Category Archives: Portable Radio

XHDATA D-808 Radio

XHDATA D-808: Another User’s Review (and discount codes)

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By Robert Gulley

I admit to being hesitant to review this radio when XHDATA contacted me, as our own armchair portable radio guru, Jock, had written an excellent review of the radio back in June of this year, and because the radio has been out for some time (6 or 7 years, I believe). After a time, I decided my take on the radio, like any other, would be just another facet in considering its place in the radio world at large, or possibly on your radio shelf, and hence this review.

Lightweight and a Sturdy Antenna

As Jock mentioned in relation to other lightweight DX machines, this radio is indeed light, yet sturdy, and very easily portable. Unlike many small radios, care has been taken to make the antenna solid and tall. This means it can pull in a lot of signals safely (unless, like me, you are comparing it side-by-side with three other radios and find yourself having antenna sword fights as you move radios around, but I digress. Fortunately, nothing bad happened to any of the radios!). When sitting on a table, the built-in stand is stable, and allows pressing buttons solidly with one hand – the radio does not slide around or threaten to be knocked over in the process. That might seem like a minor thing, but many stands are less than reliable in this regard.

Operating the Radio

While I would prefer a slightly larger offset to the buttons from the surface of the radio, this did not cause much of an issue whether hand-held or on its stand. There were a few times when I thought I had pressed a button sufficiently but no response, but a second, harder press worked, so I just needed to take that into account when tuning in frequencies using the keypad, or when changing modes, etc.

The radio has a number of functions, clearly labeled, including operations performed when the radio is off, labeled in orange. Other orange labels indicate secondary or sub functions when the radio is on, such as the “Meter” function which, when in SW mode, cycles through the shortwave bands.

A small but useful feature I really appreciate related to this is the meter identification displayed along with the frequency as you cycle through the shortwave bands. For some reason I have a hard time remembering which set of frequencies is represented by which SW meter band. Perhaps with this radio I can finally get them firmly entrenched into my old brain!

Fine Tune Dial

The Fine Tune dial works especially well with a broad range of adjustment depending on the mode.

Another operating feature that I found very useful is the Fine Tuning dial on the side of the radio. This works as one would expect in Shortwave and SSB mode, allowing for slight adjustments to bring in a voice or CW signal in the amateur bands, but also allows one to off-tune from the standard receive frequency when a signal is being interfered with or picking up static etc.

This is nothing particularly new, but what is impressive to me is that it works for MW signals as well. Being able to go from 700 kHz to 701 or 702 kHz, for example, sometimes allows for a more intelligible signal, particularly at night when there can be multiple stations coming in on the same frequency.

On more than one occasion this was useful, especially since this means one does not have to change the tuning rate to make an adjustment. Your main tuning stays at the 9 or 10k you have set, and when you move the main tuning dial, it jumps to the next proper frequency. In this example, 701kHz becomes 800kHz with the next turn of the main tuning dial or up arrow,

Listening

The audio is good for its size due to the large speaker, and the multitude of filter options in the radio for every mode (except FM) allow you to tailor the audio to what you prefer, or what will allow you to mostly, or totally, eliminate interference from strong nearby stations. For those who like to listen to amateur radio bands, the filter capability is even more useful, particularly since it goes down to 500 Hz, great for listening to Morse code!

The number of filters is amazing given the price point of this radio, and it begs the question, if XHDATA can do this, why can’t other companies do this too? This is a big selling point for the radio in my book.

As I mentioned earlier, I compared three other radios to the D-808, a Sony 7600GR, a Sangean 909X2, and a C.Crane Skywave. The results were both predictable and surprising. Predictable in that the Sangean with the larger speaker had better audio, the Sony with SSB sync that actually works (unlike many models that try and fail!) was a bit clearer most of the time on SSB, and the Skywave was weaker in strength due partly, at least, to the smaller antenna, and lesser audio due to the smaller speaker.

