The ICOM "IC-R8600" SDR Communications Receiver.
We find it to be Icom's best receiver EVER made "wide band" or not.
(yes even when compared to the IC-R9500 that we have also tested) (N9EWO Photo)

Contributing Editor : "Passport To World Band Radio” 2000 to 2009

Welcome to "Dave's Radio Receiver Page". Here is my little spot on this earth to pass along my experiences and or comments about "Radio Receivers", as well as other gizmos that I use in my radio monitoring / recording ventures. My main focus is in the "Shortwave" part of the radio spectrum. A few other radio related items have been thrown in too , including amateur radio equipment reviews and views that may not be directly related.

I have been playing around with radio receivers for over 40 years now, and in this time span my fingers have run across many models, some really good and some really bad. Most comments you read here have been pulled from my own head, but from others as well (as noted). All observations from me are being made with the 2 ear / 2 eye method, so no fancy test equipment here. These of course are my views and your findings may well be different.

Any set being listed on these pages does not mean that I own it or plan on owning.

I'm sorry if any part of this site seems to have a "Soap Box" slant to it , but I tell it like it is with my "hard - hitting" unbiased hands on reports.

"Thank You" for stopping by and enjoy your visit to this web page.....Dave N9EWO

© 1998 ~ 2023 N9EWO, all rights reserved.
Information on this web site may be duplicated for NON-commercial uses ONLY if "Dave's Radio Receiver Page" is properly credited and linked as the source. Photo's / other files contained on this web site and used elsewhere (without prior authorization) is prohibited.

All information contained on this web site is subject to change without notice.


The ICOM IC-7300 HF Transceiver with true "direct sampling" SDR technology.
Excellent performance / spectrum scope.  MW / HF / SWL broadcast listening  audio
 while very good / clean, lacks any Bass responce. See our full report here. (N9EWO Photo)
25th anniversary : "Dave's Radio Receiver Page"

In late 1998 we started this web page (first Internet Archive here from Jan 1999) to provide important unbiased information in regards to the ever growing issues with the AOR AR7030 receiver. First major flaw was with the two Bourns mechanical "volume and < >" encoders and AOR UK saying there were not many failures at all. Of course that was NOT the truth, most (if not all) early samples feature encoders failed in only months of use (turned out they received a bad lot of these). In time they did FINALLY did switch to better quality alps encoders after the ever growing list of unhappy customers as posted around the internet and of course as covered here.

We continued to add views and comments with other "ShortWave" receivers (portables and tabletop) from my own experiences and also just general receiver / radio news. In the summer of 1999 we became part of the "Passport To World Band Radio's" testing team until it's demise in 2009. Independently we continued on with this web page (as well after PWBR's passing).

Of course over the years the number of Short Wave broadcast have greatly decreased and so have new SW receivers in the marketplace. However information with classic sets has now become more important than ever.

Please see the donations page for the fantastic readers who have made it possible.       

Hope over the last "25 Years" we have been and still are a valuable reference for truthful "short wave" receiver / HF transceiver information and NOT being biased or restricted by manufactures. "Thank You" for visiting this web page over the years.

Dave N9EWO


***** To send an email, you must "manually" type it out. ****

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  *  Send whatever amount you wish direct in US Dollars (US postal money order, personal checks via a US bank, cash in US Dollars) to my current "Amateur Radio" mailing address (QRZ data is valid) (Amateur Radio Call : N9EWO) or please contact me at the above email contact for my US mailing address. Even just a $ 1. or $ 2. US Dollar CASH donation sent via postal mail directly to me is very much appreciated.

IMPORTANT : PAYPAL and "Bank to Bank" transfers are NOT available (DO NOT SEND ANY DONATIONS via PAY PAL).

 *  Send a donation using "Zelle".  (Note :Zelle is ONLY available for folks in the USA - USA based banks / credit unions.). Please use the email address as listed above.

  *  Donations of old working "solid state" radio receivers or amateur transceivers of some worth. NO basket cases / floor sweepings / "crusty" dirty  disasters or general junk please. A huge plus if it's a SW / HF-receiver / transceiver that I can possibility review here, but this is not a requirement. Contact me in advance before you ship anything to me (a few pictures would be great). Any donated radio would have to be sent postpaid to me (I'm located in the Midwest USA).. No tube / valve type equipment please. New receiver test sample donations are also very much welcomed.

