Shortwave-Radio Reviews

Hello folks , its Vince the radio man with another review for you . I've been a radio buff for many years , I have a large collection and I love to do side by side compares . The Sony SW07 is the replacement model for the discontinued SW100 . In my review of the SW100 I knocked it abit because of the price and the overall sound quality from both the internal speaker and the headphones ( ...and no, I dont need a new pair of phones) .... the SW07 is an improvement in this area , however , still high priced . Both radios are wonders of the modern world ...so small yet so powerful and functional . The SW07 is a little larger than the SW100 ( thank goodness for those of us who have large hands and fingers ) and I find it to be a bit better in the dynamic range department . Tuner selectivity and sensativity about the same . The 07 and the 100 are sold as kits . The come with an active antenna . I find the antenna with the SW07 is far better than the 100 . Also , the SW07 is built much more durable than the SW100 . The layout and button functionality is easier to use and better thought out . Also , a much nicer, clearer visual display with a luminescent blue background .As far as other miniatures on the market ( Sangean ATS 606, which is much cheaper , is about the best after the SW07 and SW100 but not in the same class ) ...there are really no other competitors . If you're looking to spend a decent buck on a quality shortwave set and small is what you need , look no further . If you like a full size set and have a few more bucks to spend buy the SW77 ( which is the King of all radios!!!! ) ...if not the SW07 is surely the Prince.

I have used the earlier (1980's)Radio Shack DX-400, the Sangean ATS-909 (Radio Shack DX-398), the Sony SW 7600G, the Grundig ETraveller VII and this radio. For the general user who wishes just to listen to foreign broadcasts and not bother with trying to tune in remote and low powered stations, all are excellent and comparable in sensitivity and selectivity. The SW-07 and SW 7600G offer synchronous tuning which somewhat aids intelligibility with reception that periodically fades and becomes distorted, but that provided in the SW07 is much quieter and more effective. The SW07 has more programmable station selections than any of the others. It has, as well, many convenience features that older Sony models and the other radios listed do not have such as an effective night illumination of its tuning screen and programmed time of day selected broadcast frequencies of a number of foreign broadcasters. The only truly portable decent shortwave radio that one can carry in a pocket, in my experience, is the Grundig which does quite well with its short telescoping antenna. Reception on all radios benefits greatly from the use of a long wire antenna, but the SW07 has a compact substitute folding circular antenna that, while not offering the performance of a wire, does better than the telescoping built in antenna.

I received one of these radios as a gift, and being in Oklahoma we have serve storms and tornados this time of year and loose electrical power. This radio is wonderful, and such a sense of security when the power goes out. I would recommend it to everyone!

I've lost count of the radios I ve bought over the years, but I always get excited when I see something new. I have the GE Superadio and the CC Crane unit,but this baby beats them both. Analog witha digital readout and what great sound! Both AM and FM reception is first rate and the added bonus of shorwave really makes this unit worth the price.I'm so used to digital with memory presets and seek buttons so it took a little time to get used to.Of course being analogand using 4 D's the batteries really last. The radio has a great feel to it and its easy to tell Grundig did the job right. Memory presets would have made this unit the ultimate radio, but for what you are getting for $100, Im quite satisfied. To me this is the GE Superadio 4...with the bonus of Shortwave!

This radio not only looks great but sounds great. Popular shortwave stations (bbc, voa, cuba) come in loud and clear, with no need for external antenna. AM/FM come in equally clear. Very little drifting, but it does drift a little over a bit of time. I got better reception at times over a Sony SW7600GR. It has a good alarm that's easy to operate. The instruction maual is well written and available at the website as well. It's not a travel radio, but that's pretty obvious. It has no SSB for tuning into ham radios, but it's great for the casual listener. I highly recommend the radio. It's a good value for the money.

I've known the name Grundig for a very long time, I use to work on Radios and TV in my high school years and that was back in the 60's. Grundig was a great name then and so is it now. This shortwave Radio picks up better than any shortwave radio I've had.The sound that comes out of the speakers is top notch. If you want a good buy and a good radio at the same time its Grundig S350.

