Icom IC-705 Blind Receiver Test #5 (Final Test)

Test #5: Radio Exterior de España 9,690 kHz

In this test (click here for #1, here for #2, here for #3, and here for #4) we’ll listen to the Icom IC-705, and one other comparable radio, tuned to Radio Exterior de España on 9,690 kHz. I picked REE, in this case, because it is a blowtorch station and I could take advantage of the IC-705’s maximum AM filter width of 10 kHz.

I’ve done my best to match these radios in terms of audio and receiver settings, but it’s certainly not perfect–these are essentially real world, not laboratory conditions.

Notes:

  • Both radios are using the same antenna via my ELAD ASA15 Antenna Splitter Amplifier
  • Both radios are set to the same bandwidth: 10 kHz
  • I’ve tried to match AGC settings on all radios
  • Both radios have different audio EQ characteristics–not all are fully adjustable
  • Both have separate recording devices and are not matched perfectly in terms of audio levels. In other words, you may need to adjust your volume a bit to compare.

My advice would be to focus on aspects like signal intelligibility, selectivity and signal to noise.

Please listen to each recording, then kindly answer and submit the survey below. Thank you!

Radio A

Radio B

Survey

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Icom IC-705 Blind Receiver Test #4

Test #4: Voice of Greece 9,420 kHz

In this second test (click here for #1, here for #2, and here for #3) we’ll listen to the Icom IC-705, and one other comparable radio, tuned to the Voice of Greece on 9,420 kHz.

I’ve done my best to match these radios in terms of audio and receiver settings, but it’s certainly not perfect–these are essentially real world, not laboratory conditions.

Notes:

  • Both radios are using the same antenna via my ELAD ASA15 Antenna Splitter Amplifier
  • Both radios are set to the same bandwidth
  • I’ve tried to match AGC settings on all radios
  • Both radios have different audio EQ characteristics–not all are fully adjustable
  • Both have separate recording devices and are not matched perfectly in terms of audio levels. In other words, you may need to adjust your volume a bit to compare.

My advice would be to focus on aspects like signal intelligibility, selectivity and signal to noise.

Please listen to each recording, then kindly answer and submit the survey below. Thank you!

Radio A

Radio B

Survey

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Icom IC-705 Blind Receiver Test #3

Test #3: Shannon Volmet SSB

In this third test (click here for #1 and here for #2)) we’ll listen to the Icom IC-705, and one other comparable radio, tuned to Shannon Volmet on 8,957 kHz.

I’ve done my best to match these radios in terms of audio and receiver settings, but it’s certainly not perfect–these are essentially real world, not laboratory conditions.

Notes:

  • Both radios are using the same antenna via my ELAD ASA15 Antenna Splitter Amplifier
  • Both radios are set to the same bandwidth: 2.4 kHz
  • I’ve tried to match AGC settings on all radios
  • Both radios have different audio EQ characteristics–not all are fully adjustable
  • Both have separate recording devices and are not matched perfectly in terms of audio levels. In other words, you may need to adjust your volume a bit to compare.

My advice would be to focus on aspects like signal intelligibility, selectivity and signal to noise.

Please listen to each recording, then kindly answer and submit the survey below. Thank you!

Radio A

Radio B

Survey

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Icom IC-705 Blind Receiver Test #2

Icom IC-705

Test #2: 40 meters CW

In this second test (click here for #1) we’ll listen to the Icom IC-705, and one other comparable radio, tuned to a 40 meter CW station. Each recording is roughly the same length (2 minutes).

I’ve done my best to match these radios in terms of audio and receiver settings, but it’s certainly not perfect–these are essentially real world, not laboratory conditions. Indeed, making these recordings comparable in CW is incredibly challenging as the mode is so incredibly narrow and challenging to zero beat with radios that can tuned so precisely.

Notes:

  • Both radios are using the same antenna via my ELAD ASA15 Antenna Splitter Amplifier
  • Both radios are set to the same bandwidth: 0.5 kHz
  • I’ve tried to match AGC settings on all radios
  • Both radios have different audio EQ characteristics–not all are fully adjustable
  • Both have separate recording devices and are not matched perfectly in terms of audio levels. In other words, you may need to adjust your volume a bit to compare.

