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  2. PL-380 - tuning knob broke again :( (also a TP question)

Re: PL-380 - tuning knob broke again :( (also a TP question)

pianoplayer88key
 

So is there nothing that I can do about it? My dad seems to think it's a poor design, btw. Should I contact anon-co to see if I can get a replacement knob? Also has anyone else had their tuning knob break?
http://picasaweb.google.com/PianoPlayer88Key/TecsunPL380#5418054480389124466
I haven't opened the PL-380 since it broke this time, but based on how it feels I think it broke the same way it did before - the knob itself broke off the little post that fits in the slot on the tuner component.


Also, I have a TP/TA question. I think we all know that salt water is a major conductor of radio signals. I've also heard of people receiving TX AM stations in FL in the daytime, and vice versa, using only their portable radios' stock loopsticks, and have heard of reception of NYC AMs on beaches in SC. Also, from what I've heard, the 9' PVC loop can take a signal on a ULR from completely inaudible to total blocking/desense, massive overload, etc.
Ok... considering all those factors, and the fact that some TPs (and TAs) transmit with MUCH higher power than stations in the USA (several hundred kW to over a MW)... assuming you're using the 9' loop and a good, sensitive radio, not swamped by locals (L.A. DXers need not apply)....
is it possible, if you're on the beach facing the target station, to actually get the GROUNDWAVE signal from low-band (540 to maybe 810 kHz, possibly higher) high-power (250kW+) TP stations across the salt water?
Oh.... I should mention that DXing KNOM and KICY from the eastern tip of Russia/Siberia does NOT count! :D
(And what's Gary DeBock's best TA, TNP (trans-north-pole) or TE (trans-equator) catch so far? ;) )

--- In ultralightdx@..., "Stephen" <pianoplayer88key@...> wrote:

Well.... it happened. again. :(

I grabbed my PL-380 the other day... only to discover that the tuning knob had broken again (the same way as before - I repaired it once), and is now spinning in place, without serving any function... and there's no "clicks" when turning it, either, like there is with the volume knob.

This is the second time the tuning knob on my PL-380 has broken. On the contrary, the volume knob is still holding up & functioning perfectly fine. So, is there anything I can do about this to prevent it from happening again? (The radio is still tunable with the keypad, but some other functions require the tuning dial.)

I'm hoping to do some other modifications to this PL-380 (implementing Scott Willingham's mod, & putting a 5"x0.5" (or 4"x0.25") Amidon-61 ferrite bar in the battery compartment (replacing the stock bar), for example), but considering how flimsy some parts seem to be, I'm wondering if I should start looking at other options? I've already ruled out several, like the PL-310, PL-360, PL-300WT, DT-400W, SRF-M37W, ICF-2010, etc, for various reasons, including not-as-good selectivity, no multiple bandwidths, severe soft mute, among other things. I really would prefer not to buy another radio at this time, though, but there are some issues that really need to be corrected, including the flimsy tuning knob, having some "blank" frequencies with a 45-50dBu noise floor when I'm not within 1/10 mile of a 50kW IBOC blowtorch (instead of the 15dBu typical in rural areas / faraday cages), still too much soft mute / audio pumping on fringe/borderline signals (especially annoying when listening to a station that has co-channel interference when the two stations' carrier frequencies aren't exactly synchronized), among other things.
I really want to like this PL-380, though... the selectivity is, to put it mildly, amazing, except when faced with extremely strong signals. Even so, compared to my previous radio, a Panasonic RQ-SW20... well, it's NO comparison. (The RQ-SW20 is about as wide as the Sony SRF-M37W.) It's just that some stations that should be clearly listenable on this radio are pushed below the raised noise floor due to strong locals > 150-200 kHz away.

Is it time to toss my PL-380 en la basura, or is there anything I can do? :(
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