"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On 18 Feb 2007 20:46:30 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote in
.com:

May I recommend to you my personal favorite portable? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR

How would you rank that receiver against the Sony ICF-2010 with its
superb synchronous detector?


FWIW - I have been able to hear some trans-Atlantic DX in the AM MW BCB on
the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR using a Terk AM Advantage loop.

I would rank the SW7600GR as "still available for sale, brand new."

On 19 Feb 2007 09:12:05 -0800, "RedPenguin"
wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:39 am, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:
On Feb 19, 3:09 am, Larry Dighera wrote:

On 18 Feb 2007 20:46:30 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote in
.com:

May I recommend to you my personal favorite portable? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR

How would you rank that receiver against the Sony ICF-2010 with its
superb synchronous detector?

Dear Larry,

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR has a synchronous detection circuit and is the
only small portable radio currently on the market (new) to feature it.
This circuit is inferior to that of the ICF-2010 as is the radio in
general if you are comparing on an absolute basis. However, the '7600
has the advantage of being light and much more easily carried on trips
than does the '2010 and its memories (more of them, by the way) cannot
be lost as they can on the '2010. Plus, of course, the '2010 has been
discontinued and is only available "used" - as you may know, I do not
recommend buying "used" (with the notable exception of collectors who
desire a particular model). For daily use (especially for one new to
the hobby) I believe it is always better to buy "new;" both the
manufacturer and the dealer have an interest in you, both hoping that
you will buy more of their products. Plus, with "new," you get a one-
year warranty (except if you buy from one of the Ebay dealers in China
- good luck then in trying to have a defective radio repaired under
warranty!).

There are pros and cons regarding both of these radios but, as I said,
on an absolute basis, the Sony ICF-2010 is by far the superior radio
(and that includes its sync circuit). But then the Etón E1 is
(apparently) superior to the '2010, the ICOM IC-R75 is superior (as a
radio) and the AOR AR7030 Plus is better than all of them! Where do
you stop? The original poster wants portability, very good
performance, and a price tag well under $350.00. I firmly believe
that, in a new radio, he will find these characteristics to best
advantage in the Sony ICF-SW7600GR.

Best,

Joe

Is it completly worth getting a shortwave radio, if mostly I just
travel to New York, NY, Atlantic City, NJ and stay in my area of
Johnstown, PA?

What is it, exactly, that you want to hear on your radio? (You don't
have to travel to other countries to hear them on shortwave.)


I am not saying that the ICF-SW7600GR is not a good radio or anything
but it looks like it's not really under $150 new,

It should be no more than that. Check out J&R's price. It's a very
good radio.

so if I am going to
buy a shortwave radio for that price, I want to make sure that I will
be getting a radio that will work for a very long time and that
shortwave will be around for a while. I don't want a radio that I paid
$150 for that I will not be able to hear much and will probably hardly
use.


Well, look at it this way. The 7600 is a very fine AM (mediumwave) &
FM portable as well as shortwave. So even if, for some weird reason,
every broadcaster left the shortwave bands, you'd still be able to
hear everything on AM and FM.

Coupled with a set of computer speakers, it's a wonderful radio for
the money. Mine is 5+ years old and works perfectly (with the
exception of the thumbwheels losing "traction" and requiring a little
fiddling.)

--
Col. I.P. Yurin
Commissariat of Internal Security

Stakhanovite
Order of Lenin (1937)
Hero of Socialist Labor (1939)

On Feb 19, 12:12 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:39 am, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:



On Feb 19, 3:09 am, Larry Dighera wrote:

On 18 Feb 2007 20:46:30 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote in
.com:

May I recommend to you my personal favorite portable? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR

How would you rank that receiver against the Sony ICF-2010 with its
superb synchronous detector?

