greets all,

Any suggestions of what the best analog VHF tuner would be? Preferably a unit capable
of receiving NFM, WFM and AM. Thanks.

MJ

"Michael J." wrote in message
...
greets all,

Any suggestions of what the best analog VHF tuner would be? Preferably a
unit capable
of receiving NFM, WFM and AM. Thanks.


Define analog? Do you mean it must have a dial to turn? Or must it really be
a VFO based tuning system with no synthesized steps, no matter how small?

I understand the desire to actually have a dial to turn, I like tuning in
this method myself. But, a synthesized rig with adequately small tuning
steps should not be a problem for any application I can think of. Depending
on the exact application you can select the tuning steps you require. For
FM, either wide or narrow, I can not think of any real reason to use smaller
than 1 kHz or maybe 0.5 kHz steps. The capture and AFC would take care of
the less than 500 Hz tuning error that would be the result with 1 kHz steps,
and 0.5 kHz steps would result in a step error of less than 250 hZ. These
size tuning steps often are fine for AM as well, although 0.1 Hz is better.
Naturally, for SSB reception I can see the need for smaller steps, often
0.01 kHz (10 Hz) or smaller.

If you are talking about a new unit I doubt you will find a VFO base radio
available. Almost everything these days covering that band is synthesized to
some extent. Anything that is not synth probably is fairly low end and will
not allow you to select anything but AM in that band. However, if you really
only mean you want table-top unit with a tuning dial then there are a few
new units out there. Most of them are fairly high end, and thus expensive.

Icom R-8500 ( I use this myself, and like it a lot)

Yaesu VR-5000

AOR AR-One

AOR AR8600

AOR AR5000

AOR AR7000

JRC NRD-525 with VHF option

JRC NRD-545 with Wide Band converter

Alternately you could select any of a wide list of SW based receivers with
external converters to get you into the right range. The only shortcoming
here is that most of these RXs do not have WFM, but they normally do have
every other mode. JRC, Drake, Kenwood, Yaesu, Icom all make applicable
units.

On the used market, but still modern with digital readouts and synth based,
the choices get very wide.

Icom R7000 (another one I use, and one of my favorites)

Icom R7100

Icom R100

Icom R9000 E & L

Yaesu FRG-965

YAesu FRG-9600

Yaesu FRG-8800 with VHF option

Yaesu FRG-7700 with VHF converter (another combo I use and like)

Kenwood R-2000 with VHF option

Kenwood R-5000 with VHF option

Drake has a unit with a VHF option also, but I forget the designator right
now.

And there are many more that I have jumped over here.

Also, if you really mean analogue, and a VFO type scheme, you will have to
look at the older used stuff. This may even take you back to tube systems.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, I still regularly use a lot of
Hallicrafters, Hammarlund, and Collins gear myself.

On the other hand, if you tell us what you want to get from this unit, I bet
the group can make a more informed suggestion.

C!

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:47:23 GMT, "Colic" wrote:

I understand the desire to actually have a dial to turn, I like tuning in
this method myself. But, a synthesized rig with adequately small tuning
steps should not be a problem for any application I can think of.

Agreed. I've been searching the net for a handheld scanner capable of tuning in
small increments. Unfortunately it seems that almost all scanners (or at least the
ones I've seen) have a minimum tuning increment of 5khz steps. I would like to be
able to tune as finely as possible.

If I get a scanner that is digitally tuned, then something like 1khz or 0.5khz tuning
steps would probably work fine. Question: which handheld scanners will allow tuning
in these small increments? Make? Models? Thanks

MJ

Alinco DJ-X2000
It will tune as low as 50 hz wouldn't that be .05 khz

Michael J. wrote:
On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:47:23 GMT, "Colic" wrote:


I understand the desire to actually have a dial to turn, I like tuning in
this method myself. But, a synthesized rig with adequately small tuning
steps should not be a problem for any application I can think of.


Agreed. I've been searching the net for a handheld scanner capable of tuning in
small increments. Unfortunately it seems that almost all scanners (or at least the
ones I've seen) have a minimum tuning increment of 5khz steps. I would like to be
able to tune as finely as possible.

