Sony ICF-SW7600GR Radio - comments

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AHoy2

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Looking to get one of the above portables (FM/AM/SW/SSB etc.) for travel and onboard use when away from UK broadcasts. Anyone able to give any user feedback particularly for onboard use.
 
AHoy2 said:
Looking to get one of the above portables (FM/AM/SW/SSB etc.) for travel and onboard use when away from UK broadcasts. Anyone able to give any user feedback particularly for onboard use.
Click to expand...

I had one of these mini multiband Sonys that looked about the same but might not have been this current model. Reception was very poor on all bands, and it would not stay tuned - frequencies seemed to drift. Ended up using a much cheaper radio and eventually threw away the Sony that had been gathering dust.
 
I've used the SW7600GR on my boat for almost ten years and I'm quite pleased with it. I don't listen to SW so very much, but it seems to get good ratings amongst the enthusiasts:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1534?page=1

One point for use onboard: The socket for an external antenna is only suitable for an "active" type, so should not be connected to an isolated backstay. This is contrary to the predecessor of this radio (which I also used for some time).
 
AHoy2 said:
Looking to get one of the above portables (FM/AM/SW/SSB etc.) for travel and onboard use when away from UK broadcasts. Anyone able to give any user feedback particularly for onboard use.
Click to expand...

The 7600 range was always a good radio and reception can be improved by using a long wire outside. Very good for receiving weather fax and even Navtex if it goes to 516KCs Its larger brother does. It might be thirsty on batteries but can probably be run from a power supply . I have the larger version which I always run from an adaptor but is great for Ham data transmissions plus Navtex RTTY and Fax.

Her is one report.

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1534
 
Sony SW

They were always the radio of choice for Merchant Navy guys, I had a series of Sony radios over the years and they were really good. However if it's to listen to news from the Uk forget it as far as the BBC world service goes. A large area of the globe isn't broadcast to now, for instance in the meddy you rely on the African and Mid east frequencies. Long gone are the days of the Merchant Navy program and 24/7 coverage worldwide. My Sony gathers dust most of the time and gets dragged out in desperation to get the cricket scores or football news when all else has failed. In Turkey the best frequency seems to be the West African one which has loads of local news but is pretty poor on world news.
I would think in a few years bbc radio on SW will be gone for good. Save your money and think of another way to get your news etc, failing that do as we do and switch off the world all together, no news, no papers, just family emails occasionaly when we can find an internet cafe!!:)
 
Thanks for the feedback, particularly the boating related comments.

I have decided to go ahead and buy one while they are still available. I admit to having a preference for Sony kit based on previous experience of the performance and durability of their products. An example is a car/portable multi-band Sony 7F-74DL I bought back in 1970 which is still going strong (unfortunately not portable enough for travel or appropriate for boat use).

Seems like an active aerial and some playing with weather fax and (possibly) Navtex will be on the follow-up list.

re. "516KCs" - I started off with kilobicycles before being converted to hurts.
Spec says it only goes down to 530 but will investigate.

Was very tempted by the Eton though.
 
Just back from US on a working trip and brought back a SW7600GR radio to play around with Navtex. Yand hangs on me and SeaTTY seems to be producing a lot of garbage.

I think I need beginner's advice: will the radio pick up Navtex signals without a decent ariel. Do I need to wait around until signals are sent out on 490Khz, or should I be getting something consantly?

Any advice welcome.

Philip
 
If you don't need weatherfax and SSB then consider one of the new DSP based SW radios. I bought one as an ebay import and the performance is astonishing.

The one I got was the Tecsun PL390 - plenty of reviews online. There are cheaper and more expensive variants of the same thing available.
 
Got it going. I had been receiving distant transmissions. When I read a bit more, I waited for Malin Head and picked up inshore forecast and then portpatrick (which I can see) came in loud and clear with weather station reports. Bit surprised that you don't seem to get a full report at each transmission.

Reminds me of the noise (and speed) of acoustic couplers from the 70's.

Philip
 
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