Category Archives: FM

A review of the supercompact Sangean WR-7 FM Radio and Bluetooth speaker

Folks have been known to say that good things come in small packages. And, do you know what? They’re sometimes right. [Spoiler alert: This review features a good thing which comes in a small package.]

I’ve been in the process of evaluating some pretty complicated pieces of communications equipment lately. So when Sangean approached me a few weeks ago and asked if I would check out their latest FM radio and Bluetooth speaker––a comparatively simple piece of kit––I thought, Well, why not? Because while I prefer “enthusiast grade” radios, sometimes it’s nice to check out something super-simple and purpose-built from a company I’ve grown to trust. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Sangean actually bothered to include FM radio on what would otherwise simply be just another Bluetooth speaker. Ah, yes; a worthy addition.

Sangean dispatched the sample radio and I received it within a few days. I was expecting something roughly on the scale of a Tivoli Model One. Instead, when I opened the box, what I found was a radio only slightly larger than my diminutive Muzen OTR, a little radio that fits the palm of your hand. To be fair, it could only be called…cute.

By my measurements, the tiny Sangean WR-7 is about 2 1/2″ tall, 4 5/8″ wide, and 3″ deep (if you include the tuning knob in that last dimension). It’s mini by almost any standard.

For this photo I placed it next to my handy XHDATA D-808 compact radio. And here’s how they compare:

Though wee, the WR-7 feels weighty (14.4 oz), solid, and substantial in the hand.

Turns out the chassis is solid––solid wood. Sangean has two options: walnut and dark cherry. Of course, my sample is a black version which may appear later in the year.

And the WR-7 is as simple to operate as it is to…well, hold in your hand. There’s one knob to turn the radio on and select the source (FM, Bluetooth, or the analog AUX input), and another knob for volume. Just as these photos show.

The tuning knob is the largest knob and moves fluidly across the dial. The analog dial is white with black frequency markings, and is backlit. From my tests, the FM dial is fairly accurate, although the frequency marking steps are a bit odd: 2 or 3 MHz increments starting at 87.5 and ending at 108 MHz.

There is a green LED lamp hidden behind the speaker grill that acts as the FM signal strength indicator. This LED turns blue when in Bluetooth mode.

Performance

There’s not a lot to report on here and, perhaps, that’s why I halted my other evaluations to fit this one in. This radio needs no owner’s manual (though it does ship with one). All you need is a USB charging cable––yep, the same type that likely charges your mobile phone. And, of course, it ships with one. It also ships with a lightweight cloth-like carrying bag.

You might have noticed that the WR-7 doesn’t have a telescoping whip antenna. That’s okay, because it also ships with an external wire antenna (which I actually prefer on this type of mini tabletop radio).

The WR-7 has an internal 2600 mAh Lithium-Ion Battery that provides this tiny rig with up to 36 hours of operation between charges. While I haven’t tested this claim yet, I can tell you that its battery life is incredibly good––especially acknowledging that the audio amplifier must be using quite a bit of the battery.

FM

The WR-7 receives the FM broadcast band from 87.5 to 108 MHz. While the dial is analog, I know there’s a DSP chip inside because I can hear frequency steps while I tune across the band. There is no muting between frequency steps, so the experience of tuning feels somewhat analog. As I mentioned earlier, the dial layout is a little quirky, but overall the frequency markings are pretty close to accurate. I found my benchmark stations with little difficulty.

In terms of sensitivity, the FM receiver is quite good in the WR-7. I could receive almost all of my local stations with the external FM antenna connected. Of course, you’ll want to connect the FM wire antenna.

With the external antenna connected, I could receive all of my benchmark distant and weak stations as well on the WR-7. While reception is very good, it isn’t quite as good as on my XHDATA D-808, C. Crane CC Skywave SSB, or Tecsun PL-660––the lock isn’t quite as stable––but I probably could have tweaked this by moving the external wire antenna.

Audio fidelity

Thing is, with even a decent FM signal, you’ll be mighty impressed with the audio fidelity of the WR-7. It easily manages to sound like a radio three to four times its size. Truly, the bass that emanates from this tiny speaker is incomprehensibly deep–only limited by the size of the acoustic chamber.

The sound is rich and room-filling when the volume is turned up.