What was unpredictable was when the D-808 pulled in stations better than the Sangean or Sony – not often, but some times. Similarly, the D-808 would sometimes hear two MW broadcast stations when the other three would only hear one. All three were used at times with a Tecsun AM loop antenna to boost MW signals, as well as with their bare ferrite antennas. Most of the time the MW signals were pretty even, but sometimes the D-808 won out.

While I have yet to own the perfect radio, and I have owned a lot of radios, this radio does what it promises, and does it well. As I note below, there are pros and cons and quirks to every radio, and what may be a quirk or a con to me may not be to others.

 

PROs, CONs, and Quirks

PROs

  1. Excellent sensitivity on FM (good telescopic antenna) and AM (internal ferrite antenna excellent given the size of the radio)
  2. Includes the AIR band, SSB with USB and LSB, and LW
  3. 6 filters for SW, 7 for MW/LW, and 6 for Air (WOW!)
  4. Fine Tuning Dial works in all modes to help reception
  5. Tuning Dial can be adjusted for Fast or Slow tuning steps, and can be set to STOP to lock in a station so that if the dial is accidently nudged, the station will not get changed.
  6. Direct Keypad entry of frequencies
  7. Feature rich for an (almost) ultralight radio
  8. External antenna jack
  9. Long-lasting battery
  10. Reset Button to go back to square one if needed

CONs

  1. While I do not mind soft muting, this radio does make a “chuffing” sound in certain modes when tuning manually (but not when finding stations with ATS). That’s not a deal-breaker for me, but it will be to some, I know. This is likely due to the AGC “attacking” the audio as it returns from the soft muting.
  2. Minor Nit: While the battery life is good with the rechargeable battery included, I always prefer AA-sized batteries for their almost universal availability.
  3. Memory access is limited, not by the number of memories, but by an easy way to tune through them. Memory Pages should link seamlessly for scanning purposes, but this is not an uncommon CON with many other radios.

Quirks

  1. Setting the Sleep Timer to “On” actually turns it off. Really.
  2. Sometimes if the Clock adjustment is set to Auto, an FM radio station that broadcasts RDS time and date info might reset the time to something different, such as when hearing a station from a different time zone. I prefer to set the clock manually to my local time (or more likely, to UTC time) just to keep it consistent, and that option is available for this radio.
  3. I have noticed when another radio is near, when changing the frequency manually, in addition to the chuffing noise of the D-808, the other radio will make a popping sound with each change. This is not likely to be an issue in normal operation, but if comparing two radios, or listening to two different radios at the same time, you will likely hear it.
  4. The alarm time set shows on the main display when the radio is turned off, regardless of whether the alarm is set to go off or not. This was very confusing to me at first, as I expected the display to go off when the alarm was not set to go off.

Wrap-up

This is a neat little radio that, as they say, punches above its weight class. It can fit in a jacket pocket easily, it’s lightweight, it has features which not many other portables have, or have as fully, and the audio is quite good for its size.

This is indeed an armchair receiver, but with the addition of a MW loop antenna, or a longwire plugged in for shortwave/amateur or LW/MW bands, there are many more opportunities for bagging distant stations.

There are enough features to make it quite usable for travelling, but not so many bells and whistles that operation becomes cumbersome. And with keypad entry for when you want immediate gratification, there’s no long minutes or hours of tuning manually to get to the frequencies you want.

I believe the radio comes in at a good price point, ticks most boxes a user would want for a radio in this class, and has a track record of good reliability after a number of years on the market.

________________________________________________________________________________________

As with the D-220 promotion specifically for SWLing readers, below are links and codes to save a bit of green (or is that plastic now?!).

XHDATA D-808 Homepage

Discount Information (from XHDATA)

Regarding the pricing details for the XHDATA D808 radio, the original price of the D808 is $108. Currently, it’s part of Amazon’s Black Friday promotion, offering a 20% discount.

