[R-390] 390A---and a bedside radio

[2002tii]

Ken wrote:

> I had a Panasonic RF-2200 it was a excellent unit, the RF 2600 being
> even better. I think the best portable receiver of this type was the
> Sony ICF 2010.

That has certainly been my experience, but compared to any desktop
receiver -- even the "compact" or "portable" benchtops like the Drake
SW-8, Kenwood R-5000, and Icom R-75 -- it isn't even close. The AGC is
woefully inadequate, the selectivity is insufficient, the 100 Hz tuning
steps aren't fine enough for good SSB, the stiff slide pots for AF and
RF gain are hard to get adjusted the way you want, the audio amp and
speaker aren't much to speak of, and it overloads if you look at it
crosseyed. But mine's not for sale, even though I don't use it much!

The Drake SW-8 would be my choice, if it is within the budget
(generally $400-500 used). It is no R8B, but has a feature set that is
incredibly useful (built-in whip and preamp, battery holder, etc.), a
synchronous AM detector bettered only by the R8B, and its internal
audio is teriffic.

I guess I've been singing the praises of Drake pretty loudly on this
thread and a previous one, but they really did a bang-up job of
designing great radios in the early '90s, not only in terms of raw
performance but also in the area of impeccable feature choice and
ergonomics (with a few minor gripes -- in particular, the rubber
keypads). Drake is also fantastic about support.

Barry wrote:

> Probably the best small, modern radio for coverage and sensitivity is
> the AOR 7030+. A very hot receiver.

A very good performer, and as you say, sensitive, but somewhat prone to
overload compared to some others (including AOR's own 3030). Also, its
synchronous detector is not state of the art, and the 7030 is not
exactly cheap. It is all menu-driven with relatively few controls. Some
people like the ergonomics, but most people who are familiar with more
traditional radios just hate using it (as I do). The 7030+ version has
worthwhile improvements (including an optical encoder -- the mechanical
encoder on the 7030 is prone to problems and failure), but it carries a
significant price premium.

Good hunting,

Don