Small Portable Radio's?

[StarHalo]

I'm venturing into radios to have some at home entertainment.

So now you have to weigh what you find entertaining; speaking from my own experience:

- The air band is basically just pilots and your local tower coordinating flight paths and takeoffs/landings, so unless you're somehow invested in the air industry, it's not really sit-and-listen material.

- Scanner frequencies can get interesting when sirens go off [if you know your county's ten codes] but if nothing's going on, then there's not much to hear.

- Shortwave brings you content from all over the world, but requires some patience to work out schedules and managing an antenna. Any wire length you can get over the length of your whip helps, but if you're in an apartment you may need to just move the setup outdoors. Everything you'll run across is specifically meant for casual listening though, that includes searching up and down the dial for new and sometimes mysterious broadcasts.

- AM and FM are still the kings of content; a single weekend afternoon on your local NPR station is far more entertaining than most anything currently shown on television, and the option of browsing what's on in other states at night on the AM band gives you endless choices.

This is not to dissuade you from getting the Skywave if you have your heart set on it (that's pretty much what this site is for, finding the new toy you don't really need but are crazy about..) but be aware that if you're into radio for casual listening, it doesn't take a very complex/expensive model.

 

[Branbolio]

So now you have to weigh what you find entertaining; speaking from my own experience:

- The air band is basically just pilots and your local tower coordinating flight paths and takeoffs/landings, so unless you're somehow invested in the air industry, it's not really sit-and-listen material.

- Scanner frequencies can get interesting when sirens go off [if you know your county's ten codes] but if nothing's going on, then there's not much to hear.

- Shortwave brings you content from all over the world, but requires some patience to work out schedules and managing an antenna. Any wire length you can get over the length of your whip helps, but if you're in an apartment you may need to just move the setup outdoors. Everything you'll run across is specifically meant for casual listening though, that includes searching up and down the dial for new and sometimes mysterious broadcasts.

- AM and FM are still the kings of content; a single weekend afternoon on your local NPR station is far more entertaining than most anything currently shown on television, and the option of browsing what's on in other states at night on the AM band gives you endless choices.

This is not to dissuade you from getting the Skywave if you have your heart set on it (that's pretty much what this site is for, finding the new toy you don't really need but are crazy about..) but be aware that if you're into radio for casual listening, it doesn't take a very complex/expensive model.

Well these are all of my interest with the air-band prob being least of interest (so far, since I've never owner or listened to one). I guess since i see planes flying right over the nearby ocean and many, many helicopters as well as coast guard, the air-band caught my attention thinking it may have more regular activity for when the other bands aren't as active with stuff. I use to house sit for this 90 yr old lady and she had an old scanner she showed me how to use in my teens i use to love listening to all the action around town with the cops and fires, now that I'm older this has my interest even more now with the disasters and things going on... So slso there is a strong emergency aspect related to my needs for a purchase, I have been through a couple Tsunami and hurricane scares in the last few years and have lived where lava still flows, been through a few earthquakes as well, so I've become more interested in keeping up as much as i can with disaster updates... which leads to my interest in news around the world since i have friends and family around the globe.

I am also a music buff , musician and audio guy so i love listening to radio music like classical, world-ethnic, jazz, blues and college music stations, not into much top hundred hit radio stuff besides a little classic rock/oldies.... so that leads me to searching for theses genre types of stations more around the world. And i just love coast to coast am and would love to be able to catch that nice and clear (use to only catch it on tune-in or youtube, now i can't at all!), my little kaito doesn't pull any am-band with it short antenna and iPhone tune-in is now out of the question with the very limited data i have. Just have a little tecsun for my local fm needs that tunes in great in my apartment unlike the kaito.

-So is the skywave actually capable of all theses band types you've listed?

-Any other unit/model recommendations you could give based on my needs or at least something close to them?

