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What Radio Should I Get?

F

fordranger797

So it looks like I might be doing some traveling across the Atlantic in the future, and from my previous travel experiences, it’s exceedingly rare that you find a decent radio in any hotel room. I’d like to know if any of the dx pros out there have any recommendations for a small (but good) radio I could purchase and pack in my luggage.

The Grundig radio I have at home is far too large to be carrying around, so something that would fit in my luggage is a must.

What models would meet my needs?
 
if you want a portable without wanting to bring an external antenna that has good audio and decent selectivity, id go with the ccrane... tecsuns 660 880 etc are good on shortwave an FM but not AM. ccrane is also based in the us
 
AM is OK but you have to be outside and there's a LOT of whines, hums, and internal noise on the TEF. The FM is better than any other portable I've used (maybe outside the Grundig G5 for weak signals), and can easily pick up a DX signal on 94.7 right next to 94.5, given that the 94.5 doesn't have HD.
 
It depends on what you want.

A couple of clarifying questions:
* Do you want to use the radio as an alarm clock as well?
* Do you want to listen through the speaker, or through headphones, or both?

Also note that many models now use lithium-ion batteries. You'll have to put a radio using lithium-ion batteries in carry-on luggage.

One more thing to note: AM radio is dead in much of Europe. No AM stations at all in France or Germany; in the Netherlands, there's low-power AM (10 or 100 watts) run generally by hobbyists. Spain still has some stations on the medium-wave band. So I would prioritize FM reception.

I can't tell you much about DAB; it appears widely available but I've never had a DAB radio. I may buy one the next time I go. I've done some searching on Amazon France which, unfortunately, just like Amazon U.S., is cluttered with "brands" that have obscure names. I might just go to an independent shop, depending on the country I would be in.

What I have found to be very good performers:
* Tecsun PL-320. Uses a BL-5C lithium-ion battery (supplied); charges with a USB-C port. Excellent FM reception and you can set the reception range easily. You can set up to two alarms. Has an easy-to-use memory system plus "Easy Tuning Mode" which is a second, separate memory system that I've found to be great for use when traveling. Better sounding speaker than older Tecsuns. The PL-330 is similar but, in my opinion, the '320 is preferable for FM use.
* Qodosen DX-286. Uses an 18650 lithium-ion battery (not supplied); charges with a USB micro port. Just a hair less sensitive than the PL-320 on FM. Can easily set FM bandwidth and de-emphasis for Europe - 50 µs compared to 75 µs for North America. DXers are raving about this one, but those sentiments have largely been oriented toward AM and I think there's a bit of hype involved, too. Speaker sounds good. Has an RDBS/RDS readout, which is nice to have. One alarm setting. Quirky ergonomics, especially with regard to storing stations in memory. Even though a new model, still uses a USB micro port rather than USB-C.
* Sangean DT-250. This is the "rest of the world" version of the DT-400W. No weather band, which is not needed outside North America, and is set for 50 µs de-emphasis. I got mine from Amazon France. Uses 2 AA batteries and has a small speaker. Has bass boost for headphone use. Very good on FM but the antenna is either the headphone cord or a separate wire that's supplied. Thus, it doesn't perform quite as well on FM as the first two. Nineteen memory choices. No alarms.
* Sangean DT-800. This is not the same version sold in North America; I got mine in France. This can be ordered from Amazon France, coming in either white or black. If you see a yellow one, you'll know that it's a North American version, which you don't want for Europe. The "rest of the world" version also does not have the weather band, similar to the DT-250. Supports RDS and is set for 50 µs de-emphasis. Two FM bandwidths. Very good on FM but the antenna is either the headphone cord or a separate wire that's supplied. Thus, it doesn't perform quite as well on FM as the first two. Twenty memory choices. No alarms. Uses 2 AA batteries, which can be rechargeable ones via a USB micro port.

Here's hoping that this is helpful for you!
 
theres also some low power SW hobby stations in the nordic countries... and the best radios by far for that are the Qodosen 286 or the CC Skywave.. the 286 will be slightly better than the Skywave based on recent comments. it uses the tef6686 chip which is far and away the best "chip" in a radio. the 286 excels on AM too i hear

Tef6686 (the silver radios) is superb on FM and with its RDS.. not so good on AM.
 
boombox4 said:
Sangean has a DAB / FM model. Large portable, though. Not sure if there are any small, pocket sized DAB radios.
Click to expand...
That's good to know; Sangean is a trustworthy manufacturer.

At the risk of being annoying, I'll include a couple of screenshots of what Amazon France has; plenty of pocket sized DAB radios but from no-name Chinese brands.

