Is collecting cheap so-called garbage radios part of the hobby for you?

[Omega-TI]

Do you ever find yourself looking for and buying cheap radios? You know ones that probably have poor performance, but are so cheap you want to buy one anyway just to see for yourself how good or poorly it performs? I've found it can be kind of fun, and very rarely you come across one that is surprisingly decent.

Let's hear your stories!

 

[pb_lonny]

Yes, I had a period where I was doing this. I got a few gems but mostly they were junk...

 

[Slippery999]

Yes, I just got a few of those and did some videos on them. Two are below. I was actually surprised by the performance of them. Of course they had some issues but they did pretty well too. Both were under $10. I have a low end Retekess coming soon so I'll see how that goes.🤙🏻

Rysamton YK-M03 Shortwave Radio Series

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XHData D219 Shortwave Radio Series

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[prcguy]

Does a drawer where you toss them qualify as a collection?

 

[Omega-TI]

Yes, I had a period where I was doing this. I got a few gems but mostly they were junk...

I'd love to hear about the gems!

 

[Omega-TI]

Does a drawer where you toss them qualify as a collection?

Absolutely! Junk drawer, glove box, desk drawer, closet, display case, bathroom shower, go bag, whatever!

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

If I had any free time I would get a UHF TEM chamber and set up an RF environment to test the relative SINAD sensitivety, IMD and spurious response receiver performance of cheap portables versus public safety grade.

 

[ditto1958]

Not for me. I do have an older Radio Shack pocket AM/FM that was my dad‘s. It works pretty well, so I keep it around.

 

[T680]

Yes, I just got a few of those and did some videos on them. Two are below. I was actually surprised by the performance of them. Of course they had some issues but they did pretty well too. Both were under $10. I have a low end Retekess coming soon so I'll see how that goes.🤙🏻

Rysamton YK-M03 Shortwave Radio Series

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XHData D219 Shortwave Radio Series

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Wow! I bought a Radio Solar a few years ago and loved it. I was putting together a Faraday box for just in case and knew I didn't want to put that in there (even though it would be what I wanted if I ever needed it) so I bought the same Rysamton you did and didn't mind leaving it in the Faraday box. It was really underwhelming compared to the Radio Solar and made me skeptical of the D-219. But I was really impressed with it, enough so I bought their D-109WB. Some say that's junk too, others like it. Either way, I know I never would have bought another radio if the D-219 had been as disappointing as the first one.

 

[T680]

Yes, I just got a few of those and did some videos on them. Two are below. I was actually surprised by the performance of them. Of course they had some issues but they did pretty well too. Both were under $10. I have a low end Retekess coming soon so I'll see how that goes.🤙🏻

Rysamton YK-M03 Shortwave Radio Series

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

youtube.com

XHData D219 Shortwave Radio Series

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

youtube.com

I went back and watched your videos (and realized I'd seen some of the others you've posted too) and realized you had a much different experience with the Rysamton than I did. Mine didn't pick up anywhere near as many stations as my Xhdata radios do and it didn't receive the ones it was able to pick up as well as my Xhdata radios do.

Maybe I got a bad one or the reception is different in our respective areas but my experience was much different than yours

 

[Slippery999]

I went back and watched your videos (and realized I'd seen some of the others you've posted too) and realized you had a much different experience with the Rysamton than I did. Mine didn't pick up anywhere near as many stations as my Xhdata radios do and it didn't receive the ones it was able to pick up as well as my Xhdata radios do.

Maybe I got a bad one or the reception is different in our respective areas but my experience was much different than yours

Yes, the conditions could vary widely. I live in Hawaii on the small island of Molokai so I get pretty good Shortwave traffic.🤙🏻

 

[Omega-TI]

One of the stand-out cheapies that I bought was the Retekess V115. The shortwave reception was not stellar, it was the sound that thing put out along with it's MP3 capability and ability to record off the air with a micro SD card. For FM it was quite good, with a loop like an AN-100 it's decent for ultralight BCB-DXing. It even comes with a rechargeable battery. For the price point, the direct entry of frequency is nice too.

 

[Slippery999]

One of the stand-out cheapies that I bought was the Retekess V115. The shortwave reception was not stellar, it was the sound that thing put out along with it's MP3 capability and ability to record off the air with a micro SD card. For FM it was quite good, with a loop like an AN-100 it's decent for ultralight BCB-DXing. It even comes with a rechargeable battery. For the price point, the direct entry of frequency is nice too.

View attachment 177039

I have one of those coming on Monday. I'll be doing some videos on it. $15 total so we'll see how it goes.

 

[ratboy]

I have a bunch of cheap portables that range from total junk to not that bad receive quality wise, but all of them almost require me to use a magnifying glass or one of those magnifying glasses you use on models and stuff to read the tiny displays. And most of them use a really confusing menu setup that is the exact opposite of "intuitive". This one isn't all that bad of a receiver for the price, but I hate to use it as I just can't seem to get good at it, at least so far:

https://www.amazon.com/HanRongDa-Portable-Shortwave-Traveling-HRD-747/dp/B09HTV29HV/ref=asc_df_B09HTV29HV?mcid=0b1e49e5c8d132289177f2a658e5a966&hvocijid=926619612840443962-B09HTV29HV-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=926619612840443962&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015124&hvtargid=pla-2281435177898&psc=1

 

[Omega-TI]

Maybe we should re-define cheap?

 

[Omega-TI]

In case anyone is interested, the Retekess is going for real cheap this morning... order soon, once the tariffs kick in who knows...

AliExpress Link

 

[rf_patriot200]

Cheap or Not, some of these pocket multiband radios work really well for what they are ! Some might even be good enough for Go Bags, or back up's.

 

[krokus]

I have a bunch of cheap portables that range from total junk to not that bad receive quality wise, but all of them almost require me to use a magnifying glass or one of those magnifying glasses you use on models and stuff to read the tiny displays. And most of them use a really confusing menu setup that is the exact opposite of "intuitive". This one isn't all that bad of a receiver for the price, but I hate to use it as I just can't seem to get good at it, at least so far:

https://www.amazon.com/HanRongDa-Portable-Shortwave-Traveling-HRD-747/dp/B09HTV29HV/ref=asc_df_B09HTV29HV?mcid=0b1e49e5c8d132289177f2a658e5a966&hvocijid=926619612840443962-B09HTV29HV-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=926619612840443962&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015124&hvtargid=pla-2281435177898&psc=1

Interesting that the same radio, with Radiodity's Raddy brand on it, is the same price.

 

[rf_patriot200]

Interesting that the same radio, with Radiodity's Raddy brand on it, is the same price.

Their website seems to be offline too, strangely.

 

[T680]

Their website seems to be offline too, strangely.

I had problems finding the Xhdata site for a while too.