my dad took me to Radio Shack in 1977 on a Saturday morning and bought me a Patrolman 9 and I was glued to that thing...I heard HCJB in Ecuador and so many others and my whole world changed, then came a DX-!60 with a KRS digital readout I bought off a ad in SPEEDX ..and then on and on and on...till this day..73,s gud dx
I love reading stories like this of how other people got into radio. Thanks for sharing your story, and yeah, radios are kind of like potato chips you can't just have one. :)
How exciting! You have all the radios I once had. Started DX'ing in the summer of 1975 until 1990 when I no longer could. I still have my SQL folder that has among others QSL from Radio Rhodesia, Radio DDR and others
Nice collection. One of the joys of a drifty vintage radio is the opportunity to twist the dials...that's all part of the fun. These new radios with PLL circuits are fairly solid so not much tuning is necessary. :)
I am a scout troop leader in California I wanted to say great job on sharing your little ham shack and equipment it was impressive for such a young man having such a big collection already. I am going to be introducing ham radio to my troop of boys starting with the radio merit badge and working HT on 70cm and 2 meters and maybe have them build their first 2 meter antennas and tune them. I like your Yaesu analog radio very retro 1972! Cheers and a 73!
Thanks. That would be great I thought you had your license already. The license is pretty easy to take for a Tech and its only 15.00 bucks. In the 3rd week of October they have what is known as a JOTA or radio jamboree for the scouts. Look into it if you can and maybe you can be a big help to some local scouts on that date and allow them to use your radios to do some QSO's on the date. The troop leaders will be more then happy to help you keep the kids in line and protect your radios and also give you a meal or patches for helping out. I am sure there has been some adult that helped you out with radios so remember to give back to the next guys in line. The radios are expensive and many scout troops don't have access to base station radios and you would be a big asset to help a group of local boys learn about the life of Radio Hams. I can not express the gains or feeling when you do this its very rewarding for donating a couple of hours of your time once a year.
That sounds really cool. I don't know if I'll have my license my this October, but I would that should have it for next year's JOTA. Like I said that sounds really cool, and I wouldn't mind hopefully getting some more people into the hobby.
The Yeasu FRG-7 was my dream receiver growing up. By the time I was ready to invest more than $100 in a radio the Sony ICF-2010 was out so I never did get a Frog 7. The DX-160 brought back some memories. I had one that I added a frequency counter to. It made for a good digital display as long as you could add 455 to the readout in your head.
The Yaesu FRG-7 and Realistic DX-160 are both really great radios in my opinion. If you would happen to come across a used FRG-7, I recommend picking it up.
@@Sparkyzilla85 I had both of them in the 70s. The Frog 7 was better for tuning and I was in heaven when I bought it. Unfortunately it got zapped by lightening later and with the insurance settlement I bought a FRG7700. It got mothballed after I got married, but after retiring I unpacked it and I'm using it today.
Great shack Dennis - like the integration with the Godzilla's. I too like the PL-880 and the R75. Looks like a fun place to chase signals in. Nice collection!
+D Raff Thank you! I am quite pleased with my how my shack and my collections have progressed. I just need a better desk though for the radios. The two boat anchors are putting too much weight on the desk and it is bowing in the middle a bit.
I just got an 880 this year, I like it for tuning in the house to find active frequencies using a reel. My bedroom one though for when I'm laying down is a Grundig Satellit 800, I've always loved how that radio looks since I was in high school and it was just a picture in passport to the world band radio... wouldn't have any idea how big it was until I actually got it though. For when I'm out hiking or other stuff got the county com gp5, really fully featured for a radio the size of a large candy bar
Great video. I like your fresh unscripted approach, it's like visiting with you in person. By the way... As an old ham, I enjoyed the addition of the cw. Nice Touch. You have a new subscriber.
+Roy Row Thanks! Some people like it when I go unscripted and some people say my videos would be better if I did script them. I'll have to try a little of both to see what works. I'm glad that you liked the cw. I wanted to do something a little bit unique with this video and thought that using cw for the intro cards was a great idea.
Just keep it up. What comes through is your passion for your hobby. I started short wave listening in high school during the Viet Nam war. Plenty of exciting broadcasts. I still enjoy it today.
Tube equipment will normally "drift" until the temperature stabilizes inside the case. That is the nature of all tube equipment. I have an all tube Amateur Radio station plus a modern solid state Yaesu station plus a plethora of collectible tube receivers. Any radio is as good as the antenna and ground it is connected to. Yes, you do need a ground connection no matter what anyone else says.
