From: rja@newbirth.Eng.Sun.COM (Robert Allen)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: Re: Please repost the review of the Lowe receivers
Date: 15 Dec 1992 18:41:31 GMT
Organization: Sun
NNTP-Posting-Host: newbirth

In article <fargher.724379397@unixg.ubc.ca> fargher@unixg.ubc.ca (Robert Fargher) writes:
>
>A few weeks back, someone posted their opinions on the Lowe recievers
>based on extensive pre-and post-purchase research.  I was very impressed
>with that posting, but forgot to save it.  Would whoever posted it please
>re-post it? Thanks.


    I'm including a few pages of comments on the 150 below.  I'm
    playing with it a lot right now, currently trying different
    homebuilt indoor antennas.  Right now I'm operating a random
    length (about 10-11') diploe to a balun/tuner, to my radio.
    If I pay attention to propgation I think I can pull in transmissions
    from Africa, weakly.  Once I get my outdoor antenna and coax
    feed operational I expect to be much better off.  In the meantime
    I'm builing an indoor room sized loop.

Here are my comments and some email from others:

    After much consideration, and input from you all, I
    purchased the newer, smaller, HF-150 instead of the
    HF-225.  The deciding factor for me was that the
    selectable sideband AM sync being standard on the
    150, and only DSB AM sync was availabe (as an option)
    for the 225.  The additional memories (60 instead of
    30) which store frequency *and* mode were also
    attractive, although I've since determined that the
    number of frequencies doesn't seem as important on
    an HF radio as it is in UHF.

    Overall I'm very pleased with the 150.  So far I've
    listened to pirate radio, US military aircraft, plus
    worldband broadcasters.  One feature I'm particularly
    UNimpressed with is the keypad, which I purchased as
    an option.  It cost me $80.00 U.S., and I doubt if
    the components cost more than $10.00.  It's made of
    a black project box which I can purchase locally, a
    cheap telephone keypad, and a cheap mini connector.
    The keypad cannot store a frequency in memory, nor
    can it change the mode of the radio.  It is required
    however to get from frequency to frequency or memory
    to memory quickly.  The keypad doesn't even have the
    Lowe name on it.  They should include the keypad with the
    radio so people won't know that it's overpriced.

    The HF-225 is still attractive to me, but I think I'll
    wait until the new model comes out before I consider
    buying it.  Overall, I'm impressed enough with Lowe that
    I'll certainly look at their offerings first if I ever
    buy another HF radio.  Now to get setup for FAX and RTTY
    reception.

    Thanks for all your help.

    Robert Allen

----- Begin Included Message -----

From Robert.Allen@Eng Mon Sep 14 11:31 PDT 1992
Subject: HF 150 purchased

    Last week, after a month or so or research, I bought
    a Lowe HF-150 HF receiver.  This is the small radio
    which EEB and Universal have been advertising with
    a Baby Ruth sitting on top of it for size comparison.
    Herewith is a mini-review:

    Basics: freq range is 30kHz-30MHz.  Two filters are
    provided, a 7kHz one (used for AM), and a 2.5kHz one
    used for SSB, and AM narrow.  Selectable sideband
    AM sync. is supported.

    Construction: THe top and sides are one piece, bent
    aluminum construction.  The front and back panels are
    also aluminum, about 1/8" thick.  The internal speaker
    projects sound from the top of the receiver, from behind
    a grill of drilled holes.  Aside from coffee or water,
    which the manual specifically warns against, the speaker
    is well protected, and sounds great.  The front panel has an
    on/off/volume dial, a dimpled tuning dial, 3 buttons, and
    a 1/4" phono jack (which gives both-ear sound if you use
    stereo headphones!).  The tuning dial is solid aluminum and
    has a good feel.

    The back panel has 2 pull out battery trays for 8AA batteries,
    Alkaline or ni-cad (which recharge when the radio is turned
    off), keypad input, 12-15V DC power in, one touch 600 Ohm
    terminals for antenna and ground wire, an SO-239 for whip
    or other antenna, a preamp/norm/atten switch, record out,
    and audio out.

