We all check the Sherwood Engineering rankings before buying a new rig, but are we over-valuing the wrong specs? In this chat between @HamRadioCrashCourse and Rob Sherwood (NC0B) himself, the “Master of Measurements” drops some truth bombs. This is a very interesting interview with a lot of great information!
The key seems to be that most of these new radios have a dynamic range that is so good, the average user may not notice a difference. The most important thing to do is buy a radio that fits your operating habits, budget and most importantly has a user interface that you enjoy working with! That leads to this spoiler - you may think Rob runs the Yaesu FT-DX101MP (it sits at the top of his list) but in his shack he runs the Icom IC-7610!
Here’s everything I took from this video:
- Context Matters: A radio’s position at the top of the list doesn’t mean it’s the best for every user. The rankings are based on specific laboratory measurements, not overall “usability” or “fun.”
- The “Good Enough” Threshold: Once a radio reaches a dynamic range of 85 dB to 90 dB, most operators will never encounter a real-world scenario where a higher number makes a detectable difference.
- The AGC and Audio Factor: Sherwood emphasizes that Automatic Gain Control (AGC) and audio quality often impact the user experience more than dynamic range. If the audio is fatiguing or the AGC is “thumping,” a high ranking won’t save the experience.
- Transmitter Performance: A recurring point is that your receiver is often limited by the “phase noise” or “splatter” of the other person’s transmitter. If the band is noisy, having a 110 dB dynamic range won’t help you hear a weak signal better.
- Ergonomics & Features: Choosing a radio based solely on laboratory data ignores ergonomics, screen quality, and menu systems—all of which are vital for day-to-day operation.
