(paid link below) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There are no additional costs to you. ▶ The D-109 Shortwave Radio at Amazon USA: amzn.to/3K6qZpO
Just purchased one of these radios after watching your review and I’m impressed with the build quality and the sound quality as well. I have acquired quite a lot of radios in the last couple of years after watching your reviews but I must say this is one of the best especially when listening through headphones which is in stereo which many of my other radios aren’t or they don’t sound as good as this one
The 109 is hard to beat, price wise, good reception, good audio, bt and mp3 etc… Love mine, and doesn’t feel cheap at all! Thanks for the usual excellent review!
Great radio. The FM coverage in particular is fantastic, picking up distant stations with good signal strength. Love the bluetooth feature and SD card reader. And it's so small and light, and the rechargeable (replaceable) battery is really great. Good for power cuts. Love the little stand at the back - so you can prop it up at an angle.
Hej Todderbert I just saw your review and very nice walkthrough of the new XHDATA D-109 i like many things great audio and you can have the display light always on and you can upgrade the battery to higher capacity love it. I think XHDATA have make a very nice radio with this D-109 and also the XHDATA D-219 is very nice yes the XHDATA D-109 is a buy all day long for me take care and have a nice evening.
Note: The Numeric Keypad Entry is Fixed on all Current Models, including this Radio. It does have an issue with MW breakthrough on the SW EXT. Antenna Jack. The whip antenna is great on SW/FM, so you may rarely find the need to use the EXT. ANT jack.
"It does have an issue with MW breakthrough." It sure does, even without the antenna jacked in. Which makes it useless for DXing purposes. But it's still good for casual listening on SW.
Wonderfully comprehensive review, as always. So many of these radios have mp3 players, but so few of them incorporate anything but the most basic player functions. Random track play, accessing different folders on the card, displaying the track name: only a very few radios have these features (V115 and a few Degen models). It's a darn shame.
Brought it home.after long wait. And put it to it's paces.. controls are easy. Plugged in chip. Music didn't skip. And the CPU is very nice. Audio better than most. The band with control is good for clearing up noise. Toderbert got it right tks.
Had a call from someone this morning. The voice reads out the number to you, then you can answer. Very clear. Also, with the bluetooth connection, you can jog the podcast forward (I think by 30 seconds) or backward by using the back/forward buttons or the tuning control. Very nice.
Great review, todderbert! I just purchased this one a few minutes ago. Always looking for a nice portable and looks like this one fits the bill nicely. No SSB or RDS isn’t a deal breaker as I have other radios that fit the bill. I do wish it recorded to mSD, but oh well.
There is no receiver with a recording option. Also not in the Tecsun range. And indeed, no SSB/RDS is a deal breaker. I own a XHDATA D-808 of the first gen (micro USB) which is better then the 2nd gen (amber screen, rubber feeds, USB-C). The first gen has inside the radio a couple of capacitorpods which can be adjusteded for the filters. The second gen is missing that pods. The changing to/from SSB at the 2nd gen radio is going very slow compared to the 1st gen.
21:50 Was that Alex Jones ? Lmao. Love your videos, bought a Prunus J-166 for me and this XHDATA D-109 for my father as a Christmas gift. Awesome radios, both have that "bass heavy" speakers that I love.
You have THE BEST reviews. TY.I wish these shortwave companies could make a North American version without LW since it's useless here,and replace it with like an airband,but that might jack the price up.Again,great reviews.
Dude, I just received this very radio, and I couldn't find the AM band!! I searched on RUclips and found your video, and I found 670 the score when you pushed the MW button YOU tuned to my station I listen to. You need to point out that the MW button, takes you to the AM band !! I won't have to send it back. Thanks 👍
I just got my R-108 not long ago after viewing your review, and it's excellent. this radio is looking pretty good too. I have too much SSB radios so I really don't have any problem getting a non SSB radio for my collection as I'm DXing MW and SW stations most of the time (and because for SSB I use my trusty new HF Discovery+). Excellent review as always todderbert! I will get this radio for sure. thank you :)
This is a very nice performer on HF. I was reluctant to buy a non SSB radio but at $30.90 I gave it a try and I'm glad I did. My only complaint is the tuning knob - 1khz step is nice but it's very easy to tune too fast. The FF/RW buttonns also are 1khz but if they were 5khz step it would make tuning alot easier. Very impressed for the price. It's also nice to type in a number to jump to different mp3 files.
Hey nice channel. Can I comment as an electronic engineer, this is one of my pet peeves.. no one seems to make a really, really good radio anymore. Certainly not AM band. The best radio I ever had was way back from 80s. Was AM/FM analog tuning, but decent quality knobs and very solid, thorough electronic design. Back in the days when FM decoding required a lot of circuitry. It was ultra sensitive. Honourable mention goes to one of my Sony walkmans. Again, someone gave the engineer some scope. A feature of this unit was gradual FM stereo cut in on weak/variable FM signals. I've never seen that feature since. Since then too many manufacturers seem to think if you want AM then you want a piece of designed-to-the-cent cheap junk and if you want FM you must live in a big city with a strong signal. Plus all the antennas are cheap, tacky and fragile. In recent times there have been DSP chips which in theory should be amazing, but in reality are almost always poorly implemented. Either with a tiny/cheap/insensitive AM antenna or poor design introducing a digital noise floor (or both). Has anyone ever gotten this formula right? A best in class sensitive receiver making the best use of DSP (and lets bring back gradual stereo cut in). Before I go. For a long time my constant companion was the Sony SRF M807. A brilliant bit of electronic design. Quite sensitive (not perfect), very well behaved in AM, synthesised and back in the days when this required a fair bit of circuitry. It's a shame this thing never got updated for DSP. And it seems discontinued. I don't believe it has a logical successor. And a lot of radios that looked similar just weren't up to the same standard.
