Shortwave listening and everything radio including reviews, broadcasting, ham radio, field operation, DXing, maker kits, travel, emergency gear, events, and more
No doubt, the Covid-19 global pandemic has had a mostly negative impact on our daily lives.
Surprisingly, I found that the impact on the amateur radio world, at first, was quite minimal. Not only did sheltering at home seem to increase the number of operators on the air, but I found that most of the radio items I needed to purchase were largely available.
Since mid-May, however, radio retailers have struggled to maintain inventory on certain items mainly due to shipping issues from manufacturers (especially when international shipping was involved). Covid-19 issues have also delayed the introduction of a number of transceivers and portable shortwave radios we should have seen in production already.
Most recently, however, I learned from a trusted source that Covid-19 has lead to the early demise of at least two popular radio models.
Alinco DX-R8T: Discontinued
The Alinco DX-R8T has enjoyed a long product life. I recall reviewing this fine tabletop receiver back in 2011. It has been a very popular radio because it’s been one of the only “legacy” tabletop receivers still in production.
I recently learned that Alinco will no longer produce the DX-R8T due to “parts issues.” One would have to assume that this will also affect the DX-R8E (EU version) and eventually the DX-SR8T which is the transceiver version of this model.
Retailers may still have some inventory of these models, but once those models have been purchased, there will be no more. I would certainly suggest purchasing the DX-SR8T transceiver as an alternative since the price difference is modest and it’s built on the same receiver as the DX-R8T.
Yaesu FT-450D: Discontinued
Like the Alinco above, Yaesu has announced that they are discontinuing production of the popular Yaesu FT-450D general coverage transceiver due to “parts issues.”
Yaesu FT-DX1200
It’s worth noting the venerable Yaesu FT-DX1200 recently met the same fate.
To be clear: parts obsolescence happens in the best of times. Covid-19 has simply accelerated the issue.
If you’ve been considering the purchase of one of these models, you might bite the bullet now if you can find a retailer with inventory.
If I learn of any other radios being discontinued, I’ll publish updates here on the SWLing Post.
Alas–! It’s time to bid a fond farewell to my trusty Alinco DX-R8T. I’m only selling it to raise money to purchase hard drive storage for spectrum recordings and more review radios, which fuel this site.
Needless to say, it’s in great shape and reviews most favorably. Indeed, the sensitivity is so good, I’m a little reluctant to sell it…But sacrifices must be made; there are some 4TB SATA drives with my name on them (plus, admittedly, I still have five other tabletop receivers for consolation).
Whew! Back from the 2013 Dayton Hamvention. You may have noticed the lack of posts over the past week–this is just a hint of how incredibly busy I’ve been following this annual event. Every year that I go to the Dayton Hamvention, I come back exhausted…yet somehow energized about the lasting power and utility of radio.
As I’ve mentioned, one of the main reasons I go to the Hamvention is to build awareness about my non-profit, Ears To Our World (ETOW). The Hamvention donates an inside exhibitor table (worth $550+!) to ETOW each year, and our volunteers (myself among them) man it all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Hamvention. My voice was nearly gone by Sunday; I’d estimate we spoke with several hundred people. But the great news is, we received a record number of donations this year–and on behalf of ETOW, I just want to say, Thank you! to all who support our mission of providing self-powered world band radios to classrooms and communities throughout the developing world.
I spotted this Hallicrafters Super Skyrider in the flea market. She would look quite good in my radio room!
At the Hamvention, I also get a chance to network with friends, meet fellow radio amateurs/shortwave radio listeners, and check out both vintage radios in the outdoor flea market, and new radio innovations inside. One of the great things about representing ETOW is hearing the stories of others who share our belief that shortwave radio has a place on this planet. It’s very encouraging and cathartic.
Moreover, I’m fortunate that once more this year several SWLing Post readers sought out our booth: it was terrific meeting each and every one of you! This blog provides me with a sense of radio community that lasts throughout the year; I hope it does the same for you.
My Regency MR-10 Monitoradio. (click to enlarge)
Typically, when I go to Dayton, I bring back a few purchases. This year, I did not find a bargain like my BC-348-Q from 2012, but I did come back with much-needed supplies in the form of connectors, adapters, cables, and one $6 Regency MR-10 Monitoradio (see photo).
