuning often really improves the signal. Very strong stations close in frequency can cause the tuning to be improper. That being said, it really brings the signal up and that and the variable selectivity and great audio make it a fantastic radio.

 

[Boombox]

^^^^^^ All very true. And my advice is based on having the PR-D4W just two weeks. I'm still getting used to it. Re-upping the tuning (flip down a channel, flip back up a channel) seems to help at times. It's not needed every time, or all the time. Sometimes I have to do it twice.

To me it is not a dealbreaker. The performance and sound make DXing a pleasure, really.

 

[Falcon9h]

The new CCrane EP PRO may be a solution for you.

Sometimes simple works . . . really well! Exploring the CCrane EP PRO

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM This particular adventure began about three weeks ago with an email from CCrane. “Timeless, Easy to Use with Long Range Radio Reception” the headline read. Further, the acco…

swling.com

I have no opinion on the radio, nor have I seen or heard one. That said, the website has an excellent reputation.

HTH.

Have one and it absolutely sucks. Worst soft mute I ever had the displeasure to use makes it useless.

 

[a29zuk]

I've read some reviews that the CCrane radios easily overload in a high RF environment. So I have stayed away from them as I live less than a mile from a BCB station.

Jim

 

[Falcon9h]

I've read some reviews that the CCrane radios easily overload in a high RF environment. So I have stayed away from them as I live less than a mile from a BCB station.

Jim

The soft mute on the cc ismore horrible, I'm not near any station so I can't comment on overload, but I don't use it anyway. If someone wants it, gimme a shout.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

My CCrane Radio EP (bought about 8 years ago) tunes smoothly through the stations just like an old fashioned analog set with no apparent "locking in" or soft muting. For example, this morning, tuned in CFZM 740 Toronto, then WSB 750 Atlanta, then 50kw local WJR 760 smoothly one to the next. One would fade out as the next tuned in just as one would expect with a true analog set. Also, haven't noticed any overloading but AFAIK my nearest AM BCB station runs only 5kw and is 10 miles away.
However, it appears as though the Radio EP has been superseded by the EP PRO. The PRO, although outwardly similar to the original EP, may be an entirely different animal internally. The reason being that the PRO has a 9kc-10kc select switch (the original EP does not). This makes me wonder if the PRO could be a digital radio that looks like an analog set... what would be the need for the 9-10 select switch on an analog radio?
IDK, have never myself used the PRO so can't say how it compares exactly to the original EP but my guess is that something has changed.

 

[Fast1eddie]

The soft mute on the cc ismore horrible, I'm not near any station so I can't comment on overload, but I don't use it anyway. If someone wants it, gimme a shout.

How much?