@@believe88 I’m not sure there’s a bad one, but the pick has to be based on what size, style, and features you like best. D4W and D9W are good starting points, but the pocket and table radios are good too.
Some mobile telephones have a gradual switchover to FM stereo without a switch. I don't like this feature because I can't adjust the antenna for the best reception by listening to the noise floor and record programmes in full stereo. Generic chips cut too much highs because they are made for the American market with more pre-emphasis.
Just purchased this last week, great little radio, picks up stations on MW very well especially at night when dark, I like the tuning knob on this radio has a charm too it when tuning in stations rather than pressing buttons on previous radios I’ve had with a digital tuner that make those bleep noises when moving up/down the frequencies.
That todderbert does it again! Always costing me more money. I just ordered one from China. I wonder how long it takes to get here? Thanks for all your reviews.
looks nice. Almost all good, especially if you don’t have both a D808 and an R108. SSB or record capability would sell it to me at the current $45. And yeah that tuning knob looks like something they pulled from the parts bin while waiting for the real thing. Chrome inset reminds me of 1980s Radio Shack knobs. That fast/slow tuning is bad tho. I think only my 360 does that. The 660 has a similar feature that seems to work much better.
Is XHDATA the new Tecsun? Could be. This radio here absolutely rocks! I am one of probably many here who owns a Retekess V-115 and loves its combination of features, but would be willing to pay a little more for better performance of them. Better AM performance, Bluetooth capability, and a 18650 are just a few of the reasons to stop buying these $20 shortwave radios and spend just a little more for something that is so much better. Purchasing this XHDATA is a no brainer.
I bought both recently. V115 can record line-in and have a mic which is quite good. Can see if a 64GB works in the XHData? 64GB are the minimum around me and it's always on sale.
Regarding the headphone output, I noticed on my Retekess V115 that the sound is not neutral (less low-end and more mids). I suspect the same EQ they applied for use with the speaker is used on the headphone output which is why it sounds different. It would be great if they could disable the EQ when headphones are plugged in! I love that they chose to use an amber backlight for this model though, it looks way better than the white-blue color of the R108.
When adjusting the volume level, there is a position in the mid-volume area where the sound becomes very distorted. This is especially noticeable when listening to news and talk shows. It sounds like a metallic wheeze superimposed on the ethereal sound. This is a manufacturing defect and cannot be repaired. There is no volume level indication. It is inconvenient to adjust the frequency and control ranges using an encoder; it changes the frequency in slow steps and you need to rotate the encoder very quickly for it to go to the normal step. I miss a lot of radio stations because of this, especially on AM. This is especially disappointing on medium and long waves, where the step is 9 kHz. upd. the problem is in resonance many people complain
I'm new to Short Wave Radio, radio in general, and I was wondering if this is sensitive enough to pick up any number stations still floating around out there? I get the impression that this is a great radio, right off the bat. I hope it still has an acutal, phyical manual when I order off amazon. How good is the SW on this? I'm glad it's DSP. I amazed it has so many functions! This really looks like a gem.
You want the updated model, the D-109WB. This model has a known issue with medium wave breakthrough on the shortwave band. It is sensitive on shortwave when using the whip antenna, but when adding an external antenna problems begin to arise.
Dear Todderbert, thank you for the great review! I was wondering if the D-109 has the same channel-problem as the D-368 has in BT-mode? You didn't mention it in your review, but I was wondering if the problem is only with the D-368 or with all XHDATA-models with BT-mode? Thank you for you possible respond and kind regards from The Netherlands - Europe.
Hi Todderbert, thanks for the excellent review! Do I need to use the clip on antenna for better SW reception rather than just extending the telescopic antenna with out the clip on?
I have found it works great on the whip alone. If you are not by a strong AM station, then the use of a wire will work nicely. It has an issue of MW breakthrough in my area. Some don't have that issue. The newer 109WB model may be one to check out as well.
купил XHdata D-109 с Вашей помощью. Спасибо. Мне понравился: он длиннее Тексанов (310, 380) зато аккум 18650, динамик, звук отличный, в наушниках стерео, чистый без шипение (в отличии от R-108) вызов станций так же как в D-808, зато нет этих-банок памяти по 10. в общем гууд. а еще также как в Тексан 330 в состоянии "выкл" при длительном нажатии VF загораются все значки дисплея, а если VF держать нажатой секунд пять - версия сборки-прошивки (у моего 1091) 109- аппарат, 1- прошивка. посмотрите какая у Вас? Вам УДАЧИ
What do you think has better music quality? The D109 or D808? I have the R108 and love the sound quality, but I’m looking for better battery life. I’m also considering the Tecsun PL880 or CCRadio 3.
The CC Radio 3 will have the best fidelity. the PL880 for SW SSB. The D-109 for inexpensive, but excellent audio for FM/BT/MP3. Battery life will be good on the D-109 as well. The D-808 is more of a specialty SSB radio, with a good speaker, but not as strong as the R-108's.
If you can find a linear 5V supply it should work fine, any type of current switching 5V supplies produce too much RFI. Tested this with the battery removed.