Additionally, we’d like to provide you with a stackable 5% discount code, making the final price approximately $5 lower than the special Black Friday price.

(ed. Note: includes free delivery in the states when purchased through Amazon U.S.)

Here are the exclusive discount codes:

  • Gray  D808: 05dealforSWL
  • Black D808: 06dealforSWL
  • Effective time: From 2024-11-27 08:00 PST To 2024-12-3 23:59 PST (Pacific Standard Time)

Product links:

I tested the above links and codes, and as of this writing both were working properly at Amazon U.S.

73, Robert K4PKM

 

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Post-Helene Update and the Importance of Radio After a Natural Disaster

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No matter where you live in the world, everyone should have a battery-powered or self-powered (hand-crank) portable radio in their home.

Recently, the pace of articles here on the SWLing Post has slowed down. That’s because I live in Swannanoa, North Carolina—a town that was particularly hard-hit by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene, which brought unprecedented rainfall and caused widespread destruction.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been chronicling my experiences on my ham radio blog, QRPer.com. I’ve also been sharing regular audio updates with supporters on Patreon.

In short, our rural mountain community was completely cut off for several days. Our bridge washed out, and a critical section of road crumbled daily.

At one point, two families had to be helicopter-evacuated for medical reasons, and less than a week after the storm, the Sheriff’s department came door-to-door recommending evacuation.

Our amazing community pulled together: we cleared our road of hundreds of downed trees and made sure everyone had food, water, and supplies. We took care of each other.

Now, things have improved dramatically. After two and a half weeks without power, we’ve been reconnected to the grid. The Kentucky Department of Transportation repaired our road, making it accessible to regular vehicles again. On Tuesday, an arborist crew finally made it up the mountain to remove fallen trees from houses.

Although things are starting to feel more normal at home, the impact on Swannanoa, Asheville, and surrounding areas has been profound. Entire neighborhoods are gone, numerous businesses have closed, and several grocery stores were severely damaged.

The Communications Void

The National Guard helped us for a full day at our home. Thank you 5th Battalion 113 Field Artillery!

It’s often said that modern communications infrastructure fails us after a disaster.

I can confirm, first hand, that this is true.

The mobile phone network went offline during the storm, leaving us without service for days. Even now, three weeks after the storm, mobile phone service remains unreliable. Calls drop every few minutes.

Mobile data services at home are still down at time of posting (October 18, 2024). Internet services like cable, fiber, and DSL are mostly still out across the county. Only those with satellite internet have a connection—I’m fortunate to be one of them. Our cell tower still only supports basic voice calls and text messaging, without data or media attachments.

Radio to the Rescue

As many of you know, I’m not just a radio listener, but also a licensed amateur radio operator, and both of these hobbies became essential post-Helene.

As highlighted in an article by WIRED, amateur radio proved to be our lifeline for communication when everything else failed.

Using the local repeater (N2GE on Mount Mitchell), I was able to pass wellness checks, coordinate helicopter evacuations, and arrange supply drops for our community. I handed out a few handy talkies to unlicensed neighbors so we could stay in touch.

My wife and daughter, who are also hams, helped tremendously. While I was out with a chainsaw, clearing driveways, they acted as net control operators on our community’s simplex frequency (147.555 MHz), passing critical messages.

For that first week especially, amateur radio truly was our community’s connection to the outside world.

AM/FM Radio: A Lifesaver

Fortunately, our local TV station remained online after the storm, but few people could access it. Many people rely on cable or internet to watch TV, and in areas like ours, the digital transition over a decade ago left many without the ability to pick up over-the-air signals.

In contrast, FM and AM radio became the most reliable sources of information. Here in Buncombe County, public information and news were broadcast on 99.9 MHz (FM) and 570 kHz (AM). Both stations stayed online throughout the disaster, and the information they provided reached a vast audience. Check out this feature from CBS Evening News:

In Henderson County, the local AM station WTZQ stepped up as well. They did incredible work serving their communities post-Helene, as highlighted in a report by Queen City News:

Information Lifeline

As a presenter in the above story pointed out, everyone should have a battery-powered (or self-powered) AM/FM/Weather radio in their home.

