Hello Rob and Carl,

 

     Thank you both for your comments regarding the E100.  This model's FM capabilities are kind of a bonus when purchasing this fine radio, which also has superb AM-DX capabilities (as will be fully documented in the Ultralight Summertime Shootout).

 

     Actually, any FM radio (with either a whip or headphone antenna) can receive a tremendous signal boost, when placed next to the lead-in wire of a decent external FM antenna.  My own test example was a full-wave FM loop on top of a 40' tower, which receives many BC and Oregon stations like locals.  The whip-antenna Ultralights usually couple up better than the headphone-antenna Ultralights, however.  And the sensitive FM Ultralights couple up much better than the deaf ones, of course.  Rob, I'm happy to hear that you tried this out on your cruise.  When I was in the Navy, sailors would often place their FM radios next to all kinds of wires and cables, in hopes of a better signal out in the ocean.

 

     Carl, you are certainly correct that FM audio quality is a highly subjective subject.  Most of the recent FM-stereo Ultralights have some kind of bass-boosting circuitry, which the E100 lacks.  But I think for the $$, the E100 definitely provides as much AM and FM DXing excitement as anyone could want.  It has recently become the modified darling of the Washington State Ultralight contingent, receiving multiple TP's and DU's for three different AM-DXpeditioners this summer.

 

                                                                                         73,  Gary