RETRO RECEIVER REVIEW # 23 - The SONY ICF-6800W
RETRO RECEIVER REVIEW #23
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| The Sony ICF-6800W front panel - the white version! (You can click on all photos in this article for a close-up view) |
Sony ICF-6800W
by Craig Seager VK2HBT
A more abbreviated version of this review originally appeared in Australian DX News in March 2008. Once again, I extend my thanks to Craig VK2HBT for taking the time to update his article and revealing the mysteries behind this famous receiver.
If you were listening to shortwave in the 1980s, chances are you either owned or knew someone who owned a Sony ICF 6800W. Ubiquity is often taken to be an indicator of budget pricing. However, then, as now, Sony equipment was positioned at the premium end of the consumer market, and the 6800W was considered a workmanlike piece of gear that, in many ways, has stood the test of time.
The first general coverage communications receiver from Sony in this shoebox shape was the 6700W, released in 1978. According to Osterman, there was also a 6700L, which covered longwave too. For all intents and purposes, the 6700 and 6800 are similar in appearance. However, the latter boasted some significant improvements. For one, there were no longer any coverage gaps. The 6700 had a “black hole” between 10-11.5 MHz, associated with the 10.7 MHz first I.F., and suffered from some pretty ordinary filtering. It also showed evidence of overloading when dealing with strong signals, but somewhat oddly, provided digital frequency readout on all bands, something not achievable with the later model.
The 6800W was released by 1980 and reflected the technological developments that were continually being made, including integrated circuits (there are seven), which were becoming more commonplace by that time. The outer case is plastic and carry handles are provided; however, this set would firmly fall into the desktop category by today’s standards.
A review in the 1980 World Radio TV Handbook describes the 6800, and its 6700 sibling as “quasi” portables, but I reckon you’re not going to take either as aeroplane carry-on, nor checked luggage, for that matter! The WRTVH suggests they may be suitably sized for taking on a boat or fishing. Well, it was the early 1980s! Both sets were available simultaneously, for a period at least, with the 6800 having a hefty RRP of USD $650.
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A 1979 advert, interestingly showing both the 6700 and 6800W, along with the still highly-prized CRF-330k. |
Continuous coverage on the 6800W is offered from 530-30000 kHz, plus FM. In addition to the attractive red-coloured digital frequency counter, an illuminated analogue drum dial is provided, which is capable of good accuracy on shortwave. FM is a poor relation; a discrete rotary display is all you get. It is also prone to overloading and breakthrough in unwanted ranges.
Clearly, audio performance was a priority for Sony, evidenced by the generous 4” speaker and separate bass/treble controls. Even those who deride the receiver’s general performance generally have a kind word for the way it sounds. A preselector is included, as well as RF gain and facility for USB/LSB-CW. The sideband is relatively stable and a viable alternative to the rather broad AM filtering, particularly the “wide” setting, which is only suitable for the most passive of listening.
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Covers off - inside view from the top |
Tuning the set is rather quaint. Once the desired 10 MHz frequency range is selected, the 1 MHz increments are toggled via the “inner” part of the same concentric control. KHz are then dialled up via a generous rotary control. On reading about that methodology, one might assume a Wadley Loop design; however, whilst there are some similarities, the 6800W is not considered to be a traditional Wadley-Loop receiver.
These receivers predate the soon-to-be obligatory niceties of memories, clock and other attributes that would lift it above the general listener target market, such as notch and passband tuning.
External antenna connections are provided, in addition to an in-built telescopic whip and a ferrite rod for mediumwave. An attenuator switch is situated (inconveniently) at the rear, but is only effective for the external connection. The 6800W is very sensitive; you can work wonders just with the whip. It is sometimes necessary to back off on the gain when using a longwire, as the dynamic range isn’t all that great.
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The flip-up world map. |
The set can be powered by batteries (6 x “D” cells), and for aesthetics, there is a flip-up world map on top. Headphone, earphone, record and timer jacks are supplied, plus there is a small memo light, which one might use to illuminate the logbook periodically. I ponder whether many people still use paper logbooks in the computer age, and if DXers still practice their dark arts in unilluminated bedrooms? Maybe AI will automatically capture all of our conquests on the bands in some halcyon future state?