After a disaster, you’ll rely on that radio for essential updates like where to find clean water, how to apply for FEMA assistance, what businesses are open, and when services will be restored.

Even three weeks after the storm, much of the Asheville area is still without water, so radios remain vital for getting updates.

Here at SWLing Post HQ, I shared my extra portable radios with neighbors who needed them. I used my CC Skywave SSB 2 in the kitchen window to tune into local news on 99.9 MHz and 570 kHz. I also relied on my XHDATA D-109 and CC Radio 3—they became our constant companions for information.

Many of you here on the SWLing Post are already radio enthusiasts, so no doubt I’m preaching to the choir. But let this serve as a reminder to stock up on alkaline batteries and check your radios regularily to make sure they’re fully functional. Keep spares on hand so you can lend them to neighbors if needed—they’ll never forget your generosity.

And don’t assume your area is safe from natural disasters. Western North Carolina was considered one of the safest regions in the country for weather, yet we were hit by one of the most devastating storms in state history.

Stay prepared. Don’t become complacent.

Thank You!

Over the past few weeks, many of you have reached out with kind words and support, and I can’t thank you enough!

As of this morning, I have 310 messages in my inbox.

I’ve been too busy to reply to emails and comments—though I’ve read each one—but I truly appreciate your patience as I try to catch up. My days have been consumed by helping neighbors and getting our own life back in order. It’s been exhausting but incredibly rewarding, and we still have months of work ahead of us.

Thank you also to the contributors who have kept the SWLing Post running during my absence, and a special shout-out to my friend Vince (VE6LK), who has taken on a huge role in keeping QRPer.com updated.

Again, I’ve been posting updates on QRPer.com and sharing more informal audio updates on Patreon.

Thank you so much for your support and understanding—and, again, keep those radios ready. You never know when they’ll become your primary source of information!

Best & 73,
Thomas (K4SWL)

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1976 Japanese TV commercial for the National Cougar 2200

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1976 Japanese TV commercial for the National Cougar 2200 (aka Panasonic RF-2200 aka National Panasonic DR-22)

by 13dka

(The commercial starts at the 1:00 mark. It’s part of longer video with Japanese commercials from that year, there is a whole collection on YouTube if you like those!)

Doing some research on other old technical gems from Japan I stumbled upon this 1976 National/Panasonic TV commercial running on the domestic TV networks back then. While watching, I smiled and thought “only in Japan…” …it would’ve been perfectly normal to advertise something like a shortwave receiver in this fun (and funny) way. Anyway, I think RF/DR/Cougar 2200 owners and collectors (also the resident one on this blog , the blog owner) may want to have this link in their bookmarks!

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Aaron Explores: Why a Dedicated Radio Enhances the Live Baseball Experience

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Aaron Kuhn, who shares the following guest post:

Live Baseball on the Radio: Radio Selection Considerations

The authors own Sangean Portable + AirPod Pros + a Bluetooth Transmitter rubber banded to the radio back, Coca Cola Park – Allentown, PA

In recent years, I’ve enjoyed attending minor league baseball games in my region. One of my favorite aspects of live baseball is bringing a radio to listen to play-by-play commentary. Experiencing the game in person while hearing the commentary in my ear offers the best of both worlds.

Over the years, I’ve brought various portable and ultra-portable radios to games, and I’ve realized that certain criteria make for a good “Live Baseball Radio.” Whether it’s form factor, size, or features, a live sporting event presents specific considerations and trade-offs for the radio you choose to bring.

“I’ll just stream the game on my phone”

While there are many options for internet streaming on a smartphone, like the free game audio feeds from MiLB.com, streaming game audio on a smartphone is not ideal for live baseball due to one major issue: latency.

