Any Shortwave Radio buffs here?? (cheap, bullet, Canada, interest)

[Tightwad]

Originally Posted by AlstraQ

One of the better radios for the money is a Kaito KA 1103, a Chinese brand.

Try this link:

Kaito KA1103 Product Reviews

Also on this site you will find reviews of many radios, and tons of information.

Nice, very nice! Thanks.

[poster]

Another great source: Home

They produce an SWL magazine as well, Monitoring Times.

[Easybreezy]

I just ran across this thread. When I was young, my dad and I used to listen to shortwave radio.

Guess what? I have a Zenith Trans Oceanic radio in an upstairs closet and in virtually mint condition and packed in its original box.

Tomorrow, I'm going to check it out and see if it still works. It probably does.

Thanks for this thread!!

[ertily]

I used to have a Grundig 400PE and the reception and quality were great. It tended to go thru batteries quickly and I did not care for plugging it in. So I switched to a smaller Grundig 550PE which works great for stronger signals. I was never one for trying to pull in weak and fading sw signals anyway. I listen to people like Ronnie Whathisname on the PRophetic Watch most days and find SW is a good culture.

[catman]

All you need is a longwire antenna to boost the weaker signals.

[Tightwad]

Originally Posted by Easybreezy

I just ran across this thread. When I was young, my dad and I used to listen to shortwave radio.

Guess what? I have a Zenith Trans Oceanic radio in an upstairs closet and in virtually mint condition and packed in its original box.

Tomorrow, I'm going to check it out and see if it still works. It probably does.

Thanks for this thread!!

What a lucky fella! The Zenith Trans Oceanic radio was, and still is, one of the best SW radios ever made. It's still a standard that new radios are compared to.

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by Tightwad

What a lucky fella! The Zenith Trans Oceanic radio was, and still is, one of the best SW radios ever made. It's still a standard that new radios are compared to.

Does anyone know where to get one of these serviced?
I have my dad's he had in the army up in Alaska when it was only a territory in the 50's.
The case is leather and in good shape, carry handle needs replacing. The strings on the tuner need replacing as does the antenna. I just assume all the tubes should be replaced as well. It might just impress dad to see it work again.

[Tightwad]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

Does anyone know where to get one of these serviced?
I have my dad's he had in the army up in Alaska when it was only a territory in the 50's.
The case is leather and in good shape, carry handle needs replacing. The strings on the tuner need replacing as does the antenna. I just assume all the tubes should be replaced as well. It might just impress dad to see it work again.

Contact these folk's who have been in radio since 1942. They should know or can fix it themselves.

Universal Radio Information Page

[Moth]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

Does anyone know where to get one of these serviced?
I have my dad's he had in the army up in Alaska when it was only a territory in the 50's.
The case is leather and in good shape, carry handle needs replacing. The strings on the tuner need replacing as does the antenna. I just assume all the tubes should be replaced as well. It might just impress dad to see it work again.

Any decent audio/stereo/radio repairperson can do the job. Replacing the string is easy and you could do it yourself (do a Google). The antenna is an easy fix as well. The tubes may well be fine. You or the repairperson need ony use a tube tester to find out. Replacements are not a problem.

My guess is the biggest issue will be recapping it- replacing the capacitors which may have dried out. Again, not an impossible job and any pro can do it.

These guys are still around if you look. There are even ones you can mail the radio to. Having it done right may cost a bit, but it will then last another 40 years. The Transoceanic is well worth it.

[ferretkona]

Thanks everyone, my wife is getting excited about the radio now. I do have a friend who repairs stereos, the nice old ones with tubes. I'll ask Danny if he is familiar with them.