Date
1 - 20 of 24
Grundig G6
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Rick Robinson <w4dst@...>
Speaking of the G6, does anyone have any experience comparing it to the current allowed ULRs, such as the G8, PL-310, PL-380? This looks like a Tecsun product that is exclusively a Grundig/Eton model and it's too bad the G6 has such a high retail price to keep it out of the ULR competition. With no mention of DSP, I take it that it is not Si4734 based.
Hey Scott, any chance of an Si chip with SSB, 500Hz selectivity and a tunable BFO? Just dreaming. Rick W4DST
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keith beesley
Hi Rick,
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I had a G6 for a while. It's not a bad radio; SW and FM were pretty good; AM so-so; LW and the VHF air band were useless; deaf on LW, and VHF has too many images from the FM broadcast band. No DSP. Reception-wise, it didn't compare with my G8. I may have got a bad "sample," but I don't think so, based on other reviews I've seen. I saw one last week on "clearance" at a Radio Shack for $80., so I guess it's being discontinued. 73, Keith Beesley
--- On Sun, 8/8/10, Rick Robinson <w4dst@...> wrote:
From: Rick Robinson <w4dst@...>
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Antonios Kekalos <akekalos@...>
I agree with Keith, kinda. My G6 has been relegated to the shelf. The SSB (at least on mine) is totally useless. As soon as I engage the SSB mode the noise floor peaks and stays that way regardless of what band I'm in. It doesn't have a DX/Local switch so I can't change that like I do on my G3. I'm not a tekki by any means so I don't understand why it's overloading only in SSB. CW is barely recognizable and voice is unintelligeable. If there is a fix out there maybe someone can pass it on to me and depending on the difficulty level, I might have a go at any adjustments that need to be done.
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On Sun, Aug 8, 2010 at 10:12 AM, keith beesley <keith1226@...> wrote:
--
Tony, N4RNI Traverse City, MI EN74dq FISTS #14949, SWLR-RN072, WA8050SWL Not every conspiracy is a theory-AMC's Rubicon
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Rick Robinson <w4dst@...>
Thanks to Tony and Keith for the info regarding the G6. My Sony 2010 is not much on the air band unless you are at an airport. Including the air band in radios must've been included to give an airline traveler something to pass time while waiting on a flight to arrive.
I've been very pleased with my G8 and PL-380 and the G6 sounds like it would be a disappointment compared to the other 2. Rick W4DST
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dmccorm@...
I hate to tell you this guys, but my G6 Buzz edition beats my G8 in the AM and shortwave band barefoot. Even after alignment of the stock G8 loopstick for the BCB. I listen to WGN and WBBM regularly on my G6. I took it camping in the UP of MI and had a blast with it.
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73's, Dave K9DV ---- Rick Robinson <w4dst@...> wrote:
Thanks to Tony and Keith for the info regarding the G6. My Sony 2010 is
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Powell
If you will notice, on battery the G6 runs on 3 volts, but the WalWart is 4.5 volts. It really works MUCH better on 4.5 volts instead of 3. Powell POP email is powell at backroads DOT net From: "dmccorm@..." I hate to tell you this guys, but my G6 Buzz edition beats my G8 in the AM and shortwave band barefoot. Even after alignment of the stock G8 loopstick for the BCB. I listen to WGN and WBBM regularly on my G6. I took it camping in the UP of MI and had a blast with it. 73's, Dave K9DV
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pblake84
Hi Guys,
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These recent opinions on the G6 correlate well to the mixed reviews I have found for the G6 (and the G3 for that matter). It seems to me that quality control is an issue for the recent Eton/Grundig models. I guess it comes down to a bit of pot luck; if you get a great individual model you will be happy, if you get a lemon, you will not be. This is an area where Tecsun seems to be better, overall consistence in performance of a line. If these are all produced at the same factory (I have read that Tecsun, Degen and Eton are all produced by the same factories) it is an interesting situation to me, suggested that perhaps of the 3 brands, Eton may be cutting the most costs by lower QC. If that were the case it is especially ironic since they have the highest retail asking prices of the 3. Best Wishes, Steve
On 09/08/2010, at 6:37 AM, <dmccorm@...> <dmccorm@...> wrote:
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pblake84
Hi Powell,
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This is very a very interesting insight. If this is the cause of some peoples issues with the G6 then it may be a poor design choice by Eton/Grundig that some would say is a badly implemented plan for this size class of portable. The G6 is designed as a very portable device, if it needs mains power, why get a larger portable with better performance/features for a similar price? eg. G5/G3, DE1103, PL600 etc. Best Wishes, Steve
On 09/08/2010, at 6:51 AM, Powell E. Way III wrote:
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ferrite61 <dxrx@...>
Yes but I can do that on any of my 3 ULR's, including the el-cheapo R-911. Its APITA on it but doable. (Re: my old comments on the R-911's 'station locking'. The WRX-911 didn't grab as strongly, and was a bit better tuning station to station.) Nonetheless, I find the PL-200 and PL-310 at least as good as the G6... at a lesser price. One lives and learns... I really don't need a PL-210, but I'm very interested in how it compares with its predecessor the E-100 or PL-200. ie: is quality slipping in favor of memory? Is the tuning knob an improvement over the 310's unusual variable-velocity speed-tuning? Any degradation of the ferrite rod quality? etc. I am concerned that if one missed out on the E100/PL200, should I (or anyone else here) consider or recommend the PL-210 as substitute. Off hand, and at first glance I would, as the DSP radios aren't noticably better (but with due respect, they're less expensive).
