WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Hello All,

I just started this amazing hobby of radio scanning and I just bought an ICOM IC-R6 to start with. What confuse me is that when I listen to the common AM Broadcast such as ABC News for example 585 kHz and also the 720 kHz the ICOM IC-R6 perform a lot worse than my Sangean ATS-909 and Realistic DX 345 World Band radio. Even my Car Radio can receive the AM broadcast a lot better than ICOM IC-R6. I also try to switch it to use the 'Internal Bar Antenna', it improves it a little bit but not much better then those two World Band Radios.

Is that normal ? I thought a Radio Scanner/Communications Receivers are basically a high performance radios ?

And I also have difficulty listening to the Longwave Jandakot ATIS at 281 kHz because the tuning resolution never get the 0.281 Mhz perfectly. The closest I can get is 0.2815 Mhz. I have tried all different tuning steps available. I can get the 281 kHz without any problem with the Sangean ATS-909.

But anyway, I am really happy with any other bands receptions.

Thank's

Just as a matter of interest what is the antenna you use, other than the bar antenna?

Nosferatu wrote:And I also have difficulty listening to the Longwave Jandakot ATIS at 281 kHz because the tuning resolution never get the 0.281 Mhz perfectly. The closest I can get is 0.2815 Mhz. I have tried all different tuning steps available.

0.2815 MHz is 281.5 kHz

The minimum tuning step is 5 kHz, so you are not going to get any better than that.

I can get the 281 kHz without any problem with the Sangean ATS-909.

Two totally different technologies.

--
Comint

Yep, that's pretty much it: you can't expect one radio to perform well on LF, HF and VHF/UHF. These bands all require different circuitry and different antennas.

The IC-R6 is one of a number of radios that have coverage as low as 500kHz and as high as 1300mHz, but few perform well over the entire frequency range.

To give you an idea of the sort of radio that can perform over that kind of frequency range, look at something like the Icom IC-R9000 or IC-R9500. They have enormous frequency coverage and outstanding performance across that range because they're basically several radios in one box (with a price tag to match).

The IC-R6 will probably give you good results in the VHF and UHF. Good quality HF receivers unfortunately don't fit in small housings.

Thank's Guys for all the comments, that really help

@Blinky : I use the original antennae that come with the IC-R6. The rubber coated one.

@Steve : Yeah, that make really good sense. To receive different frequencies band you need both correct circuitry and correct antennae. (Thank's)

@Comint : Oh well, I just have to switch to different radios depend on what I want to listen to

Nosferatu wrote:
@Blinky : I use the original antennae that come with the IC-R6. The rubber coated one.

Thats what I thought. You will find if you connect a long length of wire to the scanner you will receive HF better but probably at a cost. With better signals, the selectivity of your radio might prove a problem. That is strong signals close by bleed through and could cause interference to whatever you wanted to listen to.

A short antenna is better for receiving VHF and UHF signals. For HF you need longer. So by listening on the rubber ducky antenna supplied you will find it will not receive too well on HF. Try connecting a length of wire to a BNC plug and then plug it to your radio and you might notice a substantial difference on HF but with the selectivity problems mentioned above. You could be lucky and not notice any.

By a long length of wire I would say many metres long and high as possible.

Nosferatu wrote:By a long length of wire I would say many metres long and high as possible.

@Blinky : What sort of wire are you talking about ? Is is special wires made for antenna ?

Anyway, I am thinking of using a discone antenna mounted on my roof top and connect it to my IC-R6. I have read it in an article somewhere in this forum which says that a discone antenna will received all bands quite well. is that true ?

For a portable antenna where I can carry around easily (but longer than the rubber ducky) [I'm thinking of getting a high quality telescopic antenna if there are any for the IC-R6 scanner] , can you recommend me something ? Is there any good telescopic antenna that I can replace the rubber ducky with ?

Thank's

Nosferatu wrote:

Nosferatu wrote:Anyway, I am thinking of using a discone antenna mounted on my roof top and connect it to my IC-R6. I have read it in an article somewhere in this forum which says that a discone antenna will received all bands quite well. is that true ?

