Re: Need some help - response to Gary
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Hi Neil (and John),
John's ULR recommendations certainly make sense, and I notice that he is
using radios that all have a reputation for above-average AM selectivity (in the
pocket radio class, that is). John's record of DXing success in spite of
multiple local 50 kw AM blowtorches is rare indeed, and almost unheard of on the
East Coast (Frank Welch also comes to mind).
In answer to your question, Neil, any of John's radios would be
good choices for you to get started in ULR DXing. The newer Si4734
chip-based DSP models (D96L, PL-310 and PL-380) offer 1 kHz
filtering, providing a big improvement in AM selectivity over all
previous ULR's. However, these radios come with their own set of quirks, such as
internally-generated heterodynes (which some DXers find objectionable),
the "soft mute" issue (somewhat toned down in the PL-380 model), and lack
of North America-based warranty service.
If you are primarily a domestic DXer and can live with the quirks mentioned
above, the PL-310 has a very good record of performance, with good
sensitivity, 1 kHz DSP filtering and good resistance to urban RF overload
(images, spurs, etc.). If you have occasional interest in transoceanic DX or
plan to use external antennas, the slightly less sensitive PL-380 would be a
good choice, because its less troublesome "soft mute" threshold allows
tuning 1 kHz up or down from a DX station's frequency (to escape domestic
splatter) without a severe drop-off in the DX station's signal level. It also
has superb 1 kHz DSP filtering (like the PL-310) and costs about the same
(generally around $70, including shipping from Hong Kong).
If the Si4734 quirks mentioned above sound unappealing, you might
consider either the Eton E100 or Sangean DT-400VX models, both of which
have a good record of AM performance in urban areas. Both of these models are
fully described in the 2008 Summertime Shootout article, along with a discussion
of the tradepffs. I am also a west coast dweller, and one of my all-time thrills
in ULR-DXing was holding a stock Sangean DT-400VX in my hand on a Grayland, WA
beach one sunrise in August, and receiving a strong signal (with ID) of 1575-VOA
Thailand (over 7,200 miles) using nothing but the tiny stock loopstick http://www.mediafire.com/?yjoxenovyxi .
The point is that propagation and persistence can give you great DXing
results, even if your radio doesn't have all the latest "bells and whistles."
Good luck!
73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA)
In a message dated 4/27/2010 11:12:12 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
jcereghin@... writes:
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