Still thinking about one of these receivers.  Anyone know if Kenwood 
makes anything similar?
73
Butch Bussen
wa0vjr
open Node 3148
Las Vegas


On Tue, 28 Apr 2009, Colin McDonald wrote:

> hmmm...good question.
> allot of the newer receivers can be set on any of their modes, FM, WFM or AM
> and possibly SSB, on any frequency...perhaps not ssb above 148MHZ
> though...but the vr500 should allow you to put it on WFM above 900.
> The price for the yaesu VR500 is $219 from universal radio.
> The icomm R5 sport is $169 but doesn't have SSB capability.
> 73
> Colin, V A6BKX
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Butch Bussen" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 12:03 PM
> Subject: Re: vr500
>
>
>>
>> Do any of these receivers receive wide band fm above 900?  I have a
>> couple wireless speaker transmitters I use but the last I looked, I
>> couldn't find a receiver that received wide band fm above 900.  I use
>> the f6 which works except it isn't sensative at all.  I'd like to hve
>> something that if I wanted I could use for this as well as listening to
>> other stuff.  Also, curious, ball park, how expensive are these?
>> 73
>> Butch Bussen
>> wa0vjr
>> open Node 3148
>> Las Vegas
>>
>>
>> On Sat,
>> 25 Apr 2009, Danny Dyer wrote:
>>
>>> The full text of my VX0-8r message failed to make it for some reason, so
>>> =
>>> I'll try to do this again.
>>> In terms of wideband handheld all band all mode strictly receivers, Ive =
>>> had and used,
>>> 3Icom R10s, 3or4Yaesu VR500s, and an aor1000.
>>> All work on all bands, but there's a good bit of difference between =
>>> them, and each individual vr500, and each r10, acted very similarly, =
>>> although I didn't have all of them at the same time, but did use them =
>>> under similar circumstances in much the same area /same house, with much
>>> =
>>> the same antennae.
>>>
>>> All three have full keyboards,  They're configured differently, but all =
>>> can be programmed for speciffic freqs, modes, mems, etc.
>>>
>>> Not sure if the aor1000 can be programmed via computer, but The Icom and
>>> =
>>> The Yaesu have software and cables, and I've used the Yaesu, which =
>>> worked but was not very screne reader friendly.
>>> .
>>> My favorite of the batch is the vr500.
>>> It runs on only 2 A Acells, or 5-14VDC, and has _Much better battery =
>>> life than the Icom, and somewhat better battery life than the AOR, both =
>>> of which use 4 A As, or 5-14VDC.
>>> The r10's a __________Battery ____________Hog!
>>> Icom has best/fullest sound, the radio and speaker are a _good bit =
>>> bigger,  and the aor1000's size and sound characteristics are similar.
>>> but the yaesu's, sound though a little tinnier is certainly adequate, =
>>> and because the radio is so much smaller, it's much more portable and =
>>> less visible than the other two, which are somewhat like the "brick type
>>> =
>>> HTS.
>>>
>>> I've never used the Icom R5, which  was compared very favorably to the =
>>> VR500 in a recent Eham Review, but in my oppinion, of the widebanders =
>>> I've used, the vr500 has a good attenuater and a very good narrow =
>>> keyboard setting which really helps with AM, SSB, and CW, adjacent =
>>> station interference.
>>> Overloading can certanly be a problem with any of them in a strong =
>>> signal situation, but I think the reviewer may have had an oversensitive
>>> =
>>> radio, or one with another problem of some kind.
>>> All Of the receivers need a different ant for US WX broadcasts,
>>> An Icom Stubby Marine Band Duc  10-15$s Seemed Best.
>>> a 20-50 inch telescopic antenna works well for AM/SW broadcasts,
>>> and a 23foot or so piece of wire soldered to the center pin of a bnc =
>>> connecter connected to the radio will do nicely.
>>> Any of these radios need a softcase,
>>> OEM, or something else/camera/cellphone/something, to protect them from =
>>> hard floor hits.  The Yaesu's case is the most robust, the AOR, the =
>>> least.
>>> Finally, None Of These Radios Will Do as well over a particular portion =
>>> of the broadcast spectram, as will as a radio or scanner particularly =
>>> designed for that portion of the spectram.
>>> A portable fm-mw-lw-sw receiver will do much better for those particular
>>> =
>>> freqs than will any of these,
>>> and a basic scanner will do better on particular public service bands.
>>> But these little guys give a portable all band, all mode, and pretty =
>>> simple way to check up on activity over the "DCToDark radio spectram, =
>>> and if that's what you want, and your expectations are keyed to their =
>>> reality/so you're not expecting a Sony 2010 performance on SW,  you may =
>>> find them to fill a useful nitch for you.
>>> I don't have any for sale or swap, and I'm not connected with any =
>>> manufacturer or seller, just trying to be of help.  Sincere thanks for =
>>> both the list, and the bandwidth.
>>> Danny Dyer, Wb4idu.
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>