Hello Rich, <<< I have been seeing a lot about this radio & am considering buying one - many posts mention a loop stick - my assumption is that this doesn't come with the radio & people build them. Can someone tell me if this is so & would using an old school Super Select-a-tenna give me similar results? >>>
Although the stock XHDATA D-808 model already provides good AM sensitivity with its 3 7/8" (97mm) loopstick, its performance can be dramatically boosted by replacing the stock loopstick with an externally-mounted 7.5" transplant. A photo of such an enhanced D-808 model is posted at https://dreamcrafts.box.com/s/vk26lkhhu77q8buzuaido03fmy5s7xst This 7.5" transplant loopstick is the same one used for "supercharging" the Tecsun PL-380 model, as described in the construction article posted at http://www.mediafire.com/file/du3sr5cd9thqvau/7.5inch-LS-PL380.doc/file The enhanced D-808 model would have AM sensitivity similar to that of a stock D-808 + Select-a-Tenna combo, but would not require peaking the external antenna every time a frequency is changed. This is a huge advantage for quick and easy "travel DXing." 73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) > On July 28, 2018 at 4:36 PM fpeconsultant via NRC-AM > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello - I have been seeing a lot about this radio & am considering buying > one - many posts mention a loop stick - my assumption is that this doesn't > come with the radio & people build them. Can someone tell me if this is so & > would using an old school Super Select-a-tenna give me similar results? > Thx > Rich > > On Jul 28, 2018, at 14:09, < [email protected] > mailto:[email protected] > wrote: > > > > > > > This is the best portable I’ve seen yet. > > > > > > > > Rick Shaftan > > > > Rodanthe NC OBX FM25go > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] mailto:[email protected] > > <[email protected] mailto:[email protected] > On Behalf Of Gary > > DeBock > > Sent: Friday, July 27, 2018 1:18 AM > > To: America, Mailing <[email protected] > > mailto:[email protected] >; NRC <[email protected] > > mailto:[email protected] > > > Subject: [nrc-am] XHDATA D-808-- The Summer Travel "Smoke Test" > > > > > > > > Detailed information concerning the new, Chinese-made XHDATA > > D-808 AM-LW-FM-SW-AIR portable has been posted previously, including its > > hot-performing AM-DXing loopstick, SSB capability and rechargeable > > lithium-ion battery. This model was "inspired" (to be generous) by the > > C.Crane Skywave SSB model, which was manufactured in the nearby Redsun > > factories in China-- with the first model sold a few months before the > > D-808 was "reverse-engineered." > > > > As reported previously, the D-808 makes a few significant > > improvements over the Skywave SSB model-- a longer, more sensitive AM > > loopstick, a much stronger audio amplifier, and a much lower price ($112 on > > eBay, versus $169.99 for the Skywave SSB). After a few months with the > > company declining to ship to North American customers (apparently to avoid > > a copyright lawsuit because of the SSB circuitry, identical to that of the > > Skywave SSB), a single Chinese eBay seller is now doing a booming business, > > shipping the model to North American customers through Israel. > > > > After performing two MW and one Longwave 7.5" loopstick transplants > > on the D-808 model, I can confirm that the model is well engineered (or > > maybe well reverse engineered?), with the loopstick connections on the RF > > circuit board unusually accessible, and ideal for soldering larger diameter > > Litz wire. There are actually two terminal connections for this purpose-- > > most likely to make it easy for the XHDATA engineers to test out various > > loopsticks. > > > > And a loopstick transplant on the D-808 may be easier to > > contemplate if you consider the fact that you will not be violating the > > XHDATA warranty by replacing the loopstick. Why not? Because there is no > > evidence of any XHDATA warranty on the model, either online, or in the > > documents shipped along with the portable :-) > > > > As such, I thought I would submit a D-808 model to a very > > rough break-in test during extensive summer travel these past two weeks. A > > 7.5" MW loopstick D-808 model was taken along during road trips to eastern > > Washington (complete with 100 degree F/ 43 degree C temperatures), rough > > mountain roads (on Mount Rainier, Mount Baker and Hurricane Ridge) and a > > visit to Vancouver, BC. > > > > Once the supplied 3.7v Lithium Ion battery is fully charged > > (via a supplied USB-type connector cord), the battery provides exceptional > > run time. I was able to use it for many hours of DXing over two weeks, with > > no apparent loss of power. The audio amp delivers a lot of response, even > > when signals are weak. It takes a little time getting used to the volume > > control being on the left side when the tuning control is on the right, but > > you catch on pretty quick. The enhanced 7.5" MW loopstick model is like the > > "King of Compact Portables," with sensitivity enough to dig out practically > > everything that any other portable on the planet could come up with-- with > > SSB capability and multiple DSP filtering selections to boot. For someone > > making an overseas trip or extended travel from home, it would be a dream > > portable. This is the first radio to use the full capabilities of the > > American-engineered Si4735 DSP chip-- with exceptional results. > > > > What finally got my undivided attention, though, was when the > > model was accidentally left in the trunk during our visit to Ellensburg, > > WA-- a location famous for 100 degree days in July. Multiple items in the > > trunk (shampoo, food, electric shavers, etc.) were zapped by the 104 degree > > temperature inside the trunk, and were either ruined, or refused to > > operate. As I turned on the burning-hot D-808 model I certainly expected > > the worst, especially when the temperature indicator showed "43 degrees C." > > Much to my astonishment the model performed flawlessly, though, delivering > > an S9 signal from the Snoqualmie Pass TIS station on 1610 kHz. Not once had > > the D-808 missed a beat over a tough two weeks, which included quite a few > > rough bumps, extremely hot days and long DXing hours. Despite the rather > > dubious design pedigree and lack of any manufacturer's warranty the D-808 > > had gained my respect as a hot-performing AM-DXing portable, ready to > > perform and persevere when conditions are rough. Although it's not an > > Ultralight radio, it certainly is an exceptional portable for the price. > > > > > > > > 73 and Good DX, > > > > Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA) > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > Groups "NRC-AM" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, > > send an email to [email protected] > > mailto:[email protected] . > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > > mailto:[email protected] . > > To view this discussion on the web visit > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nrc-am/1975174617.747276.1532668667513%40connect.xfinity.com > > > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nrc-am/1975174617.747276.1532668667513%40connect.xfinity.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer > > . > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > Groups "NRC-AM" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, > > send an email to [email protected] > > mailto:[email protected] . > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > > mailto:[email protected] . > > To view this discussion on the web visit > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nrc-am/1ae001d4267c%2498c981d0%24ca5c8570%24%40earthlink.net > > > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nrc-am/1ae001d4267c%2498c981d0%24ca5c8570%24%40earthlink.net?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer > > . > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > > > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "NRC-AM" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected] > mailto:[email protected] . > To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > mailto:[email protected] . > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nrc-am/7D1EBA28-C769-444D-B35F-5D5A1569D14F%40aol.com > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/nrc-am/7D1EBA28-C769-444D-B35F-5D5A1569D14F%40aol.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer > . > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > _______________________________________________ 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]
