I couldn't ask for more as to the performance of my Tecsun PL-660. The only issue is the shortage of affordable parts, at least in my place. I broke the original antenna because it got caught in my van's automatic window, and the pegs on its stand got snapped off. Together, these parts is worth two or three surplus pocket radios, or one brand new shortwave radio. I bought it eight years ago when it's still relatively cheap--now it has tripled in price.
I've had my PL-660 for about 5 years not, got it new. No issues with it what-so-ever, really a great radio, very sensitive on SW and SSB is a joy to use. This PL-660 is much better than my PL-880 and S-8800, there is a AGC issue and bad distorted sound on SSB but this is an issue in many DSP radios. My PL-660 is beat up now from heavy use and even though the case is cracked, I dropped it many times but it performs extremely well and a joy to use on SSB compared to the PL-880. Listening to a weak SW station with a close strong station close by, switch to LSB/USB and the interfering station is gone and the weak station clear as a bell, amazing radio performance for the money. SYNC works well but USB/LSB works better against fading. You can't do this on the PL-880 or even the more expensive S-8800 due to the AGC issues and distorted sound on SSB. If you like SSB at all or like to hunt for weak DX stations and like to use SYNC or SSB to eliminate QRM and are thinking about buying the PL-880 then don't. It's rubbish. The PL-660 or PL-880 would be vastly superior for SW and SSB and also finding DX stations via SYCH or SSB. I like the 660 so much that I ordered the PL-680 from Anon-co last week and should have it Tuesday, can't wait. I listen mostly with proper external antenna about 40 feet high.
Some are great, and some are junk, these are awesome radio's with great receive when they work correctly. But there are other people out there that are not having the same great results you have.. Good luck with her. :-)
I'm just wondering when I'm tuning the AM stations I noticed that the stations in North America are intends 660 670 680 but my home idea is when I tune from 660 let's say to 680 I have to go 661-62 I don't want to do that I just wanted automatically 660 to 670 do you know if there's anything on the radio that I have the same as you the 660 that I have to press I don't want to go through a whole bunch of numbers just to get to the next station on the am bad let me know
I have the pl 660 very good radio I haven't used it much but it's in my office plugged into an amplifier I managed to understand how to program radio stations and nfm and some shortwave stations and not many shortwave stations at all which is disappointing the age of computer has killed the shortwave dxc great radio nice looking radio too bad it doesn't come with the leather case otherwise it's clean and fairly good.
@@normanbloom Radio is set for 9 kHz. You can change it to 10 kHz, easily - you’ll have to watch a video or refer to the manual, because ,I FORGOT 🤣. North America uses 10 kHz spacing, the rest of the world uses 9 kHz. 📻🙂
When on AM (MW) hold the Light Snooze button the screen will flash and either say fast or slow you want it to say fast, also as someone else said you want it set to your locale, hold number 3 when switched off to changeit, if it is already tuning in 10khz no need to change that.
Just remember to take the batteries off when not in use. I've forgotten mine and the connectors get so rusted I can only use with a power supply, I've never seen anything rusting that quick.
I have two PL-660s that stopped working after just a few days of use. Both were purchased in 2021/2022, with only about 6 months between them. These receivers suddenly stopped working, and I can't speculate a plausible reason. I was using an external antenna with the first one and was listening to ham radio stations on the 10-meter band when it suddenly stopped working. For the second one, I used it normally, turned the receiver off, and then, after a few months, it didn't work when I tried to turn it back on. Both radios exhibit the same symptom: they turn on, and you can hear the traditional static noise, but there is no RF signal. Given this, I would like to know if anyone has had a similar experience and if they managed to fix it.
You might have burnt the RF input. Did u plug in an external antenna ? Ext antenna input is NOT PROTECTED as whip is ! It's plain stupid. So anything you plug in that input, you should first build your own protection on it and be carefull with static electricity, storms, etc... I'm very paranoïd with my PL660, keeping it in a "Faraday" cookies box, always doing the "touch ground first with that antenna wire before u plug it in" ritual, and keeping it with attenuator set to max when not in use. If that frontend FET is burnt, you may still hear weakly on strong signals, and fixing it is possible, just look for the same FET or any compatible replacement. There are some. Great radio for me, no problem, only minor alignement offset between LSB/USB like on "every" radio around. 5 years old, everyday use, cat once barfed on it, it's still 100%.
My PL660 one annoying thing is with the batteries fully charged the radio drains the batteries with non use in 5 days. I have a PL880 that's gone months not used and the batteries stay fully charged. I've used different brands of NiMi. Slow leakage defect in that PL660.
Are you from Newfoundland? I think I recognize that accent. My 660 suffers from poor reception... but I've noticed that if I squeeze in the area above the page buttons the receptions goes from nothing to full. Must have a bad connection in there somehwere.
Thanx for sharing. Great to see what is inside. I recently received mine. When I started to test it and exposed an issue: The problem is the middle encoder (BFO knob) (fine tuning) which is defective. It is impossible to use the SSB option because even if I touch it gently, sounds is jumping and has strange impredictible behavour. Need to press it deeply and turn in order to make adjustments. If I dont press it or release, it loses contacts In this point, what do u think, Is it fixible? Thanx a lot in advance
the problem with the micro switch/touch switch is that if it's been used for too long there will be a layer of corrosion on it due to humidity. I'm an electronics engineer and that happens very often on tv buttons.
Thank you for the information. I see lots of these type switches fail on many other devices as well. You would think they would seal them from humidity and other causes failure.
Those cheap switches get moisture and water damaged easily. Really common issue round our place. Put a couple of drops of 99% iso alcohol into the switch mechanism and press it in and out a bunch, that's usually enough to get them functioning again.
Yes, and it's not radios only, it's in everything. Microwave oven "died" of an easily and quickly replaced miniswitch, etc Everything made today have minimalist crapy miniswitch waiting to die. Not a lethal issue if you save spares from "junk" and have an iron, tho, and alcohol as u said.
$300.oo❗️I only paid $130.oo. The radio [ had] a 1 year warranty - they would have replaced it with no hassle. 5 years ago I bought one , and it went out after 3 months. Warranty replaced it with no hassle. [ the replacement was eventually stolen, so just a couple years ago, I bought another one. I also have the PL-600, and PL-680, and PL-880, as well as other Tecsun radios. Considering how many of these radios sell, it’s really surprising that there are only a small handful of complaints. This has been a best seller for Tecsun for many years [ and they sell some 5+ MILLION Short Wave radios each year.]. Interesting video. 📻🙂
I bought this 5 years ago and now almost all button has fault and just checking is there anything I could do to fix it DIY or just put it for recycle. Good specification but horrible manufacturing.
at US$100 these radios are throw-aways if they go tango uniform... i got one, tested it out for 24 hours and it is working fine... a few glitches in software and ergonomics, but otherwise the best-performer in its class and price range... comes with an Amazon 30-day no-questions-asked 100% refund warranty, so chances are that if it working for several weeks it will be good to go...
I have had my pl660 for many years and it works fine but I have a SANGEAN SW radio to but it does not have SSB but to programming the memory is not so complicated as on the pl660. Audio on pl660 is very good.
@@watershed44 Agreed. I recently bought an Eton Executive. Died after two days and returned it. Also, while it was still working I found the user interface entirely non-intuitive as compared to the Tecsun. Edit/add: I have also bought a couple Sangean radios. Just AM/FM, not SW, but they are very good.
So you have a video how to change a whip antenna on a pl-660? I bought a stainless antenna from Tecsun because my original was loose from the factory, turns out something must be broken in the wrong order or missing. I know there is the one screw that holds the base of the antenna in the chassis. What keeps the screw from going I to the body of the radio? Do you have any photos?
