SWLing Post reader, Paul, points out this RadioShack model 2000669 portable radio and asks, “Is this a new RadioShack shortwave radio?”
Very good question! Though I haven’t been inside a RadioShack in a couple of months, I’ve never noticed this portable on their shelves. In fact, I don’t even recognize the form factor as a re-badged Tecsun or Degen.
Has anyone purchased the model 2000669 from RadioShack?
Hi. I bought this radio but can’t get it to work. I’m looking for the owners’ manual, for help. Anyone know how and where I can find one?
I bought one of this model in Radio Shack and it is a good in MW (AM) and FM but dead and deaf on Shortwave which is the most important thing for my interest! Dont waste more than $40 for such a radio! Spend your money in something else!
Received my radio today, just a few days after ordering. While the price was good, the AM reception is average, sometime overpowered by a local AM station. The FM was sensitive and OK. The shortwave was what I would call marginal, even hooked to a longwire with VERY low audio on shortwave, even with a good signal. So low in fact at the highest volume setting that I had to keep the radio real close to my ear to hear it on Shortwave. AM BCB and FM were fine – volume three times what the SW was. So while I will be keeping this radio because it looks like an iPhone, but I can see why they are dumping this cheap.
I picked one up today, and overall, I’m impressed. It does have complete coverage from 2.5 to 26.1 MHz as advertised, and overall, it has very good sensitivity and adjacent channel rejection for a small portable (in fact, the best I’ve heard from such). Sure sounds like some sort of DSP filter is involved. Reception is at least as good as my old Grundig Mini 300 and much, much better than a Degen DE22. Clipping an external long-wire antenna did not cause overloading (I was very surprised by this). AM BCB reception is actually quite decent: I was able to listen to several distant stations that were only 10 kHz from local ones. Audio is OK but not great, and the case does not stand up stably. I guess you can’t expect too much from a $30 radio. No case or earbuds are included.
By the way, if you go to a local Radio Shack store, be sure you get the internet price. We have two stores near my house; both had the radio marked as $39.99 instead of the $27.99 online sale price. The guys at the first store said “sorry, we can’t change the sticker price.” No sale. So, I went to the other store. When I pointed out the web price to the young women helping me there, she said, “this isn’t right” and called her manager over who overrode the store price with the cheaper one.
So, who makes this radio? Good question. The back of the case says “Custom manufactured in China for Radio Shack Corporation.” Maybe Tecsun?
How does this one compare to other portable Eton Compact AM FM Shortwave Radio NGM400R?
Unfortunately, I’ve never used one so I can’t comment.
There is a new AM/FM only version too; gets generally poor reviews.
http://www.radioshack.com/1201518.html
Who makes a DSP chip that cover shortwave from 2.5-24 MHz? Certainly not Silicon Labs.