I was looking to replace an old grundig mini world 100 PE when I saw this number in the store. The price was attractive, and the in-store quick test i did seemed to indicate a good product. After I've had a few days to toy around with it, though, I have come to absolutely love it. The sound is decent, and the features are excellent for a radio of this size and price. I use it mostly for a travel radio, for hotels and B&Bs, as well as for camping or just sitting around the bonfire sw channel surfing. A great find!

i have been searching for a good AM and Shorthwave pocket radio and i have found it. the AM pull is very good and the shortwave is surperb for its size. the price is very good and nothing in the range compares. buy it

s

This is one of the smallest shortwave radios in the world. It is THE smallest shortwave that I know of that has a digital readout. If you are thinking of buying one let me list the pros and cons:

Size: This really will fit in your pocket. It is a bit larger than an audiocassette in length and width and about an inch and a half deep.
Features: Sleep timer, alarm function, 12 hour (rather than 24 hour) digital clock, adequate back light (works well enough to see in a very dark room), larger digital display than most small radios (you won't need to put on your glasses to tune it), tuning light, FM stereo light comes on when you have headphones plugged in, excellent old transistor radio style fold over cover with holes to let the sound out, a bevel stand. The radio was easy to set up for time and alarms. The instruction manual was easy to understand. There is no adaptor but I can't imagine needing one for a pocket radio. Two batteries should last many weeks of heavy use. There is an on and off switch which is a plus as most radios use the volume dial for on and off.
Pros: Shortwave reception was tested after 7 PM when signals are strongest here in SE Florida. I was able to get all the big interanational broadcasts. BBC came in as clear as a bell as did Canada and Voice of America. I received lots of other broadcasts in various languages on the 19, 31, and 49 bands. I was happy with its SW capabilities. It won't do for chasing down weak signals but I am not into SW enough to bother with those. Please look up frequencies at a good SW internet site in order to find broadcast times and frequencies. If you are new to SW there is a learning curve as SW broadcasts change frequencies and signal strength throughout the day and night. It is a great hobby but a few quick lessons will make your introduction much more rewarding.
AM reception was slightly better than my other portable radios.
FM stereo through headphones was very good.
The speaker itself gives good sound. There are no bass or treble adjustments but the sound sounds equally balanced. The speaker will not fill the room with sound but this is a pocket radio not a desktop.
Cons: The volume dial is on the left side - not the most ergonomic site for right handed folks. The tuning is on the right side. This has a digital readout but an analog tuning dial. I like that as you can tune much more accurately than with analog displays (where you are never sure where you are tuning to). One problem with the G1000A that I bought is that the tuning was "drifty" on SW and AM. This means that I will tune to - say - 97.9 and it would slowly slide off to 97.6 sometimes. I would need to retune the station once in a while. It isn't a big deal and may be a result of being a new radio but it is a small negative.
Altogether, I am very happy with this pocket AM/FM/SW radio. It fits perfectly in my briefcase and I am happy with the performance. 4 stars!

I received the Jensen MR-400 today (15Nov02) and was pleasantly surprised. The first thing I did was put the batteries in wrong, so ensure that you do not do that, or they will ruin the unit ... luckily I took them out quickly.

The reception is GREAT and the TV works amazingly well ... uses only two AA size batteries ... better reception than my much larger and more expensive Sony AM/FM/TV radio.

Wow ... it is so small ... you will be amazed at its size. After using it today at the river listening to my favorite TV program, I am impressed because I was 25 miles from the station out in the boonies.

I will update this later if it should prove warranted.

Good Luck,

John G
San Antonio

this is a great little radio for the price.
it sounds like a radio costing ten times more.
i highly recommend it.

