The Lowe HF150 Communications Receiver

Here's a look at my Lowe HF150 Communications Receiver. Covering 30kHz to 30MHz, this little receiver is truly amazing.
www.radio-workshop.co.uk/g4ns...

[@davidflamee]

Haphazard? you should do more like this. Hands on, hearing the signals, seeing the operation, that was fantastic. Many thanks.

[@g4nsj]

OK, I will. Thanks!

[@noble_wolf]

I have a HF-225. Like you, I wish I had it in the 90s (when there was much less interference, lower noise floor, and even basic antennae could weedle out weird number stations)

[@g4nsj]

The noise level is horrendous here!

[@ecutechltd]

I was a teen in the 90's. I had a Yacht Boy 400. I was only interested in HF Aero comms. On a Friday night i always used at stay up until 6-7am, listening to Shanwick/Gander etc, plotting the planes on an Aerad map. I saved and saved doing paper rounds, washing cars etc until i had enough money to buy one of these. Was a LOT of money back then and took me 2 years of saving everything from my jobs, even saving Christmas and birthday money! Day finally came and my Dad took me to Lowe's in Matlock to buy it. Was so excited! Even now they are great receivers. I remember i part exchanged it in the end for a HF225. Thank you for sharing Ray.

[@mattbates6887]

I used to listen to New York tower, MacDill AFB and Croughton in the 80s, when HF propagation conditions were really fab with my FRG7. Back in the day when airliners used AM, I remember listening to AM Shannon/Gander comms on a Murphy valve broadcast radio. They were very exciting times back then, for us SWLs.

[@ecutechltd]

Matt Bates Yes good times. Prop was great back then and hardly no interference at all. Also remember listening to stockholm radio where they would patch flight crew to their ops and would discuss inflight engineering problems. Wish i had a time machine.

[@mattbates6887]

Excellent demonstration of the Lowe HF150 there, and a great video Ray.

[@ianmorton5943]

Looks very modern for its age looks like a nice bit of kit 👍

[@SpectreOZ]

Nicely done Ray and definitely a nice bit of kit that Lowe HF150👍

[@Joe-KN4IFI]

Nice looking and working radio. I also wish I had pickup one up back in the 90's . Thanks Ray for the video and Stay Safe. 73 Joe

[@che59v]

Good work, thanks for the video and demo.

[@paulsmi55]

Thanks Ray, greatly enjoyed the presentation and perhaps one day I can lay my hands on one of those fine Lowes. 73 de ZS2OE

[@michaelellard4664]

Had one , beautiful sound and reception.

[@amateurspotter2656]

Hi Ray, just got my license renewed, G4TZV. Love your vids. Keep it up and keep safe. Eamonn.

[@g4nsj]

Well done, Eamonn. Might hear you on the air!

[@m.9243]

What a great little receiver! Many thanks for making the effort to demonstrate it in your 'radio room'. It's always much better to see something in action rather than talk about it. ..and that Marconi Receiver you have.. heavens, that's an item of the past! Please, treat us to more such videos Ray. A look of your 'radio room' and the rigs you have in there would be nice. Keep up the great work 'ol'boy' and stay safe with all these nasty events of late. 73's

[@g4nsj]

Hi, it's nice to hear from you. That's a good idea. I'll make a video of the gear in the radio room.

[@rayleinster]

Great review

[@garyjellen8039]

I love a good com receiver, and that one looks like it works pretty nice. Thanks for showing it to us, good video , thanks...

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@700weedkiller4]

Cheers Ray. 2 videos in one day...so cool you take the time to review different equipment..most I never seen before..lol continental divide ..just wanted to thank you for your time and interesting entertainment..stay safe and cheers.from Ohio radio am28 weedkiller.73s

[@g4nsj]

Nice to hear from you! Cheers!

[@andykeddie7602]

Still got mine Ray, mint condition, with the keypad. I bought it from Lowe's outlet in Cambridge. Love it, and as you said, the audio is reall very good.... M0KED, Lincoln.

[@g4nsj]

Wow, that's excellent! Look after it. Cheers, Ray

[@Esriuptime]

Bought mine second hand from Lowe at Matlock, also came wth keypad. Picked up a second hand PR150 some time later.

[@enzedpcs2]

Really enjoyed this, Tankyou

[@jeffsmith50001]

Thanks for your interesting channel Ray. I used to like Radiocruncher to try and learn stuff. He's Good,But his regular 50 subs don't want to talk unless they are talking to each other about how knowledgeable they are. He gets lots of interesting people commenting but then give up. Understandable. cheers. Love your ghost stories as well.

[@g4nsj]

Hi Jeff, it's nice to hear from you. Glad you like the channel. And the ghost stories! Haha, I must do some more. Cheers, Ray.

[@edwardholland36]

Great video Ray - I have been enjoying your excellent channel for a while now. This one particularly got my interest, as I got a HF-150 myself last year. As you say, brilliant little receiver with so much performance and capability packed in. Mine came without a keypad, and it is well worth using one - I have had a HF-225 since new with a keypad - so I made one, which is quite easy, one chip and a couple of general purpose transistors, as mentioned by UrbanBushCraft. I can share plans if you would like. I've become a bit of a Lowe collector, and jumped at a HF-235 recently. To the poster RGC198 who asked, it will operate in any mode at any frequency, so yes, SSB all through the tuning range.