Thanks for the terrific review! Just bought one from Amazon (one of the first?). Performing similarly to yours, I think. In Madison, WI, a less AM and FM rich environment than Chicago, receiving on the internal antenna 41 FM stations (half your number in Chicago with your 20ft wire external antenna?). AM reception is terrible sitting next to a functioning laptop but improves greatly as I move elsewhere in the house (away from electrical devices). Shortwave reception is disappointing compared to that available in 1985 but I guess that's not the radio. Reception seems to improve on some bands by leaving the charging cord attached but not connected to a charger; same effect as touching the radio with one's hand?. Love the amber display and ability to keep it on indefinitely, especially for night use. Very happy with performance, control options, and user interface except for the tuning knob which I dislike. I was able to pull the tuning knob out a little farther to keep it from rubbing so much on the cabinet, but it's still disappointing. I wonder if XHDATA could redesign this knob to be taller, with greater diameter but a smaller diameter base (to reduce friction against the cabinet) and made from better material (like nylon) for reduced friction. A Teflon low-friction bushing beneath the knob would also help. Like you, at this point, I'm trying to find ways (autoscan memory, etc) to minimize use of the knob. Compared to my old Sangean ATS-803A with its wonderful spinning fast/slow tuning knob, the ergonomics of tuning on this new compact are terrible, lowering my enjoyment of the radio. Though I love its performance, I'm wondering if I'd be happier with the R108. Is R108 tuning more enjoyable?
The R-108 is easier to tune. It has a Fast/Slow Option. The knob is longer, which I told XHDATA they should put on the D-109. I like both radios. If you need compact, the R-108. I'm a fan of the higher capacity 18650 in the D-109, and the fact it has excellent MW/FM Reception, and SW is great on the Whip antenna. The EXT ANT jack needs improvement.
Hi Todd E. The tuning knob on my D-109 no longer works. I can tune the radio with the manual entry numbers but no luck with the tuning knob. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? I enjoy your reviews greatly and thanks for your assistance.
UPDATE: the keyboard froze on mine after about two weeks of use. I had to stick something inside the little “RESET” pinhole on the bottom of the radio to get it working again. I wonder if this is a fluke or something to regularly worry about.
Medium Wave is part of the AM band. Long Wave, and Short Wave also reside on the AM band as well. Medium Wave is usually referred to as the Standard AM Broadcast Band, 520-1710kHz in the States.
Got this radio just few days ago good reception on all bands im still testing this radio but in bluetooth mode I am getting very small amount of interference when im muting the volume of source and maxing out the d-109s volume is this common or i got a bad batch.
Hi how are you Mr. todderbert.. Great review, nice little radio.. Can you suggest a higher end radio for me, one that has everything possible, I don't mind paying extra. The XHDATA-D808 looks nice.. Which radio would have, small or big? Thank you!
A little larger like the Eton Elite Executive if at home, the CC Skywave SSB on the Go. If you don't need SSB, then the D-109, and R-108 are decent radios.
Waiting for the D-110, that with the built-in MP3 recorder. Ok, just kidding but why th eheck are they inlcuding a MP3 player if what we need is a MP3 recorder to grab HF transmissions. Is it too difficult ? I don´t think so
An MP3 player for recording signals would be the only reason to include MP3 functionality in a radio like this, otherwise it's useless, the same with Bluetooth (now if it could transmit to a Bluetooth receiver it would be a completely different story) but it can only be used as a Bluetooth speaker. I never seen the appeal of MP3 playback and receive only Bluetooth on a shortwave receiver.
I have the similar SRF-S86. Incredible little radio that easily fits inside a pocket. Very good reception on both AM and FM. Headphone out is excellent in sound quality and power. AAA battery lasts forever. I wish the tuning wheel was not so "quick". The S86 has FM mono & bass boost switches but no FM dx/local switch. The bass boost switch is terrible. Some of these portables have dx/local switches although UKRADIO did not like them. As this is a radio on a chip (CXA1129N?), I think these features can be easily activated DIY. Another mod is to upsize a few caps to improve sound quality and bass. Xin Feng documented replacement of a few caps (based on the board markings, he thought Sony downsized the caps at the last minute for cost savings). It uses the headphone wire for FM antenna. One could use longer earphone cables, stuff a thin gauge wire at the headphone ground to try to improve FM reception; I didn't see too much difference. More complicated DIY antenna mods could be engineered.
Hi my D-109 arrived today and it makes a beep sound at every operation, which is annoying to me. But I see yours doesn’t. Did you just turn the sound off? If so, could you tell me how to do it? Thx
The button directly under the power switch labeled ST/B is the one you want. Press and Hold this while the Power is Off to Turn On/Off the BEEP. I dislike beeping radios :)
A question between this and 808, is there much difference? I say because of the price, it is more in line with my budget. Am I missing out on a lot if I buy the d 109?
If you can afford the D-109WB, and don't need SSB, then that is the one to check out. My Review of it here: ruclips.net/video/rDzyApl3MyU/видео.htmlsi=BjJLUBpyRmNes7iz
@@facult469 Single Side Band. HAMs use it so they can broadcast on part of the frequency, it allows greater distances at lower power. You need a way to decode it, certain DSP radios are capable of this, and older radios used a BFO to help tune in the signal.
My D-109 arrived today, I found out the 18650 battery is shorter then normal. I have 18650 batteries that fit my Tecsun pl-880 and flashlights. But they are to long for the D-109. Anyone else have this problem?
This radio uses an unprotected button top. They sell 3000mAh ones for $10 a twin pack shipped. You can always bend out the positive terminal if you are careful, then use any standard flat top your heart desires. I have done that to many of my radios.
A tad confused. Can this radio transmit BT to a bluetooth speaker? IOW, if I have it tuned to AM etc. can I listen to the radio on an externall Bluetooth speaker?
Different Animals. The D-219 is the best hands down for the cost. The D-109 is great for its price range as well. If you are just getting started, and are in an area of 9kHz Medium wave, get the 219. If you like rechargeable, full coverage Shortwave, Digital Display, ect get the D-109.
@@todderbert My computer doesn't have a TF slot. :-( I had a Prunus J-401 I picked up used for $10, but the USB quit working. I guess it's not the end of the world, but I kept trying to download podcasts via USB and not being able to figure it out. I'm guessing it just doesn't do that? Otherwise, it sounds noticeably better than the J-401 (not that the J-401 sounded bad).
@@todderbert Thank you for the tip. I see they make such a thing. I'm not sure they are worth the price though. Maybe I'll open up my Prunus and see if I can repair it first.
Press the ST/B button under the Power Button when the Radio is off. It should beep twice and says Off. If it beeps once, and say On Repeat the procedure. Now the beeping will stop. I'm not a fan either. :)
Great on MW/FM, Shortwave is a challenge since external antennas overload it easily. Though you can pick up quite a bit just using the whip antenna with a short length of wire attached to it.
Hello all, Can I get a radio with FM, RDS , Recorder and a clock ? Is there any model with all these features available ? I tried discussing with many but no one has any idea .
(paid link below) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There are no additional costs to you.
▶ The D-109 Shortwave Radio at Amazon USA: amzn.to/3K6qZpO
I always love it when a radio has a nice amber / orange backlight for the LCD. Sooooo much nicer and eyepleasing that blue or white.
Warm glow of amber light is much more pleasant to look at in a dark room. I program my home computer, beam myself into da future.
gotta agree with that. it just looks so regal
Green is even better.
Just purchased one of these radios after watching your review and I’m impressed with the build quality and the sound quality as well. I have acquired quite a lot of radios in the last couple of years after watching your reviews but I must say this is one of the best especially when listening through headphones which is in stereo which many of my other radios aren’t or they don’t sound as good as this one
I have one on the way. Your review confirms I made the right call.
The 109 is hard to beat, price wise, good reception, good audio, bt and mp3 etc… Love mine, and doesn’t feel cheap at all! Thanks for the usual excellent review!
Great radio. The FM coverage in particular is fantastic, picking up distant stations with good signal strength. Love the bluetooth feature and SD card reader. And it's so small and light, and the rechargeable (replaceable) battery is really great. Good for power cuts. Love the little stand at the back - so you can prop it up at an angle.
Fantastic review. I have watched at least 20 of your other reviews and have subscribed to your channel. THANK YOU ! ⭐
Hej Todderbert I just saw your review and very nice walkthrough of the new XHDATA D-109 i like many things great audio and you can have the display light always on and you can upgrade the battery to higher capacity love it. I think XHDATA have make a very nice radio with this D-109 and also the XHDATA D-219 is very nice yes the XHDATA D-109 is a buy all day long for me take care and have a nice evening.
I just ordered this from Amazon has $10 off plus free prime shipping fantastic price.....On good Friday 2023
Note: The Numeric Keypad Entry is Fixed on all Current Models, including this Radio. It does have an issue with MW breakthrough on the SW EXT. Antenna Jack. The whip antenna is great on SW/FM, so you may rarely find the need to use the EXT. ANT jack.
"It does have an issue with MW breakthrough."
It sure does, even without the antenna jacked in. Which makes it useless for DXing purposes. But it's still good for casual listening on SW.
Wonderfully comprehensive review, as always.
So many of these radios have mp3 players, but so few of them incorporate anything but the most basic player functions. Random track play, accessing different folders on the card, displaying the track name: only a very few radios have these features (V115 and a few Degen models). It's a darn shame.
I wouldn't mind the simple controls of the MP3 Player, if it could also Record :)
@@todderbert I'd take that, too!
Sir How Much Ferrraiet Antana Size of D-109
Great review, as usual. This is a serious contender
I bought this blind as my work gave me a $50 gift card. Haven't received it yet but your video has me ready! Can't wait to show my son!
The sound is amazing
Brought it home.after long wait. And put it to it's paces.. controls are easy. Plugged in chip. Music didn't skip. And the CPU is very nice. Audio better than most. The band with control is good for clearing up noise. Toderbert got it right tks.
Had a call from someone this morning. The voice reads out the number to you, then you can answer. Very clear. Also, with the bluetooth connection, you can jog the podcast forward (I think by 30 seconds) or backward by using the back/forward buttons or the tuning control. Very nice.
best radio channel 👏🏻
Great review, todderbert! I just purchased this one a few minutes ago. Always looking for a nice portable and looks like this one fits the bill nicely. No SSB or RDS isn’t a deal breaker as I have other radios that fit the bill. I do wish it recorded to mSD, but oh well.
A record feature makes complete sense. Everything is there. Also a Microphone is built in already in case you want to record other sources.
There is no receiver with a recording option. Also not in the Tecsun range.
And indeed, no SSB/RDS is a deal breaker.
I own a XHDATA D-808 of the first gen (micro USB) which is better then the 2nd gen (amber screen, rubber feeds, USB-C). The first gen has inside the radio a couple of capacitorpods which can be adjusteded for the filters. The second gen is missing that pods. The changing to/from SSB at the 2nd gen radio is going very slow compared to the 1st gen.
21:50 Was that Alex Jones ? Lmao. Love your videos, bought a Prunus J-166 for me and this XHDATA D-109 for my father as a Christmas gift. Awesome radios, both have that "bass heavy" speakers that I love.
You have THE BEST reviews. TY.I wish these shortwave companies could make a North American version without LW since it's useless here,and replace it with like an airband,but that might jack the price up.Again,great reviews.
Dude, I just received this very radio, and I couldn't find the AM band!! I searched on RUclips and found your video, and I found 670 the score when you pushed the MW button YOU tuned to my station I listen to. You need to point out that the MW button, takes you to the AM band !! I won't have to send it back. Thanks 👍
I just got my R-108 not long ago after viewing your review, and it's excellent. this radio is looking pretty good too. I have too much SSB radios so I really don't have any problem getting a non SSB radio for my collection as I'm DXing MW and SW stations most of the time (and because for SSB I use my trusty new HF Discovery+). Excellent review as always todderbert! I will get this radio for sure. thank you :)
This is a very nice performer on HF. I was reluctant to buy a non SSB radio but at $30.90 I gave it a try and I'm glad I did. My only complaint is the tuning knob - 1khz step is nice but it's very easy to tune too fast. The FF/RW buttonns also are 1khz but if they were 5khz step it would make tuning alot easier. Very impressed for the price. It's also nice to type in a number to jump to different mp3 files.
Hey nice channel. Can I comment as an electronic engineer, this is one of my pet peeves.. no one seems to make a really, really good radio anymore. Certainly not AM band. The best radio I ever had was way back from 80s. Was AM/FM analog tuning, but decent quality knobs and very solid, thorough electronic design. Back in the days when FM decoding required a lot of circuitry. It was ultra sensitive. Honourable mention goes to one of my Sony walkmans. Again, someone gave the engineer some scope. A feature of this unit was gradual FM stereo cut in on weak/variable FM signals. I've never seen that feature since. Since then too many manufacturers seem to think if you want AM then you want a piece of designed-to-the-cent cheap junk and if you want FM you must live in a big city with a strong signal. Plus all the antennas are cheap, tacky and fragile. In recent times there have been DSP chips which in theory should be amazing, but in reality are almost always poorly implemented. Either with a tiny/cheap/insensitive AM antenna or poor design introducing a digital noise floor (or both). Has anyone ever gotten this formula right? A best in class sensitive receiver making the best use of DSP (and lets bring back gradual stereo cut in).
Before I go. For a long time my constant companion was the Sony SRF M807. A brilliant bit of electronic design. Quite sensitive (not perfect), very well behaved in AM, synthesised and back in the days when this required a fair bit of circuitry. It's a shame this thing never got updated for DSP. And it seems discontinued. I don't believe it has a logical successor. And a lot of radios that looked similar just weren't up to the same standard.
i'm a newbie looking for a good radio, maybe analog? which models would you recommend? Budget under $120usd
One word: Sangean
@@radellaf any model recommended?
@@believe88 I’m not sure there’s a bad one, but the pick has to be based on what size, style, and features you like best. D4W and D9W are good starting points, but the pocket and table radios are good too.
Some mobile telephones have a gradual switchover to FM stereo without a switch. I don't like this feature because I can't adjust the antenna for the best reception by listening to the noise floor and record programmes in full stereo. Generic chips cut too much highs because they are made for the American market with more pre-emphasis.
Just purchased this last week, great little radio, picks up stations on MW very well especially at night when dark, I like the tuning knob on this radio has a charm too it when tuning in stations rather than pressing buttons on previous radios I’ve had with a digital tuner that make those bleep noises when moving up/down the frequencies.
Thanks!
Just ordered XHDATA 109
Very lovely 👍📻
That todderbert does it again! Always costing me more money. I just ordered one from China. I wonder how long it takes to get here? Thanks for all your reviews.
A few weeks.
looks nice. Almost all good, especially if you don’t have both a D808 and an R108. SSB or record capability would sell it to me at the current $45. And yeah that tuning knob looks like something they pulled from the parts bin while waiting for the real thing. Chrome inset reminds me of 1980s Radio Shack knobs. That fast/slow tuning is bad tho. I think only my 360 does that. The 660 has a similar feature that seems to work much better.
Is XHDATA the new Tecsun? Could be. This radio here absolutely rocks! I am one of probably many here who owns a Retekess V-115 and loves its combination of features, but would be willing to pay a little more for better performance of them. Better AM performance, Bluetooth capability, and a 18650 are just a few of the reasons to stop buying these $20 shortwave radios and spend just a little more for something that is so much better. Purchasing this XHDATA is a no brainer.
In my opinion, XHDATA finally hit on the right combination of price and performance. Having owned Tecsun radios in the past, this is as good or better
I bought both recently. V115 can record line-in and have a mic which is quite good. Can see if a 64GB works in the XHData? 64GB are the minimum around me and it's always on sale.
I bought this radio and compared it with my dear Tecsun PL-398. On FM and MW there was a tie.
The D-109 is a beast on MW.
Hi, which is better, Tecsun pl-330 or XHDATA d'808 or xhdata D-109?
I own 2 of the 3 mentioned, so can’t speak for the D-109… but I feel almost certain that the pl-330 is the best of the bunch.
Xhdata d-109 wener all
Regarding the headphone output, I noticed on my Retekess V115 that the sound is not neutral (less low-end and more mids). I suspect the same EQ they applied for use with the speaker is used on the headphone output which is why it sounds different. It would be great if they could disable the EQ when headphones are plugged in!
