Something For Those Cloudy Nights

[laser_jock99]

I discovered by accident that my observatory site is not only 'dark sky' but also 'radio quiet'- owing to it's remote location (no mobile signal here....haha!). Combined with the high elavation (1500 feet) it makes a good location for receiving faint SW radio signals from around the globe.

With this in mind I started looking for a budget SW reciever to test the theory and found not one but two in the local 'junk shop' in Machynlleth.

The larger receiver is a 1980 Realistic (Tandy) DX-302 in very good condition.

And a smaller Philips 1971 portable in almost mint condition.

The number of different stations I can recieve up here is amazing- way better than in the Midlands mainly due, I think, to the lack of local radio noise/intereference. And this is without a decent antenna- just a piece of wire dangling out the obsy.

I hope to set up a half decent long wire antenna and get even better reception. The observatory is in danger of becoming a radio shack!

 

[johninderby]

Brings back memories. I used to have the Realistic DX300 shortwave receiver. Many hours spent using it. 

      John

[Kn4fty]

Nothing wrong with it becoming a radio shack too. ?

[Gina]

I think my warm room might become a summer house ?

[lenscap]

20 hours ago, laser_jock99 said:

The larger receiver is a 1980 Realistic (Tandy) DX-302 in very good condition.

 

20 hours ago, laser_jock99 said:

The observatory is in danger of becoming a radio shack!

Quite appropriate really since Tandy were  "Radio Shack" in the USA

.

 

[The storm fisherman]

53 minutes ago, lenscap said:

 

Quite appropriate really since Tandy were  "Radio Shack" in the USA

.

 

And still going in 2015 in a few spots but I think they went bust a year or 2 ago

 

[johninderby]

RadioShack has actually survived and has come back from the dead. They are mainly online now but still have some stores. They just signed a deal with HobbyTown in the US to open “express” stores within HobbyTown branches selling RadioShack stock.

Much smaller scale operation now than they used to be but actually growing again.

The Tandy name was sold to an Australian company who operate a chain of electrical goods shops under the Tandy.com.au name.

[laser_jock99]

Fond memories of the old Tandy shops- local one closed in 1999 I think? Now Maplins has gone too......

[laser_jock99]

I set up a proper 75 foot longwire antenna now- running down from the chimney to the observatory and rigged up a propper ground wire.  Reception is much better now,

[Astrokev]

On ‎23‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 19:49, laser_jock99 said:

Fond memories of the old Tandy shops- local one closed in 1999 I think? Now Maplins has gone too......

Yes, we had a Radio Shack store near to me in Bedford back in the '80's. They stocked stuff you just couldn't get anywhere else at the time as I recall.

[Wyvern]

And since both receivers work around 20MHz you'll soon have a simple "Radio Jupiter" set up as well,

Enjoy!

 

Les

[laser_jock99]

12 hours ago, Wyvern said:

And since both receivers work around 20MHz you'll soon have a simple "Radio Jupiter" set up as well,

Enjoy!

 

Les

Thanks- I'll look into that. Apparently listening to the astronauts on ISS is possible too.

[iammart]

This reminded me of poring over Tandy catalogues when I was a kid ?

[iammart]

Ooh, 1980, p79

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/catalogs_extra/1980_tandy_uk/index_all.html

[laser_jock99]

6 minutes ago, iammart said:

Ooh, 1980, p79

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/html/catalogs_extra/1980_tandy_uk/index_all.html

Wow- expensive stuff. The £539 stereo on the front page would set you back £2,500 in todays money. I bet it probably wasn't even that good- Realistic are not really a respected/collectable audiophile brand.

Good link though!

[laser_jock99]

Got a new radio in the collection a TECSUN PL-380. If anything I like this better than the big Tandy base station- it's nearly as good and also handheld (can use this in bed!)

Tried it out connected to the obsy long wire antenna (25m) and logged a staggering 60+ separate FM broadcast signals (although many were duplicate stations e.g. Classic FM three times) including a French station from Wales! Not too shabby on shortwave and medium wave either.