A few months ago I bought what appeared to be a very nice well preserved Sony ICF-2010 from a seller on eBay. In the world of small potable shortwave receivers the ICF-2010 was king for many years and may be the most legendary consumer class receiver of all time. After years of reading countless reviews and forum posts I just had to see for myself if the legend of the ICF-2010 really lived up to the hype. Part of my interest in the ICF-2010 stems from curiosity, I bought the Sony ICF SW-77 sometime around 1995 which is the successor to the ICF-2010 and over the years I have read many contradictory reviews and comments comparing the two. Both receivers were Sony flagships for their time but the SW-77 while being a great receiver never really achieved the same legendary status of the ICF-2010. One of the reason is the ICF-2010 is PLL synthesized (digital tuned) and at the time of introduction there were only a few other consumer class portable receivers on the market that were PLL synthesized making the ICF-2010 relatively unique. The ICF-2010 is a high performance full featured portable and completely out classed all of the other consumer class PLL synthesized receivers offering a degree of refinement the competition could not or would not match. In the nineteen eighties fierce competition among electronic manufactures across the world but mainly in Japan brought an explosion of new devices and rapid development of existing products already on the market. Products such as the personal computers, the Sony Walkman, CD players, VCRs, cell phones, video game consoles and camcorders all were introduced during the decade of the eighties or in their infancy. Small radios benefited from this accelerated atmosphere, in 1980 Sony introduced the first portable consumer class PLL synthesized receiver in history the Sony ICF-2001 making the early eighties the dawn of the transition from analog to digital for consumer class portables. PLL synthesized receivers were already available in professional class receivers but due to cost were out of the reach for most people. PLL synthesized receivers are microprocessor controlled and offer a whole new set of features analog receivers are not capable of providing. Direct keypad frequency entry, station memory, automatic scanning, exact digital frequency display and easy clock functions are common digital features. With the exception of digital frequency displays all other features are not possible with analog receivers. Analog receivers in the early eighties were well refined and could easily outperform the first generation of digital receivers but as digital receivers matured so did performance ultimately leaving the buyer a choice based on features which analog receivers were at a disadvantage.
Sony ICF-2001 (1980)
Photos courtesy of Universal Radio Inc.
You almost have to go back in time and take a look at the other portable digital receivers in the early eighties to understand why the ICF-2010 was so successful. In 1980 Sony introduced the first consumer class PLL synthesized receiver in history, the Sony
ICF-2001. For those wanting a digital receiver with all of the additional features but not willing to pay the relatively steep price for a professional class receiver the ICF-2001 was a major breakthrough. The ICF-2001 was well received and was a huge success for Sony. The receiver was well built and had all of the digital features we have come to expect from an all-digital receiver today but the ICF-2010 was not perfect. The internal design of the ICF-2001 was relatively new and unrefined resulting in the receiver having an incredibly short battery life, the ICF-2001 could eat three D cell batteries in just 8 to 10 hours giving the receiver the nick name the battery eater. The battery draw was so high some reviewers reported the batteries actually warmed when using the receiver for just a short time. By today's standards the receiver was large measuring 12.8x6.8x2.2 and weighing in at four Lbs. The receiver offered continues AM coverage 150 - 29999 kHz accessed by either scanning, accessing six stored memories or direct key entry but unfortunately the receiver did not offer a traditional tuning knob. The receiver features a row of 5 LED diodes for a signal meter and supports SSB with BFO thumb wheel. Reviews are mixed on sensitivity and of course the battery consumption rate was unacceptable but overall reviews received high marks. The ICF-2001 stood for two years as the only consumer class portable PLL synthesized shortwave receiver available.
At a glance – Japan, 1980–1983, Double conversion, 12.8x6.8x2.2 " 4 Lbs, Continuous 150 to 29995 kHz, 6 memories, 3D 2AA, SSB support. New Price: $250-400
Panasonic RF-799LBS (1982)
Photos courtesy of Universal Radio Inc.
Panasonic was first to respond to the Sony ICF-2001 by introducing there first consumer class digital receiver the
RF-799LBS in 1982. Compared to the Sony ICF-2001 the receiver was a step backwards leaving some wondering why Panasonic brought the receiver to market. The receiver was about the same price as the Sony ICF-2001 but was single conversion, did not support SSB, did not off a signal meter and was not continuous in SW coverage. Due to the differences between the ICF-2001 and the RF-799LBS sales were very low making the receiver a rarity today for collectors. Interestingly Panasonic clearly had the capabilities to produce a better consumer class digital receiver at the time, the RF-9000 and RF-6300 fared much better against the ICF-2001. Both the
RF-9000 and
RF-6300 were also introduced in 1982 and would easily compete against the ICF-2001, both receivers were digital, had an excellent build quality and offered more memory but both were also priced out of what most would consider consumer class. The RF-6300 sold for around $600.00 in 1982 which would equate to about $1500.00 in day's dollars and the RF-9000 was even more expensive selling for about $3000.00. The RF-9000 is an absolutely beautiful receiver and is now a very rare collectable today but from what few reviews I've read the RF-9000 was no more sensitive than the Sony ICF-2010 and the Sony provided double the memory plus a synchronous detector.
