Тёмный

Astonishing but little-known DXing radio: Unboxing the Qodosen SR-286  

SWL
Подписаться 5 тыс.
Просмотров 63 тыс.
50% 1

The Qodosen SR-286 has been flying under the radar for a few months. Specialist DXing groups and people in China have known about this radio for some time, but it still seems to be quite unknown more widely. This radio has been called "astonishing" by Jay Allen, a well-respected reviewer in the USA. He said it has some of the best FM and MW reception that he has ever seen.
The radio uses a TEF6686 chip, the same chip that is used in many car radios. It is very sensitive. There are a number of TEF6686-based radios available, but they don't seem to be that popular yet. As of now, no well-known manufacturer is using this chip, it seems to be small and independent individuals and companies in China who are creating some new and very capable radios using this chip for signal processing.
I am surprised that this radio and the TEF6686 chip are not more well-known. Performance seems to be off the charts. After reading Jay Allen's review I was convinced, I ordered a Qodosen SR-286 that very same night, from a seller on Ali Express. It took only 12 days to reach me here in South Africa. The dealer page is here: www.aliexpress.com/item/10050...
It is quite an expensive radio though, $129. It is being produced in limited numbers. I have not been able to find any information about the manufacturer. Also, quite strangely, the radio arrived unboxed, simply wrapped in some packaging envelopes and inside a carry case. No manual, no box. All quite strange. My first tests confirmed the reviews that I have read so far. This radio is an incredible performer.
This video is my "unboxing" - opening the packaging and taking out the radio, as there is no box. It is also a first look at FM and SW reception.
You can see a short SW comparison with the XHDATA D-808 and the Tecsun PL-368 here: • Qodosen SR-286 vs XHDA...
You can see a MW comparison with the XHDATA D-808 here: • Qodosen SR-286 vs XHDA...
PLEASE NOTE: Unfortunately I had to mute some of the music in the video due to copyright restrictions. It is about 30 seconds where I show FM reception. I will make sure to make another FM reception video with more stations and with talk radio rather than music, but you can still hear some FM stations in this video.
00:00 The radio almost nobody knows
04:00 "Unboxing" a radio that is not boxed
04:50 What you get
05:43 Pedigree
06:10 Size comparison
07:12 No battery supplied
07:45 A closer look at the Qodosen SR-286
10:15 Some distant FM stations - crystal clear!
10:30 Muted due to copyright restrictions
10:54 Back to FM
11:45 Shortwave: Bangladesh Betar, new catch
13:13 Various other SW stations
17:40 My first thoughts

Развлечения

Опубликовано:

 

13 май 2024

Поделиться:

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист
Посмотреть позже
Комментарии : 168   
@StratmanII
@StratmanII 2 месяца назад
I'm very impressed by the SR-286's high dynamic range on shortwave. Its noise floor is even lower than your most featured radio, the XHDATA D-808. On FM, this thing is virtually untouchable! What's amazing is the fact that the automotive audio manufacturers aren't even exploiting the TEF6686 DSP to its fullest. No one bothers to include the SW band anymore (probably citing RF interference as their biggest reason) and the last car stereo which I had tried for its SW band was the old Sony Xplod audio head unit back in 1999. SSB is not a native feature of DSP radio chips. The radio manufacturer has to write a piece of SSB microcode that is uploaded to the DSP microprocessor unit and this upload takes a few seconds to take effect. Thanks Andre for the virtual tour of the Qodosen! Does it have an RSSI display mode? 📻☺
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
The low noise floor is a very big plus for me! You mention SW on car radios, I actually had a car radio in my previous car (about four years ago) that had SW. It was an after-market radio, there was no radio installed in the car when I bought it. For the life of me I cannot remember the brand name now. The Qodosen does have an RSSI display mode, I actually just missed the display button when I was doing my first test.
@F4LDT-Alain
@F4LDT-Alain 2 месяца назад
Car radios don't even include any AM band here. It's been like this for quite a few years already. LW has been dead for a couple of years and MW since even longer. No one but us geeks is interested in SW. It's mandatory to include DAB+ here now, though. It seems that they're eventually pushing it. France is far behind some other EU countries for this (e.g. Germany).
@saevans63
@saevans63 2 месяца назад
I’m in Australia and my Kenwood car stereo has SW. It’s great for night drives
@StratmanII
@StratmanII 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening I'm impressed that the SWL King truly lived up to his name by installing a shortwave capable car radio! 🙂 Was it a Becker Mexico head unit, a Kenwood KDC-U356R or a Sony CDX-GT270MP? Word has it that only Pioneer and Kenwood still make tuners with SW bands and even then they're only found in certain markets around the world. Do you remember if your Volvo's ignition affected the shortwave band or if you only listened to SW with the engine turned off? 🌍🤔
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@saevans63 Hey Steve, that sounds like a lot of fun! I can imagine that you can pick up quite a lot in the car at night away from the cities.
