Category Archives: Radios

Not all Degen DE1103 eBay listings are the new DSP vesion

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Eric Weatherall, who writes:

I’ve been interested by news of the updated DSP version of the Degen DE1103.

I just saw an eBay auction for a used DE1103 which listed “DSP” in the title. But I looked at a photo of the product and it showed the labeling of the original product. If you look at the bottom left of the unit, the older radios have two lines of product description printed in black, and the newer radios have one line.

Based on photos I found online, here is the old product’s description (which applies to both the Degen and Kaito versions)

“PLL FM STEREO/SW MW LW DUAL CONVERSION SYNTHESIZED WORLD RECEIVER”

And here is the new product’s description.

“FM STEREO/SW MW LW DIGITAL WORLD RECEIVER”

I thought this would be useful for anyone wishing to buy the new DSP version of this radio where a photo of the actual unit is shown.

Eric has a good point–many times on eBay, sellers simply copy descriptions from previous or existing listings. You my find a used DE1103 listed as a unit with DSP. It’s best to confirm the version with the seller before purchasing. To my knowledge, only the 2015 version of the Degen DE1103 has DSP.

Sunrise and shortwave

30 Replies

It doesn’t matter that propagation is rather poor this morning: I have a Sony ICF-SW100, a good cup of coffee, a beautiful sunrise and Radio Australia is loud and clear on 9,580 kHz.

All is well.

Tudor confirms: a new version of the Degen DE1103

32 Replies

After publishing our previous post about a potentially redesigned Degen DE1103 with DSP, SWLing Post reader, Tudor, comments:

Yes, the DE1103 looks like it’s been redesigned. You can see it dissected here:
http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/0002.asp?open=724665

Photo source: http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/ via Tudor. Click to enlarge.

And, if I’m not mistaken, the SiLabs DSP chip can be seen in this picture:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/5417175/2015102316185240911.jpg

Photo source: http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/ via Tudor. Click to enlarge.

Wow–thanks so much for confirming this, Tudor! This is obviously a redesigned Degen DE1103. I also noticed “NEW-DE1103-MAIN-1.2” silk-screened on the board:

Photo source: http://bbs.tecsun.com.cn/ via Tudor. Click to enlarge.

The Hong Kong-based eBay vendor Bigbargainonline is selling the new Degen DE1103 for $79.00 US shipped. I’ve purchased from them several times before and was pleased with the experience.

There are other vendors selling the new Degen DE1103 as well (click here to search eBay) but make sure you’re purchasing the 2015 version of the Degen DE1103 since you can still find the cosmetically-identical legacy DE1103 new in box.

Tudor, thanks again for sharing a link to the discussion on tecsun.com.cn–while I can’t read Chinese (and the Google translation leaves something to be desired!) the photos certainly tell the story.

A DSP version of the Degen DE1103?

13 Replies

[Click here to read our update to this post.]

SWLing Post reader, Dan, recently sent me this link to the Degen DE1103 on AliBexxpress: http://m.aliexpress.com/item/32521065066.html

The vendor notes a “USA DSP chip” in this unit.

The Degen DE1103 has been around for many years; a testament to its popularity. I’m pretty sure it never had DSP receiver components, though.

I told Dan that this was most likely an error of the Aliexpress web marketing person.

Today, Dan sent me another link, this time to an eBay listing with the title:

“DEGEN DE1103 DSP FM/LW/SW/MW Stereo Dual Conversion Digital World Band Radio”

I took a close look at the photos and noticed that “DSP” is featured on one of the front panel stickers.

Could it be that the DE1103 has been re-designed with a DSP chip? Can anyone confirm?

Shack Photo Contest: We have a winner!

4 Replies

Vimal’s favorite radios are the Tecsun PL-390 and the Eton E100. (Photo: Vimal)

Please join me in congratulating SWLing Post reader, Vimal, for winning our October Shack Photo contest!

Vimal notes:

“I love these radios (see photo above). The Tecsun PL-390 stereo DSP radio with selectable band width- is able to pull in a slew of shortwave stations in quite clearly (of course a lot depended upon time of day and atmospheric conditions.) I can routinely receive signals from Asia, Australia, South America and Europe which is exciting!

And another one is my small Eton E100 Radio- The highlights of this one is that the stereo through headphones sounds great. Its Informative LCD display includes the frequency and the time while the radio is on (some other radios require a keypress to display the clock). It also features a nice amber backlight for the LCD display. Not to forget the sturdy whip antenna.”

Congratulations, Vimal–and many thanks to everyone who shared their photos.

Vimal’s entry was chosen at random from the 62 SWLs and ham radio operators who shared their shack/listening post photos. What an amazing number of entries!

I plan to take the many photos and notes we received from readers and turn them into an online photo galley. I’ll post this as soon as I’ve curated and formatted entries.

If you didn’t win this contest, fear not! We’re already plotting another simple & fun contest before the end of the year.

Reader Challenge

Note, too, that we are still collecting entries for the latest reader challenge: Emergency radio and a chance to win a prepper radio package!

Avion DRM Receiver now shipping via Amazon India

5 Replies

The Avion portable DRM receiver is now available on Amazon India (click here to view). It’s being sold for 14,999.00 INR (roughly $230 US).

At time of posting, The Avion DRM receiver only has one review by someone who has (obviously) never used the radio. They give one star then state: “price is very high. so i hate this product.”

While I dismiss reviews like this, I must believe that this price is, indeed, high for most Indian consumers; especially when compared with alternate forms of media consumption (smart phones, analog radio, FTA satellite TV, etc.). It would be high for me, too.

I hope, at least, that the Avion performs well. I have no plans to review the Avion DRM receiver at this point simply because it’s challenging for me to find and decode DRM here in North America with my SDRs hooked up to large external antennas. Don’t get me wrong–occasionally, I do get amazing copy–but it’s typically when conditions are favorable. Listeners in Europe, Asia, and Oceana would have better results, no doubt.

Has anyone seen an objective review of the Avion DRM receiver? Please comment.

Click here to view the new Avion DRM receiver on Amazon.in.

The Spectrum Monitor 2015 Radio Buyer’s Guide

3 Replies

If you’re a subscriber of The Spectrum Monitor (TSM) magazine, you’re in for a treat this month: the November issue is the TSM annual Radio Buyer’s Guide.

Many SWLing Post readers know that I write occasional features and reviews for TSM. Since the November issue will feature my shortwave radio buyer’s guide, I was sent a draft of the November issue. After double-checking my review, I thought I’d glance through some of the other articles–what a rabbit hole that was! Two hours later and I’m still reading. Since I’m primarily a shortwave guy, TSM expands my horizons with articles about parts of the spectrum I seldom explore. That’s a good thing!

TSM Publisher and Managing Editor, Ken Reitz (KS4ZR), has done an amazing job collecting a group of writers who are not only experts in their respective fields, but are effective writers as well. These two qualities do not always go hand-in-hand.

At $3 per issue or (especially) an annual subscription for $24 ($2/issue) I think TSM is a bargain. When the November issue is posted on the TSM website later today, you’ll be able to read through the table of contents online.

It’s hard to believe TSM is almost in its third year of publication–this TSM writer is wishing it many, many more!