"JS" wrote in message
. ..
The 1102 looks to be less user friendly than the 1103.
I think the analog style tuning on the 1103 will be better for me,
since I like to listen when I'm in bed.

I don't think the 1102 is less user-friendly than the 1103... in my view,
it's the opposite. The strange volume control on the 1103 and the
non-telephonic layout of its keypad make it less intuitive under low-light
conditions than the 1102. Both radios are pretty easy to operate after
you've had the chance to use them for a little while, though. The fake
analog dial on the 1103 was really not a selling point for me, since it's
not an analog tuned radio.

They are both excellent performers in their price range.

Jackie

You might be happier with a used ATS-808a (DX-380). Available all the time
on eBay for about the same money.


"JS" wrote in message
.. .
Have looked at reviews on sub $100 portables.
This one has analog styledigital tuning and fine tuning.
Plus it has ssb.
Anyone have one, comments?

Another non-SW feature is the really quite impressive sound through the
supplied earbuds on stereo FM stations.

"JS" wrote in message
.. .
Have looked at reviews on sub $100 portables.
This one has analog styledigital tuning and fine tuning.
Plus it has ssb.
Anyone have one, comments?

Well, I had the Kaito 1101. For the money, it really is a good little
radio. That being said, it's gone, and has been replaced by a Grundig
YB 400PE. What do you gain from the use of the Grundig? Everything.
It's a pleasure to use, sounds and performs wonderfully. Looks better
too. Just one guy's opinion. Darren

I've used one since December of 2004.

For the price I cannot think of a radio that comes even close.
Positive points:
-Very sensitive on all bands.
-Dual filters do a good job of minimizing splatter on AM.
-A tuning knob makes band scanning a breeze.
-Does a good job on ssb signals and stable enough to allow tuning
around without retuning.
-Lots of memory channels.
-Stereo FM through headphones sounds good on this set.
-Direct frequency entry.
-Audio from the speaker is amazingly good considering it's size.

Negative points:

-Images abound as you would expect on a radio at this price. Not a big
deal, just be aware that Radio Havana doesn't broadcast on 5100 khz.

-S Meter is disabled on FM for some reason...not a big deal.

-An unfortunate method of numbering memory channels restricts the
usefulness of 268 memories. For some reason Degen chose to use
hexadecimal (base 16) numbering which adds several levels of complexity
to organizing and using memories. Compounding that is a bug in the
firmware that retunes the AM frequency when an FM frequency is
retrieved from memory.

Analog shortwave dial has some retro visual appeal but the space could
have been used for something else.

I just got one yesterday for CDN$90 from Durham Radio (that's about US$72).
Good, accurate review by John S. I would add:

- the PLL is rather squishy meaning that, when you are tuning in SSB mode
and can hear the heterodynes caused by the BFO, they don't snap in 1 kHz
steps but sort of fast swoop with a tiny warble until locked
- scanning speed is slow
- it's a little annoying that when you start scanning outside one of the
'meter' bands, the scan ultimately gets captured by the first meter band it
encounters. It would be nice to be able to set two frequencies for scanning
to run between.
- I'd like a bit more range on the Fine Tuning control than the +/-1.5kHz
(estimated). +/-2.5 kHz would probably be optimal with the 'narrow' 4kHz
filter. To shift the filter to favour the lower or upper sideband, you tune
the radio higher or lower in frequency and shift the Fine Tuning control to
restore the pitch. This provides modest 'single signal discrimination'.
- the sharp filter is surprisingly good at suppressing adjacent channel
interference; if interference is on one side only, tuning to the other side
by 2kHz knocks it down quickly.
- images and intermod interference abound, even with the telescoping
antenna. I have not checked everywhere but the 26-30MHz range has
combinations of many SW and probably MW stations.
- I was pleased to see its automatic memory remembers not only the last
frequency tuned in each meter band but also the mode - if it was SSB, it
recalls SSB; the user stored memories also recall the mode.
- there is no autoscan of memories, seems to default to the band that the
current memory frequency is in.
- tuning seems accurate - in SSB mode, tuning to reliably accurate stations
such as WWV on 15MHz and local MW broadcasters, set the Fine Tune to zero
beat or a low pitch audible tone on one and then switch to the other (memory
tuning is great for this). The beat note should be the same. It was for
mine.
- I wish it would not revert back to AM mode every time you key in a new
frequency. Of course, it stays in SSB when jog tuning. I guess I'll have to
program in one frequency in SSB for each one of the ham bands to be able to
jump between them and stay in SSB mode.
- I agree that the retro analog dial is a waste of space that could have
been used for better button layout.
- I'm impressed with the 'fit and finish'.
- great value for the money!

Tom

"John S." wrote in message
oups.com...
I've used one since December of 2004.

For the price I cannot think of a radio that comes even close.
Positive points:
-Very sensitive on all bands.
-Dual filters do a good job of minimizing splatter on AM.
-A tuning knob makes band scanning a breeze.
-Does a good job on ssb signals and stable enough to allow tuning
around without retuning.
-Lots of memory channels.
-Stereo FM through headphones sounds good on this set.
-Direct frequency entry.
-Audio from the speaker is amazingly good considering it's size.

