Herculodge

Jason Explains How He Eliminated Drift from His Grundig S350

(Re-post)

My black Grundig S350DL is amazing with no problems, much better than the red one I had a few years ago. The model surely suffers from quality control problems evidenced by Jason's Grundig S350 adventure:

I went back to Radio Shack last night intent on getting a GS450 and returning the Grundig G6 I bought on clearance a few weeks ago. I just did not like the rather tinny sound and weak shortwave on the G6 (The G8 seems better and I think that the ATS on the G8 is much, much better). Surprise, surprise - they show the GS450 in stock but cannot find it anywhere in the store and, even bigger surprise, the S350DL is still there and still marked at $49.

I weigh the otpions - dealing with the drift on the 350 vs. possibly having the FM crap out on the 450. I end up going with the S350DL. They ring it up and it comes up to $99. They have mislabeled the price on the shelf but give it to me at $49 anyway!! So, for the one year replacement, batteries and radio plus $10 coupon - I trade in the G6 and the 350 only costs me $2.22! I'm thinking - what a deal - since I had read reviews of the awesome FM on this model plus the great sound on shortwave and AM. I get it home and the tuning is an absolute mess.

The drift on AM was terrible! After 10 minutes, it is jumping all over the place - if you touch the radio, the sound mutes and the display goes nuts. I pack it up to take it back but then I decide to google the problem and find this: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Grundig-S350/message/4644 I do exactly what he says - I pull off the cover after unscrewing all of the screws (including the 2 in the battery compartment).

Only the speaker is attached to the front. I remove the three screws from the display and then tighten the two screws on the tuning wheels. They were barely loose - almost not noticable - so I was not too optimistic. I carefully got it all back together (the plastic pieces that hold the fabric handle on only go back on one certain way and were sort of a pain!). I cross my fingers, plug it in, and wow - a brand new radio. The tuning is perfect. Zero drift on FM and AM. AM sounds excellent.

I listened to Radio Australia here on 49 meters this morning and it was nice and strong just using the whip. Hardly any drift on SW - and I couldn't hear the drift - I only noticed it when I looked at the display. The sound is room-filling. I ended up listening to a fairly low-power FM station about 35 miles away that I typically have to listen to on the internet and it sounded just like it does in the car. I ran the radio for several hours just to make sure it would not warm up and go completely drifty or haywire and it is still perfect. I am very impressed and now I don't have to worry about the FM going bad. I'm not sure how often I will have to tighten those screws. The board appeared to have a manufacture date of 2007 so maybe the sitting around all of this time was the problem. We'll see.

I would like the memory pre-sets of the 450 but I don't think it's worth the $50 or the risk. Plus, the fast tuning on shortwave will allow me to quickly mine out the bands for signals and then use my KA-1103 as a companion for serious DX and SSB. I am lucky that Radio Shack honored the displayed $49 price on the 350DL but if they do end up going on clearance once the 450's are out every where, I think it would be a deal that is hard to beat.

 

Manly Watch Pick of the Day: Invicta Ocean Reef 1464 for $135.85 and Free Shipping

 

 

 

Excellent Amazon price for this Invicta Ocean Reef, part of the Reserve collection, Swiss made and hand made. The watch is not overly large with its 46mm bezel. 

Honda Civic Hybrid's 30MPG Contradicts Claim of 50MPG Resulting in Lawsuit

On KPCC's Pat Morrison, Heather Peters talks about her lawsuit against Honda Motors. Honda's explanation for lackluster gas milieage is "technical problems." This problem is a degrading battery. 

Val Has Tried Many Great Radios, But His Favorite Remains: The Sony ICF-EX5

(Re-post)

I like Sony ICF-EX5, It is personal. Maybe because it is my first AM receiver and I had chance to see advantage of this tremendous radio to comparing with other receivers or because I using this radio receiver for over two years (this is my second EX-5MK2) but it is still my favorite. And I still like this radio than other receivers. I decided to compare my favorite to some other radios. Here are the results:

 

 

My friend who is crazy about radios like me lendt me his tremendous Panasonic RF-2200. Panasonic is one of the most successful receivers from the past according to many reviews. Like the excellent Panasonic RF-2200,  the Sony ICF-5900W was on the table and I had chance to play with each radio for a few days and evenings.

The two radios have similar features, advantages and disadvantages.  The Panasonic RF-2200 has tone control bass and treble, excellent scale with low and fast speed of tuning and gyro antenna.

Its big disadvantage is noise from power adapter. Overall though, it's a heavy like tank and features a big sound.

