What kind of Portables are out there?

[IdleMonitor]

What type of portable (like a scanner) can you kind people suggest for a good shortwave radio?

Would like to have all the general coverage a shortwave should have, which includes LSB/USB , AM etc...

I'm familiar with most table top type of shortwave radios, but I wanted to know what's out there for portables?

 

[ka3jjz]

A great deal can be learned by going to the Wiki and looking at the SWL Broadcast page. There you will find a few links with reviews; also pay close attention to the 2nd RadioIntel link there.

I would also look into getting a copy of Passport to World Band Radio; even tho the schedules are a little dated, Larry has a good collection of portable reviews.

Personally, I'd get a Grundig YB400 or 400PE - or perhaps one of the new Kaito models. The Sony 7600 is also worthy of consideration.

 

[IdleMonitor]

How are the portables for sound and range? And do they scan the same as a scanner, or would you have change channels manually like you do with a base?

I had a base Shortwave with SSB before and it worked very well. I was just curious about these wide band portables that include shortwave and scanner bands.

What about recieving quality compared to a base radio?

Basically, would I be able to listen to Canadian Coast Guard etc....in SSB on one of these wide band portables that look like a scanner?

 

[ka3jjz]

Personally, I have never paid too much attention to scanning functions when talking about HF. The reason is very simple; you have many more sources of noise and other things that can easily fool a radio when in 'scan' mode. Too, signal levels can vary widely from band to band, so setting levels for a squelch or other trigger is very diffiicult on anything but a good tabletop. Even then it takes a certain amount of experience to set properly.
I would also avoid these wideband handhelds - often their design takes shortcuts when it comes to HF performance . It usually shows up in trying to use a large wire antenna (overloadis) or when working in a band that's crowded (try the lower end of 6 mhz at night on the East Coast...). Do yourself a favor and stick to the reviews in the Wikis I have provided - they will serve you well.

73s and GL..Mike

 

[IdleMonitor]

Thanks for the queries. What about price range? I know a good SSB Shortwave can go up into the $$$$ but there are a few low $ range ones.

Any other suggestions for the lower end models?

DX-394's look reasonable for price. I just wanted to try and compare others with that one. That's what I owned before and it worked pretty decent and simple for just using the telescopic antenna.

 

[ka3jjz]

Again, I can't stress this enough - READ THE WIKIS. You can find it on the top toolbar on this site - it will say either 'RR Wiki' or just plain 'Wiki' (if you're on the first page of this site). I understand the little Degen DE1103 does pretty well, and under USD100. Yes, you certainly can go a lot more, but when you're just looking for something inexpensive, I think you probably won't do better. I would toss out 20 or 30 foot of wire for an antenna - certainly not much more than that.
Many radios these days also have Yahoo groups where you can get opinions from folks who have that model radio. Besides this board, they're your best bet to get answers about how well - or poorly- a radio works. The 2nd RadioIntel link has quite a list of these, and there are no doubt many more. 73s Mike

[Edit] The first RadioIntel page has 2 PDF files which give a very brief overview of several radios - one file is for Tabletops, the other is for portables. I'd make that a must read.

 

[RyltnVFD]

I like my little Grundig Mini 100 PE. It doesn't get everything, but it's a neat little radio, and only cost me $29.95 on clearance at RS.

 

[N5RLR]

In the $300 range, the Yaesu VR-500 is a good choice, especially for a travel radio.

In Defense Of The Yaesu VR-500 [click]

 

[woodieray]

SWL radio

I like the little Kaito 1102 very much. I have the RS-DX 398 (same as Sangean ATS-909) and the Kaito holds its own against it at 1/3 the price and about 1/4 the weight and size. I have seen them for about $65 US from dealers on ebay. I have tried numerous wide band radios and find them all too compromised. There is no way to bend the laws of physics. If it is designed for VHF, you cannot get good sensitivity on HF bands. If it designed for HF bands, the VHF bands tend to overload. So I carry the Yaesu VX-2 or Kenwood F6A for UHF/VHF and the Kaito 1102 for HF. I use them on cruises and in hotels. The Kaito includes NiMH batteries, carrying case, ad adapter, and longwire antenna.

One warning, the Chinese designed the Kaito for that market and it takes a bit of adjusting in the way you approach using radios. But, it is not difficult to operate, just unusal.

73,
de w0ody

 

[electricsheep]

My advice... Stay away from Kaito... I made that mistake. Go straight for the Sony 7600GR. For portability and performance (with LSB/USB) it kicks anything else in the class. I tried the Sangean 909, and a TenTec R320D (tethered to a computer) and the Sony beat them all in a side by side test using the same antenna.

If you can find the accessory AN-LP1 active antenna, the combination of 7600GR and that antenna makes a killer combination you can throw in a small day pack with all of your other stuff.

If you are using it at home, I mounted a 220foot random long wire around my the fence out at my parents place, and fed it into a cheap antenna tuner and then into the Sony. It is simply amazing.

 

[oceans777]

There is no way to bend the laws of physics. If it is designed for VHF, you cannot get good sensitivity on HF bands. If it designed for HF bands, the VHF bands tend to overload.

