REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

A place to discuss the HF and Shortwave listening side of the radio hobby. Discuss equipment, frequencies and antenna systems etc. Anything HF!
Post Reply
User avatar
WARLOCK
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 1414
Joined: 04 Jun 2008, 08:27
Call Sign: 26TM134
Location: cambridgeshire

REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by WARLOCK »

How do you rate a old realistic dx-394 receiver as a starter shortwave receiver,what sort of antenna would be best for me to put up outside ,would a longwire be ok .
User avatar
Admiral
Legend
Legend
Posts: 10108
Joined: 08 Mar 2011, 21:20
Call Sign: 26TM157
Location: MK-UK

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by Admiral »

Didn't we swap your 7100 for my 394 a few years ago?

I found a random longwire was best for it via a receive only manual ATU.

If it's the same one then the anti-chuff mod is done so it won't drive you insane tuning through the bands.
Winner of the 2017 IBTL 'Summer Sizzler' competition
User avatar
Farty
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 3694
Joined: 20 Oct 2008, 14:40
Location: IO92ND

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by Farty »

I got B model. It's well featured, easy to use, I quite like it. However be aware that performance seems to vary from one unit to the next, so the next one you see could be as deaf as mine is sensitive.

+1 for a nice meaty long wire, it doesn't seem to like my active Watson ant so much as my Yaesu does.
In Before The Lock Champion of Total Magnificenceness May 2016
User avatar
WARLOCK
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 1414
Joined: 04 Jun 2008, 08:27
Call Sign: 26TM134
Location: cambridgeshire

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by WARLOCK »

Yes admiral it is the very same receiver i have finaly got round to setting it up to use as the cb bands are dead round where i live, Only took me about 2 years to get round to it you cant hurry these things you know,i live in a ground floor flat with no garden what so ever so i will put my 6ft longwire ? up and se how i get on .
User avatar
Admiral
Legend
Legend
Posts: 10108
Joined: 08 Mar 2011, 21:20
Call Sign: 26TM157
Location: MK-UK

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by Admiral »

Someone asked a question about a 7100 the other day and I dug it out of the spare room, had it on since, it's a bit useless on HF, but it's fantastic on MIL/AIR, very, very sensitive, I have a million scanners here and your 7100 is the best for MIL/AIR of the lot :)
Winner of the 2017 IBTL 'Summer Sizzler' competition
User avatar
GBHgpJON
Super Member
Super Member
Posts: 292
Joined: 01 Nov 2007, 20:00
Location: North Devon

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by GBHgpJON »

My B works fine, admittedly with a 15m long wire as opposed to a 6 ft one. Try it and see is the best/old fashioned way. :D
26TM095
26SWB014
User avatar
zippy
Super Member
Super Member
Posts: 209
Joined: 02 Nov 2015, 10:43
Call Sign: 26TM537
Location: Hatfield Herts

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by zippy »

the 394 is an old entry level radio, the new entry level stuff is much better, pl660s etc, I see the 394 on ebay for £150 and laugh, I bought the last of the stock from my local tandy for £29.99 each, all B models.
Alinco DR135DX, Baofeng UV-5R, TYT MD380 (UHF), Realistic Pro-2035, JRC NRD-545 DSP, whitestick and ½ wave silver pole on the chimney and various lengths of wire draped around the garden.
User avatar
Farty
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 3694
Joined: 20 Oct 2008, 14:40
Location: IO92ND

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by Farty »

Must agree with Zippy. The 394 is ok, but far from outstanding. They're getting bloody expensive these days, yet a brand new Tecsun PL600 or 660 perform way better, are smaller, and are cheaper brand new than a decent 394 is used. Shop about you might even get a new 880 for less than a 20 year old 394, and the 880 would steal its lunch money and flush it's head down the toilet any day of the week.
In Before The Lock Champion of Total Magnificenceness May 2016
User avatar
zippy
Super Member
Super Member
Posts: 209
Joined: 02 Nov 2015, 10:43
Call Sign: 26TM537
Location: Hatfield Herts

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by zippy »

don't get me wrong, there alright, but subject to desensing from ajaceant frequencies and in my opinion aren't worth any more than £50, even in the box.
Alinco DR135DX, Baofeng UV-5R, TYT MD380 (UHF), Realistic Pro-2035, JRC NRD-545 DSP, whitestick and ½ wave silver pole on the chimney and various lengths of wire draped around the garden.
User avatar
Farty
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 3694
Joined: 20 Oct 2008, 14:40
Location: IO92ND

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by Farty »

I can't understand why the market has gone so potty over them recently. They're going on eBlag for close on a one-er, more than a far superior Tecsun costs brand new. Why are people driving up the prices of used mediocre kit like that when new kit is so cheap?
In Before The Lock Champion of Total Magnificenceness May 2016
User avatar
zippy
Super Member
Super Member
Posts: 209
Joined: 02 Nov 2015, 10:43
Call Sign: 26TM537
Location: Hatfield Herts

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by zippy »

they seem to go for top dollar on ebay for some reason, I guess they look all bling-bling and are made to appear like a proper hf set, there okay, really they are, but that's it, okay, but an entry level set, as I said before, they are a £50 set, they should be ideal for youngsters or people on a tight budget, but the greedy bar stewards on ebay just want to sqeeze every last dollar out of their tat, and as long as mugs buy them then they will keep trying to rip people off.
Alinco DR135DX, Baofeng UV-5R, TYT MD380 (UHF), Realistic Pro-2035, JRC NRD-545 DSP, whitestick and ½ wave silver pole on the chimney and various lengths of wire draped around the garden.
GeeFull
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 1207
Joined: 28 Mar 2014, 12:27

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by GeeFull »

zippy wrote:they seem to go for top dollar on ebay for some reason, I guess they look all bling-bling and are made to appear like a proper hf set, there okay, really they are, but that's it, okay, but an entry level set, as I said before, they are a £50 set, they should be ideal for youngsters or people on a tight budget, but the greedy bar stewards on ebay just want to sqeeze every last dollar out of their tat, and as long as mugs buy them then they will keep trying to rip people off.
Some of the much older SW receivers by the same company were much better, including the old analogue DX160, with its metal clad extension speaker! ;)
Had a DX394, bought when Tandy was closing down for £40, it was a shop demo, no box no instructions, sold it for same, never regretted getting rid of the pile of rubbish! ;)
wa10
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 1346
Joined: 19 Feb 2008, 00:37

Re: REALISTIC DX394 RECEIVER ANY GOOD ???

Post by wa10 »

We bought all 8 of the DX394's Pontefract Tandy's had in stock when they were selling them off, they are toys and barely worth what we paid if performance per pound spent matters,

compared to an old hf set or a decent receiver they are junk, some of the old realistic analogue receivers were better,

For £150 I would look for a hf set with blown finals.
W8JI
"An antenna with a poor ground using few radials cannot have a support mast grounded to the radial common point (at least it shouldn't if designed properly) There is no exception to this!
Post Reply