WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Im thinking of getting an old Yaesu FRG-7.I havnt been into HF scanners before and im wondering what i can expect to hear?My main interests would be WAPOL,SES ,VKS737 and other 4x4 networks and maybe marine HF.
Thanks AL

The FRG-7 was a hugely popular receiver and is a favourite with collectors still. It's not a scanner though so you'll be spinning dials.
You can expect to hear the regular shortwave broadcasts and hams as well as some 27MHz CB. I'm not sure you'll hear much WAPOL or SES though.
You'll need a decent outdoor antenna like a longwire. A rubber ducky's not going to be much use on an FRG-7.

A FRG-7 was my first purchase when I got interested in radio. As robbage said it is not a radio with memory channels so you would either have to turn the dial or sit on one frequency. Perhaps something that has computer control like one of the many SDR's around would be more suitable as you could store frequencies in memory and scan them. There are some not too expensive up to mind blowingly expensive.

A FRG-7 is a good starter receiver for HF and amazingly on the second hand market nowadays for around the same price I paid for mine new so seemingly hold their value somewhat.

I got the FRG-7 for $150.Ive run a long wire around the backyard fence.Only thing i seem to be getting is local AM stations.

Have you tried all antenna connections? From memory there were a couple of connection points on the rear panel. One was for low frequency (under 2MHz, ie, local AM) and another for shortwave. Also just in case the connection points are not working try connecting the wire to the centre "hole" in the SO-239 connector when looking around on shortwave. If you have not done so, when you change bands you have to adjust the preselector for maximum noise.

Make sure you have not flipped the attenuator by mistake. Thats all that immediately springs to mind. It's probably been 20 years since I had mine.