I agree about tube type radio drift. However, while in the US Army I had the opportunity to work in a mobile Rtty unit and that was what motivated me to get my Ham license. A good friend of mine gave me a Collins R390A receiver, which was identical to the receiver in my Rtty unit. I say all this because it DID NOT DRIFT. In fact I never experienced drift during my stint as a Novice Ham. Yes indeed, rigs that are designed for Military specs are quite different. Thanks for your input here, as I also thought it was a great presentation, and without lots of technical jargon. 73, Don wb1o
Nice crib and rigs.. especially like all the Zillas- just like my room.... really wish you had included info on noise blocking/ limiting feature of these. My first Ham receiver in 1960 was a HQ-129x.. it would pick up Mars! Your 100R is sweet. Blast us with some new waves Daddio...
I had an HQ 100A for many years in the 60s and 70s. My favorite receiver of all time. I wish I had another one now. Bought it at Harrison Radio on Radio Row (Cortlandt Street).
The old Kenwoods are enjoying a resurgence of popularity, especially the R-1000 and R-2000. It's hard to beat the 1000 for top performance in a radio that is solid and basic. The R-2000 speaker has to be one of the best ever put on a SW radio.
+Dan Robinson I've noticed that. I saw an article the other day about how the R-1000 has been seen selling for at least $400 on eBay. The speaker on the Yaesu FRG-7 is also pretty good in my opinion.
That Yaesu FRG-7 looks like a good copy of a Collins! Love your accent. Reminds me of the movie "Fargo." Yaaah! Update: The Hammarlund design reveals their early start in making radios for the US Navy. A used one was my first receiver when I was a novice in 1963. I like the R75 a lot, but I don't think it covers the aircraft band. I live near an airport and an Air Force base, so I really want that coverage. Maybe 6m, 2m and 440mH too. Dan N5ZXX
@@Sparkyzilla85: My Elmer in the 60s had an older crackle-black finish Collins receiver, a 75-series XMTR and a Collins linear. He had a telephone pole in the back with a huge, rotatable beam array. Had some fun QSOs there while getting my novice (WN0FRS). RIP Ferris Cramer.
Very good video. It motivates me to do a video on my rigs myself. I like Hammarlund tube radios too. I used to have an HQ-129-x (made circa 1949), an HQ-One-Seventy (triple conversion) that looks very much like yours. Nowadays, I have an HQ-140-X with a very good S-Meter. I also have an Icom IC-718, though it is a transceiver it has a very decent reception. I'm also a fan of loop antennas. Thanks for posting it!
Oh, the venerable, FRG 7. I used to have one, but got rid of it because I had to move. It's a "boat anchor" as far as the weight but I'd give anything to have a Frog 7 again. Nice shack you have, good DX and 73's from Radio 645.
@@Sparkyzilla85 I just bought FRG7 from a friend, I got it hooked up enjoying the heck out of it! Good review you have here, a very nice collection of radios.
@@Sparkyzilla85 Nice to see people still using the R2000. I bought mine new back in the early 80's and it has been a workhorse. And in those decades, I've never had one issue. The tuning is now about 100 kc's off and I'm sure it could use an alignment, but after all this time, it has just been an outstanding radio. My-go to receiver is my Drake R8, which in terms of sensitivity and selectivity is a couple steps above the Kenwood. Also the front end of the Kenwood is more prone to overloading than the Drake. Check out a used Drake R8, R8A or R8B one of these days. 73, N7BWB
Nice video Dennis, much better videography but just a little too much "CW ambience" for my tastes. I have never asked but do you have an issue with a higher noise floor on the R2000 from the integrated processor? Additionally have you tried desensitising the FRG7 with the pre selector when experiencing adjacent frequency interference?
+SpectreOZ Yeah, even I thought I went overboard with the CW, but it made me chuckle so I kept it. :) No, the noise floor on the R2000 seems just fine. A bit higher than the R75, but not too bad. Actually, I haven't tried that with the FRG7. I'll have to give it a try the next time I use it.
Thanks! I have to buy a better camcorder to record my radios, since my webcam can't reach to where they are located right now. I'm hoping that when we move again, that the radios and my computer will be in the same room so I can do some more radio videos.
Nice collection !!! I had a Realistic years ago. And I can see you have the same problem as I have with the Frog 7, the red switch !!! Regards. Ruben , VK3PRA.