Ideally, you want the action you see to match as closely as possible with the play-by-play you hear. With internet streaming, you’re subject to internet latency and buffering, leading to audio delays that you cannot fix. This makes streaming better for listening to games from afar, but not for live baseball.

Selecting the Ideal Radio

Picking a radio to bring to a game involves considerations that become obvious only after you’ve tried it a few times. Hopefully you can learn from my past mistakes and be more informed.

AM, FM, or AM/FM?

There are no fixed rules about the frequency’s baseball teams use for broadcasting. Some teams are on AM radio, some on FM, and some simulcast on both. Some teams don’t broadcast on free-to-air radio at all, opting for streaming-only solutions. Choosing a radio that receives both AM and FM is your best bet to ensure you can use it at different stadiums.

Many ultra-portable “pocket” radios support only FM, which might leave you without audio if your local team is on AM. Conversely, vintage pocket transistor radios might leave you stuck with AM-only signal receiving capability, missing the FM signal.

Amazon Product Listing Photo for “ZHIWHIS” Ultra-Portable

Vintage RCA Transistor Radio, Photo by Joe Haupt – https://www.flickr.com/photos/51764518@N02/49435844673/

HD Radio

The Author’s recent ill-fated radio choice for a live game

While HD Radio seems like a great idea for live baseball, the HD signal suffers from similar issues as streaming a game: latency

I recently picked up an ultra-portable FM HD Radio for a great deal secondhand, only to take it to the ballpark and realize the HD Signal was delayed by nearly 20 seconds. Worse yet – the radio offered no way to turn off the HD signal and revert to analog! The radio was unusable for watching the game as play-by-play in my ear was nearly four pitches behind what I was seeing live.

If you choose a radio with HD Radio features for the ballpark, check the broadcast delay on the HD signal before the game, and ensure you can turn off the HD Radio features if necessary.

Radio Size and Antenna Considerations

Any radio can be portable if you try hard enough, but space is often limited at live sporting events. Stadium seating varies at some ballparks, you can spread out a blanket on a hillside, sit at a picnic table, or even watch the game from a pool (better check that IPX rating!). However, you’ll likely be using your radio while seated in your ticketed seat. Some stadiums offer spacious, modern seating, while older stadiums may have small, cramped seating.

Antennas on radios are another consideration. In cramped stadium seating, you may not have the luxury to fully extend the antenna for the best signal without poking the person in front of you or next to you. You might want to consider a radio without an external antenna, such as one like the Retekess V112, which uses the headphone cable as the antenna. You may also need to stand up and sit down repeatedly to let people through the aisle rows to their own seats, which is where going “antenna-less” can be useful.

Retekess Product Image for V112 Model

While a headphone-wire antenna setup may be a perceived undesirable feature for dedicated radio hobbyists, pocketability and ease of use in a crowd can be beneficial at a crowded game. Many stadiums are moving towards bag restrictions or not allowing bags at all, making the proposition of transporting even a modest-sized portable radio to a game a chore. A pocket-sized radio you can stick on a lanyard, wear into the park, or stick in a pocket may be the difference between being annoyed all game carrying around a radio, or just enjoying it.

On the flip side, if you plan on pairing your radio with a Bluetooth transmitter to use Bluetooth earbuds or headphones, you may want to select a radio with an antenna. The short cable run on many Bluetooth transmitters may not provide adequate reception for units that use connected headphones as the antenna.

Speaker or No Speaker

If you’re not using the radio for tailgating, consider whether you need a speaker on the radio. Many pocket radios omit a speaker to reduce weight and cost. If you need to unplug your headphones during the game, it might be better to avoid a speaker that could blast game audio accidentally and disrupt your neighbors. Ditching the speaker is also likely to save weight and battery life.

Cost Considerations and Final Thoughts

Choosing the right radio for live baseball involves considering factors like frequency options, latency issues, size, portability, and whether you need a speaker.

