Note: In order to remain in compliance with Ebay's listing policies, we have used an asterisk * in some of the listing details below.  This * allows us to mention brands and models while avoiding spamming keywords, even unintentionally, for Ebay searches.  Thank you for understanding!

This sale is for a classic JRC NRD-515 receiver that lit up the world of shortwave DXers when introduced to the marketplace in 1979.  The original selling price at that time was $1490 which would translate to a cost of $7,000 in 2026 when factoring in the cost of inflation.  And it must be noted that many serious hobbyists paid this extravagant money to get one of the best receivers introduced into the consumer market and these 515 receiver still enjoy a cult-like following among collectors and hobbyists.  

Cosmetics of the receiver are average as you will notice wear to the front panel and scratches on the covers.  The covers are easily scratched and this receiver is not exception.  Please use the pictures at the top of this listing as a supplement to the description and feel free to ask any questions.  

We tested this receiver to verify that all the controls and functions operate as designed by JRC.  During our testing, we discovered no issues or shortcomings.  Sensitivity was confirmed to be wonderful as is the JRC tradition.

We also want to mention that this receiver was manufactured by JRC from 1979-1986.  This was a high mark for quality in Japanese electronic manufacturing as witnessed by Sony with its CRF-320 radio and Walkman tape players and this JRC receiver is a beautifully designed and manufactured receiver.   

The NRD-515 receiver comes with:

• copy of the owner's manual
• copy of service manual   
• Proceedings Newsletter review
• QST review November 1981 (amateur radio magazine)
• WRTH review 1982 (World Radio & Television Handbook)
• Gilfer Shortwave cover picture 1982
• Gilfer Shortwave catalog page 1982
• Radio West catalog page 1985
• WRTH ensemble advertisement copy 1984
• Passport Whitepaper review
• NRD-515 advertisement copy
• Brochure #1 copy (6 page color)
• Brochure #2 copy (6 page color)
• JRC ensemble advertisement
• AM Synchronous Detection Explained - information about ECSS tuning
• CD containing a wealth of information such as the user manual, technical manual, block diagram, and schematics....plus manuals for all the accessories.  This CD is not sold separately and is free to the new owner of this receiver and contains over 500 GB of files.  Many of these files and documents are not available elsewhere.

Background

Japan Radio Company is a long standing company established in 1915 and is considered one of the oldest and largest electronics manufacturing companies in the world.  Employing over 3,000 workers, JRC is a respected leader in such areas as marine radio equipment, mobile and satellite communications, fiber optics, radar, navigation equipment, and avionics systems. Therefore, it should be no surprise that JRC's line of communications receivers is highly regarded and sought for it's dependability, ergonomics, and ease of use.

Over the years, JRC has manufactured a fine line of consumer grade shortwave receivers.  Beginning with the NRD*505 and ending with the NRD*545, Japan Radio has incorporated state-of-the-art features into a unit designed with excellent sensitivity and to be operated with user comfort.  This NRD-515 is not exception and is typically sought by collectors that are fond of it's design and capabilities.  According to Fred Osterman in his book "Shortwave Receivers Past and Present" the NRD-515:

"is robustly built and straight-forward to operate. This receiver remains popular with utility DXers, tropical band enthusiasts, and general shortwave listeners. The '515' has nearly a cult-like following. Clean lines, easy operation, a solid feel and outstanding performance come together in this radio."

Interestingly, the 515 sold in the late 70's thru the mid 80's for $1490 ....a tidy sum of money in those days.  Extra features such as the memory unit and additional IF filters would push the price even higher.  When new models come out, typically older shortwave receivers, like most consumer products, lose much of their original value.  However, the 515 in good condition is a true exception with selling prices remarkably stable even 25 to 30 years later.  There are reasons for this phenomenon.

First of all, the receiver is truly built like a tank.  The receiver front panel and cover are made from heavy gauge steel and designed to last.  The only plastic is found on the various knobs and feet with the balance of the receiver constructed of metal.

Secondly, the 515 was made during an era of mostly analog dial readouts that could tune to within 5 KHz or maybe even 1 KHz.  However, the red LED readout of the 515 could literally tune to a resolution of 100 Hz...an achievement unparalleled by other consumer equipment from that era.  Only mil spec equipment could boast such tuning resolution.  Japanese electronic manufacturers were beginning to release some models with digital readouts, but again, the resolution was generally only as good as 1 KHz.

Tuning on the 515 is accomplished using a variety of knobs.  The user would determine which one of 29 MHz bands they would like to tune and move the large MHz dial into that position. (This is a photo rotary encoder that is extremely durable)  Then actual tuning to the specific frequency would occur with the large right main tuning knob, or if faster tuning was desired, using the toggle tuning switch that is located at about 2 o'clock to the main tuning knob.  For most tuning, this method is sufficient.  However, if tuning on SSB or for RTTY, Japan Radio also included a fine tune control that they refer to as the delta control.  This control deviates by about + or - 3 KHz and allows for extreme precision in tuning.

The 515 is a highly stable receiver.  Frequency drift after about 30 minutes of warm-up is reported to be less than 50 Hz/hr, but avid users report that they rarely have to retune.  This stability is uncustomary for this time in the consumer market.

A nice feature found on the 515 is the passband tuning.  This control coupled with the receiver's excellent dynamic range allows the operator to frequently eliminate considerable side channel interference.  When used in conjunction with the installed filters, the 515 becomes a fantastic unit for digging out those weak signals.  The choice of filters is not mode dependent and this gives the user an extra degree of flexibility.

At this point, we would like to confirm some of the features followed by additional information found on the internet:

·  Coverage from 100 KHz to 30,000 KHz

·  Installed filters of 6 / 2.4 KHz

·  Noise blanker

·  Delta Tune (RIT) of + or - 3 KHz

·  BFO + or - 2 KHz

·  RF gain

·  AGC fast / slow / off

·  UP / Down tuning

·  Passband tuning of + or - 2 KHz

·  S-meter

·  1/4" Headphone jack

·  Ext. speaker jack

·  Line out jack

·  Attenuator -10 or -10 dB

·  BC preselector / tune

·  Mute and monitor functions for amateur radio use

If you like reading reviews, this site from Eham is based on 14 of 15 users reviewing and giving the 515 a perfect mark:

https://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/657  (please copy and paste these internet addresses in your web browser)

Here is a site offering a PDF copy of sales brochure for the 515:

http://www.kongsfjord.no/data_sheets/Japan%20Radio%20Company/JRC%20NRD-515.pdf

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Those buyers living outside the USA are also welcome to purchase from us.  We have shipped to 113 countries during the past 26 years on Ebay and we are happy to ship virtually anywhere in the world as served by Ebay's Global Shipping Program (which unfortunately excludes many countries in Europe due to strict customs requirements).  You may use the shipping calculator to determine your shipping cost.

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