Dear Larry,

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR has a synchronous detection circuit and is the
only small portable radio currently on the market (new) to feature it.
This circuit is inferior to that of the ICF-2010 as is the radio in
general if you are comparing on an absolute basis. However, the '7600
has the advantage of being light and much more easily carried on trips
than does the '2010 and its memories (more of them, by the way) cannot
be lost as they can on the '2010. Plus, of course, the '2010 has been
discontinued and is only available "used" - as you may know, I do not
recommend buying "used" (with the notable exception of collectors who
desire a particular model). For daily use (especially for one new to
the hobby) I believe it is always better to buy "new;" both the
manufacturer and the dealer have an interest in you, both hoping that
you will buy more of their products. Plus, with "new," you get a one-
year warranty (except if you buy from one of the Ebay dealers in China
- good luck then in trying to have a defective radio repaired under
warranty!).

There are pros and cons regarding both of these radios but, as I said,
on an absolute basis, the Sony ICF-2010 is by far the superior radio
(and that includes its sync circuit). But then the Etón E1 is
(apparently) superior to the '2010, the ICOM IC-R75 is superior (as a
radio) and the AOR AR7030 Plus is better than all of them! Where do
you stop? The original poster wants portability, very good
performance, and a price tag well under $350.00. I firmly believe
that, in a new radio, he will find these characteristics to best
advantage in the Sony ICF-SW7600GR.

Best,

Joe

Is it completly worth getting a shortwave radio, if mostly I just
travel to New York, NY, Atlantic City, NJ and stay in my area of
Johnstown, PA?

I am not saying that the ICF-SW7600GR is not a good radio or anything
but it looks like it's not really under $150 new, so if I am going to
buy a shortwave radio for that price, I want to make sure that I will
be getting a radio that will work for a very long time and that
shortwave will be around for a while. I don't want a radio that I paid
$150 for that I will not be able to hear much and will probably hardly
use.

Dear Sir,

Yes, it's well-worth buying a shortwave radio. Your $150.00 (or less)
will be money well-spent. You do not yet seem to understand the merits
of shortwave radio. It doesn't matter where you travel or don't
travel. You do not even have to leave your house to hear many, many
foreign countries on shortwave. One of the advantages of shortwave
broadcasts is that they travel well. In other words, you'll be able to
hear the same programs in Atlantic City, NJ as you will in your home
state of Pennsylvania. I always take one of my ICF-SW7600GRs with me
when we vacation in California and, believe it or not, often I can
hear some of the same programs there that I hear in New Jersey
(allowing for the time difference, of course). This is not ALWAYS the
case; however, it is easy to find many broadcasts to hear by searching
the tables on, for example, PrimeTimeShortwave. After you have learned
how to listen (remember - I told you that there is a learning curve
and that there is absolutely no way to compress the time necessary fto
obtain experience) you will easily be able to determine just what you
should be able to hear at any given location at any given time.

By the way, I do the overwhelming majority of my listening right from
my home as I do not travel often, just once yearly to California.

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR is a revised version of the Sony ICF-SW7600G
(hence the "R") which was introduced back in 1994. I own two of this
original model and both still function as they did when new. I now own
five '7600GRs, the first one having been purchased in 2001, the second
and third in 2002, and the fourth and fifth in 2005. All function
exactly the same. All always work perfectly. While I have heard of a
very few isolated cases of people having some problems (this, of
course, can happen with anything), I personally have never experienced
even a "hiccup!" I can recommend this radio without reservation. It is
reliable and very long-lasting. When you actually see one and you
"heft" it (and examine it), you'll know exactly what I'm talking
about!

What if you decide you "hate" shortwave? Well then you still have one
of the very best AM and FM portable radios ever designed. Did you know
that one of the features of this radio is a true (and superb) stereo
line output jack? If you run FM stereo from this radio (via a $10.00
cable sold at Radio Shack) to your audio system, I'll bet this Sony
portable outperforms the FM section in your system (unless you have a
very high-end one). And its AM section is one of the best ever
designed for a portable. Long-distance AM reception is very easy at
night as attested to by many owners. Quite a number of owners have
actually heard Europe on the standard AM band with this radio (from
within the US), though I personally have not. Still, it's easy to hear
Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and numerous distant stations
with the radio just using its built-in ferrite rod antenna. You would
be able to hear Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, New York, Massachusetts,
Florida, and many, many other states, depending on just where in
Pennsylvania you live.