    The buttons are dual purpose, and are labled Mem, Mode,
    and Fast.  Pressing the Mem button allows you to access
    the 60, non-tunable, freq. and mode memories, and to
    recall or store the current VFO setting to the selected
    memory via the other two buttons.  You can see the freqs
    stored in the memories by using the tuning dial in memory
    mode, but unfortunately you cannot audition them.  You must
    recall each one in turn to listen to it, so you can't
    scan the memories.  However with the optional keypad you
    can select the memories pretty quickly.  Pressing the
    mode switch gives access to a bi-directional rotary
    which has AM, AM narrow, USB, LSB, AM sync., LSB sync.,
    USB sync., and AM sync "hifi".  Pressing the mode button
    again drops you back into tuning mode, or you can just
    move the tuning dial to get back into tuning mode.  Pressing
    the Fast button `squelches' the display to 1 decimal point,
    and turning the tuning dial allows you to move up and down
    the freq range very quickly.

    Tuning: This radio changes the tuning steps for the tuning dial
    depending on the rate at which you turn the dial.  If you're
    in AM sync mode and you start spinning the dial, the radio
    drops into non-sync mode until you stop spinning, so you can
    hear what you're scanning.  When you slow down, AM-sync
    locks on again.  If you're in SSB modes the tuning steps
    are 8 Hz.  In AM mode tuning steps are something like
    50Hz.

    Optional Keypad: this is a must have.  It was touted
    as the best keypad around by Larry Magne.  All I can say is
    that if this is true, there must be some pretty crappy
    keypads out there.  The keypad is a $90 option, and allows
    you to directly enter freqs, and to recall a specific
    memory.  You cannot store the memory, or change memory
    modes, with the keypad.  Now the really bad news: the
    keypad is nothing more than a 3" X 2" X 1" black plastic
    project box, identical to what you can buy at Haltek,
    with a 12 key phonepad built on, and a short length of
    thin wire to a Radio Shack mini mono connector.  I haven't
    looked inside, so maybe there's a custom PC board, but
    I doubt there is more than $10.00 in parts in the keypad.
    Lowe should have sold it with the radio instead of as an
    option so you didn't know how bad you were being ripped
    off.  Still, it is useful.  EEB tells me that an RS232
    control will be available eventually, which will use
    the keypad plug.  This makes me wonder what kind of
    interface that mysterious plug provides.  I've ordered
    the service manual to find out :-).

    Likes: The radio is compact, light, and extremely rugged.
    A 12V. gelcell weighs more than the radio.  All of the
    inputs and outputs are labled by *engraved* words in the
    metal, which won't wear off.  The front LCD display is
    covered by clear plastic, which protects the labels for
    the buttons also.  Dropping the radio on concrete would
    probably not seriously affect its' operation.  Sound, whether
    through the front panel phono jack, or rear panel line output
    (to my stereo), or the internal speaker, is fantastic.
    Ergonomics are good, once you get used to them.  Moving around
    within the freq range is quick using the Fast button and tuning
    dial.

    Dislikes: the 12V outboard transformer which powers the unit
    is a pain to use, as it has no power switch, and the manual
    recommends unplugging it when not in use.  However the radio
    will run off of 12-15 VDC, so this isn't too bad.  The keypad
    cable is too short, but this can be fixed.  The keypad is
    vastly overpriced.  The display could benefit from a mode
    display while you're listening to a freq.  Audio preview of
    the memories, which the older HF-225 has, is sorely missed.
    Tuning the memories with the tuning dial is a sensitive operation.
    No band-scanning support at all. Freq display is only to the
    nearest kHz.  Display isn't backlit.  No S-meter.

    Overall: the radio sounds great, is rugged, portable, and
    although lacking in amenities is certainly on par with
    various tabletop receivers in terms of reception quality.
    I've listened to military air, pirate radio, BBC, Deutsche
    Welle, a bunch of South American stations, CW, and ship to
    shore.  One of my primary criteria was portabilty and
    ruggedness, and it came down to the HF-225 or HF-150.  The
    HF-150 is smaller, has more memories, and better sync support,
    at the expense of fewer filters, no backlit LCD, and no
    audio preview of memories.  My next step is to get a FAX and
    RTTY decoder, which I think will do very well with this radio,
    although tuning w/ 1kHz display resolution will be tedious.
    I figure if I ever get a tabletop receiver that the Lowe's
    will merit a serious perusal.  I hear they will be bringing
    out a new one this year, but it will be a couple of grand.


----- End Included Message -----


Subject: One more time: the HF-150
To: Robert.Allen@Eng

> Subject: HF 150 purchased
Good choice! Congratulations.

Thank you very much for your extensive preliminary report.

Conclusions from your report:
- 150: lacks a number of filters (4 kHz and 10 kHz)
- 150: AMS has selectable sideband
- 225: optional nicad batteries <-> 150: standard battery tray
- 150: built-in whip antenna preamp <-> this is optional for the 225.
- 225: attenuation switch on the front <-> 150: atten at the back?
- 150: 60 mems with mode
- 225: memory "preview" mode (hearing the freq without selecting it)
- 150: non-sync mode while tuning, 225 doesn't have 
- 150: no S-meter
- 150: display not backlit

Taking into account everything I know now, I would have bought the 150 too,
had it been on the market.

