wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (01/21/85)
WOW! GOLLY! GEE WHILLIKERS! (And other expressions of excitement...) A new Sony portable Shortwave (and other coverage) radio is due out soom! This info is culled from the report presented on Radio Nederlands "Media Network" program, GMT Friday, 18 Jan 85. This is all I know: Keeping up their tradition of confusing model numbers, this new Sony radio will be known as the "2010" in the US, and the "2001D" in the rest of the world. I'll just say "2010" to avoid confusion with the original 2001 model. It is due to be on the US market in March/April 85, and will have a list price around $300 US. It is slightly smaller than the original 2001, weighing 1.8 kg with batteries, and measuring 29 X 16 X 5 cm. Has a 120 cm whip antenna. Power is by 3 D-cells drawing 150 mA (which is far better, and giving far longer battery life, than the old 2001) and 3 (NOT 2!) AA-cells for the computer. It has 68 - count them - 68 push buttons! (Whee! Love them buttons!) It has a digital display (LCD, I assume; I seem to have missed that in my notes), of course, and covers (get this!) 150 - 29999 kHz, 76 - 108 MHz FM, AND 116 - 136 MHz Aeronautical band! In addition to the usual direct-keypad frequency entry, it has KNOB tuning too. (Something I have sorely missed on my Sonys & Uniden -- last night I was using my old Hallicrafters and marvelling at the ease of tuning by merely turning a knob... the great wheel of life is turning full circle again...) Anyway, the knob tuning works in steps; on LW, BCB, & SW, you can choose 100 Hz or 1 kHz steps -- on FM VHF, it works in 50 kHz steps, and on Aeronautical band, in 25 kHz steps. Standard 10 kHz or 9 kHz BCB station- spacing is switch-selectable. (I guess for scanning?) There is a 10-LED signal-strength meter which doubles as a battery-strength indicator. There is a built-in 12 or 24-hour clock and timer. It uses the TUNING KNOB to set the clock and timer! There is a switchable dial light. There is a recorder output, at low [mike] level (usual Sony practice). There is a 1/8th in. (3.5 mm) headphone jack, wired for stereo headphones (no mention that the FM was stereo, though, so it probably isn't -- I wonder why; it could be done for one or two more chips at little incremental cost, and be a good selling feature). Memories: 32 - count them - 32 memories; using 32 buttons, in a 4 X 8 matrix. However, there is also a "shift" button, like on calculators, which makes the memory buttons also function as "jump to band X" controls, so, by hitting two buttons, you jump to the lower end of any SW broadcast band, FM, BCB, etc. Scanning: scan between any two frequencies selected, or can scan the 32 memory channels, pausing 5 seconds on each one. (No info given on scan rate, steps, or limitations.) New gimmick: A "SYNC" control. Push this button while tuned to an AM signal, and it goes into an automatic ECSS (exalted carrier single sideband) mode. That is, you can choose USB or LSB, and the radio suppresses the station's carrier and injects its own. This reduces some forms of distortion and interference, especially on SW. However, there is a failing (maybe just in the sample tested?) -- the SYNC circuits introduce a great deal of noise of their own on higher-frequency signals (e.g., most SW broadcast bands). However, the circuits do work; the testers were able to "easily" separate the two programs carried on ISB feeder signals! (Independent Side Bands -- many broadcasters using SW relays put two separate signals on a single transmission, one program on each sideband.) Selectivity: two switchable AM bandwidths. Wide said to be "somewhat too wide" (no numbers given); Narrow = 3 kHz @ 6 dB, said to be effective. Filters characterized as "fair". Sensitivity: Very good. Has a variable RF Gain control, plus a DX/Local attenuator. Worked best with that left on "DX". Antenna connections: Radio is matched well to its own whip antenna; using a 10-meter longwire on SW did no good and actually reduced some signals. Separate connections available for VHF Air and FM. WOW! After the dust settles, this should be discounted to $220 or maybe even lower, so those of you who didn't get a Uniden can now run out and get a newer better toy! And the rest of us can work on how we can justify yet another radio... (If I keep buying these things, I'll NEVER get an ICOM... :-) Yours in the lust for material possessions, Will Martin USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin or ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA