I have no idea if any of these are reputable. A quick internet search
yielded Bell+Howell prices for a much better radio, the Jwin JX-M14,
usually found for twice as much.

If anyone can confirm the goodness of any of these, that would be most
appreciated.

Source #1: K&B Electronics -- $10.95
Shipping cost -- ? -- "K&B Electronics does not charge a handling
fee on top of standard UPS or USPS shipping rates."
url: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/kb-electronics/jx-m14.html

Source #2: Sepharus.com -- $10.76
Shipping cost -- ?
url: http://www.sepharus.com/jx-m14.html

Source #3: HiFiforLess -- $10.49
Shipping cost -- $5.95 for UPS Ground to my location (TN)
url: http://www.hififorless.com/acatalog/...JWIN_1297.html

Randy

Ok, after seeing some relatively positive references for
hififorless.com (searched newsgroups via Google), I placed an order
shortly after posting the original message in this thread. It's now
shipped from Phoenix and is due to arrive here (west TN) on the 20th.
Here's the UPS tracking page (I used TinyURL to make a quick redirect
url):
http://tinyurl.com/k7m2

Looking forward to receiving the JWin at half price. Will
continue to update. (No, I'm not affiliated with hififorless.)

Randy

Ok, so what do I find... after ordering elsewhere days ago for ~$10
(and UPS confirms it's shipped!), today I came across an even cheaper
source! How does $8.80 sound for the JWin JX-M14 shortwave radio? I
don't know about this source either, but here it is regardless:

Source #4: CyberGiftCenter.com -- $8.80
Shipping cost -- ??
url: http://www.cybergiftcenter.com/appli...asp?sku=JX-M14

However... ... They are temporarily out of stock. This is worth
bookmarking though.

Randy

Randy: Will continue to update.

I look foreward to you update(s).

Bill, K5BY

Thanks, Bill! K5BY de WA4FJF 73 OM K


(WShoots1) wrote in message ...
I look foreward to you update(s).
Bill, K5BY

Randy,

Thanks for the review.
Got an e-mail from K&B ,out in Arizona
with a UPS tracking link.

- Keep us posted !

Dan


In article ,
(Randy Padawer) writes:


Well, my $10 jWIN shortwave radio arrived right on schedule today via
UPS. I bought from hififorless.com. Here are my initial thoughts:

1) The audio is much better than the Bell+Howell unit. Actually, for
a cheapie radio, the Bell+Howell isn't that bad, but the jWIN has a
more resonant ring to it.

2) I like the digital readout. The frequency is not selected via
buttons, but actually by a thumbwheel control (a variable capacitor, I
surmise) on the upper right side of the radio. The frequency is
actually selected analog-style, while the digital display simply
follows and reads the freq. (This is different than almost every
digital radio out there today in which the digital circuitry plays a
large role in tuning the radio.) As a result, the digital readout in
this unit produces no spurious noise or chuffing that I could discern.
Moroever, the display seems accurate -- WWV is right where it should
be in multiple places.

3) Tuning, however, seems a bit more fiddly than the Bell+Howell unit.
On the B+H, when you light upon a station, it stays there, and there
is no backlash when you let go of the frequency knob. On the jWIN,
there is a very minor (yet ever-so-noticeable) backlash, and you'll
find yourself working for just a second or three more to tune in a
station just right -- especially if it's not a very strong station.

4) When the jWIN first arrived, I removed my Bell+Howell batteries and
shoved them into the jWIN, turned on the jWIN, and... oh no... I hear
noise but the digital readout isn't working right. I realized,
though, that these batteries were weak. Putting in some new strong
batteries solved the problem. Interestingly, though, the weaker
batteries powered the B+H unit just fine with no noticeable
degradation in sensitivity (I played with the B+H, swapping out new
batteries, etc.) Clearly, the jWIN is much more demanding with
respect to battery quality -- possibly chalk that up to the presence
of the digital freq readout.

I'll soon dig out last year's Coby 12 band cheapie radio and do a
comparison with all of these units.