This is quite a stable receiver, by virtue of the PLL synthesiser that replaces the first local oscillator of the classic superhet design; however, in this implementation, it is also an Achilles heel. The complexity and inaccessibility of the PLL circuitry make the 6800W almost unserviceable. A lot of enthusiasts back themselves to at least have a fair chance of repairing an older set, given a bit of time, patience and access to a service manual. Unless you are very technically competent, this one will likely cause a would-be repairer to tremble at the knees. Accordingly, the purchase of a used 6800W comes with a couple of caveats:
Firstly, only buy the “Orange” version unless you are sure the set is working 100%. Examples above serial number 30000 show the model number and description in Orange text just below the analogue drum display. This version not only displays improved selectivity characteristics, but the semiconductor complement seems to be much more reliable. The PLL transistors in the earlier, so-called “white” version get weak with age, and the only fix is to replace as many as you can in the critical stages … followed by some tricky “peaking” to get it all back into spec. Lack of any functionality on shortwave is the likely symptom. There are 72 transistors in the total parts list, so be mindful of what you’re taking on. The process of elimination will likely spare unnecessary work on the audio and MW boards.
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The preferred “Orange” version lettering, and where to find it. |
Fortunately, the service manual is well laid out, including great diagrams of component mountings.
Secondly, there is a lot of plastic in the band-change mechanism, which can wear out over time. The metal parts, specifically the actual contact switches, can become slightly corroded over time. However, this issue should be largely remediable with a non-corrosive switch lubricant spray. A non-working example (“white” version) I picked up very cheaply as a restoration project was almost swimming in WD40, indicating some frustration on the part of an earlier owner. I felt like I needed a cleansing hot shower after every attempt to work on the thing!
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Top view - a close-up of the switching. |
You will likely need to go “under the covers” at some point if you own one of these sets. I’m sure that some SWLs have these sitting around purely as a display item – or more tragically, have relegated them to landfill, having abandoned all hope of getting them working.
All in all, the Sony 6800W is a worthwhile set to own, but stock on the used market comes up somewhat less frequently now as these sets approach vintage status. Despite this, don’t succumb to impatience. Wait for a good one to come along, expecting to pay a premium if it is in cosmetically and electrically sound condition. Again, let the 6700 or the “white” 6800W pass unless building a complete collection. That is the best advice I can give, and those who do not heed it may experience tears of regret. My own example was restored a few years back, but it is once again on the repair bench. I didn’t replace all the transistors previously; now, other original components have presumably failed as well. The horror!
Specifications:
Power Requirements: 120 V ac, 50/60Hz (Canadian Model)
110, 120, 220 or 240 V ac adjustable, 50/60Hz (US, AEP, UK and E model)
9 V DC (6 x “D” cells)
Car battery cord DCC-120 for 12V car battery
Power Consumption: 7W (US model)
9W (AEP, UK, E, Canadian models)
Speaker: Approx 10cm, 4 inches
Dimensions: Approx 453(w) x 184 (h) x 227 (d) mm
Weight: Approx. 5.9kg with batteries
Antennas: FM: Telescopic antenna
SW: Telescopic antenna, external terminals (50-75 Ω), UHF-type connect or 50-75Ω
MW: Built-in ferrite rod antenna, external antenna terminals (low impedance)
Frequency Ranges: FM 875-108 MHz (Japan 76-90 MHz)
MW 530-1605 kHz
SW 1.6-30 MHz
SW Sensitivity: -4dBµ (0.63 µV) at 1.6-30 MHz
S/+N/N = 6dB, 30% modulation with external antenna (narrow)
Selectivity (MW/SW): Bandwidth Wide Narrow SSB/CW
-6 dB 9 kHz 4 kHz 4 kHz
-60 dB 18.5 kHz 8.5 kHz 8.5 kHz
Input: Timer (minijack)
Outputs: REC Out (minijack)
Earphone (minijack – 8 Ω)
Headphones ( stereo binaural jack for 8 Ω headphones)
Links:
A service manual can be found here.
US DXer Jay Allen gives the 6800W a comprehensive treatment here.
POSTSCRIPT:
Why do older transistors sometimes fail due to low hFE?
As transistors age, their performance can deteriorate, leading to issues such as low current gain, commonly referred to as low hFE ("Hybrid parameter forward current gain, common emitter"). The hFE value, or DC current gain, is a critical parameter in bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) that defines the ratio of the output current to the input current in the transistor. When this value declines, it can cause the transistor to fail or operate inefficiently.
When hFE drops too low, the transistor may fail to properly amplify signals, leading to malfunction in circuits. Several shortwave receivers from the 1970s fall prey to this phenomenon, effectively “bricking” the set, or rendering it inoperable on one or more bands. Owners of 6700W and early 6800W models enduring this sadness would find a sympathetic ear in those who have a Sanyo RP-8880, another widely distributed radio of the era, where it is hard to find a working example for precisely the same reason.
Modern transistors, or their equivalents in ICs, tend to have more generous hFE margins as part of their design.
(Craig VK2HBT)
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