The Sony ICF-5500W: My morning companion

Sony-ICF-550W-RadCom

I spent this morning doing a lot of work around our property. When it was time for a break, I turned on my trust Sony ICF-5500W and tuned to WTZQ: one of my favorite regional AM braodcasters. Though WTZQ is over 30 miles from my home, any good AM radio, like the ICF-5500W, can receive their 1,000 watt signal with ease.

As luck would have it, when I turned on my 5500W, WTZQ started playing Love Me Do by The Beatles. It sounded absolutely amazing via the 5500W’s internal speaker: full-on, rich AM audio fidelity! Absolutely brilliant!

I cranked up the volume so our local black bears could enjoy.

I relaxed a good half hour, and caught up on reading the latest two issues of RadCom with my ICF-5500W playing WTZQ in the background.

Sometimes it’s the simple stuff that starts one’s morning off the right way.

That and plenty of good coffee.

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8 thoughts on “The Sony ICF-5500W: My morning companion

  1. Johan Janssens

    story well written, picture great. importance of radio in our lives. great fun when we’re allright,
    at other times a source of comfort.

    Reply
  2. Dean Bianco

    Did any of those local black bears show their appreciation by “thanking” you in person, Thomas? 😉

    Reply
    1. Thomas Post author

      Not this particular morning, Dean! They have been around a lot lately, though. They’re one of the reasons it’s so difficult to have a beverage antenna around here. One chewed through the coax to my mag loop antenna while I was gone in Canada. I never new the coax jacket was flavored. 🙂

      Reply
    1. John Sim

      I agree…..it was a terrible loss to SWL when Panasonic, Sony, Sanyo, Philips, and others basically left the
      market manufacturing HF receivers. I have heard that the Sony ICF-SW7600GR is no longer in active production because they can’t get the discrete components anymore. They still manufacture one unit but it is a Japanese only item with limited SW frequencies.

      There is a market for them still and a group of consumers that are willing and able to pay quite a bit more for a quality product, I wish we could convince them to start production of quality units again, the mfrs that are left like Tecsun, Eton, and Kaito/Degen have a few decent units but they don’t come close to the top of the line or high line units from the Japanese…

      Reply

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