I’d unplug connectors and plug them back in, use a magnifier to look real close at components to see if they’re smashed or damaged especially around screws or fasteners. When they assemble boards and attach certain components they use drill drivers that can slip and damage anything the driver touches or skids over. Check ribbon cables for tears and bad connections. You practically need a microscope to look over the boards and there are defect investigators in the company that use microscopes to pinpoint defects in boards.
@@Radionut63 what is a good and reliable radio that has the same or similar features as that one? Apparently, Tecsun doesn’t have very good QC and no doubt the boards are made of inferior components or occasional bad batches of components.
Anything SONY or Panasonic are great quality for receivers, cant beat the older gear. My all time favorite shortwave receiver would be the Panasonic RF4900. Hard to find now.
So far I've had this radio for about a week and a half now will be 2 weeks and I've had no real major problems I program all the stations that I want where I live and they seem to be working all right so I have no problems it's on my desk plugged in I put some regular pen light batteries in it just so it will hold the the memory programs so everything seems fine I will check the keypads there from 1 to 0 you'll enter frequencies so right now I have no problems.
Glad to see you have a winner.... mine was a basket case till i re-soldered most, if not all the connections. I gave the radio away to a friend who has been using it without any issues what so ever. Guess radio equipment just hates me?
@@Radionut63 I guess it's somehow just got lucky but it was a new radio so I didn't have too many problems with it sounds good it's not bad coming from China is one of the better radios and if it's on my desk there that's all just that when you listen to the FM through headphones it's classed as stereo but not multiplex stereo not like my secret name where you get nice full separation of middle left and right stereo I'll keep it anyways..
@@Radionut63 I recently learned there's a hidden code to re-center the frequency readout but if that's not already done at the factory I can't be bothered with that radio. That and the permanently scratchy audio didn't help.
Another UA-cam gives demo for freq tuning, for SW press/hold air button until backlight flashes then adjust freq with tuning know. For FM press/hold SSB button then same as above. Checkout demo for more info.
Today thay make things that fall...a old Sony or Grundig would not fall...sad OT looks like a nice radio...good luck with that...!!!...Thanks for the video
It seems the QC of this brand is too bad. I got this model in July 2019, and the power button suddenly not working after 4 months. It still hasn’t been fixed up to now.
You're lucky. At least yours lights up. Mine ran occasionally, maybe 15 hours total in 13 months....and then it just plain went dark. Nothing..... what a disappointment. I changed out the supercap as some have suggested. Traced what I could. Checked all the power circuits and power switch. I don't have a signal tracer, dammit. Still all dark....nothing.
I can't say that I've seen so many poor factory solder joints like that before. I have the PL330 and it's great. Down the track I'm thinking of the PL680 and the H501. They do have quality control issues sometimes but you should expect better as some are very expensive!
I bought a Tecsun PL 310et that doesn`t work on AM using the speaker...reception is extremely weak, but using earphones it works fine. The Chinese make a lot of junk...
@@Radionut63 I have a Grundig G6 that I use for SSB. I hope I can find something decent to replace it with when the time comes. Everything is made in China though. No more Tecsun crap for me. They`ve lost my business.
@@Radionut63 I love true analog circuit radios so I bought a Tecsun R9700DX. With only a few hours of use it seems the tuning capacitor is shorting out or dirty. I just received a Tecsun 660. I heard great things about it then saw this video. I just wanted a radio with SSB that has an external antenna connection with some gain control. Back in the 1990s there were so many cool SSB signals like coast guard and boats in the ocean I could pick up. Hope I didn`t buy a piece of junk.
Thay need to make them like in the day....and have more bands like VHF etc and modes too...i like to have one with shortwave SSB....ans VHF And UHF ...like we had the old multi bands were great!!!
