Hello,

I see many people are recommending the Grundig S350. I personally
wouldn't buy that radio due to the drifting problem and no memories. I
think a child deserves better.

There is an inexpensive radio that no one mentions but is actually
very good. It is the Sony ICF-SWS35 ($90). If a Sangean ANT-60 ($15)
is clipped to its antenna, it receives quite well. No tuning knob and
no direct entry, but 50 memories (more if you count the bottom of the
bands) and easy tuning via buttons. It's easy on batteries (I use
rechargeable NiMH ones) and is small and light. Sound quality is not
bad and amplified computer speakers can be attached to the earphone
jack. The radio is dual-conversion so it has relatively few spurious
signals. Made in China, it has the best build-quality of any Chinese
radio I personally have seen. It's very simple to operate and I think
it would be very suitable for a child.

It's even suitable for me! I have two of them.

Joe

"jtaylor" wrote in message ...
He was playing with an old radio shack dx-100 that's in the wood shop the
other day and said "This is really neat. I want a shortwave radio."

(I know the dx-100 is a piece of junk.)

When I was a kid the neat thing was turning the knob slowly on the am tube
radio that glowed beside the bed, volume up, listening to signals coming out
of the crackles. Um, that's still neat.

But today sw is better because you can get a radio that won't drift.

So -

If there is a digital radio that tuned like an analog one - not just the
knob, but the SOUND; and it was not too big, and not too much $, and not too
complicated - no ssb, no sync det, etcetera - well then, I'd like to know
about it. 12th birthday is in two weeks.

Seems like those books like Passport to World Band Radio used to have some
receiver reviews inside.

You don't want to get a radio that is too crummy to start with, or he will
lose interest just because it's too much hard work to use it. For the same
reason I would suggest putting up an outdoor antenna right away - or at
least string up a good length of wire indoors - so you can receive more
stuff better than you can with just the whip.

I wouldn't rule out SSB, since that allows listening to hams and fishing
boats and airplanes. Granted that some of them say things we would rather
our kids don't hear; but then they are going to hear that kind of talk on
the streets anyway.

I'd get a set of earphones to go with it, if you don't have them already.
Some of the best listening comes after bedtime.

One drawback I can see to the Grundig is that it stops at 27 MHz rather than
going up to 30. So you can hear CB but not the top ham band. Not that the
29 MHz ham band is good for much in this part of the sunspot cycle, but...


--

jhhaynes at earthlink dot net

I can see buying a very sophisticated radio for someone experienced in other SW
receivers;
- Or for a 40 something SW Afficionado..

- But as a first time SW gift, for a 12 year old, the Grundig S350 is ( IMHO)
the one to get.
-Good sound, Lots of knobs,
Digital display
, fairly big, hence more rugged than something smaller,
Probably somewhat waterproof..
Looks cool just sitting there..








In article ,
(Joe Analssandrini) writes:


Hello,

I see many people are recommending the Grundig S350. I personally
wouldn't buy that radio due to the drifting problem and no memories. I
think a child deserves better.

On 26 Jun 2004 00:48:41 GMT, (Diverd4777) wrote:

I can see buying a very sophisticated radio for someone experienced in other SW
receivers;
- Or for a 40 something SW Afficionado..

- But as a first time SW gift, for a 12 year old, the Grundig S350 is ( IMHO)
the one to get.
-Good sound, Lots of knobs,
Digital display
, fairly big, hence more rugged than something smaller,
Probably somewhat waterproof..
Looks cool just sitting there..








In article ,
(Joe Analssandrini) writes:


Hello,

I see many people are recommending the Grundig S350. I personally
wouldn't buy that radio due to the drifting problem and no memories. I
think a child deserves better.



The 350 is cheapo plastic China radio. Not something your 12yr old
will appreciate when looking back at his childhood. It feels like a
toy and he/she will think so and treat is as such. Buy an older radio
on Ebay. Try a Satellit 500. Has a handle so the kid can carry it
around and it's simple to use. And - he'll know quality - just like
his pa.

Regards