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Centrios AM,FM,SW,TV,WX radio
SUMMARY. The Centrios portable radio covers AM, FM stereo, SW 3.2 to
26.1, TV 2-13, and the WX band. It is sensitive and stable on all bands and has strong clear audio from two speakers. It has digital readout and 45 memories. It has a built-in power supply plus four D cells. It has a bandwidth of about 10 khz which makes for pleasant listening on the SW and AM bands. It cost $89.95 at The Source in Canada and is also distributed in the USA. DETAILS. I first noticed the Centrios about two years ago but it looked like a frog covered with Asiatic bling and I recoiled in horror. This newer model is nicely styled in aluminum and black and has sturdy parts from the fold-up handle to the buttons and switches. It is about 12"x7"x3" (slightly larger than the S-350). It is the first radio I have seen that does a good job on such a range of frequencies and modes. It is not quite as good as the Superradio II on AM but close. On SW it is quite sensitive and remarkably sensitive on the FM and TV bands. Conditions were poor on SW but I had no trouble separating stations and there was plenty of gain. There was no drift noticed and the Centrios received most of the stations heard on my Kenwood. While the wide bandwidth made for pleasant listening, the radio does not have the circuits required for serious dx-ing. It is, however, an excellent radio for the general listener whose interests cover AM, FM, SW, TV and who refers to the WX band from time to time. The software is pretty basic with 5khz steps on SW and 10 khz on AM. There are 10 memories for each band and you have to skip up through the various meter bands to direct enter. The buttons and digital readout are arranged thoughtfully in a central pod and are easy to find in the dark. The D cells last a long time. My main complaint is with the retina-scarring on-off led. It is bright even in direct sulight, but in a dark bedroom, it is blinding. The problem was solved with the application of a bit of black tape. I did notice when I was in town that some of the TV and FM stations put a few audio spikes in the SW band. This may be a problem for those in RF-loaded locations. The Centrios has replaced my old "drifty 350" for general carry-around use: sometimes I listen to SW, sometimes to FM or TV and sometimes I check the weather. It's nice to have it all in one box. For those in the USA, the agents a Orbyx Electronics, LLC, 501 South Cheryl Lane, Walnut, CA, 91789 |
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