At a glance - Japan 1982-1985, Single conversion, 11.4 x 6.6 x 3.5 " 3.6 Lbs, Not continuous 150 to 29995 kHz, 10 memories, 4 C 2AA, No SSB support. New price $240-300
Grundig Satellit 300 (1883)
Photo credit Radiomuseum
Grundig introduced there first digital receiver in 1983, the
Satellit 300 and like the Panasonic RF-799LBS some questioned Grundig for releasing a receiver that was subpar to the ICF-2001 especially given that the ICF-2001 had already been on the market for three years. Compared to the Sony ICF-2001 the Satellit 300 simply didn't measure up and many Grundig fans across the globe were taken back by the decision to give the 300 the Satellit name normally reserved for the top of the line receivers. The receiver was single conversion, didn't support SSB, and programed to use the numeric keys as memory first keys meaning you had to first press the set key to directly enter a frequency and did not have RF gain control. The shortwave bands were not continuous but divided in to two groups (3.9 - 10.5 MHz) and (10.5 - 22 MHz) requiring you to press a key to change groups. The receiver was slightly smaller than the ICF-2001 12 x 7 x 3" but was heavy weighting in six pounds without batteries. If the Satellit 300 couldn't measure up the ICF-2001 then of course there was no real comparison between the ICF-2010. On the positive side the receiver did offer 35 memories and was the first consumer class PLL synthesized receiver to offer a traditional tuning knob. MSRP: $300
At a glance – Made in Germany, 1983-1985, Single conversion, 12 x 7 x 3" 6 Lbs, Not continuous (3.9 - 10.5 MHz) and (10.5 - 22 MHz), 35 memories, 6 C & 3 AA, no SSB support.
Uniden CR-2021 (1983) and Realistic DX-400
Photos courtesy of Universal Radio Inc.
We normally don't associate Uniden today with shortwave receivers but in 1983 Uniden briefly entered the market by introducing the
CR-2021 which was a triple conversion PLL synthesized receiver. The CR-2021 was the first non-Sony PLL synthesized receiver to compare well against the ICF-2001 but still fell short in comparing to the ICF-2010 in many ways. What is interesting is Uniden had not previously manufactured a shortwave receiver yet the internals were very similar to the ICF-2001 leaving some to believe Uniden basically copied of the ICF-2001 and added some minor enhancements such as more memory to better compete. There may have been relationship between Uniden and Sony but if there was one then I have not been able to find any information to support it. Even though the receiver was triple conversion reviewers mentioned the receiver still had some imaging issues. When you take a quick glance at the radio it appears to have a tuning knob but that is not the case, the large knob located at the upper right corner is a SSB/CW fine tuning knob. Reviews suggest tuning was a little cumbersome using the up and down tuning keys but if you knew the frequency you also have the ability to directly input the frequency using the keypad. The CR-2021 was slightly larger than the ICF-2001 measuring 13 x 6.5 x 3.5 inches and heaver is weighing in at five pounds. Uniden clearly had their eyes on the CR-2021 when designing the receiver and to better compete with the ICF-2001 Uniden increased the receivers memory to 14 versus 6 on the ICF-2001 and used a set of 8 LED diodes verse 6 for the signal meter. The receiver offers continuous coverage between 150-30000 kHz and has ability to scan between two customizable frequencies ranges. The receiver operates using six C cells and two AA cells for the microprocessor and had a much better battery life then the ICF-2001. To cut cost the receiver was manufactured in Taiwan and had a street price of $150-170 which gave the CR-2021 a price advantage over the 2001. Within about a year Uniden struck a deal with Radio Shack and manufacturing the Realistic DX-400 which was basically the same as the CR-2021 with the exception the DX-400 had a traditional signal meter versus a row of LED diodes. MSRP: $249.95
At a glance - Made In: Taiwan 1983-1984, Triple conversion, 13 x 6.5 x 3.5 " 5 Lbs, Continuous 150 to 29995 kHz, 14 memories, 6 C 2AA, SSB support.
Sony ICF-2002 (1983)
Photos courtesy of Universal Radio Inc.
