Shortwave listening and everything radio including reviews, broadcasting, ham radio, field operation, DXing, maker kits, travel, emergency gear, events, and more
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
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.
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.
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 →
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
Great sound
Solid antenna
Impressive reception on all bands
Analog dial tuning, solid and easily turned slowly (see Cons)
Cons
Very tight tuning dial with little space between stations (see Pros)
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!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post:
The Tecsun PL-990/PL-990x as an MP3 Player, Bluetooth Receiver, and PC Speaker
By Bob Colegrove
Source: PL-990x Operation Manual
Sometimes after a medium wave or shortwave DX session I just like to kick back and listen to good music. Perhaps this is an age-related malady. I recently did a scan of the FM band and came up with 60 listenable stations in my area. By listenable, I only mean they can be received clearly. In practice, I only listen to a couple stations. Although, my tastes in music are quite varied, apparently, they do not coincide very well with local FM broadcast station formats. No matter, I can still indulge myself listening to diverse favored artists.
The Tecsun PL-990/990x offers a ready solution having both an MP3 player and Bluetooth connectivity. Actually, there are several compatible audio formats available on the player, but for simplicity I will merely refer to them as MP3. I really didn’t buy this radio purposely for these additional features. I bought it as a follow-on to the PL-880, which I still like very much for all its well-known features as a multiband radio.
I spent some time on the Internet reading all the reviews and watching many YouTube videos. Among useful things, I learned how to take the radio out of its box. The aggregate of all this information was thorough coverage of all the salient features of the 990 – all except the treatment of the MP3 player and Bluetooth connectivity. These generally appeared at the end of each review in a by-the-way fashion with little detail.
I bought a PL-990x with expectations that it would be a good radio performer, and that has proven to be the case. During its setup and checkout, I realized the potential for its MP3 and Bluetooth capabilities. A few years ago, I digitized all our vinyl recordings and cassette tapes, so I had many hours of material readily available for inclusion on a micro-SD card, which can be inserted on the bottom of the cabinet.
Source: PL-990x Operation Manual
The radio, MP3 player, and Bluetooth modes are available by toggling a single switch.
Source: PL-990x Operation Manual
As an MP3 Player
Unfortunately, the display does not have a multi-segment set of characters for text. This is the way random RDS information is displayed on radios such as the XHDATA D-808 and Eton Elite Executive. So, selecting albums and tracks on the 990 is limited to numeric representation, which doesn’t provide much of a clue identifying the musical selection. The user must either remember where favorite files are stored by number or keep some sort of number-title log.
Files are stored on a micro-SD card having up to 128 GB in capacity. That’s a lot of content. The radio comes with a 16-GB card, which will probably be large enough for many users. There are some details to consider when setting up the card. This information is lacking in the manual, but I have tried to fill in the blanks below.
Some rules:
1. There is no purpose in trying to alphabetize or otherwise edit album or track titles to locate them in a specific sequence. The 990 doesn’t understand this.
2. Generally, albums and tracks will be assigned numbers by the 990 in the order in which they are saved to the SD card by the computer.
3. Albums equal folders. Tracks equal (MP3) files within each folder. You can mix and match the content in albums and tracks any way you want to. It does not have to conform to the publisher’s album content.
Source: PL-990x Operation Manual
4. An album/folder can contain both its own tracks/files and nested folders containing other albums. A nested album/folder will be numbered in sequence after the containing folder. Any previously saved album/folders will be renumbered higher in sequence.
Rule 4 offers some flexibility. You can come back later and prioritize any album/folder by simply nesting it with another album/folder.
The table below is an example of five different musical genres compiled into separate albums. On the computer, the polka album was transferred to the SD card first, then classic country. At that point, the polka album was A01 and country A02 on the 990 display. Later, Dixieland and waltz albums were added to the tracks in the polka folder. They then became A02 and A03 respectively, and the country album advanced to A04. Finally, the chorus album was added in the root directory and became A05.
The 990 recognizes the SD card quickly after it is inserted into its slot.