And speaking of turning up the volume, this is one little radio you’ll probably peg at its highest volume setting from time to time. In fact, I rather wish this radio would allow the volume level to reach even a notch higher…but I expect this was a design choice at Sangean. With the volume turned up all the way, the sound is room-filling, but not distorted. While testing the WR-7, I tuned it to a variety of stations and played a wide range of music through it via Bluetooth: I never noticed bass-heavy songs distorting the audio. I suspect if the volume could be increased even further, the audio would indeed distort a bit.

In short: though you might occasionally turn up the volume on the WR-7 all the way, you’ll be pleased with the results––even across the room!

Bluetooth

I’m not sure what to say about Bluetooth; to me this is a technology that seems to work quite well for wireless connections between mobile devices. The WR-7 has built-in Bluetooth Technology Version 4.1, and it worked flawlessly with all of my mobile devices as well as my shack’s PC.

For a full week, I used the WR-7 as the speaker for my shack computer, and it was most impressive. In fact, it makes for a nice compact external speaker to pair with my SDR applications. AM audio, piped through Bluetooth into the WR-7, is a treat.

For a few nights, I even streamed OTR productions of “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” with my shack computer, connected to the WR-7 via Bluetooth. The WR-7 was actually in the adjoining room, yet the Bluetooth connection was strong and never dropped the audio. The resulting sound was nothing short of amazing: if you closed your eyes, it almost sounded like a valve set from 1939.

And that’s another thing about the WR-7 worth noting: It’s so small and so simple in design, it fits in anywhere, and isn’t in the least obtrusive, all while filling the room with its warm, rich sound.

Summary

Every radio has its pros and cons. When I begin a review of a radio, I take notes from the very beginning so that I don’t forget some of my initial impressions. Here is the list I formed over the time I’ve spent evaluating the WR-7.

Pros:

Superb, room-filling, rich audio especially considering its very compact package
Very good FM sensitivity
Internal battery powers it for dozens of hours between charges
Easy to recharge via any 5VDC USB source
Easy Bluetooth connection and brilliant audio
Simple operation

Cons:

Volume and selection knobs could be slightly small for some users’ hands
Volume range more limited than most, upper volume capped
Although it does come with a nice lightweight carrying pouch for traveling, you might wish for a little extra protection in a suitcase or carry-on bag

Radios like the Sangean WR-7 give me hope that consumer electronics might be heading back in what is, in my humble opinion, the right direction: that is, toward quality.

The WR-7 is really a quality piece of kit: it has a solid feel (imparted by solid wood), has an acoustic chamber that produces excellent audio, and you can tell that the FM receiver wasn’t simply an “add-on” feature, as it works quite well.

While you won’t see many radios like this reviewed on the SWLing Post, I’m glad I agreed to take on this one. It was an fun exercise, and reminded me why I love doing radio reviews: sometimes these digital marvels really surprise me. That, and I’m enough of a radio and consumer electronics geek to bask in the indulgence of pure listening!

Good one, Sangean! Accolades!

Click here to view the Sangean WR-7 on Amazon.com (affiliate link).

“Broadcast Isolation in Japan”–no workarounds?

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Many thanks to SWLing Post reader @medmouad who recently shared a link to the following article by Kenji Rikitake at Medium.com:

I’m sure Japan is one of those countries which implement the worst online broadcasting policies.

You cannot listen to Japanese internet radio stations from outside the nation, thanks to the geotagging technology for the IPv4 address; most of the major broadcasting stations do not allow access to their streaming feed outside Japan. This is a huge disservice to the expats, but the broadcasters seem not to care about it at all.

Japan’s geotagging policy against streaming broadcast is even worse within the nation; the telecom ministry enforces prefectural border limits for licensing the broadcast stations, though in some rare cases wider limits are allowed. Japan is regionally divided into 47 prefectures. So you cannot listen to Tokyo radio stations for free when you are in Osaka over internet. And vice versa. Recently a consortium of private broadcast stations, radiko.jp, announced a paid service for cross-prefectural listening of JPY300 (about USD3) per month. Isn’t this a ripoff? And it’s still not accessible from outside Japan.

Japan has a weird article in the copyright law too; the copyright owner can claim the right of making the contents being able and ready to be publicly transmitted. This right is applicable to all transmission media including internet and airwaves. So when you buy a CD, you cannot transmit without the permission of the copyright holder, usually the publisher.

[…]I hope someday I can listen to Japanese radio outside Japan over internet. The day, however, will not come soon.

Continue reading the full article at Medium.com.

