This explains why Shortwave works so well on these super cheap DSP radios that have a pretty short antenna, like the Prunus J-150BTS, which has a ca 26cm / 13 inch long antenna. Seems these DSP receivers are really too sensitive for long extracted antennas. I mean it's both good and bad but at least good to know that less antenna works better on these sensitive little beauties.
Very interesting video, thank you. In Melbourne, Australia I have a AM station close by which gives me grief so I bought a AM filter and has made listening fun again.
Received my D219 yesterday, last night and eagerly tried it out but got the overloading you demonstrated here. As I mentioned in my previous post below I have a AM transmitter located about 4 miles from my house and the lower two bands on this radio suffer from interference from it. While scanning on SW on the two lower bands I can hear the AM broadcast very clearly, so clearly I have to double-check whether I'm not accidentally got AM selected! This also affects my other radios (a XHData D-808 a DSP radio like this D219) and a Tecsun R-9700DX analog receiver. It does not make for pleasant listening... Other reviews of this XHData D219 rave about its performance but it I think those reviewers do not have AM or FM towers close by. I plan to take my radios out into the boonies one night to see if the noise floor and interference improves reception away from the city and RFI. Thanks for the tip about retracting the antenna, I tried it last night but only got minimal improvement. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on what is happening here. I really appreciate your channel and thanks for the videos mate!
That answers my question as to whether it's just my example that has an overloading problem, unfortunately. It's interesting that it doesn't help for AM. I suppose it could be cross-talk from the internal ferrite antenna but I believe there's a transistor that switches it out of the circuit before the SW RF amp stage. It could also just be that some of the traces are acting as an antenna somehow. I don't really have any ideas about how you might mitigate that problem. I'd be curious how it works once you're away from that transmitter.
Good video. My D219 overloads as well but I believe its from overhead power lines and electrical items in my home.....I have the D109 and it overloads as well. My mla30+ antenna does help with the D109 though....cheers
Long time, no see!! I haven’t forgotten about your UA-cam channel. I REALLY like 👍 analog radios 📻, like 👍 this. I hate that Radio 📻 Shack has gone defunct. In simpler terms, the name on this radio 📻, looks like 👍 “HX-Data”. It must be a Japanese, or Chinese name. Your friend, Jeff.
A receiver with a high sensivity is desirable as you suggested. I agree, but sensitivity alone isn't the right yardstick to gauge a radio's performance. There's also selectivity and image rejection metrics to consider. Sensitivity is important, provided that its RF design has the ability to separate the desired signal from unwanted noise. Generally inexpensive radios cannot distinguish between the two, therefore it pulls in background noise and interference together with the radio station's signal. This is why the author has mentioned that using the D-219 radio is much better in the suburbs than in the city and best used in remote areas far away from electrical grids, LED lighting, WiFi access points, wireless CCTV cameras, microwave ovens, cheap AC adapters, etc - basically anything that has the potential to generate man-made electrical noise. As far as US$15 pocket shortwave radios are concerned, the D-219 is one of the best performers there is, but one can't expect it to parallel a modern professional communications transceiver from Yaesu, ICOM, or Kenwood.
That fits with my experience. Mine overloads at my house which is close to the downtown transmission sites like the CN Tower, but it’s fine 15 km north in the suburbs.
I heard 9 stations with the D-219 and 8 stations with the D-328. Overload is when you hear strong FM or AM stations bleeding through. I don't think that's overload but who am I? I don't know anything about radios. Can one cheap radio be more sensitive than the other...yep. I do know that you can buy three D-219's or any cheap portable and get three different sets of results because it's an $11 radio.
For the price I would call that normal. There is a reason radios can cost hundreds or thousands. Look at the Sangean radios. Get one with full coverage & is SSB capable & it will open a new world to you. BTW you can overload almost any radio with too much antenna. But the more you spend the better it runs. LFOD !
If it overloads in the city then it must be a great camping/road trip/country radio.
This explains why Shortwave works so well on these super cheap DSP radios that have a pretty short antenna, like the Prunus J-150BTS, which has a ca 26cm / 13 inch long antenna. Seems these DSP receivers are really too sensitive for long extracted antennas. I mean it's both good and bad but at least good to know that less antenna works better on these sensitive little beauties.
Very interesting video, thank you. In Melbourne, Australia I have a AM station close by which gives me grief so I bought a AM filter and has made listening fun again.
