REVIEW

SWLing on the Road with Sonys XR-CA660X

By Ken Reitz KS4ZR

have to admit that Im a refugee from satellite radio. For years Ive had either Sirius or XM units in the car, but, as time passed and subscription fees climbed, I called it quits and sought an alternative. As a lifelong SWLer, I was disappointed in the lack of international broadcasters on either satellite service. Sure, XM carries the BBC World Service, and Sirius carries a truncated version as well as the wheel of rebroadcasts from World Radio Network. And, just recently, Sirius added CBC Radio One and CBC Premiere Plus, while XM added Canada 360 and Franc Parler. But, I was looking for more diversity, a wider range of broadcasters, some really esoteric music and an end to cables disease, constantly rising monthly rates. Thats why I turned to old fashioned shortwave radio in the car. Over the years Ive looked at mobile SWLing using portable shortwave radios, downconverters (tuning devices which convert your existing in-dash AM radio to tune the shortwave bands), even mounting my general coverage ham transceiver in the car. But, they all had drawbacks. I found that portable radios were cumbersome, not easily tuned, poor audio quality and susceptible to ignition and other electrical noise. The downconverters were easy to mount and hook up, but most were also susceptible to ignition noise and required a certain amount of mathematical gymnastics to determine the frequency. With the exception of the LFB Short Wave Converter* most were also poor performers. The ham transceiver was very sensitive but was bulky, not easily mounted (and a high risk of theft), suffered from poor audio but was less susceptible to ignition noise. The only thing left to do was to install a real in-dash AM/FM/SW radio.
ping. The Beckers price is high and SW coverage limited, so I checked out what Sony had to offer. In North America there is only one Sony dealer still selling in-dash AM/FM/SW radios: Durham Radio in Ontario, Canada. Worldwide, the only other Sony dealer selling these radios is an on-line retailer in the United Arab Emirates called Jackys. Jackys price is considerably cheaper, but the express shipping and customs duties make the final price more expensive than Durham Use small wire nuts to connect the new wiring harness to your Radio. stock speaker and power wires. Installing the radio requires Durham Radio sells their patience and a couple of hours of your weekend. (Courtesy: products at www.shortwaves- Author) tore.com. They stock two simiing the installation manual, it was time for the lar radios but with a $100 price difference. hardest part of this project: in-dash installaThe Sony XR-CA660 is identical to the Sony tion. XRF5100 except that it tunes the AM band in 9 kHz steps instead of 10 kHz steps (the XRF5100 is actually switchable between the A Wiring Nightmare I put my radio in a 1985 Toyota Celica, a two steps). It also tunes only to 1620 kHz, relic from days gone by before auto designers whereas the XRF5100 tunes to 1710 kHz. Ive done a lot of AM band DXing in made it very hard for consumers to do their my time, but not in the car. My own interests own radio installations. If you cant do the were being able to receive the FM and SW installation yourself or simply dont want to bands, so I opted to save the $100. But if you risk making a complete mess of the installafeel you need the AM capability, you should tion, take it to a local auto sound installer. Once I pulled the radio out of the center opt for XRF5100. Both radios replace previous models and are in keeping with Sonys console I found there was a rats nest of wires. policy of changing the face plates and various Before I did anything else, I tagged each of features every couple of years to update the wires and then cut them from the harness the line. Both feature built-in cassette decks plug which did not fit the input on the new which, if nothing else, may be used to play radio. To my horror, I found that none of the satellite radio, MP3 players or iPods in the wire colors on the old radio seemed to match the wire color scheme on the new radio. car. Later, I also found out that snap-on wire I ordered the XR-CA660 from TheShortwaveStrore.com and received the unit 7 days harnesses are commercially available which later. Total cost, including shipping was $204. convert the old wiring harness to adapt to the Stalking the Elusive InAfter taking the unit out of the box and perus- new wiring system. No cutting necessary! But if you find, as I did, that such Dash SW Radio a harness may not be available for You might think that finding a your car, dont panic! Go to www. shortwave radio for your car would installdr.com. Yes, the good doctor be as simple as going to your local has a wealth of car radio installation consumer electronics superstore. But, advice including a page which shows today there are only two manufacthe wire colors for virtually any car turers of in-dash shortwave radios: and the typical color equivalent for Becker and Sony. Both are hard to find. Sony XR-CA660X AM/FM/SW radio brings two bands of short- the new radio. With a printout for my Several dealers in the U.K. are wave listening and great audio at a reasonable price. Has built-in car in hand I went back to the project selling the Becker Mexico Pro line. cassette deck and detachable front panel. (Courtesy: Durham with renewed confidence. The first thing you have to do is Cost is around $450 (U.S.) plus ship- Radio) 68

