Re: [IRCA] New C.Crane "Skywave" Vs. Tecsun PL-380-- Daytime DX Shootout

[d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Walt and Mike, 
 
Thanks for your generous comments on the PL-380 Vs. Skywave comparison. 
 
I'm pretty sure that this new model will become quite popular for the DXers who don't mind the $89.95 cost. A full disassembly of the Skywave model (performed for the Ultralight radio group) revealed that the radio was custom-built in China for C.Crane, probably by the Redsun Company. The RF and Digital circuit boards are C.Crane designs, stamped with the C.Crane name and Revision number. As such, the model does seem to be unique at this time, and is the only pocket radio found so far to have the new Silicon Labs' Si4736 DSP chip. 
 
73, Gary 
 
 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Walter Salmaniw" <canswl@xxxxxxxxx> 
To: "Mailing list for the International Radio Club of America" <irca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2014 10:04:16 PM 
Subject: Re: [IRCA] New C.Crane "Skywave" Vs. Tecsun PL-380-- Daytime DXÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂShootout 

Impressive results, Gary. ÂI was very impressed with the 550 clip. ÂWow! 
As for the others, the C Crane receiver was so much less fatiguing to 
listen to. ÂGreat audio, for sure! ÂThanks for doing the side by side 
comparisons! Â 73,...Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC 

On Mon, Dec 29, 2014 at 5:40 AM, <d1028gary@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 

> Hello All, 
> 
> With clear weather and lots of open space in our back yard, it was time 
> for a full Shootout between the Si4734-chip-powered Tecsun PL-380 and the 
> new Si4736-chip-powered C.Crane Skywave portable. Both stock models were 
> checked out for normal operation before the contest, with new batteries and 
> an equal chance to receive six fringe MW stations just after local noon. 
> 
> The new Skywave is significantly smaller than the Tecsun PL-380 (see photo 
> at 
> http://www.mediafire.com/view/8o5mdtt1bc1rfik/CCraneSkywaveDisassembly-04_(Large).jpg 
> ), and at $89.95 (before shipping) costs about twice as much. The Tecsun 
> PL-380 stock model was chosen for this Shootout because it has become the 
> favorite of Ultralight radio Transoceanic DXers, with a generous range of 
> functions combined with "toned down" soft mute. Its stock loopstick places 
> it near the top of the ULR class in sensitivity, and with DSP filtering 
> down to the 1 kHz level it provides fairly representative performance of 
> all the Tecsun Si4734 DSP chip Ultralights. 
> 
> Rather than tell you immediately how the Shootout went, I will let you 
> form your own opinion by posting six MP3's of the relative reception by the 
> PL-380 Vs. the Skywave in receiving the daytime DX fringe stations. In each 
> MP3 both the PL-380 and the Skywave were set on the 1 KHz DSP setting, and 
> both were pointed in the same direction. In each MP3 the PL-380 receives 
> the fringe station for the first 20 seconds, and the Skywave receives the 
> same fringe station for the final 20 seconds. 
> 
> 550 ÂKARI Â Blaine, WA Â (5 kW at 127 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/dd8dok6ujeh50cz/550-KARI-PL380vsSkywave.MP3 
> 
> 690 ÂCBU Â Vancouver, BC Â (50 kW at 148 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/hj3khn0zjep3pxc/690-CBU-PL380vsSkywave.MP3 
> 
> 750 ÂKXTG Â Portland, OR Â (50 kW at 117 miles) 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/06uc2a15yas4y57/750-KXTG-PL380vsSkywave.MP3 
> 
> 1070 ÂCFAX Â Victoria, BC Â (10 kW at 100 miles) 
> 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/44vpx852aa7pwn4/1070-CFAX-PL380vsSkywave.MP3 
> 
> 
> 1420 ÂKITI/ KUJ Â Centralia and Walla Walla, WA (5 kW at 46 miles and 202 
> miles) 
> 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/b2apvjdi5uwhksw/1420-KITI-KUJ-PL380vsSkywave.MP3 
> 
> 1470 ÂKELA Â Centralia, WA Â(5 kW at 46 miles) 
> 
> http://www.mediafire.com/listen/glppgdt26jzcnlc/1470-KELA-PL380vsSkywave.MP3 
> 
> Comments: ÂThe Si4734 DSP chip in all of the Tecsun Ultralights tends to 
> clip off the higher audio frequencies in the 1 kHz DSP setting, leaving the 
> audio with somewhat of a "muddy" sound. Obviously, the Si4736 chip in the 
> Skywave not only solves this issue, but solves the heterodyne issue 
> (audible in the 1420 kHz MP3) as well. As for why the Skywave seems to have 
> a slight sensitivity edge over the PL-380 (except on 550, where it smokes 
> the PL-380), it could either be the result of a superior loopstick, or 
> superior sensitivity of the Si4736 chip. Further testing should reveal the 
> cause. 
> 
> Verdict: ÂThe Si4736 DSP chip in the Skywave is a major improvement over 
> the Si4734 chip in the Tecsun DSP Ultralights. Although there may be some 
> jokes about the Skywave's cost being "sky high," the radio seems to be 
> everything claimed by C.Crane, at least in its MW performance. This model 
> should see a lot of action among Transoceanic MW DXers, where its superior 
> audio and heterodyne-free reception should make a significant difference in 
> split-frequency results. 
> 
> 73 and Good DX, 
> Gary DeBock (in Puyallup, WA, USA 
> 
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