I must close with one interesting note, though... I still have my
cheapie Pomtrex from 1992 (a plastic analog multiband shortwave radio
from China which sold for ~$30). The Pomtrex at that time won an
amazing TWO STARS (!) from Passport to World Band Radio, and I concur
-- its sensitivity and selectivity still beat the Coby, the
contemporary Bell+Howell, and my new jWIN. However, the jWIN's audio
is slightly more pleasurable to hear.

(Does anybody remember the Pomtrex other than me? I still enjoy
mine.)

In closing, I was happy to get this unit for $10 plus shipping instead
of $30+ plus shipping. It's a good unit, and the digital freq display
is really unique to this radio in the ten buck price class.

Randy (WA4FJF)

Can someone please explain to me though why the S&H is $11.18??? That is
what the guy told me on the phone. So this nine dollar radio 'really' is
$19.98, to the ones that have it, is this worth it in your opinion?

BTW, the pricing and s/h is from the website that someone posted in here.
That sure seems like alot for handling. Does anything else come with it?

TIA

--
~*~*~Monitoring the Spectrum~*~*~
***GO BEARCATS***
~*~*~Oct.15th Payback Begins~*~*~*~
~~~Hammarlund129X/140X~~~
**Heathkit Q Multiplier**
GE P-780
"Diverd4777" wrote in message
...
Randy,

Thanks for the review.
Got an e-mail from K&B ,out in Arizona
with a UPS tracking link.

- Keep us posted !

Dan


In article ,
(Randy Padawer) writes:


Well, my $10 jWIN shortwave radio arrived right on schedule today via
UPS. I bought from hififorless.com. Here are my initial thoughts:

1) The audio is much better than the Bell+Howell unit. Actually, for
a cheapie radio, the Bell+Howell isn't that bad, but the jWIN has a
more resonant ring to it.

2) I like the digital readout. The frequency is not selected via
buttons, but actually by a thumbwheel control (a variable capacitor, I
surmise) on the upper right side of the radio. The frequency is
actually selected analog-style, while the digital display simply
follows and reads the freq. (This is different than almost every
digital radio out there today in which the digital circuitry plays a
large role in tuning the radio.) As a result, the digital readout in
this unit produces no spurious noise or chuffing that I could discern.
Moroever, the display seems accurate -- WWV is right where it should
be in multiple places.

3) Tuning, however, seems a bit more fiddly than the Bell+Howell unit.
On the B+H, when you light upon a station, it stays there, and there
is no backlash when you let go of the frequency knob. On the jWIN,
there is a very minor (yet ever-so-noticeable) backlash, and you'll
find yourself working for just a second or three more to tune in a
station just right -- especially if it's not a very strong station.

4) When the jWIN first arrived, I removed my Bell+Howell batteries and
shoved them into the jWIN, turned on the jWIN, and... oh no... I hear
noise but the digital readout isn't working right. I realized,
though, that these batteries were weak. Putting in some new strong
batteries solved the problem. Interestingly, though, the weaker
batteries powered the B+H unit just fine with no noticeable
degradation in sensitivity (I played with the B+H, swapping out new
batteries, etc.) Clearly, the jWIN is much more demanding with
respect to battery quality -- possibly chalk that up to the presence
of the digital freq readout.

I'll soon dig out last year's Coby 12 band cheapie radio and do a
comparison with all of these units.

I must close with one interesting note, though... I still have my
cheapie Pomtrex from 1992 (a plastic analog multiband shortwave radio
from China which sold for ~$30). The Pomtrex at that time won an
amazing TWO STARS (!) from Passport to World Band Radio, and I concur
-- its sensitivity and selectivity still beat the Coby, the
contemporary Bell+Howell, and my new jWIN. However, the jWIN's audio
is slightly more pleasurable to hear.

(Does anybody remember the Pomtrex other than me? I still enjoy
mine.)

In closing, I was happy to get this unit for $10 plus shipping instead
of $30+ plus shipping. It's a good unit, and the digital freq display
is really unique to this radio in the ten buck price class.

Randy (WA4FJF)

Can someone please explain to me though why the S&H is $11.18??? That is
what the guy told me on the phone. So this nine dollar radio 'really' is
$19.98, to the ones that have it, is this worth it in your opinion?

BTW, the pricing and s/h is from the website that someone posted in here.
That sure seems like alot for handling. Does anything else come with it?

TIA

--
~*~*~Monitoring the Spectrum~*~*~
***GO BEARCATS***
~*~*~Oct.15th Payback Begins~*~*~*~
~~~Hammarlund129X/140X~~~
**Heathkit Q Multiplier**
GE P-780
"Diverd4777" wrote in message
...
Randy,