(numérique = digital; récepteur = receiver; lecteur = reader or player; poche = pocket)
amazon-fr1.pngamazon-fr2.png
 
Last time I looked at DAB prices in France they were above $100. Looks like DAB prices are getting downright reasonable.
 
I should also mention that radiomap.eu is a good source of listings for major European cities.
 
Mark Roberts said:
It depends on what you want.

A couple of clarifying questions:
* Do you want to use the radio as an alarm clock as well?
* Do you want to listen through the speaker, or through headphones, or both?

Also note that many models now use lithium-ion batteries. You'll have to put a radio using lithium-ion batteries in carry-on luggage.

One more thing to note: AM radio is dead in much of Europe. No AM stations at all in France or Germany; in the Netherlands, there's low-power AM (10 or 100 watts) run generally by hobbyists. Spain still has some stations on the medium-wave band. So I would prioritize FM reception.

I can't tell you much about DAB; it appears widely available but I've never had a DAB radio. I may buy one the next time I go. I've done some searching on Amazon France which, unfortunately, just like Amazon U.S., is cluttered with "brands" that have obscure names. I might just go to an independent shop, depending on the country I would be in.

What I have found to be very good performers:
* Tecsun PL-320. Uses a BL-5C lithium-ion battery (supplied); charges with a USB-C port. Excellent FM reception and you can set the reception range easily. You can set up to two alarms. Has an easy-to-use memory system plus "Easy Tuning Mode" which is a second, separate memory system that I've found to be great for use when traveling. Better sounding speaker than older Tecsuns. The PL-330 is similar but, in my opinion, the '320 is preferable for FM use.
* Qodosen DX-286. Uses an 18650 lithium-ion battery (not supplied); charges with a USB micro port. Just a hair less sensitive than the PL-320 on FM. Can easily set FM bandwidth and de-emphasis for Europe - 50 µs compared to 75 µs for North America. DXers are raving about this one, but those sentiments have largely been oriented toward AM and I think there's a bit of hype involved, too. Speaker sounds good. Has an RDBS/RDS readout, which is nice to have. One alarm setting. Quirky ergonomics, especially with regard to storing stations in memory. Even though a new model, still uses a USB micro port rather than USB-C.
* Sangean DT-250. This is the "rest of the world" version of the DT-400W. No weather band, which is not needed outside North America, and is set for 50 µs de-emphasis. I got mine from Amazon France. Uses 2 AA batteries and has a small speaker. Has bass boost for headphone use. Very good on FM but the antenna is either the headphone cord or a separate wire that's supplied. Thus, it doesn't perform quite as well on FM as the first two. Nineteen memory choices. No alarms.
* Sangean DT-800. This is not the same version sold in North America; I got mine in France. This can be ordered from Amazon France, coming in either white or black. If you see a yellow one, you'll know that it's a North American version, which you don't want for Europe. The "rest of the world" version also does not have the weather band, similar to the DT-250. Supports RDS and is set for 50 µs de-emphasis. Two FM bandwidths. Very good on FM but the antenna is either the headphone cord or a separate wire that's supplied. Thus, it doesn't perform quite as well on FM as the first two. Twenty memory choices. No alarms. Uses 2 AA batteries, which can be rechargeable ones via a USB micro port.

Here's hoping that this is helpful for you!
Click to expand...
Hey! This is an amazing reply. Actually, the Tecsun PL-320 seems to be the exact model I was considering for purchase. I appreciate the heads up on how it charges though, since I wasn’t aware it used a lithium battery.

AM/MW is pretty important to me though. I have some other travels planned to Asia, where AM still is a major player. Not to mention, I definitely want to see if I can hear anything from North America too (even if I’m in a location where AM is no longer existent).

While I do have some interest in DAB, I don’t think I want to buy a radio just for that. Maybe someday, but for now I’d like something that is more all purpose.
 
fordranger797 said:
Hey! This is an amazing reply. Actually, the Tecsun PL-320 seems to be the exact model I was considering for purchase. I appreciate the heads up on how it charges though, since I wasn’t aware it used a lithium battery.
Click to expand...

Thanks for saying that. It made my day!
fordranger797 said:
While we're also on the topic, how do we all feel about the Tecsun PL 380 compared to the Tecsun PL 320?
Click to expand...
As it so happened, I did a shootout-style head-to-head comparison a few days ago of units that I have, including the '320 and the '380. I've been looking for a way of quantifying my results in a meaningful way, but I'm not a good data nerd, so I haven't figured it out yet. What I can do is give you impressions. On both AM and FM, I found the '320 to be a more sensitive receiver - somewhat more sensitive on AM, slightly more sensitive on FM.