Im def not set on that radio, but it has peaked my interest if it will do most of the thing I'm looking for. I know CCrane is a well know and quality (important to me) company (been reading about them for years), so that and the unit size has me excited. I am just an amateur trying to slide in here but just felt too disconnected using the iPhone/internet for radio stuff and would end up on youtube or something, now that my data even is less its a great excuse for me to tap into my true radio roots (and get to step away from the internet for a bit)

 

[StarHalo]

Where are you located that you're not getting any AM radio? Not even on a car radio? That'd be pretty impressive if it were true, the only place I've ever been that had that problem was the southern end of the big island of Hawaii..

 

[Branbolio]

I don't own a car so not sure on that, but my pocket Kaito ka200 w am/fm won't tune anything AM in insider but do get some on my balcony only seems at night. That small Kaito is a bit junky to me, however my Tecsun pl118 get amazingly clear reception but only does FM. I def want something with better sound and more features in a portable package. lemme know

 

[StarHalo]

Ah, okay, you're definitely ready for something more serious. A good place to start would be the Radio Shack DX-402, which some people are getting for ~$40 lately; if you can find it for $50-ish, go for it. If not, $50-ish will net you the Tecsun PL-380. Both will give you proper solid reception of AM/FM/Shortwave (both can hear HAMs, though the Radio Shack model has SSB so it can hear more of them, and its band coverage goes high enough to hear CB also.) And don't forget the pocket reel antenna to give yourself the best shot at listening in on shortwave.

 

[Branbolio]

Ah, okay, you're definitely ready for something more serious. A good place to start would be the Radio Shack DX-402, which some people are getting for ~$40 lately; if you can find it for $50-ish, go for it. If not, $50-ish will net you the Tecsun PL-380. Both will give you proper solid reception of AM/FM/Shortwave (both can hear HAMs, though the Radio Shack model has SSB so it can hear more of them, and its band coverage goes high enough to hear CB also.) And don't forget the pocket reel antenna to give yourself the best shot at listening in on shortwave.

Thanks man just grabbed the Radioshack one for just under $40 (at least i think its the same as the DX-402 you mentioned, i hope)
Heres the listing/link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K58WL18/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Also got a Sangean pocket reel coming, thanks again.

 

[StarHalo]

Congrats on your powerful new tool; you'll get many hours of listening and hunting all over the US and the world with that combo :thumbsup:

 

[Branbolio]

Should my Eneloop batteries work good for the Radioshack radio (been curious about this on older radios as well)?

Also, I know here on candlepower-forums that batteries are a big deal for flashlight guys and theres a lot of knowledge within this forum...

So is there battery knowledge to be had for portable radio guys?

 

[StarHalo]

Eneloops are fine, but be aware that the battery meter will probably be incorrect when using them; it will most likely show the batteries as being 100% until literally a few minutes before they're completely empty, as the meter is calibrated for the voltage sag of alkalines, which Eneloops/NiMHs don't have. But it's worth foregoing the meter for the money you'll save and avoiding the risk of leaking.

 

[mega_lumens]

I bought a CountyComm GP-5DSP and I'm a bit disappointed by it. I find it too technical to use compared to all other radios I ever handled. In an emergency, I don't think anyone in my family would figure out how to use it. But my biggest gripe about it is that it lacks NOAA weather channels and when the radio is off, it still displays time which for an emergency radio drains unnecessary juice. Now I want to stick to traditional emergency radio brands like CCrane but I want it to have a good solar-crank handle for when all batteries run out.

 

[StarHalo]

I want to stick to traditional emergency radio brands like CCrane but I want it to have a good solar-crank handle for when all batteries run out.

The CCrane Solar Observer is still my A-number-1 recommendation for an emergency radio, and is indeed analog with a crank AND a solar panel AND a DC jack AND an internal battery.

Your post actually hits on pretty much all the finer points regarding a good emergency radio; digital just uses more battery so stick to analog, it needs to be a unit anyone can use in case you're not there to operate it, it needs to have multiple methods of accepting power so if one or more isn't available you just move to the next, etc.

