On Feb 6, 7:19 pm, "RHF" wrote:
On Feb 6, 1:05 pm, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:



On Feb 6, 2:34 pm, "peter stickney" wrote:

Greetings all -

Ive always been interested in shortwave radio, being able to listen to
far away stations mainly.

I was hoping to get some recommendations on a small AC powered
shortwave. Maybe something $150 or less. Ive seen plenty of sites
that have radios at this price and cheaper, with some brands I know,
like Sony, and some Ive never heard of.

I looked on jr.com, which seemed to have a good selection, but I dont
know enough about the technology or the brands to know what I want /
need.

Like I said, I would be interested in listening to international
stations, Italy would be nice. I live in Rhode Island, on the East
Coast, if that helps with reception.

I'm fairly ignorant of most things shortwave, but would like to get
more informed.

Ive done some searching on this group for recommendations, but figured
Id post the question again, to get the latest info.

Thanks

-peter

Dear Peter,

This question has been asked previously and many people have their
recommendations, most of which are worthwhile. I would recommend only
that, for your first shortwave radio that will be used on a daily
basis, that you do NOT buy a "used" receiver, good values though some
of them are. I believe that it would be much better to buy a new
radio from a reputable dealer in the United States. The factory will
have an interest in you (they supply a one-year warranty) and the
dealer will have an interest in you (they want your repeat business).

My personal recommendation to you is to buy a Sony ICF-SW7600GR
receiver ($159.99 or less, generally much less). This is a fine
receiver and is easy to use IF you carefully read the instruction
manual. Auxiliary antennas can be used with this receiver should you
decide to do so after becoming familiar with it. An AC adapter (the
least costly, most convenient to buy, and the overall best adapter is
the Radio Shack Model # 273-1758 with its free Adapt-A-Plug #
273-1705, $12.99). This will allow the radio to become a "de facto"
tabletop model. The Sony AN-LP1 Active Loop Antenna, designed
specifically for the immediate predecessor of this model, works
extremely well with this radio but is becoming very difficult to find.
However, other external antennas also work very well with the radio
and you can make your own very easily. Finally, I recommend that you
buy a set of NiMH AA rechargeable batteries and a charger (about
$20.00 at your local supermarket). These batteries, as well as an AC
adapter, keep your operating costs very low.

While using this radio is easy in and of itself, knowing when, where,
and how to tune foreign stations requires a learning curve. I strongly
recommend that you also buy the new PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO and
the new WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK. These two books will give you the
whole picture.

There are other radios in this price class that are worthy but I feel
that the Sony model offers the best combination of features, ease-of-
use, and construction quality. (Not even to mention its versatility!)

The radio and the books can be purchased from such reputable dealers
as Universal Radio, Amateur Electronic Supply, and Amazon.com, as well
as J&R Music World.

Finally, I want to make you aware of the eleven-year sunspot cycle.
This process directly affects the quality and quantity of the signals
you can hear. Unfortunately, we are now at the "bottom" of this cycle;
starting probably next year, the sunspot "count" will begin to
increase, reaching its peak around the year 2011. (When there are more
sunspots, radio reception can be improved, especially on the higher
frequencies where signals can travel farther.) You can read much more
about this phenomenon in the two books I recommend. Note that just
because we are at the "bottom" of the cycle doesn't mean you won't
hear anything, just that it is more challenging. And this is where an
excellent receiver, such as the Sony ICF-SW7600GR, really shines.

With whatever you purchase, I wish you the very best of luck and I
welcome you to a hobby that I have found stimulating and fascinating
for almost fifty years.

Joe- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

PS - I would 'second' Joe's recommendation ~ RHF

Sony ICF-SW7600GR 'portable' AM & FM Shortwave Radio
is the best Shortwave Radio "Value" for the Price at this time.
.
.
. .

This Sony was one of the ones I was considering. It was the right
price, and I assumed the right brand, but wanted to check with someone
who knew what they were doing. Those books look pretty interesting
too, Joe.

Ill probably wait a few weeks, and let Uncle Sam buy me the radio.

If I encounter anything that hasnt already been discussed on this
group, Ill pop in.

Thanks again for your help.

-peter