W1VTP SWL Station Equipment

[w1vtp]

Here's my SWL station lineup.  I'm sure you all recognize the equipment but for the sake of full disclosure here goes:

Top: Sherwood SE-3 for AM detection
2nd from Top: Hallicrafters SX-73
4th from Top: Hammarlund SuperPro 600 JX17
Bottom: TAPCO 27 band EQ to accomodate my 75 year old ears

The headphones are Bose QC15's

It really sounds good.  I think better than my Flex 5000.  I've included the hi res version for those of you who are detail nuts  

73 and happy "lurking", er SWLing

Al

[kb3ouk]

For some reason, I really like the looks of the SX-73s. Maybe its all the little knobs, with the round meter and the small tuning dial.

[w1vtp]

For some reason, I really like the looks of the SX-73s. Maybe its all the little knobs, with the round meter and the small tuning dial.

I never in my wildest dreams tho't I'd own a SX-73.  It's a really cool RX.  The same is true for the SP600

a

[W3GMS]

Nice Al, but what is that Bird watt meter panel doing at the SWL listening post?  That looks good enough to qualify you for a WPE1??? call sign!

I never had an SX-73 or spun the knobs on one.  I have had some SP-600's over the years.  I think I was up to 5 at one time but found new homes for all of them except the one I am keeping.  I really like the 600. 

Nice SWL listening post OM! 

Joe, W3GMS   

[ke7trp]

Nice setup Al!  You have found out that a good receiver with decent outboard audio blows the flex's away. They have poor audio that hurts the ears after a long period of listening. 

I have never run across a 73.  But ya never know. Maybe one day i will find one and have a spin of the dial!

C

[w1vtp]

Nice Al, but what is that Bird watt meter panel doing at the SWL listening post?  That looks good enough to qualify you for a WPE1??? call sign!

I never had an SX-73 or spun the knobs on one.  I have had some SP-600's over the years.  I think I was up to 5 at one time but found new homes for all of them except the one I am keeping.  I really like the 600. 

Nice SWL listening post OM! 

Joe, W3GMS   

Never was much for SWLing in my jn days.  That is becoming more of a thing now. I especially like (fill in the blank) night live in the LURK mode on 3875.  Don't have any material of my own so I just listen.  Those miscreants on 3875  should start up a radio show - OH wait!  They already have one  

The 73 dial is a real smoothie with a big honkin flywheel.  It's almost like nothing is attached on the other side of the knob except for the flywheel.

[kb3ouk]

Makes me want one even more if I can find one. I have a thing for toggle switches, knobs, and round meters.

[kb3ouk]

And what's funny is that the SX-73 and SP600 were so similar that the 73 was often called Hallicrafters' version of the SP600.

[W1AEX]

Nice Al, but what is that Bird watt meter panel doing at the SWL listening post?
Joe, W3GMS   

Take a close look Joe and you'll probably come to the same conclusion I came to. Al is a smart guy and knows when he's wrestling that SX-73 into the rack he needs a "shelf" for it to land on so he can bolt it in.

:O)

Rob W1AEX

(Clark that was a very un-smug thing to say about Flex Radios! Some day there will be an accounting...)

[W3GMS]

Nice Al, but what is that Bird watt meter panel doing at the SWL listening post?
Joe, W3GMS   

Take a close look Joe and you'll probably come to the same conclusion I came to. Al is a smart guy and knows when he's wrestling that SX-73 into the rack he needs a "shelf" for it to land on so he can bolt it in.

:O)

Rob W1AEX

(Clark that was a very un-smug thing to say about Flex Radios! Some day there will be an accounting...)

Rob,

Your right about using it as a support to put in a piece of heavy gear above it.  That's probably the answer to the question, right Al? 

I will keep out of the Flex debate since I don't own one.  I do hear a lot of folks giving the audio out of the Flex receiver some very high praise.  Then the conversation will lead to vinyl vs. CD and it will never end.  Then tube vs. solid state audio and on and on and on.....not good! 

73,
Joe, GMS   

[kb3ouk]

I've never saw one so it could have it and I not know it, but you would think that they would've built a RX EQ into the flex, Wouldn't been hard to do since the whole rig is software controlled.

[Pete, WA2CWA]

I've never saw one so it could have it and I not know it, but you would think that they would've built a RX EQ into the flex, Wouldn't been hard to do since the whole rig is software controlled.

Flex software has a 3-band and a 10-band receive and transmitter equalizer.

[W2NBC]

Al,

Great looking rack!  Did your "rack" start growing after you retired?  


                                                               

[ke7trp]

Both sound horrible. 

I think that 73 was a radio intended to be interchangable with the Sp600.  Many features where the same. They sure are neat. The old timers tell storys of buying them for $10 and nobody wanted them.  Now they pull good money if they are original.

