Small Portable Radio's?

[StarHalo]

One of my favorite features of my nightstand/alarm clock Sony ICF-SW7600GR, and I only use it twice a year - the DST button: Press once to advance the clock ahead one hour for Daylight Saving Time, press again to set the clock back an hour for standard time, no clock setting procedure needed to fall back or spring ahead.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I have to push the clock setting to go forward or backward, with my CCrane Plus, not a real problem, cause it sort of matches changing settings for my alarm mode, which of course it KGO, San Francisco. LOL.

Bill

 

[Lit Up]

Still no contact from C Crane regarding the Skywave. Guess the Halloween estimated reserve orders got pushed to Dec 5th also. If they push again beyond that date I'm just going to cancel.

 

[Lebkuecher]

Talked to Eton last Friday and during the course of the conversation I asked when the new Satellit would start to ship, the guy said by the end of November. Every time I ask Eton for a ship date the date pushes so who really knows. I personally will be hard pressed to spend $182.63 Amazon is currently asking if the radio is just a repackage G3 but it will be interesting to see how Eton's new flagship shortwave compares to the competition.

 

[eurypylus]

One of my favorite features of my nightstand/alarm clock Sony ICF-SW7600GR, and I only use it twice a year - the DST button: Press once to advance the clock ahead one hour for Daylight Saving Time, press again to set the clock back an hour for standard time, no clock setting procedure needed to fall back or spring ahead.

Sony ICF-SW7600GR... is this the only one left not made in china?
I own one and its a great shortwave receiver, but I prefer to have something with more knob control.

Cheers,

Eury

 

[StarHalo]

Sony ICF-SW7600GR... is this the only one left not made in china?
I own one and its a great shortwave receiver, but I prefer to have something with more knob control.

Chinese-made receivers have come a long way, as evidenced by Tecsun's recent offerings particularly. Check out the oft-mentioned $40 Radio Shack DX-402, muteless knob tuning and SSB.

 

[Lebkuecher]

Tom Stiles has posted one of the first reviews of the new Eton Traveler III.

Nice review but I can't understand Eton's logic behind placing the antenna in such a way that the antenna will not stand straight up when the radio is laid back on it's built in stand

http://youtu.be/M6y38ZjXlfk

 

[Branbolio]

I noticed some of the new small radios have MP3 recording function of the radio broadcasts. Anyone try these types yet and can recommend any that work well?

 

[StarHalo]

I noticed some of the new small radios have MP3 recording function of the radio broadcasts. Anyone try these types yet and can recommend any that work well?

They're pretty crude; imagine a radio with MP3 recording circa 1995, that's pretty much how they all are today. You'd be much better served getting a decent digital voice recorder and hooking it up via the headphone jack, this way you control how good the receiver is, and all the parameters of recording.

The other much simpler option is the TuneIn app, which also records - the upshot here is perfect reception and all-in-one listening/recording/storing.

 

[Lit Up]

I went ahead and cancelled my reserve of the Skywave for the time being. They said it would be December 5th before they'll receive any shipments. I'll check in next year on it after some reviews come in. I picked up a Sony SRF-59 in the meantime. Like the 1xAA operation aspect of it. Less batteries to find in a pinch and from reviews it gets good runtime.

 

[StarHalo]

I picked up a Sony SRF-59 in the meantime. Like the 1xAA operation aspect of it. Less batteries to find in a pinch and from reviews it gets good runtime.

Great reception on the AM side too; I had the SRF-39, one of the forerunners of your model, back when they were new. Could listen in on Los Angeles news at night from my house in Kansas City, not bad at all for a dinky ~$15 store shelf radio.

 

[Lebkuecher]

Dose this Radio look familiar?

The Sangean DPR-45 with DAB+ looks very similar to the C. Crane CC Radio 2E but has the Sangean name and the 2-Meter Ham band function has been replaced with DAB+ capabilities. I've never had the opportunity to compare DAB to FM and I am curious if anyone on the forum who lives in a DAB broadcasting area can express an opinion on the difference in quality.

 

[StarHalo]

I've never had the opportunity to compare DAB to FM and I am curious if anyone on the forum who lives in a DAB broadcasting area can express an opinion on the difference in quality.

DAB is a European digital radio standard, it wouldn't work in the US where we use IBOC/"HD Radio". Digital radio in general is very local-only, you have to be in the immediate metro area it's being broadcast from, and like digital TV or digital component cables, it's all-or-nothing; you either get all or none of the signal - no reception issues when it works, dead silence when it doesn't.

Most digital radio stations stream through TuneIn for free, as opposed to having to buy a dedicated receiver.

 

[StarHalo]

Another contender for you small-n'-cheap fans; the Radio Shack 2000669 - AM/FM/SW, 57 station presets, clock, 2xAAA power, $28. Getting some above average [for category] reviews.

 

[jabe1]

I'm in the market for a small, inexpensive battery powered weather radio. Most of you are much more informed than myself about these, so what's good?

 

[Lebkuecher]

I'm in the market for a small, inexpensive battery powered weather radio. Most of you are much more informed than myself about these, so what's good?

Are you interested in weather only or would you like FM and AM? Also do you want the weather radio to alert you if a warning is issued and if so do you want to be able to disable none critical alerts such as child abductions or watches? Weather radios with S.A.M.E capabilities allows you to customize alerts so you are not woken up on the middle of the night over a none critical alert. Are there any other features you would like that you haven't mentioned?

 

[jabe1]

AM/FM would be good. I don't think we would need the alert thing, unless cell towers are all down also.this radio would be there to grab when an emergency is pending, or active. Not as a warning device.

 

[StarHalo]

this radio would be there to grab when an emergency is pending, or active.

The CCrane Solar Observer is still my A-number-1 choice for an emergency unit; lots of power options, super-simple operation so any family member can use it, and even includes a small flashlight, $40.

 

[Lebkuecher]

Depending on the budget you might also look at the Eton FRX4 and the Eton FRX5. I personally like Eton products even though Eton has QC issues from time to time. Both radios have Alerts but you can disable them. The Eton FRX5 has S.A.M.E.

Eton FRX4


Eton FRX5

Blinq.com is currently selling the Eton FRX4 for $39.99 including free shipping. The radios are used but have a 90 day warranty and no hassle returns if you do not like what you receive including free return shipping. Some people on the CPF have bought from Blinq.com including myself and to the best of my knowledge everyone was happy even though some returned some product.

Eton FRX4 used

Eton FRX4 and Eton FRX5

 

[5S8Zh5]

Sangean DT-400W *
CC Pocket radio *
Sony SRF-T615
Sangean DT-200X

I use three of these daily. Two have weather bands (*).