Thanks for all the informative reviews. Trying to figure out what's the best radio to buy in the $300-$400 CDN range? I watch tons of reviews and everyone have completely different opinions. One review says the pl-990x is the best another review says it's junk. And that seems to be true for all the radios in that price ranges from the sangean 909x2 to the tecsun H-501x. I know nothing is perfect by there must be one that stands out from the rest. This has my head spinning.
I keep a different radio in each room of the house and use them all, plus a drawer full of shirt-pocket and smaller sets which I rotate through when I'm outside in the yard. My best ones -- an RF-2200 and an ICF 2010 -- stay on a second desk that's far away from my computer so I can concentrate on listening without distraction.
I also find that audio quality can vary a lot between radios. Sometimes the audio stages are so poor that even external speakers won’t help. I like having different radios for different rooms, some are for a station monitor of my ham xmit, sometimes the experience is different and I just crave a throwback radio vs an SDR. Other times the rich SDR display on a large TV monitor is the experience I want. Changing it up like you say keeps it more fun for sure
Yeah, I find myself settling in on a radio for a while and moving on. My current "main squeeze" is the Qodosen SR-286 which is a very good performer with a very mature operational design -- supposedly by the same fellow who designed the Eton Elite Executive with which it shares many characteristics, only better. I would imagine that this radio would do well for someone visually impaired because the numeric keys have a distinct shape and you can key in any frequency without having to know what band the radio was set on before. Just key 160 and press the AM key for LW, 620+AM for MW and 6200+AM for SW -- and of course 921+FM for 92.1 FM. The AM and FM keys are right the right and left of the "0". That same feature is on the Elite Executive (which I didn't know before). If you know you're on the right band, then the AM/FM keys aren't needed -- just wait 2 seconds for auto-complete with smart zero-fill. If you want WWV, just key "1" and it will tune to 10,000 kHz. On the MW band a "1" tunes 1000 kHz. (The Eton doesn't do that.) Settings would be a peril though if you couldn't read the display.
Diversity is good (in this regard anyway) I agree. There is no substitute for a broad base of experience. As SDR goes I have the usual suspects as well but just stumbled across the MALAHIT DSP2 SDR and in a word, it's impressive. Pair it with a GA-800 Active Loop Antenna and your all set. Talk about stand alone portability! Depending on a persons budget they might be a bit pricey but I have been playing around with both for the last couple of weeks and again, together they are impressive. Give it a go if you haven't already.
In my opinion, an example of a radio performing really well, but the controls feeling awkward is the Sihuadon D-808 and the way it recalls memories. The radio is 9/10 everywhere else. But, unfortunately, that’s a small gripe of mine.
I have différent radio receivers ATS25 max decoder 😅 XHDATA 808👌 MALAHIT DSP2 SDR awesome!!🌟💫 Qodosen SR 286 👍 Next one Chaoyuan LC 90 in September I like these receivers its like a collection 🥸
Is that a Ultralight Sony under the 501 in the clear case. How good is it. They are so expensive now days. I'd love to get my hands on one, I could actually afford it BUT I'm not going to pay crazy money for it. Maybe I can find an ex con?
But that's not what you said in an earlier video .i heard you Said that don't bother with buying (desktop) receivers since SDR blow them out of the water (my paraphrase), and is much cheaper. Then later you added more desktop units to your collection. It's not what you prefer is the problem, but you inconsistency. And here you didn't admit to that, and try to explain around it, by saying that you have a difference preference on a different day. That's not the same as an advice to your viewers on what to buy and use. You clearly told us to stay away from spending money on desktop units since they cost more than SDR and perform less (in your view). How you prefer is one thing, but telling others to do in certain ways, as a subject matter expert，is another.
There is absolutely no difference in what I said .. I did not add desktop receivers I already had them, the only one I got new is the ham transceiver for making contacts. SDR is the way to go, it is useless to buy expensive desktops.
Thanks for all the informative reviews.
Trying to figure out what's the best radio to buy in the $300-$400 CDN range?
I watch tons of reviews and everyone have completely different opinions.
One review says the pl-990x is the best another review says it's junk.