Do I sound like a "shill?" Those who know me from this group know that
I'm not. I'm just a very satisfied owner of this radio (and, believe
me, I'm "picky"). I do not know of a better radio at any price for one
just starting out in this hobby. And, as I originally stated, it is a
radio that is so good that the owner will never "outgrow" it. I own a
couple of very sophisticated (and expensive) shortwave receivers, yet
often I just turn on one of my Sonys when I want to just listen to a
program.

I believe you will like this radio. I know you will find it worth its
cost.

Best,

Joe

There is really no end to the merits of this radio. Yes, it is more
costly than some portable shortwave receivers, but you are purchasing
a true classic that will never give you "buyers' remorse."

On 19 Feb 2007 18:16:24 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:
On Feb 19, 12:12 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:39 am, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:



On Feb 19, 3:09 am, Larry Dighera wrote:

On 18 Feb 2007 20:46:30 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote in
.com:

May I recommend to you my personal favorite portable? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR

How would you rank that receiver against the Sony ICF-2010 with its
superb synchronous detector?

Dear Larry,

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR has a synchronous detection circuit and is the
only small portable radio currently on the market (new) to feature it.
This circuit is inferior to that of the ICF-2010 as is the radio in
general if you are comparing on an absolute basis. However, the '7600
has the advantage of being light and much more easily carried on trips
than does the '2010 and its memories (more of them, by the way) cannot
be lost as they can on the '2010. Plus, of course, the '2010 has been
discontinued and is only available "used" - as you may know, I do not
recommend buying "used" (with the notable exception of collectors who
desire a particular model). For daily use (especially for one new to
the hobby) I believe it is always better to buy "new;" both the
manufacturer and the dealer have an interest in you, both hoping that
you will buy more of their products. Plus, with "new," you get a one-
year warranty (except if you buy from one of the Ebay dealers in China
- good luck then in trying to have a defective radio repaired under
warranty!).

There are pros and cons regarding both of these radios but, as I said,
on an absolute basis, the Sony ICF-2010 is by far the superior radio
(and that includes its sync circuit). But then the Etón E1 is
(apparently) superior to the '2010, the ICOM IC-R75 is superior (as a
radio) and the AOR AR7030 Plus is better than all of them! Where do
you stop? The original poster wants portability, very good
performance, and a price tag well under $350.00. I firmly believe
that, in a new radio, he will find these characteristics to best
advantage in the Sony ICF-SW7600GR.

Best,

Joe

Is it completly worth getting a shortwave radio, if mostly I just
travel to New York, NY, Atlantic City, NJ and stay in my area of
Johnstown, PA?

I am not saying that the ICF-SW7600GR is not a good radio or anything
but it looks like it's not really under $150 new, so if I am going to
buy a shortwave radio for that price, I want to make sure that I will
be getting a radio that will work for a very long time and that
shortwave will be around for a while. I don't want a radio that I paid
$150 for that I will not be able to hear much and will probably hardly
use.

Dear Sir,

Yes, it's well-worth buying a shortwave radio. Your $150.00 (or less)
will be money well-spent. You do not yet seem to understand the merits
of shortwave radio. It doesn't matter where you travel or don't
travel. You do not even have to leave your house to hear many, many
foreign countries on shortwave. One of the advantages of shortwave
broadcasts is that they travel well. In other words, you'll be able to
hear the same programs in Atlantic City, NJ as you will in your home
state of Pennsylvania. I always take one of my ICF-SW7600GRs with me
when we vacation in California and, believe it or not, often I can
hear some of the same programs there that I hear in New Jersey
(allowing for the time difference, of course). This is not ALWAYS the
case; however, it is easy to find many broadcasts to hear by searching
the tables on, for example, PrimeTimeShortwave. After you have learned
how to listen (remember - I told you that there is a learning curve
and that there is absolutely no way to compress the time necessary fto
obtain experience) you will easily be able to determine just what you
should be able to hear at any given location at any given time.

