[Elecraft] shortwave receiver kit???

Sat Mar 23 21:48:00 2002

Hi Steve,

    A distant second to Elecraft is TenTec.....and their receivers are hard
to beat.  Are you interested in a regenerative receiver?  I have built the
T-Kit 1253, but it is not very useful if you want to know exactly what freq
you are on - that is to say, it is not digital.  Of course there is the fact
that the 1253 and the vectronics are regens....if that is what you are
after, go for the 1253.  If you are looking for a receiver that can be used
as a station monitor, you can't beat the 1254.

    If you REALLY want to have a blast building a regen, check out
http://www.midnightscience.com/catalog5.html - I have built the XS-104, and
it is a blast, and a good performer considering the simplicity of the
circuit.  The range is broadcast to 8.5 MHz, and it is a regen, but the glow
of a tube in the shack always puts a lump in my throat.  You might want to
check out the XTAL receivers on that page as well....I have built them all.
Getting performance out of a germanium diode and a coil is infectious ;)

    Bottom Line:  If you want your receiver to be a useful accessory around
the shack, go for the T-Kit 1254.  If you just want to have fun building a
kit, a regen great fun, and while a XTAL set is simple there is a lot you
can do to 'tweek' the performance.....the kit is up to you.  Discounting
Elecraft, TenTec kits are #1, but the competition is closing - if you have
trouble with a TenTec, you can ALWAYS get a knowledgable tec on the phone.
Midnightscience is just plain unadulterated fun!  Check www.ramseykits.com
and http://www.mfjenterprises.com/products.php?prodid=MFJ-8100K for some
more ideas......these kits are cheap and fun, just not very useful in the
shack.

    Sorry if I rambled....kit building has been a passion since the early
90's.....after the death of Heathkit, it wasn't easy to find good kits!
Anyway, good luck and remember - you don't need to spend a lot to have great
fun.  Best 73,

Jim
----- Original Message -----
From: "roysteve" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 6:54 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] shortwave receiver kit???

> I'm looking for tips/recommendations/general advice about
> building a shortwave receiver kit.  I finished my K1 #410 a few
> months ago and I am itching to jump in and build another kit
> (but I'm not quite ready for a K2).  I have found 3 shortwave
> receiver kits and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with
> (or opinions about) these radios.  The first is Vectronics VEC-102K,
> (link is
> http://www.vectronics.com/vectronics/products.php?prodid=VEC-102K).
> The other two are from TenTec, kit #1253 and #1254 (their
> link is http://www.tentec.com/rcvrkit.htm).  I've been flip-flopping
> between these 3 radios.  I'm hoping a fellow Elecraft builder might
> have a thought or two to share with me about my dilemna.
> Maybe Elecraft is considering this as a future project???... :  )
> (And of course I realize no other company offers kits that are anywhere
> near the
> quality of Elecraft's kits!)
>
>
> Steve KD5NSD
> Beaumont, TX
>
>
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