@FiveEars
@FiveEars 2 месяца назад
I have one. The price is nothing compared to a Tecsun PL880. Reception is quite good on the SR-286, better than the PL880 for sure. The optional (switchable) amplification on the external antenna jack is nice. Audio quality is better on my XHDATA D-109. And the SR-286 sounds like a tin can compared to the PL880. The SR-286 is poorly made. The clock cannot keep time. Cuts out. Jumps. Effectively useless. The back battery cover looks like it will be the second thing to die. It came with the screen scratched and no battery. The button controls are not as intuitive as either the Tecsun or XHDATA. The manual a PITA. But picking up Spain on SW from western Canada one afternoon was... unexpected. I look forward to your further reviews.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you for your comment! I think your remalr about Spain sort of summarises my feeling about this radio. There are quirks, all these things you mention, but if it performs well, I will be happy with it. I found basic operations fairly intuitive, but I will need the manual for any other operations. Like the page memory system, haven't figured that out yet :-)
2 месяца назад
Each to its own. Audio quaity is superb, mine keeps perfectly time, usability is great, much much better than a XHDATA 808.
@FiveEars
@FiveEars 2 месяца назад
@ The PL880 is superb. SR-286 is not in same league.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@ Thanks Johann, I tend to agree with you, I think this SR-286 is definitely a bit better than the D-808. I am still testing it, but so far I am very impressed.
@user-bj2ku8xc5t
@user-bj2ku8xc5t 2 месяца назад
I received my SR-286 today. Awesome radio, my new favorite radio. I have watched a lot of videos on this radio before I decided to buy because of the high cost for it. This is a very special radio with many features and to all thinking about getting one just do it before they're all gone. Thank you SWL for all the videos you do for all of us to be able to see the radios in action before buying, your videos are excellent, thank you. I also had a big scratch on the read out on my radio but the scratch is just on the protective film only. Carefully get a finger nail under the film and pull it off.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you so much for your comment! I am really happy that my videos helped you make a decision and that you are happy with your purchase! It is an expensive radio, you are right. It might not be the radio for everyone. But for catching distant and weak signals on FM, SW and MW I think it is almost unbeatable right now in the portable class. And, as you say, there are so many features on the radio, for me it kind of makes the high price a bit easier to swallow. But I do understand that some people really want SSB as well, they will not be happy with this radio. I have left the protective film on my screen for the time being, but I will pull it off at some point. I kind of see it as a screen protector at the moment :-)
@radiojayallen5781
@radiojayallen5781 2 месяца назад
I enjoyed your review...thanks for referencing my website as well! Jay Allen
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you so much Jay! I follow your site and your reviews with much interest, thank you for that!
@marcosmza1962
@marcosmza1962 11 дней назад
Thanks Jay. Greetings from Argentina. 73
@canyondan
@canyondan 2 месяца назад
Very interesting radio. Thank you for reviewing.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks Dan! It really does look like a very interesting radio, and seems to be very capable!
@MannyDeGuzmanJr
@MannyDeGuzmanJr 7 дней назад
This kinda reminds me of that small vintage shortwave radio from 1987, the Sony ICF-SW1
@swlistening
@swlistening 7 дней назад
Hi Manny, it does indeed! It looks very similar to the ICF-SW1. I am sure the Sony design was the inspiration for this one.
@user-fu8vn7xo6c
@user-fu8vn7xo6c 2 месяца назад
Astonishing! Most good SW radios have a plethora of features this radio lacks, but the basics of sensitivity & selectivity is still really important. It goes back to the IC designer. Thank you for sharing this, I never would have given this radio any attention if I just looked at a photograph of it in an ad. I have a more conventional Tecsun PL-680 to entertain me when I travel. I live in a neighborhood with too much digital noise.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks for your comment Kendrick! The PL-680 is a great radio, I don't have one (yet) but it is very high on my wish list. I agree with you, I think two of the really important things on a radio are selectivity and sensitivity, and, thirdly, good sound. That being said, the SR-286 does have quite a lot of features, I will cover them in future videos.
@dx-dx-dx-dx
@dx-dx-dx-dx 2 месяца назад
fine video, thank you for showing this new radio. best wishes from Klaus
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you Klaus, it looks like a very interesting radio.
@michaelbogdanowicz5059
@michaelbogdanowicz5059 2 месяца назад
Love your videos
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks Michael!
@hammockdweller
@hammockdweller 2 месяца назад
Thanks, interesting. Also for mentioning Ray Allen, he has some nice reviews on his website. Also a review of the first real shortwave radio I used to own, the Sony ICF-2001.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you!
