Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Garcia (PU3HAG), who writes:
Not sure if you noticed this before, for me it was a glad surprise how well the sleep timer works on Tecsun PL-880.
To use the sleep timer, you press the power button for a about 2s-3s until you see the timer, using the tuning knob you can choose several options between 1 and 120 minutes.
Neat finding #1: the timer settings is kept between power cycles. So, you only have to set it once (in some radios, you need to set the timer for each use).
Neat finding #2: when using the timer, you would expect – as every other radio – the radio to shut off immediately along with ‘pop’ on the headphones. This is not the case with PL-880. When the timer kicks in, the radio gently fades out the audio for 20s-30s and then shuts off. No pops to hear. Amazing.
That is brilliant! I never use the sleep timer on the PL-880, but perhaps I will now. As you state, most sleep timers simply turn off the radio without warning and include an audio pop–not great if you’re wearing headphones and trying to sleep. Very happy to hear the PL-880 slowly fades. Happy dreams!
Just discovered this information.
Thanks for sharing! This is brilliant.
Much appreciated!
Arthur K
VK2xxx
Nice- Thank you.
As the owner of a PL-660 which has completely lost the plot and refuses to reset I’m gravely disappointed with Tecsun, particularly as I cannot find any tech support for the product, so I will be sticking to my Sony’s and Elecraft in the portable department…
One more feature of the PL-880. It already has the best quality a portable radio have for me, who like to listen to programs: great audio quality. This sleep timer reminded me of my R75’s. Instead of fading out, it sounds a beep very much similar to that BBC does close to the top of the hour. The first time I heard it I thought somehow I was listening to The Beeb. Than, I looked at the display and the station was still VOA and it wasn’t the top of the hour either. I’m definetely going to by a PL-880 and sell my PL-660.
I use the sleep timers all the time on all my radios that have them. This way, should I get busy, with something else and step away, they’ll turn off and save the batteries. It’s easy enough to hit the power button again to turn on the radio even if you never moved away from it.
It really is superb! None of that annoying fiddling about at bedtime you get with other radios or devices. Once you have set up the sleep function (as you describe here) you just turn the radio on,get into bed and the radio will fade out gently at whatever time you have set it to. You don’t have to go through those annoying steps again.The alarm function also has the same gentle fade out,if you set it to wake you up with the radio. By the way,thank you for this excellent site. If you are interested in DX radio this a must read!
I was so close to buy this radio, but your reviews on the radio here on the swling.com site changed my mind.
Great information. Thanks for sharing.
Another Thomas