Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Keith Stephens, who writes:
Regarding the Audiomax SRW-710S radio.
I was very pleasantly surprised at more than one aspect of this radio. First, it sounds like something with a much larger speaker. It has the base capability of at least a 6″ speaker. My favorite FM music station comes from a mountaintop repeater over 70 miles away. The 710S is one of two radios I have tried through the years that brings it in clear and clean. The other is a much bigger more expensive radio. And of course, the voice quality of the local AM talk shows is excellent. I lost my instruction booklet (as usual) but I do want to record the FM station for times when I am out of range.
It is a pity that I have to tell of a bad shortcoming on this wonderful radio. Alas, I couldn’t believe it the first time it died at the end of three hours. I thought I had a bad battery, but a fully charged new battery only lasts 3 hours! I would pay twice the price for the same radio if it had a better battery life. Please let me know if there is a better battery or the same radio with a larger battery.
Thanks for your mini review, Keith! Admittedly, I’ve never tested the battery performance of this set because I typically use it for short (1 hour) recording sessions.
Click here to read other reviews of the Audiomax SRW-710S/Tivdio V-115.
Have you heard of something called Power Charger for smartphones?…..Use it !
I took a quick spin around eBay, and found that depending on the vendor, this radio will ship with a BL5-C (Nokia style) battery ranging from 600 to 1000 mAH. Try switching out to a larger capacity battery. I’ve found them listed up to 2450 mAH. Might solve the problem.
I will add that I have the same findings. I don’t use it for “single” long run but over the course of a week or 10 days, I need to charge it.
The bar is useless. I charge it for ~4 hours. I use USB tester
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Voltmeter-Smart-Electronics-Digital-USB-Mobile-Power-Charging-Current-Voltage-Tester-Meter-USB-Charger-Doctor-Voltmeter/32957687251.html?
and I charge until I see 0ma + few more minutes
I have mine since Oct. 2016 and I bought 3 more for friends and family.
It’s a great FM radio.
I cannot attest to the battery performance (re: length) … because, like Thomas, I typically use it for short stints (an hour or so). But I can say that the battery stays charged for a very, very long time when stored or used sporadically.
One thing I have noted: when charging, my display will initially show a fully charged battery … but if I unplug the USB charger to use the radio, the battery will immediately show 2 of 3 bars on the display. However, if I leave it on the charger for several hours (even overnight) after the display shows fully charged, when I disconnect the USB charger the display will continue to show 3 of 3 bars, fully charged, even after I start using it. In summary: my sample tends to show fully charged even when it isn’t fully charged thus I extend my charging time. I wonder if doing this would help your situ?
I’d like to throw my 2-cents in that I also think this is a VERY capable radio. Just last night I was listening to Radio Romania’s ENA broadcast (6130 & 7325) and the signal was louder and clearer on my SRW-710S as compared to several MUCH more expensive radios (Eton SAT 750, Eton Executive Sat, Tecsun PL-680). This was *not* necessarily the case with every signal (e.g., 6070 was worse, 9570 was about the same), but for the $18.52 I paid – delivered – wow, I couldn’t be happier. I wish something like this had been available when I got into SWL 25-30 years ago. As a starter SWL radio, as a spare radio, as a garage radio … as a radio one throws unprotected into their bag or car, as a radio to use in the backyard – whatever – you can’t go wrong re: the price versus performance ratio.
Pricing varies … I’ve seen it from sub-$15 to over $30.
Frankly, I´m lost, Keith, and sorry to hear about that. Hmm, I do not even use the battery provided but an older one from a old phone, using the Tivdio for listening to audio books over the speaker – not very loudly though. And with light turning itself off after seconds. Yet, in three hours I just lose one bar. Recharging it about once every week is my normal ratio, using a battery with weakerspecifications and presumably far older than the one provided. Does the radio function really use so much more power than the mp3-play-function?