Everyone’s finances and purchasing abilities differ, but there are many adequate radio options available for under $20 USD that check a lot of these boxes, making it possible to have a dedicated radio for live sports without spending a lot of money. As radio hobbyists, we sometimes want the best for our listening experiences, but taking an expensive radio to a live sporting event can be risky due to cramped quarters, constant movement, and the potential for spills or accidents.

In my opinion, it’s better to enjoy the game with a “lesser radio” than to spend the entire game worry about damaging an expensive radio. After all, cleaning mustard out of your expensive radio’s speaker grill is not fun post-game entertainment. Focus on enjoying the day and the live sporting experience while enhancing it with the wonder of live ballpark radio – no matter what you bring along.

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XHDATA D-220 Portable

The XHDATA D-220 Discount Code is Here!

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Hi Folks!

The promised exclusive XHDATA 40% off code is here!

The Radio is available to pre-order at Amazon today, and is supposed to be in stock at Amazon.com on the 1st of August.

The discount code is : 40D220NEW

While the detail page shows a 15% coupon, ignore that and place the desired radio from the links below in the cart and during checkout type in the discount code and apply. The results should look like what is listed below. You can review the price with discount before placing the order.

XHDATA D-220 (Orange)

XHDATA D-220 (Green)

XHDATA D-220 (Black)

I have checked and the Code does indeed work:

Order Summary

Items: $15.98
Shipping & handling: $0.00
40D220NEW: -$6.39
Total before tax: $9.59
Estimated tax to be collected: $0.58
Order total: $10.17

A big “thank you” to the folks at XHDATA for giving us a special discount price! (I went wild and ordered the Orange one!)

Cheers! Robert K4PKM

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Dan Robinson Reviews the New Tecsun S-2200X Portable Receiver

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and supporter, Dan Robinson, who shares the following review:

Tecsun Delivers The S-2200X – New Life For A 16-Year-Old Cabinet Design

by Dan Robinson

Note: Please see an addendum of updates at the end of this post.

Some months ago, I learned from Anon-co that Tecsun planned to release an update to the S-2000 receiver, which for the past 16 years also sold under other names such as the Grundig Satellit 750 and later the Eton Satellit 750 and Eton Elite 750.

To say that this radio was long in the tooth is an understatement.

I remember seeing one when they first came out back in 2008 and I was never very impressed.  To me, the radio looked like a toy, and the performance did not impress.  The standout feature was the top-mounted rotatable antenna for MW/LW reception.  That was popular with those of us who own the Panasonic RF-2200 and it’s a great tool for MW.

Grundig Satellit 750

While popular with a certain segment of the listening hobby – beginners liked the 750 and even some veteran SWLs appreciated the retro design — the receiver was plagued by annoying issues, such as the famous wobbly tuning knob.  It also had limited selectivity, no synchronous mode, and mediocre SSB.

In 2013, The Monitoring Times (Larry Van Horn) took another look at the radio with the following memorable comments:

[MONITORING TIMES 2013]

“Needless to say some folks were not happy with our review of the 750 including Etón. In retrospect, over four years later, I would not change one single word I wrote in that review.  I believe we honestly gave a fair assessment of the unit that was shipped to us for review. If you read my previous review closely, you would see that most of my concerns back then had to do with quality control issues and most in our industry fully acknowledge that we were seeing some nasty stuff coming out of China back in 2008.”

So, measuring from 2008 when the first Eton 750 came out we’re now in 2024 and Tecsun has decided to preserve the cabinet design of the original radio while substantially upgrading the internals.

Enter the S-2200x

Photo by Anon-Co

Reviewers have obtained units from the first production run.  Tecsun has provided long-needed upgrades that put this radio on the same playing field as the very popular H-501 and PL-990 portables.

The 2200x adds a dedicated SYNC mode with its own front panel button.  AIR band is retained, though sadly coverage doesn’t extend up to give us the NOAA WEATHER frequencies.

