Chuck, Yes, after-the-fact audio processing can often do wonders in improving marginal signals.
Unfortunately, when a live DXer is in a noisy location and a wimpy audio amp bails out early, there could be a sudden temptation to throw it off of a 500 foot cliff. Gary > On June 11, 2018 at 6:09 PM Chuck Hutton <[email protected]> wrote: > > After normalizing the audio levels of both recordings, I can not hear any > difference at all. > > Normalizing in this case resulted in a fairly small increase on gain for > the first 19 seconds. > > Chuck > > > > --------------------------------------------- > From: IRCA <[email protected]> on behalf of Gary DeBock > <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, June 11, 2018 5:17 PM > To: America, Mailing > Subject: [IRCA] Hot-Rodded SSB Travel Portables-- Fight to the Finish (of > the MW Band) > > Recently the new XHDATA D-808 AM-LW-FM-SW-AIR-SSB portable has > finally become available to North American purchasers, with a couple of eBay > sellers in China offering the innovative Si4735-chip based model for around > $112, plus $10 shipping. As reported in previous posts, the new model > delivers a lot of performance for the price, offering the best AM-DXing > sensitivity for any portable in its size range, along with superb FM-DXing > sensitivity. A high resolution photo of the new model is posted at > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/82se0nphymzayz1vw4fk8vnkia11xedm > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/82se0nphymzayz1vw4fk8vnkia11xedm > > The C.Crane Skywave SSB model is also a great performer for the > size, although its relatively short loopstick (66mm vs 96mm) causes it to > fall short of the D-808 in AM sensitivity, as well as in FM sensitivity. At a > $169.99 list price (plus shipping), it also falls quite a bit short of the > new D-808 in affordability. It performed very well in my recent DXpedition to > the Cook Islands, but almost any portable would probably perform like a > champion in such an enhanced environment. In any case, I was curious how the > CC Skywave SSB model and XHDATA D-808 would stack up against each other with > exactly the same Medium Wave antenna-- a 7.5 inch transplanted loopstick > (originally designed for the Tecsun PL-380 model). > > After a new XHDATA D-808 model was "supercharged" with one of these > high-performance loopsticks (a very easy process to perform, in comparison to > the same, nerve-wracking operation on the ultra-compact Skywave) > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/vk26lkhhu77q8buzuaido03fmy5s7xst > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/vk26lkhhu77q8buzuaido03fmy5s7xst , the two > hot-rodded portables assembled for a high-noon Shootout in the reception of > two ultra-weak daytime DX stations-- the SeaTac airport TIS on 530 kHz (15 > watts at 17 miles) and the 1700-City of Auburn TIS (15 watts at 11 miles). A > photo of the two contestants in the high noon sun is posted at > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/2vbsnhbbz5pyq45mki4cnbz45v4l96jq > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/2vbsnhbbz5pyq45mki4cnbz45v4l96jq > > Both models needed to absolutely max out their volume levels in > order to receive these ultra-weak stations. The SeaTac Airport TIS was > received by the 7.5" loopstick CC Skywave SSB model for the first 19 seconds > in the following MP3, and the new 7.5" loopstick XHDATA D-808 model received > the same very weak station for the next 30 seconds (recorded within a few > seconds of each other) > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/f3otu59k92e7rfletc093n9uehf0pawl > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/f3otu59k92e7rfletc093n9uehf0pawl > > The next test was in the reception of the 1700-City of Auburn TIS > station (another super-weak station). Once again, both models needed to > absolutely max out their volume levels. The 7.5" loopstick CC Skywave SSB > received the station for the first 22 seconds, while the 7.5" loopstick > XHDATA D-808 received it for the next 32 seconds > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/mucugek9f4rqpnb3us6nlpb6nbp5iqdc > https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/mucugek9f4rqpnb3us6nlpb6nbp5iqdc > > The overall judgement (in my opinion) was that although both models > were fairly competitive in actual signal quality delivered, the CC Skywave > definitely suffers because of its relatively wimpy audio amp in the > 1700-Auburn competition. The D-808 seems to throw in some extra noise in the > 530-SeaTac reception, although the signal quality didn't seem to be improved > with the higher noise level. Someone could say that that the CC Skywave had > superior reception of 530-SeaTac, simply because of the lower level of > background noise. In any case, since the weak-signal reception capability of > the two models seems to be roughly similar (except when the Skywave's wimpy > audio amp throws in the towel), the overall verdict must be that the new > D-808 is the value winner in the "supercharged" SSB travel DXing portable > class. For the 1% of the MW-DXing community that still has the interest and > capability to modify portables in this way, I would strongly suggest that you > devote your r esourc > es to the new XHDATA D-808. Besides the much lower price, superior FM > reception and powerful audio amp, it also provides decent Longwave > performance (after you transplant the 7.5" MW loopstick into the model, that > is). The next wacky operation scheduled here is a 7.5" Longwave loopstick > transplant into the D-808-- which quite possibly could nail down a reputation > as the best SSB-enhanced NDB-DXing travel portable on the planet. > > > 73 and Good DX, > > Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) > _______________________________________________ > IRCA mailing list > [email protected] > http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca > > Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the > original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, > its editors, publishing staff, or officers > > For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org http://www.ircaonline.org > > To Post a message: [email protected] > > _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
