My favourite purchased this year portable radios are the Sihaudon R-108 radio, which doesn't have SSB but is sensitive with the built in antenna on SW and good on MW. I picked up Manx radio from The Isle Of Man on 1368kHz and Lyca Radio on 1458kHz from London. My QTH is in North East England so neither station is local and can only be heard in the evenings. My second favourite radio is the Retekess TR629 which is a basic 3 band radio with direct frequency input and digital recorder to record MW/FM and SW stations directly to a memory card. They have come up with a new model the Retekess TR635 which is still a MW/FM/SW radio and has an external antenna jack built into the radio. But it loses the direct frequency tuning and digital recording which is a deal breaker for me over the TR629. Although it now has a high/low tone control to improve the sound in MW/SW modes and it still can run from 3 D cell batteries and power cord. I always run my TR629 on the D cells rather than the power cord to reduce radio static, the batteries last over 3 months of listening. I have done up to 40 1 hour recordings from the radio on the old batteries and that is not including the hours I just listened to the radio without recording.
Thanks for your comment, I think those are two nice radios. I have seen many comments and reviews about the Sihuadon R-108, it seems to me that it is a very nice radio indeed. Also has air band, I think? Interesting that you say the MW on that one is really good, it is quite a small radio, so it sounds to me like it is really sensitive. Do you also have the D-808? If so, how do they compare? I think the R-108 has much better sound. The Retekess radio you mention is new to me, I looked it up now and I like the look of that one. The recording functionality is great! I use my Tecsun ICR-110 for recording via a cable, or the V115 sometimes.
@@swlistening The Retekess TR629 doesn't have the selectivity of the Sihuadon R-108 because it doesn't have tone control. You will also need a real out attachable antenna to go onto the whip antenna to improve reception on the TR629, but there is no added noise when recording on SW. FM is OK, but MW is poor because of a repeated buzz caused through the built in temperature reader. The R-108 does have the Air band and a squelch control, for aviation signals. I have received chatter from Newcastle Airport which is about 20 miles away from just the whip antenna, but the radio does have an external antenna input jack. Both radios have a good overall sound.
@@radioweebdx7680 Thanks for this, the good recording quality on the Retekess sounds like a real plus point. My ICR-110 seems to pick up electronic noise sometimes when recording. I do like to use the ICR-110 for recording because while recording I can listen to my catches on its excellent speaker.
I did actually take my Sihuadon R-108 radio on holiday with me to Ibiza, it was really strange that daytime SW reception was much more poorer than it was from my own QTH, but MW reception was really good pulling in more than 50 stations in the daytime. I was even lucky to catch Radio Algiers English service on MW, which oddly sounds more like a SW broadcasting service with some very different news that I would not usually receive from the UK. The station was 800+ miles from Ibiza. Travelling by Air was ok, considering it uses a Lithium Ion battery, I simply removed the battery from the radio when travelling and placed the radio and battery in a separate plastic ziplock bag along with a rechargeable electronic cigarette and then placed that in my hand luggage. I just needed to put the zip lock bag onto a tray at customs, which they paid no attention to at all.
@@radioweebdx7680 Ibiza sounds great for MW DXing! I did not know that Radio Algiers broadcasts in English also. Thanks for the tips about the batteries, I will be leaving this Saturday, travelling to the Netherlands and Germany for my holiday. I will do what you did with the batteries. I assume the battery in the XHDATA D-808 will be fine as hand luggage? The 18650 type? I am looking forward to some MW DXing especially during my trip.
This is so nice! My Sihuadon D808 is coming soon : ) I also have the Xhdata D109 which I really like for all the functionalities, but as I wanted to have SSB I ordered the D808 : ). Also I heard from you and others its a great readio for medium wave also, so nice! I also have the Xhdata D219 that I got thanks to your review. Its an amazing little and cheap radio that I would recommend to anyone. I gave it to my wife but I find myself using it to SW dx and find a lot of stations : ) Great review, entertaining!
Thank you so much Angel! It makes me happy to hear that you enjoyed the review. Seems to me like XHDATA radios are your radios of choice 🙂 All three the ones you mention are great radios, I love them all!
@@swlistening I was very interested in the Tecsun PL330 but decided myself for the D808 because of the battery, I think the D808s is supperior in length, quality and you can upgrade it easily 👍
@@Ankjell I think the D-808 is a very good choice, it is a remarkable all-rounder, and really very sensitive. The page memory system on the D-808 is not great, but you get used to it.
Amazing channel find, I am in KZN and during long load sheds I am reviving my youth tuning short-wave stations. I shall now binge-watch your channel. I nearly bought a R99 receiver with TV band marked on it in PnP last week just to see how it goes.
That's great to hear, hope you will find some videos of interest! I rediscovered this hobby during the covid times, it was also a teenage hobby of mine. Been enjoying it again for the past three years or so. Some unsolicited advice, if you are in the market for a new radio, I really suggest buying one from overseas, the radios that we get here are not so good on shortwave. They are OK and pick up the strong signals, but for pretty much the same money you can get something really nice from China. XHDATA and Tecsun are two good brands.
I enjoyed your review of the radios that you own. I renewed my interest of shortwave in 2016 and purchased the Tecsun PL-880. I have owned other radios since but always go back to the Tecsun for many of the preferences that you mentioned.
Thanks Gary! It's interesting how one always seems to return to a specific radio, it becomes the main workhorse. The D-808 for me, the PL-880 for you. I think the speaker on the PL-880 is really good. As far as I know it uses the same speaker system as my Tecsun ICR-110, a passive radiator speaker.
Excellent presentation Andre! I would certainly agree the XHData D808 is a remarkable receiver. Nice collection of radios you have at your disposal! I plan on getting the Icom IC R-8600 Communications Receiver for the new year, hopefully. I’m sure to get many hours of tuning around on it.
Thanks John! The Icom IC R-8600 looks like a dream receiver. Quite pricey though, that seems like a real long-term investment for many years of enjoyment!
@@swlistening it is quite pricey though. As per Icom products their quality matches the price range, but I never see that model on sale. It is a “dream receiver” though, I may need to take the “plunge” lol
Thank you Klaus, and all the best to you also! You might be interested to hear, I am going on a short holiday to Europe this coming weekend, I will spend a few days in Germany also!
@@Henry-d9d The Sangean seems to have some big fans, but others say it is not that good, especially considering the price. I don't have one, so I can't really say.
Nice video. I subbed. I kept pausing the video to find all these radios and the prices. I may get the Tivoli for FM. Sounds good even over Utube. Interesting collection of radios. Thanks!
Thank you so much! The Tivoli is really a great radio for FM, and I also use it for streaming music over Bluetooth, terrific sound quality. You don't really find this kind of sound quality in a radio easily these days. And it is very sensitive on FM.
Good personal, practical reviews Andre. SWLing has led me back to renewing my Ham license after 40 years absence. (VK5KRM advanced). Now I'm retired it's such a great hobby and have made many new friends. I have to agree with your choice of the XHDATA D-808. Love it. So convenient and versatile. SSB is a must and it's multiple bandwidths are great in difficult situations. I mainly used a Tecsun S2000 which I still enjoy, even with it's limited bandwidths. I do like the PLL digital tuning for it's smoothness. My only complaint with the DSP in the D 808 is the muting while manually tuning but this is offset by its excellent selectivity, selectivity and versatility. Living near a couple of airports here in Sth Australia I find the 808s Air band reception excellent. Not many compact receivers have RDS on FM b'cast which is neat. On sideband it just about keeps up with my SDR XIEGU G90 Ham transceiver on HF! Thanks for you great tests and 'catches' on Short Wave. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year form Australia. 😀
Hi Rob, thank you so much for your comment. I am really happy that SWLing has led you back to your ham hobby! I have been talking to some of my viewers who are hams and it is a whole new world that I might explore in future, . As you probably saw on my channel, I also just returned to the SWL hobby over the past two years or so, after about 30 years. And this time the bug has really bitten me! I really enjoy exploring new signals and radios, and I enjoy sharing my videos here. Thank you for your kind comments about my reviews and catches! You and others have pointed out the usefulness of the RDS function on the D-808, which is a really great feature, I think more so when you are travelling and you don't know the FM stations in a new city or country. It seems to me as if the D-808 is a real favourite for many, and I can understand why. It is, indeed, very sensitive, and I particularly like it for being sensitive on both SW and MW. The muting, as you say, is a drawback, and perhaps quality control is not perfect (with my fine-tuning wheel giving up after just a year and a half), but all in all it is a great radio. FM and air band on the D-808 are mere bonuses for me, not my main interests, but nice to have. I do listen to air band on occasion, I am about 50 km from OR Tambo, our biggest airport, and I catch signals from there quite easily and clearly. Also a local airport called Lanseria, about 30 km away. Have a good Christmas and great new year! You, like us here in South Africa, are lucky to have a summer Christmas :-) Although, this year, I will be having a winter Christmas in Amsterdam, only my second winter Christmas ever.
