The Grundig is good. The dial readout is compressed, but it has a fine tuning
knob and a good logging scale.
A while back I gave a report on another one. Don't waste your money on it.
Here's my report:
Report on Cheapie Dynamo Radio
While scanning a new Johnson Smith catalog, I noticed two SW radios at $19.98
each. I had to have them to see what they could do. I've already posted a
(glowing) report on the jWIN. This report is about the Sonnet.
Sonnet 12 Band AM/FM/TV/SW Dynamo Rechargeable
This receiver, with an analog dial, has good sensitivity and sound, and a very
good tuning knob (but no fine tuning as the FR200 has). But then it goes
downhill from there, beginning with the poorly translated-to-English
instruction paper.
The calibrations for the AM (MW) and FM bands seem okay for the radio involved.
I think the calibrations for TV1 (VHF Lo) and TV2 (VHF Hi) are okay. The
channel markers for the former are shown as Channels 1 through 5, instead of 2
through 6; the latter, Ch. 6 thru 12 instead of 7 thru 13. G
Oh, and some very strong FM images come up in TV1. LOL Fortunately, in my area
there's only Ch. 2 TV in VHF Lo.
I have no idea what the calibrations for the eight SW bands are. The stations I
know of, US BC and WWV, I could not find anywhere, day or night. This sucker
would need my calibration effort as I'd done with the $9.95 B&H radio. First
I'd have to compare this receiver with one of my digital display receivers, to
identify what I hear on this one, just to establish bench marks on each band.
Here are the SW band ranges:
SW1 5.90 --- 6.30
SW2 7.05 --- 7.50
SW3 9.50 - 10.00
SW4 11.50 - 12.05
SW5 13.45 - 13.95
SW6 15.10 - 15.60
SW7 17.50 - 18.10
SW8 21.45 - 21.95
There is some extension beyond both ends of each band.
There are jacks for headphones and external 3-volt power. I hadn't checked to
see whether the FM headphone audio was stereo or at least dual.
The radio comes equipped with two easily replaceable, standard duty AA size
NiCad cells, rated 700mA/h. The text and table seem to disagree, except
cranking the thing should be done at 2 turns/second. No matter. The maximum
shown in the table is 38 minutes of operating time with volume at maximum --
after 10 minutes of cranking. So, assuming 10 minutes of cranking gives a full
charge for an hour's operation at normal volume, that's still 5 times as much
cranking as the Grundig FR200 requires. (This thing reminds me of a lifeboat
radio, which requires one person to crank and another to operate. LOL) Although
the 200 costs twice as much, at least its dial calibration is close. I know, I
checked one. (I didn't buy one because its dial resolution was compressed
because too much frequency range was covered in each band.)
Alternate internal power is provided by two D cells. Now the size of the cells
required raises a flag, too. Someday, I'm going to install a new pair of
standard Duracell's and then make an operational check, albeit not as severe as
the owner of that B&H did with his. G I'll just run it a comfortable speaker
volume until the volume drops off and it motorboats when the volume is turned
up.
I know that the standard Duracell D cell (not the new hopped up one) is rated
at 2500 mA/h, or 3-1/2 times that of the provided NiCads. I reckon that to
equal about 3-1/2 hours of continuous operation.
By the way... The width of the D cell access was so narrow that I had to force
in the second cell. I was afraid I was going to damage something. I hope I can
get them back out okay! (I did. I needed them for a flashlight. LOL)
Also, I didn't try the generator operation.
Maybe someday I'll get out my test equipment and try to find out where in the
spectrum the band ranges are. The radio, now that I have it, might be useful
someday. At least I can listen to TV, even though I haven't watched TV in
months. And I own several, from 3-1/2 inch (I guess I like that number) to
60-inch.
Bill, K5BY
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