The number of tracks and albums (files and folders) is only limited by the SD-card format, which for all practical purposes, won’t be a limitation. By way of example, I used the default exFAT format and loaded an album with 657 tracks; I don’t recommend that many.
A single track can be repeated by long-pressing the PLAY/PAUSE button.
The tracks in an album will be repeated continuously.
There does not appear to be a way to shuffle tracks.
I did encounter some difficulty with micro-SD card compatibility, which was independent of brand. A couple micro-SD cards were prepared on a computer using an adapter card and a micro-SD card reader and operated correctly in the computer, but the content was not recognized by the 990. I suspect this might be due to the early manufacture of the cards, but I’m not sure.
The 990 manual picks up the explanation from there describing operation of the control keys. I found it most convenient just to scroll through the albums with the FINE TUNING knob and through the tracks with the main TUNING knob. The number pad buttons will also work for direct album or track selection. Their application depends on the last tuning knob turned.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a hidden feature of the 990. Activation is partially covered on the hidden feature sheet.
With the radio off, press and hold the PLAY/MP3 button. If OFF (for Bluetooth) appears in the display, press and hold the button again until ON appears in the display.
Turn on the radio.
Toggle the PLAY/MP3 button until “BT” appears in the display. The display will have a horizontal, animated dashed line for a few seconds, then it will change to an animated rectangle indicating that the Bluetooth feature is on.
Follow the procedure for your tablet, computer or phone to pair the device with the 990. “Tecsun PL-990” should appear on the device as a choice for pairing. The 990 only pairs with one device at a time. If you have trouble, ensure that the 990 has not inadvertently paired with another device.
Bluetooth, of course, opens Internet streaming from a phone, tablet or computer. These ‘remotes’ have the convenience of full text capability and offer easier selection of content. I paired my PL-990x with a Kindle tablet; it has a range of at least 25 feet. The same micro-SD card could in theory be transferred from the radio to the tablet and function the same way. A smart phone would add cellular connectivity.
Control:
Three of the four player control buttons above the display are active in Bluetooth. The stop button has no effect. As with the MP3 player, the main TUNING and FINE TUNING knobs will also advance or reverse the track selection. Interestingly, this works with audio player apps as well as services such as YouTube, where it advances or reverses videos on the tablet, computer or phone. In addition to the RADIO/MP3 button, pressing any of the band buttons will immediately exit Bluetooth and tune to the selected radio band.
Source: PL-990x Operation Manual
In MP3 or Bluetooth mode, there is no noise from a USB wall wart. It might be a good time to charge the battery.
As a Computer Speaker
Finally, there is what the 990 manual calls the computer speaker mode. Sounds inconsequential. Why would anyone want to use a monaural radio on a computer that’s likely outfitted with stereo speakers? Actually, it’s more than that. By plugging your 990 into a USB port on your computer you have the normal charging feature, but you will also have complete USB connectivity with your PC.
Turn on the 990. You may have to press RADIO/MP3 button until “PC” appears in the PL-990 display.
You will not be able to use the radio.
The content of the micro-SD card in the 990 should appear as a USB drive in the computer’s file directory. You can transfer files on or off the 990, but the process will be very slow. Transfers from the computer to the 990-installed SD card follow the same rules listed above for the MP3 player.
The computer will provide the MP3 play function through its own app. You can select files from either the 990 SD card or those on the PC and play them through the 990 speaker.
You can switch speakers between the 990 or those on the computer by selecting the speaker icon on the computer task bar, then selecting the available speakers.
The pause/play button on the player controls will work, but the reverse, stop, and advance buttons will not.
Final Thoughts
Some disappointment was registered in the reviews that the 990 does not have a recorder. Yes, this would have been nice. One thing it does have is a line out jack which has adjustable gain. This makes my outboard recorder much happier than when it is used with some other radios.
Since we are talking about audio, I have noted that some reviewers still prefer the sound of the PL-880. To my ears, the 990 sounds every bit as good. Remember, these are mid-size portable radios.
The inclusion of MP3 player and Bluetooth capabilities on the 990 adds very useful functionality to this radio. After nearly four years of consumer availability, I must wonder why they haven’t received more attention.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who writes:
Last night on my bedside radio I heard on BBC World’s ‘The Forum’ a wonderful 49-minute piece about portable audio. Much of it covers the earliest portable electron tube radios and transistor radios, and their influences on society in different countries. Mediumwave, Shortwave and FM radios and stations are discussed, as well as evolving technologies. The societal impact of the Compact Cassette and digital audio players and recorders is also discussed. Probably all SWLing Post readers will find this worth listening to!
Many of us remember the first portable music device we owned: a transistor radio, a boombox, a Walkman or perhaps an iPod. We might even recall the songs we played on it. But we might be less aware of how profoundly audio technology developments from the 1950s to 2000s changed the ways in which we consume music and other audio outside of the home or concert venue. Transistor radios allowed outdoor sounds and noises to mix and compete with those coming over the airwaves, creating new auditory experiences; the cassette player gave the listener a cheap way of making and re-making their own playlists; and the advent of digital music players encouraged us to ‘own’ music recordings without possessing a physical copy of the audio.
Iszi Lawrence discusses the history of portable music with Dr. Annie Jamieson, Curator of Sound Technologies at Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum; American drummer and writer Damon Krukowski; Dr. Jahnavi Phalkey, science historian and Founding Director of Science Gallery Bengaluru, India; Karin Bijsterveld, Professor of Science, Technology and Modern Culture at Maastricht University; and World Service listeners.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares the following review:
[Note that all Amazon and Radioddity links are affiliate links that support the SWLing Post.]
Raddy RF-919 Receiver: Best Portable in Years – Held Back Only By Soft Muting While Tuning
by Dan Robinson
It’s quite extraordinary that in these days of reduced use of shortwave some manufacturers continue to develop portable receivers for the worldwide community of radio listeners. We have the Choyong LC90, which for the first time attempted to combine HF, MW, FM and Internet radio (still a work in progress). And now out of nowhere comes the Raddy RF919.
Like many receiver enthusiasts, I was excited when I saw the first photos and videos of the 919, by Shenzhen Hanrongda in China. The company has an amazing number of portables in its lineup–in addition to the 919 there are the: RF320, RF760, RF747, RF75A, and RF750 along with various hand crank emergency sets. The RF919 under the Raddy label also sells as the Retekess TR113 (which can be seen on its Amazon page).
It is interesting that the RF919 (TR113) appeared on the market just as the Choyong receiver continues to experience growing pains, but obviously both had been in the planning stages for some time. One of the strengths is its very decent SSB performance, though see my comments below about one of the issues with the RF919.
The number of reviews of the 919 by YouTube influencers is rapidly increasing as the radios get into the hands of more users. For the purposes of this commentary I won’t go into every single feature other than to observe the high points. And here’s a headline – from a software standpoint this is a very complex radio with a steep learning curve requiring regular looks at the manual. But enough use brings familiarity with the many features it offers:
Displays
The RF919 has two superb displays: a main information center under which there are buttons for activating various functions and options, and a second beautiful signal level screen that has a lot of information on its own, under which there are four buttons for TIME SET, ALARM, DISPLAY, and SLEEP. These displays are probably the best we have ever seen in a portable, offering 7 colors selectable from the front panel! The Eton Elite Satellit (no longer made) offered a few colors on its display but it was nothing like this. Raddy publicity materials focus on this:
“Unlike other radios, you can choose and set your favorite backlight color to match your style or mood, all while staying updated with a clear 3.54-inch main screen that shows reception status. It’s not just a radio; it’s an extension of your personality.”
Body Design
The 919 is quite a throwback to such classic receivers as the SONY ICF-5900W and other “military style” portables from decades ago – one user noted the similarity to the old National Cougar 877.
The 919 has a solid, confident, body with a space at the top rear that functions as a hand grip. On top are two jacks for a LOOP ANTENNA, and a mobile WHIP style antenna with an OFF/ON rotary switch. That switch is awfully close to the LOOP jack. On the back is a 3.5 mm antenna jack with a three position slider control for specific tuning ranges. The backstand is basically the same type found on the Tecsun H-501. One wishes that there would have been a rubber friction grip placed on it and that it had some additional tension to allow it to hold the radio up in other degree positions.
Antenna
The telescopic whip antenna is impressive – robust, and notably designed to work while the radio is positioned on a desk using its backstand, something that the Choyong LC90’s antenna is not able to do.
I will note that the whip antenna cannot be extended up and out of the radio cabinet which limits it to a single angle when the radio is used with the backstand – placement of the 919 left carrying strap hook on top left is the limiting factor here.
Again the 919 telescopic design is a contrast to the LC90 which both lacks a backstand, and flexibility in the antenna.
A major headline is the manual antenna tuning feature on the RF919. Utilizing the rear antenna jack and switch with MW, SW 1, and SW 2 options, along with the side adjust knob, the user can fine-tune signal strength, with the secondary screen providing real-time viewing of signal strength changes. On top of the radio, there is a mini jack input next to an ON/OFF switch that, according to the instruction card explanation, enables selection of the LOOP (they call it “ring”) position. Wow. The last time we saw this kind of peaking capability on a portable was the SONY ICF-2001 back in the late 1970’s and perhaps the Grundig Satellit 700. Hats off to Raddy for this design!
Controls
The RF919 has a large central concentric tuning outside “shuttle” knob for fast tuning, and a smaller center knob for fine tuning – the center shuttle doubles as a selector with a push function. I am not a fan of encoders that rock back and forth as the outside concentric ring does. At least one user remarked that this feels flimsy. Time will tell whether these hold up in daily use. The keyboard, which is nicely backlit, appears to be quite good. Frequency entry is accomplished by hitting ENT, then the frequency, then ENT again. You can enter in MHz or kHz. There are buttons for VOLUME UP/DOWN, and for TUNE/NEXT, TUNE/PREVIOUS.
One curious thing: if you’re tuning to 22 MHz you can just hit 22 and ENT. But you can’t do that at 23 MHz and above – you have to enter 23.000 and ENT. If you don’t, you get 2.300 MHz. At least that is what I notice on my 919 – perhaps Raddy will be able to clarify why this is so. Another point on controls: the MW/SW1/SW2 switch on the back of the radio is very flimsy and should be improved by Raddy.
Audio
The huge front-firing speaker on the 919 produces superb audio in all tuning ranges. Rated at 20 watts, it rivals the wonderful audio of the Choyong LC90 and combined with the 10 position EQUALIZER makes the 919 even more attractive for someone purchasing it for this level of sound production not to mention a receiver that tunes from LW all the way up to 999 MHz.
Fire up the BLUETOOTH on the 919 and you can not only use it as a speaker linked with your phone, but it will play tracks from the microSD.
ATS/Memories
We have all become accustomed to the convenience of ATS, from the excellent performance on Tecsun radios, and the 919 falls right in line. A scan conducted on FM here in Maryland stored 23 stations and I found sensitivity to be excellent.
Though noise levels were still high from the recent solar activity, a scan on HF yielded a number of stations. It did take quite a long time to complete ATS on shortwave – about 15 minutes, so one hopes this could be improved in future firmware versions. And there is this: when scanning with ATS, the 919 scans the entire HF range rather than just bands. In comparison, ATS on a Tecsun S-8800 takes about 3 minutes, and includes only the main SW bands.
I am not yet sure if the 919 can be made to scan this way, but if not it’s something Raddy should consider. Both displays remain on during ATS. This avoids the need to mess with the display functions while scans are ongoing.
Presets
There are 1600 memory channels on this radio! Once stations are memorized, they can be accessed by hitting the PRESET button on the lower right edge of the main shuttle dials and using the TUNE/NEXT and TUNE/PREV buttons on the keyboard. Note that when going from one present to another the first thing that appears on the display is the CHANNEL number, followed by the frequency. That seems logical but it prevents the user from seeing first exactly what frequency has been memorized without having to wait for the display to shift to the frequency itself.
