Category Archives: Accessories

What’s in the Box? Bob Colegrove Investigates the Forgotten Extras of Your Radio

What’s in the Box?

Itemized by Bob Colegrove

Not one to throw anything away, I tend to save ‘the box it came in’ for many new purchases.  The other day I decided to organize all my radio boxes.  Besides the radios themselves, they usually contain a selection of “goodies,” which can include, cases, power adapters, USB cables, batteries, earbuds, antennas, manuals, and so forth.

I generally do not use much that is included in the box.  Over time, however, some of the paraphernalia has gotten scattered around, and my recent effort was intended to corral and sort the accessories.  My experience is itemized below.

Cases

The cases are invariably the largest accessories in the box.  These are sometimes firm, faux-leather enclosures with a zipper around the edges.  I prefer the soft, pliable pouches which seem to function more easily and take up less space.

The Sony ICF-2010 and -2001D did not include cases.  To give the radio some protection during travel and storage, I fabricated a ‘sock’ out of an old bath towel and some hot glue.  The so-covered radio was then inserted into a travel bag along with earphones and anything else I needed.  This worked very well over the years; so well that I extended the concept for some of my smaller radios, which came with cases.

Homemade socks for a PL-880 and ICF-2010 could even be color-coordinated with the rest of your gear.

Power Adapters and Batteries

The following is not intended as the definitive treatise on power adapters and batteries.  Enough guidance has been provided by others.  The takeaway here is that, if you ever refer to the radio’s manual, this is the occasion to do so.  Ensure you know how your radio was designed and the proper way to power it.

In my collection of portable radios there are several combinations of power adapters and batteries.

  • Some radios came with power adapters and others didn’t.
  • Some radios came with batteries and others didn’t.
  • Some just came with USB charging cords.
  • Some were intended for both chargeable and nonchargeable batteries.  Others were intended only for alkaline, nonchargeable batteries, in which case the power adapter disconnects the battery from the circuit and is only used to power the radio.

An adapter might be used to power the radio, recharge batteries, or both.  It’s hard to believe in these days of switching power adapters that an adapter could ever be used to listen to AM radio, but that was the case with the Sony ICF-2010/2001D and Grundig Satellit 800.  These radios came with a more costly transformer adapter which produced very little discernable noise.  Manufactured in pre-rechargeable alkaline days; however, the adapter did not provide a battery charge function.  Over the years, I have mostly used these radios in-house.  They tend to be D-battery-hungry, and so they are usually powered via the adapters.

When Sony got around to producing the ICF-SW7600GR, they took a different approach.  They simply figured it was a small, portable radio, and would mainly be used with batteries.  So, there is a power port for an optional 6-volt adapter, but no included adapter.

The OEM batteries aren’t always the best, so I have an extra supply of rechargeable NiMH and lithium batteries which I cycle through my radios, and the originals are simply included in the rotation.  The NiMH batteries that came with the Tecsun PL-600, -660, and -680 only had 1000 ma capacity and tended to self-discharge quickly after a year or two of use.  However, they got you started.

I have always wondered about using NiMH batteries in radios intended only for alkaline batteries – mainly older ones.  There is a 20-percent reduction in voltage.  How does this affect the performance of the radio?  I suppose this can only be answered on a case-by-case basis.  As an example, I have used NiMH batteries in the Sony ICF-SW7600GR from the very beginning with no apparent degradation.  However, on the XHDATA D-219 and D-220, the difference is quite noticeable.  For some radios, the battery type is switchable, and one must be careful not to connect a power adapter to recharge alkaline batteries.

Earbuds

If you’re serious about radio, you have a good set of earbuds or headphones.  I would venture to say the supplied earbuds for each of my radios are still in the box in their original wrapping.  I don’t get along well with earbuds.  They are hard to install in what apparently are my constricted ear canals and are always falling out.  Several years ago I purchased a set of quality over-the-ear headphones.  Not the most convenient for travel perhaps, but great for reproducing sound and mitigating outside noise.  Grundig went so far as to include a set of over-the-ear headphones with the Satellit 800.

Antennas

Most new portables come with 20- to 25-ft long wire external antennas having 3.5-mm plugs for connection to the external antenna jack.  Sometimes a plastic ‘clothespin’ is attached to the remote end of the wire for mounting.  For convenience, some of these wires are contained in a tape-measure-style spool.  These antennas are quite useful for the non-tinker and traveler, as they provide a means to extend the range, particularly on shortwave.