And that seems to be true for all the radios in that price ranges from the sangean 909x2 to the tecsun H-501x.
I know nothing is perfect by there must be one that stands out from the rest.
This has my head spinning.
I keep a different radio in each room of the house and use them all, plus a drawer full of shirt-pocket and smaller sets which I rotate through when I'm outside in the yard. My best ones -- an RF-2200 and an ICF 2010 -- stay on a second desk that's far away from my computer so I can concentrate on listening without distraction.
I see your point about having several radios and switching them around. My favorite radio is the one I am using at the time.
I also find that audio quality can vary a lot between radios. Sometimes the audio stages are so poor that even external speakers won’t help. I like having different radios for different rooms, some are for a station monitor of my ham xmit, sometimes the experience is different and I just crave a throwback radio vs an SDR. Other times the rich SDR display on a large TV monitor is the experience I want. Changing it up like you say keeps it more fun for sure
Can you please do a review on the Qodosen radio 📻 😊
Yeah, I find myself settling in on a radio for a while and moving on. My current "main squeeze" is the Qodosen SR-286 which is a very good performer with a very mature operational design -- supposedly by the same fellow who designed the Eton Elite Executive with which it shares many characteristics, only better.
I would imagine that this radio would do well for someone visually impaired because the numeric keys have a distinct shape and you can key in any frequency without having to know what band the radio was set on before. Just key 160 and press the AM key for LW, 620+AM for MW and 6200+AM for SW -- and of course 921+FM for 92.1 FM. The AM and FM keys are right the right and left of the "0". That same feature is on the Elite Executive (which I didn't know before).
If you know you're on the right band, then the AM/FM keys aren't needed -- just wait 2 seconds for auto-complete with smart zero-fill. If you want WWV, just key "1" and it will tune to 10,000 kHz. On the MW band a "1" tunes 1000 kHz. (The Eton doesn't do that.)
Settings would be a peril though if you couldn't read the display.
It is nice to have a variety of SW receivers, regular portable and
SDR's to compare and work with. 😊
Diversity is good (in this regard anyway) I agree. There is no substitute for a broad base of experience. As SDR goes I have the usual suspects as well but just stumbled across the MALAHIT DSP2 SDR and in a word, it's impressive. Pair it with a GA-800 Active Loop Antenna and your all set. Talk about stand alone portability! Depending on a persons budget they might be a bit pricey but I have been playing around with both for the last couple of weeks and again, together they are impressive. Give it a go if you haven't already.
Would like to see review of my favorite radio, the Malahit DSP 2, V1.40.
What you say is so true.
📻🙂
In my opinion, an example of a radio performing really well, but the controls feeling awkward is the Sihuadon D-808 and the way it recalls memories. The radio is 9/10 everywhere else. But, unfortunately, that’s a small gripe of mine.
Good point
Change is good
all the radios.
I have différent radio receivers
ATS25 max decoder 😅
XHDATA 808👌
MALAHIT DSP2 SDR awesome!!🌟💫
Qodosen SR 286 👍
Next one Chaoyuan LC 90 in September
I like these receivers its like a collection 🥸
Is that a Ultralight Sony under the 501 in the clear case. How good is it. They are so expensive now days. I'd love to get my hands on one, I could actually afford it BUT I'm not going to pay crazy money for it. Maybe I can find an ex con?
Which sdr are you using? You referenced a few and i couldn't get which one.
But that's not what you said in an earlier video .i heard you Said that don't bother with buying (desktop) receivers since SDR blow them out of the water (my paraphrase), and is much cheaper. Then later you added more desktop units to your collection.
It's not what you prefer is the problem, but you inconsistency. And here you didn't admit to that, and try to explain around it, by saying that you have a difference preference on a different day. That's not the same as an advice to your viewers on what to buy and use. You clearly told us to stay away from spending money on desktop units since they cost more than SDR and perform less (in your view). How you prefer is one thing, but telling others to do in certain ways, as a subject matter expert，is another.
There is absolutely no difference in what I said .. I did not add desktop receivers I already had them, the only one I got new is the ham transceiver for making contacts. SDR is the way to go, it is useless to buy expensive desktops.