bakken@arizona.edu (Dave Bakken) (07/14/89)
I hope to buy a shortwave radio RSN, and have been unable to answer some questions in the course of my product research. So here goes! Any reasonably-informed answers to my questions will be greatly appreciated. I would like to use it to listen to various news broadcasts, probably 1-2 hours per day. This would be at home, driving to/from school and at my desk at school (I will work on external antennas for all 3 locations). I think I would listen to the BBC and the Christian Science Monitor radio 30-50% of the time, but would probably listen to at least 1-2 foreign shows a day, from all over the globe. I do not need to get very weak stations, and I am not interested in collecting QSLs, but I would like to get a really good feel about what people (or at least governments) all around the world feel is newsworthy. For example, when an event occurs in the Middle East, I'd probably want to listen to Isreali, Egyptian, and Saudi Arabian broadcasts. And perhaps also Syrian, Iraqi, and Moroccan. I think this is all you need to know about how I hope to use the radio - let me know if I forgot something! I realize that digital tuning is a must for reasonable reception of what I want to hear. I guess I could get a $40 cheapie portable and concentrate on the antennas, but I don't think this would give very good/drift-free reception (comments?). I originally hoped to spend about $100 (I'm a grad student), but it looks like $200 is the least I can hope to spend to get what I think I need. I've read in the World Radio TV Handbook and Passport to World Radio, and I've narrowed my choices to the Realistic DX-440 (aka Sangean ATS-803A; $210 all incl.) and the Sony ICF-2003 ($265). I'm leaning heavily towards the Realistic (I can even try it for 30 days and return it if I'm not pleased. I'd consider the Panasonic RF-B60 or RF-B65 since they have over 20 more memories, but I've heard they are not as good as the Sony). But I have a few questions/concerns: - Drift. I hear the Sonys are excellent at preventing drift. Would the Realistic be good at this? I have no idea how much of a problem this is in everyday SWL. - Memories. Is the 14 of the Realistic enough (like any resource, one can always use more)? I suspect I will have 1-3 stations I listen to daily, 2-5 more at least weekly, and 10-30 others at least monthly, all with 1-3 or more frequencies. But I don't really know what is a frill and what is really handy until I've had it for a while. And, of course, the Sony only has 10 memories. - Other comments on my upcoming choice are welcome! Anything I've overlooked in terms of specs/features/problems? - Someone posted a used ICF-2001 for $100 (it may be long gone by now). Would this be reasonable for my needs? I'd be inclined to pay extra for the Realistic, but it might be an option. Again, thanks for any help! -- Dave Bakken bakken@arizona.edu uunet!arizona!bakken "De Oppresso Liber" (especially in China)
chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) (07/14/89)
>I would like to use it to listen to various news broadcasts, probably >1-2 hours per day. This would be at home, driving to/from school and >at my desk at school (I will work on external antennas for all 3 >locations). I think I would listen to the BBC and the Christian Science >Monitor radio 30-50% of the time, but would probably listen to at least >1-2 foreign shows a day, from all over the globe. I've got the Sony 2010, and I really like it. The only weak spot is the speaker, which is tinny. I still haven't found a decent solution for that, but it also doesn't bother me except for really noisy signals. Otherwise, this is a really hot portable. The Sangean is also well thought of and somewhat cheaper, I believe. Chuq Von Rospach =|= Editor,OtherRealms =|= Member SFWA/ASFA chuq@apple.com =|= CI$: 73317,635 =|= AppleLink: CHUQ [This is myself speaking. No company can control my thoughts.] You are false data. Therefore I shall ignore you.