My first ever SW radio was a Trio 9r59de valve receiver. I was 10 at the time back in 1978. Always had radios. Currently my "shack" consists of a Kenwood R5000 ( the direct descendant of the Trio) a Sangean ATS 803, a Yaesu FT-920 transceiver. And a whole forest of HT's
Hi Richard, thanks for your comment! You started at a very young age, I think I was about 14 when I started listening to SW. The Kenwood R1000, as far as I know, was called Trio R1000 in the US? The R5000 you have is a much more sophisticated version, it looks like a great receiver. Very sad that Kenwood no longer makes these. The Yaesu you have also looks like a really great set, you have some very impressive equipment. I've actually just ordered my first little hand-held, the Quansheng UV-K5. Just for fun, it's so cheap and I've never actually experimented with those. Seems like you can modify the Quansheng in very many ways, looks like something I will enjoy.
Thank you for this. My favorite radio overall is the Sony 2001D. It is good on FM, MW, LW and, most of all SW. I recommend that you shop around ,very carefully, for one in good condition. 73 from Scotland.
Thank you so much Jim. I always do keep my eyes open for second-hand radios, that's how I got my Barlow Wadley and the R1000. But, sadly, there are very few Sony radios that seem to be sold on the second-hand market in South Africa. I think people love them so much, they just never sell their sets!
Very nice review of your collection, i have many also and today i starting using my JRC 525, i seem to go back to that one more than the others, i hsve some small radios as well, i like the Tecsun 501, works good when i connect itbto my big inverted V antenna outside, i have my Icom R9500 which i really should use more most excellent receiver i have ever used, but heavy and takes up space, i will most likely buy the XHDATA that u spoke about, if u get s chance to try a Zenith R1000 or 3000 they are old but very good radios from Chicago, IL. Years ago, Thx for your review, 73s, Matt
Hi there Matt and thank you for your comment. You seem to have some very good desktop receivers, the JRC 525 and the Icom R9500 both sound like excellent receivers. I have neither, my Kenwood R1000 used to be the only desktop receiver I had, until recently. It is a great receiver. A few months ago I bought my first tube radio, a perfectly restored Hammarlund HQ-129-X. What a great radio! I am amazed at how sensitive it is. I really enjoy finding old radios and comparing them to new technology. In the case of the Hammarlund I actually think none of the new radios even come close. It is just so sensitive, very low noise floor, perfect DXing radio. But, of course, it is absolutely massive and very heavy. Takes up half my desk at home! I also got a Tecsun PL-680 recently, what a great radio! Full analogue. The PL-680 is my go-to radio at the moment. My favourite radio in 2024 video will be a difficult video to make, there are now many new competitors in my collection :-)
Make sure you warm up your Kenwood R-1000 before SSB use, also in USB mode it is always 1kHz out. Quirk or the receiver. I remember catching E06 at 0130 UTC in the small hours, the VCO would slightly drift into the carrier signal and you could actually feel the low sound shake the table. Those were good times, and many days and nights listening to number stations with the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. 🙂
I will try warming up the Kenwood R1000 next time, because I do think it is strange that SSB does not seem to work on my version. I do hear sounds in SSB mode, but impossible to really isolate the signals, when at the same time they are nice and clear on the XHDATA D-808. Maybe the warming up will help. Or maybe my Kenwood, because it is so old, just does not work in SSB mode anymore.
Not exactly a quirk. Well, I guess you could call it that, but there's a reason for it. The receiver is displaying the center frequency of the signal. By definition, the frequency of an SSB signal is specified as the frequency of the suppressed carrier, but the actual transmitted RF is about 1.5 kHz higher (on USB) or lower (on LSB). Yes, more modern receivers adjust their digital display to take this into account, but the R-1000 just tells you the frequency of the center of the passband. From N9EWO's review: "When tuning SSB modes the counter will be off. This is not a fault and totally normal as the counter is only accurate with AM carrier signals (it's in the design)."
I will get the D808 but my next radio will be the Tecsun PL-680, better than the PL880 and PL990 imho. I love my PL330, PL600 and PL660. I love ETM scanning and hate tuning chuffing but must have SSB being a HAM. I have some other radios but this hobby of only 2.5 years is getting expensive.😂 Great video, lots of info to think about. Thank you. 73
Thanks for your comment Don! Once the bug has bitten, it is hard to leave! I love this hobby. I agree with you about the PL-680, it is right at the top of my wish list, together with the Eton Elite Executive. Like you, I also enjoy it when my radios have SSB, I enjoy utility signal DXing a lot.
Andre, thanks for this video, and have a great holiday’s 🎉🎉🎉and have a happy New year!🎉🎉🎉 Don’t worry about your face, you make great videos, as I have been told that I have a face for radio plus a voice for newspapers…😂! One suggestion for a small portable radio, if you can access it in South Africa. Is a Belka 2022 model which covers LW to30 MHZ only but is sensitive and good dynamic range. 73! Have a great day!
Thank you, and the same to you, may you have a great holiday and new year! I will be leaving soon for my Christmas holiday, looking forward to it very much. You will see on the channel later where I went :-) As a matter of interest, I was a journalist at different newspapers for many, many years, before I started teaching. Thanks for the Belka suggestion, I actually know about the Belka and it is also one of the radio on my wish list. There are about five radios that I still want, the Belka is one of them.
@@swlistening The Belka is great for DXing even MW when hooked to my Trek Magnetic Loop (passive) your loop should do fine ! I use a 3.5 mm jack to BNC connection between the loop and Belka which has a BNC connector. Amazing what they can fit inside a radio smaller than a Deck of Cards, but a true DX machine. Merry Christmas 🎁 and have a Happy New Year 🎊! 73!
@@Kw1161 I have heard so many good things about the Belka! The small size is actually a real plus point for me, makes it very convenient to take on trips as well, as long as you can cart your antenna along.
I use FM mostly for music. DAB is used in Europe, in the United States, digital FM is broadcast on the same frequency as analog. If the station is a good one, it's almost like listening at the studio; amazing quality.
Hi Henry, I also quite enjoy both FM and DAB+ for music. We have quite a number of stations on DAB+ in South Africa now, but it is only a testing phase. I do have a DAB+ radio, so I listen to a number of music stations there. The sound is, indeed, very good!
I have 2 main radios. The TECSUN 660 by my easy chair and the Eaton Eleite in my office. I use both for the same purpose background music and local news during the day. I enjoy using both. Not sure I have a favorite.
Hi Dave, thanks for your comment! The Tecsun PL-660 (or the PL-680) is on my to-buy list. I definitely want one! The Eton Elite is a great radio, I love the sound on my little Traveler and it is very sensitive, picks up distant signals well.
Thanks for the really in depth video Andre. You have an enviable collection. My collection is currently at 3 radios: sihuadon r108, tecsun pl330 and the Philips compass d1830 analogue radio. The r108 has really great sound for its size and airband is handy. Fm also really nice in this receiver. The tecsun 330 had better sensitivity and etm+ is a fantastic feature. I personally don't like the sound from it and it is a bit fiddly. The philips is surprisingly good on mw and sw, really strong receiver and some sw channels sound like fm with little to no fading. Also the analogue tuning is fun. Only downside on it is fm selectivity is v poor. My next wishlist radio is either the d808, the digitech 1780 or the tecsun 660. 73 and enjoy the holidays Andre!
Thank you so much for your comment Garech. I think the PL-330 is a very good radio, it is basically the same as the PL-368 on the inside, just looks different and has a slightly better speaker. I agree with you, the ETM function on the Tecsun radios is just great, it works so well and is really sensitive, on each scan I pick up loads of signal. The R-108 is on my wish list for next year, I have heard so many good things about that radio. I don't know the Philips radio you mention, I looked it up now. I really like the look of it, and the map at the top! I think some of these older full analogue radios are really very sensitive. I am curious, why the PL-660 and not the PL-680 (slightly newer version)? On my side the PL-680 is definitely on my wish list, even though it is, apparently, not that good on MW. But great for SSB listening.
Good summary and nice collection 👍🏼 FM isn’t my thing either but I do use the Tecsun ICR-110 for casual listening due to the excellent audio, but the TEF 6686 is a superior FM radio in terms of selectivity, sensitivity and the information on the display. MW I still like using the Tecsun PL-360 because of the external antenna option being able to connect loops or wires. For SW I agree the D-808 is difficult to beat for a sub £100 radio but for broadcast listening I prefer my Sangean ATS-909X, it has better audio and is more pleasant to use. For SSB listening I use a Tecsun PL-680, there is no ‘chuffing’ on the encoder like the Xhdata which makes it much more pleasing to the ear. Just covering modern radios there, I do own old receivers like the Yaesu FRG-7 and Lowe HF-125 but they are completely different beasts. Thanks for posting these videos up, always enjoyable to watch. 73 Franco
Thank you so much for your comment Franco, and thank you for watching my videos! I do agree with you about the TEF6686 radios. When I made this video it was before I had bought my Qodosen SR-286. It is really an amazing piece of equipment, it might actually get me into FM DXing. I picked up some very distant FM stations (one from 120 km away) while just casually tuning around in the FM band. As for the other radios, I have had the Tecsun PL-680 or PL-660 on my to-buy list for some time, for the reasons you mention here. I am looking for something else for my SSB listening. Currently I mostly use the D-808 or the Kenwood R1000 for that.
