Small Portable Radio's?

[StarHalo]

Where did you get that radio,are those tubes that are lit up on the side? Good looking radio.

I can't afford that radio, and yes, it's an all-tube power stage, plus the green tuning eye is also real; It's a VAL Shenzen model, see their lineup (R601s and R801) for sale here. Reviews say these are sonically on a different level from the Boses, Tivolis, Boston Acoustics, etc.

 

[fisk-king]

^Nice looking radio indeed.

StarH. do know of any radios of good quaility that can be used w/ an ipod?

Nick

 

[StarHalo]

StarH. do know of any radios of good quaility that can be used w/ an ipod?

If you mean good sound quality, the bang-for-the-buck winner would probably be the Boston Acoustics Duo-i Plus, which is essentially a stereo version of their awesome table radio with a dock on it. They're not known for powerful reception, so it's not a DXing machine (without an external antenna), but sound-wise, they're unbelievable, makes a Bose Wave radio sound pretty flat.

If you mean DXing machine that can also play an iPod, the Sangean PR-D5 would be the obvious choice, as it has a line-in input (not a dock), stereo speakers, and rivals the CCRadio and Superradio for AM performance.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

...If you mean DXing machine that can also play an iPod, the Sangean PR-D5 would be the obvious choice, as it has a line-in input (not a dock), stereo speakers, and rivals the CCRadio and Superradio for AM performance.

Thanks for the tip and link. That radio looks really sweet. I want one.

 

[StarHalo]

Thanks for the tip and link. That radio looks really sweet. I want one.

You can read a pro review of the PR-D5 here.

 

[Sub_Umbra]

You can read a pro review of the PR-D5 here.

Thank you so much. My wife and I live in a pretty radio heavy household but I think we'll have to pull the trigger on this one. Thanks again.

 

[DaveG]

I can't afford that radio, and yes, it's an all-tube power stage, plus the green tuning eye is also real; It's a VAL Shenzen model, see their lineup (R601s and R801) for sale here. Reviews say these are sonically on a different level from the Boses, Tivolis, Boston Acoustics, etc.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Lit Up]

Grundig has introduced a new 350 - it's so new that it's a 450; the S450DLX. Analog tuner with digital counter just like the 350s, uses 6 D cells, the backlight now lights both the display and buttons, and there are 50 memory slots (I have no idea how memories with an analog tuner would work, but that's what they're advertising..) Despite appearances, it's about 2" taller and wider than the 350. Available September 30th.

Edit: They've edited the description by removing the mention of an analog tuner with a digital counter; this would indicate that the 450 is all-digital.

I have the older S350DL. I'm sooo glad to see this platform being continued by Grundig and other companies. The addition of the line in is great too.

We live in a world of wondrous technological gadgets of all sorts, and you could strip me of all of them, but attempt to take a decent FM/AM/shortwave radio like above or similar from me, and there's gonna be problems real fast. It's just a great, take anywhere, background companion to have. Cable goes, internet goes, power goes, with batteries it's still there. Everyone should own one.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Cable goes, internet goes, power goes, with batteries it's still there. Everyone should own one.

I sure agree with you there. Radio is man's second best friend.

I'm still a little bummed for missing out on that G5 clearance.

Geoff

 

[StarHalo]

The addition of the line in is great too.

The 450 would be my choice for iPod if you don't need stereo; if all you listen to are podcasts or you don't necessarily have time to sit and enjoy stereo spaciousness, the Grundig's big speaker-and-box is ideal. Also if you don't mind waiting until November to own one..

It's just a great, take anywhere, background companion to have. Cable goes, internet goes, power goes, with batteries it's still there. Everyone should own one.

I get this from the wife anytime the cable/internet/power goes. She immediately goes into neurotic mode trying to figure out elaborate methods to rig up a computer connection to get back on Facebook, meanwhile with my radio, I'm listening in on Denver Colorado, Salt Lake City Utah, Las Vegas Nevada..

 

[M@elstrom]

about two months ago I bought a Grundig S350DL and I'm back in the game. I have it on my nightstand. Our bedroom is on the top floor of our house and I have ran a ground wire out the window and into the ground and I have been playing around with a copper wire antenna with great results. For now I have about 20' strung across the room but its causing some friction between me and the Fiance'

I can certainly sympathise with that though I have only recently resurrected an old Ratshack DX100 I've already purchased a nice big comfy headset to promote "harmonious relations"


That S450DLX sure looks nice, it's getting harder to locate quality radio hobbyist gear down here in Oz thanks to Tandy (Radio Shack) being "annexed" by a rival that then turned into a generic "yuppie" electronics retailer

 

[ypsifly]

I found another G5 at a Shack about 20 minutes away. It was a return with a replacement antenna on it but it works fine and they are sending me another antenna free of charge. I used it to listen to the truckers on I-94 this morning.