I've had a bad experience with Tucson. Bought a 9700dx and fm don't work. They won't even try helping me. My advise? Stay away from tecsun or kaito. Same company
My god man. So many bad joints . I aught to know . Worked for Sylvania tv for 30 years. I think the "batch" solder pot is not hot enoufgh. I'd have to set up all night to float that many good luck om kv4li
I own a pl 600, the brand new device does not turn on from the red power button for no reason, I press 3 and it turns on and off, the other buttons do not work, the screen light turns off whenever it wants or stays on constantly, what could be the problem, there is not even a scratch, I kept it very carefully, I did not even use it properly, In other words, it works like crazy, only FM works, the buttons do not work when you press other bands.
It's a shame. That the workers are slave labour. And it also depends at what day the rig was built. Fridays "child" Does not compare with Mondays. I also got the same with generators two were sent one on a Friday then according to code the Monday rig ran swell. The difference like a screaming banchie or a good collie dog. The same as two radios the battery box. Didn't fit well. A little TLC helped fixed that. So a fine radio might go bad cause of worker flategue . And yes floating solder ( clod joints)on a $5.99 . Radio became a hot rod. Vs the un touched one. .
That sounds WAY OVERPRICED for this radio. I’ve NEVER 👎 heard of ANY Tecsun radio costing $300.00. It can be true, however, if it has special features. By the way ya were pressing the buttons, this radio seemed to be exhibiting problems of a cracked circuit board. Yes, it can happen, where sections (or all) of the radio doesn’t work, or works like 👍 it’s been dropped. I’m a radio buff 💪, too, and my very favorite is the Tecsun analog radios, regardless of the model number. I also like Tecsun digital radios, too, but it seems like 👍 I favor analog the most. I’d fill my house with these, if I find them at thrift stores 🏬 and such. I often search here, because I like their low prices. No radios have gone for more than $14.99. Some bigger models I find this understandable on, such as $49.99. Them can be half off on sale day, but this can be very aggravating waiting for, because your favorite product can be gone. Your friend, Jeff.
Had mine for a few years now, working just fine! interesting vid! Thanks!
Good to hear!
These Tecsun PL660 seem to be rather variable. Think I'm lucky and got a good one that's still working well after 5 years.
$300 for the PL-660? Even with exchange rates vs. USD that is a lot. Mine was $109 USD.
I couldn't ask for more as to the performance of my Tecsun PL-660. The only issue is the shortage of affordable parts, at least in my place. I broke the original antenna because it got caught in my van's automatic window, and the pegs on its stand got snapped off. Together, these parts is worth two or three surplus pocket radios, or one brand new shortwave radio. I bought it eight years ago when it's still relatively cheap--now it has tripled in price.
I've had my PL-660 for about 5 years not, got it new. No issues with it what-so-ever, really a great radio, very sensitive on SW and SSB is a joy to use.
This PL-660 is much better than my PL-880 and S-8800, there is a AGC issue and bad distorted sound on SSB but this is an issue in many DSP radios.
My PL-660 is beat up now from heavy use and even though the case is cracked, I dropped it many times but it performs extremely well and a joy to use on SSB compared to the PL-880.
Listening to a weak SW station with a close strong station close by, switch to LSB/USB and the interfering station is gone and the weak station clear as a bell, amazing radio performance for the money. SYNC works well but USB/LSB works better against fading.
You can't do this on the PL-880 or even the more expensive S-8800 due to the AGC issues and distorted sound on SSB.
If you like SSB at all or like to hunt for weak DX stations and like to use SYNC or SSB to eliminate QRM and are thinking about buying the PL-880 then don't. It's rubbish. The PL-660 or PL-880 would be vastly superior for SW and SSB and also finding DX stations via SYCH or SSB.
I like the 660 so much that I ordered the PL-680 from Anon-co last week and should have it Tuesday, can't wait.
I listen mostly with proper external antenna about 40 feet high.
Some are great, and some are junk, these are awesome radio's with great receive when they work correctly. But there are other people out there that are not having the same great results you have.. Good luck with her. :-)
I'm just wondering when I'm tuning the AM stations I noticed that the stations in North America are intends 660 670 680 but my home idea is when I tune from 660 let's say to 680 I have to go 661-62 I don't want to do that I just wanted automatically 660 to 670 do you know if there's anything on the radio that I have the same as you the 660 that I have to press I don't want to go through a whole bunch of numbers just to get to the next station on the am bad let me know
I have the pl 660 very good radio I haven't used it much but it's in my office plugged into an amplifier I managed to understand how to program radio stations and nfm and some shortwave stations and not many shortwave stations at all which is disappointing the age of computer has killed the shortwave dxc great radio nice looking radio too bad it doesn't come with the leather case otherwise it's clean and fairly good.
@@normanbloom
Radio is set for 9 kHz.
You can change it to 10 kHz, easily - you’ll have to watch a video or refer to the manual, because ,I FORGOT 🤣.
North America uses 10 kHz spacing, the rest of the world uses 9 kHz.
📻🙂
When on AM (MW) hold the Light Snooze button the screen will flash and either say fast or slow you want it to say fast, also as someone else said you want it set to your locale, hold number 3 when switched off to changeit, if it is already tuning in 10khz no need to change that.
Thanks for sharing 🙏
Thanks for visiting
Just remember to take the batteries off when not in use. I've forgotten mine and the connectors get so rusted I can only use with a power supply, I've never seen anything rusting that quick.
did you use duracell battteries?these are leaking before the end of use date!
I have two PL-660s that stopped working after just a few days of use. Both were purchased in 2021/2022, with only about 6 months between them. These receivers suddenly stopped working, and I can't speculate a plausible reason. I was using an external antenna with the first one and was listening to ham radio stations on the 10-meter band when it suddenly stopped working. For the second one, I used it normally, turned the receiver off, and then, after a few months, it didn't work when I tried to turn it back on. Both radios exhibit the same symptom: they turn on, and you can hear the traditional static noise, but there is no RF signal. Given this, I would like to know if anyone has had a similar experience and if they managed to fix it.
You might have burnt the RF input. Did u plug in an external antenna ?
Ext antenna input is NOT PROTECTED as whip is ! It's plain stupid. So anything you plug in that input, you should first build your own protection on it and be carefull with static electricity, storms, etc...
I'm very paranoïd with my PL660, keeping it in a "Faraday" cookies box, always doing the "touch ground first with that antenna wire before u plug it in" ritual, and keeping it with attenuator set to max when not in use.
If that frontend FET is burnt, you may still hear weakly on strong signals, and fixing it is possible, just look for the same FET or any compatible replacement. There are some.
Great radio for me, no problem, only minor alignement offset between LSB/USB like on "every" radio around. 5 years old, everyday use, cat once barfed on it, it's still 100%.
I have just repaired mine just wigelling the internal wire looms
My PL660 one annoying thing is with the batteries fully charged the radio drains the batteries with non use in 5 days. I have a PL880 that's gone months not used and the batteries stay fully charged. I've used different brands of NiMi. Slow leakage defect in that PL660.
I have a portable receiver that will do the same thing as well.
Are you from Newfoundland? I think I recognize that accent. My 660 suffers from poor reception... but I've noticed that if I squeeze in the area above the page buttons the receptions goes from nothing to full. Must have a bad connection in there somehwere.
Yes sir, indeed i am. :-)
Thanx for sharing. Great to see what is inside.
I recently received mine. When I started to test it and exposed an issue:
The problem is the middle encoder (BFO knob) (fine tuning) which is defective. It is impossible to use the SSB option because even if I touch it gently, sounds is jumping and has strange impredictible behavour. Need to press it deeply and turn in order to make adjustments. If I dont press it or release, it loses contacts
In this point, what do u think, Is it fixible?
Thanx a lot in advance
Use contact cleaner to clean the inside of the control with the batteries removed, or replace the part with new. ;-)
the problem with the micro switch/touch switch is that if it's been used for too long there will be a layer of corrosion on it due to humidity. I'm an electronics engineer and that happens very often on tv buttons.
