Initial impressions of the CCrane 2E

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KB2GOM

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Over the decades, I have been captured by the magic of the airwaves multiple times. It all started when a kid. I was given a germanium diode radio. It had now power supply; no plug, no battery. You clipped a ground lead to something metal – in my case, a radiator. There was an antenna of sorts, an earphone, and a gizmo that you moved up and down to find a station. I tuned in the Hawthorne Den from Cleveland Ohio after midnight. This was Big Time, Big Deal adventure for a boy of nine.

In Junior High, my Dad brought home a Zenith Transoceanic Radio. Slide-rule tuning on the shortwaves, foreign tongues crackling through the air, more Big Time, Big Deal adventure. Fast forward through listening to shortwave, CB, 10-meter DX on ham, writing for Passport MT, PopComm, and QST to today, when my main radio activity has been 2-meter ham for the Commuter Assistance Net -- Commuter Assistance Net

In researching on Radio Reference, I stumbled upon a reference to “Ultralight DXing,” decided to check it out, and discovered these guys are mainly into MW DXing. Cool! Even better, there’s lots of stuff to listen to in MW DX (and the pickings on HF seem to be pretty slim these days). But I wasn’t ready to go the ultralight route . . . not yet, anyway. And I didn’t want to put up big wires outside to connect to a communications receiver. Barefooting with a state-of-the-art MW portable seemed like the way to go, and thanks to reviews from many sources, including radiojayallen I now have a C Crane 2E in my hands.

And my considered initial impression after a couple weeks of ownership is: Wow!

But my very first impression when I opened the box was: “This is bigger than I thought it would be.” The faceplate is about the size of a Sony 2010, if I recall correctly, but the 2E is significantly thicker, and it gets thicker toward the bottom. But the advantage of that is a high level of stability when the 2E is sitting on a table. It won’t easily topple over.

The 2E is bulky compared to many portables and heavy: something over 4 pounds, but not so big that you can’t slide it into a backpack or shoulder bag for a trip to some lonely outpost for a DXpedition. The “handle” consists of an indentation on the backside with a rubber gripping surface.

The layout is clean and functional, with a clearly marked knob or button for every job. I like that. After doing the initial auto-alignment procedure, I haven’t needed the manual to operate the 2E.

And the performance? Outstanding from my perspective as newbie MW DXer. About 4am recently before the Commuter Net started, I was tuning down the AM band. Around 570 I could hear a faint station. Turning the 2E to orient the internal antenna, I picked it up loud and clear. Rotating the 2E 90 degrees, I tuned in an entirely different station on 570 with almost the same clarity. Clearly CCrane’s “twin coil antenna” was doing its job.

The thing that has impressed me the most is the quality of the audio on AM. 590 WROW is a local station for me, and listening with headphones I could hear detail in the percussion section of a song that I had never heard before. Impressive.

Finally, I think that the 2E checks all the boxes for an emergency radio for a household. It will, according to CCrane, run 250 hours on four D cells (there is a non-wall-wart power cord, and when it is unplugged, the radio automatically switches to batteries), it has NOAA weather radio with alert function, AM, FM, and two meter ham.

Bear in mind, before you comment, that this is an initial impression and not intended to be an exhaustive review.
 

MDScanFan

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I was listening to my 2E when I clicked on this thread. It is my go to AM/FM radio for general listening and MW DX'ing around the house. Reception on both bands is excellent. It has the best audio quality out of all of my portables.

I don't like dealing with D batteries so instead I use rechargeable AA cells in D sized holders. I get a week or two out of a single charge with a normal level of listening.

I only have a few minor complaints. First, the display reverts to the clock instead of the frequency after a few seconds of inactivity of the controls - I wish there was an option to keep the frequency displayed. Second, the carry "handle" slot does not allow for a secure grip - I always feel like it is going to drop. Lastly, like many of the latest portables, the radio exhibits a soft mute (or something similar to a soft mute) as you tune from one frequency to the next across the AM band. I wish it did not do this but it really doesn't bother me on this radio.
 

KB2GOM

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I was listening to my 2E when I clicked on this thread. It is my go to AM/FM radio for general listening and MW DX'ing around the house. Reception on both bands is excellent. It has the best audio quality out of all of my portables.

I don't like dealing with D batteries so instead I use rechargeable AA cells in D sized holders. I get a week or two out of a single charge with a normal level of listening.

I only have a few minor complaints. First, the display reverts to the clock instead of the frequency after a few seconds of inactivity of the controls - I wish there was an option to keep the frequency displayed. Second, the carry "handle" slot does not allow for a secure grip - I always feel like it is going to drop. Lastly, like many of the latest portables, the radio exhibits a soft mute (or something similar to a soft mute) as you tune from one frequency to the next across the AM band. I wish it did not do this but it really doesn't bother me on this radio.

I'll trade you . . . Here's the exact recipe for getting your 2E to display frequency all the time and only display the clock when you press the button:

From the manual: "To change the display to show Frequency -- turn on the power, and press and hold the Clock/Freq button. Then quickly press the Memory 1 button until you hear a beep. Release. You should now see the frequency displayed unless you push the Clock/Freq button, in which case you will see the clock displayed for approximately 5 seconds."

