A
FIRST IMPRESSION OF A LOWE HF225 EUROPA
After seeing an ad for a Lowe HF225 Europa for sale on my back doorstep, I had a quick count up of the old beer tokens. Yes I was just back from a visit to Dublin, but I could manage it at the very modest price. The radio got rare reviews a few years ago. I slipped off to view the set while doing a job nowhere near the area of the seller. When I first saw the RX, I thought it was small. Since doing some work on it, I now think gee, it IS very small. Remember I am used to an NRD 515 and RACAL RA17s! When I tested the rig in the seller's house, the tuning was a bit grumbly and noisy. The knob was not very free and easy to turn. It was like a hi-fi with slightly stiff drive chord. This was only a minor problem though, and after I took the receiver home and sloshed some SERVISOL SUPER 40 around, the tuning pot freed off. Whilst not as heavy as the NRD main tuning knob, it is still free and very smooth to tune. There is a little plastic cover on the tuning pot, to help prevent dust getting in, which was a little stiff to remove. The volume, tone and main tuning knobs were all rubbing slightly against the metal chassis, so when they were realigned just clearing the metal plate, it made all the difference. The tell tale sign of entry was there. (Screw missing, knobs against the chassis). What was required is known as a simple service in the trade, and the radio was as right as rain.
Initially when gaining entry, I thought the front plate was riveted on or something, and had to come off by unscrewing all the screws in the chassis, and metal bars that go between back and front. However there are 4 screws, and by peeling off the plastic coating on the front panel, 4 countersunk screws are revealed. The front now comes off by removing the knobs and 4 screws, and not the former 11, which also meant disturbing the FM board. Some may say it looks a bit on the rough side, with screw heads showing, but after all I bought the receiver to use, not to sit and say "Awe that's braw". I had by this stage judged the rx enough to know I was going to keep it, and not flog it on.
I felt the set looked like a car radio with the display bulbs blown. Try driving along looking for Arrow Classic Rock on a dark frequency counter. Yes, hedges come towards you rather quickly. I have added 4 little 12v video lamps, one on each side of both the counter and the meter, giving both a nice easy on the eye yellowish tint. On the right hand side of the meter, there are 2 chips, but there is enough room for a small bulb. The heat generated is minimal. Unfortunately though the bulbs draw just short of 100mA EACH, a total of about 370mA. I found that the mediocre little power supply that comes with the Europa may drive the radio OK, but there is no room for additions as it is only rated at 400mA, though does feel sturdy enough to be twice that. I have made the pilot lamps switchable, so that the original power supply can maybe be used at another location, eg hotel room, weekends away etc. Anyway, I run the set off of a quite hefty 12v 8A supply, which I also use for other apparatus, and it produces no hum or buzz. Now at least you can see the displays. I am always suspicious about these supplies suddenly breaking down and jumping to 30v or so. It may be an idea to add a zener/ fuse or something as an overvolt protection.
After seeing an ad for a Lowe HF225 Europa for sale on my back doorstep, I had a quick count up of the old beer tokens. Yes I was just back from a visit to Dublin, but I could manage it at the very modest price. The radio got rare reviews a few years ago. I slipped off to view the set while doing a job nowhere near the area of the seller. When I first saw the RX, I thought it was small. Since doing some work on it, I now think gee, it IS very small. Remember I am used to an NRD 515 and RACAL RA17s! When I tested the rig in the seller's house, the tuning was a bit grumbly and noisy. The knob was not very free and easy to turn. It was like a hi-fi with slightly stiff drive chord. This was only a minor problem though, and after I took the receiver home and sloshed some SERVISOL SUPER 40 around, the tuning pot freed off. Whilst not as heavy as the NRD main tuning knob, it is still free and very smooth to tune. There is a little plastic cover on the tuning pot, to help prevent dust getting in, which was a little stiff to remove. The volume, tone and main tuning knobs were all rubbing slightly against the metal chassis, so when they were realigned just clearing the metal plate, it made all the difference. The tell tale sign of entry was there. (Screw missing, knobs against the chassis). What was required is known as a simple service in the trade, and the radio was as right as rain.
Initially when gaining entry, I thought the front plate was riveted on or something, and had to come off by unscrewing all the screws in the chassis, and metal bars that go between back and front. However there are 4 screws, and by peeling off the plastic coating on the front panel, 4 countersunk screws are revealed. The front now comes off by removing the knobs and 4 screws, and not the former 11, which also meant disturbing the FM board. Some may say it looks a bit on the rough side, with screw heads showing, but after all I bought the receiver to use, not to sit and say "Awe that's braw". I had by this stage judged the rx enough to know I was going to keep it, and not flog it on.