 

[timbo114]

Blinq has restocked their supply of Grundig G5 and S450DLX.
I ordered another 450 to see if this one will function 100%.

Use coupon code "SURVEY10" to save 10% on your next BLINQ.com purchase (up to $25). Expires October 31, 2014​

 

[StarHalo]

I ordered another 450 to see if this one will function 100%.

Rather than crossing your fingers for "a good one" via mail-order, you might be better served by finding a physical store that will let you take the radio out of the box and test it before buying; Radio Shack will usually let you do this.

 

[Branbolio]

Ah, okay, you're definitely ready for something more serious. A good place to start would be the Radio Shack DX-402, which some people are getting for ~$40 lately; if you can find it for $50-ish, go for it. If not, $50-ish will net you the Tecsun PL-380. Both will give you proper solid reception of AM/FM/Shortwave (both can hear HAMs, though the Radio Shack model has SSB so it can hear more of them, and its band coverage goes high enough to hear CB also.) And don't forget the pocket reel antenna to give yourself the best shot at listening in on shortwave.

Got the Radioshack dx-402, its a nice radio with good features and great sound... However I didn't realize how big it was. I was hoping to keep on a tiny shelf by the bed but its too big for my place (I live in a tiny studio w another person) and way too big to carry outside to the park... I know it's really not that big but still I realize I need something tiny. I'm back to looking at the C Crane skywave or pocket or maybe the tecsun pl380 (but reviews say how fragile it is and I like durable stuff).

I hate to return the radioshack... even though it's a very very nice radio for the price, but I just don't have the space to start collecting radios.

Any suggestions on a smaller more portable radio? It needs to fit on a tiny shelf and would be nice to fit in a pocket or fanny pack to take to the park. Prob not more than 2 aa

 

[StarHalo]

Any suggestions on a smaller more portable radio? It needs to fit on a tiny shelf and would be nice to fit in a pocket or fanny pack to take to the park. Prob not more than 2 aa

The good news is that the notably smaller Grundig G6 has the exact same feature set as the DX-402, and even includes the air band; the bad news is that it was discontinued some time ago, so you'd have to find a used copy. Easier to find, but with fewer features, the Tecsun PL-210 is also quite small, though for some reason Tecsun charges more for this smaller model.

If you require true pocketability, you might consider foregoing shortwave in favor of entering the world of "Ultralight DX," the most-reception-for-size realm. The CCrane CCPocket is about the size you'd expect for a solid pocket radio, with excellent FM/AM performance meant to take on much larger and more expensive models.

 

[Lebkuecher]

Got the Radioshack dx-402, its a nice radio with good features and great sound... However I didn't realize how big it was. I was hoping to keep on a tiny shelf by the bed but its too big for my place (I live in a tiny studio w another person) and way too big to carry outside to the park... I know it's really not that big but still I realize I need something tiny. I'm back to looking at the C Crane skywave or pocket or maybe the tecsun pl380 (but reviews say how fragile it is and I like durable stuff).

I hate to return the radioshack... even though it's a very very nice radio for the price, but I just don't have the space to start collecting radios.

Any suggestions on a smaller more portable radio? It needs to fit on a tiny shelf and would be nice to fit in a pocket or fanny pack to take to the park. Prob not more than 2 aa

One of the best all-purpose truly portable radios which includes shortwave is the Tecsun PL-880. What makes the radio exceptional among other things is the passive radiator speaker which gives the radio sound quality equivalent to a field style radio with a four inch speaker but in a much smaller package. The radio is fun to use and has a very nice feel of quality. The radio has two tuning knobs, the smaller knob is for fine tuning which is unusual for a portable and both knobs are silky smooth when tuning. The radio is packed with features some obvious and some hidden meaning not all of the features are documented in the manual but are listed on the web. If I could only have one portable radio then this would be the one I would choose. The only negative is the sync, it is poor and actually hurt the audio quality more then it helps. The PL-880 is Tecsun's flagship shortwave portable so it is pricy compared to other options but if sound quality on AM/FM is important then you will not find a better sounding shortwave radio. You can find the PL-880 on eBay for $149.00 shipped from Anon.co. The radio is smaller than the RadioShack DX-402 by about two inches but still may be too big for your needs. There are several reviews on the web of the PL-880 including one from Jay Allen and another one from Thomas Witherspoon from SWLing.com and both speak of the radio very highly.