@joeh52
@joeh52 2 месяца назад
A radio buff on the US West Coast, DXer Gary, has done some medium wave tests on the SR-286, with the whip and with loop antennas. They are impressive with this chip; it's putting the SiliconLabs chips on other portables to shame.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Hi Joe, thanks for your comment! I saw that test, it is really quite incredible what the Qodosen can achieve on MW. I think this radio is really revolutionary.
@normanhill535
@normanhill535 2 месяца назад
Priced like the Sony ICF-SW1 too, only without the accessories like amplified antenna.
@saevans63
@saevans63 2 месяца назад
Interesting radio but I think I’ll wait until they come down in price. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this radio
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks Steve. The price is a bit high indeed, but I don't know if it will drop any time soon, someone actually pointed out here that this radio is about $170 on eBay. I think it's because it is relatively hard to find the chips for the radio.
@any_username
@any_username 2 месяца назад
It's definitely the next big thing... Nice pick! Looking forward to seeing comparisons with Si4732-based receivers 👍🏻
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
I will definitely do more of those comparisons! On all bands.
@kwdavids1
@kwdavids1 2 месяца назад
Scooped again. My Qodosen SR-286 was supposed to be delivered today, but it didn't show. I'm looking forward to some FM DXing when it comes, plus some exploration of longwave. Do you have LW stations within range of you? Algeria at night, perhaps?
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Hi Kevin, I was actually surprised that mine arrived so fast, it took only 12 days, which is really quite something. I am used to waiting at the very least two weeks, but usually three to four weeks for my overseas deliveries. Are you a former newspaper man? I am asking because of your use of the word "scoop" :-) I have never caught anything on LW here, but last night I heard some noises on the SR-286 on 225 kHz (the Polish station) that sounded like music and not the usual static. So I might get lucky with LW still. I haven't heard Algeria, but maybe this little SR-286 will be the breakthrough I need.
@kwdavids1
@kwdavids1 2 месяца назад
​@@swlistening I found using an external long wire antenna and ground on LW opened up and entirely new world on my PL-990, and the Qodosen allows an external antenna on MW/LW too. The radio passed customs 6 days ago and there is no tracking update.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@kwdavids1 Thanks Kevin, I have actually tried a wire on my Qodosen already, but it was a bit noisy. I will need to go somewhere away from houses I think. The wire is outside, but still noisy, much more noisy on MW and LW actually than on SW. Even through the noise it is clear though that the Qodosen is very sensitive!
@keimahane
@keimahane Месяц назад
Nice first look at this radio, were these signals all received on the built in whip antenna or did you have an external antenna plugged in. I ask because you received shiokaze. I have a hard time receiving that signal and I live in Japan, so much noise where I live and direct jamming from dprk and ccp on certain targeted stations.
@swlistening
@swlistening Месяц назад
Thanks! Sometimes it is actually quite hard to hear SW signals from transmitters very close to you. It is a signal that I hear quite often, I think I am kind of in the right direction, from Japan to Korea and then it bounces around until it reaches me here in South Africa. Very interesting signal. I used a 10-metre wire, that is my usual antenna and I use it almost all the time when I am DXing.
@keimahane
@keimahane Месяц назад
@@swlistening Thank you.
@swlistening
@swlistening Месяц назад
@@keimahane Sure!
@tlebryk
@tlebryk 2 месяца назад
Thanks for the review! For that much money, I would require SSB (and for it to also work well).
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks Tom, I will be happy with the radio and the price if its performance is as good as people say, particularly on MW. The reviews that mentioned the excellent MW performance were what convinced me to buy it, even at this price.
@youtou721
@youtou721 23 дня назад
Actually the first testing model does have SSB, if you look into the display there's also a SSB indicator, but I have no idea why it's removed when it's finally introduced (I got mine in August 2023)
@swlistening
@swlistening 23 дня назад
@@youtou721 Thanks for your comment, that's very interesting! I wonder why they removed it when they introduced it. Maybe it will return later.
@MattinLapland
@MattinLapland 2 месяца назад
Really interesting. I might buy one next month. I certainly would be interested in the mw reception combined with the AN200. I could really use this while outdoors it’s a great size.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks Matt. It is interesting indeed, I am surprised I had never heard of this radio and the TEF6686 chip, until very recently. There seems to be quite a community of people who are very excited about this chip and creating all kinds of modification on their radios. There is a Facebook group, here facebook.com/groups/tef6686dspdxtuner if you are interested.
@MattinLapland
@MattinLapland 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening many thanks I will look at that. That was my first thought - could I modify it with a really good ferrite antenna or something.
