1103 vs Sangean ATS909
 

I am a happy owner on a Kaito 1103, but I am thinking of picking up a
ATS909 as a second receiver...I have heard negative things about the
909's receive off the whip, but was wondering how much more sensitive
this radio is with external antenna that is supplied with the
radio...Can the 909 pick up more stations than the 1103 with external
antenna, or are they about the same?...
Thanks

GP - The 909 is fairly insensitive off the whip - damn near deaf, IMHO
- but using an external antenna off the jack, or even a passive
inductive connection from a strung-up wire to the whip, the difference
is like night and day; one must be careful of too much antenna, in
fact, because the radio becomes too sensitive and subject to overload.

Don't know about the 1103, but with care the 909 will give excellent
results with an external antenna.

There are fixes for the 909 whip out there that involve minor internal
tinkering (essentially fidding with a resistor and a do-it-yourself
matching transformer), but the above removes the need for that and
won't void your warranty if you goof something up.

Bruce Jensen

Sangean radios digital front panels mess up sooner than most other brand
name radios,,, or so I have read a few times before.It cost about fifty
dollars or more (plus shipping and handling charges) to have them
repaired.Only way I would ever own any Sangean radios (I have owned two
of them before,I sent that Sangean JUNK back to Bob Crane too) again
would be if somebody gave me one for free and then I would either sell
it or trade it for something I like better.Stay away from them Tiny
Tennas too,they dont work at all.
cuhulin

Thanks for the posts regarding the 909...I like the looks and features
of this radio, and was seriously considering getting the unmodify
version...However I am not convinced it will outform my 1103 which
costs considerably less money...Perhaps I will hold off on getting the
909, and look at other options that are available...Thanks again for
the help...
Greg