Marine SSB Receiver ?

[denverd0n]

Wondering if anyone has used a Grundig G5 as available from Radio Shack for a relatively cheap way to listen in on any of the marine/ham SSB nets.

Thanks!

[RickD]

I have seen it in operation, it's "ok". I don't like portables very much because most of them don't have an external antenna connection.

The built in whip antenna and/or ferrite loop antennas are usually just "ok" for long range reception.

I have two small rigs like that, one is made by sony and one by grundig. Neither one of them come close to reception that my other shortwave receives have.

Those other receives range from Yaesu vacuum tube sets to Icom and Kenwood radio systems. Those radios all are transceivers as well as general coverage receivers. They have very good "front ends' for RF amplification and reception.

If you're just going to listen in, then cheap is a good way to go - I mean INEXPENSIVE (Grundig radios aren't really cheap, they are well built) - but unless you can get some kind of external antenna on that thing - you're going to mostly hear strong-signal shortwave stations and not a lot else.

My two little radios are both SSB capable, but I have never been able to pick up maritime mobile stations on them -while I CAN on my Icom on the big antennas on the tower.

(Just my take on it all)

[MarkJ]

I bought the Degen DE1103 which is very low cost. BUT it crapped out on me half way over the Pacific when I needed it most!

I borrowed and need to mail back to its wonderful owner a Sony ICF-SW7600GR woth double the price of the Degen but totally worth it!!!!!!!

Electronics Online Ltd Sony ICF-SW7600GR World Radio

Review of the radio-receiver DEGEN DE-1103

I will be buying my own Sony. It really is worth the extra dollars

[richardhula]

Check out this product from NASA (the UK company) Nasa Marine Instruments Limited one of the cheapest on the market. I used one for many years. It comes with some software that allows sound card hook-up to PC to decode Weatherfax & RTTY.

Richard

[Christian Van H]

Hey Richard! I have the same exact unit, but made by Sitex. Wonder if they no longer make it?

[richardhula]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

Hey Richard! I have the same exact unit, but made by Sitex. Wonder if they no longer make it?

Well as you can see NASA still do. Personally I would find the extra bucks & go for an ICOM-M802 transceiver. I've owned one since they came out in 2002. It's so good there is no competition. With this unit you can easily have radio email & weather fax as well as voice comms.

BTW the unit can be toggled between "Marine band only" & "Open HAM" version by doing the following: Turn off radio; whilst holding down the "2", "MODE" & "TX" buttons turn on the radio.

Regards - Richard

[Rastarea]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I bought the Degen DE1103 which is very low cost. BUT it crapped out on me half way over the Pacific when I needed it most!

I borrowed and need to mail back to its wonderful owner a Sony ICF-SW7600GR woth double the price of the Degen but totally worth it!!!!!!!

Electronics Online Ltd Sony ICF-SW7600GR World Radio

Review of the radio-receiver DEGEN DE-1103

I will be buying my own Sony. It really is worth the extra dollars

Mark,

I am looking for weather info while in the Caribbean. Tell me, is this Sony your only SSB radio? No regular wall mounted SSB transceiver? This Sony is so much cheaper, are you using an external antenna?

Thanks for the info.

[s/v 'Faith']

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Wondering if anyone has used a Grundig G5 as available from Radio Shack for a relatively cheap way to listen in on any of the marine/ham SSB nets.

Thanks!

Search is your friend.

Check out this thread;

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f13/ssb-receiver-18165.html

See my answer there.

[Rastarea]

Got that tanks, I will go with the Sony on Amazone.com.

My question is do I need the external wind-up antenna???

[sv_makai]

When we left on our cruise we used only a Yachtboy portable ssb receiver. It worked ok, but there were many times when it impossible to receive any useful weather info in the caribe due to weather impacts and the limited ability of these low cost radios. Even the external antenna didn't help much. We missed many weather reports.

We finally switched to a used Icom M700 I got for 300 USD with a tuner and a 23 foot antenna and was absolutely amazed at the reception improvement not to mention the ability to contact other boats. If we missed the reports due to conditions we could call up one of our cruising friends and get a relay. It saved us several times.

I would recommend a two way radio. Not that I would ever tell someone to break the law but even inexpensive ham hf radio could be a life saver.

We now have the ICOM 802 and it works like a champ as did the M700. I would never use the portables for this important info again. At least I would get a good quality receiver and get a proper antenna, but for a few dollars more or careful hunting a 2 way beats all.

[Vasco]

I have used small Sonys for a very long time. Mostly for weather. Have had the present ICF-SW7600GR for the past few years. Gets weather just fine with just the little pull up antenna. It comes with a small wire antenna but I've never had to use it. The Sony and a pair of ear-buds does the trick.

[barnakiel]

Have the NASA thing here. Broke once but repaired OK now for 7 yrs.

I would like something with auto-recording capacity to watch my radiofaxes in the morning rather than 5 past 4.

There is a that Grundig series named (eton) that looks way cool on paper. Anybody has it? Here: (and tell me your opinions PLS!):

Grundig Radios

Esp the Satelit 750, so pretty. But does it work???

b.

[Not Sure]

Get the SSB Sony receiver for $120, then add an external antenna using LMR-400 cable and a N connector to 1/8" antenna jack adapter. It's all about the low loss cable and antenna, not the receiver per se. As long as you don't need to transmit, why spend $$$thousands$$$$ on something that you can set up just as well for a few hundred dollars. Plus there's no licensing requirements for a receiver, and you can receive satellite weather maps for free just as well as the high dollar units can.

[Tiptoe]

What length of cable would you need to make an extension aerial?

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by Not Sure

Get the SSB Sony receiver for $120, then add an external antenna using LMR-400 cable and a N connector to 1/8" antenna jack adapter. It's all about the low loss cable and antenna, not the receiver per se. As long as you don't need to transmit, why spend $$$thousands$$$$ on something that you can set up just as well for a few hundred dollars. Plus there's no licensing requirements for a receiver, and you can receive satellite weather maps for free just as well as the high dollar units can.

That's just plain wrong. LMR-400 cable is NOT required and not a good idea, either. Nor is the N-connector & adapter.

For receiving, just use a convenient length of any kind of insulated wire. The common THHN size AWG 14 -- found in Home Depot -- is just fine. So is speaker wire or hookup wire or just about anything else.

How long? The longer the better, usually, but it's not critical.

And, you don't need to shell out several hundred dollars. The Tecsun radios from China, available on eBay and elsewhere for $60-80, have gotten very good reviews from knowledgeable hams.

Bill
WA6CCA