Request for radio recommendation

[New2Rad]

Hello All,

This is my first post on here.

I'm looking to buy a radio for AM/FM talk shows and other non-music programming, I was hoping to get a recommendation for a radio with a price range of say $20 to $40. It should probably have digital tuning. I'm debating whether it should have shortwave. In the internet age I don't know if there's much shortwave programming left.

The impression I got from browsing Amazon is the radios these days tend to be sophisticated but not made well.

Happy Listening!


New2Rad

 

[corbintechboy]

Hello All,

This is my first post on here.

I'm looking to buy a radio for AM/FM talk shows and other non-music programming, I was hoping to get a recommendation for a radio with a price range of say $20 to $40. It should probably have digital tuning. I'm debating whether it should have shortwave. In the internet age I don't know if there's much shortwave programming left.

The impression I got from browsing Amazon is the radios these days tend to be sophisticated but not made well.

Happy Listening!


New2Rad

Your going to have to up the monetary contribution some.

 

[New2Rad]

Your going to have to up the monetary contribution some.

Lets say up to $60 to include shortwave and digital tuning.

A radio without shortwave (just AM/FM), up to $40.

 

[corbintechboy]

Lets say up to $60 to include shortwave and digital tuning.

A radio without shortwave (just AM/FM), up to $40.

At $60 you might be able to find a decent portable on ebay.

That would be about my bottom though. Check out the Kaito 1103. It is cheap and a wonderful radio.

 

[New2Rad]

At $60 you might be able to find a decent portable on ebay.

That would be about my bottom though. Check out the Kaito 1103. It is cheap and a wonderful radio.

Thanks. I noticed the one in the link below. I read some of those Tecsuns are junk. I don't know if this one is good. In the second link below is a $20 Kaito I could get for now to see how interested in radio I get.

New2Rad


Amazon.com: TECSUN PL-380 DSP FM stereo. MW. SW. LW. World Band PLL Radio Receiver, LCD Display, ETM Function Added: Electronics


http://www.amazon.com/KA321-Pocket-...d_sim_e_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0GEFEAPWHDWM5YSCMEPZ

 

[cjrjr507]

Grundig G2 Reporter at universal radio at closeout price

Here's a radio you might want to check out at universal radio: Grundig G2 Reporter radio receiver. Degen DE1128

Grundig's are generally good radio's.

 

[SCPD]

The PL380 is a nice radio for the money. It's feature rich and works well for what you get. I gave one to a friend's daughter (11 yr old) and she loves it. I own one as well. It's mostly used for power outage and locating RFI situations only but still using the same batteries. (It's been almost exactly a year since I put those batteries in...)

 

[Haley]

I will second Nick's pl-380 recommendation. I have had one for 2 years now, the best under $50 (probably $100) radio you can buy IMO. Tons of features not found in a lot of radios that cost 2-3 times as much. If you do not need SSB in a radio, this is the radio I recommend to anyone. Mike

 

[SCPD]

If you do not need SSB in a radio, this is the radio I recommend to anyone.

Mike makes a very good point. I should have mentioned this radio doesn't include SSB. But it also doesn't include CB frequencies as well.

Since it was a gift to a child I was happy that it didn't include CB -- but they probably should have included it -- or at least offer another model that does.

 

[New2Rad]

I will second Nick's pl-380 recommendation. I have had one for 2 years now, the best under $50 (probably $100) radio you can buy IMO. Tons of features not found in a lot of radios that cost 2-3 times as much. If you do not need SSB in a radio, this is the radio I recommend to anyone. Mike

Mike makes a very good point. I should have mentioned this radio doesn't include SSB. But it also doesn't include CB frequencies as well.

Since it was a gift to a child I was happy that it didn't include CB -- but they probably should have included it -- or at least offer another model that does.

I guess a radio with both SSB (for Ham?) and CB would cost at least another $50.

I don't even know if there is CB chatter in the medium sized city I'm located in. I haven't experienced CB since adolescence.

I guess for Ham I could get one of those walkie-talkie shaped radios with the Chinese name.

Thanks, fellas!

 

[SCPD]

I guess a radio with both SSB (for Ham?) and CB would cost at least another $50.

No, it's actually more like $75 more. Quality SSB portables are $125 minimum. The newer generation are around $150-200. Frankly, if you want SSB you're probably better off just buying a quality HF receiver instead.

