David,
I suspect you had a failed receiver.  I had the same model for some 
time and was very pleased with the results.  The A M sensitivity and 
selectivity were great and short wave was good.  I regularly copied 
night time single sideband on forty meters and the F M was better 
than many receivers.  So, I guess you must have gotten one that had 
something basic busted inside.
I am interested in trying the Grundig - perhaps after next paycheck!!
Pat, K9JAUAt 01:04 PM 1/16/2012, you wrote:
>Hello,
>
>Awhile back, someone had posted an inquiry regarding the Grundig G3
>shortwave receiver.  Well, I had read a bunch of reviews, and decided
>to go with the Sony ICF-SW7600GR, which is a direct competitor to the
>Grundig, so that I could at least enjoy some shortwave listening until
>I could save up for that Kenwood dream rig by sometime next year.  I
>got one, and if that individual is still on the fence regarding which
>receiver to buy for some not-too-expensive shortwave listening, keep
>on reading.
>
>There is a huge following for the Sony ICF 7600 and its prior
>generations, so evidently someone is having some luck with them, but
>not me.  I packed mine up and returned it to Amazon today.  About the
>only listening I could do was to WWV on a few bands.  This radio
>didn't even pick up NewsTalk 750 AM, a high-power Atlanta AM station
>that can easily be heard 80 to 100 miles outside of the city on a
>regular old AM radio.  On other shortwave frequencies, I had virtually
>no luck at all.
>
>I did thoroughly read through the manual to learn how to use the
>receiver's features to help bring in those weaker signals, and I also
>used the external antenna as recommended.  I had absolutely zero luck
>with this radio, and after a week of frustration, I packed it up and
>sent it back.
>
>Granted, I might have gotten a dud from the manufacturer.  Perhaps it
>was also operator error, although I brought the receiver into work and
>had an experienced fellow ham check it out, with equally frustrating
>results.  So, to sum up, if the glowing reviews are any indication of
>how this product is supposed to perform, mine was about as far from
>what others have experienced as it is possible to get.  Either forget
>the Sony ICF SW7600GR, or else perhaps try it out if you can buy it at
>a retail outlet where it is more convenient to return it if you get
>poor results.
>
>Time to keep putting those pennies in the change jar til I can afford
>that Kenwood 590.  If anyone has any recommendations on entry level
>transceivers or even decent receivers that don't break the bank, I'd
>love to hear them.
>
>73,
>
>David Thurmond, KK4ADV