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question about tecsun PL310

RBW

RBW

I got a Tecsun PL310 a couple weeks ago and although I'm pleased with the radio as a whole, I've noticed something strange which I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced.

When entering a station on the keypad; when pressing the "stereo" button (while tuned to an FM station); when pressing the display button with the radio on.... the volume SURGES with each press of the button I'm using at the time. So in other words, it'll get louder with each press, but return to the original volume level when the button is let go.

Then, while listening to an AM station, with a low signal, the audio will peak and lower alternately. It's NOT a fade, as is common with skywave reception. It'll do it as if the volume control is being turned up & down quickly... with sharp movements. Again, this is only noticeable on weaker signals, and NOT consistantly either. Could this be a trait of the DSP chip?

I'm just wondering if I got a bum unit and need to exchange it! (which would be a pain)

Any thoughts ???
 
1st of 5 said:
Made in China should explain it all.
Click to expand...

No, that is not the reason! I am still learning about the capabilities of mine, but the volume "pumping" affect appears to be a characteristic of the DSP chip (designed in the USA; I'm not sure where it's made).

On mine, it will pump on weak signals too. There's a threshold effect that kicks in and out. My feeling is that for me, the radio is much better for FM listening than AM; I also don't like the way the tuning works on AM (I don't need/want 1 kHz steps). But the little set does have some pretty neat features. I am sure that I am going to find the signal meter feature very useful for testing and adjusting my Part 15 AM transmitter.

I would like to hear from others who have it. Please share your suggestions and ideas.
 
audioguy said:
1st of 5 said:
Made in China should explain it all.
Click to expand...

No, that is not the reason! I am still learning about the capabilities of mine, but the volume "pumping" affect appears to be a characteristic of the DSP chip (designed in the USA; I'm not sure where it's made).

On mine, it will pump on weak signals too. There's a threshold effect that kicks in and out. My feeling is that for me, the radio is much better for FM listening than AM; I also don't like the way the tuning works on AM (I don't need/want 1 kHz steps). But the little set does have some pretty neat features. I am sure that I am going to find the signal meter feature very useful for testing and adjusting my Part 15 AM transmitter.

I would like to hear from others who have it. Please share your suggestions and ideas.
Click to expand...

Absolutely right! It has to do with the 'soft muting' that was designed into the DSP chip. That's a controversial feature that's not generally enjoyed by dxers who have to work around it. Press an inert button and the volume will pump because the soft muting is briefly defeated. The PL-380 reportedly does not have this feature, but I understand it also has a smaller ferrite bar antenna than the PL-310, so I question its performance.

Another feature the DSP chip has for AM is a changeable bandwidth that allows you to select 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 kHz bandwidth - 1 kHz is great for listening to a signal with splatter from a stronger adjacent signal while the 4 and 6 kHz are good for listening to a clear AM signal. The radio's ability to dx on AM is almost as good as it is on FM (it's my best FM receiver, far better than the car stereo) - if you have the patience to check it out.

Audioguy did you figure out how to default it to 10 kHz steps? If you tune a little more quickly, it automatically tunes at the higher rate, slow it down and it goes back to 1 kHz.
 
BRNout said:
Absolutely right! It has to do with the 'soft muting' that was designed into the DSP chip. That's a controversial feature that's not generally enjoyed by dxers who have to work around it. Press an inert button and the volume will pump because the soft muting is briefly defeated. The PL-380 reportedly does not have this feature, but I understand it also has a smaller ferrite bar antenna than the PL-310, so I question its performance.

Another feature the DSP chip has for AM is a changeable bandwidth that allows you to select 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 kHz bandwidth - 1 kHz is great for listening to a signal with splatter from a stronger adjacent signal while the 4 and 6 kHz are good for listening to a clear AM signal. The radio's ability to dx on AM is almost as good as it is on FM (it's my best FM receiver, far better than the car stereo) - if you have the patience to check it out.

Audioguy did you figure out how to default it to 10 kHz steps? If you tune a little more quickly, it automatically tunes at the higher rate, slow it down and it goes back to 1 kHz.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yes, I did finally have time to read the manual, and then it was easy to switch to 10 kHz steps. However, I don't like the way it tunes in 1 kHz steps when you tune slowly (I know it speeds up when you tune faster). If you're scanning across the dial, it feels like it goes way too slow. Then it speeds up and goes far past where you wanted to be. I would be happier if it normally tuned in 10 kHz steps and you could push a button to make it slow down to 1 kHz steps.