I love that they chose to use an amber backlight for this model though, it looks way better than the white-blue color of the R108.
The good news is that the new Sihuadon R-108s have Amber backlights now. One of my videos of the new R-108: ruclips.net/video/LRSlb5M2O6I/видео.html
When adjusting the volume level, there is a position in the mid-volume area where the sound becomes very distorted. This is especially noticeable when listening to news and talk shows. It sounds like a metallic wheeze superimposed on the ethereal sound. This is a manufacturing defect and cannot be repaired.
There is no volume level indication.
It is inconvenient to adjust the frequency and control ranges using an encoder; it changes the frequency in slow steps and you need to rotate the encoder very quickly for it to go to the normal step. I miss a lot of radio stations because of this, especially on AM. This is especially disappointing on medium and long waves, where the step is 9 kHz.
upd. the problem is in resonance many people complain
I did a work around with the side tuning by having incremental presets on the MW band.
the problem is in resonance many people complain
I'm new to Short Wave Radio, radio in general, and I was wondering if this is sensitive enough to pick up any number stations still floating around out there? I get the impression that this is a great radio, right off the bat. I hope it still has an acutal, phyical manual when I order off amazon. How good is the SW on this? I'm glad it's DSP. I amazed it has so many functions! This really looks like a gem.
You want the updated model, the D-109WB. This model has a known issue with medium wave breakthrough on the shortwave band. It is sensitive on shortwave when using the whip antenna, but when adding an external antenna problems begin to arise.
@@todderbert thanks for the info
I have D-109WB coming Saturday cant wait to get it.
Mine should be in my mailbox soon. Ordered before they were on the ‘zon
Dear Todderbert, thank you for the great review! I was wondering if the D-109 has the same channel-problem as the D-368 has in BT-mode? You didn't mention it in your review, but I was wondering if the problem is only with the D-368 or with all XHDATA-models with BT-mode? Thank you for you possible respond and kind regards from The Netherlands - Europe.
Thank you for your video but can't find the AM button. Where is the AM selector? Very confusing.
It is the MW/LW button. Medium wave is the AM broadcast band.
Can you try to find a 64GB and see if it will work? 32GB is rare for legit ones. 64GB is easily accessible on sale.
Cool radio
Does the receiver show the temperature in degrees Celsius?
It does
Hi Todderbert, thanks for the excellent review! Do I need to use the clip on antenna for better SW reception rather than just extending the telescopic antenna with out the clip on?
I have found it works great on the whip alone. If you are not by a strong AM station, then the use of a wire will work nicely. It has an issue of MW breakthrough in my area. Some don't have that issue. The newer 109WB model may be one to check out as well.
@@todderbert Thank you!
купил XHdata D-109 с Вашей помощью. Спасибо. Мне понравился: он длиннее Тексанов (310, 380) зато аккум 18650, динамик, звук отличный, в наушниках стерео, чистый без шипение (в отличии от R-108) вызов станций так же как в D-808, зато нет этих-банок памяти по 10. в общем гууд. а еще также как в Тексан 330 в состоянии "выкл" при длительном нажатии VF загораются все значки дисплея, а если VF держать нажатой секунд пять - версия сборки-прошивки (у моего 1091) 109- аппарат, 1- прошивка.
посмотрите какая у Вас? Вам УДАЧИ
I have same version 1091 and I got mine 4 June 2023
What do you think has better music quality? The D109 or D808? I have the R108 and love the sound quality, but I’m looking for better battery life. I’m also considering the Tecsun PL880 or CCRadio 3.
The CC Radio 3 will have the best fidelity. the PL880 for SW SSB. The D-109 for inexpensive, but excellent audio for FM/BT/MP3. Battery life will be good on the D-109 as well. The D-808 is more of a specialty SSB radio, with a good speaker, but not as strong as the R-108's.
@@todderbert Thank you!!
Is this capable to receive distant FM stations in fringe area?
yes. using a wired dipole in the external antenna jack should help.
FM I think is one of the real strengths of this radio. Very impressive.
Thanks for the review.
Question: does this work without battery and in direct dc? Does it work on the same cable?
If you can find a linear 5V supply it should work fine, any type of current switching 5V supplies produce too much RFI. Tested this with the battery removed.
Thanks for the terrific review! Just bought one from Amazon (one of the first?). Performing similarly to yours, I think. In Madison, WI, a less AM and FM rich environment than Chicago, receiving on the internal antenna 41 FM stations (half your number in Chicago with your 20ft wire external antenna?). AM reception is terrible sitting next to a functioning laptop but improves greatly as I move elsewhere in the house (away from electrical devices). Shortwave reception is disappointing compared to that available in 1985 but I guess that's not the radio. Reception seems to improve on some bands by leaving the charging cord attached but not connected to a charger; same effect as touching the radio with one's hand?. Love the amber display and ability to keep it on indefinitely, especially for night use. Very happy with performance, control options, and user interface except for the tuning knob which I dislike. I was able to pull the tuning knob out a little farther to keep it from rubbing so much on the cabinet, but it's still disappointing. I wonder if XHDATA could redesign this knob to be taller, with greater diameter but a smaller diameter base (to reduce friction against the cabinet) and made from better material (like nylon) for reduced friction. A Teflon low-friction bushing beneath the knob would also help. Like you, at this point, I'm trying to find ways (autoscan memory, etc) to minimize use of the knob. Compared to my old Sangean ATS-803A with its wonderful spinning fast/slow tuning knob, the ergonomics of tuning on this new compact are terrible, lowering my enjoyment of the radio. Though I love its performance, I'm wondering if I'd be happier with the R108. Is R108 tuning more enjoyable?
