HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine)
Subject: Re: New American Made SHORTWAVE available
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Distribution: rec
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 18:27:20 GMT

In article <1992Nov9.4230.10571@dosgate> "bradley grigor" <bradley.grigor@canrem.com> writes:
>FH>Is anyone going to buy the GROVE receiver, or the AMERICAN ELECTROLA?
>
>Wood is quaint but not for something you might want to carry
>around!!  I'm into small, light and portable!!  What I don't
>understand is why no one can pack the goodies of a Kenwood or
>Icom into a really small package.  Why is the Sony SW-77 so BIG?

There are some things that you cannot do well small - one of them is
SWL.  If you notice, it takes time to shrink stuff down, and you
usually pay a price in sensitivity or selectivity.  Circuits when
packed close together can and do interfere with each other (in digital
it is called crosstalk), so consequently, the rx circuits have to be
made (actually MUST BE) less sensitive.

This is not to say that this will remain so forever, as technology
improves SWR may be crunched further, but if you look at RX size
(of the *really* good ones), it hasn't shrunk much since the dawn
of the I.C. chip in SWR in the 60s.  

A good rule of thumb for SWR is "bigger is better."  Though notable
exceptions to this are those half-assed PRC recievers sold to hapless
and uninformed consumers.


-- 
+-------------------------+----------------------------------+ ^  ^  ^
| Brent L. Irvine         |  "Love is blind ... and stupid." | {\{|}/} CLAN
| irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu |                      -M.P.       |  {{|}} IRVINE
+-------------------------+----------------------------------+  o/|\o OF DRUM
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: m14494@mwvm.mitre.org (Mike White)
Subject: Re: Radio Shack DX390
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 17:07:38 GMT

Littlejohn Tim writes:
>  Does anyone have experience with [clip-on spool antennas]
>  and is it likely to help me much with receiving weaker 
> transmissions?

One of the spool wire antennas came with my SW-55.  I've found
it helps a little, but not much.  The real advantage is when you're
in a concrete/steel building and can't set the radio by the window.
You can run the wire antenna from around the window to the 
radio and get some of the stronger stations.  The price of the
RS spool antenna is so low it's probably worth it just to have for
those few times it will come in handy.  As someone pointed out, you
can accomplish the same thing with a length of ordinary wire and
an alligator clip, but the spool makes it neater, and it has a nice
clip.  In any case, it is in no way a substitute for an outdoor
antenna, or for an active antenna.  It's just simple and cheap,
and it helps a little.

************************
* These are my opinions only.*
************************
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: m14494@mwvm.mitre.org (Mike White)
Subject: Re: QSL'ing: How to
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:26:55 GMT

Mike Johnston writes:
> I have a few questions [about QSLing]:
>        - Ham QSL's. Let me get this straight: I can QSL a ham broadcast
>           once I get their callsign, no? To get the address I have to
>           look up their callsign in a directory, right?

Yes.  You can monitor ham transmissions (they're not "broadcasts, but
conversations between two hams, or sometimes a small group in a "roundtable").
You can look up his/her callsign in a book called the Callbook; this is a
big phonebook-like affair that lists names and addresses by callsign (this 
is also availble on CD-ROM).  Also there is a ham callsign server 
available on
the internet at marvin.cs.buffalo.edu 2000.  Most hams will reply to 
requests
for QSL cards from listeners.  Be advised that there are two callbooks; 
one for
domestic US calls, and one for the rest of the world.  The marvin server 
has
only US callsigns.

>         - What's the deal on these contests and 'Special Events' I see
>           in CQ Magazine?

The contests are sponsored by various organizations and publications
(the latter, I think, so they can sell more magazines by publishing the
results).  They are all more or less the same: see how many different
stations you can contact during some stated time period.  There are 
frequently score multipliers for different countries/continents/etc.
Contacts tend to be *very* brief, usually just callsigns, a signal report,
and either a sequential contact number, or some other piece of information
to simulate passing message traffic, to sort of legitimize the whole thing.

Happy listening...