If you’re an SWLing Post reader, I’m willing to bet you’re thinking: “Yeah…this is one of the downfalls of radio over the Internet.” We never have this issue with shortwave radio broadcasts since they’re built upon a medium that has, at its very core, no regard for national borders.

Of course, this article focuses on local/regional FM outlets in Japan and the firewalls that keep their online streams neatly contained.

I can’t help but think that there must be workarounds to defeat IPv4 address geotagging within Japan. Perhaps I’m wrong.

I do know that I can easily listen to local AM/mediumwave broadcasters throughout Japan using one of many web SDRs on the KiwiSDR network. Surely the same could be done for FM using a network of web accessible RTL-SDR dongles–?

Has anyone found a workaround? Mark Fahey, you know I’m looking a you!

Please comment!

Despite crackdown, North Koreans seek foreign radio broadcasts

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(Source: DailyNK via Andrea Borgnino)

North Koreans continue to seek out foreign radio despite crackdown

Police in North Korea have recently focused their attention on cracking down on listeners of South Korean radio broadcasts in another sign of the government’s dual-approach to warming ties with the South, according to a source inside the country.

Speaking from Ryanggang Province on April 24, a source told Daily NK that “police have begun inspections of households possessing radios,” explaining that one method used to restrict radio usage includes applying stickers to the tuning buttons to prevent users from finding foreign broadcasts.

State-approved radios in North Korea are fixed to prevent tuning to non-official stations, but the authorities have used additional methods in recent times to handle the increasing amount of personal radios in the country. In addition to radio controls, authorities also place heavy restrictions on DVD players, phones, televisions, and other media devices.[…]

Continue reading the full article at the DailyNK.

New Jersey FM Pirate fined $25,000

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, @UlisK3LU, who notes that New Jersey pirate radio station operator, Winston Tulloch (KC2ALN), has been fined $25,000 for operating an unlicensed station on 90.9 MHz FM. According to the FCC, the hefty penalty comes after after multiple requests to halt broadcasting starting in February 2015. The station was finally taken off the air in September 2017.

Click here to read the full FCC Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (PDF).

Guest Post: Review of the TYT SF-401 Plus Frequency Counter/Tone Meter

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), for sharing the following guest post:

TYT Frequency Counter/Tone Meter Review

by Mario Filippi (N2HUN)
All photos courtesy of author

Most hobbyists own some type of transceiver whether it is a handheld, mobile, or base station. Some examples are amateur radio HF/VHF/UHF transceivers, Citizen’s Band radios, FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) handhelds.

A useful tool for the shack or the field is a frequency counter/tone meter since it can measure frequencies and analog/digital tones from transmitters/transceivers. At times ascertaining that a UUT (Unit Under Test) such as a 2 meter handheld is transmitting accurately may be indicated due to problems communicating with other stations. In addition, if the UUT transmits a sub-audible tone (either analog or digital) to access a repeater, a frequency counter/tone meter can detect the presence and verify accuracy of the CTCSS/digital tone.

Author’s TYT SF-401Plus, includes instructions, antenna, rechargeable battery and charger/cable. Covers 27 MHz – 3 GHz

Frequency/tone meters can be purchased for less than twenty US dollars but normally do not include a rechargeable battery and BNC connector for attaching an external antenna. Having had experience with these types, the time finally came for an upgrade.

After shopping around a decision was made to purchase the Tytera TYT SF-401 Plus. This model includes an instruction sheet, antenna, internal rechargeable battery, USB charger and cable. It represents a significant improvement over my previous, inexpensive meter, as the TYT has a BNC connector to attach a larger antenna and has four control buttons on the front panel. It also has, via a system menu, options to adjust the frequency/tone offset, dimmer levels, three or four decimal display and auto power off. All these valuable features warrant a higher cost, which was about $50, but well worth it. This price fits the budget of most hobbyists. However, higher end frequency/tone meters are available and cost several hundred dollars for those requiring that level of quality.

Out of the box the TYT SF-401 Plus, when checked against an IFR FM/AM-500A communications service monitor, was right on the money as far as accuracy. Note that the IFR-500A was calibrated against a high precision internal 10 MHz crystal in an “oven” and this is my gold standard reference for frequency accuracy in my shack.

TYT accuracy checked against an IFR FM/AM-500A communications service monitor transmitting a 146.52 MHz/131.8 Hz tone. Note frequency readout to four decimal places.