I was thoroughly impressed by the number of innovations I saw at Dayton this year, especially the Software Defined Radios (SDRs) that are new to the market.
CommRadio’s president, Don Moore, working with a customer at the Universal Radio booth.
One SDR that received a lot of attention, according to Fred Osterman at Universal Radio, was the CommRadio CR-1; it is an SDR in stand-alone tabletop-receiver form (see current sale). Universal sold all of the units they brought to the Hamvention in very short order. We mentioned the CR-1 in an earlier post, and received mixed reactions: many readers noted that it was very robust, but didn’t have the feature set to make it particularly marketable at the price point. This doesn’t seem to have mattered.
Fortunately, at the Hamvention, I met with Don Moore, president and founder of CommRadio, who most kindly gave me a loaner radio for review. He’s well aware that my review will be frank, and I’m grateful to have this little receiver in my possession. I have only had it on the air for perhaps an hour so far. Just long enough to tell that it plays well, has a tidy footprint, is built like a tank and…well, that it’s frankly cute. I will pit it against my WinRadio Excalibur, Alinco DX-R8T, and Elecraft KX3, and include audio samples in a forthcoming review. Stay tuned!
WinRadio also had a booth in the East Hall that seemed to have a constant stream of visitors. I found Dennis Walter with Bonito in Hara Arena showing off the RadioJet receiver we reviewed last year. I also saw many other shortwave receiver manufacturers and retailers including C.Crane, Palstar, TAPR, Ten-Tec and Alinco. Indeed, Alinco hinted that an updated version of the tabletop DX-R8T is on the way, the DX-R9(T). It will have the same form factor of the DX-R8T, but the receiver will be built around Collins mechanical filters, which will be much easier to replace than the current ones in the DX-R8T. I’ll post an announcement when the DX-R9 is in production.
The Alinco DX-R8T (DX-R8E in Europe) can be used as a traditional tabletop or as a software defined receiver
Some time ago, I posted a review of the Alinco DX-R8T–a surprisingly capable, flexible and affordable dedicated tabletop receiver. In that review, I explored its capabilities as a tabletop unit, and was favorably impressed.
But I knew then that one of the virtues of the DX-R8T is that it’s more than a typical tabletop: the control head (or, front panel) can literally be detached, and with an extension cable, can be moved as far away as 16 feet from the rest of the receiver. Also, with the optional ERW-7 cable and a shielded audio patch cord, you can connect the Alinco to your PC, converting it to a software-defined radio (SDR). Just to be fair, I wanted to further check out this alternative operation mode, and review it independently.
I’ve recently had an opportunity to explore the Alinco DX-R8T/E as an SDR, and here’s what I’ve discovered.
As it took some time to figure out how to get KGSDR, the Alinco control software, communicating with my DX-R8T, it’s fair to state that the Alinco’s SDR functionality is not exactly “plug-and-play.” Nor does Windows seem to find the USB driver automatically. You must download a USB driver for your computer, as well as download KGSDR from external sites. It’s also important to note that the Alinco website is not easy to navigate–at least, the relevant links are somewhat buried in large portions of site content.
When I first attempted to set up my receiver as an SDR, I had to use a combination of the printed owner’s manual, the Alinco website, external sites, and simple determination.
Before reviewing the actual performance of the Alinco DX-R8T/E as an SDR, I’ll simplify setting it up as an SDR with a step-by-step process, below. (I wish this was clearly outlined in the owner’s manual, however.)
How to convert your Alinco DX-R8T/E into a Software Defined Receiver
The ERW-7 is the cable that connects your Alinco DX-R8(T) to your computer.
1.) Connect the ERW-7 cable and download the driver
The ERW-7 is the USB cable that connects your Alinco DX-R8T with your computer. Specifically, it allows your computer to tune and control the DX-R8T; it does not carry audio. If you wish to have full control of your receiver via your PC, you will need to purchase the ERW-7.
You simply plug one end of the cable (the one that looks like an 1/8″ audio connector) in the “clone” port on the back of your Alinco, the other end into an available USB port on your computer.
The download page–at FTDI Chip, the manufacturer of the Alinco cable–has versions of the USB driver for most OS platforms. If you have Windows, you can save a little time by downloading the USB setup tool that will attempt to automatically load the USB driver. Otherwise, you can download and manually install the drivers for the Windows 32 bit version or Windows 64 bit version.