The C. Crane wire terminal antenna adapter, included with the Skywave SSB 2, is a boon to anyone without a soldering iron or otherwise not inclined to use one.  Other manufacturers take note.  A #2 Phillips screwdriver, and knife to strip the wire insulation are all you need for extensive antenna experimentation.

Source:  C. Crane Skywave SSB 2 Instruction Manual, p. 30.

Sony packed not one, but two 3.5-mm external antenna plugs with each ICF-2010/2001D.  The concept was the same as the C. Crane wire terminal antenna adapter.  These had wire pigtails ending in screw terminals for an antenna and ground wire of your choice.

External antenna adapter (1 of 2) packed with the Sony ICF-2010 and -2001D

A caution here.  The RF amplifier for LW, MW, and SW on the 2010 is an unprotected FET (Q303), which is notorious for failing due to electrostatic discharge from an external antenna.  Early on, your author was twice bitten by this snake.  There may be other radios that suffer from this vulnerability.

Straps

The strap is arguably the least useful accessory included with any portable radio.  The Sony ICF-2010/2001D came with a very attractive blue over-the-shoulder web strap, which has become something of an “item” among collectors.  Mine have been bound up in their original wrapping and stored away for 40-plus years, and might yield the cost of a new portable radio should I ever decide to auction them on the Internet.  I have never used them on either of my 2010s simply because I can envision the priceless radio dangling pendulously at the end of the strap waiting to meet disaster through contact with an immovable door jam.

The same goes for smaller radios which almost always include an obligatory wrist strap.  Perhaps these should not be classified as accessories, as they are permanently attached to the radio.  I avoid using them for the same reason as sited for the 2010s.  Besides, they just get in the way.  These straps are usually anchored inside the case, but I can’t bear to cut them off; so, I have just lived with them.  In the few cases where I have opened the case, I have omitted reinstalling them.  Instead of having a strap, how about a collapsible “lunchbox” handle?  I can even envision one of these being developed into a dual-purpose handle/antenna.

Manuals

Don’t forget the manual.  We’ve gotten away from manuals.  People don’t use them, and they are a manufacturing expense.  Besides, you can find your answer on the Internet.

As a retired technical writer, however, I have a strong respect for a well-crafted technical manual.  Besides actually using them, I unconsciously evaluate them.  Unfortunately, most are written as an afterthought – an attempt to forestall customer enquiries.  “Read the manual.”  The problem is compounded by radios intended for a worldwide market, wherein the manuals are authored by writers who labor under the handicap of having English, French, Spanish, German, etc. as a second language.

There are also situations where the printing is too small or the fanfolds too inconvenient.  My standard practice is to download an electronic copy of each manual, print it out in 8 ½” × 11” format, and put it in a comb or 3-ring binder.  This is easier on aging eyes, and more suitable for adding my own notes.

…and so forth

Besides the common accessories described above, some unique items have been included over the years.  For example, Tecsun has packaged very nice 20-inch by 30-inch charts with some models.  One side contains a world map showing amateur call areas.  The other side is an enlargement of the radio with each button or control function described.

Going back a few years, Sony included a slick publication called the Wave Handbook with some of their radios.  These had convenient station vs. time charts for world band radio.  The charts were like those published in frequency vs. time format in Passport to Worldband Radio.  The booklets were published in several editions over the years, but obviously, these were time sensitive and became outdated rather quickly.  Still, they could pique the interest of folks new to SWLing.

Packaging

Finally, there is the box the radio came in and any accompanying wrapping.  The packrat DNA in me usually demands that I keep all this.  It can speed up the sale or otherwise increase the value of the radio, if you ever decide to sell it.

Which radio accessories do you use?

Would you like an option to buy the radio without any accessories?

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Raddy RF919

RF919 Bonus Antenna

I received a message yesterday from Raddy Marketing that they are offering a bonus antenna for the RF919 radio which will be shipped with future orders.

Here is the note they sent:

“All previous RF919 orders from our website or Amazon are eligible to request the new antenna. Customers can contact our customer service at [email protected] and provide their order number to receive it.”

I do not have any details about the new antenna, but wanted to post the info so folks who have purchased the radio as indicated above can receive the offer from Raddy.