By the way, I do the overwhelming majority of my listening right from
my home as I do not travel often, just once yearly to California.

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR is a revised version of the Sony ICF-SW7600G
(hence the "R") which was introduced back in 1994. I own two of this
original model and both still function as they did when new. I now own
five '7600GRs, the first one having been purchased in 2001, the second
and third in 2002, and the fourth and fifth in 2005. All function
exactly the same. All always work perfectly. While I have heard of a
very few isolated cases of people having some problems (this, of
course, can happen with anything), I personally have never experienced
even a "hiccup!" I can recommend this radio without reservation. It is
reliable and very long-lasting. When you actually see one and you
"heft" it (and examine it), you'll know exactly what I'm talking
about!

What if you decide you "hate" shortwave? Well then you still have one
of the very best AM and FM portable radios ever designed. Did you know
that one of the features of this radio is a true (and superb) stereo
line output jack? If you run FM stereo from this radio (via a $10.00
cable sold at Radio Shack) to your audio system, I'll bet this Sony
portable outperforms the FM section in your system (unless you have a
very high-end one). And its AM section is one of the best ever
designed for a portable.

I think that's a key point that many prospective swl's don't fully
realize. The 7600 -- like many other "expensive" s/w radios -- is
likely to be better on both FM and regular AM than any radio they are
now using. So even if they don't get bitten by the s/w bug, they will
still have a very good "regular" radio. Just look at what people pay
for high-end AM/FM radios: bose, cambridge, etc. $150 for the 7600 is
a bargain, if you use it as a tuner and direct the sound into some
decent speakers.


Long-distance AM reception is very easy at
night as attested to by many owners. Quite a number of owners have
actually heard Europe on the standard AM band with this radio (from
within the US), though I personally have not. Still, it's easy to hear
Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and numerous distant stations
with the radio just using its built-in ferrite rod antenna. You would
be able to hear Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, New York, Massachusetts,
Florida, and many, many other states, depending on just where in
Pennsylvania you live.

Do I sound like a "shill?" Those who know me from this group know that
I'm not. I'm just a very satisfied owner of this radio (and, believe
me, I'm "picky"). I do not know of a better radio at any price for one
just starting out in this hobby. And, as I originally stated, it is a
radio that is so good that the owner will never "outgrow" it. I own a
couple of very sophisticated (and expensive) shortwave receivers, yet
often I just turn on one of my Sonys when I want to just listen to a
program.

I believe you will like this radio. I know you will find it worth its
cost.

Best,

Joe

There is really no end to the merits of this radio. Yes, it is more
costly than some portable shortwave receivers, but you are purchasing
a true classic that will never give you "buyers' remorse."


And on that note, there's always the point that the 7600 will retain
value even if the purchaser decides s/w isn't for him/her. Just buy
the radio and try it for a year. If s/w isn't interesting... and if
the AM/FM reception isn't impressive enough to keep it, sell it! I'm
betting that in good condition with only one year's mileage on it,
it'll still be worth at least 50% of the original price.

--
Col. I.P. Yurin
Commissariat of Internal Security

Stakhanovite
Order of Lenin (1937)
Hero of Socialist Labor (1939)

On Feb 19, 10:40 pm, I.P. Yurin
wrote:
On 19 Feb 2007 18:16:24 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"







wrote:
On Feb 19, 12:12 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:39 am, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:

On Feb 19, 3:09 am, Larry Dighera wrote:

On 18 Feb 2007 20:46:30 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote in
.com:

May I recommend to you my personal favorite portable? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR

How would you rank that receiver against the Sony ICF-2010 with its
superb synchronous detector?

