Equipment Reviews, June 1999
The Sony ICF-SW07 Portable Receiver
Sony Electronics has been the market leader in the microminaturization of shortwave portables with “serious” perfomance. The trend started with the SW1 in 1989 and the concept was refined and further reduced in size in 1995 with the introduction of the SW100. The SW07 is slightly larger than than the SW100, but has several enhanced features, primarily in the area of memory management.
The ICF-SW07 follows the receiving “system” principle established by its predecessors, i.e. the radio comes with an active loop antenna, antenna control module, AC power adapter and stereo earphones. The AC adapter sold in the U.S. can only be used on 120 volt AC mains. There is a leatherette carrying case for the radio and a drawstring cloth bag for the antenna. The radio requires two “AA” batteries for portable power and the antenna control module requires an additional two “AA” cells. Battery life with alkaline cells is specified at approximately 32 hours when the radio is used in FM mode and 23 hours in AM mode. List price for the system is $529 with a street price of around $420.
Permalink | Comments off