Robert K4PKM

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Kostas presents the NR-1 Noise Blanker!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kostas (SV3ORA), for sharing the following post which originally appeared on his website:

Update (19 Dec 2024): ELISYS  now sells Kostas’ NR-1 noise blanker and ships worldwide. Check it out by clicking here.


The NR-1, a revolutionary noise blanker that works directly on the antenna!

I designed my own noise blanker because:

    • I was tired of that HF noise that could not be beaten otherwise.
    • I wanted to remove it before it gets into my transceiver.
    • I could not install a separate “noise” antenna/coaxial for diversity.
    • I wanted to remove noise interference from any direction.

NR-1 is a revolutionary Noise Blanker which is the result of two-years of development and extensive testing by Kostas sv3ora.

NR-1 works directly at the antenna. This has significant advantages over the classic noise blankers which work at the intermediate stages of the receivers. It does not require a second “noise” antenna for its operation.

Furthermore, it is not based on cutting-off of amplifiers, unlike common noise blankers
do.

Because of these, the NR-1 is superior, compared tocommon internal Noise blankers of radios:

    • NR-1 removes noise before it even reaches the receiver. Thus, the front-end RF
      stages of the receiver are unaffected by noise, unlike a common noise blanker
      which removes the noise after it has first passed through the internal circuits
      of the receiver.
    • NR-1 removes high-level, high-repetition-rate noises that common noise blankers
      usually cannot cope with.
    • NR-1 is not affected by strong near-by signals. Instead, common noise blankers
      perform poorly when there are strong near-by signals and they distort the signal of the station we want to listen.
    • NR-1 can be used by many radios. Because it is an external device, it can be
      connected to various radios/receivers without the need to modify them.
    • NR-1 has a built-in 8-band preselector and helps eliminate intermodulation (birdies)
      caused by strong local medium and shortwave stations, on RF direct sampling
      radios (eg IC-7300). The preselector is relatively wideband and does not affect
      the sensitivity or the waterfall spectrum in the amateur radio bands.
    • NR-1 has built-in variable gain preamplifier and variable attenuator. Preamplification is
      particularly useful in the high frequency bands, where some radios have limited
      sensitivity. Variable attenuation helps to reduce band noise for more
      comfortable listening to mid/high strength stations.

Comparison of the NR-1 with other noise removal systems (eg. QRM eliminator, X-phase etc):

    • NR-1 does not require a second (noise) antenna/coaxial-line to operate. Unlike QRM
      eliminators, NR-1 does not require an additional “noise” antenna and
      therefore no second coaxial cable out of the shack. The main transmit and
      receive antenna you are already using is sufficient.
    • NR-1 is easy to set up. In contrast, QRM eliminators require systematic testing of
      various noise antennas in different locations to perform satisfactorily.
    • NR-1 removes noise from every direction simultaneously. In contrast, QRM
      eliminators, depending on the noise antenna setup and their configuration,
      remove noise from one direction only each time. If the noise originates or
      “travels” through cables and reaches the antenna from different
      directions, QRM eliminators do not perform well.
    • NR-1 removes more than one noise source simultaneously because its principle of
      operation is not related to the phase of the noise.
    • NR-1 does not require constant adjustment. Once set for one band, it usually does not need to be reset. In contrast, QRM eliminators require resetting every few tens of KHz or so.

Kostas has documented all the details of the NR-1 for his own future reference in his page.

He has also created some YOUTUBE videos as demonstrations of the operation and the effectiveness of this antenna noise blanker.

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Replacement power supplies for WJ-8711A/HF-1000A series receivers

Photo by Paolo Viappiani

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dean Bianco, who writes:

Inspired by Chuck Yarbrough ‘s YouTube video, I ordered one of the newly-manufactured replacement power supplies for the WJ-8711A/HF-1000A series from WJ Systems, a new company run by noted WJ master technician Stephen Pappin. For those of us who own one (or more) of the dozen or so variants of these now-classic early DSP receivers, these new PS’s can provide an extension of their useful lifespans. These units are direct substitutions for the flawed Condor switching supplies, the Achilles heel of an otherwise fine general coverage radio. Nearly all of the original Condors have lived past their useful, in-spec lifespans and have become (or soon to become) malfunctioning ticking time bombs that will summarily go off the rails (pun intended) and spike all kinds of nasty voltages that will destroy your pricey beauty forever. While admittedly there are other inevitable EOL issues endemic to the 87xx series, e.g., expired time-keeping battery RAM and aging encoders making it harder to find spare parts, a well-cared for receiver can enjoy a much-welcomed rejuvenation and keep the grim reaper of radios at bay for a while!

The official website for WJ Systems is: www.wj-systems.com

Chuck Yarbrough’s YouTube videos demonstrating the installation and testing of the new power supply:

Part 1 of 2:

Part 2 of 2

Thanks!

Dean

Thank you for sharing this, Dean!  This is a brilliant upgrade for an iconic receiver!

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Bob Reviews the Model L87 Digital Voice Recorder

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post:


The Model L87 Voice Recorder

Reviewed by Bob Colegrove

L87 Voice Recorder (Source:  Amazon)

Introduction

Whenever I read a radio product review, the author invariably says whether the device has a line-out port.  This seems to say a lot about the importance attached to this feature by a great number of our fellow radio enthusiasts.  Besides audio recording, the port can be used for computer processing of facsimile and teletype signals.  For basic recording, it seems to boil down to three purposes:

  • to provide a permanent archive of some things we have heard,
  • to replay portions of a weak signal to determine its identity, or
  • to share our catches with fellow enthusiasts.

There was a time before cassettes (BC) when I used a mini reel-to-reel tape deck to record radio broadcasts.  This was not much bigger than a cigar box.  It used 3-inch magnetic tape reels.  There was no capstan.  The take-up and supply reels rotated at constant speeds to provide tape motion for recording and rewinding.  Thus, the tape would gradually accelerate past the heads as the diameter of the take-up reel increased.  Consequently, a recorded tape did not travel at a constant speed and could only be played on the original recorder.  I never used it much, and when it stopped working, I never bothered to replace it.

This winter I seem to be focused once again on medium wave DXing, and I began to think a recorder would be useful to help identify stations.  I couldn’t get much of a consensus as to what recorders other hobbyists were using, so I went on the Internet to explore the market.  Long story short, I wound up with an unbranded voice recorder.  Neither the hardware nor the manual gives much of a clue as to who made it.  The state of today’s small electronics market is replete with anonymous items.  Anyway, the price was reasonable, and I have it.

There are probably a dozen or more equally capable recorders currently available, including those from Sony.  So, this is not a model versus model comparison, but rather an enumeration of salient features of the Model L87 Voice Recorder and a conclusion as to its usefulness as an accessory for radio listening.

My recorder is marketed by Amazon [affiliate link] under the brand name of “G” (http://gtoptc.com/).  It has 8 GB of system storage and 64 GB on a removable SD (TF) card.  If you Google “L87 Voice Recorder” you will see that Amazon, Walmart, and eBay sell, what are by all appearances, identical recorders with greater or lesser system memory and different size SD cards.  Some include an external microphone.

Description

To say the voice recording industry has come a long way since my reel-to-reel experience is an understatement.  Digital media, miniaturization, and functionality pretty much sum up the improvements.

This device is billed as a voice recorder.  It is intended to be used in dictation or brought into a classroom, conference, or other meeting to gather an audible transcription of the proceedings.  Attaching it to the line-out jack of a radio is not an application that is listed in the promotional literature.  So, in selecting a device a radio enthusiast must be assured that line-in capability is available.

Also, there is a matter of compatibility.  The L87 voice recorder works very well with the Eton Elite Executive, Tecsun PL-880, Sony ICF-SW7600GR and Grundig Satellit 800.  The recorder was tested on a Sony ICF-2010 and did not work.  Apparently, the 2010s were designed to operate with older recorders having high-impedance microphone inputs.

Specifics

  • Memory – built-in system 8 GB, plus an included 64-GB SD (TF) card, 72 GB total.  This we are told will produce 3,343 hours of recording at 32 kbps.
  • Battery – 500 mAh rechargeable lithium ion, having up to 13 hours continuous recording at 512 kbps, and 24 hours of playback with earphones.
  • File formats – Recording:  WAV or MP3; or it can act as a player for any uploaded MP3, WAV, FLAC, APE, OGG, or WMA file.
  • Recording bit rates – for WAV:  512, 768, 1024, or 1536 kbps; for MP3:  32, 64, 128, or 192 kbps.
  • Gain settings – seven.
  • Voice activation – auto recording begins once the sound reaches a settable decibel level and stops when there is no sound.  Probably of minimal use for the radio monitoring purpose.
  • File management – files are named with a time stamp (year, month, day, hour, seconds).
  • Optional password protection.
  • A-B repeat function – a portion of recording can be blocked for repetition.  The A and B start-stop points do not alter the file and disappear when the file is closed.
  • Physical – dimensions:  4.13 inches long × 1.06 inches wide, × 0.39 inch thick; weight:  2.8 ounces.
  • Numerous other recording settings, including those for noise reduction.
  • First available – April 26, 2022.
  • Website – https://gtoptc.com/.

Experience

Being quite small, ergonomics is a consideration, and may take some practice.  As I am right-handed, I unexpectedly realized that I grabbed this little device in my left hand, like a cell phone.  That leaves my right hand free to press buttons, but I also tend to operate the controls with my left hand.  Like many small travel radios, many buttons are dual purpose, and one must get used to short presses, long presses, and correct button sequences.

As an example of complexity, a change in volume requires a quick press of the VOL button, then repeated presses of the up/down buttons to arrive at the desired level.  Fast forward and rewind are somewhat problematic.  A short press of either button will quit the file you are listening to and queue up the preceding or next file, while a long press will incrementally rewind or fast forward the file you are listening to.

As it is marketed, this is a “voice recorder.”  It provides a line-in capability, but you will have to supply your own stereo patch cord.  Once programmed to line-in, you will not have to reset it when making follow-on recordings.  Although it comes with an internal speaker, you can also swap out the patch cord with earphones for playback without changing any settings.  Just to try it out, I used the built-in microphones to record a radio at normal volume.  While the recording was acceptable, it was prone to any noise produced in the room or pressing recorder buttons.

L87 Buttons and Ports (Source:  L87 Voice Recorder Instruction Manual)

Battery and storage capacity will not likely be a problem, as this device will continue to operate for many hours when properly prepared for use.

The device records in stereo, which likely doubles the file size for our purpose of generally needing only monaural recording.  I have not found a way to change it.  On the other hand, I recorded some classical music content from a local stereo FM station and connected the recorder to a nice set of shelf speakers for playback.  The sound quality of the MP3 file at 128 kbps was excellent, at least to my ears.

The display is quite small, but very sharp and colorful showing essential information such as file name, time, file format, bit rate, and volume setting.

File management is neither intuitive nor very versatile.  I could not find a way to create new folders or move files using the recorder.  Connecting the recorder to the computer, I could create new folders which were recognized in the recorder’s folder function, but the display would indicate an incompatible format when I tried to save a new file to the computer-created folders.  The recorder would however play prerecorded files transferred to the new folder by the computer.  Lesson:  just stick with the basic file functionality and save the manipulations for the computer.

The recorder comes with a USB-C cable which is used to recharge the battery and transfer files to or from a computer.  Or, if the included SD card is used for storage, it can be removed and used on the computer for file transfer.

As a retired technical writer, I tend to be quite critical of user manuals that come with appliances and electronic gear.  This one is only fair – no better or worse than most others I have come across recently.  We’re not just talking picky grammar issues here.  Some explanations are entirely missing, for example how to properly set the recorder input gain.

File Processing

A few years ago, I used an open-source audio file processing program called Audacity to digitize our collection of vinyl and tapes.  Such applications serve as a quick way to process or edit the recorder files, for example, trimming the files to a desired size or normalizing their amplitude.

Conclusion

In retrospect, there are some things I should have recorded off the radio back in the ‘60s and ‘70s.  But the fact that I’ve enjoyed the radio hobby without a recorder all these years probably does not qualify it as essential equipment in my radio shack.  Useful?  Yes.  If you are interested in recording from your radio, and are a frequent traveler, these recorders are convenient, requiring very little space in the bag.  Because of its small size, hand dexterity and attentive thought processes must be developed to use it effectively.  This recorder has amazing capability, is well constructed, and appears to work as intended.

The Model L87 Voice Recorder on Amazon.com (Note: This affiliate link supports the SWLing Post at no cost to you.)

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Checking out CCrane’s Solo Earbud

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM

The marketing email from CCrane intrigued me. “The cable is Kevlar™ reinforced for maximum durability” it said. The product in question was the “CC Buds Solo In-Ear Single Earbud for Radio, Audio Books and Podcasts.”

Sadly, many of the headphones and earbuds that I have owned and liked had to be tossed out because of a breakage somewhere along the cable. As a result, a more durable cable sounded like a great idea.

After checking out the Solo Earbud on CCrane’s website I decided to buy one. I was in the very act of pulling the trigger on the purchase when I noticed the deal: buy two, get one free. Well, heck, I thought, why not?