Dear Larry,

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR has a synchronous detection circuit and is the
only small portable radio currently on the market (new) to feature it.
This circuit is inferior to that of the ICF-2010 as is the radio in
general if you are comparing on an absolute basis. However, the '7600
has the advantage of being light and much more easily carried on trips
than does the '2010 and its memories (more of them, by the way) cannot
be lost as they can on the '2010. Plus, of course, the '2010 has been
discontinued and is only available "used" - as you may know, I do not
recommend buying "used" (with the notable exception of collectors who
desire a particular model). For daily use (especially for one new to
the hobby) I believe it is always better to buy "new;" both the
manufacturer and the dealer have an interest in you, both hoping that
you will buy more of their products. Plus, with "new," you get a one-
year warranty (except if you buy from one of the Ebay dealers in China
- good luck then in trying to have a defective radio repaired under
warranty!).

There are pros and cons regarding both of these radios but, as I said,
on an absolute basis, the Sony ICF-2010 is by far the superior radio
(and that includes its sync circuit). But then the Etón E1 is
(apparently) superior to the '2010, the ICOM IC-R75 is superior (as a
radio) and the AOR AR7030 Plus is better than all of them! Where do
you stop? The original poster wants portability, very good
performance, and a price tag well under $350.00. I firmly believe
that, in a new radio, he will find these characteristics to best
advantage in the Sony ICF-SW7600GR.

Best,

Joe

Is it completly worth getting a shortwave radio, if mostly I just
travel to New York, NY, Atlantic City, NJ and stay in my area of
Johnstown, PA?

I am not saying that the ICF-SW7600GR is not a good radio or anything
but it looks like it's not really under $150 new, so if I am going to
buy a shortwave radio for that price, I want to make sure that I will
be getting a radio that will work for a very long time and that
shortwave will be around for a while. I don't want a radio that I paid
$150 for that I will not be able to hear much and will probably hardly
use.

Dear Sir,

Yes, it's well-worth buying a shortwave radio. Your $150.00 (or less)
will be money well-spent. You do not yet seem to understand the merits
of shortwave radio. It doesn't matter where you travel or don't
travel. You do not even have to leave your house to hear many, many
foreign countries on shortwave. One of the advantages of shortwave
broadcasts is that they travel well. In other words, you'll be able to
hear the same programs in Atlantic City, NJ as you will in your home
state of Pennsylvania. I always take one of my ICF-SW7600GRs with me
when we vacation in California and, believe it or not, often I can
hear some of the same programs there that I hear in New Jersey
(allowing for the time difference, of course). This is not ALWAYS the
case; however, it is easy to find many broadcasts to hear by searching
the tables on, for example, PrimeTimeShortwave. After you have learned
how to listen (remember - I told you that there is a learning curve
and that there is absolutely no way to compress the time necessary fto
obtain experience) you will easily be able to determine just what you
should be able to hear at any given location at any given time.

By the way, I do the overwhelming majority of my listening right from
my home as I do not travel often, just once yearly to California.

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR is a revised version of the Sony ICF-SW7600G
(hence the "R") which was introduced back in 1994. I own two of this
original model and both still function as they did when new. I now own
five '7600GRs, the first one having been purchased in 2001, the second
and third in 2002, and the fourth and fifth in 2005. All function
exactly the same. All always work perfectly. While I have heard of a
very few isolated cases of people having some problems (this, of
course, can happen with anything), I personally have never experienced
even a "hiccup!" I can recommend this radio without reservation. It is
reliable and very long-lasting. When you actually see one and you
"heft" it (and examine it), you'll know exactly what I'm talking
about!

What if you decide you "hate" shortwave? Well then you still have one
of the very best AM and FM portable radios ever designed. Did you know
that one of the features of this radio is a true (and superb) stereo
line output jack? If you run FM stereo from this radio (via a $10.00
cable sold at Radio Shack) to your audio system, I'll bet this Sony
portable outperforms the FM section in your system (unless you have a
very high-end one). And its AM section is one of the best ever
designed for a portable.

I think that's a key point that many prospective swl's don't fully
realize. The 7600 -- like many other "expensive" s/w radios -- is
likely to be better on both FM and regular AM than any radio they are
now using. So even if they don't get bitten by the s/w bug, they will
still have a very good "regular" radio. Just look at what people pay
for high-end AM/FM radios: bose, cambridge, etc. $150 for the 7600 is
a bargain, if you use it as a tuner and direct the sound into some
decent speakers.



Long-distance AM reception is very easy at
night as attested to by many owners. Quite a number of owners have
actually heard Europe on the standard AM band with this radio (from
within the US), though I personally have not. Still, it's easy to hear
Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and numerous distant stations
with the radio just using its built-in ferrite rod antenna. You would
be able to hear Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, New York, Massachusetts,
Florida, and many, many other states, depending on just where in
Pennsylvania you live.

Do I sound like a "shill?" Those who know me from this group know that
I'm not. I'm just a very satisfied owner of this radio (and, believe
me, I'm "picky"). I do not know of a better radio at any price for one
just starting out in this hobby. And, as I originally stated, it is a
radio that is so good that the owner will never "outgrow" it. I own a
couple of very sophisticated (and expensive) shortwave receivers, yet
often I just turn on one of my Sonys when I want to just listen to a
program.

I believe you will like this radio. I know you will find it worth its
cost.

Best,

Joe

There is really no end to the merits of this radio. Yes, it is more
costly than some portable shortwave receivers, but you are purchasing
a true classic that will never give you "buyers' remorse."

And on that note, there's always the point that the 7600 will retain
value even if the purchaser decides s/w isn't for him/her. Just buy
the radio and try it for a year. If s/w isn't interesting... and if
the AM/FM reception isn't impressive enough to keep it, sell it! I'm
betting that in good condition with only one year's mileage on it,
it'll still be worth at least 50% of the original price.

--
Col. I.P. Yurin
Commissariat of Internal Security

Stakhanovite
Order of Lenin (1937)
Hero of Socialist Labor (1939)

Ok, thank you guys/gals for all your help. I believe I am defiantly
going to purchase this radio then. It will make a perfect addition to
my radio collection. Especially with my Uniden BR330T, even though
that's not a shortwave reciever in the true word, it's an awesome
scanner and receives some shortwave.

On Feb 19, 10:40 pm, I.P. Yurin
wrote:
On 19 Feb 2007 18:16:24 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"



wrote:
On Feb 19, 12:12 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:39 am, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:

On Feb 19, 3:09 am, Larry Dighera wrote:

On 18 Feb 2007 20:46:30 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote in
.com:

May I recommend to you my personal favorite portable? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR

How would you rank that receiver against the Sony ICF-2010 with its
superb synchronous detector?

Dear Larry,

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR has a synchronous detection circuit and is the
only small portable radio currently on the market (new) to feature it.
This circuit is inferior to that of the ICF-2010 as is the radio in
general if you are comparing on an absolute basis. However, the '7600
has the advantage of being light and much more easily carried on trips
than does the '2010 and its memories (more of them, by the way) cannot
be lost as they can on the '2010. Plus, of course, the '2010 has been
discontinued and is only available "used" - as you may know, I do not
recommend buying "used" (with the notable exception of collectors who
desire a particular model). For daily use (especially for one new to
the hobby) I believe it is always better to buy "new;" both the
manufacturer and the dealer have an interest in you, both hoping that
you will buy more of their products. Plus, with "new," you get a one-
year warranty (except if you buy from one of the Ebay dealers in China
- good luck then in trying to have a defective radio repaired under
warranty!).

There are pros and cons regarding both of these radios but, as I said,
on an absolute basis, the Sony ICF-2010 is by far the superior radio
(and that includes its sync circuit). But then the Etón E1 is
(apparently) superior to the '2010, the ICOM IC-R75 is superior (as a
radio) and the AOR AR7030 Plus is better than all of them! Where do
you stop? The original poster wants portability, very good
performance, and a price tag well under $350.00. I firmly believe
that, in a new radio, he will find these characteristics to best
advantage in the Sony ICF-SW7600GR.

Best,

Joe

Is it completly worth getting a shortwave radio, if mostly I just
travel to New York, NY, Atlantic City, NJ and stay in my area of
Johnstown, PA?

