tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post9197226286662091614..comments2024-03-26T05:51:25.820-04:00Comments on RADIO-TIMETRAVELLER: Si483x-based Kaito KA321 DSP Receiver OrderedRADIO-TIMETRAVELLERhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05463280488316885706noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-59123768929763686352013-04-09T16:52:05.354-04:002013-04-09T16:52:05.354-04:00Thanks, Bill. Apparently a few recent videos were ...Thanks, Bill. Apparently a few recent videos were uploaded with the wrong visibility settings, but I fixed them.<br /><br />73, StephenStephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04987590475133039844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-18614448549924240922013-04-09T06:16:51.442-04:002013-04-09T06:16:51.442-04:00Hi Stephen,
Thanks for your detailed report. I ha...Hi Stephen,<br /><br />Thanks for your detailed report. I have much the same feeling about the KA321. Will have more to say in the review.<br /><br />Thanks also for the info on the 12-587. Was wondering about this radio. By the way, the 12-587 video showed "private" so could not view it.<br /><br />BillRADIO-TIMETRAVELLERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05463280488316885706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-81719663845213142502013-04-07T11:08:49.213-04:002013-04-07T11:08:49.213-04:00Hi Bill,
I picked up a 12-586 at Rat Shack last w...Hi Bill,<br /><br />I picked up a 12-586 at Rat Shack last week to try it out. I also bagged a 12-587, a similarly-sized digital display radio.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjMxbcK20Y" rel="nofollow">Here's a mid-afternoon bandscan on the 12-586</a>.<br /><br />I notice (as you may als see) that it likes to "lock" onto stations when possible. When tuning, I notice it doesn't start with the garbled splatter then as you approach center it smoothly cleans up, it starts as nothing then jumps into in-tune reception. Going from one station to the next is also jumpy.<br /><br />A huge deal breaKer for me is that even though it has the very good selectivity to be expected from an SiLabs chip, tuning across it completely misses a lot of weaker stations. One way to tune these in, at least higher on the band, is to use another radio's local oscillator to generate a stronger carrier to lock onto. BUT, when turning the 12-586 off then back on, it often "snapped" to a nearby strong station. (I recorded a video but it didn't come out right.) A few examples are below. The desired station is first, then the pest. Approximate dBu readings are from the PL-398mp.<br /><br />1620 WNSB415 (~21 dBu) vs 1630 XEUT (~51 dBu)<br />1490 KSPE (~teens-low20s) vs 1470 XERCN (~58-60)<br />~1370? - was getting 1360 KLSD (~66-68) off-tune splatter, interestingly tuning the other radio caused the RS to lock onto 1360.<br />1280 KFRN (~26-28) vs 1270 XEAZ (~52-54)<br />1190 KGBN (~16-20) vs 1170 KCBQ (~80, ~125mV/m)<br />1110 KDIS (~22-24) vs 1130 KSDO (~75-76), 1130 splatter or 1090 XEPRS (~52-55) on various attempts.<br /><br />This behavior is quite annoying to me, so the radio is very likely going back unless I can find a GOOD reason to keep it.<br /><br />Also <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNB2PK9TU4o" rel="nofollow">here's a 12-587 bandscan</a>. For several seconds when tuning a frequency, often there's a lot of noise. Some frequencies also have a carrier which interferes with a station, a prominent example being 570, occupied by KLAC.<br /><br />For comparison, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QfbofiqTJU" rel="nofollow">here's a Sony SRF-M37W bandscan</a> recorded around the same time. (This radio's AM filter was replaced with a somewhat tighter one.)<br /><br />Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04987590475133039844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-19308876843975790682013-04-07T03:01:11.787-04:002013-04-07T03:01:11.787-04:00Thanks for your comments guys.
I have the radio i...Thanks for your comments guys.<br /><br />I have the radio in hand and will try to get working on a review this week.<br /><br />Raj - I guess the unprotected front end of these one chip DSP sets is a little more vulnerable than I thought!<br /><br />BillRADIO-TIMETRAVELLERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05463280488316885706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-60384110628682793232013-04-06T01:17:42.975-04:002013-04-06T01:17:42.975-04:00Any updates on the review? Thanks!Any updates on the review? Thanks!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-52957772519262434132013-03-28T23:46:56.082-04:002013-03-28T23:46:56.082-04:00Bill, the signal level was at the antenna. It was ...Bill, the signal level was at the antenna. It was fed from a HP test set. Tecsun 600 and 660 and many others I own show no distress at this input. The 380 goes completely silent!Rajhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02807776823898325645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-72077989143857450132013-03-28T20:37:12.867-04:002013-03-28T20:37:12.867-04:00I've had one since October, and it's great...I've had one since October, and it's great. FM is very good, and SW & MW are just a notch less good than my Tecsun 380. Head and shoulders over the 911, and for about the same price.<br /><br />The analog tuning is a big plus here, because it's simple. Gave away a handful of them to family & friends at Christmas because it is so easy to work.<br /><br />Looking forward to your review. I'm guessing you'll like it.<br />Dr. Coyotehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03547571021273576984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-12573532146496581862013-03-27T22:27:39.286-04:002013-03-27T22:27:39.286-04:00Bill,
One big disadvantage of an analog DSP radio...Bill,<br /><br />One big disadvantage of an analog DSP radio is that you lose the ETM mode of the digital DSP radios (like the PL-380). This works so well that I sometimes use my PL-380 as a spotter receiver for my Satellit 800 or CCRadio-SW on shortwave.<br /><br />-Gary<br />gkinsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05062494311025609007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-66205360674069635462013-03-27T10:01:41.016-04:002013-03-27T10:01:41.016-04:00Raj,
It would depend on what frame of reference y...Raj,<br /><br />It would depend on what frame of reference you are using. The PL-380 measures antenna input in dBuV, or dB above 1 microvolt. 50 actual millivolts (mV) would blanket the receiver if across the antenna terminals. 50 millivolts per meter field strength might not. Local station WYSL-1040 in Avon presents about 175 mV/m field strength at my location, but the PL-380 handles it quite well.<br /><br />BillRADIO-TIMETRAVELLERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05463280488316885706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-42674891015049185702013-03-27T06:50:50.996-04:002013-03-27T06:50:50.996-04:00My Tecsun 380 goes silent with antenna input of mo...My Tecsun 380 goes silent with antenna input of more than 50mV. Such big signals may not show up in real life but I am wondering why!Rajhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02807776823898325645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-9883728476780140442013-03-27T04:22:39.994-04:002013-03-27T04:22:39.994-04:00Hi Gary,
Will definitely check it out for you. I ...Hi Gary,<br /><br />Will definitely check it out for you. I want to compare it closely to the Tecsun PL-380 and see how the analog differs.<br /><br />BillRADIO-TIMETRAVELLERhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05463280488316885706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4260200412608523752.post-63688495274371231092013-03-26T22:07:26.063-04:002013-03-26T22:07:26.063-04:00Bill,
Hopefully the DSP makes for excellent FM re...Bill,<br /><br />Hopefully the DSP makes for excellent FM reception. I've got the similar looking, purely analog Tecsun R-9012, and the FM on it is absolutely hideous (the same station appears at multiple spots on the dial, many stations cannot be received at all).<br /><br />-Garygkinsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05062494311025609007noreply@blogger.com