Thanks for the review.
Got an e-mail from K&B ,out in Arizona
with a UPS tracking link.

- Keep us posted !

Dan


In article ,
(Randy Padawer) writes:


Well, my $10 jWIN shortwave radio arrived right on schedule today via
UPS. I bought from hififorless.com. Here are my initial thoughts:

1) The audio is much better than the Bell+Howell unit. Actually, for
a cheapie radio, the Bell+Howell isn't that bad, but the jWIN has a
more resonant ring to it.

2) I like the digital readout. The frequency is not selected via
buttons, but actually by a thumbwheel control (a variable capacitor, I
surmise) on the upper right side of the radio. The frequency is
actually selected analog-style, while the digital display simply
follows and reads the freq. (This is different than almost every
digital radio out there today in which the digital circuitry plays a
large role in tuning the radio.) As a result, the digital readout in
this unit produces no spurious noise or chuffing that I could discern.
Moroever, the display seems accurate -- WWV is right where it should
be in multiple places.

3) Tuning, however, seems a bit more fiddly than the Bell+Howell unit.
On the B+H, when you light upon a station, it stays there, and there
is no backlash when you let go of the frequency knob. On the jWIN,
there is a very minor (yet ever-so-noticeable) backlash, and you'll
find yourself working for just a second or three more to tune in a
station just right -- especially if it's not a very strong station.

4) When the jWIN first arrived, I removed my Bell+Howell batteries and
shoved them into the jWIN, turned on the jWIN, and... oh no... I hear
noise but the digital readout isn't working right. I realized,
though, that these batteries were weak. Putting in some new strong
batteries solved the problem. Interestingly, though, the weaker
batteries powered the B+H unit just fine with no noticeable
degradation in sensitivity (I played with the B+H, swapping out new
batteries, etc.) Clearly, the jWIN is much more demanding with
respect to battery quality -- possibly chalk that up to the presence
of the digital freq readout.

I'll soon dig out last year's Coby 12 band cheapie radio and do a
comparison with all of these units.

I must close with one interesting note, though... I still have my
cheapie Pomtrex from 1992 (a plastic analog multiband shortwave radio
from China which sold for ~$30). The Pomtrex at that time won an
amazing TWO STARS (!) from Passport to World Band Radio, and I concur
-- its sensitivity and selectivity still beat the Coby, the
contemporary Bell+Howell, and my new jWIN. However, the jWIN's audio
is slightly more pleasurable to hear.

(Does anybody remember the Pomtrex other than me? I still enjoy
mine.)

In closing, I was happy to get this unit for $10 plus shipping instead
of $30+ plus shipping. It's a good unit, and the digital freq display
is really unique to this radio in the ten buck price class.

Randy (WA4FJF)

"dxlover" wrote in message
...
Can someone please explain to me though why the S&H is $11.18??? That is
what the guy told me on the phone. So this nine dollar radio 'really' is
$19.98, to the ones that have it, is this worth it in your opinion?

BTW, the pricing and s/h is from the website that someone posted in here.
That sure seems like alot for handling. Does anything else come with it?

