[R-390] OT: Other Radios You Like

[2002tii]

Scott wrote:

>Has anybody used the Watkins Johnson receivers? I want one but am
>afraid to spend the money. Some radios can be very expensive and 
>still be junk.

Which one(s)?  I have experience only with the WJ-8711/HF-1000.  It 
is a good radio, but with a few quirks.  It has lots of spurious 
birdies, though they are generally not too objectionable in relation 
to usable signals above 300 or 400 kHz.  The DSP processor is not 
fast enough to do everything at once, so some features don't work in 
all modes (particularly in SAM mode).  All in all, I like the Ten-Tec 
R-340 better, which is why I still have one but don't still have a 
W-J -- but note that the R-340 is not entirely free from similar issues.

The digitally-tuned radio I'd keep if I could only keep one is the 
Drake R8B.  I have two, and they account for 90% of my HF listening, 
in preference to the Ten-Tec, a Drake SW-8, one each JRC NRD-545 and 
NRD-525, a Harris RF-590, a Racal RA-6790/GM [the ULF version, 
R-2174B(P)/URR], a Collins HF-2050, a Lowe HF-225E, an AOR 3030, a 
Sony ICF-2010, an R-390A and an SP-600.  (It's obviously past time to 
thin the herd again.  When I get around to it, I'll probably keep the 
two R8Bs, the SW-8, the NRD-545, and maybe the Racal ULF rig.)

Best regards,

Don