You will need a shielded audio patch cord with 1/8″ stereo plugs on both ends
2.) Connect an audio patch cord
The Alinco DX-R8T/E sends the received IQ signal to your PC via a shielded audio patch cord. This is a standard audio cable that you can purchase at most electronics retailers. It needs to have 1/8″ stereo connectors on both ends, and it must be shielded.
One end of the patch cord is plugged into the IQ port on the back of the receiver, the other is plugged into the microphone input on your computer.
3.) Tell your DX-R8T/E to send the IQ audio to your computer
Your computer will need to “hear” the IQ (spectrum) audio produced by the Alinco DX-R8T/E. The receiver will only send the IQ audio to your computer if you tell it to do so. Fortunately, this is easily done: simply press the MODE button on the front panel of your receiver until FM appears. Then, simply press the FUNCTION button, then the MODE button. Your Alinco should now display “IQ” on the main display. You can feel confident the audio is now being sent to your PC.
4.) Install KGSDR
The KGSDR controls are very similar to those of the Ten-Tec RX-320D
KGSDR is a software-defined radio application built specifically for the Alinco DX-R8T/E receivers. A third-party software developer maintains the download page for the KGSDR. Click here to download the setup software for Windows. (If this link doesn’t work, you can also download a zipped copy by clicking here.) To my knowledge, there are no updates to the software–as of time of this post, the current version is 1.0.0.
Installation is simple and only requires that you extract the contents of the zipped folder, then run the KGSDR executable file.
If all has been installed correctly, and the IQ signal is being sent to KGSDR, then you should be able to hear the received audio via your computer.
I have actually installed KGSDR on three different computers. On my laptop, I had to troubleshoot and tweak the settings to get KGSDR to work. On the other two computers, it worked the first time. All of them were running a 64 bit version of Windows 7.
Troubleshooting tips
If you change the tuned frequency on KGSDR from, say 5,000 kHz to 10,000 kHz, but your Alinco receiver does not change frequencies (it still displays the centered frequency on the front panel), then the USB driver has not been installed or configured properly.
If the receiver tunes, but the audio is garbled or non-existent, you will need to check the audio cord connections. First of all, make sure it’s plugged into the microphone input on your computer (not the speaker/headphone port!) and the IQ port on the back of the Alinco. You cannot plug the patch cord into any other port port on the DX-R8T/E. The plug will fit in the headphone jack, for example, but the IQ port is the only one that sends interpretable analog information to your PC.
Review: the Alinco DX-R8T/E as an SDR
KGSDR comes with a spectrum and waterfall display (Click to enlarge)
I have read reports of people achieving remarkable results with their Alinco functioning as an SDR…I wish I could report the same.
While the Alinco DX-R8T/E is a very capable tabletop receiver, I find that the SDR functionality adds very little, performance-wise. In fact, in many respects this function seems to compromise the performance of the DX-R8T/E. Still, there are some positives:
Pros
Affordable – the EWR-7 USB cable is about $45 US, and you can easily buy a shielded audio patch cable for under $10. For about $55 US, you can unlock the SDR functionality of your receiver.
With KGSDR, you can see a bit of the surrounding spectrum on a waterfall display
KGSDR is a very lightweight program, not likely to tax even older PCs.
KGSDR allows for variable filter control–a true compensating factor since the DX-R8T/E only has a wide/narrow filter on AM (see review)
You get the basic benefits of typical SDR receivers:
Spectrum/Waterfall display
Recording at the push of a button (.wav only)
Practically unlimited memory slots
With practice, you can import frequency databases
A basic DSP filter
Simple “lightweight” application that should work on any Windows-based PC (see con)
With a DRM decoder, you will be able to receive and decode DRM transmissions (see con)
Cons
Performance is underwhelming–not as good as the DX-R8T as a stand-alone tabletop receiver
Images of strong stations several kilohertz above the source
DX-R8T/E sensitivity is somewhat compromised in SDR mode
Selectivity is mediocre
Audio patch cord transfers computer/shack RF noise more easily than SDRs which use a digital IQ output via USB
Audio fidelity, in general, is not as good as the stand-alone receiver will provide
KGSDR has only the most basic of SDR features
KGSDR does not allow the spectrum display to be expanded vertically
Requires tweaking and repeated efforts in order to function properly
Owner’s manual and website are confusing and lack vital information about the installation and trouble-shooting process (hopefully our guide above can help the average user)
DRM mode is not native; you will have to use a program like DREAM (see pro)
Summary
So, is it worth it? Well, yes––and no.