@MattinLapland
@MattinLapland 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening Oh btw a target station for you to DX is Saudi Arabia, Riyadh on 585kHz MW. I get it here strong in the evenings a distance of 5,100km
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@MattinLapland Thanks Matt, I'll add this one to my list. Stations from neighbouring countries like Mozambique, Botswana and Tanzania, a bit further away, are beginning to come through a lot now, but further afield still seems to be rare.
@walleyvideo8297
@walleyvideo8297 2 месяца назад
I absolutely love my Retekess V115. I use it to play MP3 files. How does the audio of the SR-286 compare with the V115?
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Hi Walley, I agree, the Retekess V115 has terrific sound, for such a small radio. I would say the sound on the Retekess has more bass and overall a slightly better sound than the Qodosen.
@walleyvideo8297
@walleyvideo8297 2 месяца назад
Thanks for your reply. Keep up the great work. @@swlistening
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@walleyvideo8297 Sure Walley, and thank you 😀
@ArnieDXer
@ArnieDXer 2 месяца назад
WHAT?????????? Qodosen SR-286?!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Indeed! Something quite new, I am reading up about these TEF6686 chips and the radios that use it, very interesting development!
@ArnieDXer
@ArnieDXer 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening yeah, I think they came out last year if not 2 years ago - I mean those non-branded, cheap-looking sets, not Qodosen 😜 and they became quite a sensation especially among FM DX community. There are a number of outstanding FM bandscans from Europe on YT using these radios & just their telescopic whip. And have I seen an instance of a TEF6686 radio controlled via Wi-Fi through famous XDR-GTK software?? On AM side, I read Gary DeBock evaluating it on IRCA and Ultralight DX mailing lists, and he says that while the SR-286 is incredibly sensitive indeed, its narrowest filter is just 3kHz, which is not enough in heavy adjacent-channel interference situations such as chasing Asian MW stations on 9kHz channels in a 10kHz-spacing environment of North America. Personally, I'm really curious of that radio and any od the TEF6686-based devices, but on the other hand, I think I'd wait until somebody addresses the issues of lack of SSB and not narrow enough filters on AM. For FM DX alone though, they're beasts 👹 Although I've still yet to see a comparison of any of these radios or the SR-286 with an SDR like any Airspy or SDRplay model XD PS. Recently I saw some of the non-branded makes on generous discouts at Aliexpress, like, half the price of Qodosen. But that was a week ago, just before Chinese New Year holiday, so I don't think it lasts still 😂
@tomki6asp
@tomki6asp 2 месяца назад
I ordered one a couple weeks ago. NXP for the win.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks Tom!
@CommercialThyme
@CommercialThyme 2 месяца назад
You said there was an English version of the manual available online / I have not been able to find it - do you have a link for it? Thanks
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Hi there, yes, it can be a bit tricky to find. Here is a link that you can use: drive.google.com/file/d/1HvK5vb9F0kQaXFKH1_SHbYbbvFrDa7UM/view?usp=drive_link
@CommercialThyme
@CommercialThyme 2 месяца назад
@@swlisteningThank you !
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@CommercialThyme Sure!
@medc3509
@medc3509 2 месяца назад
Oooh I saw this in AliExpress awhile ago
@johnbeckham1483
@johnbeckham1483 2 месяца назад
SWL, this radio has good sound quality!
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Yes, I agree, the sound is very good. With the low noise floor even weak signals seem to come through clear enough to ID.
@jamesglenn6461
@jamesglenn6461 2 месяца назад
Just from a different chip. I wonder what cost difference is from different chips. Receiving a transmission where not received before is quite a feat.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks James, this is quite a radio! I think the TEF6686 chip is better with processing weak signals, and locking on to them. My thinking here is that when you drive around, you lose signal all the time. So this chip, used in cars, can handle that better than the Silicon Labs chip.
@petegallaguer8978
@petegallaguer8978 2 месяца назад
I read somewhere that the silicon labs chips were designed for DTV, but modified for AM/FM/LW/SW.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@petegallaguer8978 Hi Pete, I haven't seen this myself but hopefully someone else will comment about this.
@any_username
@any_username 2 месяца назад
The manufacturers pay ±17 bucks for this NXP's TEF6686 chip vs ±5 bucks for Skyworks' SI4732-A10; everything else is production cost + hype. The cheapest TEF6686-based receiver nowadays costs ±45 bucks, but... I'd not want to own it at all...
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@any_username I'm interested, which one is available at $45? I might like to get a second one!
@timbermicka
@timbermicka 2 месяца назад
What is the deal with SW receivers being produced in small numbers? Are their chips no longer manufactured / only available in limited quantities?
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
The Silicon Labs Si 4732 chip and newer versions of that chip are mass-produced and cheap, that is why a radio like the XHDATA D-219 can be sold for just $10. The TEF6686 chip, though, is bought up by car manufacturers, which means very few remain for radios.
@timbermicka
@timbermicka 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening Oh ok. Thanks, I get it now. I had no idea that a single chip could be used in 2 completely different technical areas.
@StratmanII
@StratmanII 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening Ahem bru...the XHDATA D-219 uses the low priced Si 4825-A10 DSP, not the advanced Si 4732 which you'll find in the ATS-25/ATS-120 DSP receivers. 🙂
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@timbermicka Sure! And sorry, I should have clarified, it's the same area. The car manufacturers use these chips for their radios.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@StratmanII Oh, thanks for the correction, I actually did not know this.
@dadwire1483
@dadwire1483 2 месяца назад
Thanks for the review! I don't know why it took so long to have these chips (TE6686), in portable/table radios, when this technology has existed for some time now!? Why not take this audio chip, reverse engineer it, and mass produce it for portable , am/fm clock radios, ham radios, etc... ! Perhaps, there can be a Sangean ATS-909X3 with this chip, and have it for air band, am/fm/saw/ marine/let, etc., as the large volume can be placed into more radios. Since, America will not adopt IBOC, DAB+, DRM, then by all means use the TE6686 for domestic radio production...?
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you for your comment! I also wonder why it is taking so long for the big manufacturers to adopt this chip. I think it might have to do with pricing and the fact that these chips appear to be hard to procure. The car manufacturers buy them all. But one can just dream about the wonderful radios that might come out if big manufacturers start using this. There are various radios available using the TEF6686 chip, not from any known manufacturer, they seem to be almost like "home-industry" products. Most are priced at $100 and above. If you search for TEF6686 radio on eBay you will find various options. I would advise some caution though, I have heard that some of these TEF6686 radios actually do not really use the TEF chip. It would be a good idea to check reviews and to try to find some information before buying any of these radios.
@StratmanII
@StratmanII 2 месяца назад
Reverse engineering the TEF6686 chip is a sure fire way of inviting corporate lawsuits from NXP Semiconductors! You can only legally reverse engineer a chip if its copyright patent had lapsed, is an obsolete product which is no longer made and the effort is done for research, educational and non-profit usage. There are many radio-on-a-chip DSP solutions out there. The TEF6686 happens to be just one of them and it's not even considered the top of the line. 🙂
@dadwire1483
@dadwire1483 2 месяца назад
..if the TEF6686 is not the "top of the line", then by all means, use another chip that is close enough or better than the one mentioned..! This kind of radio technology has been around since the 1970's (remember the Chrysler Cordoba 1979..?). and it should be used for all radios, and if the cost/price is more, than so be it..! You can go to a bar, and blow $200 in one night, so instead save you rmoney and purchase this kind of radio...!@@StratmanII
@Funk-DX
@Funk-DX 2 месяца назад
have changed my channel and must say that Quodosen is a new name for me. But 211 thumbs up for your video are a good sign or argument, great. Thank you from Klaus
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you Klaus, this radio looks very promising indeed. I am still testing it, so I will add more videos in the coming weeks.
@Funk-DX
@Funk-DX 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening thank you, dear Andre
@The06201980
@The06201980 2 месяца назад
It seems to me you pick up much more shortwave stations from South Africa than the USA. It must be in wider use still in Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia perhaps
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks for your comment. You are right, SW is still widely used here, there are many broadcasters who still target Africa. I also pick up Asian signals quite easily and often, and the Middle East, and Europe. That is why it seems to you that I can pick up so many stations :-) I am lucky that there are still so many signals that I can catch here.
@The06201980
@The06201980 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening that’s awesome! And I enjoyed your video, you have a new subscriber here today
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@The06201980 Thank you so much and thank you for subscribing!
@F4LDT-Alain
@F4LDT-Alain 2 месяца назад
Hello André, I'm really glad that you've eventually received this much anticipated exciting new toy. Thanks for the informative quick first review. It does seem to be quite an interesting radio, as I don't use my radios for much but SW, I'll probably wait until your really compare it with your best performers on this band to build my own opinion. It certainly seems to perform above average during this first test. Even if it's clearly superior, and as much as your reviews usually raise quite an appetite for me to buy the radios you review, I think I'll pass on this one. It's 150+ euros with free shipping and prepaid VAT (so no import taxes) for us in UE from Ali and that's really more than I'm willing to pay for a radio without SSB, without air band, tuning that mutes between steps and even without a battery. The build quality would appear to be so-so as well. I'd expect better in this price range. I hope the price of this radio or other ones based on the same new chip will go down with time. I would go for it at 80 euros max.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks Alain, I agree with you, the price is really quite hefty. I am hoping it is worth it though, I am particularly interested in the MW capabilities. On MW with an external antenna in a quiet area it is said the be really, really good. But even with the internal ferrite antenna MW is said to be superior to many of the other radios I have. I will see as I test it more. I did do some MW testing last night with the internal antenna and I was quite happy with it. I think part of the reason for the high price is that it is not mass-produced. And the TEF6686 chips are, from what I have read, not easy to procure. The car manufacturers buy them all. Someone else also commented about the build quality, but in my opinion it seems quite good. No better but also not worse than Tecsun or XHDATA radios.
@F4LDT-Alain
@F4LDT-Alain 2 месяца назад
Let's see how it goes on MW but again, not my main focus. I'm looking forward to a SW shootout with the D-608 and maybe a couple of your best performers like the D-808 and the PL-368? (hint, hint 😉) Build quality: just an impression based on the video so of course this is vague. The stand for example seems rather tiny, thin and fragile but we don't use these much, do we?
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@F4LDT-Alain The stand does look a bit flimsy, you are right, but it seems to feel stronger than what it looks like. I actually use the stands quite a lot, so I hope this one will last. We will see. As a matter of interest, someone just pointed out here in another comment that this radio looks like the Sony ICF SW1, and it does actually, very similar! The numerical keypad, the speaker and many of the other buttons look exactly the same. A SW shootout between the D-808 and the PL-368 will be up later today! Just did a short comparison earlier today on Radio Farda.
@radiowavemaniac
@radiowavemaniac 25 дней назад
mine sr-286 came in a hard case and with 18650 akku and USB cable
@swlistening
@swlistening 24 дня назад
Thanks for your comment! It seems to depend on the seller, some other viewers on my channel have also commented that they received theirs with a battery. Then again, many others received theirs like mine, no battery and no box...
@sleeve8651
@sleeve8651 24 дня назад
No SSB......Deal Breaker for me ! I can't believe anyone would manufacturer a radio today, without SSB ! Seems they exclude otherwise interested people ? Too, perhaps it is made for a European sales Market ?
@swlistening
@swlistening 24 дня назад
Thanks for your comment! I do agree that SSB would have been nice, but this radio has really helped me catch so many stations that I just haven't heard before, on MW, SW and FM. So I am quite happy with it, it is for regular broadcast stations only and works very well for that. Kind of like the Eton Elite Field, the Eton Elite Traveler and various other radios without SSB. I think it is aimed at broadcast listeners worldwide, you can change MW steps to 10K for North America, 9K for the rest of the world. So it can be used anywhere. Maybe SSB will follow some time in the future.
@VEC7ORlt
@VEC7ORlt 2 месяца назад
Law of headlines is a harsh mistress...
@mickeythompson9537
@mickeythompson9537 2 месяца назад
I still use my old Sony ICF-SW1... so this was a bit uncanny-valley for me.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Hi Mickey, thank you for your comment! I don't own the Sony ICF-SW1, but now I can, kind of, imagine that I have one :-)
@JustSW-DX
@JustSW-DX 2 месяца назад
Wow, so interesting 😮. What a rrrrip off though...
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks! And, yes, it is quite expensive... I suppose it is not mass-produced like all the Silicon Labs-based radios, so costs are higher. These chips are, apparently, also quite scarce.
@SB-mi2ii
@SB-mi2ii 2 месяца назад
No SSB? I honestly wouldn't pay that amount for an unknown radio from China.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
I can understand that, many people miss SSB on this radio. But I still think it actually offers such good reception across all the bands that it does cover that I can live without SSB on this one. It is the only radio I have that seems to really dig out very weak signals that my other radios simply don't hear at all - on FM, SW and MW. Even my Kenwood R1000 doesn't hear everything that the Qodosen does.
@normanhill535
@normanhill535 2 месяца назад
Looks like a Sony ICF-SW1 or ICF-SW10, a radio from the mid 80s.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
You are right, it does look a lot the the Sony ICF-SW1, which is nice, that was a legendary radio 😀
@omaral-amoudi2295
@omaral-amoudi2295 2 месяца назад
Great radio i.think good reception then xhadat d-109
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you Omar, I agree with you, this one is definitely better than the D-109.
@JustSW-DX
@JustSW-DX 2 месяца назад
I have actually sent and email to Xhdata requesting a radio with this kind of chip 😂. Let's see what happens 😜
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Let's see!
@petegallaguer8978
@petegallaguer8978 2 месяца назад
I'd surly buy it!!
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@petegallaguer8978 So would I!
@oz_dx
@oz_dx 2 месяца назад
4750 kHz is Bangladesh Betar.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thank you for confirming this! That really does show how sensitive the Qodosen is. It is not a signal that I have ever caught, on any of my radios.