If I get a scanner that is digitally tuned, then something like 1khz or 0.5khz tuning
steps would probably work fine. Question: which handheld scanners will allow tuning
in these small increments? Make? Models? Thanks

MJ

The Alinco DJ-X2000 will also tune am, fm, wfm, usb, lsb and if it's the
E version will have no gaps and will tune voice inversion scrambling.
Among many other things not mentioned!

whoever wrote:

Alinco DJ-X2000
It will tune as low as 50 hz wouldn't that be .05 khz

Michael J. wrote:

On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:47:23 GMT, "Colic"
wrote:


I understand the desire to actually have a dial to turn, I like
tuning in this method myself. But, a synthesized rig with adequately
small tuning steps should not be a problem for any application I can
think of.



Agreed. I've been searching the net for a handheld scanner capable of
tuning in
small increments. Unfortunately it seems that almost all scanners (or
at least the
ones I've seen) have a minimum tuning increment of 5khz steps. I would
like to be
able to tune as finely as possible.

If I get a scanner that is digitally tuned, then something like 1khz
or 0.5khz tuning
steps would probably work fine. Question: which handheld scanners will
allow tuning
in these small increments? Make? Models? Thanks

MJ

OK, so we are defining your requirements, and that is a good starting point.

You now are looking for a hand held radio, capable of 1 kHz or smaller
tuning steps, and covering the 110-140 MHz range with AM/WFM/NFM. This is a
lot better description than your original "VHF analog tuner". Even better
would be to actually define what you intend to listen to with this radio.
But, working with what we have now you will find there are several options.

I have not used any of the following, I am going on web data only. Confirm
everything before you get serious about getting one.

ICOM IC R-10 (0.1 kHz steps)
ICOM IC R-20 (0.01 kHz steps)

Yaesu VR-100 (0.1 kHz Steps)

Alinco DJ-X10T (0.05 kHz steps)
Alinco DJ-X2000 (0.05 kHz steps)

AOR AR8200 Mk III (0.05 kHz steps)

And I am sure there are others as well, this is just the first six I ran
into. All of the above are receivers only. There are also several amateur
handhelds that do the same kind of thing, but include a transmit function on
specific bands/frequencies. These are current models only, including the
used market would even lead to a larger list.

C!

"Michael J." wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:47:23 GMT, "Colic"
wrote:

I understand the desire to actually have a dial to turn, I like tuning in
this method myself. But, a synthesized rig with adequately small tuning
steps should not be a problem for any application I can think of.

Agreed. I've been searching the net for a handheld scanner capable of
tuning in
small increments. Unfortunately it seems that almost all scanners (or at
least the
ones I've seen) have a minimum tuning increment of 5khz steps. I would
like to be
able to tune as finely as possible.

If I get a scanner that is digitally tuned, then something like 1khz or
0.5khz tuning
steps would probably work fine. Question: which handheld scanners will
allow tuning
in these small increments? Make? Models? Thanks

MJ

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 10:07:53 -0500, whoever whoever@wherever wrote:

Alinco DJ-X2000
It will tune as low as 50 hz wouldn't that be .05 khz

Wow... Fantastic unit! As a general wide band scanning receiver, seems as though
there are very few things this unit WON'T do The freq counter is also of special
interest to me, as I was planning on purchasing a counter with an integrated RF/S
meter as well.. This unit seems to have it all built in! In a word, for my
purposes: perfect.

Well then, two questions: has anyone here had any experience with this unit, and, who
in town is selling the unit for the best price? Thanks

MJ

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 11:25:30 -0500, whoever whoever@wherever wrote:

The Alinco DJ-X2000 will also tune am, fm, wfm, usb, lsb and if it's the
E version will have no gaps and will tune voice inversion scrambling.
Among many other things not mentioned!

I just downloaded the user's manual for the unit. lol. I'm drooling...
Very nice.

MJ

VR-500----- 50 hz steps



"Michael J." wrote in message
...
On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:47:23 GMT, "Colic"
wrote:

I understand the desire to actually have a dial to turn, I like tuning in
this method myself. But, a synthesized rig with adequately small tuning
steps should not be a problem for any application I can think of.

Agreed. I've been searching the net for a handheld scanner capable of
tuning in
small increments. Unfortunately it seems that almost all scanners (or at
least the
ones I've seen) have a minimum tuning increment of 5khz steps. I would
like to be
able to tune as finely as possible.

If I get a scanner that is digitally tuned, then something like 1khz or
0.5khz tuning
steps would probably work fine. Question: which handheld scanners will
allow tuning
in these small increments? Make? Models? Thanks

MJ