Though I'm sure you can do better on the s/h, the radio is still well worth
the $20 price. Keep checking on ebay, I'm sure you can find it cheaper. I
paid $19.95 plus I think $4 shipping for mine, and I think it was worth it..
it's a nice little radio. It's no Drake, but it's a rare bird for sure... a
cheap, tiny, multiband radio with excellent calibration and a digital
readout. I'm quite happy with mine, I don't have to guess where to look for
a station anymore.

Yeah, SH & H via UPS is pricey;
BUT
in the end,
do you want to spend $20 & get a SW radio with Digital readout or not ??
Whats $20 buy??

- Call them & see if they can ship USPS, might be cheaper;


In article , "dxlover"
writes:

Subject: Jwin radio for ~$10 (rather than ~$20)
From: "dxlover"
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 12:15:46 GMT

Can someone please explain to me though why the S&H is $11.18??? That is
what the guy told me on the phone. So this nine dollar radio 'really' is
$19.98, to the ones that have it, is this worth it in your opinion?

BTW, the pricing and s/h is from the website that someone posted in here.
That sure seems like alot for handling. Does anything else come with it?

TIA

--
~*~*~Monitoring the Spectrum~*~*~
***GO BEARCATS***
~*~*~Oct.15th Payback Begins~*~*~*~
~~~Hammarlund129X/140X~~~
**Heathkit Q Multiplier**
GE P-780
"Diverd4777" wrote in message
...
Randy,

Thanks for the review.
Got an e-mail from K&B ,out in Arizona
with a UPS tracking link.

- Keep us posted !

Dan


In article ,
(Randy Padawer) writes:


Well, my $10 jWIN shortwave radio arrived right on schedule today via
UPS. I bought from hififorless.com. Here are my initial thoughts:

1) The audio is much better than the Bell+Howell unit. Actually, for
a cheapie radio, the Bell+Howell isn't that bad, but the jWIN has a
more resonant ring to it.

2) I like the digital readout. The frequency is not selected via
buttons, but actually by a thumbwheel control (a variable capacitor, I
surmise) on the upper right side of the radio. The frequency is
actually selected analog-style, while the digital display simply
follows and reads the freq. (This is different than almost every
digital radio out there today in which the digital circuitry plays a
large role in tuning the radio.) As a result, the digital readout in
this unit produces no spurious noise or chuffing that I could discern.
Moroever, the display seems accurate -- WWV is right where it should
be in multiple places.

3) Tuning, however, seems a bit more fiddly than the Bell+Howell unit.
On the B+H, when you light upon a station, it stays there, and there
is no backlash when you let go of the frequency knob. On the jWIN,
there is a very minor (yet ever-so-noticeable) backlash, and you'll
find yourself working for just a second or three more to tune in a
station just right -- especially if it's not a very strong station.

4) When the jWIN first arrived, I removed my Bell+Howell batteries and
shoved them into the jWIN, turned on the jWIN, and... oh no... I hear
noise but the digital readout isn't working right. I realized,
though, that these batteries were weak. Putting in some new strong
batteries solved the problem. Interestingly, though, the weaker
batteries powered the B+H unit just fine with no noticeable
degradation in sensitivity (I played with the B+H, swapping out new
batteries, etc.) Clearly, the jWIN is much more demanding with
respect to battery quality -- possibly chalk that up to the presence
of the digital freq readout.

I'll soon dig out last year's Coby 12 band cheapie radio and do a
comparison with all of these units.

I must close with one interesting note, though... I still have my
cheapie Pomtrex from 1992 (a plastic analog multiband shortwave radio
from China which sold for ~$30). The Pomtrex at that time won an
amazing TWO STARS (!) from Passport to World Band Radio, and I concur
-- its sensitivity and selectivity still beat the Coby, the
contemporary Bell+Howell, and my new jWIN. However, the jWIN's audio
is slightly more pleasurable to hear.

(Does anybody remember the Pomtrex other than me? I still enjoy
mine.)

In closing, I was happy to get this unit for $10 plus shipping instead
of $30+ plus shipping. It's a good unit, and the digital freq display
is really unique to this radio in the ten buck price class.

Randy (WA4FJF)