Portable radio question

[gar hi]

After going through all the reviews and comparison reviews I could find, I ordered the XHDATA D-109 and a 5 volt AC USB adapter for only $5.

The AM reception is supposed to be good for it's size too and I like the manual tuning knob which my Sangean PR-D18 doesn't have.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Is the C Crane Skywave much more expensive for it's size because of it's sensitivity or because it also has Air and Weather bands?

It's my understanding it's to cover their R&D costs (which the Chinese knockoff brands took advantage of).

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Jay Allen just published a glowing review of the XHDATA D-109.

XHDATA D-109 Multiband Radio W/Bluetooth & TF Card Reader

April 2023 The new XHDATA D-109 has been quite a surprise with all-around excellent (I should say unbelievable) performance for its low price which is around $31 plus shipping ($12 – $15 to t…

radiojayallen.com

 

[Mark Roberts]

I have no experience with the XHDATA radios.

But if they use the 18650 batteries, I find that to be an emergency radio disadvantage. They are not "universal" and require some considerable "stuff" to charge when traveling. For emergency and travel, I prefer those that use 0-volt, AA or AAA batteries.

I dislike those batteries myself, but it seems that most DXers prefer them to the BL-5Cs which, in my own experience, I have found to be far more stable. the 18650s seemed to spontaneously discharge. The BL-5Cs are quite common but you're not going to find them at Walgreens either. (The Radiwow/Sihuadon R-108 uses a BL-5C.) For emergency use, I also much prefer to have form factors that can readily be obtained, which means the old standbys: AAs or AAAs usually. I don't see 9-volts very often in radios any more. In the 60s, they were characteristic of cheap radios.

I have not had issues, but one friend had 18650 battery "discussions" at airport security locations on two occasions because they "explode at high altitudes". That caused him several delays while he insisted on a supervisor review. After the second one, he got a different radio with triple-A batteries.

Never had that happen, but it doesn't surprise me. The only weird thing with carry-on electronics that happened to me was at Schiphol (Amsterdam) airport, where I was required to take each and every item out of the carry-on bag so that they could see it. After that, I got transparent bags to put devices in, which has the nice side effect of helping organize things a little more.

 

[gar hi]

Well, this is an unexpected turn of events.

I was online looking for more info about the XHDATA D-109 and I find out that there was a defect with the Shortwave tuning and that this model of radio was introduced only this year.

And since I don't know if any of these were in stock at Amazon, I cancelled the order in time. Then I come to find there were no reviews at all for it from Amazon.

What also got me looking online after ordering is what Mark Roberts said above about the rapid discharge of the 18650 Lithium batteries.

Then I come to find they only last 10 hours on a charge compared to 60 hours for the two AA batteries in the C Crane Skywave, which means the 18560 battery would probably go bad and have to be replaced after so many charges anyway.

I also should have taken DavidEduardo's advice more seriously in the first place.

So I ordered the C Crane Skywave not only because the company is more well known but it's a solid little radio which also has good AM sensitivity for it's size, not to mention not having to worry about the batteries.

When looking for a new radio, I just didn't like how the standard batteries were being replaced in many models by the rechargeable Lithium battery and had the gut feeling in the back of my mind that I shouldn't have gotten a radio like that.