I’ve not seen the SR-286 for sale in the U.K. I’d like to try one of those. Same here, the TEF might encourage some FMDX. Yeah the chugging on SSB with a lot of portables is really irritating for me, I think I just got used to the smooth tuning on my Kenwood HF transceiver I use for Amateur Radio. The larger Tecsun radios are all quite nice, 680 and 660 both good on SSB, never owned the 880. Good dx to you!
Nice year end review.... You said you were able to receive a signal for radio Romania in South Africa. Im interested in Romanian language and music so was interested in the station. Im from india btw, apart from indian qnd on my average radio we mostly get chinese, Arabic, Indonesian, thai Philippine and even Japanese and Russian sw station. Other languages signals are also caught by the radio, but im yet to figure out as ive just started into this sw hobby. My xhdata d 808 is on the way. Hope it will catch mich more including Romania.😊
Thank you for your comment and I hope you will enjoy the D-808! Radio Romania has some very strong MW transmitters. This means, when propagation conditions are good, you might be able to catch it in very faraway places. That's how I could catch it. But it was only once or twice, I haven't been able to catch it again. They do broadcast in Romanian on shortwave also, that would be an easier catch. You can search on short-wave.info for Radio Romania and choose the languages as Romanian.
Thanks George! Since I made this video I got to know some newer radios, so I think when I choose my favourite radio of 2024, it might be something else. But I still think the D-808 is a terrific radio!
@@swlistening I still swear by my old 1978 Sanyo RP8880 radio, takes about ten minutes to warm it up before using to prevent drift but it is a nice chunky big lump that is very easy to use.
@@george-ev1dq Hi George, sometimes old technology is just the best. I still use an old Sony ICF-J40 for MW listening sometimes, and my Kenwood R1000 is a trusty companion. Also very stable for SSB listening after warming up a bit.
I enjoying your videos from Cancun Mexico . Your XH D808 looks beat, if bought used might have been damaged , they are tough built but if you drop it then they could get damaged. Anyways, you have quite a collection there to replace it. strong radios
Thank you Alex, nice to hear from Mexico! I think my D-808 just looks a bit beat to you because of the camera or lighting or something, it's actually still in very good shape. I bought it new, some years ago already, but it still works perfectly, except for the fine-tuning dial that doesn't work anymore.
Thank you! There are actually none that I know of right now, I have been looking for one like this myself. I think the backlit buttons might cause interference and that is why nobody seems to provide that. But there might be some or other radio that I do not know of.
Hi - I have been searching for the same. Ones that I am aware of are the Degen ./ Kaito DE1103/KA1103 - originall a PLL analogue receiver, now it is sold as a DSP (the older one is rated as better), The Tecsun PL-398BT/MP - I have heard both of these have backlit buttons, and I have also heard the Eton Elite Executive and Field both have some of their keys backlit. I would say the Degen or Tecsuns are better for this purpose though. From memory there is another brand (maybe Raddy) which has one radio with backlit keys but I will need to check..
@@Protocallireland Thanks Garech, I didn't know about these back-lit options. I am actually looking at getting the Eton Elite Executive myself, nice to know some of the buttons are back-lit.
Thank you Prakash! The only reason why I don't own any of the C. Crane radios is price. For some reason shipping and import duties for these radios on Amazon are extremely high to my location in South Africa. For example, the EP Pro is $99 on Amazon, shipping and duties are $64! As a comparison, the XHDATA D-808 is $103 on Amazon, shipping and duties are $39. It doesn't quite make sense. I would very much like to have a C. Crane radio, I will buy the EP Pro eventually!
Good morning SWL from chilly New York...thoroughly enjoyed your presentation and your opinions on your radios. I will agree with most what you said about your different radios since I also have 80% of what you have. One thing I will say that you have excellent oral communication skills. You can be a very popular professor in a University...lol.....keep up the good work and believe me you are doing a great service to radio community around the world. I know it is time consuming and a lot of work to make these videos but it’s a great service nonetheless.....One word of caution though. Realizing your passion for radios, never say that you have what you wanted for your needs. I said so in 1987 to buy a maximum of 10 radios when the radio bug bit me. Boy o Boy, I was so wrong. Today I have 230 radios of all kind and buying never really stopped. Although I have become very selective these days when I decide to buy yet another radio. This video of yours has prompted me to dig out my Grundig mini 100 radios which I bought 3 of them , I guess in 90’s when they first came out. I never realized they were so sensitive to SW as you said. You and me have a lot in common and we must connect via WhatsApp. Cheers. Nisar Ahmad.
Hi there Nisar, thank you so much for your nice comment. I think for you the season is changing to summer now, while here for me it is changing to winter. So it is also a bit chilly here :-) Thank you for the comments about my oral skills! You are right about the radio addiction, I find it very hard myself sometimes to stop buying radios. But I am much more selective now. Interesting that you have three of the Grundig Mini 100s, those are quite sought after now. My little Tecsun R-808, which is basically the same as the Grundig, is a terrific little radio. Very sensitive and with quite a long antenna. For a while it was actually one of only three SW radios I had, namely the Eton Elite Traveler, the R-808 and the Retekess V115. The Eton was my first purchase when I returned to SW listening a few years ago. Then came the R-808 and the V115. I added your details to my WhatsApp, will get in touch. Maybe you should delete the number here now, I don't know if it is a good idea to put your number on UA-cam, you will get lots of spam calls :-)
@@swlistening Thank you. Yes I just edited my earlier comment and deleted the phone number since you already noted it down. I will save your number once you send a WhatsApp message. FYI- I was looking at eBay the other day and there were tons of Grundig mini 100’s still available there. So no worries about your Tecsun R 808. Have you ever looked into Grundig FR-200. It’s a small emergency radio with built in rechargeable battery and crank. It’s short wave coverage and reception is phenomenal. I have added a small solar panel of appropriate output voltage to it and that made it very versatile emergency radio by having 3 power sources. I really appreciate your radio passion. Keep it up. Hope to see you one day in SA as I do have plans to visit there within a year or two. 73 and God bless.
The tecsun Icr -110 is a toy with great sound that records for well over 300 hrs and as a great speaker often bought with there better radios as a recorder and speaker
I fully agree! It is a really great recorder, and the speaker is top class. I often use mine to record and as a speaker for some of my smaller radios. It is also a very good radio for MW (AM) DXing.
Thanks for your comment! You know, some time after this video I read up about SSB on my Kenwood, in the end I realised that I was just tuning too fast. SSB on the Kenwood needs a very, very slow hand. And then it is great! So I agree with you, the SSB on the Kenwood R1000 is very good. I was just not tuning it correctly.
There are different versions of the Sony ICF-J40. The original from the 1980s is the best version. There's a version that uses a 30 pin SDIP chip instead of the original 28 pin DIP. This version is considerably less sensitive on medium wave and shortwave (inferior ceramic filter). There appears to be a third version that uses two chips instead of one. The third version appears to be much less capable on AM (tiny ferrite loop) antenna.
Thanks Henry, I never knew that there were three versions of this radio. Have you seen one of the original versions from the 1980s? I have only heard about the 1980s version, but I have never actually seen one, not even a picture. I think mine might be the second version, it has quite a big ferrite antenna for MW, I opened it up some time ago. Its MW reception is really excellent, but SW is average. Not bad, not excellent.
@@swlistening yours appears to be an original version. It's very sensitive on medium wave and shortwave. It has the "It's a Sony" sticker that I have seen on originals from the 1980s.
Sir I love to watch your videosfrom India🇮🇳,plz review xhdata d-368 radio it's very sensitive on shortwave & it's sound much better than xhdata d-219,also more sensitive than d-219 or others cheap small portable radio.
Thank you very much Harpreet! Thank you for the suggestion about the D-368, I have also heard many good things about that radio. If you say it is more sensitive that the D-219 then it sounds like a real powerhouse, because I think the D-219 is already very sensitive. I will try to get a D-368 to do a review.
Have you had a chance to try and compare any of the tecsun models like the pl-310et or others? Perhaps they are difficult to get a hold of in South Africa?
Hi Bradley, thanks for your question. Actually I need to buy almost all my radios from e-commerce sites abroad, none of these radios are available in South African stores. I have not tried the PL-310 yet, nor any other Tecsun radios, apart from the ones that I show in this video. I am quite interested in the Tecsun R-9700DX, as well as the PL-680. Those two are on my wish list for next year.
@@swlisteningthanks so much for getting back to me, I have the PL-310et as well as the Eton Traveler, which is part of why I was interested in your thoughts on the Tecsun. I used to have the 9700dx, and although the speaker sounds great, I found the tuning to be too touchy and would drift. The antenna was otherwise very sensitive but susceptible to a lot of environmental interference that doesn't seem to come through on DSP radios. Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough but if you know of any analog radios that aren't too big but have large stable tuning mechanisms (knob or wheel), that would be my ideal. Seems most cram a bit too much movement in a tuning mechanism on medium and smaller designs. Anyway, cheers!