 

[kb3ouk]

Of course it sounds horrible, I haven't found a Radio Disney station on AM that doesn't. Most of the time, I think they crank the low end up to the point where the audio gets muddy sounding, which is made worst by the fact that they are cutting off the response at 5 khz. Something like that might work on FM, where you have the room to pass the high end, but it doesn't cut it on AM. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that recording was of WQEW on 1560 in NYC. They're running IBOC, too, if I'm right. But as far as what radio is what, I'll say the Flex is first, followed by something way better sounding in second.

[ke7trp]

Hey very true!   The local Disney here is one of the worst sounding AM stations I have ever heard over the air.  Its down to 4KC or so. Very narrow and it does have those side signals.  I guess the kiddys with the Hello kitty chinese radios dont care how Miley sounds.

C

[W2NBC]

I removed the audio file, but will put up one with a far superior non-compressed audio source.. Radio Disney has a "sound" that as mentioned that is highly compressed and wasn't a fair comparison.. Shelby, you are correct: 1560.. The second part of the recording did have far superior audio.. More to come..

The point is having a rack like Al's with great analog receivers brings a warm fuzzy feeling no doubt.

[kb3ouk]

Make a recording of CFZM on 740, I don't think they run any compression by the sound of it, or IBOC trash either.

[W8ACR]

Thank you for mentioning WQEW. I logged many hours listening to WQEW in my years at Plattsburgh. We were about 350 miles from NYC and could only get it after dark, but I developed a passion for the music of the 1930's, 40's, and 50's by listening to 1560. "Great American Standards". I miss it. Nothing comparable out here on the frontier. Standard musical fare in my operating room is Glenn Miller, Doris Day, Bing Crosby and the like. Until I stumbled across WQEW one night quite by accident, I didn't know such music existed. I gotta admit though, once in a while we get rowdy and put on the Beach Boys or the Four Seasons.

Since I've been out west, I have also developed an appreciation for "cowboy music". Very relaxing. Some of it is quite old, and comparable (in an anachronistic way) to big band music.

Ron W8ACR

BTW, nice setup AL.

[kb3ouk]

Yea, I wish it was playing that stuff now. If you can get it, that's what CFZM 740 plays a lot of, big band and oldies, depending on what day it is. 50 kw unlimited hours of operation out of Toronto, ON.

[W1IA]

Nice Al!
Steve wanted me to relay.....weekend at Rattlesnake Island. Can you make it? It a blast at the lake.

Brent

[w1vtp]

Both sound horrible. 

I think that 73 was a radio intended to be interchangable with the Sp600.  Many features where the same. They sure are neat. The old timers tell storys of buying them for $10 and nobody wanted them.  Now they pull good money if they are original.

 

Clark

That's the whole point of the SE3.  I NEVER use the on board detector / AF amplifier.  I agree - they sound like crap (well, maybe that a bit strong but if the shoe fit etc.)

The SE3 readily connects with the IF out on the back of both RX's. All the detection is done inside the SE3 box.  I can either run the AF out of the on-board AF amp in the SE3 or use my Techniques RX AF going into a pair of AR bookshelves or use the TAPCO EQ and a DYNACO Stereo 60 or Stereo 120 amp. Gotta a bunch of options for sound that all sound great

I've included a pic of the EQ on the Flex  and a current pic of my main station showing the Techniques RX / AF amp.  The current amp is upper left where the fuzzy kitty and yellow bear are

In the center is my Flex 1500 that I use for my chair-side lurking.

Al

[ke7trp]

Al, I know what an SE3 is. I demo'd one for a while. They work ok,  I use the lower cost ESP unit. Or, I just tap the diode load on the back of the reciever to feed a small tube audio amp, then to a good speaker.

C

[KM1H]

And what's funny is that the SX-73 and SP600 were so similar that the 73 was often called Hallicrafters' version of the SP600.

Of course they do as both have the military R-274 designation.  When Hammie couldnt keep up with production on a contract the gummint asked Halli to build to the electrical spec and size but otherwise do their own thing.

I use a Hallie R-274 version regularly and really like it much better than the Hammie.

[ke7trp]

One problem I have with the SP600 is the turret.  Here in AZ, The dust is heavy.  I have to cover my gear up or, in a single week, its covered with a layer.  The SP600 turrent gets dust/dirt inside and then starts to crackle and pop.  I end up having to take the rig down and clean it out.

The other PITA with them is the volume knob. Its nearly impossible to change. You have to remove the panel and its hours of work.  That pot has a small tab that stops the pot from going full round.  They used a large knob with lots of leverage. As a result, Operators turn it to far thinking that is how you turn the rig on.  Once that tab is bent, The pot is destroyed. I replaced the pot in mine only to have someone in my shack turn the damn thing round again. After that, I just set it aside.   

I always liked my Sp600s over the R390 or A model.  Its just personal preference in tuning the rig and looking at the big Round dials.

C