From: control3@McRCIM.McGill.EDU (Mark Readman)
Subject: Re: Sangean ATS-803A
Originator: control3@davinci.mcrcim.mcgill.edu
Organization: McGill Research Centre for  Intelligent Machines
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 92 03:59:53 GMT


In article <1992Oct14.204808.29943@access.usask.ca>, skeeter@skatter.usask.ca writes:
|> From article <aksurf-111092193910@131.215.9.51>, by aksurf@caltech.edu (Axel):
|> > Hello Everyone,
|> > 
|> > I took the plonge the other day and bought a Sangean Model ATS-803A. My
|> > main interest is to download WEFAX. Well, I'll tell you, it's a piece of
|> > crap when it comes to reception, and it's going back to the store. My old
|> > grundig Satellit 6000 does one hell of a better job with just the
|> > telescopic antenna. As far as receiving WEFAX transmissions, forget it
|> > given that the Sangean can barely pick up Voice of America. I was quite
|> > dissapointed. 
|> 
|> Wow.  I've had a Sangean ATS-803A (Radio Shack DX-440) since 1989.
|> I've tried other (some more expensive) radios.  None compare.  I'm
|> using an off-the-shelf unit with the 'chuffing mod' and a 60 ft
|> outdoor wire.  I can pick up almost anything.  VOA isn't a 
|> problem even using ONLY the telescopic antenna.  Maybe Axel got 
|> a bad model or something...
|> 
|> --
|> skeeter@skatter.usask.ca			no nifty .sig
|> 
|> The weight of one's wallet is inversly proportional to the size of
|> one's heart.   -- me 

I have owned a Sangean ATS-803A for about 9 months and am
very happy with it considering the price. I listen to the BBC
and the AGC is much better than on my JVC getto blaster.
I also listen to the ham radio bands, both CW and SSB and in general its fine.
I hear stations from the Americas and Europe all the time.
The BFO seems very stable. 

After nine months here are a few things that bug me about this radio. 

1) The background noise from the CPU. ( I think there is a fix for this
    by shielding and rerouting the wire from the tuning knob).
2) The size of the RF amp and BFO knobs is toooo small.
3) The slider pots are arkward to use and the base and treble do 
   not do much on my radio.
4) lots of breakthrough from local stations. But I suppose
   a high pass filter would solve that problem. I try to keep
   the rf gain low. In Montreal this seems to be a real
    problem around 1800kHz. I have to keep the RF gain low and the antenna
    down to hear the ARRL transmissions.
5) When using the tuning knob the frequency can suddenly jump 100kHz.
6) I would only use it with batteries in extreme desperation.
   I mean 6 D cells, makes it heavy and they dont last that long.
   I suppose I could buy rechargeable batteries............
7) I did the anti chuffing mod. No problem. But it still pings
   on a strong signal which is a bit annoying.

Some of these problems have been fixed on the newest model ATS 818 ?
Has anyone compared the two ? All I have heard on Long wave is 
very loud beacons.  Are there any commercial broadcasts on LW in North 
America ? What is WEFAX ?

My feeling is that the ATS803A is a good radio for the price,
but might not be much use for rtty reception and such where good
reliable signal quality is required.
But thats just my opinion, I have not tried these applications.

Mark :-)



-- 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Readman                |  McGill Research Centre for Intelligent Machines
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU