I am thinking I might buy one.Are they really as good as some people say
they are? How are they on Shortwave and AM/MW dxing? I have read a few
reports online about them and I would like to hear from some people
about them in this news group.
cuhulin

Dear Cuhulin,

I own two Sony ICF-SW7600G models (purchased in 1998 and 2000) and
three ICF-SW7600GR models (one purchased in 2001 and the other two
purchased in 2002). I also own five AN-LP1 antennas which I use with
these. I have them in several rooms in my house and I take one of the G
models and its AN-LP1 when I travel.

All my other portable SW receivers have been "retired." I use only
these Sony's as portable SW receivers.

The GR model has a few more features than the G model, and they are all
worthwhile, but the performance is identical.

I use NiMH rechargeable batteries (several 1800 mAh sets and one 2100
mAh set) in all of the radios (4 AA batteries) and antennas (2 AA
batteries) and these work fine. I do not bother with an AC adapter.

The radios are certainly not the equal of my Grundig Satellit 800 (AOR
WL500 window loop antenna) or my AOR AR7030 Plus (Wellbrook ALA 330S
antenna), but, in their category, I think they are tops. Their
performance satisfies me (you can see that I have pretty high
standards) and they are very ruggedly built.

If you know what you're doing, you'll pick up many, many countries and
the reception quality will be as good as you can get with a portable
this size. The Sony ICF-SW7600GR features a synchronous detection
circuit which works quite well, though, of course, not as well as those
on better (and much more expensive) field portables, portatops, and
tabletops. Only one other small portable SW radio features a
synchronous detection circuit - the Sony ICF-SW07 and, though its price
includes an AN-LP2 antenna (which tunes automatically instead of
manually as does the AN-LP1), it is far more costly than the
'7600GR/AN-LP1 combination and, at least according to PASSPORT, works
no better (I do not own an ICF-SW07). And don't let anyone kid you -
the synchronous detection circuit makes a huge difference in the
quality of the signal received on SW and MW, especially at dawn, at
dusk, and at night (and, in my opinion, anyone who says it doesn't
either is not using it properly or frankly just does not know what he's
doing at all). Personally, I will never buy any SW radio that doesn't
have this circuit unless someone comes up with something better!

I have never had even the slightest problem with any of my Sony's and I
would recommend the radio to you. I would also suggest that, if
possible, you buy the AN-LP1 antenna as it makes a major difference in
the quality of reception.

You can buy the radio for about $130.00 and the antenna for no more
than $90.00, both new, from reputable companies.

It's not the cheapest, but I think it's the best.

Joe

wrote in message
...
I am thinking I might buy one.Are they really as good as some people say
they are? How are they on Shortwave and AM/MW dxing? I have read a few
reports online about them and I would like to hear from some people
about them in this news group.
cuhulin


I have a 7600GR. I also had the 7600G. The GR has a few more features,
but the practical performance is identical. I also have a KA-1101, KA1102,
PL-550. I also owned a YB-400 for a few years. Of all those well known
portables, I would take the 7600gr hands down. The PL-550 has better audio
quality and so does the YB-400, but the 7600GR is the best of all of them
for serious sw listening. The build quality is solid, the audio quality is
good and the user features are excellent. The sensitivity and selectivivity
are outstanding for a portable. It works well in SSB mode. One of my
favorite features of the 7600GR is the ssb selectable am synch. It can work
wonders for cutting out hets and other types of interference. I really
value the radio for that. Of all the portables I have used, it is also the
one that is the most responsible to use with a substantial external antenna.
I hardly bother with my other portables.

Michael

As I've mentioned before, sideband is a problem on this radio IF you
expect to park it on a frequency and wait for the signals to appear.
This is because the step size isn't fine enough (at least on the older
model that uses the clarifier) to be on target. If you tune to a
frequency and hear some audio, then you can use the clarifier to tune
it in. The clarifier is like an analog tuning dial that is used in
addition to the digital dial. An example where you might want to dial
in a radio and wait for traffic is mil air, specifically the GHFCS (or
whatever Rummy renamed it).

Other than sideband, I've used mine quite a bit while travelling and as
a portable radio. [It's beat up to the point where the hotel maid
probably wouldn't swipe it.] I often use it in hotel rooms while on the
road, mostly for AM broadcast, since whatever the hotel supplies for a
radio is junk.

The sync will growl and needs a reasonably strong signal to lock.
Again, this is on the older model, not the GR. Given the price, the
performance is great.

wrote:
I am thinking I might buy one.Are they really as good as some people say
they are? How are they on Shortwave and AM/MW dxing? I have read a few
reports online about them and I would like to hear from some people
about them in this news group.
cuhulin