I have to connect either a single wire antenna or dipole to my stereo for FM
and loop for AM as well and I've had it for 14 years. I actually hooked
those antennas up to it before I got sick of the same 3 songs played over
and over again and way too many commercials so haven't in many years but my
wife likes to listen to it when I'm not home so I just recently stuck the
single wire that came with it on a nail in the wall and hooked it back up.
I'll never use it but she seems happy enough with it.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Gammon" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2012 6:28 PM
Subject: Antennas and radios
> Oh come on, I guess this is why ham radio won't go anywhere
> either, because you have to hook an antenna to it!! I've had a
> Sony HD radio for several years which isn't even really
> accessible and have had to endure the terrible hardship of
> connecting both a straight wire FM antenna and a small loop for
> Am. No problem! Jim WA6EKS
>
> From: Harry Brown <[log in to unmask]
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Date sent: Fri, 6 Jul 2012 15:53:48 -0400
> Subject: Re: Quick Review of Insignia Hd Radio, Not Very Good
>
> This is why hd radio will never go anywhere! When you have to
> connect an =
> antenna to an hd radio, forget it.
> Trippy, ac8s
> ----- Original Message -----=20
> From: Anthony Vece=20
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2012 4:28 PM
> Subject: Re: Quick Review of Insignia Hd Radio, Not Very Good
>
>
> Wow!
>
> Steve, I didn't know you were so positive.
>
>
> 73 De Anthony W2AJV
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators =
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Steve
> Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2012 10:35 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Quick Review of Insignia Hd Radio, Not Very Good
>
> For all the hoopla, and touting about its accessibility, I
> guess I was
> expecting more than a piece of below-average junk. Here are my
> quick
> findings:
>
> 1. As with most Am sections, the radio is completely deaf
> without
> connecting its loop antenna. I've only had the radio for a
> couple =
> hours,
> and haven't figured out a way to attach the loop to the radio.
> It has
> enough wire that it could be placed on a wall.
>
> 2. Similarly the Fm dipole is a must. Interestingly, instead
> of the =
> F
> connectors that most tuners use these days, this has a cable
> type =
> screw-on
> connector. Sensitivity is good, selectivity and immunity to
> overload =
> on
> mine is only fair.
>
> 3. Menu Accessibility: It doesn't say this in the main radio
> manual =
> so
> unless you look at the Quick-Start Guide for the Blind, you
> won't know =
> that
> the Menu Mode is disabled when you are in accessibility mode.
> You =
> enable
> accessibility mode by pressing the power button, the lefthand
> button =
> on the
> top with the Select Button which is the lower-left button on
> the front =
> of
> the radio.
>
> It appears that in this mode, you can set the time by holding
> the =
> display
> button in for two seconds. You can also set the alarm time for
> Alarm =
> 1 and
> Alarm 2. You can press either alarm to be informed that it is
> on or =
> off.=20
> What sighties can do is determine whether the alarm wakes you
> with =
> radio or
> a tone, this doesn't seem to work in accessibility mode.
> Sighted =
> people can
> also access the menu and make all sorts of other adjustments
> such as =
> 12 or
> 24-hour time, tuning modes like U.S. or International Am/Fm
> band =
> limits and
> channel spacing,Lcd color and brightness, etc. These are only
> =
> available in
> the menu when the accessibility mode is turned off.
>
> There is an option in the menu under the regular non-accessible
> mode =
> to see
> what the hardware/software version of this radio is. However,
> there =
> isn't a
> Usb or some other port to update the software, so even if a new
> =
> version came
> out, I don't know if there is a way to update it. The manual
> doesn't =
> state
> that this is possible.
>
> Also, there is no way to control the radio's verbosity. The
> buttons
> typically give you way too much feedback. For example, if you
> press =
> the
> volume up button, it says something like Volume Up. That type
> of =
> feedback
> is nice when you are familiarizing yourself with the radio, but
> I =
> think
> after a day or so it would be too verbose. It would be nice to
> be =
> able to
> set it to advanced mode, where it wouldn't continue to be so
> verbose.
>
> Sound quality is better than a $29 off-the-shelf clock radio,
> but that =
> isn't
> saying a whole lot for it. Those of you who have had the Sony
> Dream
> Machine, this doesn't compare to it as far as sound quality. I
> think =
> the
> manual is written incorrectly. It claims it has 4 two-inch
> speakers, =
> but
> without ripping off the front grill or voiding my right to
> return the =
> radio,
> it looks more like it has two four-inch speakers.
>
> I am not sure if I will keep this radio or not. Since I don't
> need a =
> clock
> radio with all sorts of other alarm options, it is one of those
> things =
> that
> might be nice, but not sure it is worth the cost. It can
> receive Hd
> stations, but not the radio reading service subcarriers. In =
> accessibility
> mode, you can't bookmark songs, read the Hd display for data,
> or other
> things that I would have thought would have been made available
> if the =
> IAAIS
> was as involved with the design as they were.
>
> Take my advice, I don't use it anyway.
>
> Steve
> Lansing, MI
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