@@theGoodTheBradAndTheUgly Hi Bradley, actually there are very few full analogue radios on the market these days. The Tecsun R-9700DX is one of the few. Did you ever use your 9700 with a long wire? Just a thought, maybe a wire of about 10 metres, stretched out outside your house, as far away from the house and buildings, might not pick up too much RFI? One other possible option for you is the Tecsun PL-680. It is a PLL radio, does not use a DSP chip, and receives very good reviews. The earlier version, the PL-660, is also still available and a little bit less expensive.
@@swlisteningI did get a chance to use my long wire antenna with the 9700dx, it was very good and capable for shortwave. However it was just very sensitive to anything and everything on any band. Standing near it or walking away from it would effect signal, and touching the case or not touching the case would also effect signal. These things do make sense (but don't happen on my other radios as much), and you do get better reception holding it and tuning around, but it was difficult to find something and then set it down without the signal being effected, with or without the wire. It may also have been something related to quality control, I'm not sure.
@@theGoodTheBradAndTheUgly You know, I found something similar on my Tecsun R9012, it seems to be very sensitive to the touch. Maybe it is just the way that Tecsun designed these analogue circuits. A bit of a pity, I have had my eye on the R9700DX for some time already. My R-909 does not behave like this though. But perhaps I will just save up for the PL-680.
Hi whenever I listen to your voice I feel your voice is like that of a four South African but somehow could not remember the name of the person but now it is voila !!! The Late Hansie Cronje ..you know Indians are crazy about Cricket.😂
Hi Niladri, thanks for your comment! I do know that Indians love cricket, like us! Thanks for the comparison to Hansie Cronjé, I think it is my accent that reminds you of him 😀
Hi thanks for your reply. No it is not just the accent ;I am pretty familiar with the South African accent -Zulu -Dutch - British English ; well it is a mix of all the three but it is sound the sound o your voice which is so much like Hansie's.
We just do not live Cricket ; it is our religion and we are mad about it. Bet the South Afrucans , well for that matter no one in the world not even the British Foitball hooligans can match our vocal chords in a Cricket stadium 😀
I owned an R1000 back in time and it does SSB perfectly (look up on YT if you want) Your unit may have a fault I'm afraid. The age of the radio may suspect some capacitors may not work anymore.
Thanks for this, I am afraid you are probably right, I think my radio might have a fault. I briefly mention in my video that I think there might be an issue with the SSB, so that is probably why it is not working on my unit. The radio was cleaned up and serviced before I bought it, but I guess the guy I bought it from did not fix the SSB issue. I will, however, as someone else has suggested here, try warming up the radio for a longer time next time, maybe that helps. I know the R1000 needs warming up for SSB use.
I think they are quite hard to find now, but if you do find one and it works, I think you will really enjoy it. It is quite a special radio and I am particularly proud of this one because it is South African, like me :-)
Oh no, I have nothing against the PL-330, it is actually one of a couple of radios I am still looking at getting. I have seen many reviews though that say the IC on the PL-368 and the PL-330 is basically the same. The biggest difference is, from what I can gather, a better speaker on the PL-330. I am interested in comparing these two though, so it is on my wish list.
@@swlistening I have both Tecsuns, they have the same features. The speaker of the PL-330 is better. I like the ETM scanning of the Tecsuns better over the XHData/Sihuadon D-808. The D-808 has a good sensitivity and the speaker is also good, so I use it often. The RDS on the FM band of the D-808 is nice. So it is hard for me to recommend one over the other.
@@hammockdweller Thank you for this! So it is true what I have read, that the speaker on the PL-330 is better. Like you, I think the ETM scanning on the Tecsuns is excellent. The D-808 is not very good when it comes to auto scanning. And I don't like the page memory system on the D-808 at all, the Tecsuns are much better for accessing and scrolling through saved frequencies in the memory. RDS on the D-808 is nice.
@@swlistening I had a D-808 and there is no doubt that is an excellent radio, but I also have a PL330. The memory storing system on the 808 was very clunky and basic, so the 808 was sold on eBay, In my opinion Tecsun has really perfected the searching, saving and scrolling of frequencies.
@@swlistening I remember this UA-camr who was a homeless guy in California had a Tecsun PL-330 radio and he used to do some number station catches with it with crystal clear reception. He used to catch S06, HM01 and V07 with it. He used to be a veteran in the military and he used to repair military radio equipment such as RTTY machines and such. He also did climbing videos and camping etc. He was also a Ham radio guy and he did this weird QSO with this Russian guy during the Ukraine conflict, this Russian guy called Roman appeared to be a very strange character and he appeared to get to very exotic places for an average guy. I did check this guys call sign and that Russian guy had a very dodgy track record online and over the airwaves. I eventually unsubscribed from the channel as some of his views I did not agree with, but I did understand because of his position why he was like that.
Hi there Gerald, thanks for your comment! I would love to get hold of one of these, it looks like a great radio. But I think they are hard to get now...
Hey John, unfortunately I do not own this radio. If I did (the original full analogue version), I am sure it would have been very high on my list! I have heard that this is a really excellent radio.
Ireland last LW broadcast stn was close down this year. I currently am able to pick up 198 bbc 4 (probably soon to be no more), a French station on 224 or so, and sometimes I can hear the Algerian stn on 252 which was previously blocked by rte locally. Also some ndbs from the locality. I believe a long wire can be used with a loop of wire as sw antenna without needing to connect to the radio but I have yet to try this trick.
@@Protocallireland I think the loop of wire will work well, it is probably the same principle as the passive loop antennas that one can buy for MW, like the Tecsun AN-200. I have one, and it works very well on MW. You simply place the antenna close to the radio. So the same principle will surely work for LW.
Hi João, it is Radio Kansel, 657 kHz. They also have a transmitter in the Cape, Kaapse Kansel, 729 kHz. But the Afrikaans programmes are not on all the time, Radio Pulpit and Cape Pulpit use the same frequencies, so there is a mix of English and Afrikaans programming throughout the day. Their websites list the times. For Kaapse Kansel it is here capepulpit.co.za/show-schedule/ and for Radio Kansel it is here: www.radiokansel.co.za/radiokansel-programskedule/
xhdata d 808 fine-tuning wheel breaks eventually. It happened to many other users, including me. In fact, I use the tuning wheels very gently and it still broke.
This is very interesting, thank you for your comment. I did not know that this was a problem on many of the D-808s. Clearly it is something that XHDATA needs to pay attention to.
My favourite purchased this year portable radios are the Sihaudon R-108 radio, which doesn't have SSB but is sensitive with the built in antenna on SW and good on MW. I picked up Manx radio from The Isle Of Man on 1368kHz and Lyca Radio on 1458kHz from London. My QTH is in North East England so neither station is local and can only be heard in the evenings. My second favourite radio is the Retekess TR629 which is a basic 3 band radio with direct frequency input and digital recorder to record MW/FM and SW stations directly to a memory card. They have come up with a new model the Retekess TR635 which is still a MW/FM/SW radio and has an external antenna jack built into the radio. But it loses the direct frequency tuning and digital recording which is a deal breaker for me over the TR629. Although it now has a high/low tone control to improve the sound in MW/SW modes and it still can run from 3 D cell batteries and power cord. I always run my TR629 on the D cells rather than the power cord to reduce radio static, the batteries last over 3 months of listening. I have done up to 40 1 hour recordings from the radio on the old batteries and that is not including the hours I just listened to the radio without recording.
Thanks for your comment, I think those are two nice radios. I have seen many comments and reviews about the Sihuadon R-108, it seems to me that it is a very nice radio indeed. Also has air band, I think? Interesting that you say the MW on that one is really good, it is quite a small radio, so it sounds to me like it is really sensitive. Do you also have the D-808? If so, how do they compare? I think the R-108 has much better sound. The Retekess radio you mention is new to me, I looked it up now and I like the look of that one. The recording functionality is great! I use my Tecsun ICR-110 for recording via a cable, or the V115 sometimes.
@@swlistening The Retekess TR629 doesn't have the selectivity of the Sihuadon R-108 because it doesn't have tone control. You will also need a real out attachable antenna to go onto the whip antenna to improve reception on the TR629, but there is no added noise when recording on SW. FM is OK, but MW is poor because of a repeated buzz caused through the built in temperature reader. The R-108 does have the Air band and a squelch control, for aviation signals. I have received chatter from Newcastle Airport which is about 20 miles away from just the whip antenna, but the radio does have an external antenna input jack. Both radios have a good overall sound.
@@radioweebdx7680 Thanks for this, the good recording quality on the Retekess sounds like a real plus point. My ICR-110 seems to pick up electronic noise sometimes when recording. I do like to use the ICR-110 for recording because while recording I can listen to my catches on its excellent speaker.
I did actually take my Sihuadon R-108 radio on holiday with me to Ibiza, it was really strange that daytime SW reception was much more poorer than it was from my own QTH, but MW reception was really good pulling in more than 50 stations in the daytime. I was even lucky to catch Radio Algiers English service on MW, which oddly sounds more like a SW broadcasting service with some very different news that I would not usually receive from the UK. The station was 800+ miles from Ibiza. Travelling by Air was ok, considering it uses a Lithium Ion battery, I simply removed the battery from the radio when travelling and placed the radio and battery in a separate plastic ziplock bag along with a rechargeable electronic cigarette and then placed that in my hand luggage. I just needed to put the zip lock bag onto a tray at customs, which they paid no attention to at all.