Thank you for the information. I see lots of these type switches fail on many other devices as well. You would think they would seal them from humidity and other causes failure.
Mine works just fine. Thanks Fer heads up.
Good to hear
Hi, would you know where I could find a barrel DC jack? Mine is snapped off internally.
what is the manufacturer and code (Reference) IC2 integrated circuit of the tecsun PL-660?
I get a little concernd when I see someone using an all metal jewelers screwdriver and calling tactyl switches micro switches when repairing a radio!
Call it what you like, the radio is still junk!
Those cheap switches get moisture and water damaged easily. Really common issue round our place. Put a couple of drops of 99% iso alcohol into the switch mechanism and press it in and out a bunch, that's usually enough to get them functioning again.
Yes, and it's not radios only, it's in everything. Microwave oven "died" of an easily and quickly replaced miniswitch, etc Everything made today have minimalist crapy miniswitch waiting to die. Not a lethal issue if you save spares from "junk" and have an iron, tho, and alcohol as u said.
What is the width of filters in SSB narrow/wide for Tecsun pl660? Firmware 6622 is the latest?
I have no idea, refer to the service manual. :-)
$300.oo❗️I only paid $130.oo.
The radio [ had] a 1 year warranty - they would have replaced it with no hassle.
5 years ago I bought one , and it went out after 3 months.
Warranty replaced it with no hassle.
[ the replacement was eventually stolen, so just a couple years ago, I bought another one.
I also have the PL-600, and PL-680, and PL-880, as well as other Tecsun radios.
Considering how many of these radios sell, it’s really surprising that there are only a small handful of complaints.
This has been a best seller for Tecsun for many years [ and they sell some 5+ MILLION Short Wave radios each year.].
Interesting video.
📻🙂
I bought this 5 years ago and now almost all button has fault and just checking is there anything I could do to fix it DIY or just put it for recycle. Good specification but horrible manufacturing.
You could replace the faulty switches with new quality types. :-)
@@Radionut63 Did you replaced yours at last and work again? For my case I will need to replace all the switches and that will take lots of effort.
Mine has lost the audio. After seeing this I will open it up and try and try and fix it. I have nothing to lose.
Good luck with it.
at US$100 these radios are throw-aways if they go tango uniform... i got one, tested it out for 24 hours and it is working fine... a few glitches in software and ergonomics, but otherwise the best-performer in its class and price range... comes with an Amazon 30-day no-questions-asked 100% refund warranty, so chances are that if it working for several weeks it will be good to go...
I have had my pl660 for many years and it works fine but I have a SANGEAN SW radio to but it does not have SSB but to programming the memory is not so complicated as on the pl660. Audio on pl660 is very good.
Again, i must of had the only one in the entire world that was crap! Awesome, i feel so special now!
Are the Eton radios better, same or worse quality than Tecsun?
@DrDennis77
They (Eton/Grundig) are actually a bit worse for QC.
@@watershed44 Agreed. I recently bought an Eton Executive. Died after two days and returned it. Also, while it was still working I found the user interface entirely non-intuitive as compared to the Tecsun.
Edit/add: I have also bought a couple Sangean radios. Just AM/FM, not SW, but they are very good.
Got one. I like mine. I carry it in a custom bag. Then run it when I showing off. Telling shortwave is best fun on the cost of batterys
So you have a video how to change a whip antenna on a pl-660? I bought a stainless antenna from Tecsun because my original was loose from the factory, turns out something must be broken in the wrong order or missing. I know there is the one screw that holds the base of the antenna in the chassis. What keeps the screw from going I to the body of the radio? Do you have any photos?
I’d unplug connectors and plug them back in, use a magnifier to look real close at components to see if they’re smashed or damaged especially around screws or fasteners. When they assemble boards and attach certain components they use drill drivers that can slip and damage anything the driver touches or skids over. Check ribbon cables for tears and bad connections. You practically need a microscope to look over the boards and there are defect investigators in the company that use microscopes to pinpoint defects in boards.
