New low-cost receivers from China 🇨🇳

[Boombox]

The Sangean ATS-909X2 is a quality engineered product made from a reputable manufacturer and will last for many years unlike Chinese designed and manufactured junkware which is lucky to last 12 months.

I have an XHDATA D808 and it's just plain rubbish in performance. Poor sensitivity, intermod, no front end filtering, distorted SSB and harsh sounding audio. If that sounds like a good introduction to shortwave then go ahead - you get what you pay for.

I've been SWLing for around 50 years and have found the Tecsun radio I've got (a PL-398) and my XHDATA's to be decent performers. The Tecsun will pull in everything my Yaesu FRG-7 does, and more, because of DSP. The Yaesu -- which I bought new in 1980 -- would have cost $1200 in 2025 dollars. The Tecsun cost $50. My Tecsun -- 'junkware', in your opinion, that shouldn't last more than 12 months -- is still working fine over two years after getting it.

Although I'm a fan of Sangeans I've had to repair their faults. The 'prong' system of connecting battery to the main PCB of the ATS803A needed to be hardwired after that poor design failed. My DX-398/ATS909 had to have the negative battery terminal connection resoldered. The Radio Shack 200629/Sangean ATS505 had to have the whip antenna hard wired to the PCB because the poorly designed 'prong' mechanism failed.

As for audio, everyone knows that the ATS909 had crappy audio. Even through headphones it's merely tolerable. So even Sangeans have their audio issues. Their PR-D4W, on the contrary, has some of the richest audio you will get in a MW DX radio.

Either way, all radios have their issues. A lot of SWLs try to steer newbies to SDR's, which have the crappiest audio I've ever heard. Every sound file posted online by an SWL or MW DXer from an SDR sounded like crap.

This is why I advise newbies to try a budget model and take if from there. I am not certain that the SWL hobby is worth a $1200 introductory price. It may have been worth that relative price in 1980, but that was 45 years ago.

As for the 909X2 vs a cheaper radio, the 909X2 might not pull in much more, and if a newbie doesn't care for the programming on SW, $200+ is a bit much to find that out. Even ham radio on HF is marginal in entertainment value.

 

[a727469]

I've been SWLing for around 50 years and have found the Tecsun radio I've got (a PL-398) and my XHDATA's to be decent performers. The Tecsun will pull in everything my Yaesu FRG-7 does, and more, because of DSP. The Yaesu -- which I bought new in 1980 -- would have cost $1200 in 2025 dollars. The Tecsun cost $50. My Tecsun -- 'junkware', in your opinion, that shouldn't last more than 12 months -- is still working fine over two years after getting it.

Although I'm a fan of Sangeans I've had to repair their faults. The 'prong' system of connecting battery to the main PCB of the ATS803A needed to be hardwired after that poor design failed. My DX-398/ATS909 had to have the negative battery terminal connection resoldered. The Radio Shack 200629/Sangean ATS505 had to have the whip antenna hard wired to the PCB because the poorly designed 'prong' mechanism failed.

As for audio, everyone knows that the ATS909 had crappy audio. Even through headphones it's merely tolerable. So even Sangeans have their audio issues. Their PR-D4W, on the contrary, has some of the richest audio you will get in a MW DX radio.

Either way, all radios have their issues. A lot of SWLs try to steer newbies to SDR's, which have the crappiest audio I've ever heard. Every sound file posted online by an SWL or MW DXer from an SDR sounded like crap.

This is why I advise newbies to try a budget model and take if from there. I am not certain that the SWL hobby is worth a $1200 introductory price. It may have been worth that relative price in 1980, but that was 45 years ago.

As for the 909X2 vs a cheaper radio, the 909X2 might not pull in much more, and if a newbie doesn't care for the programming on SW, $200+ is a bit much to find that out. Even ham radio on HF is marginal in entertainment value.

Well stated. Any radio that keeps the hobby alive at a good price such as my DX-286 should be considered. If it or similar priced radio lasts a few years I can always replace it 3 times for what I would pay for a 909. The cheap, good available chips make all the difference.

 

[T680]

Well stated. Any radio that keeps the hobby alive at a good price such as my DX-286 should be considered. If it or similar priced radio lasts a few years I can always replace it 3 times for what I would pay for a 909. The cheap, good available chips make all the difference.

The roughly $10 Xhdata D-219 did it for me. It's like the VW Beetle my family had when I was younger, a simple and effective way to get started. I see why so many long time radio fans give them out as a way to interest others in the hobby

 

[MUTNAV]

The roughly $10 Xhdata D-219 did it for me. It's like the VW Beetle my family had when I was younger, a simple and effective way to get started. I see why so many long time radio fans give them out as a way to interest others in the hobby

OT..... The beetle reference got me.... Introductory cars were a great way for businesses to build brand loyalty, maybe it'll work with radios also.

OT..OT.. I'd love to see a beetle equivalent made today.... Kind of a "peoples car".... (But without the oil cooling fan exhaust blowing over just cylinder 3).

Thanks
Joel