Fairhaven RD500VX LW AM SW FM SSB CW VHF UHF Scanner Receiver 20 KHz -1750 MHz

  

Please note that we have used an asterisk in this listing so that we could avoid keyword spamming. This sale is for the scarce Fairhaven RD500 radio scanning receiver. These RD500s were manufactured in the UK in limited quantity and rarely make it to this side of the Atlantic. What is especially sweet with this RD500 is that it is the "VX" version that offers a video output plus FM stereo. Thus, you can connect this unit to a TV to receive analog signals or to a home stereo amplifier to have exceptional FM stereo reception.

Cosmetically, the unit looks to be in good condition with typical signs of prior ownership on the covers. Please look at the pictures at the top of this listing to verify cosmetics.

There are no known issues or shortcomings with this receiver. This package includes the Fairhaven RD500VX radio receiver, an AC adapter, the copy of the user manual, plus various reviews and copies of promotional materials.

Also included is a CD that contains loads of files and information specific to this unit.... Many which you will not find elsewhere. If you like this receiver, you will appreciate the support documentation for in addition to the printed materials, there are a many many documents and Fairhaven files. Okay, let us tell you about this exceptional scanning receiver. The RD500 is as close as you will find to a do all receiver.

In addition to receiving, it also scans and has extensive scanning features and memories that will simply astound the most ardent scanning enthusiasts. Typically radios that are devised for scanning will compromise listening in the LW, MW, and HF bands. However, this receiver offers features found especially on dedicated HF receivers such as a noise blanker, passband tuning, CW filters, AGC, multiple VFOs, multiple bandwidths, and synchronous detection that is sideband selectable. Other receivers such as the Yaesu VR5000, Icom ICR8500, and Icom ICR9000 are wideband receivers that have many features, but lack some of these specialty features that improve reception in the lower bands. The Fairhaven RD500 is called the "Radio Database" by the company....

And it is called this due to its extensive memory system that enable the unit to store a total of 54,700 memories in 234 groups and 99 band set ups with start and end frequencies and has a total of 26 VFOs. How many scanners do you know that possess this capability? Is the unit perfect, well not exactly. Everyone who uses a radio receiver has a list of expectations and no doubt this one will fail to achieve all things to all people. For us, well, we like the idea of a compact unit with these capabilities, but this comes at a price.... Making significant use of a menu system for many of the operations. If you like dedicated buttons for every function, this receiver will drive you mad as virtually every button has a dual feature which often opens a menu with even more features. However, if you like a receiver that will not bore you after the first evening, you will be thrilled to discover a receiver that leaves you feeling like it could launch a rocket to the moon. If you are an experienced radio user and find most standard equipment boring, this receiver will be a welcome change for you to operate. In addition to receiving and scanning, this RD500 will enable you to record up to 4 minutes of a broadcast. This is a nice feature, but does require that you have to set aside some of the memory in the frequency database to utilize it. Thus, if you want to use all 54,700 frequencies, you cannot do any recording as the memories and the recording share the same 2 Mb of memory space. Let us list some of the other features of the RD500 so that you can better understand it's capabilities. Tuning range of 20 KHz thru 1750 MHz (less 36 - 46 MHz).

Modes of ASD, ASL, ASU, DSB, LSB, USB, CWL, CWU, FMn, FMw, FMs, TVs. Choice of bandwidths in most modes. Stereo FM with phono outputs. Stereo CW filters with 3 bandwidths (for spacial tuning to improve listening to CW signals). Clock and Timers for recording.

Cassette switch controlled from squelch. Video and TV sound outputs. Notch and Peak filters (variable). Peak hold AGC (user controllable). 26 VFO's for temporary frequencies.

20 text characters per memory. Text searching with review of matches.... Find any station by name. 99 band set-ups with start and end frequencies.

Edit entries, move groups, tag/untag, move/delete entries..... 5 Hz tuning for precise frequency tuning.

Hold / Pause / Stop / Continuous Scanning. Multiple antenna inputs for different band ranges.

Database software for backing up and editing. File converter software for importing files from the internet. Ability to import files from paper documents. As you can see, this receiver is unlike anything else out there and will offer hours of wonderful listening and discovery. Basically, if the signals are analog, not scrambled, and you are within range using the proper antenna, you should be able to hear the signal.

Here are some examples of what you can tune with this RD500 receiver. Police and other emergency personnel. Campus, hotel, and prison security.

TV audio channels 1 thru 69. GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service). FRS (Family Radio Service - typically handheld units). Military Emergency Guard or Strategic Air Command.

Theme park (such as Disney). With these capabilities and with the receiving range, this receiver will enable you to enjoy hours of listening pleasure.

To do so, you will require use of a couple of good antennas. Since most of your listening will likely be done below 860 MHz, it is likely that you can hear most everything that you want to hear utilizing two antennas.... A dipole for the HF bands and a discone for the FM, VHF, and UHF bands.

Certainly you can use multiple antennas and a switching system, but you will need at least two good antennas to get respectable signals to enable the RD500 to perform as it was designed to do. If you would like to see one of these RD500s in operation, a gent from Denmark does a very brief introduction of it. While he does not take the time to show its many features, you can get an idea of it's operation.

And here is another video showing the RD500 picking up New York air traffic control while in the UK..... Verification of the unit's wonderful sensitivity.

We have used the receiver to tune a variety of signals and can help with many questions, but alas, we are not much of a user of the scanner portion of the receiver so don't have enough hands-on experience to assist with those sorts of questions. The item "Fairhaven RD500VX LW AM SW FM SSB CW VHF UHF Scanner Receiver 20 KHz -1750 MHz" is in sale since Friday, November 8, 2019. This item is in the category "Consumer Electronics\Radio Communication\Ham, Amateur Radio\Ham Radio Receivers". The seller is "bigapple59" and is located in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania.

This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Model: RD500VX
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
• Band: AM
• Type: Communication Receiver Scanner
• Supported Modes: AM
• MPN: RD500VX
• Brand: Fairhaven