Pocket sized AM/FM radios with TV audio are not very easy to find and are often quite expensive, so it was a delight to find this little gem and at this price too. It proves that inexpensive doesn't always mean poor performance or quality. The sound is great and it is able to pick up distant stations that our other pocket sized radios can't. The quality of construction is as good as radios costing a good bit more. I highly recommended this Radio.

Shame to see this greatest of the great shortwave portable receivers discontinued from the Sony line like the venerable and magnificent ICF 2010. Most long time dedicated shortwave listeners will undoubtedly own one or both of these two great radios from the Sony of days gone by...Let's hope that Sony is avidly working on an even better successor, but somehow I doubt they can top this one...Since they are still available here and there, grab one while you can - if you are a short wave enthusiast, this radio is worth every penny!

This has been called the best of the current Sony Shortwave radios. Infact it may be the best of any manufacturer's portable shortwave. I have several radios, both desktop and portable. When compared to my other radios, this one has excellent sensitivty and selectability.I use it with a loop antenna as a bedside radio to find the distant AM stations at night. When I lock in the station with the synchronous feature it greatly improves the stability of the station and makes listening a lot easier. On SSB I am able to listen to Military and Ham broadcasts with no difficulty. It even has stereo on FM with a headset. I like the radio and I highly recommend it. Jim

Hello folks its Vince the radioman . I have been a collector and buff for many years and love to do compares. This is the undisputed KING OF ALL RADIOS! It is miles above all the others in functionality , tuner sensativity and overall performance . However , it has a price to match . I know that this is an expensive radio so I take that into account when I rate all the others . But , if you can afford this price GO FOR IT ! It has a 162 memory capacity , it has .1 kh increments ( thats point one) only found on professional equipment. It has a great sound and wonderful functionality ( great information window , timer , factory presets , editing capability ...etc.)And a spectacular side band set up . I love it! It is my main radio and I have approx. 50+ radios . If you can afford it , its the best and most complete radio out there . KING OF ALL RADIOS!!!

Sony never sounds as good as a Grundig, but has lots more goodies in a smaller package. Get the active antenna (Sony AN-LP1)and you'll hear a lot more stations. People new to shortwave listening are usually disappointed when they turn the new radio on and hear nothing but static. Rather than take it back or toss it in the closet, get a better antenna and you'll hear what's out there. The little whips that come on these things just don't add much to the true value of the receiver. A few of the "big boys" (BBC, etc) have stopped beaming directly to the USA but you can still hear their broadcasts to other parts of the world. This radio will satisfy. As with any portable, if you want more stations on shortwave, use a better antenna. I'd also recommend the yearly updated guidebook "Passport to Worldband Radio" (available at Amazon).

If you order this radio, Be advised that the AC adapter is not included, if you read the discription you are lead to believe that the AC adapter is included. 1st impressions with the receiver, it appears to be fairly easy to operate, I immediately began using without referencing the manual, and was finding short wave stations almost immediately, only knock, is it is a bit overpriced.

I have just recently gotten into Shortwave listening, and this radio has been perfect for me. I received a Grundig YB300 for Christmas, but upgraded to this model shortly thereafter. I have been very happy ever since.

The Sony SW7600GR has wonderful reception. I have hooked up an outdoor wire antenna also, which helps greatly with more faint reception. The built in attenuator is very handy for cutting down the signal on strong stations and can be shut off entirely for weeker station reception. I love the 100 station presets too, which is really all one needs for shortwave listening. The sound is ok, but with headphones is superb. I have also hooked the receiver up to my stereo via the line out jack, and this, too, sounds superb.

The dual clocks are handy, and I also use the radio as an alarm clock to wake up to the radio in the morning. When using this feature, the radio automatically goes into sleep mode and will shut off by itself even if you forget to do so. I have had the radio for a month and half so far and the 4 AA batteries are still going strong - very good on battery usage. I also purchased the AC adaptor, but really only use it for FM listening because it adds an internal hum to AM reception, which is the only negative.

Overall, I couldn't be happier with a introductory shortwave/AM/FM radio. It's a great value for the money.