Yes
If you have $55-60 US dollars to spare, it’s a real bargain. I believe the extra SDR features and functionality are worth the price. I have not yet tested this in a DXpedition setting, where there are a limited number of RF noise-producing devices around. If you have an RF-“quiet” location in which to use the Alinco as an SDR, you may find you have better results than I describe above. I imagine you will still suffer from some imaging of stronger signals, however.
Plus, KGSDR is so lightweight, I believe you could use it on a netbook. Moreover, I have heard of owners who’ve actually used other open source SDR applications to drive the Alinco DX-R8T/E. Additionally, though I have not yet tested it, N4PY makes a software controller that would be far superior to the KGSDR–I base this on the fact that N4PY’s RX-320D software was such an improvement over the standard OEM package.
No
If you wish to enhance the performance (not features) of your Alinco DX-R8T/E, I do not think it’s worth it to put your Alinco into service as an SDR. Again, I find that it somewhat compromises the performance of what is otherwise an excellent tabletop radio.
If, like me, you have other SDRs in the shack, you’ll find that you’ll seldom use the Alinco as an SDR. Your other digital IQ-based receivers or IF receivers will most likely run circles around it.
Thanks, Alinco
I think it’s pretty cool that for under $500, you can purchase an excellent tabletop receiver like the Alinco DX-R8T/E. Its price tag is significantly lower than its top two competitors (the Icom R75 and Palstar R30A). Still, even with this price edge, Alinco added bonuses like a detachable face plate and SDR functionality, making this a “Swiss Army Knife” of a receiver. So, again,I’ll say…thanks, Alinco!
What do you think?
If you are using the Alinco DX-R8T or E as an SDR and feel you are achieving better performance than I’ve described, or would like to share any other thoughts/suggestions, please comment below. Note that my Alinco is a very early-release–perhaps from the first production run. It is possible that some of the issues I mention above have been resolved in later production, or that I simply have not finished properly tweaking settings. I await your responses!
Last year, when I saw the announcement that a new tabletop radio–the Alinco DX-R8T–was about to hit the market, I almost fell out of my chair.
The Alinco DX-R8T tabletop shortwave receiver
A new tabletop on the market? Could it be true? Over the past few years, many long-time manufacturers have dropped out of the shortwave tabletop market, while newer, smaller manufacturers have been popping up in the SDR (Software Defined Radio) market. SDRs are great–a lot of performance for the price–but to listen to the radio, you have to turn on your computer, launch a program, and typically, do things to isolate any noise your computer may generate.
A tabletop, on the other hand, simply requires that you turn it on: instantly, it’s there, awaiting tuning.
Obviously, I was eager to try out the DX-R8T. Fortunately, the good folks at GRE America (the US distributor for Alinco) kindly loaned me one of their receivers to review for SWLing.com.
First Impressions
The face plate on the Alinco DX-R8T is detachable (with optional extension cable). This view, from underneath, shows where it plugs into the receiver body.
I really appreciate the size and feel of the Alinco DX-R8T. It’s heavy, with a metal case and a very durable plastic face plate. It has a bail under the front panel which allows it to be lifted and carried for easy tabletop operation.
Please note: If you’re new to tabletop shortwave receivers or ham radio transceivers, be aware that the Alinco DX-R8T is based on the Alinco DX-SR8T ham radio transceiver–and as such, it operates on 12VDC. Meaning, you will need a 12 volt power supply like the Pyramid PS-3 or similar. If you already have a power supply, make sure it can at least deliver 1.5 amps at 13.8V. You do not want to purchase a “wall wart” type power supply, as many of these are noisy and will effect your ability to hear stations. For the purpose of review, I have actually been running the DX-R8T off of a 40AH, 12 V battery to eliminate all such noise.
The tuning knob on the DX-R8T is solid, smooth and certainly pleased this reviewer.
