Radio DX Equipment

Seems to be a slightly tweaked version of the popular XHDATA D-808. The Jaycar model is currently cheaper than the (Chinese sourced) XHDATA, which I’m considering as my Sangean DPR-15 failed recently.

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Actually the XHDATA is the same price as the one at Jaycar. I got mine from Amazon for $89 AUD with Free Expedited Shipping. It ships from the Melbourne Warehouse with Auspost. https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07D9YQKV6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Radiwow (the manufacturer of the XHDATA D-808) are releasing a new FM/MW/SW/LW/AIR Radio soon called the R-108, that is apparently supposed to be a lot cheaper than the D-808 with better performance. The feature that stands out to me is that it takes a standard BL-5C Nokia battery instead of the hard to find 3.7V cell that comes with the D-808. Once it releases and the price goes down I might consider grabbing one of these!


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Interesting spelling of “receiver” :stuck_out_tongue:

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Oh my A$1,390 for a radio?
Are they serious?

And yes, at any price, they’d want to get the spelling right!

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They set the price high as they don’t want anyone to buy it as it hasn’t been released yet. 30th Jan is when it comes out.

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I thought they may allow people to pre-order it though.

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They allowed people to test the radio and review it for free however you had to be from a specific country, Australia was not one of them.

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Thanks for the news.

Just looking at the written specs; appears to have the same sensitivity specs as the XHDATA-D808.
Where did you read that the R-108 will have better performance than the D808?

Just comparing info the Radiwow with the D-808 from the website, it appears that
the Radiwow will be a cheaper more basic version to the XHDATA-D808.
Lack of RDS & numerical signal strength are two other omissions I observe.
Must be annoying for Aussies that the radio doesn’t appear to either tune or scan
in 9kHz steps between 1620 & 1701KHz.

BTW what is the best handheld portable available new these days for FM DX?
Does the XHDATA-D808 out-perform the Tecsun portable radios?

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The XHDATA is less sensitive than the Tecsun PL-390 on FM, mainly due to the shorter whip. The Tecsun PL-390 is still the most sensitive portable receiver on FM that I’ve used.

The main advantage of the XH DATA is its RDS capability which is why I’m going to pick up one (I’ll probably order it next week). I might transplant the whip from my Tecsun PL-880 which is a beast. I don’t often use the PL-880 for FM DX because it’s not as sensitive as the 390 on the high end of the FM band; I’m unsure why.

The XH DATA also has SSB mode on AM, useful for receiving North America.

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Sorry for the double post, but another advantage of the XH DATA is its ability to work well with an external FM antenna:

I agree with you on the PL880. The 390 is better on FM for me too, the 380 is not far behind, probably also due to the shorter whip.

My 390 has pretty much had it, several buttons don’t work properly and the screw that holds the whip in place has gone missing.

I’d love to order another one, I thought they had gone out of production?

My only real criticisms of the Tecsun are the build quality and average sound quality, but for $80-$100 or so, they are minor quibbles.

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I made the mistake of giving away my PL-390 when I acquired the 880, thinking that the two radios would be equivalent on FM. The PL-390 is now only available second hand on eBay.

The model I have now was obviously dropped by its previous owner; the tuning knob no longer functions and the volume knob just barely works. So it would be wise to do some due diligence before purchasing; as you point out the Tecsuns aren’t known for their durability. At least I managed to get a partial refund from the seller on this occasion.

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Thanks for the very useful & revealing information. I’d be quite interested to hear how the XH DATA performs with the longer whip antenna. Also if performing better how easy it is fit & source a longer whip to the XH-DATA. I noted Tecsun replacement whips available on ebay.

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I had the PL-390 side-by-side with the D-808 with both radios’ whips extended to the same length and from my observation, the PL-390 still had better sensitivity/selectivity. Having said that, my car radio’s with its relatively shorter antenna still outperforms both easily for sensitivity and selectivity.

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Isn’t that frustrating?

My benchmark for good DX equipment is to outperform car radios.

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Yes, the Tecsun PL-390 is inferior to my stock Astra radio also. The one advantage of portables over car radios is their ability to null signals, as Donkey Kong’s results with 2VOX/2ST over his local Newcastle stations demonstrate.

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Yes, you can place portable radios more precisely to achieve the nulls.

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I purchased this Sony DAB/FM radio last week:

Has been a solid performer for me. Sound quality is quite good, tuning with the dial is a breeze and although I’m not 100% sure of DX performance I’ve been able to pick up Illawarra and Central Coast ABC/Commercial stations at decent to good reception.

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I have that radio too, I agree that it is also a good unit, FM and DAB performance are about on par with the smaller Sony unit that I also have (link below), though this larger one’s extra size and weight doesn’t make it as user friendly for DXing.

But I wish the smaller one had a tuning dial like the larger one, it’s much easier to use than the rocker switch.

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