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Pfraser · 5th Jan 2022, 5:15 pm

Out in the countryside this morning, I tuned my Sony ICF-SW11 to 648kHz. An identifiable but not really listenable signal on the ferrite rod aerial, but...extending the telescopic aerial brought solid reception and the tuning indicator steadily lit!

I find this quite impressive. It's a 'secret' feature of this Sony model, in that the user manual makes no reference to boosting MW reception in this way. There's just the standard advice to rotate the receiver for best reception. I discovered it by accident.

I heard Caroline at 10:50 UTC. Panjab Radio on 558kHz were also quite strong; slightly weaker than Caroline. They emit 2.5kW from Crystal Palace.

Reception was boosted with the telescopic aerial vertical. There was still some benefit from orienting the ferrite rod aerial.

Two (at least) of the Russian Vega Selena models offered this feature: the B210 and B212.

I wonder how many other sets have it? Furthermore, could some sort of external coupling arrangement work on receivers without this feature? A wire croc-clipped to the telescopic aerial, then wound round the set several times, perhaps.

5th Jan 2022, 5:15 pm	#142
Pfraser Pentode Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Devon, UK. Posts: 152	Re: Radio Caroline Power Increase Out in the countryside this morning, I tuned my Sony ICF-SW11 to 648kHz. An identifiable but not really listenable signal on the ferrite rod aerial, but...extending the telescopic aerial brought solid reception and the tuning indicator steadily lit! I find this quite impressive. It's a 'secret' feature of this Sony model, in that the user manual makes no reference to boosting MW reception in this way. There's just the standard advice to rotate the receiver for best reception. I discovered it by accident. I heard Caroline at 10:50 UTC. Panjab Radio on 558kHz were also quite strong; slightly weaker than Caroline. They emit 2.5kW from Crystal Palace. Reception was boosted with the telescopic aerial vertical. There was still some benefit from orienting the ferrite rod aerial. Two (at least) of the Russian Vega Selena models offered this feature: the B210 and B212. I wonder how many other sets have it? Furthermore, could some sort of external coupling arrangement work on receivers without this feature? A wire croc-clipped to the telescopic aerial, then wound round the set several times, perhaps.