Received my D219 yesterday, last night and eagerly tried it out but got the overloading you demonstrated here. As I mentioned in my previous post below I have a AM transmitter located about 4 miles from my house and the lower two bands on this radio suffer from interference from it.
While scanning on SW on the two lower bands I can hear the AM broadcast very clearly, so clearly I have to double-check whether I'm not accidentally got AM selected! This also affects my other radios (a XHData D-808 a DSP radio like this D219) and a Tecsun R-9700DX analog receiver. It does not make for pleasant listening...
Other reviews of this XHData D219 rave about its performance but it I think those reviewers do not have AM or FM towers close by. I plan to take my radios out into the boonies one night to see if the noise floor and interference improves reception away from the city and RFI.
Thanks for the tip about retracting the antenna, I tried it last night but only got minimal improvement. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on what is happening here.
I really appreciate your channel and thanks for the videos mate!
That answers my question as to whether it's just my example that has an overloading problem, unfortunately.
It's interesting that it doesn't help for AM. I suppose it could be cross-talk from the internal ferrite antenna but I believe there's a transistor that switches it out of the circuit before the SW RF amp stage. It could also just be that some of the traces are acting as an antenna somehow. I don't really have any ideas about how you might mitigate that problem.
I'd be curious how it works once you're away from that transmitter.
Good video. My D219 overloads as well but I believe its from overhead power lines and electrical items in my home.....I have the D109 and it overloads as well. My mla30+ antenna does help with the D109 though....cheers
Long time, no see!! I haven’t forgotten about your UA-cam channel. I REALLY like 👍 analog radios 📻, like 👍 this. I hate that Radio 📻 Shack has gone defunct. In simpler terms, the name on this radio 📻, looks like 👍 “HX-Data”. It must be a Japanese, or Chinese name. Your friend, Jeff.
Hi don't we all want a radio that has high sensitivity ? Hence I'd say this is a good radio .
It works well in the suburbs but not in the city, at least for me. If it had a local/dx switch that would solve the problem.
A receiver with a high sensivity is desirable as you suggested. I agree, but sensitivity alone isn't the right yardstick to gauge a radio's performance. There's also selectivity and image rejection metrics to consider.
Sensitivity is important, provided that its RF design has the ability to separate the desired signal from unwanted noise. Generally inexpensive radios cannot distinguish between the two, therefore it pulls in background noise and interference together with the radio station's signal.
This is why the author has mentioned that using the D-219 radio is much better in the suburbs than in the city and best used in remote areas far away from electrical grids, LED lighting, WiFi access points, wireless CCTV cameras, microwave ovens, cheap AC adapters, etc - basically anything that has the potential to generate man-made electrical noise.
As far as US$15 pocket shortwave radios are concerned, the D-219 is one of the best performers there is, but one can't expect it to parallel a modern professional communications transceiver from Yaesu, ICOM, or Kenwood.
How do all of these compare with the xhdata d-368 which is considered the successor tl the d-328? Thanks.
I don’t have one to compare.
Not getting the overload problem where I am and I am 30 miles south of Los Angeles which has about 60 FM signals in the greater metropolitan area
That fits with my experience. Mine overloads at my house which is close to the downtown transmission sites like the CN Tower, but it’s fine 15 km north in the suburbs.
I heard 9 stations with the D-219 and 8 stations with the D-328. Overload is when you hear strong FM or AM stations bleeding through. I don't think that's overload but who am I? I don't know anything about radios. Can one cheap radio be more sensitive than the other...yep. I do know that you can buy three D-219's or any cheap portable and get three different sets of results because it's an $11 radio.
It's a fantastic value and I find it works great at my office in the suburbs, but not downtown.
I suspect its low RF dynamic range.
?? I have got 5 meter price of wire. It does well. Hpe you have a way through. Every one I have baught has worked well.
Paid $7.81. Obviously disappointed. Gave it to someone for a young child. Great first radio. Nothing more.
For the price I would call that normal. There is a reason radios can cost hundreds or thousands. Look at the Sangean radios. Get one with full coverage & is SSB capable &
it will open a new world to you.
BTW you can overload almost any radio with too much antenna. But the more you spend the better it runs.
LFOD !
I'd generally agree but this one does seem a bit of an outlier. I've got a Sangean ATS909x2 as my primary radio.
I'd just say, lower the antenna when you're on the 49 metre band and it's problem solved.