Sony introduced a second PLL synthesized receive in 1983, the highly regarded ICF-2002. The international model number for the
ICF-2002 is the ICF-7600D. The receiver is a member of the Sony 7600 family started in 1978 and the series still continues today with the current model being the ICF-SW7600GR. The 7600 family is known for being small and compact and is designed for travel and portability. The ICF-2002 was introduced with great fanfare, people were absolutely amazed with all of the features compacted down to such a small receiver. The ICF-2002 performance was considered excellent with good sensitivity, quality sound and rugged build. The receiver is much smaller than the ICF-2001 and to accommodate the size the receiver is powered by four AA batteries for the radio and two AA batteries for the microprocessor. The ICF-2002 tunes from 150 to 29995 kHz, offered ten memories and a row of 10 LEDs for the signal meter. SSB with a fine tuning knob is supported. The ICF-2002 came close to comparing with the ICF-2010 but the receiver did not have a display light, back kickstand, battery indicator, and traditional tuning knob and did not have a synchronous detector. MSRP: $295.00
At a glance – Made in Japan, 1983–1987, Double conversion, 7.25x4.75x1.25" 1.5 Lbs, Continuous 150 to 29995 kHz, ten memories, 6 AA, SSB support.
The Sony 7600 family of small portable radios
1978 ICF-7600 Analog
1982 ICF-7600A Analog
1983 ICF-7600D/ICF-2002 PLL synthesized 10 memories
1987 ICF-7600DS/ICF-2003 PLL synthesized, 10 memories, stand on the back
1988 ICF-7601 Analog
1990 ICF-SW7600 PLL synthesized, 10 memories, stand on the back
1994 ICF-SW7600G PLL synthesized, 20 memories, Synchronous detection, stand on the back
2001 ICF-SW7600GR PLL synthesized, 100 memories, Synchronous detection, stand on the back
In 1984 Sony introduced the now legendary Sony ICF-2010. For Sony the ICF-2010 was only their third PLL synthesized receiver. In many people's eyes there was just no comparison between the ICF-2010 and the other consumer class PLL synthesized receivers available. The ICF-2010 was a huge success for Sony and regardless of what benchmark you use to measure success whether it is length of production, number of sales, innovations, or complete package the ICF-2010 measured up. Even by today's standards ICF-2010 is rock sold in terms of performance. The ICF-2010 was introduced in 1984 and stayed in productions until 2003 making the ICF-2010 one of the longest produced portable shortwave receiver in history. According to the Medium Wave Circle website the ICF-2010 also holds the record for highest sales for a portable shortwave receiver, the information could be a little dated now but it is clear from a sales perspective the receiver was tremendously successful for Sony. The ICF- ICF-2010 may best be known for the first consumer class receiver to include a synchronous detector. A synchronous detector is a circuit which enables the receiver to generate an internal carrier signal that matches and replaces the carrier signal being received. The resulting effect is a more stable signal with less fading and provides the ability to listen to either the upper or lower sideband which can help eliminate interference from adjacent stations. ICF-2010 was also the first Sony PLL synthesized receiver to offer a traditional tuning knob, a feature many consider a must have when selecting a receiver. Interestingly there were very little differences between the first receivers to roll off the line in 1984 verse the last one produced in 2003. With the exception of adding diodes to protect the frontend from static damage around 1990 and some other very minor changes, Sony clearly got this receiver right from the start. There were several variants of the ICF-2010, different countries have different laws as to which frequency ranges are legally receivable so Sony customized the receiver to accommodate various laws across the globe. To help combat grey marketing which in this case is the act of dealers importing Sony receivers meant for other countries into the United States Sony designated the model number ICF-2010 as the US version and the ICF-2001D as the model number used for all other countries. Authorized Sony repairs centers in the US could only provide warranty services for the ICF-2010 model.
Purchasing the ICF-2010 on eBay was relatively uneventful but if you ever decide to buy one you should know the lower serial number models lack the protective diodes to protect the frontend from static damage. Static from walking across the carpet as well as nearby lighting strikes have been known to take out the frontend dramatically lowering the sensitivity of the receiver. Generally speaking units manufactured after 1989 have the protective diodes but dating the receiver can be a little tricky because there is not always continuity with the date of manufacture and serial number. When I received the receiver and opened the box I was very impressed with the physical condition. The radio looked brand new with very little sign of usage and one would be hard pressed to believe the radio is 27 years old. You can tell from the photo there are no scratches and only after close examination did I find a very small scratch just below the tuning knob on the side. The photo of the receiver was taken so you can identify keys and as you can tell the layout is well thought out. What you cannot see from the photo are the sides, on the left you have the external antenna inputs, DX/Local, tape output, earphones, DC Power input, main power switch and on the left you have a slider gain control and three position tone control. The keys on the front are soft to the touch and the tuning knob is a non-step counter and is silky smooth. I am not a big fan of the volume and gain slider controls mainly because I have ready many reviews stating over time they become dirty and require cleaning but now they are both are smooth. All of the switches feel solid with little or no play and require little effort to operate but firm enough to prevent accidental tripping. The cabinet has a slot along the top towards the back for the antenna to lie flush with the top and has a clip to hold the antenna town when not upright. The base of the antenna also pulls out a bit so if the receiver is lying back on the backrest the antenna is still capable of pointing straight up. I would consider the overall build as solid and typical of a high-end consumer class receiver.