MONITORING TIMES June 2006
six pre-sets) and two bands of shortwave, each with six pre-sets. There are a few other controls for use with optional out-board amps and CD changers (though they will only be compatible with Sony products) as well as advanced features for the cassette deck, if you actually have cassettes. I found reception on the FM band equal or better than any other in-dash receiver Ive used. The audio was excellent, the equalization scheme easy to Sony XR-CA660X installed in-dash and tuned to BBC World adjust and made some difference Service to Africa on 15.400 MHz. Clean lines, easy operating in listening pleasure. The cassette and excellent sound quality are Sony hallmarks. (Courtesy: player is great. It has a snappy Author) drive motor which can zip you to determine which wire carries the main 12 the end of a tape in a hurry. The volts D.C. to power the radio. There will also amp in this unit is capable of delivering excelbe a 12 volt line to the ACC position on the lent audio. The limits will be in your speaker ignition which allows you to have the radio system: the better the speakers the better the on without turning on the engine. Use a volt sound. meter to find these wires. Before you connect You might be skeptical of a shortwave raany wires, make sure the black ground wire is dio using only a 29-inch whip, but since this is attached first to a metal component connected essentially what most portables use you wont to the chassis. This may prevent accidental be surprised to learn that it does very well shorts while youre sorting out the wires. picking up the traditional international powNext, bundle wires you know you wont erhouses. This radio has two bands which be using, such as amp and CD changer con- are SW1 (2.940-7.735 MHz) and SW2 (9.500trols, etc. to get them out of the way. When you 18.135 MHz with a gap between 10.140 and find the correct matching wires, strip about 11.575 MHz). You can think of these bands a quarter inch insulation from the ends and as day and night bands, with the higher twist the two together. I used small wire nuts frequency band most active in daytime and the to secure the connection, though you can use lower frequency band more active at night. electrical tape instead. Tug on the wire nut to Now, Sony doesnt want you to be tuning make sure its secure. When youre hooking the radio hunting DX when youre supposed up the wires make sure the key is out of the to be driving, so tuning is done via the seek ignition. button. Pressing the mode button a few Once you have all the wires connected times eventually brings the radio to the SW1. (dont forget to attach the antenna!), slip the Press either the seek + or seek - buttons plug into the back of the radio and get ready and the unit tunes up or down the band. Press for the smoke test. Turn the key to ACC and the mode button once more and youre on the unit should come to life. When I did SW2. Again the seek + or seek - does the there was sound coming from one of the four tuning. Save any station received by pressing speakers and the display on the radio read and holding one of the six preset buttons. FAILURE. Not a good sign. Sony set the receive sensitivity at just the A quick check with the owners manual right level. It will pick up fairly weak stations (which is in English and Arabic) showed that but wont stop at every spike of atmospheric the display meant that the speakers were not noise. When it lands on a station, the exact hooked up properly. I believe this stemmed frequency is indicated on the front display. from a difference of opinion between in- It was afternoon by the time I finished the stalldr.com and me as to which colors were installation. SW1 was fairly dead, but the first pink, purple and green. After some trial and pass through SW2 netted Radio Netherlands error among the 12 remaining wire options, I at 17.735, VOAs Africa service at 15.580 hit pay dirt and all four speakers were work- and 15.240, WWV at 15.000, BBCs Africa ing. service at 12.095 and 15.400. In the morning Radio Canada Internationals service to North America on 9515 comes The XR-CA660 in Action Like most car audio products today, in with the power of a local station. All your this radio comes with a credit card sized IR stateside favorites such as WWCR, WWRB remote control, though all the functions are and WYFR are easily heard. Devotees of the easily done via the radios detachable front late Dr. Scott can catch his recorded teachpanel. In fact, the controls for this radio are ings 24/7 from the car. Spanish speakers will nearly identical to other Sony radio products. enjoy tuning into live World Cup action this Among the amenities of this particular radio summer as many stations will be carrying the are a three-band equalizer (fancy bass/treble play-by-play. Its one thing to sit in your driveway tuncontrols); three FM band selections with six ing the bands with the engine off and another pre-sets each (considerably more than most will need); the aforementioned MW band (also to be out on the highway where your ears

have to compete with local electrical and road noise. The weaker stations were less audible in the noise, but the powerful internationals came right through without a problem. Ignition noise was not apparent. There was, of course, the typical signal fading, a trademark of SWLing, and in the summer you can expect to hear a certain amount of atmospheric static, too. But, to many of us thats part of the charm of analog SWLing. If you listen to shortwave broadcasts for content, youll be really happy with either Sony product. And, if you speak French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, or Arabic, or are a student of any one of these languages, this radio is a great language skills builder. Its possible that future generations of either version will add an MP3 or iPod input on the front panel and a CD slot to replace the cassette. But, that may be years in coming.

AVAILABLE FROM:

Durham Radio Sales & Service, Inc. 10-1380 Hopkins Street Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1N 2C3 888-426-1699 www.shortwavestore.com They carry both the XRF5100 ($289) and XRCA660 ($189) plus shipping (about $15 to U.S. East Coast)

MANUFACTURERS SPECS:

Sony XRF5100 and XR-CA660X Tuning Range: AM: (XRF5100): 530-1710 kHz (9 or 10 kHz steps switchable) (XR-CA660X): 531-1602 kHz (9 kHz steps) FM: 87.5-108 MHz SW1: 2.940-7.735 MHz SW2: 9.500-18.135 MHz (except for 10.140-11.575 MHz) Size: 7-1/8 x 2 x 7 Antenna connector: Motorola Price: XRF5100: $289.00 (U.S.) plus shipping (about $15) XR-CA660X $189.00 (U.S.) plus shipping (about $15)
*LFB Short Wave Converter is made in Brazil. Cost is $140 + $15 Shipping. Contact: Luis Loeff angel@tsp.com.br Website: www. angelfire.com/ia/lfb (Review: MT Nov. 2001 page 84)

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June 2006

MONITORING TIMES