Suggestions for Roberts Multi-band World Radio replacement?

[Talulah]

I threw out the old Roberts digital World band radio a while back. Does anyone have a recommendation for the replacement?

 

[Refueler]

If you can get one of the Phillips OOPS .... SONY ICF-7600D radios .... compact ... picks up just about most stuff out there ... they come up on eBay now and again ... not cheap - but in their day were leaders ..

Sorry about that ...

 

[Sandy]

I am currently looking at a ATS 20+ Radio Receiver High Sensitivity Portable World Band Digital Receiver having been recommended it by one of the Jester Challenge chaps.

Looking to use it receiving HF Weather Faxes. To date over the internet my faxes have been rubbish and I am hoping to do better with the ATS.

 

[Pye_End]

I replaced my dead Roberts with a Sony ICF-SW7600. Good radio, and reasonable price at the time. Might be worth keeping an eye out for a reasonable second hand deal, though the ones I have seen have been expensive.

The Sandy link looks interesting and potentially good value. Would be interested to hear how it performs.

Re. good faxes - best done somewhere electrically quiet. I have had good charts setting it up in the shed, but in the house it has been poor. Better at sea.

 

[vyv_cox]

I still have a Roberts but we gave up carrying it when world service stopped providing European programmes. It did work well with faxes but in the Mediterranean it has been overtaken by technology.

 

[Frank Holden]

Tecsun PL-880 or 990 would be my choice.
https://www.tecsunradios.com.au/store/product/tecsun-pl990/
Tecsun PL880 Radio with Digital Signal Processing – Tecsun Radios Australia
reviews here https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-category?id=8

 

[st599]

Anything by Tecsun. Reception performance is heead and shoulders above what radios by Sony, Philips or similar were doing in their final generation of radios.

 

[wonkywinch]

I second the vote for Tecsun. The problem with an old Sony etc will be the electrolytic capacitors going (electrically) leaky risking noise. Better off with a new Tecsun.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

I've been using a Belka-dx for a few years. It's fantastic but I'm not sure you can get one right now as they are hand made in Belarus.
take a look at YouTube for a comparison of how it compares to high end receivers. It's a tiny marvel.

 

[Zing]

Really, it’s the 21’s century! Try Starlink.

 

[Refueler]

Tecsun looks like a revamp pf the Sony 7600 I have ...

 

[fredrussell]

I second the vote for Tecsun. The problem with an old Sony etc will be the electrolytic capacitors going (electrically) leaky risking noise. Better off with a new Tecsun.

Agree with that re Sony capacitors. I’ve just binned a 7600-D as no one will fix them now. Damn shame as they’re lovely radios. I used to have a Sony SW100. Check them out - tiny!!

 

[st599]

Really, it’s the 21’s century! Try Starlink.

The OP says that he's in West London/Gosport, so no use as Starlink has sold out in London and the South East.

Also depends on where he sails, not all countries allow Starlink downlinks in their territory

Tecsun looks like a revamp pf the Sony 7600 I have ...

With much better frequency scanning and a better signal to noise ratio so it can pick up lower level signals.

 

[Talulah]

Thank you for the suggestions. I have ordered a Tecsun 990.

 

[Beneteau381]

I still have a Roberts but we gave up carrying it when world service stopped providing European programmes. It did work well with faxes but in the Mediterranean it has been overtaken by technology.

The world service when the. BBC did its charter properly. Sigh, long gone now. We used to faithfully tune in for news etc. crackly and faint in Africa and the Middle East. No internet in those days, the morning drilling report still sent to Florida by SSB on 8814. Telephone done via Portishead radio off the supply boat courtesy of the captain on SSB
Portishead radio, Portishead radio, this is motor vessel WP Andrews, telephone link call please. Standby W P Andrews you are call number 2, we will turn the antenna to your location.
Sheer magic then slowly Marisat came into place.

 

[vyv_cox]

The world service when the. BBC did its charter properly. Sigh, long gone now. We used to faithfully tune in for news etc. crackly and faint in Africa and the Middle East. No internet in those days, the morning drilling report still sent to Florida by SSB on 8814. Telephone done via Portishead radio off the supply boat courtesy of the captain on SSB
Portishead radio, Portishead radio, this is motor vessel WP Andrews, telephone link call please. Standby W P Andrews you are call number 2, we will turn the antenna to your location.
Sheer magic then slowly Marisat came into place.

Telephone to Wick radio in my time offshore. Standing in the radio room with a long queue of men listening to whatever either of us said.

 

[Refueler]

Telephone to Wick radio in my time offshore. Standing in the radio room with a long queue of men listening to whatever either of us said.

Sailing with Greek Crew in those days ... if you went through Greek Isles ... it was a nightmare being OOW.

You'd have first guy give a number - you'd call up coast VHF station - ask for Link Call ... give number ... guy would have his chat. Link cut. Next guy would then give you a number - same number as first ..... you'd call coast VHF station etc etc ... most of the guys had same number !!

In those days it was expensive to put phones on some of the islands - so the village would club together to have a phone put in one house or shop.

I used to ask the guys to agree to just making one link and then each speak in turn to their wives / girlfriends etc - but they usually refused !!

 

[Sandy]

I replaced my dead Roberts with a Sony ICF-SW7600. Good radio, and reasonable price at the time. Might be worth keeping an eye out for a reasonable second hand deal, though the ones I have seen have been expensive.

The Sandy link looks interesting and potentially good value. Would be interested to hear how it performs.

Re. good faxes - best done somewhere electrically quiet. I have had good charts setting it up in the shed, but in the house it has been poor. Better at sea.

I'll let you know. Just ordered one from www.banggood.com as it was slightly cheaper that Amazon and I wanted to try them out.

The HF Faxes over the Internet have not been good http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/ , but I suspect that there was a lot of signal noise over the laptop. At least something is working on the decoder on the tablet.

 

[Refueler]

I have always had good service with Banggood and any complaints / failures - they were good - all you have to remember is that english is not their first language - so precise and polite is the way ..

 

[Sandy]

I have always had good service with Banggood and any complaints / failures - they were good - all you have to remember is that english is not their first language - so precise and polite is the way ..

Thank you for your kind words.

They inform me that the wee radio will be delivered sometime in January, that will give me some time to play with before I get splashed in March.