REALLY Good tiny portable LW/AM/FM/SW Radio Tecsun PL-398 - has direct frequency entry and tons of memories
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D.J.J. Ring, Jr.
Nov 23, 2021, 4:18:18 PM11/23/21
to Radio Officers Google Group
REALLY Good tiny portable LW/AM/FM/SW Radio Tecsun PL-398 - has direct frequency entry and tons of memories with USB/LSB and synchronous detection and selectable bandwidths.
Selectable bandwidths are: LW/MW: 2.5, 3.5, and 9.0kHz. SW: 2.5, 3.5, and 5.0kHz. SSB: 0.5, 1.2, 2.2, 3.0 and 4.0kHz..
It's configurable for MW 9 or 10 kHz tuning (also 1 kHz or) and even finer in SSB mode - I think 100 Hz. FM bands configurable for world-wide.
This radio is excellent, it just has two annoying things, one is the frequency tuning is backwards to what I expect, I expect a down movement to tune upwards, it tunes downward. I'm remembering a radio dial and the motion is clockwise, which is a down movement. The other is that when tuning on each step it mutes for a fraction of a second. Great radio though. It comes with a clip on holder for flycasting or walking or jogging - just don't get it wet.
I bought mine from here:
You MUST get expedited shipping to get the LiOn battery shipped that adds $11.45 to the bill.
Tecsun PL368 $72.99
Expedited: 7-12 days $11.45
Total: $84.44
It takes 3 days to reach me. Absolutely amazing shipping. MAKE SURE YOU ADD EXPEDITED SHIPPING AT CHECKOUT OR YOU WILL NOT GET THE BATTERY.
The same seller has them on eBay for less money. $79.20 eBay includes free shipping and it includes the LiOn battery!
It took 3 days to reach me. Absolutely amazing shipping because they actually ship from New Jersey not China.
GREY VERSION
CREAMSICLE ORANGE (I GOT THIS ONE)
On FM it's the best radio I have, on AM with the little T shaped additional ferrite loopstick it's very good. With the internal loopstick it's not world-class but still quite good - gets all the local stations but if I want to listen to a particular station I just plug in the T shaped antenna and rotate it, the noise always goes down.
CountyComm sells the radio also and they sell this stand for it. They only sell it in grey and they use a sturdier green top antenna on theirs.
There stuff is here. https://countycomm.com/collections/radio
A fellow in the UK makes these less expensive stands but it also has storage for the T add on ferrite loopstick:
73
DR
MICHAEL ST ANGELO
Nov 23, 2021, 7:27:25 PM11/23/21
to radio-o...@googlegroups.com, D.J.J. Ring, Jr.
I have an earlier version of this radio, the GP-5/SSB. This version is shown in the third picture. For a radio of it's size it has impressive performance. I enjoy taking walks in the morning. I can pick up the 40 meter ECARS and SouthCARs net with this set just using the telescoping antenna. The GP-5 does not have the direct frequency entry; I am glad they added this feature to the PL-368.
These receivers are based on the Silabs Si4732 and Si4735 Receivers chips which incorporate an analog front end followed by a digital IF and demodulation stages.
I've attached a copy of the si4732 spec sheet.
They only issue I have is that over time some of my buttons have become intermittent. I spend lots of time at the ocean during the summer with this radio and blame the exposure to the salty environment for this issue.
Mike N2MS
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MICHAEL ST ANGELO
Nov 23, 2021, 7:32:20 PM11/23/21
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This time with the spec sheets. I also added the Si4735 spec sheet.
Mike N2MS
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Bart Lee
Nov 24, 2021, 6:35:41 PM11/24/21
to radio-officers digest subscribers
Yes, the GP-5 is a great little radio. I got one some years ago from Dr. Ed Fong (of VHF multi-band J-pole antenna fame), and I think he played a role in its design. A travel and ocean-going radio of high quality. Nice to see an improvement as well.
And I have always thought that easy to lose (or misplace) objects should come in bright colors.
73 de Bart, K6VK ##
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{KV6LEE(at)gmail(dot)com} ##
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ED SHARPE
Nov 24, 2021, 6:41:15 PM11/24/21
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Ed@
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ED SHARPE
Nov 24, 2021, 6:54:34 PM11/24/21
to radio-o...@googlegroups.com, kv6...@gmail.com
Now.... if it only did. TTY too!
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Jeff Woods
Nov 24, 2021, 9:41:56 PM11/24/21
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DR,
My Grundig G6 doesn't use the external antenna jack for MW or LW. With the demise of international SW broadcasting, the lower bands are where my listening is mostly being done now. The rechargeable LiOn battery is a nice plus as well. No more hunting down AA cells if you accidentally leave the radio on all night.
-Jeff, W0ODS
David J. J. Ring, Jr.