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IMHO one will pretty much have to pry my PL-200 from dead cold fingers. The PL-310 can beat it on the low AM-BCB out of the box, but has issues with the soft-mute, and the 380 was ferrite-bar compromised... quality IS slipping as time marches on. Convenience seems to be winning, dumbing-down the receivers from enthusiast to consumer. /MHO Paul S. in CT
--- In ultralightdx@..., <dmccorm@...> wrote:
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ferrite61 <dxrx@...>
I do agree Steve. Not only has Eton slipped on QC, they also stopped publishing "real-radio" specs. Personally, I think thats a profit-motivated strategy at the consumer's expense. Eton/Grundig have accordingly lost my trust in their brands. If I want a crap-shoot, I'll go to a casino, not an electronics store.
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Paul S. in CT
--- In ultralightdx@..., pblake84 <pblake84@...> wrote:
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jaypolicow@snet.net <jaypolicow@...>
Paul S,
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As one Connecticutian to another I agree with your assessment that the PL-200/Eton E100 is a little gem. Mine matches my PL310 on MW but without the occasional spurious tones and noises of every DSP radio I've tried so far...when a weak signal is tuned on the PL-200 it always has pure hiss behind it, never any odd noises. Jay Allen
--- In ultralightdx@..., "ferrite61" <dxrx@...> wrote:
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ferrite61 <dxrx@...>
I've had power outages here in the last few years, and when the grid goes down, a great majority of that hiss dissapears. The E100/PL200 are quiet with some hiss. Even the WRX911 quieted down considerably. The G6 still had internal artifacts. The G5 is deathly silent... I would say clean signal. My PL310 and R911 have not had such a test. I find it valuable to "noise floor" readings.
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Paul S. in CT
--- In ultralightdx@..., "jaypolicow@..." <jaypolicow@...> wrote:
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Hi Scott,
Like Kevin says, the choice between the PL-310 and PL-380 for AM-DXers is
somewhat of a tradeoff, because the slightly larger loopstick of the PL-310 is
balanced off against the reduced soft-mute function in the PL-380. For any
DXer planning to use an antenna more sensitive than the stock
loopsticks (external loops, etc.), the PL-380 may be the better choice, as
described in the PL-380 review article at
http://www.mediafire.com/?w4yuzhj2kyz .
Transoceanic DXers seem to prefer the PL-380, and it performed very well for me
in the July DXpedition at Oregon ocean beaches, logging about 25 South
Pacific DX stations when inductively coupled to a 3' portable loop.
73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)
In a message dated 8/9/2010 12:56:01 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
scottmac112@... writes:
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Scott Macatee
On 8/9/2010 5:04 AM, ferrite61 wrote:
I've had power outages here in the last few years, and when the grid goes down, a great majority of that hiss dissapears. The E100/PL200 are quiet with some hiss. Even the WRX911 quieted down considerably. The G6 still had internal artifacts. The G5 is deathly silent... I would say clean signal. My PL310 and R911 have not had such a test. I find it valuable to "noise floor" readings.Well, that looks like a consensus there, folks. Is the mini 400 any better? I could snag one from Amazon right now for $30. Or which of these brands is better: Tecsun or Degen, and is either better than Grundig/Eton? I'm not much into SWL, but if it performs better than my G8 in that respect, I might give it a whirl. I'm mainly concerned with MW and FM (especially), because longwave is useless down here, and it takes a special radio to pick up the OCCASIONAL tropospheric episode we get. Thanks to all! Scott Hobbs, NM
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Scott Macatee
Also, Kaito and Sangean. Forgot those two originally. And don't forget the Sonys, if they are superior. Thanks!