Why would that be the laws of physics? Since noise decreases as frequency increases and below 30 MHz there is so much atmospheric and man-made racket, wouldn't HF be the much easier range to achieve receiver sensitivity? Seems like HF sensitivity beyond a pretty basic level would be pointless and maybe even undesirable - you'd just be creating a wider S/N gate?

On VHF noise is much less - internal noise from the receiver has to be much lower and the front end quiet. Effective sensitivy would be harder (and more critical I'd think) to qccomplish here. VHF overloading would have more to do with too much gain on the front end than being too sensitive to get good HF performance.

Is it an issue of splitting the difference in the overall wideband design that you mean?

Not arguing just trying to learn all this stuff (so I can make useful sense of specs) and thought this was basically how it worked?

 

[ssb_dxer]

If you can find one, you would probably like the old TRIDENT all mode scanner. It was also manuafactured under another name but I can't think of it at this time. It is a portable hand-held.
The frequency range is .500KHz-1400MHz. Modes are NFM, WFM, AM, SSB and has a BFO knob.
I found one on ebay and paid $80 for it. I used it for about 10 months and really liked it but wanted a tabletop and needed some funds, so I sold it for $185 on ebay recently.
I used a RS Discone antenna and it worked great.
It is an old scanner, but if you come accross one you might want to grab it.

 

[Randall]

ive had quite a few of the digital portables but my old panasonic rf2200 sounds better than any of them, its analog tuning with a crystal calibrator, but the audio is fantastic for shortwave broadcast stations and its very sensitive. it would be hard to beat it when you can find them for just over 100 dollars on ebay without spending 5 times the price

 

[corbintechboy]

I own a kaito 1103 and have had many shortwave radios. The kaito is a great radio. Makes me wonder why I ever bought the ats909, Oh well.

 

[electricsheep]

Makes me wonder why I ever bought the ats909, Oh well.

I think there are a large number of people who have the same reaction when comparing the 909 to a number of radios... The 909 looks good on paper, and looks good generally, but that does not last long. I remember when I first got the 909, I thought it was fantastic. It only took a few days for me to become frustrated with it. I then managed to wrangle a Sony 7600GR to test, and I was shocked to hear what just was not there on the 909 using the same antenna. It took awhile, but I finally tracked down a 7600GR and sold the 909.

 

[HBdigital1]

input on Grundig 400PE

A previous reply stated that this might be a good portable to purchase. I would agree only in that the fidelity from the speaker is excellent indeed for a portable; however, the short battery life, requiring 6 AA cells, the annoying background circuit hiss on monitoring all but the strongest shortwave stations, the color-coding of the different buttons on the display, which make it very hard to decipher, in dim light, even in bright light, what each button is used for.... all these things would make me NOT purchase this radio again!(fortunately, I got it free, but I certainly wouldn't pay money for this radio). I entered a new thread but 10 minutes ago RE opinions on the Eton e-5, which can recharge batteries in the radio itself, and which circuit hiss is at a minimum, and supposedly, the display is easier to read... any members out there who have had experience with this radio, I would appreciate heaing from, if only a brief sentence or two. thanks!!!

 

[w8mkh]

You might look into the sangean ats 803a aka realistic dx-440 barebones compared to todays portables but do what they were designed to do.
they can be had on ebay around $50 good starter
Yes there are better out there I know .....
The 398 or ats 909 is a good portable too I have both and have had good luck with them

73

 

[markinillinois]

I've already been bashed regarding another HF post I responded to, but I can only say that I'm very happy with my Sangean 909. I happen to have the Super 909 version.

Mark Holmes
Marion, IL

 

[safetyobc]

I think there are a large number of people who have the same reaction when comparing the 909 to a number of radios... The 909 looks good on paper, and looks good generally, but that does not last long. I remember when I first got the 909, I thought it was fantastic. It only took a few days for me to become frustrated with it. I then managed to wrangle a Sony 7600GR to test, and I was shocked to hear what just was not there on the 909 using the same antenna. It took awhile, but I finally tracked down a 7600GR and sold the 909.

I bought the 909 as my first and only SW radio. I like it okay, but after several months with it, I think I would have been better served with the cheaper Kaito 1102 or the Sony 7600GR. If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten the Sony. But, there are a lot of features I like about the Sangean. I can only guess that the Sony's and the Kaito's are more sensitive. The Sangean seems to do okay for me as I only listen to it at night, but it seems to have a hard time receiving a lot of signals. Seems as though it could be more sensitive on the whip. it isn't deaf without the extended antenna but it sure suffers I think.

There is one spot I can place the radio and the signals JUMP and pick up tons of stuff. I call it the "sweet spot." It is beside a wall with metal studs and also a power cord runs by it. Don't know if that has anything to do with it, but the spot definately improves the signal.

I guess what I am saying is if I had to do it again, I'd go with the Sony or the Kaito.

matt

 

[electricsheep]

The big problem is it is getting harder and harder to track down the Sony 7600GR radios, and it will almost become your life's mission to find the holy grail type accessories like the AN-LP1 active antenna...

I remember when I got my Sony, the Sony Store here in Canada had to bring one in from I think it was Vancouver, if I remember right it was the only one in the country at the time.