My initial testing of the S-2200x shows that performance is excellent on SW, AM, and FM.  In contrast with portables from other manufacturers, SSB performance is excellent – in USB and LSB, tuning is smooth with no “warbling” and using the fine tuning control is a pleasure. Continue reading →

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XHDATA D-220 available in three colors

XHDATA D-220 – A Throwback to a Simpler Time

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By Robert Gulley

XHDATA recently contacted me about a new portable radio, saying “XHDATA is planning to launch a new portable radio, the D-220, which has good reception and excellent sound quality. Not only can it receive FM/MW/SW bands, but the price will be surprisingly good value.”

Okay, well that sounded somewhat interesting (especially the bit about being “a surprisingly good value”). So within a few days I had a pre-release copy of the radio after choosing the color I preferred (black – what can I say, I am a traditionalist!).

The radio is small, 5” tall, 2-1/2 inches wide, and about 1 inch thick, very reminiscent of my first transistor radio in the (ahem) 60s. It has an analog tuning dial, volume control, and slider switch to go between FM1/2, MW, and SW. It also has a headphone jack. It takes 2 AA batteries (very old school!), and, unlike my transistor radio of old, a swing-out stand. That’s it. And, interestingly enough, that’s all it needs.

As my wife and I like to say about life sometimes, “It is what it is.” And, unlike life so often, in this case that’s a good thing. The radio is simple to operate – no menus, no bells and whistles, just the basics. You, an antenna, and a tuning dial.

For some, the tuning dial will be an aggravation, because just like my transistor radio of old, the tuning dial covers a lot of ground in a relatively short rotation. This means you will want to turn the dial slowly, very slowly. While this does not bother me, I realize this may not be everybody’s cup of tea. To get the best reception out of this radio, you need to turn the dial in millimeters, not even fractions of an inch.

Fortunately, the tuning dial is very firm and yet responds well to a light touch. I had no problem tuning between stations, even on a very crowded FM band or on a tight SW band covering 5.6 to 22MHz.

As for reception – well, I was rather surprised by this little radio. AM and FM delivered many, many stations in the rural area which I call home, and the biggest surprise was the shortwave reception. I waited until I had a storm-free evening (not always easy this summer here in the Midwest), and fired up the radio expecting to hear some of the more powerful stations, but not expecting to hear a large number of stations 10MHz and below on such a small (10-1/2”) antenna.

Speaking of the antenna, it is solid and one of the better antennas I have found on this size of radio. Yes, you can break it I am sure, but flimsy it is not. The same goes for the battery door, it closes with a resounding “click,” and I do not believe one could open it unintentionally.

As for the sound, it is surprisingly clear, and loud. One of the advantages of modern radios is smaller components, which in turn allows for bigger speakers. This speaker punches above its weight class for both talk radio and music. Both sound good with a reasonable signal.

As the radio has not been released to the general public yet, the XHDATA website does not have a listing for the radio, and therefore no price information. However, and this is a bonus for those of you who have read this far, Thomas’ readers will be eligible for a 40% discount when the radio becomes available for sale from XHDATA, the current projection being sometime in August. They will send out a shopping link and discount code when available.

Pros

  1. Great sound
  2. Solid antenna
  3. Impressive reception on all bands
  4. Analog dial tuning, solid and easily turned slowly (see Cons)

Cons

  1. Very tight tuning dial with little space between stations (see Pros)
  2. Not available quite yet

 

Conclusion

This is a solid little radio you can carry in a shirt pocket or jacket pocket easily, and since it runs on AA batteries with no significant draw of power, should provide hours and hours of enjoyment. The addition of the shortwave band, along with its decent reception, is a nice bonus, especially since I prefer SW to most anything I hear on MW and FM (wait, did I say that out loud? Oops!).

I suspect this will be a good radio to put on your to-buy list, especially with a 40% discount!

73, Robert K4PKM

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