Nov 24, 2021, 10:47:55 PM11/24/21
to radio-o...@googlegroups.com
Jeff, if you're taking this aboard a ship, you might think of getting this POD
which supports the odd shaped radio.
https://countycomm.com/products/gp-5-anti-tip-stand-black-anodized
The first one was really heavy, you'd still need to put some "stick-um" on
the base but the fist one weighed nearly two pounds, this one is 8 ounces.
The other thing you might like to have - and I'd buy one at the price they're
stlling it for, is an extra battery kit. Two extra batteies and a charger.
https://countycomm.com/collections/radio/products/extended-runtime-kit-for-the-gp-7-ssb-radio
And the latest radio unlike the previous doesn't come with a retractible clip on / plug in 16 foot wire on a reel.
This is a substitute: https://www.ebay.com/itm/273817949985
Of course, a clip lead and a 16 foot piece of wire works just as well, but it
is nice to have something to wind it on.
As I get wiser I learn the value of "storage" - a screwdriver set with storage for them,
a Allen set with storage for them, etc.
You'll like it, I'm sure, it also has an ETM function that allows you to
scan and save occupied frequencies in TWO hour slots, say 00-02 hours, 02-04 hours, etc. On all bands, LW, MW, SW, FM, it's very useful on SW.
I press ETM and hold it, and the radio does a complete scan of the SW bands, memorizing the active frequencies. Now I can find SW stations and often
the "alternate frequencies" are picked up too, so just moving the frequency knob a few clicks lets me choose the best frequency.
I love the synchronous detection, I use it on MW broadcast just because of
the compression it produces in the audio to hear the news better.
You can select USB or LSB in synchronous detection.
I use the 0.5 kHz filter with USB for listening to KPH.
When you push UP on the frequency knob, the frequency goes UP. I'm used to
down is clockwise movement of the knob which is up in frequency. A minor
thing caused by my being from the old days of receivers with dials and tuning
knobs.
Good luck with this, let us have a review when your familiar with it.
73
DR
N1EA
Jeff Woods wrote:
Wed, Nov 24, 2021 at 08:41:40PM -0600
which supports the odd shaped radio.
https://countycomm.com/products/gp-5-anti-tip-stand-black-anodized
The first one was really heavy, you'd still need to put some "stick-um" on
the base but the fist one weighed nearly two pounds, this one is 8 ounces.
The other thing you might like to have - and I'd buy one at the price they're
stlling it for, is an extra battery kit. Two extra batteies and a charger.
https://countycomm.com/collections/radio/products/extended-runtime-kit-for-the-gp-7-ssb-radio
And the latest radio unlike the previous doesn't come with a retractible clip on / plug in 16 foot wire on a reel.
This is a substitute: https://www.ebay.com/itm/273817949985
Of course, a clip lead and a 16 foot piece of wire works just as well, but it
is nice to have something to wind it on.
As I get wiser I learn the value of "storage" - a screwdriver set with storage for them,
a Allen set with storage for them, etc.
You'll like it, I'm sure, it also has an ETM function that allows you to
scan and save occupied frequencies in TWO hour slots, say 00-02 hours, 02-04 hours, etc. On all bands, LW, MW, SW, FM, it's very useful on SW.
I press ETM and hold it, and the radio does a complete scan of the SW bands, memorizing the active frequencies. Now I can find SW stations and often
the "alternate frequencies" are picked up too, so just moving the frequency knob a few clicks lets me choose the best frequency.
I love the synchronous detection, I use it on MW broadcast just because of
the compression it produces in the audio to hear the news better.
You can select USB or LSB in synchronous detection.
I use the 0.5 kHz filter with USB for listening to KPH.
When you push UP on the frequency knob, the frequency goes UP. I'm used to
down is clockwise movement of the knob which is up in frequency. A minor
thing caused by my being from the old days of receivers with dials and tuning
knobs.
Good luck with this, let us have a review when your familiar with it.
73
DR
N1EA
Jeff Woods wrote:
Wed, Nov 24, 2021 at 08:41:40PM -0600
MICHAEL ST ANGELO
Nov 24, 2021, 10:55:45 PM11/24/21
to radio-o...@googlegroups.com
If one could change the firmware for the Digital Audio Mode you could probably get TTY.
Mike N2MS
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/radio-officers/674824002.1217745.1637798065845%40mail.yahoo.com.
ED SHARPE
Nov 25, 2021, 4:14:54 AM11/25/21
to msta...@comcast.net, radio-o...@googlegroups.com
tty program on the cell phone
the two units could work together... there is droidtty
I think the name is may be one for apple phone also!
I think the name is may be one for apple phone also!
Ed#
Radio KH6O
Nov 25, 2021, 3:07:10 PM11/25/21
to radio-officers
Here's the receiver I take with me on my morning walk:
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Darrel
Nov 25, 2021, 4:06:15 PM11/25/21
to radio-o...@googlegroups.com, Radio KH6O
Great radio for portable. What battery
do you take with you?
Cheers,
Darrel, aa7fv & g3sys
Cheers,
Darrel, aa7fv & g3sys
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