Shortwave Reciever?

JD Mandrell

JD Mandrell

Joined
Apr 20, 2001
Messages
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I am thinking of getting back into listening to Shortwave Radio, can anyone recommend a good reciever?

Portable, but with an external antenna jack.

50-100 dollar range.
 
The Last Confederate said:
I am thinking of getting back into listening to Shortwave Radio, can anyone recommend a good reciever?

Portable, but with an external antenna jack.

50-100 dollar range.
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Okay, I'm going to assume you don't mean the tiny portables great for airline travel. That's fine, as you get more for the $ in the bigger categories.

Degen DE1102/Kaito1102 Retail at $100 3/5 Stars in Passport to World Band Radio --3 stars is good for a smaller unit btw.

Grundig 4000A same 3 stars. Lists at $150 but another poster says it can be gotten for $100 at Amazon.

Those seem best in your price range. Any other features for these radios you are curious about I'll look in my Passport and relay them to you.

There's always the temptation to go a bit higher for a better receiver--and it's usually worth it--but either of the above two recommendations are good, and if you want to move up you can always sell it and get something better if you find you want better listening.
 
The Sony ICF-2010 is pricey, but a classic. I've been using mine for ~12 years. Sadly, though, HF broadcasting seems to be declining. I used to learn so much from the BBC. Then they farqed up their broadcasting schedule and went anti-American so I don't listen anymore.
 
Thanks guys, I went the cheap route today, found a Grundig Mini-World 100PE on clearance at Radio Shack for $19.00. AM/FM and 6 SW bands. Thought for that price, I would start with it and make sure I really have the SW bug back before sinking mega-bucks into a receiver.

Have been kinda surprised tonight how much I can pick up with this little pocket radio, with just the built in whip antenna, I'm getting 10-12 stations on each SW band. Not all in English, but strong signals.
 
sheltot said:
The Sony ICF-2010 is pricey, but a classic. I've been using mine for ~12 years. Sadly, though, HF broadcasting seems to be declining. I used to learn so much from the BBC. Then they farqed up their broadcasting schedule and went anti-American so I don't listen anymore.
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I have been enjoying my 2010 for 14 years. Not only is it an exceptionally well-designed radio and a fine performer, they made 'em to last.

The "new 2010" is the Eton E1. Passport gives it 4-3/8 stars, higher than the 2010 ever got. The only thing they are reserved about is if it is made as well as the discontinued 2010.

SW isn't as interesting as it once was: No Radio Moscow, most other broadcasters have trimmed down their programs, and as you say the BBC isn't what it once was. VOA is way down too.

It's still amusing to listen to the Stalinist rantings of N. Korea though, and Havana is stuck in a time capsule always attacking the US and defending communism. The music is pretty fine though. Tapei has a good music program too.
 
It's been years since I've read "PWBR". I subscribed to "Monitoring Times", too. It was a great resource for the HF enthusiast. Glen Hauser's left wing rants finally irritated me to the point of letting my sub lapse. Probably cost Grove some money as I bought my 2010 from them as well as the excellent R8 and a few scanners.
 
Just a note on reception with the smaller units: I travel with a 10' piece of bell wire with an alligator clip attached to one end. Clip it to the telescoping antenna , un roll it near a window and often get amazing improvement in reception.
 
In that price range the Sangean 606 is big but quite good. The grundig/Eton 100 is really good for the price, if you can get used to the preset system and can live without an external antenna. When i used to go to the high arctic I took a cheap little Radio Shack/Realistic unit that took a beating but got really surprisingly good reception with amazing battery life. Reception in cities is an almost impossible challenge for any unit without a good external.
 
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