Going shopping

[PAJake]

After many years and thousands of cross-country miles by car, train and plane, my old trusty Sony ICF 2010 is no more. Probably just a simple wiring problem, but I'm using its failure as an excuse to upgrade my equipment. The Sony was an awesome portable model, and I would highly recommend to anyone looking for one if they were still in production. However, I want to move up to a table top model. Now, I've seen them priced out at anywhere between $500 and $15,000, but I'm looking at a budget of around $1000, maybe as much as $1500 depending on what the radio offers. I want a good system - this isn't meant to be a trial radio but something I'll be using for the indefinite future. (The Sony survived well over 10 years of constant use - one might say abusive use as it's been lugged to all corners of the globe.) I require shortwave, air band, top-quality audio, etc . . .with all the typical bells and whistles one would expect on a thousand dollar radio.

Has anyone here purchased or researched newer model table top radios recently about which they'd care to share an opinion? Any info would be appreciated, including features, likes & dislikes, cost, and anything else you would rate important when buying a radio. I'd also be interested in thoughts about emerging technology such as WX, XM and even DRM capabilities which are beginning to appear on newer radios.

I posted this in the AK section since things operate a little differently up here. As I've said elsewhere on this site, I live in a remote northern village, so best-quality AM reception is a must. I plan to install a shortwave antenna, so good reception and features are required there too. FM and Airband quality, while still very important for future use, are presently secondary concerns as there are only two FMs and four daily flights serving this community.

As always, thanks for your responses.

 

[VelvetR]

Still hearing, from the villages, that the GE Super Radio is still best for AM, though newer models are said to be not as sensitive as the slightly earlier ones and definitely are not as rugged. Coupled with a SelecTenna (or similar) it's tough to find anything better without getting into really spendy communications receivers.

For simple table top use where there are decent signals it's hard to improve on the sound quality from the various Bose offerings though their sensitivity suffers by comparison with the GE.

Also some decent reports from the villages about the Korean brand made for C. Crane Company (Sangean?) though the digital readout seems to have been problematic for many. I'm thinking, but can't offer proof, that the displays don't respond well after having been exposed to extreme cold.

 

[PAJake]

Haha extreme cold. It's currently -35 with windchills of -56 where I live. Does that count as extreme?

I'll have to look into the GE Super Radio - I'm not familiar with that one. I've used Sangean radios and equipment before and have had good and bad experiences. The bad ones were some years back, so maybe they've improved some since. I like C. Crane and will be looking at them for accessories anyway.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[VelvetR]

Haha extreme cold. It's currently -35 with windchills of -56 where I live. Does that count as extreme?

Counts as moderately cold.

Last time I used a GE outdoors was several years ago at White Mountain during a Nome/Golovin (snowmachine) race. Air temp was -40 or slightly below with a breeze of about 30 MPH. Fortunately I had loaded up with Lithium batteries. Other equipment, especially an EnGenius (2 mile plus range) wireless phone...not cell...local base station...required keeping the spare batteries in an insulated pouch with chemical handwarmers around 'em. Someone else had a Sangean out on the ice at the checkpoint but had to "grope" to change stations as the digital display had shut down.

 

[richllewis]

Recently, I have heard about some experimental stations in Alaska going to DRM on Shortwave as an experimental communications Station. This is designed to see how DRM would work as a General Communication mode such as Alaska. To pick up these stations you will need a receiver that will pick up these stations. There is a new radio on the market that will pick up DRM transmissions. Check out the Uniwave Di-Wave 100. You will find these at:

<a href="http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0023.html"> Universal Radio</a> This may well be the future of radio communications in Alaska. Also, DRM is being used by Radio Canada International on Short Wave as well as some European stations you might pick up over the pole.