[IRCA] Grundig G8 Continues to Amaze on FM

[D1028Gary@xxxxxxx]

Hello All,
 
Presumably everybody has heard by now of the fantastic FM performance of  
the new DSP-enhanced Tecsun PL-300WT (and Grundig G8 clone), but this new  
Ultralight radio seems to have a serious claim for the best FM performance in  
any portable yet-- small or full-size. For those of you still on the fence 
about  purchasing this $50 wonder, a few more FM reception details may be of 
 interest.
 
Before returning to AM DXing in early 2007, FM DXing with homebrew cubical  
quad antennas was my primary craze. Using frames made with relatively 
waterproof  white oak, a full-wave "driven element" loop was hooked up with 
ladder line  cable to the 75 ohm input of a sensitive FM tuner, while a slightly  
longer "reflector loop" was placed about 2' in back of the "driven 
element,"  parallel, and on the same frame. The "reflector loop" was cut about 3% 
longer  than the "driven element" (which was cut for the 3 MHz range of 
frequencies  of interest) and the highly directional FM antenna was tuned by 
adjusting a  short tuning stub on the "reflector loop" for maximum front-to-back 
ratio. After  some tinkering, the $5 system worked like gangbusters, and the 
94-97 MHz model  was able to easily receive and separate three different 
stations on  95.3 MHz here (Vancouver BC, Ellensburg, and Aberdeen, WA), just 
by pointing  it in three different directions.
 
Using three different FM cubical quad models, I thought my log of regular  
FM stations was fairly complete, with lots of Oregon and BC stations. But 
this  was before using the Grundig G8 Ultralight, with its simple whip antenna.
 
Within a few days of trying, the G8 received five new FM stations that had  
eluded the tuner and cubical quad combination! Three were from Canada  
(CHQM-103.5 in Vancouver, the Victoria 107.3 alternative rock station, and  "the 
Shore" 104.1), and two were from Washington (KJET-105.7 in South  Bend, and 
KRQT-107.1 in Castle Rock). The amazing thing was that the G8 received  all 
these new FM stations in the Puyallup Valley-- one of the worst FM  
reception locations in the local area.
 
Of course, a high priority project here will be to tinker with the  
inductance match between the G8's FM antenna input and the three FM  cubical quad 
antennas. The idea of using a highly directional FM antenna with  the 
ultra-sensitive G8 is almost enough to make a DXer forget about the  summer 
doldrums.
 
73, Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA)
 
     
 
  
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