@rainer4030
@rainer4030 12 дней назад
on shortwave is not the best, right?
@swlistening
@swlistening 12 дней назад
Hi Rainer, actually I have had some excellent catches on shortwave. It is more well-known for MW, LW and FM. But it is also very good on shortwave. It has become my main SW DXing radio. It is more sensitive than all my other portables, including my XHDATA D-808 and Tecsun PL-368, and many other small ones. It is also less noisy.
@rainer4030
@rainer4030 11 дней назад
@@swlistening i get a Eton e1 next days.
@swlistening
@swlistening 11 дней назад
@@rainer4030 Wow, that sounds great! It is said to be a wonderful radio!
@hielmyz
@hielmyz 2 месяца назад
it's looks like Sony ICF SW1
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Now that you mention it, it certainly does, a lot! Thanks for pointing this out.
@trytrytrytrytrytryt
@trytrytrytrytrytryt 2 месяца назад
It looks like C.Crane radio :)
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
It does, very much, and also like the Sony ICF-SW1. The reason it looks like a C.Crane is because the person who designed this radio also designed some C.Crane radios, as well as the Eton Elite Executive.
@trytrytrytrytrytryt
@trytrytrytrytrytryt 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening ...but I would buy a superhet, not a DSP radio. When tuning in frequency radio signal does not disappear
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@trytrytrytrytrytryt That is very true and one of the unfortunate flaws of the DSP-based radios.
@nine7295
@nine7295 2 месяца назад
It's micro USB, not mini USB which is thicker
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks, my mistake there.
@WApnj
@WApnj 2 месяца назад
Says it's not in a box while holding a box
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
😊 That's the shipping packaging I'm holding.
@KongKingman
@KongKingman 2 месяца назад
For that price they couldn’t even included a battery? Never heard of such a thing…around 12:20 sounds like Godzilla
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Hi Richard, it is indeed a bit strange that the battery is not included. As I mentioned in some of my other replies here, I think the price is so high because the radio is not mass-produced and the TEF6686 chips are hard to get. The car manufacturers buy them all. Maybe the Qodosen people realised the price was high and just excluded the battery to save a few dollars.
@KongKingman
@KongKingman 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening I understand that, but seriously, even a low end generic battery should be included. I see now you got a bargain, they are trying to get 179 plus 6 USD on eBay.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@KongKingman Good to hear I got a bargain 🤣
@KongKingman
@KongKingman 2 месяца назад
@@swlistening 🤑
2 месяца назад
Reason is that including a Li-Battery woud require UN-save packaging, adding about 10 USD shipping costs. You get a high quality 18650 locally for less.
@robertvandervelde60
@robertvandervelde60 2 месяца назад
I have a Barlow Wadley........real battleship
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
I also have a Barlow Wadley, maybe a comparison between these two will be interesting!
@corpo33
@corpo33 2 месяца назад
I might get 1 😂😂😂
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
It looks like a nice radio!
@xszl
@xszl 2 месяца назад
DSP receivers suck, no matter how good the rest is. if you're a real listener-hobbyist It makes you go crazy when scrolling the bands POP POP POP POP POP Serious makers should stay away from dsp.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
I know many people don't like DSP receivers, I have grown to like them a lot though. I even find that some of my DSP receivers are quite a bit more sensitive than my Kenwood R1000, which is a great receiver. For me, each type of radio has its uses.
@TalmidAndy
@TalmidAndy 2 месяца назад
There is nothing special about this low grade all digital radio and is outperformed by many others in the same price bracket or cheaper.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Thanks for your comment Andy. Please do share the names of some of those radios here, because I don't seem to own any of them. My XHDATA D-808, Tecsun PL-368, Kenwood R1000 and many others are all great radios, but the Qodosen is simply in a different class. It is a really amazing radio.
@forgetmyname5166
@forgetmyname5166 2 дня назад
He just trying hard deciding to buy it, Same as me lol
@Paul_JAMET
@Paul_JAMET 12 дней назад
This receiver is well known to radio listeners ... But this receiver, however powerful, is of little interest to the European market: 1 - Long-wave transmitters are practically all shut down; the BBC is going to stop transmitting on 198 kHz! 2 - Medium-wave transmitters are gradually being shut down... In Belgium, France, Switzerland... 3 - Even FM transmitters are beginning to shut down, as in Norway and Switzerland ... Soon in Germany? 4 - We're looking forward to DAB+ receivers with beautiful color screens! My car radio has a 10" screen ... 5 - Its only interest as a radio listener lies in its short-wave performance, but unfortunately it doesn't even offer SSB mode! Too bad, really. 6 - The QODOSEN has a micro USB socket ... It should offer a USB C That's why I wouldn't invest 120 - 140€ in such a receiver ...
