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Second radio?

F

ftballfan

Want
A second radio to go along with my Grundig S350DL
Interests
Mostly FM DXing; I will dabble with AM and SW on occasion
Options I have looked at
Grundig G3
Sony ICF-SW7600GR
Tecsun PL-380
Tecsun PL-660
Tecsun PL-600
Sangean ATS-909X
Notes
Lots of I-BLOC and nearby strong stations at one QTH, very little of either at the other
Good selectivity is preferred
On a limited budget (<$150)
Other radios not listed above can be considered
 
Tecsun PL-606, PL-390/398, I recommend them...

The Sangean 909X is over $200, but it's a great radio.

The Sony ICF-7600GR has lousy selectivity on FM but it's good on SW and AM.
 
I suggest the Grundig G8.

Not for the AM but if you are mostly into FM DXing, it's very good.

I've found it has excellent sensitivity and selectivity on FM. The only thing is, you need to plug in the earphones if you want to hear the stations in stereo.
 
I have a Tecsun PL-606. It's ABSOLUTELY the BEST DX Machine in the $50 range IMHO. Outstanding selectivity and sensitivity on AM AND FM.
 
The Tecsun 390 is a cut above the 380. It's basically the same radio,but the AM is better and it has twin speakers with nice stereo separation. In addition it has a line in. 606 is a great radio as well,but lacks the direct entry keypad the other Tecsuns have.
 
I have the Tecsun PL-390 and it has amazing FM selectivity/sensitivity and the AM selectable bandwidth is great too. It performs every bit as well as a stock car radio with DSP technology, if not better!
 
Looks like the PL-390 is the winner here. I just ordered it and it's only $60. I paid close to $100 (IIRC) for my S350DL. I'll let you guys know how it performs once I get it.
 
Most of the Tecsun radios are DSP radios running on the same chip. I have the PL-390 and have been impressed with it. The one thing I did to make tuning easier on FM was to set every 0.2Mhz as a preset accessed using the VM button so I can scroll straight through all FM frequencies.
 
I find the Grundig G8 (Tecsun PL-300WT) to be a fantastic little radio, especially for the money. It's got tons of handy features, which are great for FM DXing in particular. The FM section is really, really good. Shortwave isn't bad either, especially with a bit of long wire wrapped around the antenna base. The G8 is certainly my 2nd radio, it's very handy, small size, means I take it everywhere and have given it a good work out over the past year, or so. I highly recommend it.

~BG
 
Tincap said:
I find the Grundig G8 (Tecsun PL-300WT) to be a fantastic little radio, especially for the money. It's got tons of handy features, which are great for FM DXing in particular. The FM section is really, really good. Shortwave isn't bad either, especially with a bit of long wire wrapped around the antenna base. The G8 is certainly my 2nd radio, it's very handy, small size, means I take it everywhere and have given it a good work out over the past year, or so. I highly recommend it.

~BG
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I second on the G8. An amazing FM radio. AM is a bit disappointing with the "soft-muting", but if you want both AM and FM try the Tecsun PL-660. I bought it online for about $120, and it works great for FM and AM. Last week when I was at Hood Canal, I had KKRZ 100.3 Portland (140 mi) and KPQ 102.1 Wenatchee (130 miles) both coming in like a local.

-crainbebo
 
I'm probably going to pick up a new radio to take with me on my travels in the not too distant future. I think you guys have sold me on the Tecsun 660. (Although aren't there some issues with the build quality?)

I currently have a DX-375 and a Grundig E-10....each of which have their own drawbacks. I also have a GE Superadio II., Great radio, but a little bulky for travel. Additionally, I have two Sony SRF37 Walkman radios....one for each suitcase! (depending on the length of my trip, I take either my large or smaller bag). The SRF 37 is a good little radio (with great audio), perfect for travel, but there's only so much you can do with it.

I'd probably rule out the G8, given that AM is my main area of interest, and that seems to be that radio's weak point.
 
I use the G8 99.9% of the time on AM. I also use it mostly with noise cancelling headphones. Truthfully that way, the AM is very decent. Stations do sound much clearer with headphones. It's performance on AM places it 2nd out of all the radios I have. The soft mute really only affects extremely weak stations you can't really hear without an external or loop antenna any way.
 
Mimo: Audio is definitely a selling point for me, but I'm looking for a DX machine and from what I've been reading the G8 is a little bit weaker than some of its competitors in that regard. My SRF37 walkman has quite good audio on AM, so my thought is I've pretty much got that angle covered.

"Back in the day" when I used to get into Ottawa 3-4 times a year, the oldies on CIWW/1310 sounded great on the SRF37, and the radio was able to pull in a very respectable signal in downtown (Byward Market) hotels. CFRA sounded like it was coming from across the street.....which actually it was! ;D
 
Audio is definitely a selling point for me, but I'm looking for a DX machine and from what I've been reading the G8 is a little bit weaker than some of its competitors in that regard.
Click to expand...

I agree.

While my G8 is great for shortwave and FM, my Sony SRF37 Walkman is better for AM and my Sangean PR-D5 is a lot better than that for AM, as it has a 200 mm ferrite antenna.

For it's size though, the SRF37 is an amazing DXing machine for AM as the G8 is for shortwave.

Until I got my PR-D5, my SRF37 is what I used for all AM DXing.

The FM sensitivity and selectivity of my Grundig G8 is even better than my PR-D5.
 
Cyberdad, have you considered the CC Crane EP, the one that looks like a scrunched Superadio III? I've read some good reviews of it, and the twin coil version may be worth the money. The adjustable RF coil function peaks the loopstick if needed. The price looks reasonable, also....
 
Boombox: Thanks for the tip.

As most of the regulars here know, I travel quite a bit. I think what I'm looking for is something that's truly easy to pop into my suitcase or briefcase. I don't think the CC Crane fits into that category (no pun intended). But please correct me if I'm wrong.

My SRF37 is fine when I'm really traveling light....which is about 60% of the time. The Superadio is great, but under most circumstances, it's just a little too big to lug around with me. That brings me to my two "mid size" portables, the DX375 and the E-10. The 375 is on its last legs, although its still outstanding on AM. The E-10 isn't all that great on AM and its fairly average on SW, although it is pretty decent on FM.

So I'm looking for a better radio to travel with on my longer trips, where I typically have more room to pack stuff.
 
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