A lot of it is personal preference , as well as price. I have my favorites, you have yours, neither may be the right one for someone else. I always encourage people to watch [ more than one] reviews on each one being considered. Never just buy a radio because a person recommends it, especially if they say “ This is IT - This is the ONE “. Halfway decent radios can start as low as $25.(USD) - on up.... there are multiple offerings in all price categories. There are certain brands that I recommend [ never one above another], but those brands that tend to make better, quality radios. (( Great video)). 📻🙂
I'm new to the shortwave radio and I bought a Tecsun PL-660 earlier this year after I saw the recommendation on your blog site, and it works awesome, also I'm glad to know that PL-660 was made in analog and not the digital 'DSP' thing, I still think it's great to have something in analogue in this full-on digital era, a 'legacy preservation' kinda thing.. Thanks man!
You can see that so many small radios are pulling them signals right there next to the "big ones". Demonstrated here time and time again. Very cool! So throw a wire up and get to a-radioin'! :D
What you're talking about is a bit like amateurs using QRP, yes they can get the best kit with the most power but getting that distant contact with 5 watts is the chase. I've seen 10,000 mile contacts on half a watt on WSPR so it's possible! Thanks for the videos and greetings from England.
Hey Gilles From the radios that I list below, which one do you have Xhdata d-808 C. Crane EP Pro C.Crane CCRadio 2-E Panasonic RF-562DD2 Tecsun PL-390 Tecsun PL-880 Eton Grundig Edition Satellit Eton Elite Executive Sangean Ats-909X Eton/Grundig field radio Thanks
I want to listen to SSB and CW primarily, so I know to get a radio with a BFO. Other than those things what does it actually accomplish to spend more money? Is it sound quality, selectivity, filters or what? Oh and I prefer a RX that goes well below the AM broadcast band and as high as possible above 10 meters. Thanks
Morning fellow DXers. On the high end my IC-R75 on a 100' random wire is un-replaceable but not easily mobile, I use it in a base configuration. Also running a IC-718. Basically the same radio but with a transmitter. Does not apply here. Going mobile I really get along well with my 1103 (non DSP}. Great day everyone!
A lot of the radios today use 18650 batteries that last a lot longer than AA and you can buy them with different specs according to price but they are more expensive than AA and need a Li-ion charger!
I also just recently purchased the Sihuadon D-808 as it is a very good quality portable shortwave radio with RDS on FM and SSB on shortwave! Thanks, Gilles, for a great review!
I just bought a Tecsun H-501X from Anon Co and should be getting it shortly. Could you please recommend a good external antenna I could install in my back yard that would give me really good reception? I'm looking at the Alpha Delta DX-SWL. That's the best one I've found so far. What would I have to buy along with it to install it correctly and what type of adapter would I need to connect it to my radio? ground rod, lightning arrestor, surge protector, Type Of Mast etc... I'm new to radio and would appreciate any help. I bought the World Radio And TV Handbook for 2022. Are there other books I could get? I'm hoping at some point I can learn how to restore a classic receiver. Could you tell me what I would need to do to learn how to do that? I don't have an electronics or radio background so I would need something that would start me out from the beginning and provide a lot of detail so I could study and learn how to do it. I'm thinking I could buy one of those radio kits at some point so I could learn how to put it together to get some hands on experience. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I really enjoy your channel.
What I did for mine was to run some TV coax thru a small hole in wall and connected it to one of those adapters (the square ones with 2 screws on it). I then attached a long 16 gauge wire to one screw terminal and then a shorter one to the other screw terminal. Got some nylon string, tied a weight on it, tossed it over a tree limb then tied the string to the long wire and hoisted it up to the tree limb. The shorter wire I just tied off on a low branch in the opposite direction. Works pretty good for me. Others may have better suggestions or at least different ones. Good luck!
I’m blind and want to buy a shortwave for like 100 euro’s. I cannot read screens or menu’s so I need one with dedicated buttons. Do you have any suggestions? i’d like to scan for as much as possible incl ssb and air. Thanks.
Is there a radio in the $100 to $150 range that picks up AM, FM, LW, SW, weather, public service bands, and airport bands well? I can do analog or digital.
It depends it's a bit of a lottery I picked up a Sony ICF 7600 for £10 local no postage, with no whip antenna already had a plug in antenna works pretty well but it's old and has a bit of noise. For $50 you're not far off a Tecsun pl 660 or XHDATA 808 look around for best price new I would go for one of those if I were you. I also have a Sihuadon R-108 and it's good for the money but no SSB and you will probably want that I will get a Tecsun or the XHDATA next and then an upgraded antenna next.
They are not expensive at all, the radios you get here are million times better than the portable of the 80s.. that cost a lot more than these in today's adjusted dollars...never been so inexpensive to be in the hobby
I have grown up loving shortwave but nowdays it's mostly useless. You know it's almost all spanish language and preachers. Yeah i listen to hams and utility stations but for most people it's useless. Not what it used to be. Nobody i know gives a damn about this stuff.
really not useless, I listen to Radio Romania, Radio Prague, Radio Slovakia, Voice of Turkey, Radio New Zealand, Voice of America, BBC world Service and many radio oriented shows every week all in English, you need to have a good setup and know where and when to listen
@officialswlchannel is right. I just picked up ssb ham-ops and a couple of utility marine utility stations without even really trying. If I'm awake in the early AM those amateurs are still hamming away, BTW the broadcast bands from Asia are very hot at that time. I'm sure everyone here respects your opinion but believe me, SWL is still very fun.