I felt the set looked like a car radio with the display bulbs blown. Try driving along looking for Arrow Classic Rock on a dark frequency counter. Yes, hedges come towards you rather quickly. I have added 4 little 12v video lamps, one on each side of both the counter and the meter, giving both a nice easy on the eye yellowish tint. On the right hand side of the meter, there are 2 chips, but there is enough room for a small bulb. The heat generated is minimal. Unfortunately though the bulbs draw just short of 100mA EACH, a total of about 370mA. I found that the mediocre little power supply that comes with the Europa may drive the radio OK, but there is no room for additions as it is only rated at 400mA, though does feel sturdy enough to be twice that. I have made the pilot lamps switchable, so that the original power supply can maybe be used at another location, eg hotel room, weekends away etc. Anyway, I run the set off of a quite hefty 12v 8A supply, which I also use for other apparatus, and it produces no hum or buzz. Now at least you can see the displays. I am always suspicious about these supplies suddenly breaking down and jumping to 30v or so. It may be an idea to add a zener/ fuse or something as an overvolt protection.
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The
over exposed photo on the left is taken with lamps fitted to it.
The right hand image is the standard!!
I also cut out the silly reflective plastic windows that cover the s meter and the freq counter. After all, if Granny's windows were as non see through as that, she would be out with the pail of soapy water and the shammy. (They may have been OK when the lights were added, but too late!!)
PERFORMANCE:
The best way I think to test a set, is to try it side by side with your known rx, and your own known antenna system. Time will permit a decent comparison. The set certainly does have the nice sound it is renowned for, although I haven't had conditions yet to fully compare it to the NRD515 in tight situations. I would say however for audio fidelity, the NRD is similar. The Europa is also good on SSB for casual listening. It doesn't have the same bomb proof front end as the NRD, noticeable with an inverted L which easily overloads it without an ATU. The main drawback is that I find the AGC remarkably slow, not controllable. If I was to tune to a very strong AM signal, and flick to a channel with a weak stn, the recovery rate is some 2 seconds at least. Whilst on the NRD I listen casually to SSB with the AGC in SLOW mode, or perhaps on AM to overcome fluttery fading. If I am on a serious AM DX night, it is always on fast. Imagine an elusive top of the hour id and a 30/9 loud QRN click appears. That two second recovery could mean an ID or no ID.
Memory use is a bit of a hit or a miss until you learn the sequence of the double function buttons. I feel it is much easier to just punch in the freq on the keypad.
I find the keypad very useful, for checking frequencies fast. Very good. Of course you always think that it could do with . . . . But it is a handy tool.
I will add comments when I can get a chance to compare the NRD and the Lowe.
The right hand image is the standard!!
I also cut out the silly reflective plastic windows that cover the s meter and the freq counter. After all, if Granny's windows were as non see through as that, she would be out with the pail of soapy water and the shammy. (They may have been OK when the lights were added, but too late!!)
PERFORMANCE:
The best way I think to test a set, is to try it side by side with your known rx, and your own known antenna system. Time will permit a decent comparison. The set certainly does have the nice sound it is renowned for, although I haven't had conditions yet to fully compare it to the NRD515 in tight situations. I would say however for audio fidelity, the NRD is similar. The Europa is also good on SSB for casual listening. It doesn't have the same bomb proof front end as the NRD, noticeable with an inverted L which easily overloads it without an ATU. The main drawback is that I find the AGC remarkably slow, not controllable. If I was to tune to a very strong AM signal, and flick to a channel with a weak stn, the recovery rate is some 2 seconds at least. Whilst on the NRD I listen casually to SSB with the AGC in SLOW mode, or perhaps on AM to overcome fluttery fading. If I am on a serious AM DX night, it is always on fast. Imagine an elusive top of the hour id and a 30/9 loud QRN click appears. That two second recovery could mean an ID or no ID.
Memory use is a bit of a hit or a miss until you learn the sequence of the double function buttons. I feel it is much easier to just punch in the freq on the keypad.
I find the keypad very useful, for checking frequencies fast. Very good. Of course you always think that it could do with . . . . But it is a handy tool.
I will add comments when I can get a chance to compare the NRD and the Lowe.