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Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #377619 05/31/12 01:11 PM
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Wow, that's what I call service ... if AT&T were involved you would still be on the phone as I type Tom.

Neat story!

How far can you communicate on your radio? I hear those rigs sometimes can stretch way on out.


Rick
Our Room

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Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #377637 05/31/12 05:17 PM
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Rick:

Sorry to be off the TV topic again but:

I'm not a HAM so I do not transmit - I only receive. From my West Coast location, on Shortwave I regularly listen to Radio Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa & the South Pacific - all via my radio collection & small antenna farm in the back yard. The problem is now that English SW broadcasts are rapidly disappearing due to streaming on the internet; however, using the net is just not the same to me.

A sub genre of the radio listening hobby is searching for distant aeronautical Non Directional Beacons (NDBs) of which I'm sure you are familiar. As you know they are generally low powered & not designed for really long range reception; however, it is amazing what you can receive in the dark hours in the winter via atmospheric skip. This is a really geeky pastime which really impacts on my sleep patterns, ha!

I've logged over 600 NDBs in the past 3 years as far away as the Caribbean, Mexico, Brazil & Iwo Jima. Nauru in the South Pacific is my farthest catch at 5289 Statute Miles. Our local Comox NDB (6 miles from me) - QQ 400Khz - has been heard in Europe! Alas, NDBs are also disappearing as aviation GPS is now universal.

TAM

Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #377638 05/31/12 05:40 PM
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My overall satisfaction with FM radio SQ is FAR less than it used to be. Do you think that could be a function of the pervasive RFI problem you're talking about?


bibere usque ad hilaritatem
Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #377640 05/31/12 06:05 PM
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Exlabdriver, have you ever tried to get the european broadcast stations on Long wave ?
when i lived in Europe, i found listening to those was very interesting. when i was back in Canada, i tried lots of times to get them, but to no avail.

my surprise was that one day (living in Europe) there was much solar activity and i could receive a couple of AM band commercial stations from Quebec, Canada. it lasted for a few minutes.

Last edited by J. B.; 05/31/12 06:08 PM.
Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #377641 05/31/12 06:06 PM
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Tom:

I wouldn't surprise me if RFI is a factor, but probably a minor one. FM frequencies aren't as negatively affected as the lower bands such as Shortwave & Medium Wave (AM). FM is badly affected by multipath issues in urban areas caused by reflections off of buildings, etc that can really degrade clean reception. I also believe that FM is excessively compressing their signal material & we all know how that sounds. That may be the biggest factor.

I don't use FM anymore as I prefer to listen to my own choice of music rather than someone else's playlists. I don't even have a Tuner hooked up to my Tube Amp - just a CD/SACD player.

I listen to a lot of AM Talk Radio - both from Vancouver & Idaho & Washington States - just to keep my blood pressure up, ha!

TAM

Re: Large TV Advise
exlabdriver #377642 05/31/12 06:11 PM
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you better watch out, Talk Radio is a killer.

Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #377653 05/31/12 11:03 PM
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JB:

Yes, at certain times of the year & only in the wee hours, Longwave (LW) Broadcasts can be heard; however, out here on the West Coast, they are mostly from Russia. It is easier to hear Europe from eastern North America.

I have heard Germany on 153 Khz, Russia on 171 & 279 Khz, & Iceland on 189 Khz. These are not common nor easy to catch as those signals are for domestic consumption & not directed towards us in North America

LW Transmitters are monsters & put out up to 2500 KWs of power as contrasted to our North America MW (AM) transmitters of 50 KWs maximum. LW transmitters must have horrendous electric bills...

As for Talk Radio - my wife is convinced that I'm becoming more warped than normal...

TAM

Last edited by exlabdriver; 05/31/12 11:04 PM.
Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #377660 06/01/12 04:28 AM
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Hey it's good to have a hobby(s). I've always been into electronics of some kind. As a kid I was fascinated with building radio kits thou I never got into shortwave.

Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #399811 01/07/14 11:31 PM
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I like to recycle threads, so here we go, back on a track.

Let's pretend that my current TV isn't going to die in time for me to get a Panasonic Plasma before they disappear.

Let's also further stipulate that OLED is going to remain "too expensive" for me during my shopping window. Likewise, I don't believe 4K will be either affordable or meaningful to me.

Finally, I'm not getting a projector until we move, which - given the state of the economy and the ages of my kids - isn't going to be my "next TV".

SO...

If you were shopping for a high-fidelity, good value 65-70" flat LED/LCD display, where would you start?


bibere usque ad hilaritatem
Re: Large TV Advise
INANE #399812 01/07/14 11:46 PM
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I haven't look too closely at the latest models, but I'd likely go with Samsung again. My 6 series LCD has been excellent, trouble free since new in '09. I'll wait for the prices to drop on the 4k's...


Half of communication is listening. You can't listen with your mouth.
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