The tuning knob, which I personally find to be a particularly important feature, is substantial, solid, and moves fluidly–a plus. I have not found a way to adjust the tension/resistance on the tuning knob, but haven’t felt the need to do so, either. The radio is heavy enough that it stays put while tuning and pressing keys, which is also important.
The ergonomics are good. I like how the volume, squelch, IF shift and RIT are all easily accessible single-function knobs.
If I have any criticism of this radio’s ergonomics, it would simply be that several of the buttons are a bit close to the tuning knob. I have larger fingers, so while pushing the Function switch, RIT switch, keylock or turning the RIT knob, I often inadvertently move the tuning knob. But in truth, this is a fairly persnickity observation; in general I’m pleased with the panel layout and ergonomics.
Like the IC-R75, the DX-R8T has a front-facing speaker–always a good thing when listening via a built-in speaker. Admittedly, the overall fidelity of the built-in speaker is mediocre at best–it lacks any bass response and sounds shallow, and unfortunately, there’s no way to change the tone from high to low. While the built-in speaker is fine for listening to the ham radio bands (in SSB or a CW mode), I would like better fidelity for the broadcast bands. This is no doubt a vestige of this radio’s ham transceiver heritage.
The front display is large, with an adjustable dimmer. It is crisp and very easy to read, which I like very well.
The competition
The only current shortwave tabletop competitors with the Alinco DX-R8T ($500), are the Icom IC-R75 ($600-700) and the Palstar R30A ($740 US). The Icom IC-R75 is a fine receiver and one I have recommended to many web readers in search of a multi-function tabletop. It has been on the market for years in many versions (some more successful than others), and is generally a solid performer. The Palstar R30A is also an excellent receiver, though it lacks the bells and whistles of its Japanese counterparts. People who buy a Palstar want bare-bones simplicity and performance.
Since I own a Palstar R30C (the predecessor to the R30A), I used it as a point of comparison in my review of the DX-R8T.
Operation
The DX-R8T is a pleasure to operate. I was able to intuit nearly all but the memory functions without looking at the owner’s manual even once. A major plus, in my opinion!
Tuning is the function you use the most on any radio; with the DX-R8T you have three ways to tune:
the tuning knob
the up/down arrows and M/kHz button to toggle steps
the direct keypad entry
The keypad is configured like that on a phone, which I like. Again, because I have large fingers, I do wish the keypad buttons were slightly bigger. Frequencies are entered in MHz, so to go to 6,925 kHz, for example, you enter “6” “.” “9” “2” “5” “ENT.” To move to 6,000 kHz, you can shortcut by entering “6” “.” “ENT.” Simple enough.
I did find it helpful to use the up/down arrows to move between meter bands, otherwise I never tune with the up/down arrows.
The tuning knob gets my seal of approval and scanning with it is a pleasure. Admittedly, I wish it were a little more adaptive to tuning speed (i.e., turning quickly speeds up the frequency steps) or that it could be adjusted somewhat. You can tell that the Alinco DX-R8T derives from amateur radio, as its tuning knob speed is perfect for finding ham radio stations.
Switching between modes is simple–pressing the “Mode” button moves you between, AM, FM, CWL, CWU, LSB and USB.
The volume, squelch, IF shift and RIT knobs are all well-spaced and easily accessible.
Broadcast listening
The Alinco DX-R8T is a capable broadcast receiver. In my tests, it was as sensitive as my Palstar.
The generous, wide 9kHz AM bandwidth means that broadcast stations come in with a great deal of fidelity. The flip side of the 9kHz bandwidth, though, is that it is less effective if there is an adjacent station–say, 5kHz away. Luckily, the DX-R8T has an IF shift knob handy so that a modest adjustment can usually eliminate adjacent interference.
I found the narrow AM bandwidth a little too narrow for broadcast listening. It’s a mere 2 kHz wide and is simply too restrictive if listening to music. For voice intelligibility, the narrow filter works fairly well, using the IF shift to open it a bit. This narrow filter could be useful if trying to snag a weak DX signal, as it’s sufficiently narrow to cut out a lot of noise.
Speaking of noise, the Alinco has a respectfully low noise floor.
Amateur radio bands
The DX-R8T has modes for upper sideband, lower sideband and even upper and lower CW (morse code/digital) sidebands.
It performs rather well on the ham bands, pulling out weak SSB stations from the static.