Mike, N4PDY

************************
* These are my opinions only.*
************************
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: schuster@panix.com (Michael Schuster)
Subject: Re: Portable SW recommendations around $200
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 21:51:10 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

In article <1992Nov11.070210.44622@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> arritt@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu writes:
>
>In the recent Monitoring Times (Oct 92) there is a mention of a new
>Sangean model that will be coming out soon.  It's supposed to be
>similar to the ATS-808 but at about half the price, and smaller.
>If the performance really is similar to the 808, this would be an
>outstanding value for the money (even though the RFB65 and Sangean's 
>own ATS-803A are superior in an absolute sense). 

If you're referring to the ATS-606, this is strictly a travel radio.
It's a clone of the Sony ICF-SW1; tiny size, 5 KHz frequency step,
no SSB.



-- 
_______________________________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
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: smustopo@nyx.cs.du.edu (sofjan mustopoh)
Subject: Re: Swl Radios
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 92 14:11:47 GMT

In article <1992Nov12.105053.19851@henson.cc.wwu.edu> n9248086@henson.cc.
wu.edu (Matthew Daniels) writes:
>In article <1992Nov11.050126.11020@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> smustopo@nyx.cs.
u.edu (sofjan mustopoh) writes:
>>
>>  Between DX-390 and DX-440
>>
>>   Allright DX-390 is basically An Improve DX-440.
>> DX-390 has improved User interface. has better lcd display
>> more memory. two alarm , separate display for time and frequency
>> Alarm. and so-on and on.
>
>>   Advice: Shell out 30+ more bucks and get DX390 . you won't
>> be sorry.
>>
>
>I disagree.  I am alot happier to have SSB, and I think 1 khz increment
>tuning is essential.  I have often had better SOUNDING reception (not be
ter
>signal strength) when stepped up or down 1 or 2 khz.
>I think it is a step backward to make a receiver without these two
>features.
>
>
>
>Matthew Daniels					n9248086@henson.cc.wwu.edu
>---------------					--------------------------
>Bellingham, Washington, USA


   Hey Raed more carefull it is DX-390 alias AT-818 . it has
  SSB and 1khz increment tuning. and BFO.
  And more memory.
   Probably you refer to DX-380/AT808 

  Muskie

Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: rats@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (ICOM IC-R70)
Subject: Re: New American Made SHORTWAVE available
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 19:28:34 GMT


In <Sreye-qH3@lopez.marquette.MI.US> Gary Bourgois states:

|Most NEWBIES just turn their RF gain all the way up so they can hear
|EVERYTHING as loud as possible.  EVERYTHING including NOISE.  No matter how I
|tried to convince him, Grove said the receiver does not NEED an RF gain
|control.  I even told him how to prove to himself how valuable the knob is,
|since he has a TS-440 the same as I do.  Last summer I sent him to his shack,
|complete with instructions to tune the 75 meter band for a signal that was
|coming in at S8 or so, and adjusting the RF gain control so the S meter
|rested just above S8, then to suddenly turn it full and see the difference.
|75 meters is a good place to do this experiment.  WIth the gain full, the
|static crashes make the voice uninteligible.  WIth the gain set to just where
|the AGC starts working the signals LEAP out from the noise.

I noticed something similar to this after modifying the ICOM IC-R70's
preamplifier to function on the AM broadcast band. The R70 preamp is
factory disabled on the AM BC band, and also incorporates an attenuator
to cope with strong AM BC signals.

The 10db preamp is optimised for use above the AM BC band, so that on
longwave, it acts more like an attenuator than a preamp.

At 60khz on WWVB, switching the preamp in results in a decrease of
general background noise, indicating that it is attenuating, but the
WWVB signal just pops up out of the background!

Think of it as similar in operation to an echo suppressor in 
telecommunications use: add attenuation until the undesired signal
is down in the mud, while the desired signal is still around to
be amplified. Or trying to minimise "ghosting" on your television set
by adding attenuation in the antenna feedline path.

|They just kept blowing off my suggestion that a simple one dollar part would
|make the receiver work 1000 times better.

Like Bob Parnass said, for that kind of dough how come there's no IF
shift or passband tuning?
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: slush@VOA.GOV (Joe Gallagher)
Subject: Re: alt newsgroups
Followup-To: <poster>
Organization: Voice of America: Washington, DC.
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 20:15:21 GMT

Reference accessing the alt newsgroups from a site which does not get them...

In article <BxLD7L.6FM@news.cso.uiuc.edu> StarOwl@uiuc.edu writes:
>GL8574@ACSPR1.ACS.BROCKPORT.EDU writes:
>|I have another suggestion:  you can get an account on Nyx.CS.DU.Edu,...
and from
>Michael Adams (StarOwl@uiuc.edu, wi.4962@n7kbt.rain.com)	
>Get an account on either Cleveland Freenet (telnet freenet-in-a.cwru.edu)
>or at bbs.oit.unc.edu.  Both sites carry the entire alt...

Since it was I who brought up the question, thanks to all who've
contributed thus far...but the answers all point to telnetting or FTPing
to another site.  But everyone failed to read my mind to know what I did
not say....that our site is not a fulltime Internet site.

Our site phones UUNET when we have outgoing mail for the net, and UUNET
dials us up when it has News or mail for us.  While there are rumors that
sometime in the future we may become a fulltime net node, that ain't the
case now.

So the question re-phrases into this: without telnet or FPT availability,
is an account at a public access site the *ONLY* alternative to get alt
access (specifically alt.radio.scanner)?

Thanks again to all.
Joe
(Standard disclaimer and all that.)
          "'An eye for an eye' leaves us all blind."  -- Edward James Olmos
Joe Gallagher_Technical Support Branch_Voice of America_Washington DC 20547
slush@voa3.VOA.GOV 	   ...uunet!voa3!slush	     or even (202) 619-3804
From: pmcdonou@jade.tufts.edu (Paul McDonough)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: pulse noise around 15 MHz
Summary: what is it???
Date: 10 Nov 92 22:19:43 GMT
Organization: Tufts University - Medford, MA


 Hi,
   On 9 Nov. 1992, I heard what sounded like the old woodpecker, the pulse
radar, at around 1930 UTC (2:30 pm local). It was wideband and covered the
frequencies from 15025 kHz to 15070 kHz with a particularly strong signal at
around 15053 kHz. This made RFPI on 15032 kHz and BBC on 15070 kHz pretty
annoying to listen to. Does anyone know what/who this is???? I heard this 
on both a sony 2010 with 50 foot antenna and a dx440 with a whip so I don't
believe it's a radio peculiarity. I checked for harmonics (7500 kHz) and 
there was nothing.... Anyone know????

 Also, does anyone have HF freqs for the UN forces on exercises here in 
the U.S.?

thanks in advance,
paul

pmcdonou@jade.tufts.edu
From: arritt@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: SEG Precision World SED 110 
Date: 7 Nov 92 15:02:35 CST
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

Is anyone familiar with the SEG Precision World model SED 110 portable?
It's another of those $30 Chinese compact jobs that I'm considering
because (1) it takes only 2 AA batteries instead of 4; (2) it's
apparently really small; and (3) it got a reasonably good review
in the July 1992 "Monitoring Times".

For $30 I don't expect stellar performance, but am particularly
interested in sturdiness.  The radio's main use will be to
pick up R. Netherlands, BBC, etc. while traveling.  I'd like to
hear your experiences regarding how well the radio travels, and
its reception quality under the usual adverse conditions in hotels
(i.e., surrounded by lots of concrete, steel, and fluorescent lights).

My last attempt at buying a cheap semi-disposable portable resulted
in one of those "bad" Windsors -- the Windsor models that aren't
Pomtrex clones but instead are markedly inferior.  (When a shortwave
radio has difficulty getting listenable reception of the BBC, you know
things are really bad...)  Any similar "gotchas" with this model?
________________________________________________________________________
Raymond W. Arritt                     |  Dept. of Physics and Astronomy  
Assistant Professor                   |  University of Kansas 
arritt@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu             |  Lawrence, KS  66045  
"And it should be the law: If you use the word `paradigm' without knowing what 
the dictionary says it means, you go to jail. No exceptions."
-- David Jones @ Megatest Corporation
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: tim@ais.org (Tim Tyler)
Subject: Re: Cordless phone on 23.846
Organization: UMCC
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 04:18:54 GMT

In article <aksurf-051192142244@131.215.9.51> aksurf@caltech.edu (Axel) writes:
>Here's a strange logging: I picked up somebody's phone conversation on
>23.486 MHz. That was late at night, when this band ought to be dead. I was
>wondering if anyone knows of any cordless phones which operate at this
>frequency?
>
  23.486MHz x2 = 46.972MHz.
 
   46.970MHz (FM) = Cordless telephone base channel 10



-- 
 Tim Tyler      Internet: tim@ais.org  MCI Mail: 442-5735 
P.O. Box 443    C$erve: 72571,1005  DDN: Tyler@Dockmaster.ncsc.mil
Ypsilanti MI    Packet: KA8VIR @KA8UNZ.#SEMI.MI.USA.NA
48197
From: ylo@osiris.kbfi.ee (Ylo Mets)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: Grundig Satellit 500 & mods?
Date: 9 Nov 1992 00:52:35 +0200
Organization: Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Estonia
NNTP-Posting-Host: osiris.kbfi.ee


Hello !
Has anybody compared the Satellit 500 receiver from Grundig with
other receivers? Or has anybody made modifications to it? 
Will appreciate any information. 
I have owned the Satellit for some time but
have no possibility to compare it with other brands. So I
have been digging in its circuitry. For those possibly
interested in this model, I briefly mention the features. 
The HF circuitry is impressive, with dual-contour tunable
preselectors that can be also independently tuned, and
synchronous detector operating both in SSB and normal DSB (using
450 kHz PLL). Somehow the programmers have overlooked 
the selectable sideband AM mode, that seems to be possible with the
analogue circuit provided. The special Synch mode switches ONLY
to 100 Hz tuning steps, which I have found less useful. These
100 Hz steps (SSB!) are achieved combining two PLL loops with different
step sizes (unlike Sony SW55 that simply uses DAC output to tune the 2.
oscillator). The IF bandwidth is selectable between +-3.4 kHz and
+-2 kHz. The ferrite antenna for MW and LW is always connected,
the external antenna input is coupled via the ferrite rod.
There is a 5 kHz notch in the AM output, which is fine for SW.
The audio is good due to large speaker and tone-compensated
volume control. On AM I would like to suppress low frequencies
even stronger than the tone control allows, to improve the
intelligibility. 
Thanks for your attention and bandwidth!

lo Mets,
Karolinska Institute,
Dept. of Medical Biophysics

                                     INTERNET: ylo@mango.mef.ki.se
                                       or      ylo@osiris.kbfi.ee
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (Brent Irvine)
Subject: Re: Portable SW recommendations around $200
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Distribution: rec.radio.shortwave
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 1992 18:33:05 GMT

>   Wow there are several radio fit your decription
>
>    Start from sony sw7600  +- $220
>               panasonic rf-b65 +- $220
>                         rf-b45 +- $170  no ssb

Actually, the Panasonic rfb45 DOES have SSB (even prints it on its side).



-- 
+-------------------------+----------------------------------+ ^  ^  ^
| Brent L. Irvine         |  "Love is blind ... and stupid." | {\{|}/} CLAN
| irvine@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu |                      -M.P.       |  {{|}} IRVINE
+-------------------------+----------------------------------+  o/|\o OF DRUM
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: parnass@cbnewse.cb.att.com (Bob Parnass, AJ9S)
Subject: Re: Cordless phone on 23.846
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, IL
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 13:47:44 GMT
Summary: spurious emissions from cordless phone

In article <aksurf-051192142244@131.215.9.51>,
aksurf@caltech.edu (Axel) writes:

> Here's a strange logging: I picked up somebody's phone conversation on
> 23.486 MHz...

You were probably hearing a spurious emission from the low
power stage in a cordless phone operating on 46.97 MHz.
The arithmetic makes sense.
-- 
==============================================================================
Bob Parnass, AJ9S  -  AT&T Bell Labs  -  parnass@ihlpm.att.com - (708)979-5414
From: dold@mitisft.Convergent.COM (Clarence Dold)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: Re: Weekly Solar Terrestrial
Date: 8 Nov 92 18:46:21 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Unisys Unix Systems Group, San Jose, CA


From article <BxBLoK.9MA@news.orst.edu>, by Monte Olsen <olsenm@ccmail.orst.edu>:

> The data is good for a number of things. I use it to plug
...
> given time period. These programs are available for FTP on

I kept trying to hit "NEXT PAGE"!
Where's the punchline... at xxx.xxx.xxx ;-)

I tried some archie lookups once, I looked on finland...