I revised my order, clicked the button, and a few days later three solo earbuds arrive.

We’ll get to how well the solo earbud works in just a moment, but I can almost guess what you’re thinking right now: “Listen with one ear? Why?”

There are a bunch of times when listening with just one ear is the best strategy. For example, when you are out and about or engaged in some sports activity and want to be situationally aware of what is going on around you. Or when you are listening at home and you want to be able to hear things going on in the household (for example, dinner is ready . . . don’t want to miss that! . . . or someone in the house needs something). Well, you get the idea.

The Solo Earbud is small and well-made. It has a four-foot cable with a clothing clip that terminates in a stereo to mono 3.5 mm plug. According the C.Crane, the audio is tuned for “superior voice quality.” I liked the sound it delivered from my shortwave radios, scanners, and even audio books and I found it helped me to pick out faint signals. In addition, I found that using a Solo Earbud was less entangling with smoother operation than using just one earbud from a stereo pair of wired earbuds . . . that unused dangling earbud seems to always get in the way or get caught on things.

The Solo Earbud comes with three silicone and three compressible foam covers – sized small, medium and large. After a little experimentation, I found one that fit my ear very comfortably. The Earbud even comes with a small drawstring bag for storing the Earbud when not in use.

I have saved perhaps the coolest use for last. Frequently I rise well before dawn to monitor the airwaves. With a pair of Solo Earbuds, I can plug one into a scanner and another Earbud into a shortwave radio. With one Earbud in each ear – voila! – I can cruise the HF bands and monitor a scanner without interrupting the peace of the early morning household.

Bottom line: I found the CCrane Solo Earbud to be a useful and worthy piece of gear for general listening or DXing.

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Checking out BHI’s HP-1 and NCH headphones for DXing

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM

As an oldster with a bit of hearing deficit, I am a big fan of anything that helps me to hear better when I am trying to tease out hard-to-hear signals, whether medium wave broadcast, shortwave broadcast, or single-sideband signals on the HF ham bands.

Toward that end, headphones help a lot. They deliver the audio signal directly into the ear canal while reducing distraction from external sounds. I had some inexpensive headphones from a big-box store, but I wondered if there were headphones that would be better suited for DXing.

So I contacted the folks at BHI to see if they had any headphones that would help with medium wave DXing. BHI is the British company that manufactures really effective noise cancelling products.

In response, the folks at BHI sent me their HP-1 Wired Stereo Headphones and their . . . NCH Active Noise Cancelling headphones . . . free of charge.

BHI describes the HP-1 Wired Stereo Headphones as “Comfortable Folding dynamic stereo headphones for Radio Communications,” and, in my view, they are just that. I found the HP-1 to be highly useful for medium wave and shortwave DXing. To my ear, they sound like they are biased toward high frequencies, with lower bass response than on the headphones I bought from the big-box store years ago. Because of the lower bass response, I find it easier to tease out faint signals on the airwaves, and the ear cups are comfortable for long-term listening. The cable is 1.9 m long and is terminated with an integral 3.5mm stereo jack plug.  The HP-1 headphones are supplied with a 1/4″ stereo to 3.5mm stereo adapter.

The NCH Active Noise Cancelling headphones are a bit of a different beast: they are NOT designed to cancel noise on the broadcast signal you are listening to. Instead, they are designed to reduce external noise. According to the BHI website:

The bhi NCH active noise cancelling headphones (ANC) do not work like our other DSP noise cancelling products but effectively reduce external ambient background noise enabling you to concentrate more and enjoy your listening experience when listening in a noisy environment.  The over-ear style NCH headphones also give good passive audio isolation from external noise.”

These headphones are powered an AAA battery. There is a switch to turn the noise-cancellation circuity on and off, and there is an LED that lights when the unit is activated. The NCH headphones have a 1.25m detachable cable with 3.5mm jack plug (both ends).

So I tried out the NCH headphones while mowing the lawn with a gasoline-powered lawnmower and listening to an audio book on my digital recorder. Bottom line: they really work to significantly reduce (but not totally eliminate) an external noise source and make the listening experience more pleasant. And when they are not turned on, they work really well as ordinary headphones for DXing. Like the HP-1 headphones, they are comfortable and biased toward high frequency.

In the end, I found both these headphones worked well for their intended purpose, and I am happy to recommend them.

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