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Message started by justin_o_guy2 on 09/24/15 at 10:58:30

Title: My shortwave radio died
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/24/15 at 10:58:30

I need a replacement. I'm tired of shipping it off, paying freight and labor, only to do it again in three or four years. I want a radio that is big enough and heavy enough to reach up and fiddle with without having to hold it with the other hand to keep from knocking it over.
The Halicrafters S38C is easy to operate one handed. It's got good sensitivity, but it lacks selectivity. It just doesn't home in on one station as well as I want. Some of that might be dealt with with a few additions to the antenna . I found a PDF of a circuit design that tunes the antenna and I know that a four wire long line antenna of four different lengths is better than my single long, and by long I mean about 100 feet.
If I need a ham type receiver, that is okay with me, but I'm tired of hunting through reviews that are based on someone else's ideas about shopping. Seems like they are all trying to Shop for a deal.
I just want to know what radio performs the best, and what I'm seeing is, what radio gives you the most bang for the buck.
I just want the bang, and let me decide what is a decent price.
The shelf is designed Around the radio and can be beefed up if I need to, so, any suggestions, don't worry about size, just dependability and
Quality.
I have a Sangean AM/FM bedside size. Limited frequency range and there is one station I can hear in the background All the way across the dial except for one station.. That's crap..
The Halicrafters would bring in China and Cuba, some European stuff, time of day, atmospheric conditions play a factor.
Any ideas are appreciated.

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by pg on 09/24/15 at 16:05:32

What kind of a signal can you get with a radio like that? Can you elaborate just a little bit?

Best regards,

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by Ultimafuego on 09/24/15 at 17:04:20

I was a radioman in the navy until 4 years ago, but all I felt with was the big boy stuff on the user side. Didn't work on the transmitters, receivers, and transceivers to much. But did a good bit of maintenance on the antennas. Also it was HF, VHF, and UHF. But now I don't even have a darn ham license.

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/24/15 at 19:31:17

e Halicrafters would bring in China and Cuba, some European stuff, time of day, atmospheric conditions play a factor.
Any ideas are appreciated.

Strictly A.M., no FM,
And I just came in from the shop. WOAI , Tulsa, is a regular listen.
Not with the highly touted Sangean.. It's not 1/3rd of the receiver the Halicrafters .
I talked to a guy in Dallas, he has an SX110 Halicrafters, says it's like half again as good as mine,, and they look like it.
All kindsa knobs and a signal strength meter and,, yeah,

That gotcha PG, or do you need a bit more? They call it World Band, because on any given day when atmospheric conditions are right, you can hear from places on the other side the world. China, Russia, Africa,Australia, England,
You can look up the radios and see a bit more..

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by old_rider on 09/24/15 at 19:48:12

JoG.... do a craiglist for the counties around miami, tampa, st. pete.... lots of retirees around there.
When they pass, the estate sales have a bit of everything, hey... i'm not morbid or anything, but if I go, I don't think I would mind my wife making a buck or two off my stuff and surely who ever buys it will put it to good use. :)

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/24/15 at 19:55:09

The guy I'm talking to repairs them, and I think he has a good reputation, so, I suspect, hope, I'm getting a healthy piece.
And freight from Dallas is not only less money, it's fewer times the box gets tossed on and off the truck.

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by old_rider on 09/24/15 at 20:17:01

JoG....

I used to talk to Louisiana and brazil on a CB radio when I was a teenager....(I was in central Illinois), they called the atmospheric conditions "skip"

My dad had a tower (I helped put up) 30' tall with a bi-directional 4 section beam antenna...( just remembered, it was called a "moon raker 4)

I have always wanted to do ham radio but never aspired to learn or do the morse code part.

LOL, I was actually thinking of going "rogue" and just getting a unit and talking to who ever would listen.... but was afraid there would be a black fed blazer drive by and catch me. 8-)

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/24/15 at 20:50:51

Yeah, I did the CB thing 25 years ago. Tip of the antenna was sixty feet. Just a mobile unit with a D104 mic. Midland Texas, I got lucky and talked to Canada a few times, I had a scanner antenna and a handheld cheap scanner. DUDE, it picked up telephones,, and the CB walked on the handheld telephone of the day. My neighbors loved me.

Title: Re: My shortwave radio died
Post by old_rider on 09/24/15 at 20:58:03

I still have a scanner that can pickup the older cell phones! most of the wireless home phones went to a higher frequency... but there are still a few around.

If it wasn't for the threat of hurricanes I would probably throw up a 30' tower, can't go any higher or the dang military would hit it!

This past spring an H53 was so low my tree's branches in the backyard were moving! (we have a beach access training area about 1/2 mile down the road on the sound).

I would probably throw a blinking led on top, just for giggles... and for the safety of the pilots with balls!