From Robert.Allen@Eng Sun Sep 27 15:23 PDT 1992

    I like the Lowe a lot.  The only HF radio I've
    used much was the Sony SW-55.  I prefer the Lowe,
    but a large part of that could be the audio.  I
    now have an MFJ tunable preselector between my
    antenna and the Lowe; I think it may make a differenc
    in the lower parts of the HF spectrum, but it's hard
    to call.  I do wish the Lowe AM wide filter was closer
    to 6 kHz than the 7 it is, but I'm not having much
    problem with intermod.  So far I've spent most of my
    time listening to BBC, Radio Netherland, and military
    traffic associated with Offut Airbase in Nebraska (I'm
    in CA).

    I'd still like to have an NRD-525, but for me the Lowe
    is a lot more practical, and I think it has plenty of
    reception ability to keep me happy.  I'd recommend it
    over the HF-225, since the 150 comes with AM Sync, plus
    sync., selectable, sideband, as standard, and the sideband
    sync. isn't available on the 225 at all.

    If you could only have 1 HF radio, I think the Lowe is
    it.  It's better quality than a portable, but is portable,
    and is approximately equal to tabletop models for less
    money, less size, and only a bit more ergonimic hassles.

    150 pros
    --------
    * builtin preamp and attenuator
    * 12VDC operation, external or from 8AA batteries
    * builtin charger for use with AA nicads
    * SO-239 and spring clip antenna terminals
    * 60 memories, for mode and freq
    * extreme ruggedness, plus light weight.
    * 1/4" headphone jack works with mono or
      stereo phones
    * back panel outputs for audio out, record out
    * sound is very good
    * 1kHz shift button allows you to tune around
      quickly.

    150 cons
    --------
    * 5 digit freq resolution instead of 6
    * LCD isn't backlit
    * optional keypad is overpriced, does not allow
      accessing/changing mode.
    * mode isn't indicated on display with freq; one
      or the other.
    * keypad, $90.00, is an option, but is almost
      a must have.  Should be included with the radio
      so you don't know how overpriced it is.
    * no audio preview of memories without transferring
      mem to VFO.  Cueing memory channels with tuning knob
      requires deft touch.
    * preamp/atten switch on back panel

Subject: Re: Lowe HF150 ?

In article <1992Oct28.081403.27278@sics.se> mikael@inmic.se (Mikael Jargelius) writes:
>Hi,
>
>I'm interested in getting a decent shortwave receiver with SSB capability
>that could also be used to receive HF WEFAX (guess I need a demodulator and
>a pc as well).
>
>The Lowe HF150 looks promising..
>has anyone got any experience from using this set?

I've had one for about a week. I bought it while my SONY SW-55 languished at
the repair facility.

It's very spartan as far as features go, but it performs very well; particularly
in SSB and synchronous modes. Only complaints:

	-would like a light on the LCD
	-would like a lock on the tuning knob
	-the radios are factory-aligned so that they do not land dead-center
         on the selected frequency you key into the (optional) keypad. So if
         you're in synchronous mode, you will have to tweak the tuning knob
         a bit sometimes to get it to lock. This is a very minor complaint,
         of course.

I haven't tried WEFAX or RTTY but given its stability, excellent SSB filter,
and low-distortion audio it should perform quite well. It is a joy to
use and listen to. Hook one to a Radio Shack Minimus-7 speaker in the
wide sync mode (As-F) and you'' SWEAR you're listneing to FM.

_______________________________Mike Schuster________________________________
NY Pub. Access UNIX/Internet: schuster@panix.com | 70346.1745@CompuServe.COM
The Portal (R) System: schuster@shell.portal.com | MCI Mail,GEnie: MSCHUSTER


Subject: Re: Just what is ECSS, really?
To: rja@Eng (Robert Allen)
X-Lines: 10


I just received a Lowe 150 technical/service manual.  You could easily
bring the 455khz out and build a small pc board with a CA3189 FM
receiver chip.  You will get a nice LOG RF meter output AND FM detection!

 Maybe I will buy one...
--
Robert Allen, rja@sun.com		DISCLAIMER: I said it, not my company.
		    Samuel Addams: Brewer, Patriot.															        "The right to brew beer is the right to be free!" - me
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave