Category Archives: Shortwave Radio Reviews

The Tecsun PL-380: a great travel radio

My Tecsun PL-380 and Eagle Creek pack

SWLing Post reader, Alan, commented on our “most durable radios for travel” post:

You should include the Tecsun PL-380 [on] the list. It is an excellent tuner with good selectivity. The ETM feature was made for a traveler. The radio is cheap enough that it won’t bother you if you lose it or break it.

I have to say, I agree! In fact, I travel with the PL-380 quite often. It has become my back-up radio when I make field recordings (my primary portable for field is the Sony ICF-SW7600GR).

Eagle Creek pack with contents: Tecsun PL-380, Zoom H1 recorder, earphones, audio cables, external antenna, spare batteries and Kindle. Click to enlarge.

In fact, I have a small Eagle Creek bag with a shoulder strap that holds my field recording kit and other electronic “necessities:” Tecsun PL-380, Zoom H1 recorder, ear buds, audio cables, roll up antenna, spare batteries, and, of course, my Kindle (so I can read while waiting for my plane/train/bus). In a pinch, it can even accommodate a Sony AN-LP1
active antenna (which I use primarily in hotel rooms with inoperable windows). To help you visualize, check out the photo on the right. It’s my grab-and-go bag.

CDNSE Newstar DR111 First Review

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The DR111 DRM Radio (Photo: Chengdu NewStar Electronics)

Based on this initial review, it appears that the CDNSE Newstar DR111 is an improvement over the company’s last portable DRM radio, the DiWave.

(Source: DRMNA.info)

[T]he unit is quite sensitive. RNZI evenings at 17675kHz and 13730kHz can be received various places within my house with only the internal whip. REE at 9630kHz using an external ham vertical antenna was similar copy on Pappradio (with a slight edge given to the Pappradio.)

DRM Audio while adequate, seems narrow and compressed in comparison to DReaM on my PC. I verified this by switching A to B between the Newstar and the Pappradio with DReaM using my JBL headphones. I’m beginning to wonder if the DRM audio is being processed by the DSP, just like the analogue audio. The DSP in analogue is a tad too aggressive. A real bonus in analogue is the adjustable bandwidth (1-6kHz) however. That and the DSP make analogue quite enjoyable even in the crowded 49M (6MHz) band. I have been listening to BBC on 5875kHz in the early AM with armchair copy and great audio using only the whip (throughout the house).

Read full post here.

Fernando’s review of the Bonito 1102S RadioJet software defined receiver

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The Bonito 1102S RadioJet - Click to Enlarge

SWLing Post reader and fellow SW radio reviewer, Fernando, has apprised us of his review of the Bonito 1102S RadioJet. While his site is in German, which we don’t read or speak here, Google Translate gives us English speakers a fair idea of his findings, and Fernando helps us with the rest.

To summarize, his comparison of the Bonito 1102S RadioJet with his Microtelecom Perseus concludes that the two perform well, running about neck-and-neck–in other words, offer almost identical performance characteristics. There were some differences, though. I outline a few key review points that Fernando was kind enough to clarify for us:

The noise floor between the Perseus and RadioJet is more or less the same, in his tests.
He finds that the Perseus is slightly more sensitive on higher frequencies (above 22Mhz). This comparison is made with the “DX Channel” on the Bonito 1102S RadioJet (a feature only found on the Radiojet–see note below).
Fernando believes the sensitivity and selectivity of both radios to be very similar. He told us that he could not hear a great difference.
The Perseus software is, of course, very stable and mature in comparison with that of the new Radiojet. This is quite typical of new SDR products on the market, as it takes time and user feedback to eliminate bugs and quirks. Fernando expresses his confidence, however, that the software engineers at RadioJet will be quick to respond to patches and upgrades.
Overall, he believes that RadioJet will be able to provide a very stable product in short order.

Since Fernando has been a beta tester for the Bonito 1102S RadioJet, he’s familiar with the company and their attentiveness to feedback, and he’s impressed.

One feature unique to the RadioJet is the “DX Channel.” You can see this in action in a video the company released last year: in essence, when activated on a weak signal, the noise floor drops, and the signal seems to pop out of the static. I asked Fernando about this feature and he told me that, when the DX Channel is activated, the software lowers the IP3+ and increases the sensitivity. This is the default channel or mode on the software.

The normal “RX Channel” is used for strong signals and is better for in-band interference. The DX Channel has a higher IP3+. He mentioned that the software can automatically determine which channel should be used, and auto-switches it for the user. Fernando said that this function works quite well.

Like to hear the difference for yourself? Fernando’s website Fenu-Radio.ch has a page dedicated to audio comparisons between the Perseus and RadioJet. The first 15 seconds of each audio clip feature the Perseus, the second 15 seconds features the RadioJet. Click here to go to the audio page.

By the way–Fernando’s website is most impressive. He has a long list of receiver reviews, comparisons and audio files. I encourage you to spend some time there, whether or not you read German.

Thanks for sharing your review, Fernando!

A traveler’s review of the Grundig G6 shortwave radio

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The Grundig G6 makes for an excellent travel companion

Last week, I traveled to New York City by air and used trains, taxis and buses en route to Philadelphia. All the while, I carted along my luggage–and it’s a good thing I like to travel light.

Indeed, I almost never check in luggage, no doubt a remnant of my days as an expatriate, when I was required to travel throughout Europe at a moment’s notice. But I love traveling with only one bag. It’s incredibly liberating. I revel in the challenge of fitting everything I need into one Eagle Creek convertible backpack/suitcase.

This latest trip was no exception, and I planned to do a little shortwave and medium wave DX along the way. So which radio did I reach for? Oddly enough, none of those I listed from my travel radio suggestions, my usual stand-bys. This time, I chose my Grundig G6.

Keypad for direct entry and as with most Grundig radios, the G6has a logical, simple key combination for entering frequencies.

I have had a mini Grundig G6 review out for a couple years now in which I praise it highly. I am surprised to find that many other reviewers only give it a lukewarm rating. I believe a lot of this stems from the fact that the radio’s aircraft band (117-137 MHz) is not terribly sensitive or selective. Since purchasing the G6, I’ve only used the aircraft band once–during review. I leave aircraft and VHF/UHF listening to a proper scanner, preferably one with triple-conversion circuitry.

Yet I find that the Grundig G6 performs quite well on the shortwave and medium wave bands. Last week, while in NYC and Philadelphia, I was surrounded by big signals and didn’t hear many instances of overloading or imaging. Sure, larger portables (like the Grundig G3, Tecsun PL-660, Sony ICF-SW7600GR, Sangean ATS-909X) will outperform the G6 on SW and MW, but none of those radios can comfortably fit in my pocket. In fact, the G6 is so small that it can get lost in my suitcase–oh, there it is, tucked among my socks. The portables mentioned above, though reasonably sized, will need some dedicated space.

The placement and orientation of the tuning knob on the G6 is genius. My favorite ultra-portable radio for band-scanning

There’s another plus about the G6. It feels good in your hand. I have big, clumsy fingers, yet I still manage to punch in the frequency correctly every time. Having the (smooth) tuning knob in the upper left corner of the radio where it’s accessible both on the side, and (more importantly) on the face, was a stroke of ergonomic genius by this little radio’s designer. I wish more manufacturers would do this. It’s so easy and comfortable to band scan using your thumb on the face of the tuning wheel, which is great when you’re sitting around a campfire or listening to FM on a bumpy bus ride.

Don’t get me wrong: if I were going on a DX vacation where I needed top-notch filtering, sync-detection and SSB, I would not pick the G6. For the odd business trip, though, it’s the perfect little radio.

The G6 even has an external antenna connection.

Pros:

Small, affordable and full-featured
Shortwave and medium wave reception are comparable to others in price class
Two bandwidth choices
Direct keypad entry of frequencies
Fluid and well-placed tuning knob
No chuffing/muting during band scans
Includes SSB (see con)
Great audio for a tiny speaker
Excellent ergonomics (especially for such a small package)
Aircraft Band (see con)

Cons:

SSB reception is mediocre–fine tuning is difficult
Volume button increments a little too steep (between 8-12) with headphones
Keypad not backlit
Some image problems on aircraft band

The Grundig G6 has been on the market a long time, in a consumer electronics life span. I would not wait to purchase one. Occasionally, RadioShack (in the US and Canada) will close out their stock of shortwave radios and the G6 can be found at bargain prices. Universal Radio currently has a promotion where if you buy a Grundig Satellit 750 for $299.95, you will receive a free Grundig G6. You get both a large portable/tabletop radio and a pocket-sized one in the same deal. That’s great value!

Want specifications and other reviews of the Grundig G6? Check out our G6 entry in the Shortwave Radio Index.

