Description
NOTE: The following listing details offers some background and historical information. In order to remain in compliance with Ebays listing policies, we have used an asterisk * to prevent accidental keyword spamming.This Sony ICF-2010 being offered for sale has some very minor signs of age and use. These 2010s often are well loved and typically show marks from age and use and this radio is one such unit. If you are looking for a nice cosmetic unit, this is not a choice for you. However, if you can accept lower cosmetic condition with a perfectly good working radio at a lower selling price than is usual for us, you will appreciate this unit. Please look closely at our pictures for precise cosmetic condition. We have endeavored to provide HD pictures so that you can see the radio up close and in detail.This is a later manufactured unit having serial number 323554. The later serials of this radio had the diode protection installed by Sony once it was recognized that merely touching the antenna could damage the RF circuit due to static electricity. Early serials do not have this protection and are often sold here on Ebay with severely attenuated sensitivity due to this damage.The telescopic antenna extends and retracts beautifully. We have tested all the features and found the 2010 to be operating within spec and showing no signs of failure or problems with any of the controls or functions. These 2010s were sold from the factory with a weak display light. This could be seen only in a dark room. Over time, this light got even weaker or would disappear entirely. A previous owner has solved this issue by installing a beautifully bright lamp as can be seen in our picture at the top of this listing.This ICF-2010 comes with more documents than you are likely to ever see with any 2010 sale on Ebay. These free documents add great value to the 2010 enthusiast and are not sold separately. Included in this sale are:copy of the user manualcopy of the service manualcopy of Sony ICF-2010 brochure - 8 pagesantenna ideas for the Sony 2010 - Sept 1988 Monitoring TimesSony Aviation Guide copyUniversal Radio catalog page 1998colored advertisement page - EEB 1993 catalogcatalog page copy - Gilfer Shortwave 1991catalog page copy - Grove Enterprises Dec 1995catalog page copy - EEB 1993 (Electronic Equipment Bank)Sony Company flyer copyMedium Wave Circle reviewSony ICF-2010 An All Time Classic review - Jay AllenRadio Receiver Choice or Chance reviewWRTH review - 1996 (World Radio & Television Handbook)QST review 1997 (amateur radio magazine)Passport review - 1991 (Passport To World Band Radio)Passport review - 1997Passport review - 1999Passport review - 2002 (retested)Passport Engineering Triumph - 1998Passports Sony ICF-2010 Whitepaper - edition 5.0Improvements to the Sony ICF-2010 - Steve JohnsonModifying The Sony ICF-2010 A Compendium - Proceedings NewsletterGet The Best From Your Sony ICF-2001 (ICF-2010) - Steve Whitt (1990 - 28 page booklet)Get Even More From Your Sony ICF-2001 (ICF-2010) - Steve Whitt (1990 - 8 page booklet)Finally, you will receive a CD that contains most of the above documents plus more totaling about 600 MB of filesThe above printed materials are passed along free with the sale of the ICF-2010 radio. Some of the items are very hard to locate elsewhere and may no longer be available from online sources. To power the radio, you will need 2 AA batteries for the CPU (included) and either a 4.5 volt AC adapter (not included) or 3 D cell batteries (not included). Here is some background on the ICF-2010 radio.The Sony 2010 radio was manufactured from 1984 until about 2001, but was available until about 2005 in various markets. Thus, the 2010 held a remarkable record for nearly 20 years of being an outstanding and highly desirable portable despite dozens of new portables being introduced in that same time period. The Sony is actually an outstanding example of an ideal consumer product that met a real need and introduced a real leap forward in receiver technology. It was this sort of innovation that placed the last nail in the coffin of most of the American radio manufacturing. Over the years, the American radio manufacturers like P*hilco, R*C*A, Z*enith, and scores of others manufactured outstanding products. Especially after WW2, the sky seemed to be the limit. However, while our national manufacturers began to cheapen their cabinets and offer an array of inexpensive products, Germany was still offering fine wooden cabinets with the resulting warm sound to its customers. Manufacturers like G*rundig and T*elefunken produced world renown radios that are still heralded today as some of the best radios from that era. Z*enith was in the midst of its long and successful line of Trans*Oceanic radios that were popular with the public as well due to their sensitivity and portability. During the 60s the Z*enith TOs 1000 and then the FM version called the 3000 were absolute dynamite with the public, though costly to purchase. The radios could gather information from all parts of the world due to their world band capabilities and were extremely popular with the US troops deployed in Vietnam at the time. However, once the 70s arrived, the Trans*Oceanic line began to look a bit dated as newer models of radios began to emerge from Japan taking advantage of the latest transistor technologies. In the late 70s, the TO sales fell dramatically as the Japanese began to emerge as market leaders with digital readouts