The price on all remaining G5s at Radio Shack is now $35.

 

[LowBat]

Anyone have the Eton Scorpion? Looks sort of interesting.

 

[StarHalo]

Anyone have the Eton Scorpion? Looks sort of interesting.

I would only get a no-battery radio as a novelty; having a crank and/or solar panel is fine as long as you have the option to use batteries, but once you remove that option, there are all kinds of nasty scenarios you could get into that could potentially leave you without a radio at the worst time. (To be fair, the Scorpion does have a DC in jack, but do you want to rig a battery pack just to have a radio?) Aside from that, a digital tuner has a greater power draw than an analog one, so this particular design is using a pair of last-resort power supply methods to power a less-efficient method of receiving radio, not a good idea for an emergency..

 

[LowBat]

Good points StarHalo. I'd also prefer the ability to change batteries as opposed to having to crank it or wait all day for the sun to charge it. I guess at the very least you have a bottle opener with a carabiner attachment.

 

[silver_bacon]

I would only get a no-battery radio as a novelty; having a crank and/or solar panel is fine as long as you have the option to use batteries, but once you remove that option, there are all kinds of nasty scenarios you could get into that could potentially leave you without a radio at the worst time. (To be fair, the Scorpion does have a DC in jack, but do you want to rig a battery pack just to have a radio?) Aside from that, a digital tuner has a greater power draw than an analog one, so this particular design is using a pair of last-resort power supply methods to power a less-efficient method of receiving radio, not a good idea for an emergency..

No love for a crystal radio? They would be the ultimate emergency radio assuming you have a good crystal radio with strong stations nearby. I found some old plans for a crystal radio that claimed, when it came to reception, that it could rival tube radios of the era. I will have to see if I can find the plans....

Of course a battery radio would take priority over a crystal radio, but in an extended severe emergency, a crystal radio could come in handy.

 

[Ray_of_Light]

I will have to see if I can find the plans....
QUOTE]

The radio you are describing was built with a 10 mt wire antenna, grounded parallel resonant circuit, an OA200 germanium diode, a 10n ceramic cap, an audio transformer to adapt to headphone low impedance (or use piezo headphone).
What made this different from other radio was the fact it was using a battery and a potentiometer to forward bias the OA200 (approx. 200 mV) to maximise the sensitivity to distant stations.

I found this modification to be of little help. An antenna tuner has an order of magnitude more effectiveness.

Regards

Anthony

 

[silver_bacon]

I will have to see if I can find the plans....
QUOTE]

The radio you are describing was built with a 10 mt wire antenna, grounded parallel resonant circuit, an OA200 germanium diode, a 10n ceramic cap, an audio transformer to adapt to headphone low impedance (or use piezo headphone).
What made this different from other radio was the fact it was using a battery and a potentiometer to forward bias the OA200 (approx. 200 mV) to maximise the sensitivity to distant stations.

I found this modification to be of little help. An antenna tuner has an order of magnitude more effectiveness.

Regards

Anthony

That may have been a design that claimed to rival a tube radio, but the one I am thinking of did not use a battery. I have no idea if it was truly better than a typical crystal radio, but I do remember it being more complex and batteryless.

Something else I need to look into is how to build an FM crystal radio. I have heard it is not very difficult, but I have never really looked into in depth.

 

[Notsure Fire]

They may seem useless until you're in that situation where you wish you had some connection to the outside world...and maybe a flashlight in it too.

 

[StarHalo]

No love for a crystal radio?

A crystal set could be a useful compliment to a modern radio, but in an era when the average Radio Shack employee doesn't know what a crystal radio is, you're going to need some serious technical know-how to assemble the entire thing yourself. And with no way to rig a speaker, only one person at a time would get to hear the news/entertainment, not nearly as useful as an off-the-shelf radio where you just push a button and the room is filled with sound.

Bear in mind that all these alternate ways to power a radio aren't entirely relevant to flashaholics - most CPF folk have stockpiled enough batteries to provide light for months, and most radios have a lot less power draw than most flashlights. All the cranks and solar panels and the like are more useful for your Average Joe who puts batteries in a device, then puts it in a drawer somewhere for years and considers the problem covered.