Fred, to turn the tuning ( clockwise to increase frequency ) HOLD first or top red button, and turn on the receiver. I forget the other functions, but middle red button, again, hold and turn on, will turn the screen upside down ( for a left handed person, then knobs will be on left side ) The bottom red button, I think is for calibration of signal meter, but I'm not sure how that works. AND, I have the same issues with the " floating " LCD screen. Another issue you may have is headphones or earbuds. One of the channels will have a buzz, at LOW level. Not too bad, but it's a pity, because that's the best way to use this little radio. The internal speaker is not too good. Hope this helps ! Forgot to mention. While the radio is ON...... HOLD middle red button, and the MENU comes up. 4 pages of settings, I believe. ALSO, while the radio is ON.......HOLD last red button, and a full page of RDS info comes up. That's kinda cool.
I’ve recently purchased a qodoshen sr286 radio. A bit expensive but the performance is amazing. No ssb but very sensitive on all the bands including long wave. It’s not perfect, no radio is but I’m hearing things I’ve never heard on my Tecsun, xh data and sangean radios, I find it excellent for finding long wave NDBs. Well worth a look at
4 years back i was looking for a good all in one receiver to listen to all the short wave stations i could! problem with the price and quality of the equipment is it was cheeply made for a outragous price! so i spent the big bucks and bought a Icom 7300! i did the MARS mod for 11 meters with full tranmit and couldnt be happier! listen the world and here a couple months back i got my ticket to further the use of the radio.
PI stands for program identification code. It's very usefull when DXing and want to identify program and transmitter. PI is the first thing RDS picks up when signal is very weak.
Soundwise there are some issues, not only because of lack of speakergrill. One has to consider the price tag ofcourse... It is a portal to shortwave and it does work... I tend to not like it very much... the other radios you showed looked much more the business. And what is that no markings on it all about? I'll pass this one😂 Thanks Fred for again an awsome video, much appreciated!
As a long time TEF6686 user there are certainly a lot of build quality difference eteeen the cheaper and more expensive versions. Besides clones. The TEF6686 is a big favourite with them FMDX community. The LW and MW performance are adequate if you use the appropriate antenna.
These are really good receivers for FMDXing as they are very sensitive and selective on FM and have RDS to identify the stations. They also display the PI code which can often be decoded with a weaker signal than the whole station name. You can look up the PI codes on FM List. I don't think they are quite so good on SW, on MW they are pretty good receivers with a decent external ferrite loopstick antenna or possibly a magnetic loop with amplifier.
Fred I went and bought the QoDosen SR-286 TEF-6686 radio and enjoy it for the MW and SW DXing…I rarely try LW as at my QTH in Tucson, Arizona LW broadcast stations would require a miracle to hear, and I don’t beacon DX. Great audio sound for its speaker. I do wish it had SSB, but the chip is not designed for SSB. I paid $112 US on Aliexpress, but I saw one on Bangood after I bought mine for about the same price. It feels well built and light, but recommend carrying a spare 18650 battery if using on a hike. Hopefully, they will come up with a way of covering the entire SW band with SSB soon. 73! Have a great day!
Yeah it's definitely quirky, and the sound probably comes through the front of the screen were it's loose.lol.but I like it FRED.thanks for your work and take care of yourself and yourself ALAN FROM LUTON 💯👍
Push the middle knop long and find the hidden menu. On mine , different one Use your phone to translate. 3rd line is display settings. There first line for language.
Fred out of the various tef radios out there unfortunately you've bought the worse one as this version has no speaker grill so the audio is awful. Best to buy the rectangle silver version or the desktop one then upgrade to the latest firmware
@@CB-RADIO-UK with the latest 2.00.15 firmware it's great but these radios are really for FM DXers as you probably know. They are highly sensitive and selective exactly like the old Sony XDR F1-HD and S3 HD radios. But I don't think FM DX is your thing ?! Also excellent on SW and MW
Just be careful using that particular device. I have bought exactly that same model and it fell apart upon usage. The antenna connector wasn't connected properly at the back of the motherboard. I actually had to open the casing to fix the connector. The LCD screen was loose and it became damaged and the knobs just fell off. Not a great quality of a device which is ashame because the casing is robust and durable. In terms of reception, FM receiver was fantastic but the RDS info seems finicky. The AM was not great as there was a distortion on the entire spectrum. Probably the LCD screen has something to do with the distortion. The issue with SW was similar to AM. I think without the distortion the sensitivity of picking up signal was absolutely great. Anyway I got annoyed and threw it in a bin after 4 months of usage.
