Sunday, January 4, 2009

MW DX Receiver : The GE Super Radio III.


The GE Super Radio III was a purpose built radio receiver with MW DX'ing in mind. The radio's AM performance is un-paralleled even to this day and is held in high regard by MW DX'ers. I have used this radio for a many number of years to listen to long distance MW broadcasts which would not be heard on normal sets.

The AM audio on MW is unbelievable, it must be heard to be appreciated for it sounds like you are listening to a FM broadcast if you are listening to a strong station. People do not appreciate that AM MW audio can be quite good, the main problem is that designers do not take any care in design the front end of MW radios. But not with the Super Radio III,care design considerations were taken into account. It features tuned RF on both AM and FM for excellent sensitivity. Optimum selectivity is provided by four IF tuned circuits on AM and three on FM. Needless to say that the FM band performance is equally outstanding.

A wide/normal switch allows you to control bandwidth selectivity. Excellent sound is achieved via a 6½" woofer and 2" tweeter which also helps give it the outstanding audio reproduction on AM and FM. Other features include an FM-AFC, separate bass and treble controls, mono mini earphone jack and fold-down carrying handle. A built in 7 7/8 inch ferrite rod antenna brings in distant AM stations. There are screw terminal provided for external AM & FM antennas. which improve the performance further. The frequency coverage: 530-1700 kHz for MW and 88-108 MHz for FM with analog tuning. This radio is a favorite among medium wave DX'ers, out performing multi-band radios costing many times more.

Although the radio is discontinued it can still be picked up from various sources or from eBay,the radio has been priced as low as 35 dollars. Don't just take my world for it, pick up one and be amazed!

FEATURES

  • High Performance SUPER RADIO III- A high performance SUPER RADIO III AM/FM radio is still the best long-range performance and selectivity radio;
  • 2-Way Speaker System- The built-in 2-Way speaker system in this SUPER RADIO III is driven by a 6.5" high sensitivity woofer and 2" cone tweeters;
  • 2-Way Power w/ Automatic (AC/DC) Switching- Automatically switches from AC to DC when the unit is plugged in to avoid using battery power;
  • Separate Bass and Treble Controls- Leaves the control to you by providing separate bass and treble controls;
  • Thumb wheel Tuning Controls- Provides convenient and accurate tuning control;
  • External AM / FM Antenna Terminals- Easily add your own antennas;
  • Loudness Control- As volume goes down, bass frequencies are maintained at a higher level to ensure a more clear, audible.

Specifications:

Brand GE
Dimensions (WxHxD) in Inches 12.5 x 10.5 x 4.5 Packaging (WxHxD) Inches 15 x 11 x 5.5 Weight Product/Packaged in lbs:5.0 / 5.6
Tuner Type AM/FM
AM Antenna - Ferrite Rod
AM Frequency 530 - 1710 kHz
FM Antenna 38" Swivel Whip
FM Frequency 87.5 - 107.9 MHz
Volume Control Yes
Selector Switch On/Off, AM/FM, Wide/Normal Stereo
Headphone Jack Yes
External AM / FM Antennas Yes
Carry Handle Yes
Sound Speaker Type 6.5" Woofer & 2" Cone Tweeter
Loudness Control Yes
Bass Controls Yes
Treble Controls Yes
Tuning Control Precision Vernier
Power 2-Way Battery Requirements 6 "D" Cell Batteries
Automatic AC / DC Switching Yes

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