My advice would be to focus on aspects like signal intelligibility, selectivity and signal to noise.

Please listen to each recording, then kindly answer and submit the survey below. Thank you!

Radio A

Radio B

Survey

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Participate in our Icom IC-705 Blind Receiver Test #1

I’ve been asked by a number of readers to do a blind audio/receiver test of the new Icom IC-705 transceiver. I’m happy to say I’ve started the process today.

Instead of publishing one long survey with multiple types of recordings (AM, SSB, CW, etc.) as I’ve done in the past, I’ve decided to create a post for each test. This will make the process of completing the survey much easier. Additionally, it won’t require that you respond to each test in order to submit your pick.

Test #1: 40 meters SSB

In this first test we’ll listen to the IC-705, and two other radios, tuned to a weak 40 meter station in lower sideband (LSB) mode. Specifically, this is ham radio operator W3JPH activating Shikellamy State Park in Pennsylvania for the Parks On The Air program. I like this test because it includes a weak station calling CQ and both weak and strong stations replying. There are also adjacent signals which (in some recordings) bleed over into the audio. Each recording is roughly the same length (5 minutes).

I’ve done my best to match these radios in terms of audio and receiver settings, but it’s certainly not perfect–these are essentially real world, not laboratory conditions.

Notes:

  • All radios are using the same antenna via my ELAD ASA15 Antenna Splitter Amplifier
  • All radios are set to the same bandwidth: 2.4 kHz
  • I’ve tried to match AGC settings on all radios
  • All three radios have different audio EQ characteristics–not all are fully adjustable
  • All three have separate recording devices and are not matched perfectly in terms of audio levels. In other words, you may need to adjust your volume a bit to compare.

My advice would be to focus on aspects like signal intelligibility, selectivity and signal to noise.

Please listen to each recording, then kindly answer and submit the survey below. Thank you!

Radio A

Radio B

Radio C

Survey

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Any off-air recordings of the Happy Station Show with Eddy Startz?

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Eddy Startz (Source: Radio Netherlands Archives)

I was recently contacted by Shortwave Radio Audio Archive subscriber, Geoff Gilham, who asked: “Do you know if any recordings of Edward Startz exist?”

That’s a very good question, because unfortunately, we have no off-air recordings of Eddy  Startz in the archive at present. Startz had a very long tenure at RNW retiring from the Happy Station at the end of 1969, so there must be recordings out there.

Post readers: If you have off-air recordings of Eddy Startz on The Happy Station Show, please comment or contact me. We’d love to add them to the archive! Many thanks!

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Tecsun PL-990 Hidden Feature: Toggling ferrite bar and telescopic whip antenna on MW & LW bands

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Many thanks to Anna at Anon-Co who recently shared an interesting “hidden feature” of the Tecsun PL-990 which allows the user to toggle between the internal ferrite antenna and telescoping whip antenna while on either the mediumwave or logwave bands.

Procedure:

1) Turn on the radio and then select either the MW or LW frequency band.

2) Press and hold the [ 3 ] key for about 2 seconds.

When the display shows “CH-5” (actually an “S” which stands for shortwave telescopic antenna) the radio is now set to MW/LW reception using the telescopic whip antenna.

The display will show MW (or LW) and SW on the left side of the screen.

3) Press and hold the [ 3 ] key for about 2 seconds.

When the display shows “CH-A” (“A” stands for “AM”) the radio is now set to MW/LW reception using the internal ferrite antenna once again.

The display will also show only MW (or LW) on the left side of the screen.

Pressing and holding the [ 3] key essentially toggles between these two antenna settings.

I’ve actually found that, indoors, using the whip antenna on mediumwave has been more effective at mitigating RFI with strong local stations. The ferrite bar antenna has more gain, of course, but for locals it’s not necessarily needed.

Many thanks, Anna, for sharing this tip!

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