I am impressed with the FM performance, and that was really the reason I got it. I have a summer home in SW Michigan, where I like to listen to a distant classical station (WAUS). When I am out for a walk, a Sony Walkman doesn't quite cut it. I can't wait to see how this radio will do. Of course it's a little bigger and heavier, but it might be worth it.
 
Thanks for the thoughts so far.

Yes I too like the changeable bandwidth. Very helpful! My reasons for getting this radio had alot to do with that ability. AM is big for me. FM is secondary. I wish for FM that it had a tone switch. I'm not sure what the "soft muting" does, but I;m accepting that answer as an answer to the question! --- even if it can be annoying in some situations.

Switching steps from 1 to 10 is one thing I love about the CCRadio SW I have. One thing about that in relation to the PL310, is that if the tuned channel is moved 1 khz either up or down, the volume level on said station, (even if it's a tad clearer), drops waaaayyy down. That's another annoyance, but fortunately not critical in most situations.

One more volume comment. I wish they hadn't felt the need to design the volume using the "step" method. I vastly perfer the smoother old fashioned-way, like my Kaito utilizes. If only I could combine the BEST features of BOTH radios into one!!! :-\ :(
 
1st of 5 said:
Made in China should explain it all.
Click to expand...

Many electronic things are Chinese made these days, including the Sony XDR-F1HD, a $2000 Marantz home theatre receiver (forgot what that model is, I think it's SR8002), the CCRadio SW, Sangean PR-D5, and cheaper stuff.
 
I love my Tecsun overall. Wish it had a 30" whip...that would make the FM reception even better. Wish the shortwave went to the CB band...with as easy as it is to carry in the car, it would be nice to be able to listen to truckers during traffic backups, the AM is good, but it's not as good as a Super Radio I or II, but that's not a surprise as it's antenna is physically smaller. Wish it has an external antenna jack for AM (it does for FM). FM selectivity is truly amazing, FM sensitivity is far above average. I can hear a 19 watt translator (that's not on a mountain) at 28 miles on low ground. At the same 28 miles, I hear a class A FM station well with the antenna fully collapsed. Like all electronic devices, it could be better, but the PL-310 delivers ginormous 'bang for the buck' in my opinion.
 
My Tecsun PL310 just arrived today, and yeah, it does takes a little practice to tune fast or slow. The Grundig G8 have the same tuning control. Right now I am breaking into this radio that should be more easily available in the US. The whopping 5 AM bandwiths appears to be a big plus! The little Grundig may end up collecting dust. Plan to take it with me anywhere where I go. I also have the Sangean PR-D5, great AM DX radio and it won't collect dust.
 
The PL-310 is a quite a fun radio to have around. It doesn't hear the very weak AM signals like my PR-D5 does but I didn't expect it to do so. I actually use the bandwidth of 1 as a tone control. The S/N ratio and the built-in thermometer are kind of fun as well. Excellent radio. Haven't tried out the LW and shortwave yet. The lightning static crashes weren't very loud while a thunderstorm went through my area last Saturday night.

A picture of inside of the Tecsun from a website (I didn't remember which) showed that the AM ferrite bar is almost as long as the radio and it has 3 coils of equal lengths on it. I guess it has to do with longwave as well as MW.
 
I've found that the FM on the PL-310 is a little bit better than that on the G8, but pretty close. The AM is also a little bit better on the PL-310 than on the G8 - but again it's pretty close. The huge difference is that sensitivity on the SW and LW bands is much better on the PL-310 than it is on the G8. Longwave, in particular, was an afterthought in the G8 while it's rather good on the PL-310.

My wish is that Tecsun would come out with an updated version of their larger PL-600, but with the same sort of DSP chip technology that they have in the smaller PL-310. That would be one awesome radio!
 
Tecsun has a bigger radio called CR-1100, I read that it has the DSP chip like the 310/G8's. I don't have this radio, however. I've seen it at Amazon.
 
ddsparxx said:
Tecsun has a bigger radio called CR-1100, I read that it has the DSP chip like the 310/G8's. I don't have this radio, however. I've seen it at Amazon.
Click to expand...

Yes, I see that now. I probably overlooked it because it's AM/FM only. However, it may still be worth a purchase at some point because I am reading good reviews about it being 'at least' as good as the G8.
 
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