Thanks. Yeah, when I bought my FRG-7 off of eBay it came without the red power switch. The whole switch itself is shot, so I have to either unplug it when I'm not using it, or use one of those outlits with an on off switch on it.
Nicely done video. You might hav e less trouble with drifting on SSB if you have a cooling fan running nearby the set. not sure but seems logical. Keep making videos you have a talent for it .
Have you ever thought about doing a video review of vintage analog shortwave portables such as the Zenith Transoceanic series, the pre-digital Grundig Satellit series, the Nordmende Globetrotter series, and the top shelf offerings from Japan, such as Panasonic, Sony, etc.?
Like the "Frog 7", my Grandfather owned one. (I acquired his National radio HRO "Boat Anchor"). After 25 years, I left the hobby in 2000, my last desktop was a Kenwood R-5000, I also owned a Sangen portable (I forget which) for my travels overseas. I looked at perhaps returning to the hobby, but so much has changed in those 17 years. So many stations are now gone from Shortwave, some of my favs (R Australia, RCI, RNW.....how many others have left SW?). I see that The Passport To Worldband Radio is no longer published. I never understood why there was a movement by those guys to dump the word "Shortwave", the world just sounds cooler and "techy".
Alot of stations have left the airwaves, but luckily, there are still plenty of stations to listen to. WBCQ always has alot of interesting programs to listen to. China is all over the dial, Radio Romania comes in strong almost every night and so on and so forth. The FRG-7 is really nice, although I wish it had a bandwidth option for SSB.
paxwallacejazz. Love the jazz bit! You could not have spoken a truer word.. When the public water supply collapses, the man with a hole called a WELL will be out upfront!
Ah the FRG-7, I remember it well! Mine had feet, though. Something to do with allowing air flow through from under the set and out through the top. Sitting flat on a surface, there's a risk of it overheating without them. So, you might consider buying some feet for it, if you're not the one who removed them and put them in a drawer somewhere....
Yeah, I removed the feet. I still have them, somewhere. LOL. Luckily, as of lately, I don't use the FRG-7 as much as my other receivers and transceivers.
..Also, the Hallicrafter has one side of the AC power input grounded to the chasis. You MUST GROUND the chasis. ..unless you like to be shocked with 60V AC. It also generates noise.
The FRG-7 is a very nice one! - and Oscar Hammarlund was a Swedish immigrant! - the country where i live - i mysel f have a Tecsun handheld PL-368 which i use in bed!! - then i have the predecessor to your Icom, the IC-R72, just got it a couple of days ago, so still new to me, seems very nice, - i was an avid DXer when i was young, and had many different radios in my schack, that was in the 80ies - but still fun though! - i also have a Uniwa B8000 pocradio, to communicate with, greetings, Levi in Sweden (but Finnish origin)
Hi @sparkyzilla85 - which SWR would you recommend simply for someone trying to fine-tune shortwave oddities (in reception)? I'm looking for a SWR that has filtering, EQ... something that allows me to manually tune between stations and get all that abstract noise and odd signals.....Thanks so much!!!!
I have a Tecsun just like yours. It is used as a portable home am/fm. I started off in 1963 with a Hallicrafters SX-110 purchased for my 13th birthday from Henry Radio in West Los Angeles. Radio Moscow beamed propaganda each night. It drifted a lot and I learned all about SSB. I was licensed as Advanced Class Ham in 1989. I now operate on the 20 and 40 meter bands using the newest, very popular ham mode of FT8. Radio hobby has been quite a ride and I still enjoy it. Hope you are also hooked on radio.
Hi Carl! I am very much indeed hooked on radio, and I too have been playing with FT8 alot lately. What is your call sign? Hopefully we can make contact sometime on 20 or 40 meters.
Hi My call is KN6SB. I use a Icom 7610 with a Maldol HVU-8 multi-band trap array. It is a very primitive small antenna mostly for limited areas. However I did make a FT8 contact to Japan last week. Do you have a call sign?Carl
@@carlwest1913 Cool! My call sign is KD9LVR, and I run an Icom IC-7300 for regular HF phone communications, and a Kenwood TS-590 SG for mixed modes. I use a home made inverted L and a Radiowavz double bazooka for 40 meters.
