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Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
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Author:  Jim [ Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
A great review of this new receiver can be found at...

http://radiojayallen.com/tecsun-pl-880- ... ble-radio/
Author:  Rich [ Sat Mar 08, 2014 8:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
Technology changes with time. The PL-880 is a DSP radio with some impressive performance for the price.

For those shopping for some inexpensive modern technology toys I would recommend the following:

Tecsun PL-880 (AM/FM/SW SSB DSP) $150 - Modern DSP at a great price.

Kaito KA1103 (AM/FM/SW SSB) $110 - Very small pocketable SSB receiver with full 0-30mhz coverage.

Tecsun PL-606 (AM/FM/SW - based on si4734 DSP receiver chip) $50

Sony ICF-S10mk2 (AM/FM pocket radio, CXA1019S single chip design with resistive tuning that is totally linear) $12

For $12 the S10mk2 is an amazing little radio, good audio, and goes 40hrs on 2 AA batteries ! People have gone so far as to hack these for shortwave.

Sony SRF-59 (AM/FM walkman radio, CXA1129N single chip design with capacitive tuning) $15

I personally would buy the S10mk2 before the SRF-59 just because its nice to finally have an analog face AM radio that doesn't have a compressed upper end tuning range due to straight-cut capacitive tuning.
Author:  Jim [ Sat Mar 08, 2014 9:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
The Kaito KA1103 is very close to being the same unit as the Grundig G3 Globe Traveler but the G3 has a digital tuning indicator while the KA1103 has both a digital tuning indicator and a graphic tuning dial. The G3 has more memories and uses Synchronous Detection. It also covers the VHF aircraft band and has RDS display for FM. The G3 can be found on sale for only about $10 more than the KA1103.

Both are great radios and are actually manufactured by the same company. Check out Ebay for good deals. The Kaito KA1103 is also the same radio as the Degen DE1103 which you will find on Ebay.

I have the Degen DE1103 and find it to be very sensitive but the audio is a bit tinny when listening to its speaker.
All these models have SSB functions.
Author:  Rich [ Sun Mar 09, 2014 10:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
This is why I didn't bother with the G3. Too bad its predecessor, the G6, is out of production. The G6 was substantially smaller and didn't suffer the quality issues of the G3. I'm certainly not suggesting the Chinese radios I mentioned are of bulletproof quality however I was disappointed to see the Grundig label go downhill.
Author:  Jim [ Sun Mar 09, 2014 11:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
The G3 replaced the G5 which replaced the E5. Too bad that the quality went down hill in the later G3's.
I see Universal Radio is blowing out the G3's @ $89.77 now.

The G6 was a smaller radio not in the same line up as the G3, G5, and the E5. It was quite small and had VHF air bandand SSB. I have one of these and find it to be very sensitive with the whip antenna but using an external antenna plugged into the antenna jack it easily overloads.

Grundig/Eton has four new units due out this spring. The "Field", "Mini", "Traveler III" and the "Satellit". The Satellit is the most expensive and it covers the VHF aircraft band and will sell for about $230.

Let's hope that Grundig/Eton ups their quality and makes some great radios like they did in the past.
You can check out the new lineup at http://www.etoncorp.com/en/products?f[0]=field_product_category%3A6

The photo is of the new Grundig/Eton Satellit.
PDF of it's spec sheet... http://www.etoncorp.com/sites/default/f ... lowres.pdf

Attachments:
Eton Satellit.jpg
Eton Satellit.jpg [ 106.63 KiB | Viewed 11015 times ]
Author:  the Outlaw [ Sun Mar 09, 2014 12:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
I use an old CCrane.
It runs for days on four D cells, has circuit to charge.
Author:  nickcarr [ Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
Just remember that a portable SW radio is still a *portable* SW radio. They will never equal the performance of a SW receiver or SDR.
Author:  Jim [ Mon Mar 10, 2014 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
That goes without saying Nick. :D
Author:  nickcarr [ Mon Mar 10, 2014 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Tecsun PL-880 AM/FM/SW/SSB Portable Radio
Jim wrote:
That goes without saying Nick. :D


Jim you'd be surprised how many people do not understand this little factoid...
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