Sony ICF-SW7600GR Multi Band World Receiver Radio: Who cares about DX listening?

[jebem]

(07-22-2015 06:04 PM)Sukiari Wrote:  What a steal! I've had my eyes peeled for one of these at a reasonable price for years. I'm a ham and of course have GAS for nice radios.

How is it for AMDX?

DE K7ATR

Yap, I was kind of lucky, despite we can see this model for sell at similar prices + s&h on eBay.

The thing is that the guy who sold it to me was aware of its value, as he told me that "the radio was worth around 200 Euro when new".
My guess is that he just wanted to get rid of it as probably he believed the radio was faulty in the AM bands as it is mostly able to receive noise when using the fixed telescopic antenna.

In fact our area around here (Lisbon) is polluted with a lot of RF noise coming from different sources, like some telemetry systems installed in the home electrical energy counters and mainly from the Cable TV distribution network.
Most people are not aware of this because this strong RF noise is filtered out in the 100MHz VHF FM band where people listens to analog FM radios (yes, we still use it here).
But when you try to listen to AM you will have this strong noise that makes impossible to receive medium or weak stations using just an internal antenna.

AM DX... I confess that I spent a few hours at night the other day tuning to Spanish and a few Arabian stations (so, no more than 300 or 400 Km away from me) but this interference noise is everywhere taking out all the fun.

I have other radios and all of them have the same issue with this RF pollution.
Like this beast from Latvia when it was USSR:






This is a rare USSR domestic limited edition (as far as I know) MRP Model 103 "50 years USSR", based on the popular but expensive Rīga 103-2 Radio made in Riga Popov Radiotechnika Works plant, Latvia.

Why?

Because the USSR ordered Riga plant to manufacture a special 50th anniversary of the USSR foundation (1922) edition, to be offered in 1972 as a special gift to the members of the Supreme Soviet!

This special edition has no indication of the original Riga ("RRR") manufacturing plant anywhere outside or inside.
On the back the brand name is just "МРП модель 103" and in front it sports the label "50 лет СССР".

Now, a quick search in Google shows us that the Supreme Soviet never had more than (750 x 3) deputies, so this domestic limited edition would be restricted to maybe a maximum of 3000 units, considering QC issues and a small reserve to be used when needed.

Another gift option with the image of a silhouette of Riga was also manufactured to be offered to the foreign guests attending the ceremony.

This radio is in fact a Riga 103-2 series and it was a expensive first class equipment to own in USSR at the time.
However this special edition sports the USSR flag and the 50 Years USSR inscription using fine quality woods and workmanship. There is no painting here, just natural wood and lacquer to finish it.

Notes:
"МРП (Министерство Радиотехнической Промышленности)" = MRP (Ministry of radio technical industry).
"50 лет СССР" = 50 years of USSR.
"МРП модель 103" = MRP model 103.