[BC] In The Sticks with the Receptor Radio

[Mike Erickson]

Forgot about WNYC, didn't even try, but they are the weakest of 3 out on LI
where I am, so I am not expecting something different.

I really don't have a problem with FM from NYC in stereo, there is some
noise, but usually that is limited to portables.

I will see when I spend some time this weekend.  I don't know how old the
radio is, these came in as demos and could have been on the shelf X months.

=Mike=


On 2/22/06, Robert Meuser <Robertm at broadcast.net> wrote:
>
> Mike:
>
> Sounds like you did not get the original run. I just tuned (in analog) WLW
> (700)
> and WGN (720) with local WOR (710) running full smoke. Reception was quite
> listenable although not perfect. You also failed to mention WNYC which is
> easily
> receivable in digital.
>
> My receptor is a very good AM analog tuner, excluding overload with the
> loop.
> It also blows away the Bose wave radio on FM. This would be a fair
> comparison if
> you take features and price point into account.  There are no other home
> tuners
> at this point. That makes the question does digital work indoors (no one
> tested
> it this way) below city grade contours?  Only time will tell when other
> radios
> hit the market. I remember having problems receiving stereo from NYC on LI
> with
> an outdoor antenna and a good tuner.
>
> Remember, FM has a quieting threshold and masks defects above that
> threshold.
> Digital is essentially AM transmission and maybe it just fails where FM
> does
> not, especially with the large power disadvantage.
>
> R
>
> Digital is a separate question.  There are no
>
> Mike Erickson wrote:
> > Actually got a demo at work and have it home.
> >
> > Tried it a bit at work, in an office, WOR and WADO were fairly clean
> (very
> > listenable) but no HD (even though the flashing HD symbol was there.. it
> did
> > recover call letters, no digital audio).  This was around 3pm.  Hooked
> it up
> > to the outdoor antenna for FM and all locals recovered digital (I would
> hope
> > so, this was less than 4 miles from Empire).
> >
> > Took it to the boondocks.  Have played with it awhile but not yet had a
> > chance to see it at *home* during the day to evaluate the AM HD.  That
> will
> > come Saturday when I can sit down with it.
> >
> > First of all, my Grundig Majestic 1963 console, GE SuperRadio, Phillips
> Boom
> > Box (even an Optimus portable) all put it to shame when you use the
> supplied
> > FM "antenna".
> >
> > My Grundig has a pseudo "T" strapped to the back of the console which
> has
> > two barrier screws.  Disconnecting the Grundig leads and using this with
> a
> > 300-75 ohm converter yielded better results, but the Grundig still
> performed
> > much better on its own antenna than the Acoustics.  It was slightly
> better
> > than the GE, noticeably better than the Optimus, but, believe it or not,
> the
> > Philips Boom Box was still slightly better at sensitivity.
> >
> > Selectivity on FM was hands down the best, with the Grundig a second.
> > However, the noise floor on the Acoustics is troublesome.  In blended
> mono,
> > it was about as noisy as my Philips boom box in stereo on weak stations.
> > The noise on the Acoustics seems to sound like a processor in the unit
> > making chatter.  I guess it likes to make music of its own.
> >
> > As for the HD, from Holbrook LI, using the Grundig "T", only WEZN
> triggered
> > HD with alot of fiddling and even that would blend back to analog on
> > occasion (1-2 bars / 25 miles away / 50kw, but mostly one
> bar/analog).  None
> > of the city stations triggered the HD at all (or the RDS).  Only local
> WALK,
> > WBLI (both 50kw 2 miles away) and WSHR (6kw 1.5 miles away) triggered 3
> > bars.  WBZO (9 miles away as the crow flies / 3kw) only triggered 2
> bars.
> > Same for WBAB (10 miles away / 6kw) and WMJC (approx 8 miles away / 3
> kw).
> > None of these stations are HD.
> >
> > I want to get this on an outside antenna, and will over the weekend, but
> > have a few comments about indoor use.
> > 1) The supplied antenna hardware is garbage
> > 2) When hooked up to a semi-decent antenna, it performs well for an
> ANALOG
> > tuner
> > 3) It has a hard time recovering HD.  You basically have to swamp the
> front
> > end to get it to go to digital and STAY digital.
> > 4) This really needs a good outdoor antenna for any realistic and
> reliable
> > HD coverage.  How many people (average people, not us) are going to do
> that
> > anymore?  Most will want performance out of the supplied hardware.  The
> > Sangean table radio and Tivoli radio perform OK with the supplied
> hardware,
> > this does not.  It is quite deaf.
> >
> > Also, the AM was in totally muted at night and only open on strong
> > stations.  A little better with the loop, this will also get an outdoor
> loop
> > this weekend.
> >
> > =Mike Erickson=
> > W1WHN
> >
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--
=Mike Erickson=
W1WHN