I am not saying that the ICF-SW7600GR is not a good radio or anything
but it looks like it's not really under $150 new, so if I am going to
buy a shortwave radio for that price, I want to make sure that I will
be getting a radio that will work for a very long time and that
shortwave will be around for a while. I don't want a radio that I paid
$150 for that I will not be able to hear much and will probably hardly
use.

Dear Sir,

Yes, it's well-worth buying a shortwave radio. Your $150.00 (or less)
will be money well-spent. You do not yet seem to understand the merits
of shortwave radio. It doesn't matter where you travel or don't
travel. You do not even have to leave your house to hear many, many
foreign countries on shortwave. One of the advantages of shortwave
broadcasts is that they travel well. In other words, you'll be able to
hear the same programs in Atlantic City, NJ as you will in your home
state of Pennsylvania. I always take one of my ICF-SW7600GRs with me
when we vacation in California and, believe it or not, often I can
hear some of the same programs there that I hear in New Jersey
(allowing for the time difference, of course). This is not ALWAYS the
case; however, it is easy to find many broadcasts to hear by searching
the tables on, for example, PrimeTimeShortwave. After you have learned
how to listen (remember - I told you that there is a learning curve
and that there is absolutely no way to compress the time necessary fto
obtain experience) you will easily be able to determine just what you
should be able to hear at any given location at any given time.

By the way, I do the overwhelming majority of my listening right from
my home as I do not travel often, just once yearly to California.

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR is a revised version of the Sony ICF-SW7600G
(hence the "R") which was introduced back in 1994. I own two of this
original model and both still function as they did when new. I now own
five '7600GRs, the first one having been purchased in 2001, the second
and third in 2002, and the fourth and fifth in 2005. All function
exactly the same. All always work perfectly. While I have heard of a
very few isolated cases of people having some problems (this, of
course, can happen with anything), I personally have never experienced
even a "hiccup!" I can recommend this radio without reservation. It is
reliable and very long-lasting. When you actually see one and you
"heft" it (and examine it), you'll know exactly what I'm talking
about!

What if you decide you "hate" shortwave? Well then you still have one
of the very best AM and FM portable radios ever designed. Did you know
that one of the features of this radio is a true (and superb) stereo
line output jack? If you run FM stereo from this radio (via a $10.00
cable sold at Radio Shack) to your audio system, I'll bet this Sony
portable outperforms the FM section in your system (unless you have a
very high-end one). And its AM section is one of the best ever
designed for a portable.

I think that's a key point that many prospective swl's don't fully
realize. The 7600 -- like many other "expensive" s/w radios -- is
likely to be better on both FM and regular AM than any radio they are
now using. So even if they don't get bitten by the s/w bug, they will
still have a very good "regular" radio. Just look at what people pay
for high-end AM/FM radios: bose, cambridge, etc. $150 for the 7600 is
a bargain, if you use it as a tuner and direct the sound into some
decent speakers.



Long-distance AM reception is very easy at
night as attested to by many owners. Quite a number of owners have
actually heard Europe on the standard AM band with this radio (from
within the US), though I personally have not. Still, it's easy to hear
Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and numerous distant stations
with the radio just using its built-in ferrite rod antenna. You would
be able to hear Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, New York, Massachusetts,
Florida, and many, many other states, depending on just where in
Pennsylvania you live.

Do I sound like a "shill?" Those who know me from this group know that
I'm not. I'm just a very satisfied owner of this radio (and, believe
me, I'm "picky"). I do not know of a better radio at any price for one
just starting out in this hobby. And, as I originally stated, it is a
radio that is so good that the owner will never "outgrow" it. I own a
couple of very sophisticated (and expensive) shortwave receivers, yet
often I just turn on one of my Sonys when I want to just listen to a
program.

I believe you will like this radio. I know you will find it worth its
cost.

Best,

Joe

There is really no end to the merits of this radio. Yes, it is more
costly than some portable shortwave receivers, but you are purchasing
a true classic that will never give you "buyers' remorse."

