Rob, Kevin and Steve,

 

     I'll share a little information from recent Ultralight hot-rodding experiments by two ex-Navy sonar technicians, that usually prefer to work in secret (Steve R. and me).

 

     The C.Crane SWP unit tunes in 1 kHz increments, and has recently been modified with both a Slider loopstick (by me) and a Murata CFJ455K5 IF filter (by Steve), creating a compact DXing monster fully equal with the Slider E100's.  The first prototype is being fully evaluated here against the Slider E100's, with very promising results.  For those DXers hoping to eventually modify an Ultralight into a 9 kHz transoceanic terror, the C.Crane SWP would be a good choice (as long as you can live with push-button volume controls).  Otherwise, pick up an E100 off eBay from "oceansno1" (a.k.a. "anything4home"), who sells decent units at a going rate of about $25.

 

     The DT-400W is also being modified by us, and both the Slider loopstick and filter mods have been created.  The DT-400W is a great Ultralight with typically exceptional wide-band stock sensitivity, and Steve's filter mod will certainly boost its overall performance.  The Slider loopstick also gives its usual nuclear-powered boost for weak-signal capability (as explained in the recent DT-200VX/ DT-400W Slider Loopstick article posted on DXer.Ca.), but since the radio can't tune in 1 kHz increments, it will never be as effective as the SWP and E100 Sliders for transoceanic DX.

 

     My new PL-450 for the 2009 Shootout should arrive any day now, and there is great anticipation in the Ultralight community, which is hoping for an upgraded E100.  We shall see!

 

     73,  Gary  

 

      

 

Of the recommended list, only the e100 has 1 khz tuning.

The CCrane SWP has 1 khz tuning: it was initially a Turkey, but Gary
DeBock recently reported that later production models seem to be much
better.

Also, the Tecsun PL-450, a new model, has not yet been tested/evaluated,
although since Tecsun made the e100, and the PL-450 seems to be the
replacement for that model, I bet it's about the same.

For the CCrane SWP and Tecsun PL-450 verdicts, I think Gary is about to
issue the 2009 Shoot-out results in the coming days/weeks, so you may want
to wait until then. I am guessing that the PL-450 is going to do really
well...

Kevin

> Kevin
>
>
> Great explanation. Any other than E100 recommended recievers ULR,
> starting with lowest price first and then up that have 1khz
> increments ?
>
>
> TX
>
> rob
> --- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, satya@... wrote:
>>
>> Hey Rob:
>>
>> The M37V and DT400W tune in fixed 9 or 10 khz increments (you select
>> either one depending on where you're at in the world). As you push
> the
>> tune button, the receiver tuning jumps up and down in those
> increments
>> (1120, 1130, 1140, etc.). Analog receivers like the SRF-59,
> however, tune
>> continuously, so you could dial up whatever frequency you like,
> limited
>> only by your fine motor skills. The Eton e100 and others tune in 1
> khz
>> steps, so while it isn't continuous like the analog SRF-59, the
> control is
>> much finer.
>>
>> Why would this be important? If you are trying to listen to, say,
> 1530
>> khz, and a strong local on 1520 (say, WWKB's 50,000 watts...) is
> stomping
>> all over 1530, it would be nice to nudge over to 1531 or 1532 to get
>> further away from the problem on 1520. The station on 1530 will
>> generally be much more readable, and perhaps be free of "slop" from
> 1520
>> altogether. Depending on the filtering involved, you may be able
> to get
>> over to 1533 or 1534 before you start losing the desired station on
> 1530.
>> The e100 could do this, but the M37V and DT400W could not.
>>
>> This ability to tune away from problems is especially important on
> TA
>> signals, since they will generally be quite close to a domestic
> station.
>> For example, 1134-Croatia competes with domestic channels on 1130
> and
>> 1140, so it would be nice to be able to tune to 1133 or 1135, away
> from
>> whatever domestic channel is giving you the most problems.
>>
>> So, the M37V and DT400W would not be able to be detuned either way -
>> you're stuck with a fixed on-channel frequency. For domestic DXing
>> without a strong local to contend with, this may not be a big
> problem. If
>> you're out in Newfoundland, it's REALLY not a problem. However, in
> your
>> situation, you would probably have serious problems on a few
> channels like
>> 1510 and 1530, and strong regional stations from Montreal, New
> York, etc.
>> will make adjacent channels more difficult to hear.
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> > Kevin:
>> >
>> > As I posted before I just missed out on Durham radio E100 sale a
> few
>> > weeks ago by minutes or hours.
>> > But to show my newness what does ".....unable to tune in 1
>> > khz increments ..." mean? What does the Sony M-37 or Sangean 400W
>> > tune in increments?
>> >
>> > rob
>> >
>> >
>> > --- In ultralightdx@yahoogroups.com, satya@ wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Hey Rob:
>> >>
>> >> The DT400W is the sensitivity champ, although it is unable to
> tune
>> > in 1
>> >> khz increments and the stock selectivity is rather broad,
>> > especially for
>> >> TA work. There is a filter mod posted at DXer.ca, but it sounds
>> > like you
>> >> may not be in a position to do that (I know I wouldn't even think
>> > about
>> >> it...). As for the ability to tune away from the standard 9/10
> khz
>> >> channels, I personally would want that capability for serious
>> > DXing, even
>> >> domestic, although the judicious use of a passive loop antenna
> can
>> > really
>> >> help.
>> >>
>> >> If you're ready to step up, given that you have wielded a
> soldering
>> > iron,
>> >> a suggestion is to get an Eton e100 (within the correct serial
>> > number
>> >> range) and put the slider antenna on it. I have VERY modest
>> > soldering
>> >> skills, and I managed to do the mod fairly quickly. The stock
>> > filter in
>> >> the e100 is already top-of-the-class for Ultralights, and so you
>> > could see
>> >> how it goes before deciding whether or not to put a narrower
> filter
>> > in. I
>> >> see e100's on eBay quite a bit, and making sure what the serial
>> > number is
>> >> before buying would make sure you're getting what you need.
>> >>
>> >> The stock-filtered e100 is an absolute terror on the domestic MW
>> > band, and
>> >> in Buffalo you should be able to hear a fair number of TA's.
>> >>
>> >> $.02 from Kevin S. Bainbridge Island, WA
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> > Only having the SRF-59 for 1 month as my first ULR, looking
> for a
>> >> > digital readout ULR. Apperars from summer shootout that the
>> > Sangean
>> >> > DT400W is best bet. However, can anyone comment on actually
> using
>> > that
>> >> > set long term. OR, any other suggestions for my second set?
>> >> >
>> >> > rob
>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>
>
>