Kaide KK-9702 Review
JR
September 2002
Disclaimer: This is one persons opinion, No affiliation with anyone.
Description: "Pocket high sensitivity world band receiver"
Cost: $20 from an unknown dude on eBay
Open the box:
Brand spanking new. Has that "new electronics smell", very strong.
No instructions. Chinese high quality packaging box, can be used for
frequent storage of the radio.
Nice pleather case included and wrist strap.
Unit is smaller than a YB300. Digital but tuned with a mechanical
dial.
12 hr clock only, with alarm and sleep timer. All SW radios that have
a clock should have a 24 hr clock.
Modes: AM, FM Mono, SW 1-7 bands
Bands gave gaps between them. 6.20 MHz to 17.02 in 8 bands.
Very strange user radio interface. The LCD is easy to read, but not
illuminated. There are no memory presets as it tunes mechanically
with an LCD display. There is a "Tune" LED to indicate tune or a
strong signal. There are two buttons on the front, AM and FM. There
is an indicator LED for each of these modes. These LED are always
illuminated to indicate AM or FM and Tune. This seems like a waste of
the 2 AA batteries just to indicate the that it is FM, or AM. This
functionality should have been moved to the LCD.
The Kaide is easy to tune and is accurate, as verified against a Icom
R-75 and Sony ICF-7600gr connected to a 50 ft random wire.
Very similar tuning as a Kaiwa 818. Audio quality was on par with
the Kchibo KK-E200. Much better construction than the Kaiwa 989, but
did look chintzy when observed close up.
A backstand is there to prop radio up, however the plastic feels
really cheap.
Earphone jack, 3v DC power input and a power on-off switches adorn the
perimeter.
A 1.5ft, 7 segment antenna pulls in the stations reasonably well.
http://www.kchibo.com.cn/docc/cp1.htm
Overall, this is a really fantastic value. No, it is not fancy, and
it does not have memories for stations but is really cheap. Great
for hiking where you wouldn't be dragging your JRC or Drake around.
Similar to a Chevy Metro, it may not take you there in style, but it
gets you there.
bpnjensen
> Modes: AM, FM Mono, SW 1-7 bands
>
> Bands gave gaps between them. 6.20 MHz to 17.02 in 8 bands.
Looks to me like it misses a couple of key bands (in the case of the
49 meter band, *just* misses it). Even at $20, it seems kinda hard to
get excited about this one.
Bruce Jensen
JR
9 FM/MW/SW Bands:
* FM 87-108 MHZ
* MW 510-1605 KHZ
* SW1 5.9-6.2 MHZ
* SW2 7.1-7.3 MHZ
* SW3 9.5-9.9 MHZ
* SW4 11.65-12.05 MHZ
* SW5 13.60-13.8 MHZ
* SW6 15.1-15.6 MHZ
* SW7 17.5-17.9 MHZ
For $20, you can't go too wrong. It does receive shortwave that isn't
bad for a $20 radio. It is small, compact, and very portable. What
can you buy these days for $20 that receives shortwave from around the
world? For a cheapo, the Kaide is nice, handy radio that pulls in the
major powerhouses within its frequency limitations, with a digital
readout. One other thing that I really like about this radio, it is
really easy to surf around the dial with its mechanical tuning and LCD
display. I don't like the Kchibo KK-E200 for surfing since it is PLL
synthesized with up-down buttons.
Incidentally Kchibo makes the Kaide. So it seems as though Kailong
Group (Shenzhen Kailong Electronics Co Ltd) makes: Kchibo, Kaide,
Kaito, and Kaiwa brands.
Note that Kailong Electronics makes many different radios for the
Chinese market. I have only seen the Kaiwa KA-818, KA-989, Kchibo
KK-E200, and KK-S320 sold in the United States.
The Kaide/Kchibo radios I have used (KA-989, KK-E200, KK-9702, and
KA-818) seem to offer the biggest bang for the buck. All of these
radios cost a fraction of their Japanese competitors and offer much
better performance than the likes of a Colby or International.
Incidentally, I was told that the Grundig YB400 and PE series is made
under contract by Kailong for Grundig USA.
For additional information on the KK-E200, search for my review on
Usenet (deja.com).
I plan on reviewing the KK-S320 next month.
Bottom line: If you have less than $30 to spend on a shortwave, this
is for you. If you have $2000, buy a JRC.