And on that note, there's always the point that the 7600 will retain
value even if the purchaser decides s/w isn't for him/her. Just buy
the radio and try it for a year. If s/w isn't interesting... and if
the AM/FM reception isn't impressive enough to keep it, sell it! I'm
betting that in good condition with only one year's mileage on it,
it'll still be worth at least 50% of the original price.

--
Col. I.P. Yurin
Commissariat of Internal Security

Stakhanovite
Order of Lenin (1937)
Hero of Socialist Labor (1939)

Now my last question is, what is the trick to shortwave, to figure out
what station you got? I hear that stations can change all the time and
some stations seem to have the same frequency depending on what area
they are in. Also, I kinda understand, but why is it that shortwave
can actually go so far yet AM and FM barely go anywhere? I guess
shortwave stations just have more power right?

On 19 Feb 2007 22:18:33 -0800, "RedPenguin"
wrote in
.com:

why is it that shortwave
can actually go so far yet AM and FM barely go anywhere?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_propagation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_useable_frequency
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DX_communication
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Wave_Listener

SomeOne Wrote
why is it that shortwave
can actually go so far yet AM and FM barely go anywhere?

FM is in the VHF band thus is essentially line of sight (like TV Stations)

AM stations have a coverage during the day that is local - a few hundred
miles example I am in San Diego and can pick up LA stations 90 miles away.
At night one of the atmosphere layers dissipates and AM stations can be
heard all across the country. Example on a good night during the winter I
can pick up WGN Chicago - 1700 miles

For AM you will need a good antenna and listen at night during the winter
months.

All this is explained (no math) at URL:
http://ecjones.org/propag.html

CL

On Feb 20, 1:18 am, "RedPenguin" wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:40 pm, I.P. Yurin
wrote:

Now my last question is, what is the trick to shortwave, to figure out
what station you got? I hear that stations can change all the time and
some stations seem to have the same frequency depending on what area
they are in. Also, I kinda understand, but why is it that shortwave
can actually go so far yet AM and FM barely go anywhere? I guess
shortwave stations just have more power right?

Dear Sir,

There is no "trick" to identifying a shortwave station in the sense
you mean. There is ONLY experience, a few good references, and careful
listening. I haven't stated it yet on this thread (but those who know
me well from my other postings know what's coming next!) - if you want
to get the most from the shortwave hobby, while internet sites are
invaluable, the two books PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO and WORLD RADIO
TV HANDBOOK are essential. Both are available inexpensively from
Amazon, as well as local bookstores. Many of the better mail-order
radio dealers also sell them. These books are published yearly. I buy
each new edition as it is published. These books, which do not really
overlap but rather complement each other, make the hobby far more
enjoyable. Trying to listen to shortwave without these books is, in my
opinion, just like a lawyer trying to get by without the Law Review, a
doctor trying to get by without the PDR, or an engineer trying to get
by without the CRC Handbook.

These books will explain to you just how shortwave signals travel
around the world. In addition, they will give you an excellent
overview of the hobby and will answer the great majority of your
questions..

I hope you don't think I'm being supercilious or condescending to you.
That is certainly not my intention. I sincerely want to encourage you
(and anyone else interested) in the shortwave hobby. Like any other
worthwhile hobby, there are things that must be learned. One cannot
actually learn until one has the proper tools, in this case a
shortwave receiver of good quality. Once you actually get the radio,
carefully study the instruction manual, and, I hope, buy and study the
references I mention as well as studying some online informational
sites (especially RadioIntel.com and PrimeTimeShortwave.com), then
you'll be well on your way to becoming a DXer. Plus you'll be able to
avail yourself of a great deal of news and commentary from very
different perspectives than is available on our local "mass media," as
well as some great and exotic entertainment.

I'll say it once mo there's no substitute for experience and
there's no way to get that experience except by putting in the time
and effort necessary. That is the "trick" to identifying stations and
for shortwave listening in general.

But first you need to buy the radio. All else will follow.

Best,

Joe