I've had no problems, & I carry mine around everywhere!

wrote in message
...
"Lisa Simpson" wrote:

Grundig Mini 300 PE

Well I finally made it to radio Shack to see and hold
the unit above.

Seems pretty well made but I jut don't now abt that
antenna stub sticking up like that. I wonder if it
would be prone to damage since I will be hauling it
around in a bicycle pannier.

Advice ion that antenna stub?

I guess Grundig China or is it China Grundig? thought those little mini
radios would look cuter with the little rubber ducky stubby
antennas.Hey,y'all bought them,didn't you?
cuhulin

(Jim) wrote:

i didnt like the mini 300's antenna stub either. in use it hasnt been an
issue at all. the radio has been used for listening while working
construction and has been very durable. it has been used daily for
almost 10 months. this is a record for me because a radio rarely lasts 4
months on the job site.




OK

Well I did like the 'feel" of the 300.... had a kind of
rubbery texture to it. Do you like it?

I'm not discounting the 300..... but will look at some
of the others before buying.

What's nice is the fact that a person can even buys
such a small and cheap SW radio now days!! very cool.

Again for those just now reading this thread I want one
to use on a 2000 mile bicycle tour next summer.

A Sony 7600GR radio probally won't pick up much better than a decent
AM/FM/Shortwave radio at half the price.Mostly it depends on the
antenna.
cuhulin

yes, that fuzzy black one is unique indeed! it DOES feel rubbery, and is
one good looking radio. i have one of those and i also have a banana
yellow one! (the yellow one is the one i use at work) the mini 300 comes
in several colors. you do know that the 300 has sw broadcast bands, with
huge coverage gaps in between? that it is analog tuning? its selectivity
is wide as the open sky? that it drifts like a message in a bottle? that
its tuning knob is so sensitive that it ZOOMS off channel if an atom
bumps against it? i am not dogging this radio, i LOVE my mini 300! i use
it more than all of the others combined! but you do need to know what
you are buying. the mini 300 is like the sw equivalent of the little am
6 transistor pocket radios of the 60's and 70's. its handy and
convenient and fun. it has a personality and it takes some getting used
to if you want to get the best out of it. it will reliably tune in all
of the big broadcasters, and it will surprise you with some occasional
dx.(ONLY if there is no other station on the dial even NEAR the
frequency you are tuning to) it will shine best way out in the
sticks..... away from electronic interference. its a wonderful toy! if
you want a REAL sw then i can recommend the sangean ats 606. that radio
is an absolute jewel! (its three times the size of the mini 300, but
four times the cost!) it has great battery life, and it has continuous
coverage and is fairly sensitive and selective. its also a program
listening type of radio but it is small and very nice. for a serious sw
receiver look at the sony 7600 that they have been suggesting to you. it
has ssb, synch lock and is still a step higher in sensitivity and
selectivity! (yes, but its the size of a hard cover book, FIVE times the
price of the mini 300 and is a little rough on batteries) each different
radio has its purpose and each is a great buy. you could get two if you
cant choose. the mini can be used while hanging from the back of your
ball cap while you are riding, its sweet and simple and i use the
controls with one hand reaching behind my head. the antenna sticks up
solid and straight and the radio chassis couples to your head for
counterpoise just like you were holding it in your hand. then at night
you could use the more complex radio for better reception. you can use
both hands and your eyes because you will need them. it could be the
best of both worlds. imagine swling all day and then all night! and
riding my bike too! hell, if i had a small telescope to shoot some stars
late at night then i would never come home!

Telescope? Celestron Skyscout.Only $400.00. www.celestron.com
cuhulin

cuhulin, yes that skyscout looks like a fun gadget but there is no
mention of what kind of optics it has! for all i know it could be a zero
power dot sight like a telrad. they focus on its electronics and
database but leave out the most important info. if i spent $400 thinking
that i was buying a small scope and only got a zero power sighting
device i would be seriously ****ed!

Jim wrote:
cuhulin, yes that skyscout looks like a fun gadget but there is no
mention of what kind of optics it has! for all i know it could be a
zero power dot sight

yes, that's basically what it is, coupled to a GPS receiver and a data base.

if i spent $400 thinking that i was buying a small scope and only got
a zero power sighting device i would be seriously ****ed!

I would respectfully suggest that, in your example above, if someone
spent 400 bucks of their money without having a clue what they were
buying, forget being seriously ****ed, they would be seriously stupid
and deserve what they (don't) get. :-)

again, you are right. a guy should know what he is buying, that is why i
am surprised that the celestron site gives absolutely no information on
what the unit actually is. who would buy it for $400 on the info given?
its not mentioned what the aperture is or what the magnification is if
any. both of those are important if shopping for either a telescope
sighting device or a small handheld scope. i am left with the knowledge
that it has gps navigation and a bad-ass database but you had to tell me
that it was just a robotic telrad. how did YOU know? do you have one?
perhaps you know if it is mountable like a telrad or is it only a
handheld teaching aid? if its not fitted with facilities to mount it to
a scope then they sure missed the boat. more people would buy it as a
sight for their existing scope than as a teaching aid. hmmmm........ all
of this should of been covered on the website. thats where we got
started, with an incomplete description by the manufacturer!