MVT-7100 vs ATS-505 vs DX-394

[andy29]

Well, it came through on Tuesday. Great little thing - it's definitely at least as good as the scanner and the quirky controls aren't a problem at all. Being able to spin a tuning knob is nice, as well as having all of the keys backlit and not having to take the batteries out to charge them. It's little things like that which swayed me away from the Sony and it's built a hell of a lot better than I was expecting. The only thing I miss from the Sony is the plastic case for the long wire aerial

Interesting how the signals you get change so much through the day. I tend to tune to Shannon volmet on 5505 to see what conditions are like. In the daytime it comes in loud and clear on the telescopic antenna without even having it extended, until about 4pm when it drops off a lot, and a little later when I can often not even hear it on my long wire outside. Does this sound normal to you with this radio and slightly-rubbish-but-okay long wire across the garden?

 

[Nightshade]

Well, it came through on Tuesday. Great little thing - it's definitely at least as good as the scanner and the quirky controls aren't a problem at all. Being able to spin a tuning knob is nice, as well as having all of the keys backlit and not having to take the batteries out to charge them. It's little things like that which swayed me away from the Sony and it's built a hell of a lot better than I was expecting. The only thing I miss from the Sony is the plastic case for the long wire aerial

Interesting how the signals you get change so much through the day. I tend to tune to Shannon volmet on 5505 to see what conditions are like. In the daytime it comes in loud and clear on the telescopic antenna without even having it extended, until about 4pm when it drops off a lot, and a little later when I can often not even hear it on my long wire outside. Does this sound normal to you with this radio and slightly-rubbish-but-okay long wire across the garden?

Try to keep your long wire for any portable radio no longer than 20 ft (6.096 meters) or less to keep from overloading the radios front end. Just clip the wire to the UNEXTENDED radio antenna and you'll do ok.

Best of luck & enjoy!

 

[Highlander_821]

Prime Time Shortwave - Your guide for English shortwave broadcasts

 

[IMD262]

Another good guide for SW broadcasters:

http://www.naswa.net/

 

[andy29]

Thanks for the links guys. Is the Overcomer Ministry still everywhere you look?

My wire is a bit over 20ft. Eek! Here in the middle of the night, to my untrained ear, it doesn't sound overloaded, just completely dead other than some AM stations. Same with the telescopic and the scanner. Is it normal?

 

[Highlander_821]

What frequencies are you trying? At night, the 49 meter band is usually chock full of big signals.

 

[andy29]

I usually see what the conditions are like with VOLMET on 5505, 5450, DWD on 10100.8, NAT-A on 5598, the buzzer on 4625. All generally strong in the day, dead at night. Just to save confusion, I am in the UK, so these are quite close to where I am.

 

[IMD262]

At night signals will travel farther than during the day.What you hear during the day is probably still there but skiping over your location.As Highlander said try looking for stations on the 49 meter band as wellas 41 and 31 meters.Also check for sugnals in the 160, 80/75 and 40 meter amateur bands.You should find signals there any night.


Shortwave Band Characteristics - Listening Times, Frequencies and Shortwave Bands Explained!


You can also check other HF Aero frequencies, as a general rule the freqs below 10 MHz will be used nights all USB:

(NAT - A) North Atlantic Family A: 3016.0 5598.0 8906.0 13306.0 17946.0Canarias, Gander, New York, Paramaribo, Piarco, Santa Maria, Shanwick
(NAT - B) North Atlantic Family B: 2899.0 5616.0 8864.0 13291.0 17946.0Gander, Iceland, New York, Santa Maria, Shanwick
(NAT - C) North Atlantic Family C: 2872.0 5649.0 8879.0 11336.0 13306.017946.0Gander, Iceland, Shanwick
(NAT - D) North Atlantic Family D: 2971.0 4675.0 8891.0 11279.0 13291.017946.0Arctic Radio (Baffin), Bodo, Churchill (Emerg's Only), Gander, Iceland,Shanwick
(NAT - E) North Atlantic Family E: 2962.0 6628.0 8825.0 11309.0 13354.017946.0New York, Santa Maria
(NAT - F) North Atlantic Family F: 3476.0 6622.0 8831.0 13291.0 17946.0Gander, Shanwick

 

[andy29]

Ah right. I didn't realise it was possible for it to skip straight over like that. So presumably at night I should be able to go 40m and below and hear stations which are further away, but the closer strong ones such as 5505 etc. will start to disappear?

I think I'm gradually learning, thanks for the aero frequencies

 

[IMD262]

Here is a good article about HF propagation:


http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/8312011.pdf

 

[andy29]

I never said thank you did I? Thank you for that, it was interesting and I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Just wondering now, on a completely different note... are there any good frequencies to listen to for ships? I mean for aircraft you probably start off on the NAT air routes, for US military you go to HF-GCS. I've had a look but there doesn't seem to be such a clear idea for maritime unless I've missed something. Is it better just to pick a band and tune through it?

Also - I love the 1103. I almost want to buy another one for when this one gives up and you can't get hold of them any more. I've never had so many things covered with Chinese writing before either!