If you wish to remain anonymous, please be sure to let me know. "THANK YOU" to all who have helped to keep this web page here and updated. A special thanks to those who have donated test samples. Sorry, I no longer write reviews with test samples on a "loaner" basis. I now require compensation for my time / hard work doing reviews with radios I "normally" care not to actually own / purchase. Dave N9EWO
IMPORTANT NOTICE : IF we totally disappear here for whatever reason, please see the "Internet Archives" (CLICK HERE) for previous information (SAVE NOW FOR FUTURE USE !).
These great readers have helped greatly to keep "Dave's Radio Receiver Page" up and running on the internet. Without these important donations this web page would not be here ! Reader Donation List (click here)

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" Radio Receiver - Views / Reviews and Comments " - Tabletop

AOR AR7030 HF Receiver

AOR AR-DV1 SDR "Digital Voice Receiver"

Burkhard - Reuter RDR55E SDR HF Receiver

ICOM IC-R70 HF Receiver

ICOM IC-R75 / IC-R71 HF Receivers

ICOM IC-R8600 Wide-Band SDR / DSP Receiver

ICOM IC-R9500 Wide-Band DSP Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-93 HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-301A HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-345 HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-505 HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-515 HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-525 HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-535 HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-545 DSP HF Receiver

(JRC) Japan Radio Co. NRD-630 DSP HF Receiver

Kenwood (Trio) R-1000 HF Receiver

Kenwood R-5000 HF Receiver

LOWE HF-250 HF Receiver

Palstar R30 HF Receiver

SDRplay RSP-1 / RSP-1A / AFEDRI "SDR NET" SDR Receivers

Ten-Tec RX-320 / RX-321 DSP HF Receivers

Ten-Tec RX-340 DSP HF Receiver

Ten-Tec RX-350 DSP HF Receiver

UNIDEN Bearcat BC898T Scanner Receiver

WJ-8711 (A) and WJ HF1000 (A) DSP HF Receiver
(Finmeccanica - DRS Technologies - Signia IDT - BAE Systems - Watkins Johnson)

YAESU - FRG-100 HF Receiver

YAESU - FRG-7000 HF Receiver

YAESU - STANDARD VR- 5000 Wide-Band Receiver

" Radio Receiver - Views / Reviews and Comments "- Portables

AOR "AR-mini" and ICOM IC-RX7 Pocket Wide-Band Receivers

ATS-25 / ATS25 LW / MW / SW / FM DSP Receiver (with firmware upgrades)

Belka - DX Direct Conversion DSP Micro HF Receiver

Degen DE1101 / Kaito KA1101 MW / SW / FM Receiver

eton "e1" LW / MW / SW / FM / XM Receiver

eton E5 LW / MW / SW / FM  PLL Receiver

GRECOM PSR-800 "EZ Scan" Digital Scanning Handheld Receiver / Uniden BCD396XT

Grundig - Eton "Satellit 750" / Tecsun "S-2000" / Eton "Elite 750" LW / MW / SW / FM / Aircraft Receiver

Grundig / eton G6 - Degen DE1109 LW - MW - SW - FM - Aircraft Receiver

Grundig "Satellit 800" / Tecsun "HAM-2000" LW / MW / SW / FM / Aircraft Receiver

Grundig S350 / Tecsun BCL-2000 MW / SW / FM Receiver

Malachite - Malahit DSP1 and DSP2 Original Russian Standalone DSP - SDR's

Sangean ATS-909X LW / MW / FM / SW Receiver

Sangean ATS-909X2 LW / MW / FM / SW / AIR Receiver

SONY SW RECEIVERS : ICF-SW7600GR , ICF-2010 (ICF-2001D), CRF-1, ICF-6500W

SONY SW RECEIVER : The original ICF-2001

Tecsun PL-330 / DigiTech AR1780 / DESHIBO RD1780 / CCrane Skywave FM Stereo / LW / MW / SW DSP Receivers

Tecsun PL-360 / Tecsun PL-380 / Tecsun PL-365 / CountyComm GP-5 SSB FM Stereo / LW / MW / SW DSP Receivers

Tecsun PL-880 / Tecsun PL-660 / Tecsun PL-680 FM Stereo / LW / MW / SW Receivers

" Radio Receiver - Views / Reviews and Comments "- Portables with Built In Recording

