Video: Tecsun PL-880 vs. PL-660 and coping with interference

Tecsun-PL880-SWLing-Post-0526I normally like to do in-line recordings for audio comparisons of radios, but my digital recorder is non-functional at the moment. This fact–coupled with a bit of reader peer pressure–prompted me to take a short video with my iPhone of the PL880 and PL660 in action. While this will not be a true representation of the PL-880’s audio, of course, it should serve as some point of comparison in terms of function.

In this (very basic) video, you can hear the difference between the PL-880 and PL-660 when both radios are coping with adjacent signal interference. In this case, I tuned to Radio Australia on 9580 kHz–typically a blow-torch signal here in eastern North America. I wanted to gauge how each radio coped with adjacent signal from China Radio International broadcasting out of Cuba on 9570 kHz,  which can cause major adjacent signal problems, even though it’s a full 10 kHz below Radio Australia.

In this video, I tried to use both radios’ bandwidth controls and (upper side-band) sync lock to cope with the interference. Forgive the lack of tripod. Here you go:

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4 thoughts on “Video: Tecsun PL-880 vs. PL-660 and coping with interference

  1. Moshe Ze'ev Zaharia

    Very interesting video thomas!
    The 880 indeed sounds better, but the sync sound a little bit off (like the SSB not zero in). The 660 suffers from fadings much more than the 880.
    I have ordered the Tecsun S2000 (=Eton/ Grundig satellit 750) last week from Anon-Co (directly from their site), and I’m curious how it will handle signals compared to my Sangean ats 909. they both lack sync detection, and ECSS sounds awful on the 909 (the 4 kHz narrow BW doesn’t help much here). Have you (or any reader) have any experience with this radio?

    Reply
  2. james patterson

    Does the PLL 880 suffer with any internaly generated harmonics that I found with several PL660s I tested?I tested/tried three PL660s and one PL600.The PL660 had harmonics over the HF bands that climbed up and down the frequencies espeicaly noticed more so in SSB mode.The loud harmonic acturly drowned out any station listened to.The PL600 had a high pitched harmonic in several places over the HF bands noticed more so in SSB mode.
    Is this a common fault with these digital receivers?Or are there bad batches that slip through the final testing at Tecsun Company befor exported arround the world.Because here in NewZealand we seem to have been landed with an “odd” batch of these dumped on us.

    Reply
  3. Pablo

    Agree…sound is very important helping to get a good listening experience. Also, the 880 seems to suffer less from fading (maybe because of the agc response?)

    Reply

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