Turning the receiver on almost immediately revealed some problems. The power system using the 2 AA batteries feeding the CPU had an intermittent short causing the receiver to generate ERROR 3 messages, the slightest movement or even touching the radio could trigger the short. In addition there is a significant sensitivity differences when running the receiver on batteries versus using the AC adapter. When running the receiver on AC the receiver performed as expected but if you unplugged the AC adapter the meter bar would drop significantly. The differences on the meter could be as high as seven or eight bars as the meter fluctuated and at the lowest levels the receiver would lose sync even on strong signals. The LED backlight in the display was super dim but at least light had power. Given the issues I was a little disappointed and was tempted to return the receiver. I thought more discloser could have been given on the eBay listing but considering the excellent physical condition and the frontend seemed undamaged I decided I would send the receiver to Rod who is a member of several of the same yahoo users groups I am and I knew could address the issues.
Rod has worked on over 400 ICF-2010 over the past 10 years and basically has seen it all. When you send Rod an ICF-2010 he essentially has a list of mods he performs. For about seventy dollars Rod will replace the LED backlight with a much brighter LED and a color of your choice, install the diodes for static protection, build-up all the voltage contacts, add a super capacitor for memory back-up so you won't lose your stored stations when changing batteries, adjust the sync, clean the controls and pots, add a wood support post for the AA battery terminal which is a known weak point in the design and add a ground wire for the CPU. The mods pretty much address all the known ageing issues for the ICF-2010 and these mods also cured the issues with my ICF-2010. Rod's impression of the physical appearance was the same as mine in that the receiver appeared new and seemed to be rarely used. Rod notice some of the components were stamped with a manufacture date of 1988 which would roughly match the serial number database on the ICF-2010 yahoo users group dating my receiver as being manufacture sometime in late 1989.
Using the ICF-2010 is pretty straight forward and if you have any knowledge of shortwave receivers you will not need to refer to the manual just to listen to stations. One common problem for a first time user is you just need to keep in mind there are two power switches, the main power switch located on the side meant to be used when traveling to keep from accidently turning the receiver on and the second switch located at the top left of on the front. Learning how to store stations into memory and setting frequency ranges for scanning require a quick read but overall the radio is simple to use. You may have noticed from the picture but the ICF-2010 has several keys on the front with many having a second function activated by pressing the shift key. If the shift key is not pressed then all of the colored keys in the center of the receiver are used to access the 32 memories with each key representing a stored location.
Sony ICF-2010
Basic Operations Video
I recorded several YouTube videos and tried to catch the sound and performance differences between different receivers using a Samsung Galaxy SIII but it would have been nice if I had a nice camcorder. Still you should be able to get a good idea of some differences. I should point out especially for AM and SW that while recordings can help differentiate between receivers a few sample recordings doesn't tell the whole story and conditions can dramatically change performance in different ways with different receivers.
Sound quality on FM and is good for a portable and the speaker has no problem pumping the volume but compared to the larger receivers the base is slightly lighter.
FM Sound Sample
AM presents some tuning challenges mainly because the wide bandwidth mode is just too wide. I normally have to select the narrow bandwidth mode even on a strong AM station to achieve a clean sound. Kiwa Electronics sells a popular filter upgrades which can narrow the bandwidth as well as other upgrade to enhance the sound.
AM Sound samples
Strong signal sample
Weak AM signal Sample
Very weak
SW has the same wide filter as on AM but given the SW bands are less crowded it is not always necessary to select the narrow bandwidth. It would be helpful to have a finer tuning option for SSB.
Strong SW Sample
Weak SW Sample
Special thanks to Fred Osterman, President of Universal Radio Inc. who gave permission to use photos from the Universal Radio website for this review. Universal Radio Inc. also maintains the website
http://www.dxing.com for the enthusiast community which is an excellent resource for information regarding legacy receivers. Fred Osterman is also the author of
Shortwave Receivers Past & Present Communications Receivers 1942-2013, I bought the book and am very impressed with the volume of information the book provides.
At least our friend here, member 5S8Zh5, provided me with an English manual.
