On Friday, June 22, 2012 9:27:10 PM UTC-7, Mike wrote:
On Friday, June 22, 2012 11:23:20 PM UTC-4, (unknown) wrote:
On Friday, June 22, 2012 2:23:55 AM UTC-5, Mike wrote:

Most of these were not audible at all on an Icom R75 with external antenna!!

Are we to infer that the Tecsun PL660 is a better receiver than the Icom R75 or that your Icom R75 needs servicing?

No, I think the PL660 on the rod can handle some of the local noise (heavy ATT U-Verse neighborhood) better than the R75 on a fairly weak external. The R75 was doing better in the 9 and 11 Mhz bands, but the PL660 really excelled in allowing some of these weaker stations on the higher frequencies to pop up slightly above the noise floor.

Nightime MW reception with the PL660 was much better than daytime reception. Need to get out of the city to re-test the daytime MW reception of the PL660.

The R75 is in excellent condition with some excellent mods - voice frequency read-out, DSP, and baked crystal for frequency stability. Backup receivers include two Sony 2010s, both with dual KIWA filters,a newly re-conditioned SW77and an Eton E1XM. Dozens of other compact portables.

Mike

So this is not not a radio problem, really, but again, an antenna problem, which is most understandable in a suburban place. I have the same issue here - put up a good antenna, and the electronic buzz all over the place ruins the signal. When I take the R75 radio to the outback and string up some wire, I can practically hear the whole global surface.

AS a last-ditch effort for home listening, a Wellbrook loop might be a solution - but it's a relatively expensive gamble at $300+ for the item.