I'd really like to see inside this. It would tell us a _lot_ about it. You know the generic Chinese component testers you can get, with a little LCD and a ZIF socket? That was designed by someone as a project and then "borrowed" by the Chinese manufacturers. This feels very similar. The enclosure is certainly a generic one, as are all the visible components. Seems quite a lot of money for a fairly basic and quite clunky radio. Having nowhere for the sound to escape is very odd. Like they almost don't know what a radio does!
it is a nice looking radio and without touch screen an no sideband poor build quality screen loose was way over priced i ordered a teksun pl-368 newest model with side band from alie express..was around 90? Canadien been reading on it very small comes with a ferrit rod and a whip antenna has a few quirks but reviews were pretty good should arrive on the 18th..plan on bringing it to camp ground very portable..instead of my grundig satalite 800 which is huge
Fred, to turn the tuning ( clockwise to increase frequency ) HOLD first or top red button, and turn on the receiver. I forget the other functions, but middle red button, again, hold and turn on, will turn the screen upside down ( for a left handed person, then knobs will be on left side ) The bottom red button, I think is for calibration of signal meter, but I'm not sure how that works. AND, I have the same issues with the " floating " LCD screen.
Another issue you may have is headphones or earbuds. One of the channels will have a buzz, at LOW level. Not too bad, but it's a pity, because that's the best way to use this little radio. The internal speaker is not too good. Hope this helps !
Forgot to mention. While the radio is ON...... HOLD middle red button, and the MENU comes up. 4 pages of settings, I believe. ALSO, while the radio is ON.......HOLD last red button, and a full page of RDS info comes up. That's kinda cool.
"kinda cool"?
@@jmsjms296 Yes, it is " kinda cool "
I’ve recently purchased a qodoshen sr286 radio. A bit expensive but the performance is amazing. No ssb but very sensitive on all the bands including long wave. It’s not perfect, no radio is but I’m hearing things I’ve never heard on my Tecsun, xh data and sangean radios, I find it excellent for finding long wave NDBs. Well worth a look at
Brilliant review, in fact brilliant plus. Many thanks. Jack
4 years back i was looking for a good all in one receiver to listen to all the short wave stations i could! problem with the price and quality of the equipment is it was cheeply made for a outragous price! so i spent the big bucks and bought a Icom 7300! i did the MARS mod for 11 meters with full tranmit and couldnt be happier! listen the world and here a couple months back i got my ticket to further the use of the radio.
For in the shed you do a awesome job at views on cb radios and shortwave receivers my friend
Frid in the shed your new tef 6686 portable shortwave receiver is awesome my friend
Fred, I think the sound is designed to come out from around the loose screen! 😉
gread video Fred - It would be nice to see inside these radios maybe something for the next time
Frid in the shed your RUclips videos are awesome my friend
PI stands for program identification code. It's very usefull when DXing and want to identify program and transmitter. PI is the first thing RDS picks up when signal is very weak.
Soundwise there are some issues, not only because of lack of speakergrill. One has to consider the price tag ofcourse... It is a portal to shortwave and it does work...
I tend to not like it very much... the other radios you showed looked much more the business.
And what is that no markings on it all about?
I'll pass this one😂
Thanks Fred for again an awsome video, much appreciated!
As a long time TEF6686 user there are certainly a lot of build quality difference eteeen the cheaper and more expensive versions. Besides clones. The TEF6686 is a big favourite with them FMDX community. The LW and MW performance are adequate if you use the appropriate antenna.
These are really good receivers for FMDXing as they are very sensitive and selective on FM and have RDS to identify the stations. They also display the PI code which can often be decoded with a weaker signal than the whole station name. You can look up the PI codes on FM List. I don't think they are quite so good on SW, on MW they are pretty good receivers with a decent external ferrite loopstick antenna or possibly a magnetic loop with amplifier.
Good review Fred... quality control obviously needs work ... maybe the squelch is for station search to skip weak signal? Best wishes Mac
Quality control? What do you mean? We're here to sell!
Frid in the shed I learn lot from you about bying quality cbs radios and antennas for cb radios and power supplys for cb radios my friend
Hi and thanks for your cont support of the channel.
Greg... it is Fred... just saying...