Negative points:

-Images abound as you would expect on a radio at this price. Not a big
deal, just be aware that Radio Havana doesn't broadcast on 5100 khz.

-S Meter is disabled on FM for some reason...not a big deal.

-An unfortunate method of numbering memory channels restricts the
usefulness of 268 memories. For some reason Degen chose to use
hexadecimal (base 16) numbering which adds several levels of complexity
to organizing and using memories. Compounding that is a bug in the
firmware that retunes the AM frequency when an FM frequency is
retrieved from memory.

Analog shortwave dial has some retro visual appeal but the space could
have been used for something else.

TH - Nice Informative Review ~ RHF
. . . . .

Nice rundown, I'm kind of new at the terminology ,
but interesting.
I like the dial, had one on the old Sony analog radio
which I haven't been using since getting the Kaito.
The scan is a little slow, tried it but haven't used it much.


"Tom Holden" wrote in message
.. .
I just got one yesterday for CDN$90 from Durham Radio (that's about US$72).
Good, accurate review by John S. I would add:

- the PLL is rather squishy meaning that, when you are tuning in SSB mode
and can hear the heterodynes caused by the BFO, they don't snap in 1 kHz
steps but sort of fast swoop with a tiny warble until locked
- scanning speed is slow
- it's a little annoying that when you start scanning outside one of the
'meter' bands, the scan ultimately gets captured by the first meter band
it encounters. It would be nice to be able to set two frequencies for
scanning to run between.
- I'd like a bit more range on the Fine Tuning control than the +/-1.5kHz
(estimated). +/-2.5 kHz would probably be optimal with the 'narrow' 4kHz
filter. To shift the filter to favour the lower or upper sideband, you
tune the radio higher or lower in frequency and shift the Fine Tuning
control to restore the pitch. This provides modest 'single signal
discrimination'.
- the sharp filter is surprisingly good at suppressing adjacent channel
interference; if interference is on one side only, tuning to the other
side by 2kHz knocks it down quickly.
- images and intermod interference abound, even with the telescoping
antenna. I have not checked everywhere but the 26-30MHz range has
combinations of many SW and probably MW stations.
- I was pleased to see its automatic memory remembers not only the last
frequency tuned in each meter band but also the mode - if it was SSB, it
recalls SSB; the user stored memories also recall the mode.
- there is no autoscan of memories, seems to default to the band that the
current memory frequency is in.
- tuning seems accurate - in SSB mode, tuning to reliably accurate
stations such as WWV on 15MHz and local MW broadcasters, set the Fine Tune
to zero beat or a low pitch audible tone on one and then switch to the
other (memory tuning is great for this). The beat note should be the same.
It was for mine.
- I wish it would not revert back to AM mode every time you key in a new
frequency. Of course, it stays in SSB when jog tuning. I guess I'll have
to program in one frequency in SSB for each one of the ham bands to be
able to jump between them and stay in SSB mode.
- I agree that the retro analog dial is a waste of space that could have
been used for better button layout.
- I'm impressed with the 'fit and finish'.
- great value for the money!

Tom

"John S." wrote in message
oups.com...
I've used one since December of 2004.

For the price I cannot think of a radio that comes even close.
Positive points:
-Very sensitive on all bands.
-Dual filters do a good job of minimizing splatter on AM.
-A tuning knob makes band scanning a breeze.
-Does a good job on ssb signals and stable enough to allow tuning
around without retuning.
-Lots of memory channels.
-Stereo FM through headphones sounds good on this set.
-Direct frequency entry.
-Audio from the speaker is amazingly good considering it's size.

Negative points:

-Images abound as you would expect on a radio at this price. Not a big
deal, just be aware that Radio Havana doesn't broadcast on 5100 khz.

-S Meter is disabled on FM for some reason...not a big deal.

-An unfortunate method of numbering memory channels restricts the
usefulness of 268 memories. For some reason Degen chose to use
hexadecimal (base 16) numbering which adds several levels of complexity
to organizing and using memories. Compounding that is a bug in the
firmware that retunes the AM frequency when an FM frequency is
retrieved from memory.

Analog shortwave dial has some retro visual appeal but the space could
have been used for something else.

To be perfectly honest many receivers have a scan function, but I find
it to be of little value on shortwave mostly because the threshold for
stopping scan is way too high on all the receivers I've tried. It
misses lots of weaker signals. Spinning the dial is in my experience a
much better way to move through the dial. With one finger you can move
through the band at any speed, stop, reverse, etc. Much more
cumbersome and imprecise with a scan button.

I own 2 of the 1103's, one purchased in Dec 04 and the other about a
month and a half ago. Absolutely no complaints with either of them.
You can buy a better radio, but not at the sub $50 price that the 1103
goes for or anywhere near that. For more info and personal reviews and
accounts you can check the 1103 group on Yahoo groups.

Good Luck

Mark