In fact, its 500 Hz CW audio filter is quite good if you like listening to CW under normal conditions. I did try out the DX-R8T on Field Day 2011 and found that it had a hard time dealing with the intensely crowded band conditions. Adjacent signals cause “thumping” while listening in pile-ups. This was no surprise; even pricey ham radio transceivers are subject to this type of problem under crowded CW conditions. [I usually turn to my Elecraft K2 or Ten-Tec OMNI VI+ (ham band-only transceivers) when participating in a Field Day or contest event.]
Th DX-R8T should do a formidable job listening to SSB ham radio, utility and pirate radio stations and the digital modes (like PSK31, RTTY, etc.).
Summary
Pros:
Excellent sensitivity in the shortwave (HF) bands
Simple design requires very little reference to owner’s manual
Extra wide 9kHz filter lends to high-fidelity broadcast listening (see con)
Filters are effective and well selected for SSB and CW modes
Large dimmable back-lit display with all pertinent information
Versatile: use the DX-R8T as a tabletop, detach the remote head to save footprint in your shack, mount in your car or connect to your PC and use the DX-R8T as an SDR
Front-facing speaker (see con)
DRM ready
Full control of all receiver functions when used as an SDR
Excellent value
Cons:
AM narrow filter is a little too narrow for most broadcasts
Some front-panel buttons are a little too close to the tuning knob
Mediocre built-in speaker, but good fidelity through external speaker or headphones
External speaker hook-up only on front panel
Does not come with a 12 volt power supply (sold separately)
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to admit that I was very skeptical of the Alinco DX-R8T before reviewing it. The price point was almost too attractive for a tabletop radio, and to offer the versatility of a detachable faceplate and control as an SDR receiver seemed too good to be true. I thought there must be a compromise somewhere. Fortunately, it seems I was wrong.
Rear panel view of the Alinco DX-R8T
The Alinco DX-R8T is, in fact, a fine receiver. I especially love the fact that it’s simple to operate. While there are relatively few new tabletops introduced to the market, there are a number of Software Defined Radios available–their performance is excellent, but the learning curve (especially for a newcomer to the hobby) can be intimidating. Plus they require a computer.
With the Alinco DX-R8T, you get the best of both worlds, a simple “turn on and tune in” tabletop, plus a fully DRM ready SDR.
When people write in and ask for advice on buying their first tabletop receiver, I can recommend this DX-R8T without hesitation. Though it lacks the DSP that can be purchased separately with an Icom R75, it’s as sensitive as my Palstar R30C and the 9kHz AM bandwidth lends some excellent fidelity into headphones or an external speaker.
I must admit, I’m impressed with the Alinco DX-R8T. It has all of the major features I like in a tabletop radio: it’s well-built, easy to use, sensitive, versatile, and it has sufficient control options to help adjust adjacent interference and improve intelligibility. It also has a very attractive price at $499 US. It’s next-best competitor is probably the Icom R75–but neither the Icom, nor the Palstar R30A, can be used as an SDR and neither have the appropriate IF output for DRM as does the Alinco DX-R8T. In short, it’s a lot of radio for the money, excellent for those starting in the hobby.
Paired with a good antenna, the Alinco DX-R8T is a bargain performer. If you’ve thought about moving from portable radios to the world of a more serious receiver, you can’t go wrong with the Alinco DX-R8T.
Will the Alinco DX-R8T perform as well as the Icom IC-R75 or the Palstar R30A? We’ll let you know.
We can say that this is most likely a stripped-down version of their amateur transceiver, the Alinco DX-SR8T–probably a good thing. The DX-SR8T gets good marks for receiver sensitivity and selectivity (for a transceiver in its price range). In fact, eham reviewers give it an average of 4.5 stars out of 5.
Regarding price, I imagine it will be in the $500-600 US range (especially based on the pricing for the DX-R8 by Nevada in the UK and the $645US price point of the DX-SR8T transceiver). Universal has not yet announced a price (listed T.B.A.).
Check back for updates–we will post them as soon as they become available.
No doubt, the Covid-19 global pandemic has had a mostly negative impact on our daily lives. 
The Alinco DX-R8T has enjoyed a long product life. I recall reviewing this fine tabletop receiver back in 2011. It has been a very popular radio because it’s been one of the only “legacy” tabletop receivers still in production.