Now, tell me more about those AA cells in D-sized holders. How do they work? Where did you get them?
 

MDScanFan

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That sounds like a great trade. I bought the radio used and never had a manual or thought to look for one. I appreciate the info!

Search for "D battery adapter AA" Here is the version I use: https://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-BQ-BS1E4SA-eneloop-Adapters-Rechargeable/dp/B00JRF2GHO . I use 2800 mAh AA NiMH cells in them and the last long enough. I only have a charger and cells for AAA and AA so i went this route to avoid having to buy D cells and a charger.

I'll trade you . . . Here's the exact recipe for getting your 2E to display frequency all the time and only display the clock when you press the button:

From the manual: "To change the display to show Frequency -- turn on the power, and press and hold the Clock/Freq button. Then quickly press the Memory 1 button until you hear a beep. Release. You should now see the frequency displayed unless you push the Clock/Freq button, in which case you will see the clock displayed for approximately 5 seconds."

Now, tell me more about those AA cells in D-sized holders. How do they work? Where did you get them?
 

Patch42

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Now, tell me more about those AA cells in D-sized holders. How do they work? Where did you get them?
Check ebay for the AA-to-D adapters. They have them very cheap. There are ones that can use two AAs in parallel to get longer run time. I'd swear I've even seen one that can use three AAs though a quick check on ebay didn't turn up any this time.

Over the decades, I have been captured by the magic of the airwaves multiple times. It all started when a kid. I was given a germanium diode radio.
I remember one time when I must have been about ten. I was in the basement doing a paint-by-numbers painting and listening to the clock radio I'd brought down from the bedroom. Not exactly a DX magnet. The local station went to commercial so I turned the dial until I found something I liked. Some minutes later I realized this was a station out of Boston, 900 miles away. It was just as clear as the locals. I think that's when my fascination with long distance radio reception began.

The ultralight radio fad has always struck me as looking for a mountain you can climb without a lot of technical gear. Then, of course, they immediately started using a lot of technical gear -- replacing the antenna, using giant air core antennas many times the size of the radio, building multiple ferrite rod tubular antennas, etc. Some of those little radios can do some amazing things. Others are basically junk. Buyer beware.

Glad to hear you're happy with the CCR2E.
 

WA8ZTZ

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Lastly, like many of the latest portables, the radio exhibits a soft mute (or something similar to a soft mute) as you tune from one frequency to the next across the AM band. I wish it did not do this but it really doesn't bother me on this radio.

That was also my original impression, thought it was doing the soft mute thing. However, after awhile it occurred to me that as the frequency is changed the radio is probably taking a moment to tune the internal twin coil ferrite antenna or so it seems to me. It is not like the typical dreaded soft muting. Wish that the tuning were smoother like an analog set but can live with it given the superb performance of this radio.
 

Patch42

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Wish that the tuning were smoother like an analog set but can live with it given the superb performance of this radio.
You do get 1kHz tuning when you use the rotary knob. It's not quite analog, but not too far off.
 

Boombox

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DSP radios often take a second or so to 'peak' on whichever frequency you've just tuned to.

RE: Ultralight DXing: I got into it for a while, but got out of it quickly. The point behind it was to make do with less, something I often do anyway. I've MW DXed with clock radios, Walkmen radios,, and the like, usually with an external loop.

RE: D Cells. Don't dump the idea completely. During an extended power outage a set of D's will outlast a set of AA's.
 

Patch42

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During an extended power outage a set of D's will outlast a set of AA's.
With any outage where the difference between D and AA is likely to matter, your attention would be better focused on a generator to run the furnace and refrigerator than something that keeps the radio running 200 hours rather than 40 hours. That Ds last longer than AAs is obviously true, but rechargeable AA s and the chargers to deal with them are ubiquitous; rechargeable Ds and the chargers for them, not so much. Rechargeable AAs will run most radios plenty long enough that they're practical, particularly if you have enough of them to keep spare sets charged and ready to go. Amazon Basics AA rechargeable batteries are less than $2 each. That makes it feasible for most people to keep lots of spares. I've accumulated a couple dozen of them over the years, and since I've switched to the low self-discharge batteries their longevity has improved tremendously. I've not had one die in years. Given they can be charged 1,000 times or more and work almost everywhere alkalines do, it seems a no-brainer to me.

I also did find a listing on ebay for the D cell adapter that would hold three AAs. The only problem with that is a four D-cell radio becomes a twelve AA-cell device. Even at $2 each, that starts to get a bit pricey for a full set and a spare, not to mention needing so much time to recharge all those batteries in a typical charger. It's likely better for most people to use single AA-to-D adapters and just get used to changing the batteries more often.
 

a29zuk

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I am the opposite on the batteries. The Sangean PR-d5 is my go to receiver for broadcast band. It runs on 4 "c" cells and I have 2 sets of rechargables. It's nice not to fuss with AA batteries, I can just pick it up and listen for what seems like forever.