Reference:
http://www.kaitousa.com/ <-- USA Distributor. On-line ordering
http://www.kchibo.com
http://www.kchibo.com.cn/indexe.html <-- Manufacturer website in
English
SDMM
I. P. Yurin
I really appreciate your review here. I would like to pick up a cheap
tiny portable. A while ago I was considering the Kaiwa 818. One of the
Kaiwa's anyways. (Although I don't like the idea of buying Chinese,
but what can ya do? Our ruling class has seen fit to sell our
manufacturing base for quick, temporary profits for them.)
Could you perhaps give us (me at least) quick eval's of the KA-989 and
KA-818?
>
>For additional information on the KK-E200, search for my review on
>Usenet (deja.com).
Could you by any chance re-post it? E-mail it? Or tell me what group
you posted it in? It would be this one, no?
>
>I plan on reviewing the KK-S320 next month.
I look forward to it.
>
>Bottom line: If you have less than $30 to spend on a shortwave, this
>is for you. If you have $2000, buy a JRC.
>
>Reference:
>
>http://www.kaitousa.com/ <-- USA Distributor. On-line ordering
>http://www.kchibo.com
>http://www.kchibo.com.cn/indexe.html <-- Manufacturer website in
>English
>
>
>SDMM
--
Col. I.P. Yurin
Commissariat of Internal Security
Stakhanovite
Order of Lenin (1937)
Hero of Socialist Labor (1939)
JR
next month along with the Kchibo KK-S320.
From casual observations, the 989 is a superior receiver to the 818.
The 818 does have digital tuning, so this is a big plus if you are
looking for a station. The 989 does uses analog tuning. If you plan
on surfing the dial, the 989 is recommended over the 818. If you know
a particular station, the 818's digital display is more accurate for
tuning. It the 989 does have greater sensitivity over the 818, and in
my opinion makes the 989 a better radio.
The 818 does have a 12 hour clock (not 24 hour) and alarm. The 989
does have better band plan, with more coverage. Size wise, the 989 is
slightly smaller than the 818.
Both have a similar quality of construction.
Look for my review later this month.
Price I paid: $20.00 each for the KA-818 and KA-989.
SDMM.
See my comments below--
I. P. Yurin <colone...@deletehotmail.com> wrote in message news:<t098ousqf0c71gj0c...@4ax.com>...
>
> I really appreciate your review here. I would like to pick up a cheap
> tiny portable. A while ago I was considering the Kaiwa 818. One of the
> Kaiwa's anyways. (Although I don't like the idea of buying Chinese,
> but what can ya do? Our ruling class has seen fit to sell our
> manufacturing base for quick, temporary profits for them.)
Well, you really can't buy American, unless you have big bucks
(Drake).
Icom's and Sony's are Japanese but really expensive and good.
Grundig's are now made by Kailong (Kchibo) with the exception of the
Sat 800.
>
> Could you perhaps give us (me at least) quick eval's of the KA-989 and
> KA-818?
See above.
>
> Could you by any chance re-post it? E-mail it? Or tell me what group
> you posted it in? It would be this one, no?
I just reposted by Kchibo KK-E200 review from April 2002.
bpnjensen
it sounds a heck of a lot better.
Bruce Jensen
************
superdup...@yahoo.com (JR) wrote in message news:<8f829ccf.02091...@posting.google.com>...
I. P. Yurin
>next month along with the Kchibo KK-S320.
Great. I look fwd to it.
While I would *like* to buy American, I'm not fanatical about it. But
I perceive a difference between buying Japanese or Taiwanese and
buying Chinese. (Not many political prisoners in those places. And
neither has missiles pointed at me.) Hell, I'll buy Mexican over (PRC)
Chinese, grudgingly...
BTW, I think the Sat 800 is made in China as well, maybe by a
different company.
>
>
>>
>> Could you perhaps give us (me at least) quick eval's of the KA-989 and
>> KA-818?
>See above.
>
>>
>> Could you by any chance re-post it? E-mail it? Or tell me what group
>> you posted it in? It would be this one, no?
>
>I just reposted by Kchibo KK-E200 review from April 2002.
I got it. Thanks. I'm interested in comparing your reviews of all the
tiny, under $50 radios. Looking fwd to putting them together (if you
don't).
Rhetorical, intended thought-provoking question for the group: why
"can't" (read "doesn't) the US produce excellent $50 radios? And don't
tell me about labor costs; labor costs are pennies on the cheap units
we buy.