The AM Forum

I am considering adding a general coverage receiver to the boat anchor station. The criteria is as follows

Gen Coverage .55- 30 MHz
Good AM with filtering as well as SSB/CW with product detector
Good construction and technology.
Prefer a smaller footprint, but will consider a larger size.
Would prefer Sandstate but am open to a good tube unit. something like an R4B if it had better AM reception and continuous coverage.
Need not be built by a ham supplier.
Any thoughts?

  Just a thought—some might object to tying their radio activities to a computer—(and I get that) but a few years ago I went over to the dark-side and started using an SdrPlay unit, the RSPDX, and I love it. It's about 3.5" X 3.5" square, and I've got mine stuck to the wall with Velcro tape. Using the SdrUno software, I can do things with it that are otherwise impossible with the typical stand-alone receiver, allowing me to keep operating in the face of hardships like deliberate jamming and heavy adjacent spatter, which would have me simply turning off my old HQ-170 and giving up.
  It admittedly lacks the charm of an HQ-170, SP-600, or R-390—in fact it has no charm whatsoever; it's a soulless little black box—but it's a powerful little thing that pretty much goes everywhere and does everything, and it's quite cheap.
  I know—I totally get all the objections; I'm a hollow-state guy, but don't underestimate the power of the dark-side.

Hi Bill,
Thanks for the suggestion. I had an SDR-IQ about 10 years ago and loved it. Ultimately I ended up moving to a Flex 5000 and then a 6400. I do have an RSP which is set up as my WSPR receiver 24/7 that reports up to PSK reportere. But it is not working now.

So I am comfortable with the radio and set up.

Anyway, I want to free up some space on the AM side of the shack and have decided to sell my TMC GPR 90. I want to replace it with a smaller receiver that will do a good job on AM and SSB to run with my CE 20A.

I am starting to think about a JRC as they seem to have good reviews, but am hoping to get some real world feedback.

73 and see you at NF. No power supplies for sale this trip.

I got an Icom receiver from another member here who had a fire in his shack (Clark, BCG).

I ended up having to resolder the power connection. It worked loose.

It stinks!  Still, and I've had it almost 3 years!

But, it still works well.  I'm a believer.

Have multiple SDR, a ts850, 440 and a FT101 here.  The Icom holds its own.

The SDR Play DX is my favorite, though, as it has diversity built in.

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

I agree with Bill, I love old receivers but you can beat the sdr and for exactly the reasons he gave. I had an rsp1 that I used often when working on tube receivers to see oscillator activity and such. It's really handy. The sdr play stuff is very good. If you only need .5 to 30 Mhz, I would and have considered KiwiSDR. I like a few kiwi online rx and they have synchronous AM with both sideband, select-able sideband and also stereo. If you already have the computer, then its the way to go

73 Kevin

I use an Icom R75 as my "bedside shortwave". It has its faults, but its a good receiver, it does 6M quite well too. The biggest fault is the so-called synchronous detector. It does not work, it only makes signals distorted. Supposedly there is a mod to fix this, but I never implemented it. The AM detector has very low distortion in my opinion, and the audio amp is somewhat restricted. Could be bypassed or modded I'm sure. The internal speaker is not for serious listening, use external. They seem to going for alot more than I paid for  mine brand new, at least on The Bay. Icom has other hf receivers also, I don't have any experience with them. And there is the Drake R8, the sync detector reportedly works in that.
LB

Well CRl, if you want a period correct receiver to run with a CE-20A you simply
must consider the E. H. Scott SLRM.  Great receive audio on AM and you can have cat class and cat style on both your exciter AND receiver with cat’s eye tubes on both of them.

The SLRM has a very anemic BFO but sounds great on SSB with external BFO injection from a URM-25 sig gen.

Hi Carl,

FTdx10 txcvr - same size as my old Kenwood TS-430.
Great audio, general coverage 30 kHz to 75 MHz.
No product detector - SDR.
Front panel is engineered for tiny Japanese hands. If you have big fingers, this one is out.

Hi Carl:

If by "modern" you're referring to digital solid state I recommend that you include JRC among your candidates. I have a JRC NRD-525 that I bought new in 1991. It's a wonderful radio that I never had a bit of trouble with. The only thing I ever had to do with it was replace the memory battery a few times over the years. Specs are relatively easy to find online. I wouldn't think of parting with it.

Pros: Dead nuts on frequency, stable, excellent build quality.
Cons: Its AM filter BW is 4 kHz, so you may want to add a wider filter like I did. It's a somewhat complicated radio that's probably not easy to service, particularly because it employs plug-in cards that require extended boards that are not easily sourced. Fortunately I've never had to service it. The keypad buttons are reputed to fail over time, but after 23 years of use in my shack they still work good as new. Finally, JRC no longer supports this type of equipment and I have no idea where to get it serviced should the need arise.

The cons may dissuade you from seriously going with JRC, but based on my experience I'd not trade it for anything.

I agree with Jim's suggestion about JRC receivers, excellent quality and good audio.  I have their 515 and 535D receivers and like both of them.

I also like my Icom R75 receiver as a compact choice.  The Drake R8, R8A, and R8B are all good choices but don't rely upon the internal speaker which doesn't show what the receiver can do.

My current most used solid state receiver is an Icom R8600.  It is a very nice performer with good control layout.  I wasn't looking for one but I was in an antique mall while killing extra time on a business trip and found this one still in its box and looking unused for $250  but marked not working so I couldn't pass it up.  Icom radios of this era work much better running from the AC supply when the DC jumper plug is in place :)

I have a few McKay Dymek receivers (DR-22, DR-44, and DR-55) and they are interesting sets with great AM detectors.  But they are switch tuned and not suited for "band scanning".  The DR-22 is the prettiest of the group and looks like a 1970s stereo receiver.

For fairly compact tube type, the SX-100 does a good job with GC and AM.  I love the Hallicrafters selectable sideband method for AM and I used a SX-100 for several years with my Ranger/Desk KW station before it was replaced by a SX-88.  If you haven't used this family of Hallicrafters receivers before, don't be put off by the 5 Khz maximum bandwidth because it is equivalent to 10 Khz in a conventional (both sidebands detected on AM) set. 

Rodger WQ9E

Hi,
I came across this Belka radio receiver made in Belarus, which might be of interest.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAxvKRTysAE&t=61s

73 de Gary,KF9CM

Rodger,

Thanks
Carl

Chris
If you will bring it up to my 2nd floor shack. I have owned 3 and that was enough! ;D

6"3" 282 lbs. Paws, not hands. ;)

Carl:

I use a Yaesu FRG-7700. It has 2.4, 6 and 12kc ceramic IF filters.

Dan

Ended up with a Kenwood R 5000. So far very happy with it.
Thanks for all the input.

Great radio.  Basically the TS440 receiver.

Love the audio my TS440 makes.  Run into a small amp and a decent speaker they really shine.

Kenwood does have a signature sound and you can tell they are an audio company first.

--Shane
WP2ASS / ex KD6VXI

I have been using an Icom 756 Pro III for several years. Got rid of the attenuation pad to enable full sensitivity for the BCB. Good audio and good filters. Here is what helped me make the decision to use a transceiver vs. a receiver.
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/icom_ic756_plimmer.dx