For a few years in the 80's there were several shortwave band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital frequency readout. An example of this was the General Electric World Monitor Radio, model 7-2990, which had a large tuning knob and a lighted dial scale and as the tuning knob moved and the dial pointer moved a blue LED read out the exact digital frequency the pinter was pointed to. I have not seen radios like this since the late 80's. What happened? I would have thought that the design would have become standard on radios, as it made radio tuning more precise than analog dial tuning.
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Analog radios with digital tuning
- Thread starter alg2468
- Start date
> For a few years in the 80's there were several shortwave
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout. An example of this was the General
> Electric World Monitor Radio, model 7-2990, which had a
> large tuning knob and a lighted dial scale and as the tuning
> knob moved and the dial pointer moved a blue LED read out
> the exact digital frequency the pinter was pointed to. I
> have not seen radios like this since the late 80's. What
> happened? I would have thought that the design would have
> become standard on radios, as it made radio tuning more
> precise than analog dial tuning.
>
I own the Grundig S350 radio... it's really a nice radio with fine control analog tuning with the digital readout as you suggest... the only real issue with the tuning is that is drifts just slightly, not sure if it's a tension issue with the dial pulley or the tuning cap... overall a great radio!
Radiopilot
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout. An example of this was the General
> Electric World Monitor Radio, model 7-2990, which had a
> large tuning knob and a lighted dial scale and as the tuning
> knob moved and the dial pointer moved a blue LED read out
> the exact digital frequency the pinter was pointed to. I
> have not seen radios like this since the late 80's. What
> happened? I would have thought that the design would have
> become standard on radios, as it made radio tuning more
> precise than analog dial tuning.
>
I own the Grundig S350 radio... it's really a nice radio with fine control analog tuning with the digital readout as you suggest... the only real issue with the tuning is that is drifts just slightly, not sure if it's a tension issue with the dial pulley or the tuning cap... overall a great radio!
Radiopilot
J
John_U
Guest
> For a few years in the 80's there were several shortwave
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout. An example of this was the General
> Electric World Monitor Radio, model 7-2990, which had a
> large tuning knob and a lighted dial scale and as the tuning
> knob moved and the dial pointer moved a blue LED read out
> the exact digital frequency the pinter was pointed to. I
> have not seen radios like this since the late 80's. What
> happened? I would have thought that the design would have
> become standard on radios, as it made radio tuning more
> precise than analog dial tuning.
>
Replaced by direct frequency synthesis. Punch in the numbers and the frequency comes up immediately.
Makes it easier for frequency memory also.
John
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout. An example of this was the General
> Electric World Monitor Radio, model 7-2990, which had a
> large tuning knob and a lighted dial scale and as the tuning
> knob moved and the dial pointer moved a blue LED read out
> the exact digital frequency the pinter was pointed to. I
> have not seen radios like this since the late 80's. What
> happened? I would have thought that the design would have
> become standard on radios, as it made radio tuning more
> precise than analog dial tuning.
>
Replaced by direct frequency synthesis. Punch in the numbers and the frequency comes up immediately.
Makes it easier for frequency memory also.
John
R
rbrucecarter
Guest
What you are describing is a radio with a built in frequency counter. But not just a frequency counter - one that intelligently subtracts the intermediate frequency from the frequency measured off the local oscillator. Thus it would give the tuned frequency.
Every once in a while, I see an article about how to retrofit an analog radio with a digital display using this technique.
Every once in a while, I see an article about how to retrofit an analog radio with a digital display using this technique.
J
JasonW
Guest
The C. Crane Company's new Mini-CC Radio (due for release soon) has this feature, and it can also be tuned with either up/down frequency scan buttons or direct number entry (my C. Crane catalog isn't handy at the moment). -- JasonW
> For a few years in the 80's there were several shortwave
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout. An example of this was the General
> Electric World Monitor Radio, model 7-2990, which had a
> large tuning knob and a lighted dial scale and as the tuning
> knob moved and the dial pointer moved a blue LED read out
> the exact digital frequency the pinter was pointed to. I
> have not seen radios like this since the late 80's. What
> happened? I would have thought that the design would have
> become standard on radios, as it made radio tuning more
> precise than analog dial tuning.
>
> For a few years in the 80's there were several shortwave
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout. An example of this was the General
> Electric World Monitor Radio, model 7-2990, which had a
> large tuning knob and a lighted dial scale and as the tuning
> knob moved and the dial pointer moved a blue LED read out
> the exact digital frequency the pinter was pointed to. I
> have not seen radios like this since the late 80's. What
> happened? I would have thought that the design would have
> become standard on radios, as it made radio tuning more
> precise than analog dial tuning.
>
Hi
Quite a few of the Marantz AM/FM tuners from the early 80s had both analog & digital readout & large manual rotary tuning. The ST-400 model had a huge analog dial & a beautiful blue FL digital display.
dxer2_2000<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by dxer2_2000 on 09/29/05 09:52 PM.</FONT></P>
Quite a few of the Marantz AM/FM tuners from the early 80s had both analog & digital readout & large manual rotary tuning. The ST-400 model had a huge analog dial & a beautiful blue FL digital display.
dxer2_2000<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by dxer2_2000 on 09/29/05 09:52 PM.</FONT></P>
W
wannabenewsboy
Guest
Rampage car stereos still have this. The only problem is the quality is horrible. I had one in my car that hardly ever worked correctly, in the end I took it back for a refund.<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
> For a few years in the 80's there were several shortwave
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout.
>
For what it's worth, a couple of months ago I bought an AM/FM-Stereo receiver with analog tuning and a digital readout from the local Staples Store. It was a GPX Model HM2014. Not a very accurate counter and nothing I'd reccomend, but it was cute and not too expensive at $39.95...w/ seperate speakers. (Also...no shortwave).
Bill
www.WeisingerEngineering.com
www.SundayOldiesJukebox.com
> band radios that had analog dial tuning with a digital
> frequency readout.
>
For what it's worth, a couple of months ago I bought an AM/FM-Stereo receiver with analog tuning and a digital readout from the local Staples Store. It was a GPX Model HM2014. Not a very accurate counter and nothing I'd reccomend, but it was cute and not too expensive at $39.95...w/ seperate speakers. (Also...no shortwave).
Bill
www.WeisingerEngineering.com
www.SundayOldiesJukebox.com
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