Hammarlunds are wonderful receivers. Once you get more versed in refurbishing old electronics, get your hands on a Hammarlund HQ-145. The HQ-100 is single conversion, the HQ-145 is dual conversion which gives better selectivity. If you are willing to spend even more, you could get an HQ-180 or HQ-180A, the top of the line TRIPLE conversion Hammarlund, which was the best general coverage communications receiver you could get FOR YEARS. I wouldn't start with these for refurbishing though. You might begin with a National SW-54. It is a general coverage, 4 band version of the All American 5, but, when refurbished, and properly aligned, is an amazing little performer, considering what it is.
keep it up. See if you can build and install more wire antennas. Consider a cheap antenna tuner,( very easy to make with junk parts) as it can really improve your reception over a wide range of frequencies with a non-resonant antenna. I like the R-2000 and FRG-7 very much. Consider getting ham license.. I notice the pretty fast cw.. so you must be on your way. Consider ditching the S-40 which is pretty awful, and getting a Drake 2B. It is the very best of the tube type recievers made for ham use..and it can be used as a general coverage/swl rx with short wave xtals..which can be found easily enough. The HQ-110 ham band version is far superior to the HQ-100 but not gen coverage. Do find a 2b. If you get a used Yaseu FT-450... you will find it can do all the gen coverage RX duties in all modes incl FM..and interface with a computer for all that kind of visual stuff... and its a great ham rig too ! now under $400 used a hell of a deal.. with DSP too ! tecsun looks interesting.
Your Hammarlund is well worth fixing. I have a Hammarlund HQ-160 and spent the time to realign it and it sprung to life and is really solid, no drift. I love using it, very sensitive, it can hear "Peanut Whistle" stations with no problems. Check out "Mr. Carlsons Lab" and "D-Lab" RU-vid channels to find out how to align your Hammarlund. Once aligned you'll fall in love with it, it may even be your new #1 receiver.
If I had the knowledge, time and patience to work on it, I would've kept it. Sadly I got rid of it, but one day I wouldn't mind owning tube equipment again.
I am a ham. Mostly listen to other hams and broadcast SW. I agree the speaker sounds great. Great for AM MW and FM but problem for MW is you cant add an external ANT. It forces you to use the internal. My kick stand broke and so did the battery cover. Gonna get a SDR soon. 73.
This Realistic DX-160 radio has a dissimilar metal problem on the tuning printed circuit board with the rivets that connect the top side printed circuit to the printed circuit on the bottom side of the PC board. Resoldering is not sufficient, the fix is to solder jumper wires on the top side of the board to replace the connection made by the printed circuit on the bottom side. Shining a bright light through the bottom of the board shows clearly where to solder the jumper wires on the top side. This is the RF amp and Local Oscillator circuit so it will require alignment. Operation without repair may be intermittent.
nice video :) trying to get started with this world, new stuff for me. is there any known nice/cheap (good quality/price ratio) transceivers for beginners ? (i would need to buy 2 in order to communicate of course). looking for something really basic, but that has a good reputation.. any advices ?
Hello subbed to ur channel ,, trying to get into sw listening can you do a clear diagramme on paper how ur arieal is wired outside and centre brade were they connect to either end many thanks Shane uk
The FRG7 uses a barlow wadley circuit and thus more accurate its designed for SWL, compared to the HAmmerlands and other Radios they are designed more for ham use and thus the fine tuners for SSB. They are apples and oranges.
Well done, you got rid of the DX394! But you haven't included an AR88D! every SWL has to have owned an AR88 in their lives that is just a fact here in the UK. Its a real shame they are not as available in their home land, we got them all ha ha! The drift problem with the FRG7 is the BFO. The FRG7000 is very similar to the FRG7 but has a crystal controlled BFO. I really enjoyed that video and it is good to see there are young people who see the value of short wave. We will need it soon. Oh have you tried the Drake SW2? That has the best sync detector I have ever used. 73s De GW4PJQ N. Wales United Kingdom.
I've heard of that receiver, but I think that I may have seen one once on eBay and the seller was asking for over $1000 if I remember correctly. That's too rich for my blood, or at least it is at the moment. I haven't tried the Drake SW2. The only Drakes that I have used is the PRN-1000, which I still own, and the SSR-1, which I'm going to try to sell.