[@g4nsj]

Edward Holland hi Edward. A Lowe collector, that’s great. Keep me posted. Cheers, Ray.

[@ianharling9569]

Very nice Ray.👍

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@berndb.5097]

Hello Ray, nice to see you old man ;-) 73 de DF7PI

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@ianhand5006]

I have a HF125, HF225 and HF150. The HF150 is my favourite by far.

[@robertfoster6070]

As I recall Lowe Electronics was based in Derbyshire.

[@Funk-DX]

thank you very much for this video, very very interesting ! All the best wishes for you from Klaus

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Klaus!

[@JonnyInfinite]

Another nice video. Stay safe Ray with this nasty virus going round!

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@barneykennett9282]

Nice one Ray...👍

[@g4nsj]

Thanks, Barney!

[@Dodgerm1cbo]

Yes very nice, I have the Lowe hf125 and that is great too

[@robstrous9900]

I love mine hf 150 for 15 years. 73"

[@chipc4936]

What a wonderful presentation. Thank you so much, OM. BCNU VY 73 dit dit

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@Chriswilliams-lx9mx]

Great video ray,I’ve got one of these,shame I rarely use it really,might put a bit of wire out and listen to they ole girl agin 😉👍

[@g4nsj]

Chris williams excellent!

[@urbanbushcraft3018]

Hi Ray, great video thanks! I have had mine since new. I also keep mine on top of the same realistic scanner you have as well as using it with my mini-whip ;-) I have the keypad and have taken some pics inside if you want to see. Standard 3x4 matrix driven by a GPS SL409B chip + some other discreet components. I do have an issue with mine though - when I switch to higher frequencies it is like the audio is cut off....de m0tfy

[@1fanger888]

Very cool, thanks, Hope you all are doing well. Cheers, KC3BXZ Joe 73

[@g4nsj]

Thanks! We're doing fine here. Cheers, Ray.

[@Rickg6uzt]

Always wanted one. Shame I never bought one.

[@dennisperusse3837]

Great video. I would like your opinion on something. I have three receivers, one tube and two digital. I’m in a muddle about which would be better to do. Would a doublet/dipole antenna (about 50 ft on each side) or would 100 ft as one long wire antenna be better to pick up more stations? I mention this as I am using my Hallicrafters S40b receiver right now and can do both setups. Yet, where I am beefing to connect it along the side of my house I need to put a small hole in my bedroom ceiling in order to get to the roof vent to do the setup. I’d rather not have to put more holes than needed to do the setup properly.

[@timcollingwood6158]

Hi Ray Excellent video , any chance of more information on non directional beacons I find this really interesting.Best Regards Tim

[@g4nsj]

I’ll see what I can do. They certainly are interesting. Cheers, Ray.

[@janetwinslow2039]

A nicely made radio, but they were prone to overloading due to poor front-end filtering (just octave filters I think) and they later supplied a matching preselector. The Lowe HF225 was *much* better but more expensive - I still use mine!

[@g4nsj]

Janet Winslow yes, you’re right. I use an ATU with mine. It makes all the difference. Cheers, Ray.

[@RGC198]

Hi Ray, that is an impressive receiver. Does the SSB work on all bands, including LW and AM? On AM, SSB would be handy hearing 10kHz spaced USA AM stations via DX over there. Also, does the BBC World Service still operate on SW over there? I haven't heard that for some years here. Thanks for the interesting demonstration. All the very best. Robert.

[@g4nsj]

Hi Robert, yes SSB is on all bands. The BBC World Service are still around. See here ... www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2x9tqt6mc05vB2S37j8MWMJ/global-short-wave-frequencies

[@RGC198]

@@g4nsj Thanks for that. I will have to check that out. I think the SE Asia transmitters should be possible to hear at our place here in Melbourne.

[@sean-2e0xbt57]

I have the HF-125 Ray :) - 73 Sean 2E0XBT

[@cimbakahn]

Radio Workshop: How many bands does that radio have? Some radios have six bands, and others have eight bands.

[@nemo1850]

Hello Ray, I use my HF 150 every day! But the tuning knob is heavy to work. Do you have any solution to that problem? Henri

[@g4nsj]

Hi Henri. I tried a drop of light oil on the shaft, that seemed to work. Cheers, Ray.

[@bosstaki]

Hi ray! I don’t suppose you know were i can get a 20ka pot with a double pole switch on the rear for my Lowe hf-150 receiver!

[@g4nsj]

Hi Alan, I’m afraid not. I’ve looked around the internet and found nothing. Sorry about that.

[@bosstaki]

@@g4nsj thanks for the reply Ray! I’ve scoured the internet too mate! Maybe some one hear who reads the post might be able to point me in the right direction or maybe have one for me 🤞🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@101jumpit]

I used to have one.Anyone looking at the front would thinl its only a basic set,but how wrong they were :)

[@g4nsj]

Indeed! Cheers, Ray.

[@TheRogey1]

5505khz ...Shannon Volmet 5480khz ......RAF Volmet👍

[@g4nsj]

I monitor them all!

[@Team-fabulous]

AM shortwave is amazing. As a child I would listen to short wave stations on my fathers Shakespeare transistor radio and wondering where in the world all these strange voices where coming from. You can keep all this digital nonsense, it's the work of Satan...