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Powell
It's not very good as I stated before. Powell POP email is powell at backroads DOT net From: Scott Macatee Well, that looks like a consensus there, folks. Is the mini 400 any better? I could snag one from Amazon right now for $30. Or which of these brands is better: Tecsun or Degen, and is either better than Grundig/Eton? I'm not much into SWL, but if it performs better than my G8 in that respect, I might give it a whirl. I'm mainly concerned with MW and FM (especially), because longwave is useless down here, and it takes a special radio to pick up the OCCASIONAL tropospheric episode we get. Thanks to all! Scott Hobbs, NM
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Kevin S <satya@...>
Hey Scott:
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The Grundig/Eton brands are, IMO, very unreliable quality-wise. On the other hand, every Tecsun I have ordered has been great. If you are doing AM and FM, I think the Tecsun PL-310 or PL-380 is the way to go. The DSP means that FM is as good as you will find on any portable, period, much less in the ULR category: only the non-ULR PL-390 with its longer whip is a little better (on the lower FM band). As for AM, other than the hets/tones on certain frequencies, these two are as good as you can do on AM, with good sensitivity and the 5 DSP bandwidths. The PL-310 is somewhat more sensitive than the 380, but the PL-380 has less "soft mute", the decrease in audio when you tune off-frequency (as DXers often do). I prefer the 310 with its better sensitivity, and have gotten used to just turning the volume up as needed (the soft mute doesn't affect actual RF sensitivity). Kevin S Bainbridge Island, WA
Well, that looks like a consensus there, folks. Is the mini 400 any
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Scott Macatee
On 8/9/2010 12:12 PM, Kevin S wrote:
Hey Scott:OK, so I've been doing a little more looking around. Is the Tecsun PL-380 still king of the hill when it comes to MW and FM? I mean, aside from the PL-310, with its larger loopstick. And is it, or the PL-310, better than the G8 (AKA PL-300WT). And lastly, because the G8 is completely deaf on LW, does anyone think it's possible that I could pull in ANY longwave signal with any other radio from my location? I mean, I doubt anything could come in from the west (Asia), on account of the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada, and the east seems a little too far to travel. Scott Hobbs, NM
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Kevin S <satya@...>
Hey Scott:
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The PL-310 is the sensivity champ by a modest amount on both AM and FM bands over the PL-380. Both are head and shoulders, and perhaps a few ribs and vertebrae, above the PL-300WT (G8) on AM sensitivity. The PL-310 and PL-380 have the 5 DSP bandwidths on AM. On FM, the PL-300WT and PL-310 appear to be identical, with the PL-380 a tad behind. So, for AM and FM I think it's a choice between the PL-310 and PL-380. I think the trade-off between the PL-310 and PL-380 is the better sensitivity of the PL-310 versus the lack of soft-mute on the PL-380. If you are using a passive loop for AM, even just a Terk AM Advantage loop, the AM sensitivity difference is probably moot, and I would definitely get the PL-380. The PL-310 has an FM/SW antenna jack, although clipping an FM or SW antenna lead to the whip and battery ground works just as well on mine, so the FM sensitivity of the PL-380 would be moot as well. LW on the G8 is abysmal, while it is passable on the PL-310 and PL-380. Truth be told, without a good external or big passive loop, I seriously doubt you would hear any of the Asian of European LW stations, though. Even the Sony 7600GR, a definite step up sensitivity-wise on LW, needs serious help as well: the Quantum Q Stick works well, but a large PVC-framed passive loop is probably the ticket from your location. Hope this helps - Kevin
OK, so I've been doing a little more looking around. Is the Tecsun
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ferrite61 <dxrx@...>
If we're talking Ultralights, then Tecsun makes a good variety of consistently high-quality radios. Right now there's the R-911, and R-9012 analogs, and the PL-300wt, PL-310, and PL-380 DSP models. The only one missing is the more-expensive PL-210 that is availible at eCrater. (I haven't checked Amazon for that model... should be about $65-$70 Shipped)
If you want to go just outside the Ultralight box, Tecsun makes a PL-450 model that is essentially a PL-200 thats a little larger and uses 3 AA batteries. Its not an ultralight because its volume is 21 cubic inches, just above the maximum 20 cu. in. permitted. All of the features and functions of a PL-200 with 600 memories. The Pl-450 reviews as good as the PL-200 functionally, with a bit better audio quality. (An example of size matters.) Degen makes equally good radios, they're just not ultralights. Reviews of the newer 11xx series are mixed, which is a bit concerning here. The 1102's and 1103's are considered excellent bang for buck with SSB and quiet noise floor. (The Eton E5 or G5 are direct equivilent, and have better tuning controls for about the same price.) And of course there's the legendary Sony analogs that started the whole idea models SRF-39, 49, 59 models, and the newer 615-T. Others like the Sangean DT-400W or DT-200x. Both of the Sangeans tested well here. Paul S. in CT "Well, that looks like a consensus there, folks. Is the mini 400 any better? I could snag one from Amazon right now for $30. Or which of these brands is better: Tecsun or Degen, and is either better than Grundig/Eton? I'm not much into SWL, but if it performs better than my G8 in that respect, I might give it a whirl. I'm mainly concerned with MW and FM (especially), because longwave is useless down here, and it takes a special radio to pick up the OCCASIONAL tropospheric episode we get. Thanks to all!" Scott Hobbs, NM
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