UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - A relatively cheap portable SW receiver with SSB/CW and analogue tuning?

Radio Wrangler · 17th Apr 2018, 10:55 am

Mission very difficult, possibly impossible.

There were portable radios made with shortwave bands, but their target market was for travellers listening to World Service/VOA/Deutsche Welle etc. They fall at the 'decent filters' hurdle and either have inadequate frequency stability or digital tuning.

Looking for a set for amateur radio opens the door to a lot of radios, but few are genuinely portable. FRG7 and FRG7700 have been mentioned but they are tabletop jobs with carrying handles.

The nearest recent thing would by the Lowe HF125 and it's later version. They have digital tuning, but it's done well, you won't find it a limitation, but the price will be hard to find one at.

Older and rarer is the Barlow Wadley XCR 30 A true shortwave portable, analogue tuning reasonable selectivity and stability. Essentially it's a close brother to the FRG7 and the RACAL RA17.

I don't think you'll tick all those boxes at once unless you are very lucky.

David

17th Apr 2018, 10:55 am	#7
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,899	Re: A relatively cheap portable SW receiver with SSB/CW and analogue tuning? Mission very difficult, possibly impossible. There were portable radios made with shortwave bands, but their target market was for travellers listening to World Service/VOA/Deutsche Welle etc. They fall at the 'decent filters' hurdle and either have inadequate frequency stability or digital tuning. Looking for a set for amateur radio opens the door to a lot of radios, but few are genuinely portable. FRG7 and FRG7700 have been mentioned but they are tabletop jobs with carrying handles. The nearest recent thing would by the Lowe HF125 and it's later version. They have digital tuning, but it's done well, you won't find it a limitation, but the price will be hard to find one at. Older and rarer is the Barlow Wadley XCR 30 A true shortwave portable, analogue tuning reasonable selectivity and stability. Essentially it's a close brother to the FRG7 and the RACAL RA17. I don't think you'll tick all those boxes at once unless you are very lucky. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done