Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who has recently been in touch with Anna at Anon-Co and discovered a few Tecsun S-8800 hidden features we haven’t mentioned in the past.
Anna notes:
There are some hidden features for this model that are worth mentioning, and are available on all S-8800 radios, also the pre-2021 ones.
Backlight setting
In power-off mode, press and hold [ 2 ] on the remote until the display shows “ON” or “Off”, this to change the backlight setting to always-on or auto-off. In the auto-off setting the backlight turns on after pressing a button or using a tuning knob, and turns off automatically after a few seconds.
DNR (Dynamic Noise Reduction
In the AM band (LW, MW, SW), first press and hold [ 4 ] on the remote to activate the possibility of this feature. The display will show “ON” or “Off”. Make sure that it is turned on. Subsequently, press and hold [ 6 ] on the remote until the display shows “ON” (DNR activated) or “OFF” (DNR deactivated).
FM De-emphasis Time Constant
While receiving FM broadcasts, long press [ 5 ] on the remote to adjust the de-emphasis setting to 50?s or 75?s.
Adjusting the signal indicator sensitivity:
1. Enter FM, LW, MW or SW band
2. Select a weak station.
3. Press [ 7 ] on the remote for about 0.5 seconds.
4. Rotate the main tuning knob immediately to adjust the bars of the signal indicator.
5. Press any button for confirmation or auto save after 2 seconds.
While making the adjustment in step 4, the value in the top-right corner of the screen changes. The factory default value is supposedly around “6” for FM and SW: 6, and around 16 for MW. The adjustment range is -99 – 99.
Add Seconds to the Clock
With the device turned off, press and hold [ 8 ] on the remote to add seconds to the clock. Press and hold [ 8 ] again to hide the seconds from the clock.
Adjust the FM soft muting threshold
While in FM, press and hold [ 9 ] on the remote for about 2 seconds until the current level (probably around level 5) appears in the main display area. Then adjust it by rotating the tuning knob and then press [ 9 ] again to confirm the setting.
Many thanks to Dan and Anna for sharing these tips!
Not an FM expert … but … I believe the amount of pre-emphasis used on an FM signal in North America is different from that used in EU/UK (and elsewhere?). So while this is fun to play with, it probably works best with the right setting for each region. And it could always be set wrong as delivered.
Now, the thing is … I have no idea what pre-emphasis is! The only reason I even recognize the term is that I’ve spent WAY TOO MUCH TIME digging through National Radio Systems Committee specs for HDRadio and RD(B)S! 😀
The Backlight setting should be [3], not [2]. [2] toggles Longwave on/off.
Also note from my earlier post:
Toggle backlight permanently on/off: With the Radio OFF, Press & Hold 3 – Note that this means the light will be on even when radio is off. While the light does go out when radio is turned off, any operation of a control will turn the backlight on and it will then stay on. Too bad they just didn’t install a slide on/off switch. Plus I know of no way to turn the backlight on permanently without the remote.
So be careful when turning the Backlight permanately on. You can end up with a dead battery. Also, once turned on, you cannot switch it back without the remote. Unless you do a reset.
73
Bill WD9EQD
Smithville, NJ
How well does the internal DNR (digital noise reduction) feature work when enabled on this radio, compared to one of the outboard DNR speakers like the BHI ?