Tecsun PL-606 Digital PLL Portable AM/FM Shortwave Radio with DSP, Black

I wanted to try out a DSP radio for MW, SW, and FM broadcasts without risking much, and, for $50, this thing's amazing. It's very small -- smaller than my hand and fits in any pocket. It's sensitive enough to hear *almost* anything my venerable Sony IC-2010 can hear. There's even a clip-on telescoping antenna extension, which I find clunky. I suspect it would overload here in Minnesota with a long-wire antenna (don't have one up yet), but this is a *portable*. I'm willing to take this places I wouldn't take the Sony. $50 isn't "disposable," but if I lost it I wouldn't be heartbroken. Tuning is intuitive enough. I can't expect a direct frequency keypad in a radio of this class. The ETM feature, where it scans the bands for strong stations and stores them, is actually quite convenient. In ETM mode the tuning dial moves between stored stations, or you can just manually have it move 1KHz at a time. My only gripe with manual tuning is that it's difficult to get it rapidly into fast tuning mode (5KHz per step) -- there seems to be some "feel" trick that I'm not good at. I'd like it more if there was a button for this. I've barely used the user memory mode yet so I can't comment. Though not documented in the sparse manual, this radio *does* cover LW starting at 150Khz. Hit "MW," wait for it to come up, and hit "MW" again. There's not much LW to listen to in the States, so I don't know how well it performs. Selectivity is excellent, as I'd expect in a DSP radio. Default is 3KHz, and the "BW" switch rotates through 2Khz, 1KHz, and up to 6Khz. The skirts are easily steep enough for an AM/SW broadcast environment (9-10Khz spacing). It does NOT do sideband or CW -- no BFO. Again, this would be a bit much to ask for it to be implemented well in a $50 portable. Audio quality is adequate through the speaker -- poor bass but that's what I want for intelligibility in an AM station. FM stereo sounds great with headphones. I've only had it for a couple of weeks, so I can't comment on durability. One reviewer noted that the tuning and volume encoders seemed to wear out after just a couple of months. If that happens, I'll amend my rating, but for now I'm delighted. DECEMBER 2013 UPDATE -- Three things that aren't great: 1) The whip antenna may be a bit weak. I managed to pull mine in two, separating it at the base just below the pivot. I'll take the blame for that. Though it snaps back in, it's been weakened and now regularly pulls out. It looks easy enough to replace if you can find one the right size -- I've ordered one from an eBayer in Thailand. 2) Now that I have a long wire antenna up, it really does overload badly. I'm in a high signal environment here in St. Paul, Minnesota, so this is not surprising. It's mostly a problem with KSTP-AM at 1500 kHz. The radio is meant to be a portable, however, and best used with the whip. 3) Lastly, the only "real" annoyance with this thing that's not my own fault: the volume control is not smooth analog; it's an encoder that steps up and down. One step goes from too soft to too loud when using ear buds or cheap earphones. To get around this I have to use earphones with an independent volume control, but they're big and clumsy. BUT I'm nitpicking. Given what this radio does for $50, I'm still giving it 5 stars. It's an entertainment device, not a serious communications receiver, and it does entertain.

I have owned 2 DSP radios actually including the other HD radio tuners that have DSP technology. When I first got this, I knew this was going to be a great radio to use for listening to the weakest signals in my area while the other radios pull in noise and overloading like my other HD radio tuner. I wish that this radio has HD radio chipset technology, because it works better than the other brand tuners. The FM band using ETM found over 32 radio stations in my area and also found the semi locals than my other tuners. This is the ideal radio for people who are in campus trying to receive those part 15 and college radio broadcasters in the area and it can receive 64 MHz to 108 MHz which is good for receiving 72 to 73 MHz transmissions with no problems. The good thing about radio too is that it has a external FM antenna and shortwave antenna input jack, but it would have been nice for it to have 2 jacks, 1 for AM/LW and the second for FM/SW or some antenna switch. For the AM band, the radio receives alot of AM radio stations with the ferrite bar antenna. It's best that you couple a loop antenna for more signals to be received. The bandwidth selector switch is a great feature it can receive signals that you could not receive before. The LW bands, which are my favorite, does not do too well below 280 kHz, but works good above 300 kHz to 520 kHz. I received 1 beacon on there which is Beacon OR on 329 kHz, but could not receive Beacon CLB on 216 kHz. I did receive the other beacons using the KA-35 loop antenna, but I know I will receive more outside. The thing that really bothers me is that it does not have 513 kHz to 519 kHz coverage Why? The Shortwave Bands work very well with the wire antenna. It can receive many stations using the ATS or ETM during the afternoon and evening. The whip extender does not do anything except for FM, but the long wire works better. It can cover frequencies from 2.3 MHz to 21 MHz, but it cannot find signals in the odd ball frequencies while scanning using ATS or ETM. The bandwidth switch works well on the short wave bands. It cannot receive SSB which this radio is good for AM only transmissions unless you use a external BFO circuit. The radio is a good piece of equipment, but it is a good FM DXer's radio and ok AM/LW/Shortwave receiver.

I already have the Tecsun 390 and love it..the stereo speakers, the ETM features, great AM reception and exceptional FM reception..best I ever heard in a portable. However,it is a little big to carry in a shirt or jacket pocket and I wanted a similar radio to carry on walks with me wherever i go..hence the Tecsun 606. AM is not quite as good as the 390, which makes sense because of the smaller ferrite antenna and there is no direct frequency keys, but the FM is still incredible and it's small size makes it the ideal pocket radio. One thing I've noticed on the Tecsuns...there is absolutely no spillover of adjacent FM signals when you are in big cities. Every pocket radio I've owned, including the highly regarded Sangeans 120 and 210 have that problem when traveling through cities..the spillover of FM signals and sometimes not being able to pick up a signal at all..but not the Tecsun models. In Manhattan last week I was picking up Trenton,NJ's 101.5, Long island's 98.3 and Connecticut's 96.7 and 107.9 with amazing clarity. As I have stated, the FM reception is the best I have ever heard on a portable radio. Once in a while the radio will freeze up,but a little button pushing will alleviate that. The 606 is a little bigger than the two Sangean portables I mentioned, but this is my pocket portable from now on. At $50 this is quite a bargain.

Radio portátil con una sensibilidad y recepción excelentes. Excelente calidad en su fabricación y en los materiales. Los accesorios que incluye (funda, extensión de antena telescópica y antena de hilo largo) le dan un valor agregado. La antena de hilo largo permite mejorar la recepción de estaciones muy débiles y distantes. Para obtener buenos resultados en la recepción de estaciones débiles y distantes: - si estás dentro de casa, usar una antena externa - o salir de la casa y alejarse de las fuentes de interferencia como son focos ahorradores, líneas de energía eléctrica, hornos de microondas, motores eléctricos, etc. - preferentemente ir a campo abierto y te sorprenderá su sensibilidad y recepción excelentes.

Very nice compact radio. Slips into the pocket easy. Having many memories for AM, FM and Short Wave bands makes it easy to tune for stations. Nice clear audio through the front speaker or the supplied stereo ear buds. Met expectations.

A great little radio, although is doesn't work so well for FM Broadcast, which really doesn't matter as that isn't what I bought it for. With an outdoor antenna plugged in it is amazing!

Portable y básico en caso de sismo

If you're looking for a compact and sturdy radio, look no further than this little machine. It's travelled with me from Canada to Australia, Borneo and many other islands. The shortwave capabilities of this radio are very good. The only minor complaint is that the speaker is a little "tinny" but otherwise, I have no regrets.