Now, it was time to check typical radios around the shack using the TYT. The first radio tested for frequency accuracy was a BTECH GMRS-V1 HT which I use to communicate with the home QTH while running errands around town. See photo for results. The BTECH and TYT agreed perfectly. Note that the TYT’s display includes a battery status indicator on top left and a timer use indicator, which resets every time the TYT is turned on. If you are going to measure digital signals (not included in this review) there is an option in the Setup Menu for that. With the BTECH handheld running 2 watts the TYT could detect its’ frequency at roughly four feet away.

Confirming BTECH transmit frequency against the TYT. Output is 2 watts. TYT multicolor display is super.

For VHF/UHF operating, especially when afield with other hams or groups such as CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams), problems can ensue if one does not have the correct frequency or tone programmed, so having the TYT in your shirt pocket to confirm these parameters when trouble occurs can be a quick way to get to the problem. See photo of an Icom IC-2300H 2 meter transceiver checked against the TYT for proper offset and tone. The Icom was putting out 65 watts and a repeater with an offset of -1.3 MHz and 88.5 Hz tone was checked.

TYT confirming unusual offset (-1.3 MHz) and tone for a repeater. Icom IC-2300H was at high (65W) setting and connected to an outdoor discone antenna.

According to the instructions included with the TYT SF-401 Plus, the operating range is from 27 MHz – 3000 MHz with a note stating “27 MHz – 100 MHz it can not be guaranteed and the corresponding normal emission appliance” which I interpret as accuracy is not guaranteed in this frequency range. Well, I checked the TYT against the IFR FM/AM-500A service monitor transmitting an AM signal on CB Channel 19, 27.185 MHz, and the TYT measured it exactly. One other important note is that according to the instructions, the tone decoder operates in the 136 MHz – 174 MHz and 400 MHz – 520 MHz frequency range. So that may limit its use in certain areas of the spectrum. One other item if interest is that the TYT has a 10 dB attenuator when dealing with high power signals.

All in all, I’m very happy with this purchase, and find the TYT SF-401 Plus useful for “first pass” troubleshooting and helpful when aligning older rigs which due to age are off frequency /tone. It definitely has a use in this shack.

Wow–what a bargain tool for the radio shack! Thank you for sharing your review, Mario. Once again, however, you have tempted me with a purchase! I remember when frequency counters would set you back a couple hundred bucks–it’s insane to think that you can grab one for $40-50 US shipped.

SF-401 Plus Retailers:

Note that the TYT SF 401 Plus is also marketed as the Surecom SF401 Plus:

RootIO and a new community radio initiative in Uganda

The FCC’s mission to shut down pirate radio

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Recently, there have been numerous articles regarding FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s efforts to increase pirate radio enforcement. This article in The Outline is a worthy read and features our good friend David Goren prominently:

The FCC wants pirate radio stations off the air

Immigrant communities rely on these unlicensed broadcasts to stay connected to their roots. Now they could lose the signal.

On any given night, David Goren can tune into more than 30 underground radio stations from his apartment in Flatbush, Brooklyn. “About a dozen of them broadcast in Creole, to the Haitian community,” Goren, a local journalist and producer who researches the city’s pirate stations, told The Outline. “A lot of the stations will air news from home.” In addition to news and politics updates, Goren said, these stations feature Caribbean music that doesn’t get airtime on mainstream stations, advertisements for local businesses, and occasional call-in sessions with immigration attorneys.

For some immigrant communities across the country, these underground radio stations are an easy way of staying connected to one’s roots. In New York City, there may be more unlicensed broadcasters than licensed ones. Some of these clandestine broadcasters are small enterprises, while others are full-fledged stations that run advertisements and generate revenue. All of them run the risk of being fined — or in some states, including New York, New Jersey, and Florida, having their operators imprisoned — if they’re caught by the Federal Communications Commission.

[…]A map of enforcement actions on the FCC’s website illustrates the crackdown. The FCC has undertaken 306 pirate investigations since Pai took office in January 2017. The majority of these actions — 210, according to a press release issued by the agency on Wednesday — were Notices of Unauthorized Operations, warnings from the FCC telling the unlicensed stations to immediately shut down or risk fines and prison time. The release also notes that the FCC “took more than twice as many actions against pirate broadcasters” in 2017 than it did the previous year. (For the first time since its inception, the agency said, it has begun holding property owners liable for “supporting this illegal activity on their property.”)[…]

Click here to read the full article on The Outline.