A review of the Kchibo KK-9803 shortwave radio

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The Kchibo KK-9803 portable shortwave radio

Admittedly, my expectations were quite low when I ordered the re-engineered Kchibo KK-9803 for a mere $14.90 from a seller on eBay. It is, without a doubt, the least expensive portable shortwave receiver I’ve ever purchased new. Now I know why.

Indeed, I found it hard to believe that this was actually a DSP radio, and even asked the seller to confirm this in advance of purchase. Part of my doubt arose from the fact that the Kchibo KK-9803 has been on the market for a few years as a no-frills analog radio. At some point this year, Kchibo “enhanced” this model with a DSP chip, to be much like the recently reviewed Degen DE321.

I purchased the Kchibo KK-9803 on a whim. Could this cheap radio offer enhanced performance with its new DSP-enhanced engineering? The short answer: No.

You pay for what you get

I was completely underwhelmed by the Kchibo KK9803. While the idea of affordable DSP performance is a good one, the implementation of the DSP chip in this unit is, unfortunately, poor.

My primary criticism is that the shortwave band segments are much too close to one another on the dial–hence, when tuning, the digital tuning steps (perhaps 5 kHz?) are too narrowly-spaced to offer any sort of tuning accuracy. Barely moving the tuning wheel, one may pass over even a strong station undetectably. The only hint of the station’s existence may be a quick blip or audio buzz.

I must confess that the experience of band-scanning (tuning) this radio offers is the worst I’ve ever known. One basically cannot tune and “hear” station presence like one would on practically any other radio product. While comparing this radio to the Degen DE321 and Tecsun PL-380 (two other DSP portables I had on hand), I had difficulty locating even benchmark stations like China Radio International, Voice of Greece, RCI, and others; in fact, I couldn’t even tune in Voice of Greece on 9420 kHz because that part of the 31M band is chopped off of the KK-9803’s dial. Tuning across the band produces a very strange choppy sound, mostly void of the typical sounds you hear as you tune past stations while band-scanning on most other radios.

I did manage to tune in a few stations with considerable effort. How one finds a strong station at all is by locating the spots on the band where sound is dead, and then meticulously fine-tuning around these areas. I use the phrase “fine-tuning” quite loosely, as there is no actual fine-tuning wheel–by this, I mean making the slightest possible movements of the tuning wheel and just hoping for the best. This demands great fine-motor skills–but even greater patience.

Perhaps more annoying, once you actually manage to lock in a station, within the next five seconds the DSP chipset increases the volume in three overly-dramatic steps–from soft, to medium, to OUCH. Tuning this radio requires not only patience, but if using good earphones, instant readiness to adjust the volume for fear of its increasing to the point of discomfort.

Clearly, finding positive points about this radio was a challenge:

Pros:

Inexpensive (see con)
Plastic body is fairly durable
FM performance acceptable (see cons)

The KK-9803's band selection slider switch is loose and sloppy.

Cons:

Cheap (see pro)
Shortwave performance is dismal and DSP-lock unreliable
Shortwave bands are chopped up into too-small segments–active portions of the 41M and 31M bands, for example, are altogether missing
None of the shortwave bands include a WWV frequency
Tuning, via the tuning wheel, is very difficult even in FM; frequency steps are too narrowly packed, and thus difficult to access
FM stations are all-or-nothing: weak stations are barely audible, strong stations have overly-dramatic (and uncomfortable) stepped volume increases to accompany station-lock
AM band slider switch feels quite flimsy, selection ability is loose and sloppy
Radio defaults to FM when you turn it on

Verdict

One more positive: The back stand feels pretty durable--it's even designed to be shock-absorbing. Too bad the radio doesn't perform as well as its back stand.

If you really want a DSP radio with an analog face, spend an extra $6 and purchase the Degen DE321, or wait for the Tecsun R-2010 to be released. The only benefit I see to the Kchibo KK-9803 is its FM performance, which is acceptable. But if it’s only FM you’re looking for, my advice is to purchase a better-quality, comparably-priced radio like the Sony SRF-59 which, though without shortwave bands, has incredible AM (mediumwave) performance as well.

The Kchibo KK-9803 is a radio that should have remained in the all-analog realm; I imagine its performance in that form was more reliable and tuning much easier. Adding the DSP chip to this radio was an unfortunate upgrade–really, a downgrade, in my opinion. In conclusion: do yourself a favor and use the $14.90 to buy rechargeable batteries or anything else besides the Kchibo KK-9803.