You can use the majority of the features by simply pressing a button or pressing and holding the button for a few seconds. Radio Waves: SWL Contest, Shortwave Modernization Concerns, Still Need AM, and ARRL Asks for Comments on 60M Rulemaking Significantly reduced audio fidelity coupled with less than satisfactory performance of the sync detector. Okay, okay, I’ll admit it: I’m an oldster, currently enjoying well over 70 trips around that Big Orange Ball in the sky. Further, I’ve been out of SWLing for a while. A weatherproof radio with true desktop-radio features, like auto-match, noise reduction, RX/TX EQ and built-in fast Panadaptor.

Tecsun PL-880 – pros and cons of a portable shortwave radio Tecsun PL-880 – pros and cons of a portable shortwave radio

So that has brought me to today’s crop of portable shortwave receivers, and – bottom line – they are pretty darn cool, offering worthy performance on a number of levels. My latest acquisition is the Tecsun PL-880. It took a while for the bugs to get sorted out, but the units sold in recent years are great. Comparing it with contemporary models, I like the ergonomic operation of this radio best. Sensitivity and selectivity are superb. About the only down side, a common complaint, is the extremely slow AGC, particularly noticeable on the ham bands. The symptom is clipping of the initial audio each time the operator keys the mic. This is caused by the AGC adjusting to the signal level. Apart from that, they will have to pry the PL-880 out of my cold, stiff hand. This one is a classic. The PL-880, oddly, reminds me of my old 4WD Honda Civic wagon — it wasn’t the absolute best at anything, but it a lot of things, very, very well.

Wire antenna reels come in different styles. PL-880 (left) and CCrane Skywave SSB. But both improve performance for their respective radios. Then I realized I was in SSB mode, and, it turns out, the PL-880 has a separate set of memories for SSB. (And the manual says that explicitly.) I switched off the SSB mode, and – tah-dah! – the SW memories reappeared. Sometimes it really does pay handsome dividends to read the manual. The new Tecsun PL-880 sparked people’s interest, there’s no doubt about it whatsoever. And it really is no wonder. After all, good portable radios are not that easy to come by. Furthermore, Tecsun is a great shortwave radio manufacturer which really helps them stand out from the crowd. Their PL-660 and PL-600 were great portable options and their smaller DSP alternatives are very much adored by hikers and those who prefer ultralight options in the first place.

Nevada Radio - The Communications Specialists for 50 Years!

You can, however, fool yourself. I ran ATS Mode A on SW frequencies one night and found a station that was broadcasting unusual stuff (Kennedy assassination, UFOs, and the like). A couple of nights later, I wanted to see what the night’s topic was on that station, so I punched the button to access memories and found . . . nothing! Oh, no, it’s broken! Sure enough, just like any other radio out there, this one does have its advantages and disadvantages. Tecsun PL-880 is not an exception: I tend to be a headphone listener, but it is great to hear that your PL-880 has been a reliable workhorse for nearly five years.Even in case you will be using a .5 kHz filter in SSB, you will experience no muting when between frequencies. Wow, Bob, that’s intriguing stuff, particularly since I largely agree with your a, b, and c points: “a) maintenance issues, b) safety issues, and c) inherent laziness.”