DEGEN DE1121 (KAITO KA1121) LW / MW / SW / FM Receiver - MP3 Player / Recorder

DEGEN DE1126 - DE1127 - DE1123 (KAITO KA1123) - DEGEN DE1125 - Pocket MW / SW / FM DSP Receivers - MP3 Player - WAV Recorder

Grundig - eton "G2 Reporter" DEGEN DE1128 / DE1128H MW / SW / FM Receiver - MP3 / WAV Recorder-Player

ICOM IC-R30 - IC-R20 Wide-Band Handheld Receivers

TIVDIO V-115 (Retekess V115 / VRrobot WC-710S / AudioMax SRW-710S / HanRongDa K-603 / Kaito KA110) MW / SW / FM Receiver - MP3 Player / Recorder

" Radio Transceiver - Views / Reviews and Comments " ( * -  Tested for "Short Wave Listener" use)

* FLEX-6400M Tabletop SDR HF / 50 MHz Transceiver

* ICOM IC-7300 Tabletop SDR HF / 50 MHz Transceiver

* ICOM IC-7600 Tabletop DSP HF / 50 MHz Transceiver

ICOM IC-T90A and Kenwood TH-F6A Triple Band Amateur Handheld Transceivers

* YAESU FT-450D Tabletop DSP HF / 50 Mhz HF Transceiver

* YAESU FT-991A Tabletop DSP HF / UHF / UHF All Mode Transceiver

YAESU VX-2R , ICOM IC-P7A and ICOM IC-Q7A Dual Band "Micro" Amateur Handheld Transceivers

YAESU VX-3R Dual Band "Micro" Amateur Handheld Transceiver

YAESU FT1D / FT1XD / FTM-100D "System Fusion" Amateur Analog-Digital Transceivers

" Antenna's and Antenna Accessories "

Ameco TPA / MFJ-1020B Tunable Preamp - Active Antennas

MFJ-1026 (MFJ-1025) "Deluxe Noise Canceling Signal Enhancer" ("Monitoring Times" April 2007 - PDF Document)

PALSTAR LA30 Ferrite Loopstick Antenna (prototype)

"RF  SYSTEMS" GMDSS LW / MW / SW  Vertical Antenna vs. MLB-MK2 Long Wire Antenna

" Other and Miscellaneous... "

JVC R-S77 Synthesizer Stereo Receiver (60 WPC - Super A)

MW122A Regulated Power Supply / + Modifications (for use with Sat 800, Tecsun HAM2000 , E1 , SW-8) / LLA2000R Regulated Power Supply)

Sangean DAR-101 Digital MP3 "Stand Alone" Audio Recorder

Task Chair Reviews (Mid Back) :"BodyBilt" J752 ESD / Global #T9F695506 / Eurotech 4x4LE-LM59802A / Lemberi-Bossin AB-EOC01

Miscellaneous Receiver Reviews
- Sangean ATS-818 / Radio Shack DX390
- Coby CX-CB91 
- Sangean HDR-16 AM/FM HD
- C.Crane "Skywave"
- Retekess TR604
- Yaesu FT-70D Notes
- C.Crane "FM REFLECT" FM Antenna
- Grundig / Eton "Field" BT
- CommRadio  CR-1A
- Tecsun PL-600

Miscellaneous "Radio" Tips / History and Service Notes
- Tecsun PL-600 Audio Distortion Modification
- Sangean ATS-803 / ATS-803A - Realistic DX-440 "Anti-Chuff" Modification.
- Sangean ATS-808 / Realistic DX-380 / Siemens RK661 "Anti-Chuff" Modification.
- GRE "General Research of Electronics Inc." Shortwave "HF" Receiver List.
- JRC NRD-525 Important Serial Number Information.
- HF RFI Generator - "Electronic Defrost Timer"
- "Caveat Emptor" - JRC Display Failures
- AOR AR7030 Power Supply Repair Notes
- Tecsun PL-380 Undocumented Function /  Hiss Issues Apparently Cleared Up.
- Increased “Off” Battery Life with Grundig G2 Reporter / Degen DE1126 - DE1127 - DE1128 - DE1128H
- Kenwood R-1000 “39.545 Mhz” Display Repair
- ICOM SM-6 Desk Microphone Internal High Res Photo

"Sherwood Engineering" Lab Numbers and Reports

N9EWO's HF Receiver's Previously Owned

N9EWO List : "Radio's That Never Were"

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