Probable one of the best deal going is the Grundig G5 on blinq.com for $45.59 shipped. The G5 is actually more sensitive than the PL-880 but doesn't have the same deep rich sound quality a passive radiator can deliver. The G5 doesn't have as many tools to work with as compared to the PL-880 but the radio performs remarkably well and also has a very nice feel of quality. The G5 is smaller than the PL-880, I was surprised at just how small the radio is when I received mine but it is not a pocket radio. The G5 is more rugged then the PL-880 and is perfect for the traveler who needs a radio which can survive the bumps and bangs a radio will take when thrown in a backpack or suitcase. The Grundig G3 is the successor of the G5 and at a distance looks just like the G5 and is the same size but the keys were changed to accommodate additional features such as sync which unlike on the PL-880 adds significantly to the quality of the broadcast if you are listening to a weak station. I personally prefer the sound quality of the G5 over the G3 in that at least with my radios the G5 has a slightly better base sound. When sync is engaged on the G3 the sound deepens a bit in tone and both radios sound about the same. The G3 can be a risky purchase in that Eton had quality issues when the radio was first released, if you buy one off eBay then buy one from someone who has actually used the radio and will personally verify the radio works properly. The biggest issue common with earlier produced models with the G3 is the sync, when engaged the radio will produce a loud whistle sound and wouldn't hold the station. If you can find a properly working G3 at a reasonable price then you should be happy with the radio and you will have some added capabilities over the G5 such as RDS and air band. While all of the radios are small none would fit in your pocket and wouldn't be an option if you truly need a pocket radio. The G5/G3 are both about the same size as the Tecsun PL-380 with the PL-380 being slightly smaller.

I'm still very impressed with the Tecsun A6 mainly because the radio has a passive radiator speaker. The radio blows away anything I've have ever owned in the pocket radio size class but the lack of SW and AM may turn you off.


Tecsun PL-880 left - Grundig G5 right

 

[Branbolio]

One of the best all-purpose truly portable radios which includes shortwave is the Tecsun PL-880. What makes the radio exceptional among other things is the passive radiator speaker which gives the radio sound quality equivalent to a field style radio with a four inch speaker but in a much smaller package. The radio is fun to use and has a very nice feel of quality. The radio has two tuning knobs, the smaller knob is for fine tuning which is unusual for a portable and both knobs are silky smooth when tuning. The radio is packed with features some obvious and some hidden meaning not all of the features are documented in the manual but are listed on the web. If I could only have one portable radio then this would be the one I would choose. The only negative is the sync, it is poor and actually hurt the audio quality more then it helps. The PL-880 is Tecsun's flagship shortwave portable so it is pricy compared to other options but if sound quality on AM/FM is important then you will not find a better sounding shortwave radio. You can find the PL-880 on eBay for $149.00 shipped from Anon.co. The radio is smaller than the RadioShack DX-402 by about two inches but still may be too big for your needs. There are several reviews on the web of the PL-880 including one from Jay Allen and another one from Thomas Witherspoon from SWLing.com and both speak of the radio very highly.

