I’m a noob at shortwave, although not exactly at DXing.* A little over a month ago I got the XHData D-109WB, and a month after that I got the Qodosen DX-286. I’ve used both of them a lot, so I’d like to post some observations and comparisons. Skipping to the chase, I like both, I think they’re both excellent radios, and I’m happy I have them. But to expand on that:
XHDATA-D109WB:
Likes:
Very sensitive on AM, FM and SW
Has weather band and NOAA alerts
Is a Bluetooth speaker
Is an mp3 player
Nice case, nice build quality
Decent sound from speaker
Nice sound on earbuds
USB-C charging port
Amazing value at less than $50 from Amazon
Quibbles:
Initially non-intuitive to learn
Instruction manual leaves a lot to be desired and
A lot of breakthrough from other bands, particularly from strong local broadcasting baseball
QODOSEN DX-286
Likes:
Very sensitive on AM, and SW, super sensitive on FM
Little or no breakthrough from other bands
Antenna amp amp and adjustable attenuation
Nice case, good build quality
Decent sound from speaker
Nice sound on earbuds
Fast scans
Good manual written in good English
Quibbles:
Kickstand on back is pathetic, either strengthen or delete
Power hungry
TINY, a lot smaller than the D-109, perhaps a little too small?
Should include an 18660 battery, or even switch to AA batteries
A USB-C port would be nice for charging
Steeper than usual learning curve, non-intuitive controls
So, both are excellent radios… should you buy one, and if so, which one? As a DXing machine, if price is not an issue, the Qodosen gets the edge. It’s a radio, a radio only, and a very good one at that. On FM and SW it pulls in stations using just the whip antenna that the XHData needs a wire antenna to receive. It seems to scan faster than the XHData, and the antenna amp and attenuation features can be very helpful when DXing on SW.
However… if money is a factor, for less than half the price of the Qodosen, the D-109WB is almost as good as the Qodosen at picking up signals on AM, FM and SW. I’d give the DX-286 a clear edge on FM, but it’s only slightly better on AM and SW. So, the D-109WB, is almost as good a performer, but it also has features the Qodosen doesn’t have. Weather band and NOAA alerts are important here where I live in Wisconsin. It’s also a Bluetooth speaker and an mp3 player. It’s a bit easier to learn to use and operate than the Qodosen is. Part of that, however is due to the Qodosen having lots of more advanced radio settings.
Again, I like both radios a lot. For a pure lightweight DXer, you’ll likely prefer the Qodosen. But if you want more features and performance that’s almost as good, the XHData is an amazing value for half the cost of the Qodosen.