Bandwidths
The 919 provides bandwidth options not only on shortwave, varying depending on whether one is using AM or LSB/USB, but also in FM – a truly great feature for a portable, and something seen on Malahit SDRs. Bandwidth clarity in SSB is excellent. Maximum bandwidth in AM mode is 6 kHz, similar to portables by Tecsun, with 4 kHz the maximum in SSB. Some users have observed that they would like an 8 kHz AM filter position.
Manual
An extensive manual goes over all of the controls, modes, etc. – the drawback here is that the printing is so small as to make reading it impossible, so better to download the manual in pdf form from the Raddy website and print it out. A bonus is that a three page card guide comes with the radio showing the circuit design and tips for manual antenna tuning and the antenna switching on the back. A very thoughtful addition to the package!
Battery
The 919 continues the trend of radios using 18650 batteries, familiar to professional flashlight users and also seen in Tecsun and other receivers. It takes not one, but two 18650s like the Tecsun H-501. I recommend purchasing a good quality multi-bay battery charger in addition to the ability to charge the radio directly on its USB-C port. Keep in mind that using these radios while charging will create noise, so don’t expect to have the best reception doing it that way.
Recording Capability
Wow! After years of seeing radios with a microSD slot but no recording function, Raddy has gone ahead and done it. You can record any audio to the card and play it. Seems like we could have seen this feature years ago from receiver manufacturers, but we didn’t. Thank you Raddy! That said, I have not yet been able to get recording to work on my unit, using a 64 GB microSD (see below).
Reception Performance
I am very impressed so far with the 919. Sensitivity on HF and AIR appears to be excellent. MW reception is good as well and can be further improved using the antenna tuning feature and the ability to use a loop antenna connected to the receiver. FM reception appears to be quite good. On long wave I was able to hear beacons at levels equal to what I hear on some premium communications receivers.
One observation: when using the RF919 inside my home here in Maryland, I noted what appeared to be some break-in on shortwave from AM or FM signals. I am still investigating this and will report later.
There are many more details to discuss for the RF919. But I need to talk about what I would call the elephant in the room on a relatively short list of CONS, but this is a big one and a bit of a disappointment. The 919 suffers from the issue that is so familiar to us from other portables: MUTING WHILE TUNING. See my video discussing this at:
This is more noticeable when in 1 kHz and 10 Hz increments, and at times of the day when signals are less strong, and seems to be a bit better in the evening when signals improve. But it is there nonetheless.
It’s not the worst soft muting I have ever heard on a portable. It’s certainly survivable. But for those of us who value what I call a continuous listening experience, even the slight muting experienced on the 919 is annoying. It may well be that this can be improved with a firmware update – it’s unclear though whether firmware can be updated via the microSD if new versions were made available on the Raddy website.
Ironically, what soft muting on any receiver does is make the receiver more useful for those of us who over decades of shortwave listening have memorized multiple SW frequencies – using the 919 I prefer to use the keypad to go directly to a frequency rather than put up with the frustrating experience of using the two shuttle knobs specifically because of the soft muting problem.
I should note that there is a harshness one hears from this radio when using the shuttle dials to tune – what I would describe as AGC crashes when going from frequency to frequency. This is nothing new for DSP radios, though some do a better job than others, such as the Tecsun PL-990 and 501 and Data/Sihuadon D-808. It’s clear that when a manufacturer decides to build a radio around these chips, such as the Si4735, there is very little that can be done to smooth out how the chip handles AGC, though I do not claim to be an expert in this area.
Zero Beat Variations
The other issue I observed on the unit sent to me is also familiar – in SSB, the radio isn’t calibrated well enough, so zero beat in LSB or USB vary quite a bit off the actual tuned frequency. While we don’t usually expect DSP portables to be exactly on frequency, this can be annoying as well since in an ideal world we don’t want to have to off-tune from a known frequency of a broadcaster, or amateur operator, to achieve clarity. Tecsun provided a recalibration feature on its portables that enables the user to adjust zero beat. One wishes that other manufacturers would do the same – if the 919 were to have this it would be a welcome addition.
Other Issues
Though the 919 manual states that the receiver accepts up to 256 GB microSD, my first attempt to get a 64 GB card did not succeed. The card is correctly formatted so I am at a loss to determine why this is. Obtaining the Radio-C app was also an adventure – it comes up as an APK file which then installs. Two Bluetooth connections appear, but understanding the process is complicated. I was finally able to get the app working with the radio and continue to experiment with the flexibilities it provides.