@@radioweebdx7680 Ibiza sounds great for MW DXing! I did not know that Radio Algiers broadcasts in English also.
Thanks for the tips about the batteries, I will be leaving this Saturday, travelling to the Netherlands and Germany for my holiday. I will do what you did with the batteries. I assume the battery in the XHDATA D-808 will be fine as hand luggage? The 18650 type? I am looking forward to some MW DXing especially during my trip.
This is so nice! My Sihuadon D808 is coming soon : )
I also have the Xhdata D109 which I really like for all the functionalities, but as I wanted to have SSB I ordered the D808 : ). Also I heard from you and others its a great readio for medium wave also, so nice!
I also have the Xhdata D219 that I got thanks to your review. Its an amazing little and cheap radio that I would recommend to anyone. I gave it to my wife but I find myself using it to SW dx and find a lot of stations : )
Great review, entertaining!
Thank you so much Angel! It makes me happy to hear that you enjoyed the review. Seems to me like XHDATA radios are your radios of choice 🙂 All three the ones you mention are great radios, I love them all!
@@swlistening I was very interested in the Tecsun PL330 but decided myself for the D808 because of the battery, I think the D808s is supperior in length, quality and you can upgrade it easily 👍
@@Ankjell I think the D-808 is a very good choice, it is a remarkable all-rounder, and really very sensitive. The page memory system on the D-808 is not great, but you get used to it.
I bought both today , I like their individual functionality that I could not resist. I think I will have a lot of fun with them.
Amazing channel find, I am in KZN and during long load sheds I am reviving my youth tuning short-wave stations. I shall now binge-watch your channel. I nearly bought a R99 receiver with TV band marked on it in PnP last week just to see how it goes.
That's great to hear, hope you will find some videos of interest! I rediscovered this hobby during the covid times, it was also a teenage hobby of mine. Been enjoying it again for the past three years or so. Some unsolicited advice, if you are in the market for a new radio, I really suggest buying one from overseas, the radios that we get here are not so good on shortwave. They are OK and pick up the strong signals, but for pretty much the same money you can get something really nice from China. XHDATA and Tecsun are two good brands.
Looking good Andre! You have a fun collection there. Thanks for sharing. I really like your channel.
Thank you so much for your comment, really appreciated!
I enjoyed your review of the radios that you own. I renewed my interest of shortwave in 2016 and purchased the Tecsun PL-880. I have owned other radios since but always go back to the Tecsun for many of the preferences that you mentioned.
Thanks Gary! It's interesting how one always seems to return to a specific radio, it becomes the main workhorse. The D-808 for me, the PL-880 for you. I think the speaker on the PL-880 is really good. As far as I know it uses the same speaker system as my Tecsun ICR-110, a passive radiator speaker.
Excellent presentation Andre! I would certainly agree the XHData D808 is a remarkable receiver. Nice collection of radios you have at your disposal! I plan on getting the Icom IC R-8600 Communications Receiver for the new year, hopefully. I’m sure to get many hours of tuning around on it.
Thanks John! The Icom IC R-8600 looks like a dream receiver. Quite pricey though, that seems like a real long-term investment for many years of enjoyment!
@@swlistening it is quite pricey though. As per Icom products their quality matches the price range, but I never see that model on sale. It is a “dream receiver” though, I may need to take the “plunge” lol
@@NJF60 Sometimes we need to take that plunge 🙂 I would love to hear about your experiences with it once you get it.
@@swlistening I definitely will… I’ll report back to you once I go through the learning curve.
@@NJF60 Thanks John!
Dear Andre, thank you for this video and congratulations abt. this collection. Wish you a nice time and best wishes from Germany, the Klaus
Thank you Klaus, and all the best to you also! You might be interested to hear, I am going on a short holiday to Europe this coming weekend, I will spend a few days in Germany also!
My 2 favorite Shortwave radios are the XHDATA D808 and the Sangean ATS 909X2 Shortwave radios. I highly recommend them!
I don't own the Sangean unfortunately, but it seems to be very good, from what I have seen and read.
@@swlistening there are some complaints about SSB.
@@Henry-d9d The Sangean seems to have some big fans, but others say it is not that good, especially considering the price. I don't have one, so I can't really say.
@@swlistening if it worked better on SSB, I wouldn't mind the price.
Nice video. I subbed. I kept pausing the video to find all these radios and the prices. I may get the Tivoli for FM. Sounds good even over Utube.
Interesting collection of radios. Thanks!
Thank you so much! The Tivoli is really a great radio for FM, and I also use it for streaming music over Bluetooth, terrific sound quality. You don't really find this kind of sound quality in a radio easily these days. And it is very sensitive on FM.
Good personal, practical reviews Andre. SWLing has led me back to renewing my Ham license after 40 years absence. (VK5KRM advanced). Now I'm retired it's such a great hobby and have made many new friends.
I have to agree with your choice of the XHDATA D-808. Love it. So convenient and versatile. SSB is a must and it's multiple bandwidths are great in difficult situations. I mainly used a Tecsun S2000 which I still enjoy, even with it's limited bandwidths. I do like the PLL digital tuning for it's smoothness. My only complaint with the DSP in the D 808 is the muting while manually tuning but this is offset by its excellent selectivity, selectivity and versatility. Living near a couple of airports here in Sth Australia I find the 808s Air band reception excellent.
Not many compact receivers have RDS on FM b'cast which is neat.
On sideband it just about keeps up with my SDR XIEGU G90 Ham transceiver on HF!
Thanks for you great tests and 'catches' on Short Wave. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year form Australia. 😀
Hi Rob, thank you so much for your comment. I am really happy that SWLing has led you back to your ham hobby! I have been talking to some of my viewers who are hams and it is a whole new world that I might explore in future, . As you probably saw on my channel, I also just returned to the SWL hobby over the past two years or so, after about 30 years. And this time the bug has really bitten me! I really enjoy exploring new signals and radios, and I enjoy sharing my videos here. Thank you for your kind comments about my reviews and catches!
You and others have pointed out the usefulness of the RDS function on the D-808, which is a really great feature, I think more so when you are travelling and you don't know the FM stations in a new city or country. It seems to me as if the D-808 is a real favourite for many, and I can understand why. It is, indeed, very sensitive, and I particularly like it for being sensitive on both SW and MW. The muting, as you say, is a drawback, and perhaps quality control is not perfect (with my fine-tuning wheel giving up after just a year and a half), but all in all it is a great radio.
FM and air band on the D-808 are mere bonuses for me, not my main interests, but nice to have. I do listen to air band on occasion, I am about 50 km from OR Tambo, our biggest airport, and I catch signals from there quite easily and clearly. Also a local airport called Lanseria, about 30 km away.
Have a good Christmas and great new year! You, like us here in South Africa, are lucky to have a summer Christmas :-) Although, this year, I will be having a winter Christmas in Amsterdam, only my second winter Christmas ever.
My first ever SW radio was a Trio 9r59de valve receiver. I was 10 at the time back in 1978.
Always had radios.
Currently my "shack" consists of a Kenwood R5000 ( the direct descendant of the Trio) a Sangean ATS 803, a Yaesu FT-920 transceiver. And a whole forest of HT's
Hi Richard, thanks for your comment! You started at a very young age, I think I was about 14 when I started listening to SW. The Kenwood R1000, as far as I know, was called Trio R1000 in the US? The R5000 you have is a much more sophisticated version, it looks like a great receiver. Very sad that Kenwood no longer makes these. The Yaesu you have also looks like a really great set, you have some very impressive equipment. I've actually just ordered my first little hand-held, the Quansheng UV-K5. Just for fun, it's so cheap and I've never actually experimented with those. Seems like you can modify the Quansheng in very many ways, looks like something I will enjoy.
Thank you for this. My favorite radio overall is the Sony 2001D. It is good on FM, MW, LW and, most of all SW. I recommend that you shop around ,very carefully, for one in good condition. 73 from Scotland.
Thank you so much Jim. I always do keep my eyes open for second-hand radios, that's how I got my Barlow Wadley and the R1000. But, sadly, there are very few Sony radios that seem to be sold on the second-hand market in South Africa. I think people love them so much, they just never sell their sets!
Very nice review of your collection, i have many also and today i starting using my JRC 525, i seem to go back to that one more than the others, i hsve some small radios as well, i like the Tecsun 501, works good when i connect itbto my big inverted V antenna outside, i have my Icom R9500 which i really should use more most excellent receiver i have ever used, but heavy and takes up space, i will most likely buy the XHDATA that u spoke about, if u get s chance to try a Zenith R1000 or 3000 they are old but very good radios from Chicago, IL. Years ago, Thx for your review, 73s, Matt
Hi there Matt and thank you for your comment. You seem to have some very good desktop receivers, the JRC 525 and the Icom R9500 both sound like excellent receivers. I have neither, my Kenwood R1000 used to be the only desktop receiver I had, until recently. It is a great receiver. A few months ago I bought my first tube radio, a perfectly restored Hammarlund HQ-129-X. What a great radio! I am amazed at how sensitive it is.