Jim
 

WA8ZTZ

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I am the opposite on the batteries. The Sangean PR-d5 is my go to receiver for broadcast band. It runs on 4 "c" cells and I have 2 sets of rechargables. It's nice not to fuss with AA batteries, I can just pick it up and listen for what seems like forever.

Jim

x2

Use the Satellit 750 most every evening, the D cells were replaced last May and still going strong.
My XYL has pretty much taken over the PR-D15 for her personal boombox and the C cells run and run.
OTOH, the PL-600 is the most portable of the bunch but it eats AAs.
 

WA8ZTZ

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As for the ultralight DXing thing... the 2E is a bit heavy but still plenty portable. It will easily fit in a shoulder bag
or backpack along with some antenna wire, headphones, etc. The main attraction for me is the ability to escape the
neighborhood RFI while at the same time getting some exercise in the great outdoors. Fortunately there are a
number of nice parks within a 5-10 mile radius of my QTH which makes for a nice bicycle ride.
 

Boombox

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A set of D Cells in a GE Superadio will last a month if you don't run it loud. Some other radios will last a long time on AA's, but not necessarily DSP radios, for some reason. I think DSP chipped radios use a bit more power than analog IF chipped ones.

My analog Sony ICF-38 (which uses AAs) ran for almost 30 hours straight during a power outage at moderate volume, and that was when the radio had already been run on that set of AAs probably 15-20 evenings over the previous month. It's better on AAs than most.

Most situations, power won't be out for a month. And D Cells in a smaller radio will be less hassle than AAs. My PR-D14 uses D Cells. A set lasts longer than my PR-D5, which uses C cells. Both radios have the same guts, basically... Same chipsets.

Either way, everyone has their own take on it. The best thing is just to have spare batteries, period -- whichever kind you want to use. They don't take up that much space, and when power's out or whatever it's nice to be able to turn on a radio. :)
 

a29zuk

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x2

Use the Satellit 750 most every evening, the D cells were replaced last May and still going strong.
My XYL has pretty much taken over the PR-D15 for her personal boombox and the C cells run and run.
OTOH, the PL-600 is the most portable of the bunch but it eats AAs.

My XYL uses my PR-D15, too. But then I go to use it and it still has plenty of battery left.

Just to correct my previous post the PR-D15 uses 6 "c" cells....not 4.
 

Patch42

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I am the opposite on the batteries. The Sangean PR-d5 is my go to receiver for broadcast band. It runs on 4 "c" cells and I have 2 sets of rechargables. It's nice not to fuss with AA batteries, I can just pick it up and listen for what seems like forever.
If I somehow gave the impression that using AAs in place of Ds meant changing the batteries frequently, such is not the case. For me it's more like Ds lasting a year or more and having to change AAs every two to three months. Sure, the changes are more frequent than with D cells, but it's not like it's that big a deal. I always have lots of AAs charged up and ready to go. Two minutes to change the batteries, pop the old ones in the charger that's always on the desk, and I'm done. And one set of AA rechargeables will last about 200 times longer than the D cells before going to the landfill. Since I switched to low self-discharge batteries I've yet to have one die. I think I've had some of these for close to ten years.
 

KB2GOM

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Then, of course, they immediately started using a lot of technical gear -- replacing the antenna, using giant air core antennas many times the size of the radio, building multiple ferrite rod tubular antennas, etc.

The first time I saw one of those ferrite rod tubular antennas, thought it was an electric motor . . . then I thought it was some sort of steampunk apparatus. If I ever built one, I would include a faux smokestack and a GMC blower (like you see on a rail dragster) . . . just for "the look." Despite the eye-catching appearance, they apparently work pretty darn well.

Even more mind-blowing is what some of the ultralight guys have accomplished "barefoot."

I'm easing into barefooting with the 2E.
 

WA8ZTZ

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The 2E will be fine barefoot. An external wire or loop may be helpful in some cases but the 2E is mostly fine on its own .
An exception will be FM, WX, and 2 meters... added a RCA phono jack on mine for VHF external antenna... no difference on the strong local
FMs but helps with the weak sigs.
 

Patch42

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I'm not sure those ferrite rod tubular antennas make a lot of sense from an economic perspective anymore. When they first were developed there were still a lot of surplus ferrite rods in eastern Europe from the Soviet days and you could pick them up on ebay pretty cheap. I'm pretty sure that supply has been depleted, which leaves new ones that cost a heck of a lot more. I understand the performance is pretty amazing. I suppose now that the Crane Twin Coil antenna is about the best you can get that's still being made, putting one of those Quaker Oats container antennas together on your own might be worth it.

I know there was somebody in eastern Canada, if memory serves, who was getting a lot of trans-Atlantic loggings on a Sony SRF-T615 barefoot. I have one of those and it really is amazing for a radio that's so small. It's not very selective but it's very sensitive and has a very sharp null on the antenna. In a remote location like a seashore it would really shine.

As WA8ZTZ points out, the 2E will be fine barefoot. I have an external MW antenna I use with it sometimes, though that's mostly because it's more convenient to rotate the head of the external antenna than the body of the 2E even with a lazy-susan. There are a few very fringe situations where the external antenna can pull in signals the 2E can't on its own but we're talking like the last 1%.
 
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