PRN1000 and SSR1 were junk, well to be fair the PRN1000 / SW1 was made for a purpose but the SSR1 really was crap. The SW2 although similar looking to the SW1 was a truly superb receiver and nothing more can be said about it. The AOR7030 is a serious contender for best RX ever. But you know, what are you listening to? All the broadcasters have all but gone, back before the F&$%ing internet short wave was fan bloody tastic and I'm sooooo glad I remember it then. Mind you people have complained like hell about Radio Australia shutting down. But really what are you listening to on SW.
I saw a couple of times on Ebay an advertisement for a Kenwood R-600 with switchable memory channels instead of a volume control. It looks like it was a marine version of the receiver. All the inscriptions were in German. Have you seen one? What are its advantages?
Hello, really beautiful work. I like Kenwood R2000 very much.. But what about kenwood r5000 or, in tecsun radios, tecsun s2000 (also nice when going on hollidays) ?
I had both R2000 and R5000..and the 5000 blows the R2000 away...because it has the crystals installed which 100% changes the radio..I loved it..and WISHED I NEVER SOLD IT...if you get one..get one complety loaded with all the crystals...you wont regret it..
I have a pristine Drake R8-B with Drake VHF card and Drake MS-8 speaker in storage. I liked to work the utes with it as well as some ham band digital modes (all vie sound card interface and free or reasonably priced software). I also have a DIN plug cable for remote on/off as well as RS232 serial comms null modem cable for radio control by PC. I am not actively looking to sell it, but if someone were really interested in it I might consider. My dream is to get more into longwave and satellite instead. I enjoy making my own Az/El rotators and yagi arrays. I have put up a 400 ft. square longwire loop on ladder line. The Drake R8-b doesn't have appropriate bandwidth for FM wide for LEOS APT WeFax. I have built my own reciever for that 'since. It also isn't as good of a performer at the bottom end for those longwave signals I am so interested in when compared to specialized purpose-built gear. So it is a perfect Drake R8-B in A or A+ condition. Just sitting there for twelve years already now...
Hi John Jensen, I have a letter from Radio Berlin Int confirming my report on their very last broadcast, it is written on recycled paper and personally signed.
SPARKY I am new to shortwave radio should I buy a IICOM ICR 75 Radio and did you sell your one? what would be a fair Price for a used radio? Peter from IRELANND
Nice collection of radios. If I can offer a suggestion.... in future videos, it would be good to mention the frequency coverage of the radios as well as the modes they receive. Nice touch having the titles in CW too... I can still copy it solid, but not as fast as when I was about your age. Licensed Amateur since 1970, Advanced Class... could copy 30 wpm when I was 14 but slower now. Are you planning to get your ham license? I am glad there are still young people into SWL'ing, although I have to say I feel for you, then bands used to be swarming with stuff; cw from everything from wx services and ships to spies, and of course hams.... ship-to-shore in a.m. phone, thousands of SW broadcasting stations. Not nearly as much stuff as there was, too much has gone to digital satellite communications now. I sound old!.... but that's how things go. Communications now are much more reliable now, although it has taken a lot of the "mystery" out of it. I sold all my collection except a few boat-anchors; a Hallicrafters SX-122, Hammarlund HQ-180, and a Hallicrafters HT-37 transmitter, and still have my Heathkit HW-16 I built from the kit. TY for the video!
If you want to talk receivers try the ICOM IC R-9500 international version, (illegal in the US). The US version is crap. This is the radio that the FCC uses to listen to all illegal radios it will even track and receive cell phone. Get it with the digital board UT122 P25 Digital unit. It runs about $15,000 with another $1,000 for the digital board. ICOM Canada will sell you one but you will have to smuggle it across the border.
Most modern Ham Gear has general coverage now that is better or at least as good as these old venerable rigs. My choice back in the day was my HQ180a (perfectly aligned with strong tubes) and the Drake SPR-4, Hands down. If you ever get your hands on a Drake SPR-4 Give it a chance. The selectivity is incredible. Peace , De NI3I
The communications receiver (general coverage) is the best shortwave radio receiver ever made. They say...The Realistic DX-302 is the best of the best.
I'm not an expert, but I would recommend something like the Icom IC-R75 or the Alinco DX-R8, basically a really good desktop radio with single sideband.
Nice set up, what do you think of the Tecsun pl660 vs the pl880, considering getting one of the two, interested to know why you prefer the pl880 and if you feel it's worth the higher price? Thanks
Thank you. I've only used the PL880, and it's a good radio to buy, just make sure you get a later model number. I have one of the earlier models and the SSB reception is kind of messed up. From what I understand the earlier PL880s weren't as good as the PL660.