While this radio is not a great radio, it is competent for the task at hand. I compared its AM/FM performance against a Sony analog Walkman, which has surprisingly good performance. As expected, this radio was better than the Walkman, but not a great deal better. I also checked the TV bands against the known local stations and all of the local stations came in fine. The weather band also worked fine. The downsides are that the radio is best used for voice, since its sole speaker is not great. I wish its AM performance were better than average, but it is just average. It has some difficulty with strong station rejection. You will find spots on the FM dial where two or more stations combine in places they do not belong. For the price, a worthwhile purchase. It is better than Radio Shack products.

If you are looking for an emergency radio or for something to listen to while out on the deck, this radio is a great option. It is small enough to throw in an overnight bag if you are going on a weekend trip. I have no problems with reception. The weather band is a great option. Sound is more than adequate for the price. Very happy with this product.

This is the best radio of its type on the market. Absolutely a superb design. Great sound quality for its size also. This is the radio you want for general talk radio use and for staying informed. It takes C size batteries that will last a very long time. Just what you need if the power goes out. This radio is not digital, which is what you want in a radio like this. Digital radios really drain batteries fast so a pure analog radio is best when you want long battery life. Tuning is no problem on this radio.

I believe this receiver to be the best one for the price. I have had two of these and will probably either buy another or get a replacement antenna for the one I currently own. The only drawback is that this receiver does not remember modes--such as sideband selection. I also collect some sw receivers but like the 7600G the best in this price radio.

I purchased this reciever thru Amazon about two years ago. I take it when ever I travel. It gets great reception at the beach and thru the caribbean and Canada. I like all its features. I also use it as a clock radio when I travel for work.

I works well on alkaline and nicad batteries. I tried an off brand power supply, not so good. But between recharing the nicads, I use alkaline batteries, if I need too. This seem to work well.

I highly recommend it to anyone who travels, and likes to have a great radio at hand for news, and music.

I collect portable shortwave radios and have ones from the 60's through those of today. The 7600G is one of the best I've ever used. It has it's drawbacks as do all radios, but the performance is top notch and the sync detection is a treat at this price level. The clock doesn't show when the radio is on and it only has 10 memories per band, but I see those as minor points. You will be happy with this radio for all your AM, FM and SW listining.

I wondered if by throwing a lot of money into a radio if I couldn't get stations which I could only slightly hear with my smaller radio. I was right - this Grundig sucks those faint stations out of the air like nothing I've ever run across before. But it's a lot of money! There's space on it for three exterior antennae. I've built and attached two antennae, but the built-in whip antenna does extremely well too. Hell of a radio, but did I mention that it's a lot of money?

Better then the reviews, blows away my Yacht Boy, designed by Drake and built by Tandy for Grundig USA. No complaints, need to spend three times as much for anything better and they aren't portable.

The Grundig Satellit 800 combines top-notch performance with ease of use, and a price that can't be beat. A superb performer on shortwave, this radio will allow you to listen to all of the major shortwave stations, and also bring in many of the smaller, lower-powered, and harder-to-hear stations. This unit has superb audio, good sensitivity, and mulitple selectivity settings. Another plus is that the radio is easy for beginners to figure out, yet has enough features (memory presets, timers, scanning functions) for fussy listeners like me. Nice big digital display and controls, too.

Though nominally a portable, it's one big, butch radio: as big as a microwave oven and absolutely eats batteries. You'll want a permanent place in your home for it, and mostly run it off A/C power.

If you live anywhere other than the eastern part of North America or Europe, you will need to put up an external antenna. It's well worth it, though; with a proper antenna this radio will bring you the world.

The FM tuner is very good; mediumwave AM performance is also better than average, although there are other models you should consider if long-distance AM is your primary interest. Airband reception is only fair; I don't know why it's a feature of this radio.

The Sat 800 did have some quality control problems in the beginning (2000) those seem to be resolved now. For this price, you will not find a better performer on shortwave.

If you spend any time at all tuning the shortwave bands, this is your radio.