[Premium-Rx] Premium-Rx Digest, Vol 74, Issue 9
Dan Robinson
dxace1 at gmail.com
Sat Jan 5 12:20:07 EST 2013
Just a couple of observations, as I watch the exchanges
on 8711A versus other receivers. A few years ago, I began
to rotate through the receivers at this level, and acquired two
8711s, one of them the A model, then a HF-1000. Since about
2000, I have owned 8718A/MFPs, and before them 8718As, and
still have one MFP.
When I first started using the 8711s I was struck by how much
processor noise was present, especially in comparison with the
8718A/MFPs which produced beautiful sound and are obviously
superior in terms of shielding. All you have to do is compare the
weight of these things to know that you're dealing with different
animals -- the 8711s weight next to nothing and while I know the
comparison is difficult given the differences in technology, it is
amazing to me what you're getting in these newer receivers -- a
lot of hollow space in that cabinet.
I decided to sell off the WJs as I was just too nervous about repair
issues. I obtained a TT RX-340. It too has a lot of hollow
space inside compared to the 8718As and I have to say that I
have observed that the audio quality emerging from the 8718A
still sounds superior to the 340 or any of the 8711s I had, though
the older radios are obviously limited in terms of selectivity and lack
things like synchronous reception mode.
So, today I stick with the tried and true 8718A/MFP (I have the
version with 1 hz readout), the 340 (which provides the option to use
DRM) and a JRC NRD 301A, the last of which is like driving a Rolls
Royce.
On Sat, Jan 5, 2013 at 12:00 PM, <premium-rx-request at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: WJ-8711A or WJ-8712P (Michael O'Beirne)
> 2. Re: WJ-8711A or WJ-8712P (benwallace @dslextreme.com)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2013 16:22:14 -0000
> From: "Michael O'Beirne" <michaelob666 at ntlworld.com>
> To: "PREMIUM-RX" <premium-rx at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Premium-Rx] WJ-8711A or WJ-8712P
> Message-ID: <9BC638246F4145339C24061AB34AB40E at Michael>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
>
> Dear Paul
>
> Many thanks for your helpful comments. I am sorely tempted!! However,
> another line of thought is saying to me that direct digital conversion is
> the way ahead and to wait for a while and skip the 8711 generation. There
> is a brilliant new Swiss-made HF transceiver where the limiting factor to
> reception is harmonic interference from the PSU, and even that is low.
> Can't recall the name but they have a tie up with Rohde & Schwarz, who
> really do understand such matters.
>
> If only someone would make a receiver or transceiver with direct digital
> conversion but with the panel of an 8711 at a price far removed from some
> of
> the new R&S stuff. A radio dependant on a laptop is just not for me. I
> want a proper radio in a chunky case with a nice weighted tuning knob and
> other knobs of the Berco variety (as on the RA1772), a decent Sifam or
> Simpson meter and quality push buttons and displays. Beside that I don't
> have a modern lap top and in any event their screens are far too small to
> read easily.
>
> I find you either love or hate a receiver and I suspect you rather agree
> :-). My keeps forever (so far) are the RA17L plus its many add ons in a
> tall robust rack, the RA1772 and my RA3701. I like chunky radio with
> interesting mechanics, though I am beginning to need help in moving them
> now
> :-( .
>
> My dislikes are most Eddystones (though the 1650 is quite fun), the Drake
> R7A and the STC STR8212. The last is old now but was built the hard way
> and
> has superb DSP selectivity figures that exceed WJ's, but the fan noise and
> poxy tuning would drive a monk to murder. It was clearly not designed to
> be
> used by a human hand for long.
>
> 73s
> Michael
> G8MOB
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <paul at 8zo.com>
> To: "Michael O'Beirne" <michaelob666 at ntlworld.com>
> Cc: "PREMIUM-RX" <premium-rx at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2013 3:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [Premium-Rx] WJ-8711A or WJ-8712P
>
>
> The WJ-8712P receiver is in a package with a front panel that is approx.
> 8-1/2 wide by 3-1/2 high. The depth is a desk-challenging 20 inches, but
> the small front panel footprint and light weight make that an acceptable
> trade-off. The WJ-8712P will do everything a WJ-8711/HF-1000 will do spare
> two notable things. The front panel volume control adjusts the headphones
> only and not the speaker output, through a simple three wire jumper job
> reverses that. The second thing is that the analog meter has been replaced
> by an LED bar-graph. After a short period of adjustment, I actually *like*
> the bar graph as it is located directly below the least significant digits
> of the frequency display allowing easy tuning for maximum signal strength
> vs. frequency at a glance. Operation is so similar to the 8711A/1000
> receivers that there is virtually no learning curve.
>
> I have all three receivers side-by-side, and the superior performance of
> the
> 8712P is very evident. The (expensive) push-buttons on the front panel are
> all back-lighted a cool green matching the displays. This is a *beautiful*
> receiver! The shielding does its job as there is no detectable
> spare/strange noises. Internally, the 8712P has the same boards as the
> latest 8711A receivers. Only the front panel and package are different.
> The standard 8711A preselector option may be used, though mine has an
> enhanced two-board preselector in it, presumably intended as a "special"
> unit for a government agency. It was originally purchased directly from
> DRS/WJ by a person who made the short drive from his office to the company
> to pick it up in person. Fortunately, I was able to make a deal to buy it
> from the original owner! Yes, it was expensive, but it is at times my
> favorite receiver so well worth it!
>
> The shortcomings of the 8711/8711A/1000/1000A have been well noted. As
> others point out, a late 8711A/1000A is certainly better than an early
> 8711/1000. There are some steps detailed here by Steve and others to
> mitigate the shortcomings somewhat. Even so, I just cannot help myself,
> and
> really like operating all of these receivers. They are really a lot of fun
> in a lightweight package! BTW: there is an interesting story of these
> "reduced cost" receivers (including the Ten-Tec RX-340) that was told here
> some time back by our friend Dr. Jim Garland, W8ZR.
>
> In short, the WJ-8712P is one of the few radios on my permanent "never
> sell"
> list. IMO, it is *that* good!
>
> Vy 73 de Paul W8ZO
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 5 Jan 2013 08:38:01 -0800
> From: "benwallace @dslextreme.com" <benwallace at dslextreme.com>
> To: PREMIUM-RX <premium-rx at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Premium-Rx] WJ-8711A or WJ-8712P
> Message-ID:
> <
> CAK5eXL5NY7prewe6riOtO0Bs-N6PdgCeyWtfVo27Qx6SZcCK-g at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Wouldn't it be interesting if someone such as Rob Sherwood could test some
> of the premium receivers and document their performance?
> Here's a link to his Receiver Test Data:
> http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
>
> Scroll down and you'll see how the HF-1000 performed.
>
> Ben Wallace
> WB8HUR
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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> End of Premium-Rx Digest, Vol 74, Issue 9
> *****************************************
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