Currently on ebay that are worth looking at:
Item number: 220324242092 Kenwood R-600
Item number: 140286551694 Kenwood R-1000
Item number: 160302999011 Icom R-71a
Note, the Icom will probably go over $300. The Kenwood R-1000 is an excellent radio, very sensitive with wonderful audio.
The Icom has a serious achilles heel - the operating system is prone to being erased because the backup battery dies. There was a gentleman who was selling substitute boards for this problem, but I doubt he's in business anymore. Installing that board (Willco was the name, if memory serves) is not a trivial exercise, according to one person I know that did this. I believe Kiwa Electronics is still fixing these radios, but I would inquire before sending anything. It is a nice utilities radio - some like it for SWBC, but the audio is prone to clipping and distortion. I believe Passport is still selling a White Paper on the radio.
The R1000 is a hot receiver, no doubt about it. I played with one years ago. Too hot, in fact - it was prone to overloading. Could stand a little front end preselection to cut this down (passive, not active).
I had a FRG7 for years as a backup radio with a Collins filter, and a Murata 4 khz in the main position. It was modified by the now-defunct Radio West out of California. A little touchy in tuning sideband, but a real nice radio nonetheless. It too is a bit sensitive to overloading, but it's manageable.
73 Mike