I really enjoy finding old radios and comparing them to new technology. In the case of the Hammarlund I actually think none of the new radios even come close. It is just so sensitive, very low noise floor, perfect DXing radio. But, of course, it is absolutely massive and very heavy. Takes up half my desk at home! I also got a Tecsun PL-680 recently, what a great radio! Full analogue. The PL-680 is my go-to radio at the moment. My favourite radio in 2024 video will be a difficult video to make, there are now many new competitors in my collection :-)
Merry Christmas, good DX IN 2024 Albert the Netherlands. 🎄📻🇳🇱
Thank you Albert, and Merry Christmas to you too! I will be visiting your country this Christmas, I will be in Amsterdam for Christmas 🎄
Have a nice time in Amsterdam , Nederlands/Afrikaans praten veel plezier 👍
@@Albert-zl3zd Ek sien uit daarna, dankie Albert!
Ny. Thanks for sharing ❤
Sure, and thanks!
The JBL Tuner 2 FM radio/speaker have bass and bluetooth. I like its good sounds. Five memory place is enought to me.
Hi Jari, indeed, JBL has some very nice radios, they are famous for the deep bass sound on their radios and speakers.
Make sure you warm up your Kenwood R-1000 before SSB use, also in USB mode it is always 1kHz out. Quirk or the receiver. I remember catching E06 at 0130 UTC in the small hours, the VCO would slightly drift into the carrier signal and you could actually feel the low sound shake the table. Those were good times, and many days and nights listening to number stations with the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. 🙂
I will try warming up the Kenwood R1000 next time, because I do think it is strange that SSB does not seem to work on my version. I do hear sounds in SSB mode, but impossible to really isolate the signals, when at the same time they are nice and clear on the XHDATA D-808. Maybe the warming up will help. Or maybe my Kenwood, because it is so old, just does not work in SSB mode anymore.
Not exactly a quirk. Well, I guess you could call it that, but there's a reason for it. The receiver is displaying the center frequency of the signal. By definition, the frequency of an SSB signal is specified as the frequency of the suppressed carrier, but the actual transmitted RF is about 1.5 kHz higher (on USB) or lower (on LSB). Yes, more modern receivers adjust their digital display to take this into account, but the R-1000 just tells you the frequency of the center of the passband. From N9EWO's review: "When tuning SSB modes the counter will be off. This is not a fault and totally normal as the counter is only accurate with AM carrier signals (it's in the design)."
I will get the D808 but my next radio will be the Tecsun PL-680, better than the PL880 and PL990 imho. I love my PL330, PL600 and PL660. I love ETM scanning and hate tuning chuffing but must have SSB being a HAM. I have some other radios but this hobby of only 2.5 years is getting expensive.😂
Great video, lots of info to think about. Thank you. 73
Thanks for your comment Don! Once the bug has bitten, it is hard to leave! I love this hobby. I agree with you about the PL-680, it is right at the top of my wish list, together with the Eton Elite Executive. Like you, I also enjoy it when my radios have SSB, I enjoy utility signal DXing a lot.
Pl660 and pl680 are the same. Same board, different body. Search to confirm. 73.
I often forget that SSB is a feature that I consider a "must have" and I plan to add SSB (BFO) to the Sony ICF-J40.
Andre, thanks for this video, and have a great holiday’s 🎉🎉🎉and have a happy New year!🎉🎉🎉 Don’t worry about your face, you make great videos, as I have been told that I have a face for radio plus a voice for newspapers…😂!
One suggestion for a small portable radio, if you can access it in South Africa. Is a Belka 2022 model which covers LW to30 MHZ only but is sensitive and good dynamic range.
73! Have a great day!
Thank you, and the same to you, may you have a great holiday and new year! I will be leaving soon for my Christmas holiday, looking forward to it very much. You will see on the channel later where I went :-) As a matter of interest, I was a journalist at different newspapers for many, many years, before I started teaching.
Thanks for the Belka suggestion, I actually know about the Belka and it is also one of the radio on my wish list. There are about five radios that I still want, the Belka is one of them.
@@swlistening The Belka is great for DXing even MW when hooked to my Trek Magnetic Loop (passive) your loop should do fine ! I use a 3.5 mm jack to BNC connection between the loop and Belka which has a BNC connector. Amazing what they can fit inside a radio smaller than a Deck of Cards, but a true DX machine.
Merry Christmas 🎁 and have a Happy New Year 🎊!
73!
@@Kw1161 I have heard so many good things about the Belka! The small size is actually a real plus point for me, makes it very convenient to take on trips as well, as long as you can cart your antenna along.
I use FM mostly for music. DAB is used in Europe, in the United States, digital FM is broadcast on the same frequency as analog. If the station is a good one, it's almost like listening at the studio; amazing quality.
Hi Henry, I also quite enjoy both FM and DAB+ for music. We have quite a number of stations on DAB+ in South Africa now, but it is only a testing phase. I do have a DAB+ radio, so I listen to a number of music stations there. The sound is, indeed, very good!
I have 2 main radios. The TECSUN 660 by my easy chair and the Eaton Eleite in my office. I use both for the same purpose background music and local news during the day. I enjoy using both. Not sure I have a favorite.
Hi Dave, thanks for your comment! The Tecsun PL-660 (or the PL-680) is on my to-buy list. I definitely want one! The Eton Elite is a great radio, I love the sound on my little Traveler and it is very sensitive, picks up distant signals well.
Thanks for the really in depth video Andre. You have an enviable collection. My collection is currently at 3 radios: sihuadon r108, tecsun pl330 and the Philips compass d1830 analogue radio. The r108 has really great sound for its size and airband is handy. Fm also really nice in this receiver. The tecsun 330 had better sensitivity and etm+ is a fantastic feature. I personally don't like the sound from it and it is a bit fiddly. The philips is surprisingly good on mw and sw, really strong receiver and some sw channels sound like fm with little to no fading. Also the analogue tuning is fun. Only downside on it is fm selectivity is v poor. My next wishlist radio is either the d808, the digitech 1780 or the tecsun 660. 73 and enjoy the holidays Andre!
Thank you so much for your comment Garech. I think the PL-330 is a very good radio, it is basically the same as the PL-368 on the inside, just looks different and has a slightly better speaker. I agree with you, the ETM function on the Tecsun radios is just great, it works so well and is really sensitive, on each scan I pick up loads of signal. The R-108 is on my wish list for next year, I have heard so many good things about that radio. I don't know the Philips radio you mention, I looked it up now. I really like the look of it, and the map at the top! I think some of these older full analogue radios are really very sensitive.
I am curious, why the PL-660 and not the PL-680 (slightly newer version)? On my side the PL-680 is definitely on my wish list, even though it is, apparently, not that good on MW. But great for SSB listening.
I really like the look of that radio but I would settle for the 680 either!
@@Protocallireland The PL-660 is, from what I have read, better on MW than the PL-680, while the 680 is better on SW. So it's give and take 🙂
Good summary and nice collection 👍🏼
FM isn’t my thing either but I do use the Tecsun ICR-110 for casual listening due to the excellent audio, but the TEF 6686 is a superior FM radio in terms of selectivity, sensitivity and the information on the display.
MW I still like using the Tecsun PL-360 because of the external antenna option being able to connect loops or wires.
For SW I agree the D-808 is difficult to beat for a sub £100 radio but for broadcast listening I prefer my Sangean ATS-909X, it has better audio and is more pleasant to use. For SSB listening I use a Tecsun PL-680, there is no ‘chuffing’ on the encoder like the Xhdata which makes it much more pleasing to the ear.
Just covering modern radios there, I do own old receivers like the Yaesu FRG-7 and Lowe HF-125 but they are completely different beasts.
Thanks for posting these videos up, always enjoyable to watch.
73 Franco
Thank you so much for your comment Franco, and thank you for watching my videos! I do agree with you about the TEF6686 radios. When I made this video it was before I had bought my Qodosen SR-286. It is really an amazing piece of equipment, it might actually get me into FM DXing. I picked up some very distant FM stations (one from 120 km away) while just casually tuning around in the FM band.
As for the other radios, I have had the Tecsun PL-680 or PL-660 on my to-buy list for some time, for the reasons you mention here. I am looking for something else for my SSB listening. Currently I mostly use the D-808 or the Kenwood R1000 for that.
I’ve not seen the SR-286 for sale in the U.K. I’d like to try one of those. Same here, the TEF might encourage some FMDX.
Yeah the chugging on SSB with a lot of portables is really irritating for me, I think I just got used to the smooth tuning on my Kenwood HF transceiver I use for Amateur Radio. The larger Tecsun radios are all quite nice, 680 and 660 both good on SSB, never owned the 880.
Good dx to you!
@@FrancoDX Thanks Franco, and good DX to you also! I bought my Qodosen from Ali Express, I think there are still very few sellers elsewhere.
Nice year end review....