HAMs, US Military and USCG all use SSB.

I don't even know if there is CB chatter in the medium sized city I'm located in. I haven't experienced CB since adolescence.

No, CB is everywhere -- all over the world in fact. It's at 27 Mhz AM and will travel across half the USA with only modest power. I hear CB'ers from Texas and the SE USA during the day with proper conditions. With a portable you can pick up CB from across several states especially during the summer months.

Because of this, I didn't want a 11 yr old to hear a ton of vile crap. A few bad words is one thing but (sadly) some CB'ers take it much farther these days.

 

[corbintechboy]

You need to think about what you want out of the radio. It is always a bit better to spend on the features you think you might want rather then buying and wanting more.

Does utility decoding sound fun to you? Does hearing little buzzes and dits and dats and hooking the radio to your computer and having those sounds turned into readable text sound fun? Then you need a radio with SSB. It is amazing what you can decode with a radio. So, you need a radio with SSB and a line out.

If you just want to listen to broadcast stations, any run of the mill radio will do. Do you want a cheap(ish) radio that can expand with you in the form of an outside antenna? Then the Sangean 909x is what you need, great radio and I have one.

It is all in what you want out of what you get.

 

[New2Rad]

You need to think about what you want out of the radio. It is always a bit better to spend on the features you think you might want rather then buying and wanting more.

It is all in what you want out of what you get.

I didn't know some of those radios can do the things you mention. Maybe I should cool my heels and learn more about them rather than spend $42 on one, only to want one with SSB in the near future. I'd like to hear CB. Decisions...

 

[corbintechboy]

I didn't know some of those radios can do the things you mention. Maybe I should cool my heels and learn more about them rather than spend $42 on one, only to want one with SSB in the near future. I'd like to hear CB. Decisions...

There is a host of stuff on HF.

Mike would probably be by sooner or later to possibly post this:

HF - The RadioReference Wiki

Much fun to be had on HF for sure .

 

[Boombox]

If you're just looking into AM and FM, the Sony SRF-59 is usually $18 or less online and at box stores. It's a headset radio, but works very well. Add an external loop later on (like a Terk, or Eton, or a Select-A-Tenna) and you have a DX machine.

The Sony ICF-38 is a good performer on the AM band, and from what I've read it also does o.k. on FM (I don't listen much to FM). It's about $25. It's pretty sensitive by itself, but works well with an external loop on AM too.

If you're looking into Shortwave, as was mentioned, the Grundig G2 is good on SW and FM. With the AM band you need to be in a high signal area or use an external loop for long distance listening (radio's good, it's just that there is a short loopstick inside).. Using an external loop to boost the signals, it DXs really well. Very sensitive off the whip on shortwave. Seems to perform really well on FM. It has excellent selectivity and good sound through headphones. I recently bought one and reviewed it on another thread here. I don't know if it's still on sale, but I got mine for $30 and it's worth every penny.

The Radio Shack 20-629 World Receiver (a rebadged, updated Sangean ATS-505) has AM, FM, SW, and LW, and is very good on shortwave, FM, and also is capable of DXing AM. It has SSB, but SSB is not it's strong suit. It is much better as a broadcast listening radio. Also pretty hot off the whip compared to other Sangean digital portables.

The build quality on Sangean products and Sony products is quite good. The Grundig I have has no issues.

Whatever way you go, I hope you find a radio that suits your needs and wants, and you have fun listening.

 

[New2Rad]

@Boombox: Thanks for your generous response.

 

[New2Rad]

Picked up this for now.

 

[Boombox]

I have one of those Radio Shack pocket radios. Decent little radio for long distance AM band listening. Has a DSP (digital signal processing) chip in it, which is fairly high tech for a simple, small radio like that.

It's a bit tricky to tune at times, so if you're trying to hear long distance AM stations, just tune slowly and you'll hear quite a few stations. At times with mine if there is a very weak station right next to a very strong station, the radio will want to tune to the stronger of the two.

Sounds better through headphones than it does through its speaker.

 

[New2Rad]

@boombox: Thanks

 

[New2Rad]

From OP: The idea of listening to CB got me intrigued, so I figure I'll wait until I can afford more than $40 or so for a nice radio. I should learn more about them as well.