method of updating information began last year and has proven very popular. MT compliments the staff for making this improvement for the benefit of their readers. As a reference, WRTH remains the most comprehensive guide to broadcasting, and should be present in every listening post. This information-packed volume is a must-have! WRTH 2005 (BOK03-05) is available from Grove Enterprises http://www.grove-ent.com for $26.95 plus S/H (product # BOK 03-05), or call 1-800-438-8155. Gayle Van Horn MT Frequency Manager

ICOM IC756PROIII

Icom America Inc. has upgraded the popular IC-756PROII with a number of significant new features incorporated into its IC756PROIII. The number one reason for upgrading to a PROIII is the improved receiver performance, says Ray Novak N9JA, National Sales Manager. The lower distortion at all stages of the receiver means better handling of strong signals and a quieter band. Worldwide, better receiver performance is the number one desire of HF operators. The biggest improvement was increasing strong-signal linearity, followed by the improved bandpass filters and roofing filter. If you have nearby amateur or shortwave-broadcast transmitters, youll really notice the difference. The PROIII is a state-of-theart HF transceiver designed for high performance in demanding conditions, such as contesting and DXing. The PROIII uses 32-bit Digital Signal Processing and fully customizable filters in both receiver and transmitter. The Real-Time Spectrum Scope on the bright, high-contrast TFT color LCD screen continues to be one of the 756PRO familys unique features. The PROIII now offers a mini-scope, an inset spectrum display visible even while
using other functions or configuring features. A screen-saver feature is now provided along with dual clocks. The PROIIIs transmitter has been upgraded with adjustable SSB transmit filter bandwidth and more than 100 different audio equalization settings. With a built-in RTTY modulator/demodulator, the PROIII is a self-contained RTTY station. 60-meter band transmit coverage is also available. Of course, the PROIII inherits the whole of the PROIIs feature set, including 32-bit floating-point DSP, 24-bit audio, powerful notch and noise reduction capabilities, dual watch, and special features to make digital mode operating a breeze. The IC-756PROIII is available at $3676.00 retail and is available from any authorized Icom America Amateur Radio dealer. For a dealer in your area or to download the IC756PROIII brochure please check at http://www.icomamerica.com.
For example, we have eliminated the proprietary battery pack and removed the need for an add-in board for APCO 25, reduced the size of the model, and added a backlit keypad.
Eton Porsche Satellite Radio
At Januarys CES Show, Eton Corporations Porsche Design division revealed the desktop P7131 and palm-sized P7132 digital radio set which incorporate AM/FM/ shortwave and XM satellite radio in the U.S. It will be launched as
a Digital Audio Broadcast radio in the UK. We are proud of it because it has the sound quality for the audiophile and the looks for the design-conscious consumer, said an Eton spokesperson. The Porsche radio is set to go on sale at the end of January in the US and in the first quarter of 2005 in the UK. In the US it is expected to cost $250.

WiNRADiO AX-37 UHF Beam

An MT review by Bob Grove
Much attention in the past has been given to antennas for under 1 GHz, but not until the recent advent of wireless computer networks has adequate thought been given to high-gain microwave antennas. With the soaring volume of products for the 2.4 GHz band, alert manufacturers sense a good market here. One such example is the new WiNRADiO AX-37E series of antennas, covering 300-3000 MHz. These UHF, log-periodic, dipole arrays pack a wallop with their 6 dBi isotropic gain (4dBd) bolstered by their built-in, 20 dB preamplifiers. Passive models (AX-37A and AX-37EN) for transmitting or receiving are available without the preamp. Since antennas are small, and power is often low in the microwave spectrum, high gain can mean a substantial improvement in received signal strengths without the risk of the overload consequences which plague lower-frequency receiving systems. Additionally, in RF-dense environments, a directional antenna can discriminate among a multitude of potentially-disruptive signals. The original AX-37A is a planar array etched on an open circuit board. The new AX-37E and AX-37EN (amplified and passive, respectively) are packaged in hermetically-sealed housings to meet the stringent requirements of outdoor installations. The specifications for these two new releases are virtually identical to those of the original model. The low-noise preamp of the AX-37E produces only 2 dB of noise and presents an impressive third-order intermod figure (IP3) of +26 dBm. The required 12 VDC @ 65 mA is delivered to the enclosed preamp through an SMA connector, requiring an optional power supply, T and cabling. Both antennas exhibit a VSWR of 1.4:1 and exhibit a front-to-back signal ratio of 16 dB. Each is mounted in an 11.5 x 8.4 housing with a total weight of only 2.6 lbs. Mast-mounting brackets are included. The WiNRADiO AX-37 antennas are available from Grove Enterprises, the North American distributor for WiNRADiO products (7540 Hwy 64 West, Brasstown NC 28902; 800-438-8155; http://www.groveent.com)

Bearcat BCD396T Coming

Uniden America Corporation announced a new handheld digital scanner, the Bearcat BCD396T, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. The BCD396T offers APCO 25 digital capability, Close Call RF Capture Technology, Dynamic Memory Management, Fire Tone-Out as well as 5,500 channels and a frequency range of 25MHz to 1300MHz, excluding cellular. This new model has not been FCC type-accepted and wont hit the shelves until late summer 2005. With the BCD396T, we listened to our consumers and have incorporated their feedback on features they wanted, into a high-quality product that meets the demands of both professionals, such as law enforcement officials, and scanner enthusiasts, said Paul Opitz, Uniden Product Manager.