The speaker quality is better on the '320. The '380's alarm is easier to set, but you just get one alarm, and it's kind of abrupt. The '380 has more audio bandwidth choices - 6, 4, 3, 2, or 1 kHz; 2.5, 3.5, 5, or 9 kHz for the '320. On FM, the '320 has switchable de-emphasis (I forgot to mention this earlier) and can support an external antenna on AM. Tuning with the thumbwheel on the '380 can be irritating because the unit changes the steps based upon how fast you're turning the wheel. The '320 lets you set the tuning steps. I don't know if the '380 has updated its USB port; mine is more than 10 years old and uses the "mini" USB connector. The '380 can run either on 3 AA batteries or on rechargeable metal-hydride batteries (thus you can put it in checked luggage since no lithium-ion batteries are involved). The '380 has a thermometer; the '320 doesn't. The AGC on the '320 can be rather aggressive, leading to some odd audio on moderate or weaker signals for stations that modulate very aggressively (870 KJMP, Pierce-Greeley, CO, I'm thinking of you!) while the '380 is smoother in this regard. All things considered, if I had to choose between the two, I'd go with the '320. It fits better with how I listen, especially when traveling.
 
Mark Roberts said:
Thanks for saying that. It made my day!

As it so happened, I did a shootout-style head-to-head comparison a few days ago of units that I have, including the '320 and the '380. I've been looking for a way of quantifying my results in a meaningful way, but I'm not a good data nerd, so I haven't figured it out yet. What I can do is give you impressions. On both AM and FM, I found the '320 to be a more sensitive receiver - somewhat more sensitive on AM, slightly more sensitive on FM.

The speaker quality is better on the '320. The '380's alarm is easier to set, but you just get one alarm, and it's kind of abrupt. The '380 has more audio bandwidth choices - 6, 4, 3, 2, or 1 kHz; 2.5, 3.5, 5, or 9 kHz for the '320. On FM, the '320 has switchable de-emphasis (I forgot to mention this earlier) and can support an external antenna on AM. Tuning with the thumbwheel on the '380 can be irritating because the unit changes the steps based upon how fast you're turning the wheel. The '320 lets you set the tuning steps. I don't know if the '380 has updated its USB port; mine is more than 10 years old and uses the "mini" USB connector. The '380 can run either on 3 AA batteries or on rechargeable metal-hydride batteries (thus you can put it in checked luggage since no lithium-ion batteries are involved). The '380 has a thermometer; the '320 doesn't. The AGC on the '320 can be rather aggressive, leading to some odd audio on moderate or weaker signals for stations that modulate very aggressively (870 KJMP, Pierce-Greeley, CO, I'm thinking of you!) while the '380 is smoother in this regard. All things considered, if I had to choose between the two, I'd go with the '320. It fits better with how I listen, especially when traveling.
Click to expand...
Again, awesome advice! And much appreciated coming from a pro like yourself!

I definitely think I am going to aim for the Tecsun PL320 given this information. I've noticed that the PL320 may be out of stock on certain websites, so it wouldn't be the end of the world if I got the 380 though.

At home, I usually use my Grundig S450DLX for everyday use. It's a good radio, but it's not amazing either. It seems like the Tecsun PL320 should be a bit more compact, and probably a lot better overall compared to the Grundig. I can't see myself traveling anywhere with a radio as large as the Grundig. It's just too large and not ideal for packing in my luggage. I've also heard that a lot of these Grundig radios tend to have issues over time. This one has been good so far, but perhaps the Tecsun can be a replacement for home use as well.
 
fordranger797 said:
Again, awesome advice! And much appreciated coming from a pro like yourself!

I definitely think I am going to aim for the Tecsun PL320 given this information. I've noticed that the PL320 may be out of stock on certain websites, so it wouldn't be the end of the world if I got the 380 though.

At home, I usually use my Grundig S450DLX for everyday use. It's a good radio, but it's not amazing either. It seems like the Tecsun PL320 should be a bit more compact, and probably a lot better overall compared to the Grundig. I can't see myself traveling anywhere with a radio as large as the Grundig. It's just too large and not ideal for packing in my luggage. I've also heard that a lot of these Grundig radios tend to have issues over time. This one has been good so far, but perhaps the Tecsun can be a replacement for home use as well.
Click to expand...

if you want RDS, the 320 doesnt do it... that 6686 if you buy it from a chinese on aliexporess, is not much more and i think the audio is better
 
SomeRadioGuy said:
if you want RDS, the 320 doesnt do it... that 6686 if you buy it from a chinese on aliexporess, is not much more and i think the audio is better
Click to expand...
I would like to have RDS, but if the AM is problematic on the 6686, I’ll probably have to go with a different option. One thing I’d like to do is catch some AM dx and sample the local AM offerings (for locations that still embrace AM).

I think Sangean may offer something that checks my boxes, but it probably won’t be small.
 
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