Discone antenna are generally for VHF and UHF. One for HF/shortwave would be humungous. They are low gain as well, usually just less than zero db. Their big advantage is that they are very wide band so the right discone antenna can cover a large part of the VHF and UHF bands equally well. For HF, like Blinky said, a long wire up high. Doesn't matter what kind of wire so long as it can withstand the weather. As long as you can make it. Metres long.

This discone just reaches down to the HF band and is about 4 feet high...

Nosferatu wrote:

Nosferatu wrote:By a long length of wire I would say many metres long and high as possible.

@Blinky : What sort of wire are you talking about ? Is is special wires made for antenna ?

No nothing special. basically any sort of copper wire will do. For HF you need a large catchment area to have the best chance of receiving something. The discone Robbage mentioned would probably not receive HF signals better than a length of wire but it would receive VHF/UHF signals better. My first SWL antenna was just plastic coated copper wire about 20 metres long and around 7 metres high off the ground.

Whatever you can manage. If you only have 5 metres, that would be a start and likely better than the antenna supplied.

Blinky wrote:The discone Robbage mentioned would probably not receive HF signals better than a length of wire but it would receive VHF/UHF signals better

Not to mention the $250 price tag

@Blinky :

robbage wrote:My first SWL antenna was just plastic coated copper wire about 20 metres long and around 7 metres high off the ground.

20 meters ? Wow, that is really long
So how do you install it ? Stretch is across 2 poles ?

That remind me of something I have but haven't used it yet. I have this Sangean ATS-909 (World Band Radio). It come with an extendable antenna. Basically it is just a really long cable inside a plastic roller ( similar mechanism to the garden hose ) where I can plug it in the special jack on the radio to improve the reception. I haven't really used it yet because it is too inconvenient. I will try to use that tonight (if I can find it hahaha )

Yeah, I think that cable has exactly the same concept of your 20 meters wire (for receiving the shortwave broadcast)

@Robbage :

Nosferatu wrote:This discone just reaches down to the HF band and is about 4 feet high...

Yeah, it's quite big and it also need to be mounted on a mast. I was wondering since it receive UHF and VHF very well, can we use it for TV as well ? Or can I use TV antenna for a scanner ?

Nosferatu wrote:@Blinky :

robbage wrote:My first SWL antenna was just plastic coated copper wire about 20 metres long and around 7 metres high off the ground.

20 meters ? Wow, that is really long
So how do you install it ? Stretch is across 2 poles ?

thats how exactly.

Yeah, I think that cable has exactly the same concept of your 20 meters wire (for receiving the shortwave broadcast)

That would be the same concept. You have nothing to loose by trying it assuming you can find it. If not try another piece of wire. My PCR1000 or 1500 (I forget which) came with a short piece of coax and a BNC connector and then a 4 or 5 metre length of wire attached. Any length of wire has got to be better than a 150cm rubber coated antenna supplied.

Blinky

Do you still use the PCR1000/1500 ?

I'm very happy with my PCR1000 on HF/VHF/UHF

I use the PCR1500 more nowadays since I got it a remote head for it so don't have to have the PC on anymore.

I am happy with mine. Some people complain about them being no good but I have no complaints. Well maybe one complaint. I complain I did not get a PCR2500.

Steve wrote: ↑Sun Jan 30, 2011 10:53 pm Yep, that's pretty much it: you can't expect one radio to perform well on LF, HF and VHF/UHF. These bands all require different circuitry and different antennas.

The IC-R6 is one of a number of radios that have coverage as low as 500kHz and as high as 1300mHz, but few perform well over the entire frequency range.

To give you an idea of the sort of radio that can perform over that kind of frequency range, look at something like the Icom IC-R9000 or IC-R9500. They have enormous frequency coverage and outstanding performance across that range because they're basically several radios in one box (with a price tag to match).

The IC-R6 will probably give you good results in the VHF and UHF. Good quality HF receivers unfortunately don't fit in small housings.

Im new to receivers but I agree with you 100%. People just don't do their homework before purchasing. Many rely on reviews and forum entries aside from doing extensive research.