-- 
---
Clarence A Dold - dold@tsmiti.Convergent.COM
               ...pyramid!ctnews!tsmiti!dold
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: m14494@mwvm.mitre.org (Mike White)
Subject: Re: How about the DAK Direct Access SW radio?
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 16:28:19 GMT

Elizabeth Schwartz writes:
>  How crummy is this [DAK direct access receiver @ $69.95]?

Monitoring Times did a review of this receiver, and they didn't like
it at all.  They said on some bands, the receiver was esentially useless.
My guess is you should save your money and apply it to a better
receiver.  I think the review was in the October issue, but it might
have been the November issue.  Good luck...

************************
* These are my opinions only.*
************************
From: n9248086@henson.cc.wwu.edu (Matthew Daniels)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: Re: Swl Radios
Date: 12 Nov 92 10:50:53 GMT
Article-I.D.: henson.1992Nov12.105053.19851
Organization: Western Washington University

In article <1992Nov11.050126.11020@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> smustopo@nyx.cs.du.edu (sofjan mustopoh) writes:
>
>  Between DX-390 and DX-440
>
>   Allright DX-390 is basically An Improve DX-440.
> DX-390 has improved User interface. has better lcd display
> more memory. two alarm , separate display for time and frequency
> Alarm. and so-on and on.

>   Advice: Shell out 30+ more bucks and get DX390 . you won't
> be sorry.
>

I disagree.  I am alot happier to have SSB, and I think 1 khz increment
tuning is essential.  I have often had better SOUNDING reception (not better
signal strength) when stepped up or down 1 or 2 khz.
I think it is a step backward to make a receiver without these two
features.



Matthew Daniels					n9248086@henson.cc.wwu.edu
---------------					--------------------------
Bellingham, Washington, USA
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: smustopo@nyx.cs.du.edu (sofjan mustopoh)
Subject: Re: Swl Radios
X-Disclaimer: Nyx is a public access Unix system run by the University
	of Denver for the Denver community.  The University has neither
	control over nor responsibility for the opinions of users.
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix at U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 05:01:26 GMT


  Between DX-390 and DX-440

   Allright DX-390 is basically An Improve DX-440.
 DX-390 has improved User interface. has better lcd display
 more memory. two alarm , separate display for time and frequency
 Alarm. and so-on and on.

   Beside if i'm not wrong DX-440 has been discontinued. 
 But beware  DX-390 is quite big !!! . Make sure you 
 handle it first. before you buy it. 
   Now the advantage of the size. The battery is D size so 
 it last and last.......
   
  The only my complain about DX-390 is . I still can't  set
 the clock to the second . A fellow mail me a short cut
 applicable in 803 but i can't use it in DX -390.

   Advice: Shell out 30+ more bucks and get DX390 . you won't
 be sorry.

   Muskie
   Sofjan Mustopoh
   Smustopo@nyx.cs.du.edu

Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: carter@cmptrc.lonestar.org (Carter Bennett)
Subject: Re: Portable SW recommendations around $200
Summary: Check the pawn shops
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 04:11:02 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: CompuTrac Inc., Richardson TX

Believe it or not, you might check your local pawn shops for extra-good
deals on shortwave radios.

A lot of high-dollar radios were sold new during "Desert {Shield|Storm}"
to folks who really didn't understand what they were buying.  So a lot of
those radios are hitting the pawn-shops (the economy has contributed to
the recent popularity of pawning).

Won't take long to look, and you might just find something at a bargain!

Cheerio

Carter R. Bennett, Jr. - Scientist | "Oh my God!  I _AM_ a nerd!!!"
carter@scilab.lonestar.org - home  | - C. Bennett, Sept 25, 1992, after
carter@cmptrc.lonestar.org - work  | realizing he had been talking about
KI5SR          | market availability of "preconfigured" Toll-House cookies.
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: schuster@panix.com (Michael Schuster)
Subject: Re: GE Super Radio I-III
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 00:41:33 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

In article <9211047895@drktowr.chi.il.us> magus@drktowr.chi.il.us (Louis Giliberto) writes:
>I'm a bit confused about the SuperRadio -- is it for shortwave or
>MW DX'ing?  I mean, what exactly do people use it for?

It does not receive shortwave.
Most people you'll meet here use it for MW DXing.

-- 
_______________________________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