Overall, the app provides some great controls over the radio, but the fact that it does not appear on Google Play and has to be downloaded via a QR code may give some users pause. Additionally, temperature appears to display only in Celsius – something I am sure will be corrected in future firmware updates. Also, on the phone app, pressing CB brings the radio to 25 MHz rather than the CB range. When initiating a scan inside one of the SW bands, the scan does not stop at the top of that band. And there does not appear, based on my first tests, to be a way to control SQUELCH from the phone app. Hitting V-UHF on the app screen brings the radio to 20,000 kHz. So, there need to be refinements to the app to clear things up.
Conclusion
So, here’s my summary of the RF919:
Swooping down on us out of the blue, this is an extraordinary entry into the portable category, taking us by surprise with its thoughtful design, seemingly high quality construction, and features that set it apart from other radios on the market today.
Whoever designed the 919 surely had to have some significant experience as a listener because the features included in the receiver move it straight to the top of the list of portable receivers available in 2024.
Comparing the 919 with a receiver such as the Sangean ATS-909X2 there really is no contest. Where coverage is concerned, the 919 blows Tecsun and Sangean offerings out of the water – on this receiver you can listen from LW all the way up to 999 mHz, along with AIR band, weather frequencies, public service, and CB (though as observed by users there is no FM mode reception for CB).
I have not been impressed by other Hanrongda (labeled Raddy/Retekess) offerings. At one point I tried a 747 only to be thoroughly disappointed with its hard-to-see display, terrible SSB, and thin telescopic antenna along with laborious thumb wheel tuning. I was cautious when I saw initial videos of the RF919. But this receiver truly is a major step forward for a portable: superb displays, wide coverage, excellent SSB (aside from the zero beat/calibration issue), wonderful audio, bluetooth capability and phone app control, microSD recording capability – all of these add up to one hell of a radio.
In response to my initial comments on the soft muting and calibration issues, Raddy responded:
“We would like to thank you for bringing two important concerns to our attention: muting during tuning and frequency accuracy. Please rest assured that we are actively discussing these issues with our technical team to gain further insights and potential solutions. We value your input and will keep you updated on any progress made.”
At a price of $269 as this is being written, the RF919 could be a 5 star radio were it not for the aforementioned issues of soft muting while tuning and calibration variation. We can only hope that the designers can address these issues with future firmware updates and possibly make updating something we can do after purchase. The 919 website by the way also offers antennas for the 919 including the Radioddity RD-771 which is described as an upgrade of the popular Nagoya NA-771, and the Radioddity RD-371 “Tri-band” antenna for 144-220-440 mHz.
As of this writing I am not aware of any reviews of the Retekess version of the 919, the TR113, but have to assume that there are no differences. It will be interesting to see how firmware updates occur and again, one would hope that this will be a simple process of being able to download the updates from Raddy/Retekess and be installed on the radio. But so far, there is no sign of this so clarifications from the manufacturer would be appreciated.
It is amazing that in 2024 we still have ANY radios coming to market as advanced as the RF919. This is a receiver that obviously was influenced in design by someone who knows their stuff and included numerous features such as antenna tuning, decent SSB, and the ability to record content. It is frustrating that there have been no advances in chip technology that would allow SSB performance that more closely matches what we had in many classic portables of decades past. But for those who don’t mind things like soft muting while tuning, and can tolerate harsh AGC characteristics of DSP, right now there isn’t anything on the market that matches the RF919 in terms of just wide tuning range and reception tools as well as superb audio.
As for BUY or DON’T BUY, I would edge toward the former with a caution to perfectionists like myself who would be bothered by muting.
If Raddy can fix that issue, and ensure a calibration process that brings LSB and USB closer to zero beat on frequency, and/or include a recalibration function as Tecsun has on its radios, the RF919 would then be an easy YES recommendation. Right now it gets a 4.5 from me, but could easily be a 5.0 if those issues are resolved.