The Sony ICF-5900W is smaller and lighter has bass. Its treble tone control and very smooths tuning. It doesn’t have terrible noise from power adapter but doesn’t have gyro and fine MW tuning.

Both of the radios are apex of the pass and still out perform in the present time of many receivers made today. Provable many radio enthusiasts have desire to have this remarkable radios on the table for daily use or just for collection.

I enjoyed playing with both receivers. It is true, remarkable radio with useful features that help to catch some weak signal, decrease noise and enjoying good sound from speaker. Tremendous on the all bands the receivers made with excellent quality of construction.

 

On the picture with two the best receivers, My “Modern” Sony EX-5MK2 doesn’t have bass and treble or gyro. More than that EX-5MK2, it doesn’t have fine tuning. Synchronous detection and wide and low pass tone switch only features of Sony.

A possible weakness? Maybe some of the users of Sony EX-5 will complain of mediocre speaker sound.

However, for me hours and hours of listening doesn’t make you feel tired. Simplicity of tuning, light weight and near absence of noise from adapter and some air distortion represents quality hi- performance for thirty years of production of this unique receiver. It is made in Japan and only in Japan and still keeping quality in tradition for radio enthusiasts. 

Val.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IdlA2LO0Cg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVGe25mgnpk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISmHQyYZM5Y

 

 

Sangean DT-400W at Newegg for $39.99 and Free Shipping

Thanks, Paul:

Sangean Digital AM/FM/Weather Alert Pocket Radio DT-400W $39.99 shipped free after promotion code EMCJHHC79 at Newegg: 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882720041

Sony TFM-7300W Bidding on eBay Today

 

 

With a starting bid under $15, this Sony TFM-7300W may turn out to be a sleeper. 

I Swore I'd Never Wear a Gold Watch . . . Until I Met the Invicta Ocean Reef 6759

Yellow gold is a non-starter for me. I hate it on watches and cars. There is no way to implement it in a watch without it looking garish. But rose gold is more acceptable. However, seeing rose gold accents on a watch always turned me off and I've always gone for the silver versions.

And then I saw a rose gold treatment in monochromatic form on the Invicta Ocean Reef 6759, which I found on the Invicta Sunday Run for $110, about a third of what it goes for elsewhere. 

The rose gold is a very warm color and clashes with cool cloth colors like blue and gray. But it complements black, red, brown, olive, etc. 

This is my fifth Ocean Reef. Obviously I'm a fan of the design. 

Navteq Traffic to Launch on Garmin Devices Using HD Radio Technology

 

 

Thanks, Paul:

Navteq traffic to launch on Garmin devices using HD radio technology
http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/25/navteq-traffic-to-launch-on-garmin-devices-using-hd-radio-techno/

Will SOPA Kill the Internet As We Know It?

640 KFI's Leo Laporte issued a vituperative today against Congress for being in the pocket of the SOPA lobbyists who, if they have their way, will change the Internet as we know it.

SOPA stands for Stop Online Piracy Act. The problem is how do you define piracy? A link on Facebook or YouTube? Could SOPA kill Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and other sites?

Am I over worried?

There has been little media coverage on this topic. Why?

Review of the Panasonic RF-1350 AM/FM/SW Radio.

 

 

(Here's a re-post of a radio you don't see very often)

Thanks to Paul for this review of the Panasonic RF-1350 AM/FM/SW Radio. 

This radio is quite rare. It may have been marketed only outside the US (I received mine from Canada).

Dimensions: 12"x8"x3" (approximate; a little larger in actuality)

Features: 

• AM/FM/SW in 5 bands. Continuous shortwave coverage in 3 bands from 1.6 - 30 MHz.
• Telescopic rod antenna
• Headphone and line out
• External antenna connections for AM and FM
• Continuously variable (analog) volume, bass, and treble control
• Large tuning knob
• Fine tuning knob for AM
• Mechanical band selector switch
• Runs on 4 D batteries or AC (no adapter required)
• Tuning indicator needle
• Carrying handle
• Dial light (press and hold to illuminate)
• Brushed aluminum face

 

     

  

Performance:

In one word: superb. Excellent sensitivity and very good selectivity on AM/FM/SW. Very smooth, solid tuning knob (no wobble).  No backlash on dial. Dial amazingly accurate on AM and FM. Very nice control of audio tone via bass and treble controls. No scratchy controls. It has a 12 cm speaker (about 4.7 inches), and it can be very loud and room-filling. Build quality and workmanship is great and completely eclipses radios such as the Eton S350DL or Redsun RP2100.