Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: JRC NRD 345

Category: Receivers: General Coverage

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : JRC NRD 345
Reviews: 7MSRP: 799.99 US (1997)
Description:
GENERAL COVERAGE RECEIVER
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0074.7
BXLISTENER Rating: 2012-09-29
Compact user friendly desktop. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought my 345 from Martin Lynch & Sons UK for £400 about 3 months ago.
Likes are;
1. Nice free spinning tuning knob.
2. Clear well lit display.
3. S meter is black needle on white background so it's easy to see.
4. Frequency can be entered in kHz, MHz or Mtrs on the keypad.
5. A/B VFO.
6. Button battery can be changed without the need for soldering.
7. AGC OFF option.

Dislikes;
1. The wide filter is a little on the narrow side for broadcast listening.
2. The +dB part of the S meter is STRANGE. There is a big gap between S9 and 10dB, then comes 20dB followed by 60dB! No 30, 40 or 50!
3. Switching in the 20dB attenuater seems to give only a 10dB drop on the S meter.
4. The floor brick PSU emits quite a noticeable hum (not on the radio, I mean the PSU itself). It also runs very hot so I've ventilated the case on mine by drilling some holes which seems to have helped.
5. It's best to hook any recording device up to the FAX jack because the level on the RECORD jack seems very low to me.
6. Noise Blanker, while adjustable, is not as effective against my neighbours plasma TV as the one on my Kenwood R-2000.

If you are puzzled by the little black square that appears on the display when you press ENTER don't worry. All it does is move the point at which the VFO moves from one "segment" of the band to another, so if you are getting a "click" tuning between say 7199 and 7200kHz just press ENTER and it will go away!

If you only listen mostly to broadcast then I'd say go for a receiver with a wider filter option.

I am very techno-phobic and gadgets bug me but I soon got used to using the 345 and now I enjoy using it a lot. Happy days!
KQ4O Rating: 2009-09-03
AR3030 Clone? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Let me first say that I have never used a 345, but own an AOR AR3030. However, if you are familiar with the AOR unit (see this link: http://n9ewo.angelfire.com/nrd345.html you will immediately know that they are one in the same receiver with only two real differences.
The first difference being the bandwidths (AOR uses Collins 6 kHz {really 5.5} and Murata 2.4 ceramic filters, the JRC using 4 and 2 kHz filters). The second difference is that the 345 has a noise blanker and no tunable BFO offset, while the 3030 is just the opposite.
The AR3030 deserves 5 stars, csan't imagine the 345 being any different.
JSCHAEFF Rating: 2004-06-17
Nice looking and performing rig. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this rig used. It was very hard to find! My first JRC and the quality is awesome.
SALREZ Rating: 2003-12-06
Simply the best radio,if you could find one Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I own a few portables and tabletops,the Drake sw-8,the Palstar R30,sony 2010,Lowe hf 150.all are classic radios,but I can't compare them to my JRC 345. this radio has a quality feel that is superior to the others.keep in mind,they are very hard to find,being produced for only a year,but I was lucky and recently purchased mine used from Universal-radio.com for 489 USD in GREAT condition.
to me,this radio is a keeper.
RAOTA1365 Rating: 2003-01-19
A great product fron JRC Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned 2 NRD345 Receivers since the begining of 2000,i purchased both Receivers at the very much reduced UK price of £399,the NRD 345s compair very well infact much better in some ways than my other Receivers eg FRG100 although the FRG100 does have NFM which is handy for the 29 MHz Repeaters the NRD is much more user friendly with great ergonomics,i use one of the 345s on the HF Airbands and the other on the HF Amateur Bands the Radios can both be used at the same time as i feed the Antenna/Antennas to both Radios via a RFsystems Antenna splitter,the Direct input keypad on the front panel of the 345s are much more convenient than the aditional keypads that are available for the FRG100,one of my 345s is computer controlled having only to either buy or make up a simple RS232 Cable as the interface is already built in and comes and standard - Hyperterminal is my Software for computer control.
NRD have made a nice job when building the 345s as they seem to do with all their Radio but it is a sin not to have put a RF Gain control on the Radio.
The NRD Badge on the front panel is very striking as it is on other JRC Radios,the Display is very easy to read and the switchable AGC is very effective.
Yes i do like the NRD345 and mine will be staying here in my shack although other Radios may come and go.
Still available in the UK on the used market although not as available as other General coverage Receivers.
BLUENOSE65 Rating: 2002-07-22
Very good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned this Receiver for over 2 years, I also have a NRD-545 DSP. JRC produce some of the most attractive radio's on the market and the quality of construction is second to none. The 345 is very simple to operate with it's 'one key one function' operation and produces nice clean result's in all mode's. In the UK were I live the radio was sold for a short period at the unbelievable price of £399 (the MRP was £799 when introduced) which places it in the same bracket as the FRG 100, Palsar 30 etc. In my opinion these other radio's can't even be classed (at this price) as competitors to the 345, which was described by a well known and respected UK Radio magazine reviewer as the 'Mercedes' of receiver's and I agree. They can only be found on the used market as production ceased after only one year? The meter selection button is a nice touch with a nice selection of filters, 100 tunable all mode memories, feels like and is a real radio, great tuning knob and analogue s/meter, no cheap plastics/materials used anywhere on this radio. As far as looks, ergonomics and quality of construction are concerned JRC can't be beaten. Performance is very good, my two NRD's are on all the time and I have never had a problem. My advice to you wherever you are is to look at the used list's and 'snap' one up at the first opportunity! only scored 4/5 because even though the AGC can be switched off, there is no RF Gain control, AGC work's well though.
RS179972 Rating: 2002-03-30
good basic set Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
very good receiver, twin VFOs,tilt bar,100 memories,proper s meter,well built to the usual JRC standard.good filters to,with good performance all round.what more can you ask for!