-Tried all that.. made zero difference... i no longer have the radio so it does not matter to me anymore. :-)
@@Radionut63 what is a good and reliable radio that has the same or similar features as that one? Apparently, Tecsun doesn’t have very good QC and no doubt the boards are made of inferior components or occasional bad batches of components.
Anything SONY or Panasonic are great quality for receivers, cant beat the older gear. My all time favorite shortwave receiver would be the Panasonic RF4900. Hard to find now.
@@Radionut63 thanks
So far I've had this radio for about a week and a half now will be 2 weeks and I've had no real major problems I program all the stations that I want where I live and they seem to be working all right so I have no problems it's on my desk plugged in I put some regular pen light batteries in it just so it will hold the the memory programs so everything seems fine I will check the keypads there from 1 to 0 you'll enter frequencies so right now I have no problems.
Glad to see you have a winner.... mine was a basket case till i re-soldered most, if not all the connections. I gave the radio away to a friend who has been using it without any issues what so ever. Guess radio equipment just hates me?
@@Radionut63 I guess it's somehow just got lucky but it was a new radio so I didn't have too many problems with it sounds good it's not bad coming from China is one of the better radios and if it's on my desk there that's all just that when you listen to the FM through headphones it's classed as stereo but not multiplex stereo not like my secret name where you get nice full separation of middle left and right stereo I'll keep it anyways..
Some of the older firmware versions has bugs, if you get it Anon Co chances are there'll be no bugs
Firmware bugs and a lot more! Or am i just dreaming all of this???
I would have to say that is rare for a Tecsun PL660... I would bet someone dropped it, knocked something loose from the circuit board or cpu.
No idea... it some what works.. but not like it should.. working about 80%, not much i can do get it back to 100%
My radio was tuning 0.05 MHz away from the true frequency on FM. Plus, the sound quality was scratchy no matter how finely I tuned it.
These are not the greatest radios.... But, if it works, it works.. giver!
@@Radionut63 I recently learned there's a hidden code to re-center the frequency readout but if that's not already done at the factory I can't be bothered with that radio. That and the permanently scratchy audio didn't help.
@@kjrehberg What's the hidden code
Another UA-cam gives demo for freq tuning, for SW press/hold air button until backlight flashes then adjust freq with tuning know. For FM press/hold SSB button then same as above. Checkout demo for more info.
Knob, not know
i wonder if you manage to repair this radio
The radio was donated to a friend of mine, he still uses it today.
Today thay make things that fall...a old Sony or Grundig would not fall...sad OT looks like a nice radio...good luck with that...!!!...Thanks for the video
Very true
I LOVE MIE, WORKS GREAT!!
So good!
It seems the QC of this brand is too bad. I got this model in July 2019, and the power button suddenly not working after 4 months. It still hasn’t been fixed up to now.
Real shame tho, such a nice looking radio.
Similar issue on a PL-380 rádio that stopped working, Just time and temperature.
_I think one part of the flexible cable is broken._
Yes it is. Trying to track down a replacement
Do you think there might be a Part 2 on this radio in the future or stay “as is”?
I could record something about this radio i suppose... what would you like me to record for Part-2? :-)
You're lucky. At least yours lights up. Mine ran occasionally, maybe 15 hours total in 13 months....and then it just plain went dark. Nothing..... what a disappointment. I changed out the supercap as some have suggested. Traced what I could. Checked all the power circuits and power switch. I don't have a signal tracer, dammit. Still all dark....nothing.
Sorry to hear that. :-(
I can't say that I've seen so many poor factory solder joints like that before. I have the PL330 and it's great. Down the track I'm thinking of the PL680 and the H501. They do have quality control issues sometimes but you should expect better as some are very expensive!
It happens, but apparently only to equipment i own... ROTFL
@@Radionut63 😄🤷♂️
I bought a Tecsun PL 310et that doesn`t work on AM using the speaker...reception is extremely weak, but using earphones it works fine. The Chinese make a lot of junk...
