Bearcat, you make a good point. I have spent about $300 dollars on Chinese
radios in the past two months. And I admit, I could have gotten a $300 radio
for my money.

But there's no $300 radio out there that I want. I either already have it or
I had it and sold it.

What my $300 has gotten me is eight experiences of getting a new radio. You
know, the pre-buy research, the actual purchase itself, the anticipation
during shipping, then actually opening the box, smelling the new radio
smell, putting in the batteries, and finally turning it on for the first
time and seeing just how good it picks up. I've been able to do that eight
times in the past two months!!! If I had bought just one radio, then I would
have gotten just one new radio experience.

Of my eight new radios, I have given away two, sold two, and have kept four.
The one radio that disappointed me the most was the Tecsun R-333. I kept it,
but it's really a sorry radio. My two favorites of the new bunch are the
Degen 1102 and the Tecsun PL-230. The 1102 has the best performance, but I
live in a house with four computers all networked with WI-FI and cable
internet (originating from my room), and the 1102 seems to be more affected
by all that noise, especially after I turn off my computer and go to bed.
And even though the 230 isn't as sensitive as the 1102, it seems to have a
much lower noise floor, and I can actually listen to some stations on it
that are drowned out on my 1102. That doesn't make sense, but it's just the
way I perceive it. Plus, to my ear, the 230's speaker seems to be less tinny
and less tiring to listen to. And at night, when a station fades out on the
1102, noise is pulled up in its place. On the 230, the AGC must be less
severe, because it actually allows some fade. That is helpful if I am trying
to go to sleep.

Bottom line, I didn't get a $300 radio for my $300 investment. But I did get
eight radios that have given me thousands of dollars worth of enjoyment so
far, and I hope to keep right on playing with my new radios, right up until
they -- or I -- wear completely out.