@swlistening
@swlistening 12 дней назад
Hi Paul, thanks for your comment! Sadly everything you say is true, but it is also true for all other portables without SSB and with FM/MW/LW/SW coverage. The Eton Elite Traveler, Sangean ATS-405, Eton Elite Field (almost the same price as the Qodosen). And many radios with only FM and AM (and sometimes WB), like the Sangean PR-D4W that I just got, the CCrane EP Pro (almost the same price as the Qodosen), the CCRadio 3 (double the price, with one ham band added, admittedly) and various others. Many of these are great radios and still useful. For me, the Qodosen is worth the price. The sensitivity and features are just beyond believe, it really is a quality product and does not feel cheap. It has features that no other small portable radio has. I receive signals on this one that I have never caught before. There is still a lot to hear on SW and MW here at my location. It is sensitive enough to pick up very distant MW signals. In South Africa we have almost no MW stations left, there are five in the entire country. Only two in Johannesburg. Which is kind of a plus point, it clears all the MW frequencies, so that I can catch really long-distance signals. And the Qodosen can do that. I think I will be able to catch shortwave and MW signals on the Qodosen for many years to come. A UCB C-type socket would have been nice though! The battery takes very long to charge. But I charge my battery inside any of my other radios now, much quicker.
@markr.1984
@markr.1984 2 месяца назад
No SSB, no buy. In the western United States, broadcast SW is basically not receivable except for a few very weak religious stations from the eastern United States! They are weak because they don't aim their antennas towards the west. I can barely get any of the WWV time stations at any time of day or conditions. So amateur hams on SSB is our only hope to hear anything.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
I can certainly see that the lack of SSB is a serious drawback for many people. However, do you do MW DXing? The MW reception on the Qodosen is quite incredible, none of my other radios come close. I will get some MW comparison videos up in the next week or so.
@user-sp9wr5rf4c
@user-sp9wr5rf4c Месяц назад
I live in Arizona USA and I listen to lots of foreign SW stations at distances approaching 15,000km. The secret is to build a low noise, high gain outdoor antenna (such as a sky loop) to reach across the Pacific to SW broadcast stations. I find listening to hams on SSB boring as hell - what medications they take, what they watched on TV etc.
@swlistening
@swlistening Месяц назад
@@user-sp9wr5rf4c Thanks for your comment, I agree with you, with a good antenna there is still a lot to hear!
@dxace1
@dxace1 2 месяца назад
So, why is this astonishing? No SSB and pretty basic.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Hi Dan, thank you for your question. The TEF6686 chip is groundbreaking in terms of radio performance. Just like the Silicon Labs DSP chips brought about a revolution in portable radios, the TEF6686 chip offers next-level performance. The Qodosen SR-286 makes this technology available to users of portable radios, previously only found in car radios. It is a radio with a long list of features, too many to name here. The highly-advanced TEF6686 chip works very well on external antennas. FM and MW are, based on many reports by others and my own experience so far, better than pretty much any other portable on the market. Selectivity and sensitivity is excellent. The radio has the ability to pull in weak signals that other radios don't catch at all. Noise floor is very low. I only got my radio recently and I am still testing it but so far I have pulled in various SW and FM signals that my other radios, like the D-808, simply don't catch.
@dadwire1483
@dadwire1483 2 месяца назад
We need SSB in all radios...! And weather band, AM/FM/SW/AIR/LW/MARINE/ CW/Citizen Bands..! With cheaper chips, the radio manufacturers can place so much on a single chip......
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@dadwire1483 This would be the ideal radio! Some of the handheld scanners like the Quansheng UV-K5 get somewhat close to your ideal radio, if you modify the firmware, but I don't think any radio currently offers all these options. I think it would push prices up. Also, WB would not be of any use to people outside the US.
@markr.1984
@markr.1984 2 месяца назад
@swlistening Canada also uses the same VHF weather channels.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
@@markr.1984 Thank you, I did not know that Canada also uses it.
@HSRA-hg9gc
@HSRA-hg9gc 2 месяца назад
"Unboxing" is stupid.
@swlistening
@swlistening 2 месяца назад
Well, I did take it out of a box 😉
@alviejgrover
@alviejgrover 2 месяца назад
The "Unboxing" shows the significance of the symbols associated with the device...
Далее
🙌🏆🙌 #36Ligas #RealMadrid
00:16
Просмотров 3 млн
這小子囂張過頭了…#fighting #shorts
00:54
Просмотров 2,5 млн
ChoYong LC90 Internet Radio - Unboxing & review!
15:26
How to use your computer as a digital police scanner
19:58
I Received The Strangest Russian Shortwave Signals
9:55
#софянка
0:25
Просмотров 7 млн