Re: [IRCA] UltraLight Awards + Definitions

[satya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi John:

You have some great ideas!

My idea for using 10 ounces and 20 cubic inches was to allow units like
the CCrane SWP (Redsun RP-300), Sangean DT-220V and Eton E100 (Tecsun
PL-200), while precluding the Kaito-Degen 1101/2/3, Sony 7600GR, Eton E5,
etc.  As a point of reference, the SRF-59 itself is around 10 cubic
inches/3 ounces, the near-limit Eton E100 and CCrane SWP are around 16-17
cubic inches/7 ounces, while the "gargantuan" Sony 7600GR is around 50
cubic inches/20 ounces.

I like your idea about the receiver being marketed to the general
consumer.  To me, the first three on the list above are still fairly
pedestrian: I have seen many $10-20 shortwave sets out there that no
semi-serious hobbyist would ever touch, so I wouldn't necessarily make
shortwave inclusion a stopper, and while these modest units have whips for
FM and shortwave, they all have tiny ferrites for AM as well.  On the
other hand, anything with SSB, synch, tuning meter, variable bandwidth,
antenna jack, variable attenuation, fine tuning less than 1 khz, line out,
"big ferrite bar" claims, etc. would raise a red flag, again eliminating
the Degen 1103, Sony 7600GR, Eton E5, etc.

Regarding barefoot - my experience with the SRF-59 is that my hand on/near
the ferrite can really make a difference, such that "barefoot" might also
need to mean "barehand".

73 - Kevin


> Personally, I think that 10 rather than 20 cubic inches is more
> likely a good rule.... and I'm not too sure about the weight 10
> ounces is pretty heavy.... AND I think that they should be weighed
> without batteries installed. The $100 price tag has a nice sound to
> it, but if the price is artificially high (as in imported directly
> from the Far East) maybe the $100 rule (or whatever) needs to be
> applied with judgement.... the committee again.
>
> Personally, I'd add "Designed for consumer rather than hobbyist or
> professional use" (that might rule out most portables with SW bands
> on them, for instance) and I'd limit the antenna to a "ferrite bar or
> similar" ruling out whips.  If I were a god for a day, I might even
> specify the maximum size ferrite bar that could be used in a
> recognized UltraLight, just like the hams define the strength of
> transmitter.
>
> We also need to define just what "barefoot" means, if we limit this
> activity to "barefoot," at least initially  "Barefoot" clearly means
> that the receiver is unmodified electrically, but does that also rule
> out magnetically coupling of large antennas to these radios (I think
> "yes").
>
> Does "barefoot" rule out non-electronic physical modifications???  I
> hope not, but maybe it ought to, at least initially. I hate those
> little analog dials, but I'm becoming intrigued at the idea of
> opening up the case, mounting the receiver on a small board and
> experimenting with various "improvements" in the dial.  Was it one of
> Gary's  efforts to hot glue a lid on the dial wheel to make a
> bigger/better wheel?  I'd love to play with marrying the 59 to some
> really sophisticated gear-driven dials from the 30s and 40s, via a
> long flexible plastic tube.  IN ANY CASE, deciding just what
> "barefoot" means is pretty important, too.

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