Probable one of the best deal going is the Grundig G5 on blinq.com for $45.59 shipped. The G5 is actually more sensitive than the PL-880 but doesn't have the same deep rich sound quality a passive radiator can deliver. The G5 doesn't have as many tools to work with as compared to the PL-880 but the radio performs remarkably well and also has a very nice feel of quality. The G5 is smaller than the PL-880, I was surprised at just how small the radio is when I received mine but it is not a pocket radio. The G5 is more rugged then the PL-880 and is perfect for the traveler who needs a radio which can survive the bumps and bangs a radio will take when thrown in a backpack or suitcase. The Grundig G3 is the successor of the G5 and at a distance looks just like the G5 and is the same size but the keys were changed to accommodate additional features such as sync which unlike on the PL-880 adds significantly to the quality of the broadcast if you are listening to a weak station. I personally prefer the sound quality of the G5 over the G3 in that at least with my radios the G5 has a slightly better base sound. When sync is engaged on the G3 the sound deepens a bit in tone and both radios sound about the same. The G3 can be a risky purchase in that Eton had quality issues when the radio was first released, if you buy one off eBay then buy one from someone who has actually used the radio and will personally verify the radio works properly. The biggest issue common with earlier produced models with the G3 is the sync, when engaged the radio will produce a loud whistle sound and wouldn't hold the station. If you can find a properly working G3 at a reasonable price then you should be happy with the radio and you will have some added capabilities over the G5 such as RDS and air band. While all of the radios are small none would fit in your pocket and wouldn't be an option if you truly need a pocket radio. The G5/G3 are both about the same size as the Tecsun PL-380 with the PL-380 being slightly smaller.

I'm still very impressed with the Tecsun A6 mainly because the radio has a passive radiator speaker. The radio blows away anything I've have ever owned in the pocket radio size class but the lack of SW and AM may turn you off.


Tecsun PL-880 left - Grundig G5 right

Thanks for the suggestions, however i think those 2 still may be a bit bigger than id like. The pl-380 is even pushing it...
right now I'm down to:

-pl-380
-g6
-cc skywave
-cc sw pocket
-cc pocket

hmm, what to do... any others out there in this small form factor? what would you guys pick?

sound quality is not that big a deal since i can plug into a few small diff speakers i have to expand listening quality.

 

[StarHalo]

hmm, what to do...

The Tecsun PL-210 is almost exactly the same radio as the PL-380, just a much smaller form factor. With that in mind, I'd prioritize your list as follows:

- Grundig G6
- CC Skywave
- Tecsun PL-210
- CC SW Pocket
- CC Pocket

 

[Branbolio]

Thanks starhalo, keeping an eye out for a g6.
-Any reason why you'd choose it over the upcoming cc skywave? Also how is Grundigs build quality vs CC?
(From comparing pics of both the g6 round buttons seems pretty appealing and that front tuning knob looks nice, but the fact the skywave has WX as well makes me lean a bit towards it)


In other news-

***Special important note on the awesome tiny Tecsun PL-118:
A reviewer earlier in this thread mentioned that the Tecsun pl-118 screen scratches very easily, we'll I noticed mine did too until today (it was looking pretty bad from my nail digging in) I realized it actually has a second layer of protective plastic on it! Yep it has another 2nd thinner layer of screen protection! Pull it off, and boy does it have a beautiful clear display the definitely does NOT scratch!!!! So don't be scared to peel that cr@p off and reveal its beauty.
Anyone that likes small aaa radios should pick up one of these on eBay for around $17 shipped. it has such a clear sounding fm and great simple user interface with the etm memory. The small speaker is very decent and cuts through nicely while in the shower, it gets LOUD. Played though the headphone out into my stereo speakers, the Fm music sounds clear as a cd with an incredible frequency range!!!

 

[StarHalo]

Any reason why you'd choose it over the upcoming cc skywave? Also how is Grundigs build quality vs CC?

The G6 is a tried and true unit, and has proven itself to be a legendary radio, whereas the Skywave is a totally new and untested model, so there are no reviews or comparisons, no reliability data. Also, the G6 has SSB, which means it will receive significantly more SW/AM stations than the CC, and can hear more HAMs.

There's also the issue of price; a decent deal on the G6 will be cheap enough versus the Skywave that you could also buy a second basic weather radio. But I would only bother with the WX band if you both (a) live in a place prone to weather emergencies, and (b) don't have a local news station on AM/FM, which will usually provide a lot more info than the weather band will.