[amsat-bb] Receiver sensitivity

[Jeff Mock]

I have an Icom R8500.  I've had this receiver quite a long time and I 
really like it.  For me it's more like a piece of test equipment than a 
radio.

I've been using it to listen to satellites with so-so results.  With 
high overhead passes I get good results, but not so good lower than say 
30-degree elevation with an Arrow-II antenna.  Maybe I'm getting some 
desensing by being in a big city, any number of things.

My question is about sensitivity of the receiver.  I'm looking at the 
specs, and it quotes 0.5 uV for FM at 70cm.  This is quite a bit worse 
than other 70cm radios and HTs that quote 0.17 uV sensitivity.

Is this difference for real?  Does it make a big difference? It looks 
like even the big expensive receivers like the R9500 have the same 0.5 
uV sensitivity as the R8500.

thanks,
jeff