This POS is no different... about ready to toss this one in the trash! LOL
@@Radionut63 I have a Grundig G6 that I use for SSB. I hope I can find something decent to replace it with when the time comes. Everything is made in China though. No more Tecsun crap for me. They`ve lost my business.
@@Radionut63 I love true analog circuit radios so I bought a Tecsun R9700DX. With only a few hours of use it seems the tuning capacitor is shorting out or dirty. I just received a Tecsun 660. I heard great things about it then saw this video. I just wanted a radio with SSB that has an external antenna connection with some gain control. Back in the 1990s there were so many cool SSB signals like coast guard and boats in the ocean I could pick up. Hope I didn`t buy a piece of junk.
Thay need to make them like in the day....and have more bands like VHF etc and modes too...i like to have one with shortwave SSB....ans VHF And UHF ...like we had the old multi bands were great!!!
That would be cool!
P.S., if this has been dropped, at best, ya probably have some cracked solders. Just reflow the solders. Your friend, Jeff.
I've had a bad experience with Tucson. Bought a 9700dx and fm don't work. They won't even try helping me. My advise? Stay away from tecsun or kaito. Same company
Sorry to hear that
probably a common trace for down 5 and 0. find it and see where it goes. I bet its the cpu pin loose or something
I had a look the best i could.. i think it is those thru hole copper connections that connect one side of the board to the other.
$300? These are less than $100 in the US in 2024.
Looks like it was definitely built on a Friday in the last hour of the day as they say 🤣
I have no problem with mine.
your one of the lucky ones
My god man. So many bad joints . I aught to know . Worked for Sylvania tv for 30 years. I think the "batch" solder pot is not hot enoufgh. I'd have to set up all night to float that many good luck om kv4li
Thanks for the clip. Was thinking of buying one but it looks crap.
I own a pl 600, the brand new device does not turn on from the red power button for no reason, I press 3 and it turns on and off, the other buttons do not work, the screen light turns off whenever it wants or stays on constantly, what could be the problem, there is not even a scratch, I kept it very carefully, I did not even use it properly, In other words, it works like crazy, only FM works, the buttons do not work when you press other bands.
Quality control on these radios is very bad, many people are having problems with these radios. I for one, do not recommend them at all!
It's a shame. That the workers are slave labour. And it also depends at what day the rig was built. Fridays "child" Does not compare with Mondays. I also got the same with generators two were sent one on a Friday then according to code the Monday rig ran swell. The difference like a screaming banchie or a good collie dog. The same as two radios the battery box. Didn't fit well. A little TLC helped fixed that. So a fine radio might go bad cause of worker flategue . And yes floating solder ( clod joints)on a $5.99 . Radio became a hot rod. Vs the un touched one. .
number 5 key didnt have any solder on 1 pin.
And a lot more as well! Must have been just my POS radio that had all these faults.... guess i got Serial number 0000001 and it was made on a Monday!
Meh, you can return it to Amazon if it has a fault within 2 years.
Or have lots of pleasure by grabbing the nearest sledge hammer and bashing it to bits! :-)
That sounds WAY OVERPRICED for this radio. I’ve NEVER 👎 heard of ANY Tecsun radio costing $300.00. It can be true, however, if it has special features. By the way ya were pressing the buttons, this radio seemed to be exhibiting problems of a cracked circuit board. Yes, it can happen, where sections (or all) of the radio doesn’t work, or works like 👍 it’s been dropped. I’m a radio buff 💪, too, and my very favorite is the Tecsun analog radios, regardless of the model number. I also like Tecsun digital radios, too, but it seems like 👍 I favor analog the most. I’d fill my house with these, if I find them at thrift stores 🏬 and such. I often search here, because I like their low prices. No radios have gone for more than $14.99. Some bigger models I find this understandable on, such as $49.99. Them can be half off on sale day, but this can be very aggravating waiting for, because your favorite product can be gone. Your friend, Jeff.