@@fretlessfender I assumed Greg was from South Africa lol.
@@yorkshirebikerbitsnbobs 🤣
Fred I went and bought the QoDosen SR-286 TEF-6686 radio and enjoy it for the MW and SW DXing…I rarely try LW as at my QTH in Tucson, Arizona LW broadcast stations would require a miracle to hear, and I don’t beacon DX. Great audio sound for its speaker. I do wish it had SSB, but the chip is not designed for SSB. I paid $112 US on Aliexpress, but I saw one on Bangood after I bought mine for about the same price. It feels well built and light, but recommend carrying a spare 18650 battery if using on a hike. Hopefully, they will come up with a way of covering the entire SW band with SSB soon.
73! Have a great day!
Yeah it's definitely quirky, and the sound probably comes through the front of the screen were it's loose.lol.but I like it FRED.thanks for your work and take care of yourself and yourself ALAN FROM LUTON 💯👍
Thanks Alan
SSB isn't possible to demodulate native because TEF6686 is very good automotive radio IC
Push the middle knop long and find the hidden menu.
On mine , different one
Use your phone to translate.
3rd line is display settings.
There first line for language.
Fred out of the various tef radios out there unfortunately you've bought the worse one as this version has no speaker grill so the audio is awful. Best to buy the rectangle silver version or the desktop one then upgrade to the latest firmware
Yes the desktop version did look very sorted.
@@CB-RADIO-UK with the latest 2.00.15 firmware it's great but these radios are really for FM DXers as you probably know. They are highly sensitive and selective exactly like the old Sony XDR F1-HD and S3 HD radios. But I don't think FM DX is your thing ?! Also excellent on SW and MW
Fred, changing the subject,do you know anything about the hackrf one porta pack H2.
Hi. No not really.
Ty
Just be careful using that particular device. I have bought exactly that same model and it fell apart upon usage. The antenna connector wasn't connected properly at the back of the motherboard. I actually had to open the casing to fix the connector. The LCD screen was loose and it became damaged and the knobs just fell off. Not a great quality of a device which is ashame because the casing is robust and durable.
In terms of reception, FM receiver was fantastic but the RDS info seems finicky. The AM was not great as there was a distortion on the entire spectrum. Probably the LCD screen has something to do with the distortion. The issue with SW was similar to AM. I think without the distortion the sensitivity of picking up signal was absolutely great.
Anyway I got annoyed and threw it in a bin after 4 months of usage.
Yes i agree with you. I ve saved mine and tempted at some tine in the future to re build it in a different case.
Thanks for confirming my thoughts. Garbage.
"Anyway I got annoyed and threw it in a bin after 4 months of usage." Well done!
I'd really like to see inside this. It would tell us a _lot_ about it.
You know the generic Chinese component testers you can get, with a little LCD and a ZIF socket? That was designed by someone as a project and then "borrowed" by the Chinese manufacturers. This feels very similar. The enclosure is certainly a generic one, as are all the visible components. Seems quite a lot of money for a fairly basic and quite clunky radio. Having nowhere for the sound to escape is very odd. Like they almost don't know what a radio does!
Appalling quality. For free yes, but not if I have to pay for it.
Frid in the shed my hobbies are painting pictures 🖼 and listening to shortwave and ssb iam thinking about getting my Grms license my friend
Only a matter of time until everything falls off... Appalling built quality, alas. Thanks for showing this POS.
Maybe that's why you've got the gap in the screen.😂
20 quid off for the screen they can have the cardboard and bubble wrap back for free
it is a nice looking radio and without touch screen an no sideband poor build quality screen loose was way over priced i ordered a teksun pl-368 newest model with side band from alie express..was around 90? Canadien been reading on it very small comes with a ferrit rod and a whip antenna has a few quirks but reviews were pretty good should arrive on the 18th..plan on bringing it to camp ground very portable..instead of my grundig satalite 800 which is huge
Qodosen DX-286 is far more better option. This one looks very basic.
Yes agree. Just tested a DX-286 and much better
£64 squids loose screen.
Hey, what do you expect? We're here to sell, not to f..k around with "quality control"...
He keeps denying what?
?
@@CB-RADIO-UK fat finger I am sorry to say. Good video. Thanks.
NOT impressed
It doesn't work on Sw band. Don't buy it.
It's a very good radio on FM !
Great for FM dx.
@@se7vennld For maybe a few weeks, "if you're lucky". After that: the bin.