Best Shortwave Radio for Listening in China
 

I'm looking to buy a SW radio for my father in China so he can listen
to VOA broadcasts. I've looked online at some reviews and am not sure
of how important certain specs of the radios are relative to price.
(i.e. what is the advantage of the $100 radio over the $30 radio).
Could anyone suggest a good radio for me, or tell me what I should be
looking for in a prospective radio?
Thanks for the help

In article ,
says...
I'm looking to buy a SW radio for my father in China so he can listen
to VOA broadcasts. I've looked online at some reviews and am not sure
of how important certain specs of the radios are relative to price.
(i.e. what is the advantage of the $100 radio over the $30 radio).
Could anyone suggest a good radio for me, or tell me what I should be
looking for in a prospective radio?

If all you want is to receive VOA, there are several Chinese
manufactured radios that will do the job nicely and your father can
probably pick up in China very cheaply. The Degen DE-1102 has received
pretty good reviews. It has digial tuning, SSB, quite a few memories,
etc. It goes for about $60 delivered in the US. I would think well
under half that in China. The Tecsun PL-230 is a little bit cheaper and
gives up the SSB, but appears to be otherwise comparable to the Degen.
Considering the small price difference (at least in the US) I'd probably
go with the Degen to get the SSB. These are both portable radios that
are just a bit too big to be considered pocket size.

For even less money there are some pocket-sized portables that perform
remarkably well considering the cost. I have a Tecsun R-919 that cost me
$30 delivered in the US. It also has several shortcomings, including a
filter that's a bit too wide and being somewhat touchy to tune on SW.
But for the money and the size, I really can't complain.

If you're looking for something a little larger with better sound
quality, the Tecsun BCL-2000 is a pretty good deal for the money. It's
not without its faults (like being rather drifty before it warms up),
but the sound is pretty good and I'm sure it will pick up VOA and the
other major broadcasters without difficulty.

If you're looking for really big, room-filling sound, the Chinese
version of the Drake Satellit 800 might be an option. This is an
impressively large and pretty serious SW radio. It lists for about $500
in the US, though smart shoppers can find them for $400 or less. I have
no idea what the Chinese version would go for in China. (And,
unfortunately, I don't recall the model number either.)

I've been suggesting Chinese-made radios because they're cranking out
some pretty decent quality product that I assume goes for a lot less in
China than it does in the US. If you're set on buying something in the
US to send to him in China, the Sony ICF-SW7600GR would be a good place
to start looking. It goes for about $150. Another good choice is the
Sangean ATS-909 (about $250 list). If you don't mind buying used, there
are hundreds of radios on ebay. The Radio Shack DX-398 is a rebadged
ATS-909 that usually goes for about $125 on ebay. (Radio Shack
discontinued the DX-398 a couple years ago.)

-- Jay

In article ,
Jay Heyl wrote:

In article ,
says...
I'm looking to buy a SW radio for my father in China so he can listen
to VOA broadcasts. I've looked online at some reviews and am not sure
of how important certain specs of the radios are relative to price.
(i.e. what is the advantage of the $100 radio over the $30 radio).
Could anyone suggest a good radio for me, or tell me what I should be
looking for in a prospective radio?

If all you want is to receive VOA, there are several Chinese
manufactured radios that will do the job nicely and your father can
probably pick up in China very cheaply.

snip

I hope he like Chinese opera otherwise don't bother.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

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The Chinese market version of the Grundig Satelit 800 is the Tecsun Ham
2000. You might not be able to buy one thru the ebay seller lypin. He said
he would not be offering them because it would cost too much to ship them
to the US or Europe. But you may be able to find another seller who would
ship it domestically. Or you could send your father the money to go out
and buy one locally.
pPete Davis
pJay Heyl wrote:
blockquote TYPE=CITEIn article m,
says...
br I'm looking to buy a SW radio for my father in China so he can listen
br to VOA broadcasts. I've looked online at some reviews and am not
sure
br of how important certain specs of the radios are relative to price.
br (i.e. what is the advantage of the $100 radio over the $30 radio).
br Could anyone suggest a good radio for me, or tell me what I should
be
br looking for in a prospective radio?
pIf all you want is to receive VOA, there are several Chinese
brmanufactured radios that will do the job nicely and your father can
brprobably pick up in China very cheaply.  The Degen DE-1102 has
received
brpretty good reviews. It has digial tuning, SSB, quite a few memories,
bretc.  It goes for about $60 delivered in the US. I would think
well
brunder half that in China.  The Tecsun PL-230 is a little bit cheaper
and
brgives up the SSB, but appears to be otherwise comparable to the Degen.
brConsidering the small price difference (at least in the US) I'd probably
brgo with the Degen to get the SSB.  These are both portable radios
that
brare just a bit too big to be considered pocket size.
pFor even less money there are some pocket-sized portables that perform
brremarkably well considering the cost. I have a Tecsun R-919 that cost
me
br$30 delivered in the US. It also has several shortcomings, including
a
brfilter that's a bit too wide and being somewhat touchy to tune on SW.
brBut for the money and the size, I really can't complain.
pIf you're looking for something a little larger with better sound
brquality, the Tecsun BCL-2000 is a pretty good deal for the money. It's
brnot without its faults (like being rather drifty before it warms up),
brbut the sound is pretty good and I'm sure it will pick up VOA and the
brother major broadcasters without difficulty.
pIf you're looking for really big, room-filling sound, the Chinese
brversion of the Drake Satellit 800 might be an option. This is an
brimpressively large and pretty serious SW radio. It lists for about
$500
brin the US, though smart shoppers can find them for $400 or less. I
have
brno idea what the Chinese version would go for in China. (And,
brunfortunately, I don't recall the model number either.)
pI've been suggesting Chinese-made radios because they're cranking out
brsome pretty decent quality product that I assume goes for a lot less
in
brChina than it does in the US.  If you're set on buying something
in the
brUS to send to him in China, the Sony ICF-SW7600GR would be a good place
brto start looking. It goes for about $150. Another good choice is the
brSangean ATS-909 (about $250 list). If you don't mind buying used, there
brare hundreds of radios on ebay. The Radio Shack DX-398 is a rebadged
brATS-909 that usually goes for about $125 on ebay.  (Radio Shack
brdiscontinued the DX-398 a couple years ago.)
p  -- Jay/blockquote
/html