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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Pottsy on January 23, 2018, 03:27:13 PM

Title: Best Radio?
Post by: Pottsy on January 23, 2018, 03:27:13 PM: Any recommendations on a good am/fm/mw/sw radio for use in more remote areas? Happy to spend up to $200
Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: MrCruza on January 23, 2018, 04:57:18 PM: I have one of these Degen multi band jobs. Works well for me.

Degen Radio (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2016-100-original-Degen-DE1103-DSP-Radio-FM-SW-MW-LW-SSB-Digital-World-Receiver-External/32677404122.html?src=google&albslr=202514432&isdl=y&aff_short_key=UneMJZVf&source=%7Bifdyn:dyn%7D%7Bifpla:pla%7D%7Bifdbm:DBM&albch=DID%7D&src=google&albch=shopping&acnt=494-037-6276&isdl=y&albcp=756822904&albag=35305934810&slnk=&trgt=68416666751&plac=&crea=en32677404122&netw=g&device=c&mtctp=&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtJbTBRDkARIsAIA0a5OONOsSzlNq-e0kJr4m_nSZd3BGrAdaXgxfo3pBjKLwTWpd6DBtFOQaAiMEEALw_wcB)
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: moeite on January 23, 2018, 05:09:44 PM: Tecsun PL880 although it's above your price. It's a VERY good receiver and as a Radio Amateur I find it to be both sensitive and selective which is what you want in a receiver.
The Tecsun PL660 is well within your price range and is an excellent receiver.
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: TonyF8 on January 23, 2018, 05:50:17 PM: Sangean make a good range of multi band radios and shouls fit into your budget, they actually produce a very good sound.
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: edz on January 23, 2018, 10:16:06 PM: We use an old PHILLIPS 765 .. Dinosaur seems to work well enough for us..Cant say we go that remote, but usualy no radio reception from the AM/FM ...
Looking at getting a 12V converter power pack to slip into the battery tray so we dont need to carry batteries or use the 150W can inverter And the price was right " FREE " from a mate after his mum passed away .. couldnt say on the specs etc, Picks up Asia an America though at night ...
Just Jerry rig a length of split speaker cable up into a tree for extra aerial height if needed .. Mostly its pretty good ..
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: rossm on January 23, 2018, 10:25:59 PM: Quote from: edz on January 23, 2018, 10:16:06 PM
We use an old PHILLIPS 765 .. Dinosaur seems to work well enough for us..Cant say we go that remote, but usualy no radio reception from the AM/FM ...
Looking at getting a 12V converter power pack to slip into the battery tray so we dont need to carry batteries or use the 150W can inverter And the price was right " FREE " from a mate after his mum passed away .. couldnt say on the specs etc, Picks up Asia an America though at night ...
Just Jerry rig a length of split speaker cable up into a tree for extra aerial height if needed .. Mostly its pretty good ..

Goodness I used to have one of those.

Good AM reception and when I lived Adelaide in the early 80s I could follow WA footy (no afl then) on shortwave. Like you attached a wire to the whip and strung it across the backyard.

Of course the ABC shortwave broadcasts are Now sadly all gone.

Only problem was I usually missed the last 10 minutes of games as the signal faded in the early evening and Radio Moscow drowned it out.

Happy times. Life was much simpler then.
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: edz on January 23, 2018, 10:51:42 PM: This may be of help / interest to MW / SW users http://www.shortwavetimes.com/ (http://www.shortwavetimes.com/) and http://www.gceginc.org.au/shortwave.php (http://www.gceginc.org.au/shortwave.php)
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: galah on January 24, 2018, 03:18:44 PM: I find a jaycar https://www.jaycar.com.au/world-band-am-fm-sw-pll-radio/p/AR1748 (https://www.jaycar.com.au/world-band-am-fm-sw-pll-radio/p/AR1748) works well for me.

Couple it with one of these http://www.amradioantennas.com/am_antennas.htm (http://www.amradioantennas.com/am_antennas.htm) makes it even better. A-LOOP-TAM
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: BaseCamp on January 24, 2018, 06:12:26 PM: This one was sub $200 from what I recall...

Purchased from Dick Smiths about 5 years ago...

Too bad Dickies is defunct ... but maybe via online/Kogan? .... or Tandy/Amazon?

Has many features, can run on 12vt cig; AAs; D cells; 240vts; etc

The unit works very well....(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180124/762335687b5a4088bba5469a44ada941.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180124/76e9ec194f31c56549660e52136bccf1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180124/2914b0f6e3a5d963c3a4cb428aee67c1.jpg)

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: Brodie Tas on January 24, 2018, 08:42:34 PM: I use my makita radio and have always got reception under $200 but pointless if you don't have makita battery's
Title: Re: Best Radio?
Post by: boobook on January 28, 2018, 06:49:21 AM: Forget Short Wave. The ABC cut that last year, including Radio Australia. The only use for Shortwave while travelling now is to listen to HF radio if you get one that has the right bands and SSB. Hardly worth it though.

Tecsun, or Sony make the best AM radios. This Jaycar one is very good but big too.
https://www.jaycar.com.au/world-band-am-fm-sw-pll-radio/p/AR1748 (https://www.jaycar.com.au/world-band-am-fm-sw-pll-radio/p/AR1748)

The best thing for good AM reception by a mile is the Tecsun AN 200 loop antenna.
https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=an200+antenna&_sacat=0 (https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=an200+antenna&_sacat=0)

These things are amazing. I put the radio inside the loop, tune the antenna and it drags a strong clear signal from an extremely hard to understand signal buried in noise. It make a cheap transistor radio work much better than a $400 sony. No crap. I have tried it a thousand times.

No batteries it is like a miracle.

It really does work like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUXlua4W-S4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUXlua4W-S4)

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HWOCjaTW-ug/VDikEN9JquI/AAAAAAAAHVs/buxIHhYgWrc/s640/PICT4179a.JPG)