My Feelings Exactly

StarHalo writes:

So twelve years after the Sony 7600GR began production, your choices for a new top-shelf shortwave portable are the Sony or the Tecsun PL-660, that's it. Pretty depressing..

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Comments

[Sailcat]

Well, I suppose you could include the Sangean ATS-909X and perhaps the CCRadio-SW (I know, no SSB) on your list but it's cold comfort considering how few decent SW radios are available on the market these days.

[Tim]

Yes, the Sangean ATS 909X should be mentioned.

[Shawn]

Sad but it's amazing you can go out and spend under $150 for a radio that 30 years would have cost $1,000 or more in today's money to purchase, and has far more features.

[Ian]

There is always the Degen DE1103 which is a good radio.

[Ken K. in NJ]

I really don't agree. I hardly ever use my 7600GR any more, yet I use my Tecsun PL390 daily. No SSB or Sync lock (which never was a big deal to me anyway) but in every other feature and performance measure the 390 has the 7600GR beat. And it's about 1/2 the price.

[Drive-In-Freak]

Ooof.

And here I am looking for one to replace all the rigs I lost. Good timing..lol.
I'd love to be able to score a new one, but frankly there doesn't seem to be one that's good enough to be the one and only shortwave radio.
I did manage to get a couple of those little DSP Tecsuns out of the ashes (a PL-398mp and a PL-310), but as I'm sure you know, that's just not gonna cut it. They are alright, but..you know..no SSB for one.
I did manage to save one of those Grundig MW/Am passive loops antennas, though, so I can still get in a little MW DX.

I'm thinking of maybe skipping over the new stuff and going for a older model. Perhaps a DX-440.

I have been thinking about the Tecsun PL-660, but I'm just not sure if it's quite up to snuff enough to be..you know..THE radio. On the other hand at this point it would be nice just to be able to tune in again. Everybody has to start somewhere.

I feel kinda bad about complaining about some of those radios now, because I can't help but wish I still had them.

Not sure what to do.

[Bill]

You know, Drive-In-Freak, I have the Tecsun PL-660, and while it is OK for most things it didn't click with me. It's got that false signal that jams a spot in the middle of the MW dial (which several people report having and several report not having), which has wandered over the news station I want to listen to. Anyway, if you'd like it, even knowing it might be defective, I could ship it to you. Not immediately, I'll be out so it would have to wait a week. Do you happen to have a throw-away email where we might get in touch?

[StarHalo]

Gotta have SSB/sync to be top shelf; if you're creating a DX log of an entire band, the SSB-equipped model will receive at least a couple dozen more stations over the non-SSB units, it's not a fair comparison.

The 909X is top shelf so long as cost is no object. It's a little hard to swallow when the Tecsun is less than half the price. I wish the radio modding community would branch out beyond the 909 series, I'd love to have a 7600GR with a couple of mystery mini switches tacked onto it.

And good on you Bill for paying it forward, a good radio is like a good book, you should pass it on when you're done with it..

[Drive-In-Freak]

@ Bill

Sure. I'll just make another one so I don't put my main one out in the public.
Perhaps we can make a swap or something.

[email protected]

[Drive-In-Freak]

Thank you so very much Bill for your kind offer. I'm speechless.

[RobRich]

The CommRadio CR-1 has the size, weight, and low power profile to be considered a portable. That said, it has the $500+ price tag of a desktop class receiver, along with questionable performance considering the cost. The developer does appear to release firmware updates on a regular basis to help address reported bugs and performance issues, but $500 seems a little steep for me to become what I feel to be a beta tester - IMO, of course.

[Drive-In-Freak]

The CR-1 looks like a fun little rig, but I figure that if you are going to pay that much for a rig you may as well get a proper tabletop model.
An Alinco DX-R8T costs a couple bucks less. It's a bit bigger, but it runs on 12V d.c. so you could go portable with it if you really wanted to.

[RobRich]

Interestingly enough, the CR-1 offers an internal rechargeable li-ion battery option. I just can not get past feeling like a beta tester for the firmware. Maybe at a later date, assuming the developer(s) stick with it.... or if/when an used on lands on eBay for a decent price. ;)