You said you were able to receive a signal for radio Romania in South Africa.
Im interested in Romanian language and music so was interested in the station. Im from india btw, apart from indian qnd on my average radio we mostly get chinese, Arabic, Indonesian, thai Philippine and even Japanese and Russian sw station. Other languages signals are also caught by the radio, but im yet to figure out as ive just started into this sw hobby. My xhdata d 808 is on the way. Hope it will catch mich more including Romania.😊
Thank you for your comment and I hope you will enjoy the D-808! Radio Romania has some very strong MW transmitters. This means, when propagation conditions are good, you might be able to catch it in very faraway places. That's how I could catch it. But it was only once or twice, I haven't been able to catch it again. They do broadcast in Romanian on shortwave also, that would be an easier catch. You can search on short-wave.info for Radio Romania and choose the languages as Romanian.
I agree with your choice, the D808 is amazing, it beats my high cost Icom R-71 e hands down with any antenna.
Thanks George! Since I made this video I got to know some newer radios, so I think when I choose my favourite radio of 2024, it might be something else. But I still think the D-808 is a terrific radio!
@@swlistening I still swear by my old 1978 Sanyo RP8880 radio, takes about ten minutes to warm it up before using to prevent drift but it is a nice chunky big lump that is very easy to use.
@@george-ev1dq Hi George, sometimes old technology is just the best. I still use an old Sony ICF-J40 for MW listening sometimes, and my Kenwood R1000 is a trusty companion. Also very stable for SSB listening after warming up a bit.
I enjoying your videos from Cancun Mexico . Your XH D808 looks beat, if bought used might have been damaged , they are tough built but if you drop it then they could get damaged. Anyways, you have quite a collection there to replace it.
strong radios
Thank you Alex, nice to hear from Mexico! I think my D-808 just looks a bit beat to you because of the camera or lighting or something, it's actually still in very good shape. I bought it new, some years ago already, but it still works perfectly, except for the fine-tuning dial that doesn't work anymore.
I would chose XHDATA D-808 and Sony ICF SW77.
Thanks for your comment Ali. I wish I had a Sony ICF SW77. Legendary radio. I assume you have one? You are lucky!
Excellent review. I’m looking for an SW Radio with backlit buttons for DXing in the Dark at night. Any suggestions?
Thank you! There are actually none that I know of right now, I have been looking for one like this myself. I think the backlit buttons might cause interference and that is why nobody seems to provide that. But there might be some or other radio that I do not know of.
Hi - I have been searching for the same. Ones that I am aware of are the Degen ./ Kaito DE1103/KA1103 - originall a PLL analogue receiver, now it is sold as a DSP (the older one is rated as better), The Tecsun PL-398BT/MP - I have heard both of these have backlit buttons, and I have also heard the Eton Elite Executive and Field both have some of their keys backlit. I would say the Degen or Tecsuns are better for this purpose though. From memory there is another brand (maybe Raddy) which has one radio with backlit keys but I will need to check..
@@Protocallireland The New Eton Elite Executive HD will be released early 2024 at the CES Show. It will have a Color LCD. Maybe backlit buttons too.
Nice, will have to check that out. Tks
@@Protocallireland Thanks Garech, I didn't know about these back-lit options. I am actually looking at getting the Eton Elite Executive myself, nice to know some of the buttons are back-lit.
Great collection. I am surprised to see that there is no C Crane model.
Thank you Prakash! The only reason why I don't own any of the C. Crane radios is price. For some reason shipping and import duties for these radios on Amazon are extremely high to my location in South Africa. For example, the EP Pro is $99 on Amazon, shipping and duties are $64! As a comparison, the XHDATA D-808 is $103 on Amazon, shipping and duties are $39. It doesn't quite make sense. I would very much like to have a C. Crane radio, I will buy the EP Pro eventually!
@@swlistening Thank you for your reply. I understand your point about price, very valid. You will love C Crane build quality.
@@prakashexe I am sure I will!
Good morning SWL from chilly New York...thoroughly enjoyed your presentation and your opinions on your radios. I will agree with most what you said about your different radios since I also have 80% of what you have. One thing I will say that you have excellent oral communication skills. You can be a very popular professor in a University...lol.....keep up the good work and believe me you are doing a great service to radio community around the world. I know it is time consuming and a lot of work to make these videos but it’s a great service nonetheless.....One word of caution though. Realizing your passion for radios, never say that you have what you wanted for your needs. I said so in 1987 to buy a maximum of 10 radios when the radio bug bit me. Boy o Boy, I was so wrong. Today I have 230 radios of all kind and buying never really stopped. Although I have become very selective these days when I decide to buy yet another radio. This video of yours has prompted me to dig out my Grundig mini 100 radios which I bought 3 of them , I guess in 90’s when they first came out. I never realized they were so sensitive to SW as you said. You and me have a lot in common and we must connect via WhatsApp. Cheers. Nisar Ahmad.
Hi there Nisar, thank you so much for your nice comment. I think for you the season is changing to summer now, while here for me it is changing to winter. So it is also a bit chilly here :-)
Thank you for the comments about my oral skills!
You are right about the radio addiction, I find it very hard myself sometimes to stop buying radios. But I am much more selective now. Interesting that you have three of the Grundig Mini 100s, those are quite sought after now. My little Tecsun R-808, which is basically the same as the Grundig, is a terrific little radio. Very sensitive and with quite a long antenna. For a while it was actually one of only three SW radios I had, namely the Eton Elite Traveler, the R-808 and the Retekess V115. The Eton was my first purchase when I returned to SW listening a few years ago. Then came the R-808 and the V115.
I added your details to my WhatsApp, will get in touch. Maybe you should delete the number here now, I don't know if it is a good idea to put your number on UA-cam, you will get lots of spam calls :-)
@@swlistening Thank you. Yes I just edited my earlier comment and deleted the phone number since you already noted it down. I will save your number once you send a WhatsApp message. FYI- I was looking at eBay the other day and there were tons of Grundig mini 100’s still available there. So no worries about your Tecsun R 808. Have you ever looked into Grundig FR-200. It’s a small emergency radio with built in rechargeable battery and crank. It’s short wave coverage and reception is phenomenal. I have added a small solar panel of appropriate output voltage to it and that made it very versatile emergency radio by having 3 power sources. I really appreciate your radio passion. Keep it up. Hope to see you one day in SA as I do have plans to visit there within a year or two. 73 and God bless.
The tecsun Icr -110 is a toy with great sound that records for well over 300 hrs and as a great speaker often bought with there better radios as a recorder and speaker
I fully agree! It is a really great recorder, and the speaker is top class. I often use mine to record and as a speaker for some of my smaller radios. It is also a very good radio for MW (AM) DXing.
@ if you have not got one tecsun do a loop as well great for portable dx on the mw and long wave bands
@@0z33y I do have that loop antenna, the An-200. It works really well for me on medium wave. Helps to pull in very distant stations.
The kenwood r1000 is superb on ssb, something must be wrong with yours. Thanks for the interesting video! 73
Thanks for your comment! You know, some time after this video I read up about SSB on my Kenwood, in the end I realised that I was just tuning too fast. SSB on the Kenwood needs a very, very slow hand. And then it is great! So I agree with you, the SSB on the Kenwood R1000 is very good. I was just not tuning it correctly.
@@swlistening that is an easy fix for sure! 😉 thanks again, 73!
Nice overview André.
Thanks!
There are different versions of the Sony ICF-J40. The original from the 1980s is the best version. There's a version that uses a 30 pin SDIP chip instead of the original 28 pin DIP. This version is considerably less sensitive on medium wave and shortwave (inferior ceramic filter). There appears to be a third version that uses two chips instead of one. The third version appears to be much less capable on AM (tiny ferrite loop) antenna.
Thanks Henry, I never knew that there were three versions of this radio. Have you seen one of the original versions from the 1980s? I have only heard about the 1980s version, but I have never actually seen one, not even a picture. I think mine might be the second version, it has quite a big ferrite antenna for MW, I opened it up some time ago. Its MW reception is really excellent, but SW is average. Not bad, not excellent.
@@swlistening yours appears to be an original version. It's very sensitive on medium wave and shortwave. It has the "It's a Sony" sticker that I have seen on originals from the 1980s.
@@Henry-d9d Ah, that's good to hear! Maybe I was lucky when I bought it and got the original version. I bought it second-hand on Facebook Marketplace.
One can never have to many radios 😁
I think you are right, it becomes very addictive 🙂
The Tecsun R808 is a rebadged Grundig Mini World 100 PE..Obviously it must be a good one
Indeed! That is certainly the reason why it is so good.
Sir I love to watch your videosfrom India🇮🇳,plz review xhdata d-368 radio it's very sensitive on shortwave & it's sound much better than xhdata d-219,also more sensitive than d-219 or others cheap small portable radio.
Thank you very much Harpreet! Thank you for the suggestion about the D-368, I have also heard many good things about that radio. If you say it is more sensitive that the D-219 then it sounds like a real powerhouse, because I think the D-219 is already very sensitive. I will try to get a D-368 to do a review.
Just ordered the XHDATA D219
HI there Intisar, a very good choice! I hope you will be happy with the radio.