The R-108 is easier to tune. It has a Fast/Slow Option. The knob is longer, which I told XHDATA they should put on the D-109. I like both radios. If you need compact, the R-108. I'm a fan of the higher capacity 18650 in the D-109, and the fact it has excellent MW/FM Reception, and SW is great on the Whip antenna. The EXT ANT jack needs improvement.
Do you have a favorite sub-$100 SW radio for tuning ergonomics/enjoyment?
@@BillZM-ug5qd The R-108. I own three of them.
Hi enjoy the vids,have you any plans to review lenoxx sport radio,we have a similar radio here in England under the brand name of lloytron.keep safe.
Hey Todderbert - do you know the weight? Do you have a gram scale? (or tenths of ounces) Thanks
Hi Todd E. The tuning knob on my D-109 no longer works. I can tune the radio with the manual entry numbers but no luck with the tuning knob. Do you have any ideas or suggestions? I enjoy your reviews greatly and thanks for your assistance.
Thanks!
@22:00 is that Alex Jones? Damn it! Who broadcasts him on the SW band?
Yes, that is Alex Jones. Apparently he airs on 4840.
Heard they ended shortwave as of sept 8 ?
UPDATE: the keyboard froze on mine after about two weeks of use. I had to stick something inside the little “RESET” pinhole on the bottom of the radio to get it working again. I wonder if this is a fluke or something to regularly worry about.
Probably not a big deal. If you are using it quite a bit expect to perform a reset once in awhile with most of these types of radios.
Yeah I think I figured out that I am not charging the battery fully so that’s what I started doing and problem solved
i faced same issue once, did you face it again, what causes it?
I have to say from my first impression this sounds 10x better then the D-808 which is more $$$ and I notice from that video the speaker is not good
With BT on some of these combo radios, can earbuds be paired or is the BT client only?
most receive only, just recently are we seeing BT send on radios, such as the Prunus J-618
Tha ks, good review. I'm confused. Is medium wave the same as AM?
Medium Wave is part of the AM band. Long Wave, and Short Wave also reside on the AM band as well. Medium Wave is usually referred to as the Standard AM Broadcast Band, 520-1710kHz in the States.
@@todderbert thanks!
I don't understand why they can't add the shuffle function in mp3 mode. switching between folders is also apparently impossible.
Got this radio just few days ago good reception on all bands im still testing this radio but in bluetooth mode I am getting very small amount of interference when im muting the volume of source and maxing out the d-109s volume is this common or i got a bad batch.
Hi how are you Mr. todderbert..
Great review, nice little radio..
Can you suggest a higher end radio for me, one that has everything possible, I don't mind paying extra.
The XHDATA-D808 looks nice..
Which radio would have, small or big?
Thank you!
A little larger like the Eton Elite Executive if at home, the CC Skywave SSB on the Go. If you don't need SSB, then the D-109, and R-108 are decent radios.
@@todderbert Thank you!
Would you take the D-109 over the R-108 for MW ??
*acabei de comprar esse modelo, esperando chega, saudações do* 🇧🇷
Waiting for the D-110, that with the built-in MP3 recorder. Ok, just kidding but why th eheck are they inlcuding a MP3 player if what we need is a MP3 recorder to grab HF transmissions. Is it too difficult ? I don´t think so
An MP3 player for recording signals would be the only reason to include MP3 functionality in a radio like this, otherwise it's useless, the same with Bluetooth (now if it could transmit to a Bluetooth receiver it would be a completely different story) but it can only be used as a Bluetooth speaker. I never seen the appeal of MP3 playback and receive only Bluetooth on a shortwave receiver.
It seems to be a thing among most radio manufacturers now to include mp3 capabilities but I agree about lack of usefulness
Hi todderbert please review Sony Walkman SRF-S84 Portable FM/AM Radio
I have the similar SRF-S86. Incredible little radio that easily fits inside a pocket. Very good reception on both AM and FM. Headphone out is excellent in sound quality and power. AAA battery lasts forever. I wish the tuning wheel was not so "quick".
The S86 has FM mono & bass boost switches but no FM dx/local switch. The bass boost switch is terrible. Some of these portables have dx/local switches although UKRADIO did not like them. As this is a radio on a chip (CXA1129N?), I think these features can be easily activated DIY.
Another mod is to upsize a few caps to improve sound quality and bass. Xin Feng documented replacement of a few caps (based on the board markings, he thought Sony downsized the caps at the last minute for cost savings).
It uses the headphone wire for FM antenna. One could use longer earphone cables, stuff a thin gauge wire at the headphone ground to try to improve FM reception; I didn't see too much difference. More complicated DIY antenna mods could be engineered.
Does it have DSP? Thanks! 👍
yes.
Hi my D-109 arrived today and it makes a beep sound at every operation, which is annoying to me. But I see yours doesn’t. Did you just turn the sound off? If so, could you tell me how to do it? Thx
The button directly under the power switch labeled ST/B is the one you want. Press and Hold this while the Power is Off to Turn On/Off the BEEP. I dislike beeping radios :)
@@todderbert It turns out that I didn't read the instruction carefully enough! Thank you and have a nice day!
Why have you got Doom music on your SD?
How long did delivery take? I ordered one of these a week ago from their website.
I think mine was a few weeks.
A question between this and 808, is there much difference? I say because of the price, it is more in line with my budget.
Am I missing out on a lot if I buy the d 109?
