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Two timers are available which can activate the radio for up to 90 minutes.
The PL-600 also has a nice 5-section signal strength bar, with 5 hash marks per section. I find it reads a little
high, but it is an admirable effort at showing signal strength. It does catch your attention, much more so than
the tiny Kaito 1103 signal strength bar.
THE BFO
The BFO covers a little more than 2 KHz either side of the tuned carrier, wider than the Kaito 1103. The
BFO at detent was close to but not exactly zeroed on the carrier frequencies of the MW stations I checked
(perhaps ~500Hz off). It is touchy to adjust when attempting to tune an AM station using the ECSS method,
but no touchier than tuning a Sony SRF-59! I will call it okay for a small portable - at least it has a real knob
to grip and a wide range.
I find the recovered audio weak when tuning AM stations in the ECSS mode, so I probably won't use this
technique much on this receiver. The BFO works well for normal CW or SSB though, and is fun and easy to
tune in stations operating in these modes. It also works well for detecting weak carriers on the MW band.
ANTENNAS
The PL-600 employs a ferrite antenna (4" in length) for the LW and MW band frequencies (up to 1710
KHz). Signal nulling is excellent, and slightly better than my Kaito 1103. It is probably the best signal nulling
radio I own, including the ultralights. Its null is very distinct, where the 1103's seems broader and a fraction
less deep. It's peak also has more of a sharpnesss to it which I don't notice in the 1103. It couples well to a
passive loop, though not as well as the 1103. Coupling distance needs to be closer than the 1103, and the
sweet spot is about two inches down from the top of the radio on the back side.
Shortwave and FM employ the telescoping
whip antenna. An external antenna jack is
at the left side of the radio, usable for
shortwave and FM, defeating the whip.
ATTENUATOR SWITCH
The attenuator switch (Local, Normal, DX)
works for shortwave and FM only. Beware
- the manual errs in stating it works for AM
and shortwave only. It does not work for
AM, unfortunately. While tuning
shortwave, I found the attenuator switch
attenuated signals too heavily even in the
"Normal" position, so I left it in the "DX"
position at all times. It seems to work okay
on the FM band.
SENSITIVITY
Sensitivity of the PL-600 is good. On the MW band it is just slightly down from my Kaito 1103 across the
band. Judging by ear on a weak station at noise level, I would figure it to be some 3-6 dB down from the 1103
at worst. For example, a signal barely above the noise level on the PL-600 which is 50% copyable (by voice
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