Radio Recommendation

[Templogin]

Hi Folks

I have a number of Roberts radios (9999 model - I think).  They are too big for touring so I am looking for something smaller with good reception/sound.  I am in a digitial radio balckspot at home so DAB is probably not the way that I would be going, so VHF or VHF and DAB.  If it had SW as well that would be a bonus, but not a deal breaker.

Are any of you using something on tours that you might want to recommend?

Thanks a lot

Andy

[jags]

if you can get your hands on the cheap radios aldi sells then buy there the best little radio on the planet.i also bought a dab roberts totally useless piece of junk ok for home radio but on the rd forget it.get the aldi u wont be sorry only around a fiver.

[Templogin]

Sounds an interesting idea Jags.  Sadly I am a 12 hour ferry ride away from my nearest Aldi, assuming that there is one in Aberdeen, so need something that I can order online.

[jags]

ah well i suppose sony is your best bet.
btw thats a long ferry ride i dont envy you that journey.

[jags]

here u go.

http://www.ebay.com/gds/Top-12-Portable-AM-FM-Radios-/10000000177844640/g.html

[Slammin Sammy]

Back in the days 20 years ago when money was no object (ie. I had a job!), I spent an obscene amount on a tiny little digital Sony AM/FM/SW radio with great sound for its size. It came with a booklet of global stations and frequencies and a retractable cable antenna that you could drape out the window or over the car.

On the millennium New Years Eve (1999-2000) my wife and I took our little Whittley Impala half-cabin cruiser up Mangrove Creek off the Hawkesbury River and spent the night fishing and listening to the NYE celebrations around the world. It has often accompanied me and us on our extended outback trips, and is always entertaining when cooped up in the tent or swag at night.

Andy, you've reminded me about that little radio, and I'll go dig it out in the morning and post the model number. It's now officially part of the cycle touring kit!!

[Slammin Sammy]

Found it! Couldn't wait until morning 

It's the ICF-SW100S model - discontinued now of course. The modern equivalents are MUCH cheaper, but not as compact, which makes this little beauty absolutely perfect for cycle touring.

Thirty seconds of googling found this: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0111.html

[Templogin]

Thanks a lot guys for the information.  I remember seeing that model of Sony radio in the Sony shop when I lived on the mainland.  I hadn't heard of most of the brands in the link Jags.

My son has told me that he got a Tecsun PL660 recently.  It's a bit rich for my taste, but the PL380 might be OK.  Looks small enough from the YouTube review.

[jags]

Andy if can get one from aldi i'll post it over to u.no problem.
mind u they dont always have them.
a fella needs a good radio bit like having your own shed.

jags.

[Danneaux]

Hi Andy!

I realize it is not exactly what you asked for, but I can report finding great enjoyment and success with the TuneInRadio Pro app in the last year. It is effectively an Internet radio receiver for your Android or iPhone smartphone, PC, or Mac. There is a free version as well as one at modest cost, available from the Google PlayStore as well as iTunes. I have it installed on all my devices.

So you won't have to hunt for them, here's some direct download links:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tunein-radio-stream-free-music/id418987775?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tunein.player

https://tunein.com/get-tunein/

I've found the station selection by country to be remarkably comprehensive and enjoyed it regularly on last summer's double crossing of Western and Eastern Europe. I found a few stations I enjoy also listening to now I'm home, among them several in Romania and a couple in Serbia and Hungary. A number of broadcasts are also available in English-language if you aren't a native speaker of the local tongue where the station is located. In use, behavior is much like a pre-tuned shortwave radio but focused on commercial radio stations and podcasts. Sound quality is exceptionally clear and it allows pausing of live broadcasts.

Demand on data connections seems to be pretty slim for a streaming app, but you should check usage if yours is metered. On wifi, there's no problem at all. There's a number of other, similar services I've tried and enjoyed, but TuneInRadio is the one I find myself returning to most often for live broadcasts and podcasts.

Best,

Dan.

[freewheeler]

+1 for the little Sony that Slammin Sammy mentioned. Great sound from something the size of a pack of playing cards and lasted a long time on 2 AA batteries. Bought one about 20 years ago in an airport duty free shop and it's still going strong. Although having said that it did need to be repaired twice when the little ribbon cable that connects the lid and screen to the bottom part broke. Just before it was discontinued they redesigned the hinge where the cable gets bent to stop it being guillotined every time the lid was closed.

Cheers, Mark

[Slammin Sammy]

Thanks Mark!

And +1 for the TuneIn radio app that Dan mentioned, although it won't work in most of the places I use my SWR. I say "most", because the "settled" world is rapidly being covered by mobile phone cells, and some places, like that hidey hole fishing spot that had no service in 2000 have got passable 4G signal in 2015!

I still think there's something far more romantic about picking up the actual signal being broadcast half a world away, through atmospheric skips at certain parts of the day, than a mere digital representation produced by reducing the signal to zeros and ones and reassembling it in your smart phone on demand. 

[Danneaux]

I still think there's something far more romantic about picking up the actual signal being broadcast half a world away, through atmospheric skips at certain parts of the day, than a mere digital representation produced by reducing the signal to zeros and ones and reassembling it in your smart phone on demand.

<nods> Sure do agree with you there, Sammy. As a kid, I enjoyed playing for hours with my father's two gallenium crystal radio sets and headphones. It was amazing in being able to get more than just local stations, and with no external power.

A bit too challenging for consistent entertainment when I tour, but a real nice reminder of happy memories and far more romantic than the newer stuff, including smartphone apps.

All the best,

Dan.

[Templogin]

Hi Folks

After all the faffing around, including getting people to weigh their radios I went online to Maplin's eBay outlet and bought an Eton 400 FM AM SW radio.  It is supposed to fit in the shirt pocket and comes with a case to protect it.

I have had TuneIn Pro on my iPad for a while, but is rarely used except when I need some Planet Rock.

Thanks again for all of the excellent advice, despite the fact that I ignored it all!

[JimK]

I got a Sangean DT-400W AM/FM Digital Weather Alert Pocket Radio to use while out touring. It's small, has good reception, and includes weather bands.

I have never figured out how similar the various radio bands and services are between the USA and Europe/UK. To what extent is a USA radio useful in Europe? We also have Citizen Band radios and even police scanners that are fun if you are really bored. Some of these frequency allocations are surely international. But a lot of these signals don't travel very far so it would be easy to assign them differently on different continents.