If you can afford the D-109WB, and don't need SSB, then that is the one to check out. My Review of it here: ruclips.net/video/rDzyApl3MyU/видео.htmlsi=BjJLUBpyRmNes7iz
@@todderbert What is the ssb?
@@facult469 Single Side Band. HAMs use it so they can broadcast on part of the frequency, it allows greater distances at lower power. You need a way to decode it, certain DSP radios are capable of this, and older radios used a BFO to help tune in the signal.
Hola Todderbert, cual recomiendas para am dx el Xdata D 109 ó Xdata D 901. Gracias.
The D-109 because of the bandwidth features, presets, and fine tuning. As with other smaller portables the use of a Passive Loop Antenna helps.
I'm looking for a battery for a xhdata d 109 I bought one and it didn't come out great. Does anyone have a link where I can get it, thanks, regards.
xhdata.com.cn/products/xhdata-18650-3000mah-li-on-battery-3-7-v-rechargeable-batteries-flat-top-2-pieces
Sir How Much Ferrraiet Antana Size of D-109.
Two and Five Eights of an Inch, or 66mm.
Robel Plain
My D-109 arrived today, I found out the 18650 battery is shorter then normal. I have 18650 batteries that fit my Tecsun pl-880 and flashlights. But they are to long for the D-109. Anyone else have this problem?
This radio uses an unprotected button top. They sell 3000mAh ones for $10 a twin pack shipped. You can always bend out the positive terminal if you are careful, then use any standard flat top your heart desires. I have done that to many of my radios.
Ok thanks, Is there a way to turn off the beep on the radio?
@@dougsvideos4441 The ST/B Button under the Power Button. Press and hold with the radio off to change the setting to Off.
Can you use a samsung 18650 battery 3500 with the smaller radio? too?
If you meant the smaller R-108 radio, then no, it uses the BL-5C.
Are there any longwave radio stations in the US?
Some Airport Beacons, not sure of anything else.
@@todderbert Why are long waves not popular in the US?
@@radio1000hills Not sure. I believe they were in the past.
I'am very curious.
Whether this product's DSP receiving chip is a Silicon Labs chip.
What is special about silicon lab chip?
Anastasia Meadow
Sir i want ask you two questions, MW reception is better than xhdata D 808 ? Also we can use tecsun am loop for this radio?
Similar reception, the D-109 may be better, yet to test that. The Tecsun AM Passive loop will enhance this radio.
Reichel Dam
Grimes Valley
Phoebe Centers
Found this on Amazon for 45 dollars. Is it still worth getting for that price?
Yes.
A tad confused. Can this radio transmit BT to a bluetooth speaker? IOW, if I have it tuned to AM etc. can I listen to the radio on an externall Bluetooth speaker?
It only has BT Receive. You could use a patch cable if your BT speaker has an Aux In. Otherwise this radio sounds good with its onboard speaker.
*comprei, otmo rádio* 🇧🇷
I have one more question, is it suitable for Am dixing ?
Yes, it is a champ.
Doesn't have AM?
Yes, its labeled MW. Which is the correct term for the AM broadcast band.
@todderbert thanks for your help, one final question. This one can record radio and voice memo ?
@@MeixnerQuest No recording, microphone used for BT calls, and the micro SD card is for MP3 Playback.
Is it better than D219?
Different Animals. The D-219 is the best hands down for the cost. The D-109 is great for its price range as well. If you are just getting started, and are in an area of 9kHz Medium wave, get the 219. If you like rechargeable, full coverage Shortwave, Digital Display, ect get the D-109.
@@todderbert thank you
No usb
How do you transfer files to/from the tf card?
I use a simple USB Mirco SD reader on my computer. It is fast that way. The reader came with one of my TF cards.
@@todderbert My computer doesn't have a TF slot. :-( I had a Prunus J-401 I picked up used for $10, but the USB quit working. I guess it's not the end of the world, but I kept trying to download podcasts via USB and not being able to figure it out. I'm guessing it just doesn't do that?
Otherwise, it sounds noticeably better than the J-401 (not that the J-401 sounded bad).
@@bessermt you can buy one of those USB Readers for Micro SD cards from Amazon.
@@todderbert Thank you for the tip. I see they make such a thing. I'm not sure they are worth the price though. Maybe I'll open up my Prunus and see if I can repair it first.
Does anybody know how to turn off annoying beep sound on xhdata d 109?
Press the ST/B button under the Power Button when the Radio is off. It should beep twice and says Off. If it beeps once, and say On Repeat the procedure. Now the beeping will stop. I'm not a fan either. :)
does this radio scan past 26 Mhz on SW or is it manual tune only from 26-30 Mhz?
you have to manually tune.
@@todderbert same problem with the XH Data 808, thanks for the reply.
The scan feature on this radio only works within the meter bands on shortwave
How is this with DXing?
Great on MW/FM, Shortwave is a challenge since external antennas overload it easily. Though you can pick up quite a bit just using the whip antenna with a short length of wire attached to it.
Hello all,
Can I get a radio with FM, RDS , Recorder and a clock ?
Is there any model with all these features available ? I tried discussing with many but no one has any idea .
very nice little radio, too bad it doesn't have airband 😮💨
Esta Springs
За обзор спасибо. Желание купить пропало. 73!
Why is nothing on LW?
In the USA they never used LW for broadcast radio, they only used it for beacons for airports and time signals.
No SSB no buy for me.
Upgrade to the D-808, or the others out there. I'll let everyone know if I find a new Sub $50 Shortwave SSB for sale.
Weather band
How is this with DXing?