in their P*anasonic and Sony units. Then in 1980/81, Sony introduced the state-of-the-art ICF*2001 receiver that could direct dial any frequency by virtue of its keypad and lock in the signals using a more sophisticated Phase Locked Loop by picking up on the famous Wadley Loop concept and furthering this to the next generation of sophistication with superb stability. The result of all of this was that the last remaining vestige of the American radio industry, and Z*enith in particular, ceased producing their radios. The Sony ICF*2001 was not without its drawbacks, however. It was known to consume batteries at a rapid rate, did not offer the user a way to slew tune or band scan with its push buttons, and did not offer some of the same sensitivity as some of its earlier predecessors. However, the Sony Corporation was listening to its consumers of the *2001 and went back to the drawing board and came out with the ICF-2010 in late 1984. All of the issues that had surfaced with the *2001 were now resolved, but Sony did not stop there. They introduced the 2010 to much fanfare because it now offered features not typically found on portable radios such as multiple timers, multiple memories, keypad and dial tuning, unprecedented sensitivity, AND perhaps best of all, a new invention for consumer portable shortwave radio called Synchronous Detection. The sync detector was not only new for a portable in 1984, it was exceedingly good, sideband tuneable, and even near the end of the 2010s manufacturing cycle some 20 years later was considered one of the best ever offered in a radio. In the end, it was not the fact that a better radio came on the market to kill the production of the 2010, but rather, it became unprofitable for Sony to continue manufacturing it. In the 20 years since manufacturing it had begun, the cost for labor and materials had risen and with the introduction of surface mount circuit board technology, the price to pay electronics workers to solder and assemble was now unreasonable. Sony had a variety of nice radios to offer, but had no direct high-end portable receiver like the 2010 to offer to the public when production ceased. Shortwave enthusiasts grieved the loss. Today, for portable receivers, the 2010 remains as a classy receiver in the market and thousands of them are still in use each day worldwide and can be purchased on the used market in such places like on Ebay. These 2010s are great shortwave radios. Not only are they sensitive using the whip antenna, but they give the user the ability to listen to longwave, AM, and FM radio. In addition, since they have a sideband detector designed in them, you can tune into amateur radio transmissions. The synchronous detector is absolutely fantastic and allows the listener to use it on either upper or lower sideband. You merely tune the radio slightly off the direct frequency and can select the portion of the wave that is less distorted from propagation or side channel interference. In my opinion, Sony created a classic piece with this radio, and if it is not hampered by the bad FET, can even outperform the vast majority of radios sold over the past 25 years. Why shortwave radio? In an era when one can tune into hundreds of satellite TV channels or thousands of internet stations, shortwave still offers the listener the ability to hear signals transmitted over a considerable distance. There is little advertising on shortwave and little filtering of content to satisfy advertisers. The TV channels are selected based on your cable TV providers choice of programming and not all countries offer their programming on the internet. Shortwave listening is a medium that offers unfettered reception of signals. As a hobby, you learn when to listen, how to listen, and what to do to improve listening. If you like easy listening, then you would listen to the major broadcasters. However, tuning into signals not destined for your area sometimes offers some surprises. Over the years, we have learned a lot on shortwave that we would never, ever, hear on the regular broadcast mediums. Since most stations do not require advertising, you understand that you will hear a wider range of programs that may offend advertisers that use the TV or the internet. Shortwave listening is definitely a hobby. There are a lot of avenues to explore and avenues of interest. This Sony ICF-2010 is an excellent unit to really experience the hobby. Here are some reviews for the ICF-2010 on eHam from other users...note that it is given a 4.7 out of 5.0 by 70 reviewers...very high marks: https://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/479 (please copy and paste this link into your internet browser) Please use the Ebay shipping calculator to determine your shipping cost. This cost includes proper packing materials for safe delivery and insurance cost against damage or loss.Those buyers living outside the USA are also welcome to purchase from us. We have shipped to 111 countries during the past 24 years on Ebay and we are happy to ship virtually anywhere in the world. You may use the shipping calculator to determine your shipping cost.Please keep in mind that this cost may not include any import, customs, or VAT fees. If you are uncertain of these costs, we ask you to check with your local post office prior to making a purchase from us. Thank you!Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to look at our Ebay items!
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