I have one, too- a steal for less than $9 😊
Have you had a chance to try and compare any of the tecsun models like the pl-310et or others? Perhaps they are difficult to get a hold of in South Africa?
Hi Bradley, thanks for your question. Actually I need to buy almost all my radios from e-commerce sites abroad, none of these radios are available in South African stores. I have not tried the PL-310 yet, nor any other Tecsun radios, apart from the ones that I show in this video. I am quite interested in the Tecsun R-9700DX, as well as the PL-680. Those two are on my wish list for next year.
@@swlisteningthanks so much for getting back to me, I have the PL-310et as well as the Eton Traveler, which is part of why I was interested in your thoughts on the Tecsun. I used to have the 9700dx, and although the speaker sounds great, I found the tuning to be too touchy and would drift. The antenna was otherwise very sensitive but susceptible to a lot of environmental interference that doesn't seem to come through on DSP radios. Perhaps I haven't looked hard enough but if you know of any analog radios that aren't too big but have large stable tuning mechanisms (knob or wheel), that would be my ideal. Seems most cram a bit too much movement in a tuning mechanism on medium and smaller designs. Anyway, cheers!
@@theGoodTheBradAndTheUgly Hi Bradley, actually there are very few full analogue radios on the market these days. The Tecsun R-9700DX is one of the few. Did you ever use your 9700 with a long wire? Just a thought, maybe a wire of about 10 metres, stretched out outside your house, as far away from the house and buildings, might not pick up too much RFI? One other possible option for you is the Tecsun PL-680. It is a PLL radio, does not use a DSP chip, and receives very good reviews. The earlier version, the PL-660, is also still available and a little bit less expensive.
@@swlisteningI did get a chance to use my long wire antenna with the 9700dx, it was very good and capable for shortwave. However it was just very sensitive to anything and everything on any band. Standing near it or walking away from it would effect signal, and touching the case or not touching the case would also effect signal. These things do make sense (but don't happen on my other radios as much), and you do get better reception holding it and tuning around, but it was difficult to find something and then set it down without the signal being effected, with or without the wire. It may also have been something related to quality control, I'm not sure.
@@theGoodTheBradAndTheUgly You know, I found something similar on my Tecsun R9012, it seems to be very sensitive to the touch. Maybe it is just the way that Tecsun designed these analogue circuits. A bit of a pity, I have had my eye on the R9700DX for some time already. My R-909 does not behave like this though. But perhaps I will just save up for the PL-680.
My R 1000 is up in the wardrobe doing a brick impersonation. I need to have it repaired
I think you do 😀 It is such a nice receiver!
Hi whenever I listen to your voice I feel your voice is like that of a four South African but somehow could not remember the name of the person but now it is voila !!! The Late Hansie Cronje ..you know Indians are crazy about Cricket.😂
Hi Niladri, thanks for your comment! I do know that Indians love cricket, like us! Thanks for the comparison to Hansie Cronjé, I think it is my accent that reminds you of him 😀
Hi thanks for your reply. No it is not just the accent ;I am pretty familiar with the South African accent -Zulu -Dutch - British English ; well it is a mix of all the three but it is sound the sound o your voice which is so much like Hansie's.
We just do not live Cricket ; it is our religion and we are mad about it. Bet the South Afrucans , well for that matter no one in the world not even the British Foitball hooligans can match our vocal chords in a Cricket stadium 😀
@@niladrimukherjee2098 Thank you. That's a real compliment, to sound like Hansie 😀
@@niladrimukherjee2098 Maybe we can beat you when we play a World Cup rugby match against the All Blacks 🤣
I owned an R1000 back in time and it does SSB perfectly (look up on YT if you want) Your unit may have a fault I'm afraid. The age of the radio may suspect some capacitors may not work anymore.
Thanks for this, I am afraid you are probably right, I think my radio might have a fault. I briefly mention in my video that I think there might be an issue with the SSB, so that is probably why it is not working on my unit. The radio was cleaned up and serviced before I bought it, but I guess the guy I bought it from did not fix the SSB issue. I will, however, as someone else has suggested here, try warming up the radio for a longer time next time, maybe that helps. I know the R1000 needs warming up for SSB use.
I don't own a XCR-30, I'll have to take a look around...
I think they are quite hard to find now, but if you do find one and it works, I think you will really enjoy it. It is quite a special radio and I am particularly proud of this one because it is South African, like me :-)
@@swlistening The XCR-30 was quite an achievement; it has an interesting history.
@@Henry-d9d That is true! It was a very advanced radio for its time.
I have one.......
@@robertvandervelde60 Hi Robert, thanks for your comment. Great radio!
No love for the Tecsun pl-330?
Oh no, I have nothing against the PL-330, it is actually one of a couple of radios I am still looking at getting. I have seen many reviews though that say the IC on the PL-368 and the PL-330 is basically the same. The biggest difference is, from what I can gather, a better speaker on the PL-330. I am interested in comparing these two though, so it is on my wish list.
@@swlistening I have both Tecsuns, they have the same features. The speaker of the PL-330 is better. I like the ETM scanning of the Tecsuns better over the XHData/Sihuadon D-808. The D-808 has a good sensitivity and the speaker is also good, so I use it often. The RDS on the FM band of the D-808 is nice. So it is hard for me to recommend one over the other.
@@hammockdweller Thank you for this! So it is true what I have read, that the speaker on the PL-330 is better. Like you, I think the ETM scanning on the Tecsuns is excellent. The D-808 is not very good when it comes to auto scanning. And I don't like the page memory system on the D-808 at all, the Tecsuns are much better for accessing and scrolling through saved frequencies in the memory. RDS on the D-808 is nice.
@@swlistening I had a D-808 and there is no doubt that is an excellent radio, but I also have a PL330. The memory storing system on the 808 was very clunky and basic, so the 808 was sold on eBay, In my opinion Tecsun has really perfected the searching, saving and scrolling of frequencies.
@@swlistening I remember this UA-camr who was a homeless guy in California had a Tecsun PL-330 radio and he used to do some number station catches with it with crystal clear reception. He used to catch S06, HM01 and V07 with it. He used to be a veteran in the military and he used to repair military radio equipment such as RTTY machines and such. He also did climbing videos and camping etc. He was also a Ham radio guy and he did this weird QSO with this Russian guy during the Ukraine conflict, this Russian guy called Roman appeared to be a very strange character and he appeared to get to very exotic places for an average guy. I did check this guys call sign and that Russian guy had a very dodgy track record online and over the airwaves. I eventually unsubscribed from the channel as some of his views I did not agree with, but I did understand because of his position why he was like that.
Best Radio for SW is Sony 2001d 73.
Hi there Gerald, thanks for your comment! I would love to get hold of one of these, it looks like a great radio. But I think they are hard to get now...
There is something about Sony's analog MW that sounds good in a way that I don't understand
Quality :-)
Degen DE1103 / Kaito KA1103 ?
Hey John, unfortunately I do not own this radio. If I did (the original full analogue version), I am sure it would have been very high on my list! I have heard that this is a really excellent radio.
D219 the best
Hey Gary, I agree, it is a terrific little radio. Just incredible how well it performs when one considers the very affordable price.
what about LW?
Unfortunately I haven't picked up anything on LW here in South Africa, except one NDB. So I cannot really say which radio is best for LW.
Ireland last LW broadcast stn was close down this year. I currently am able to pick up 198 bbc 4 (probably soon to be no more), a French station on 224 or so, and sometimes I can hear the Algerian stn on 252 which was previously blocked by rte locally. Also some ndbs from the locality. I believe a long wire can be used with a loop of wire as sw antenna without needing to connect to the radio but I have yet to try this trick.
@@Protocallireland I think the loop of wire will work well, it is probably the same principle as the passive loop antennas that one can buy for MW, like the Tecsun AN-200. I have one, and it works very well on MW. You simply place the antenna close to the radio. So the same principle will surely work for LW.
Very handy BBC 4 on LW
Sangean Wr7 is your next collection
Looks like a very nice radio! Do you use the Tivoli Model One? I have one, and it is great, best sound in a radio I have ever heard.
What MW station is in Afrikaans please?
Hi João, it is Radio Kansel, 657 kHz. They also have a transmitter in the Cape, Kaapse Kansel, 729 kHz. But the Afrikaans programmes are not on all the time, Radio Pulpit and Cape Pulpit use the same frequencies, so there is a mix of English and Afrikaans programming throughout the day. Their websites list the times. For Kaapse Kansel it is here capepulpit.co.za/show-schedule/ and for Radio Kansel it is here: www.radiokansel.co.za/radiokansel-programskedule/
@@swlistening Thanks so much for your reply! Greetings from Brazil!
@@joaoacast It's a pleasure, João, and greetings from South Africa!
New to shortwave, what is DX ing?
xhdata d 808 fine-tuning wheel breaks eventually. It happened to many other users, including me. In fact, I use the tuning wheels very gently and it still broke.
This is very interesting, thank you for your comment. I did not know that this was a problem on many of the D-808s. Clearly it is something that XHDATA needs to pay attention to.