[RFI] Topband portable rx

[Rob Atkinson]

Graham,

I have had pretty good luck with a Grundig Yachtboy YB400.   I got
mine on eBay for 50 dollars.  It is a paperback book sized portable
that uses six AA batteries.  on 160 and the HF frequencies it operates
on USB, LSB, AM and I guess with the BFO, CW however I have not used
it for that mode because like you, I have only used it for RFI and ham
AM and SSB reception.  It has a jack for headphones, external power,
and antenna.   It is a pretty good rx for its size and cost.   It has
two antennas, a loopstick antenna for AM broadcast band and a 90 cm
telescoping antenna for everything else.   My only annoyance is it
automatically switches to the telescoping antenna when I tune it above
1710 KHz so the loop antenna is not used on 160 m.   The loop antenna
is much better for direction finding so that is a pity.   But, I just
found out yesterday that Grundig makes an external loop antenna that
has several turns, 10 or 15 on a circle that is about 23 cm diameter.
it has a jack for a wire to a receiver and a peak adjustment (a
capacitor I assume).  This could be connected to the YB400 through its
antenna jack.   The Grundig loop antenna is available here at Radio
Shack chain stores for $40.  Of course making your own small receive
loop antenna is always an option.

73

Rob
K5UJ