I know pretty soon I'll be a Tech Junky.
I forget, the clock was $7.95
I forget, the clock was $7.95
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Happy Marine Mammal Rescue Day! 🐳🐬🦭🦦
Travel Alarm Clock
- Thread starter sweeper
- Start date
Sweeper, good catch, the Tecsun doesn't have the NOAA weather band... for something with similar features and weather, check out the C Crane Skywave, good review here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y59CUGkKMI
The Skywave doesn't have the clock and alarm displayed out front and the easy-access buttons like the Tecsun PL-310ET does, and only holds two AA batteries compared to the Tecsun's three. I went with the Tecsun mostly based on the reviewer above, esp with comments after about the 19 minute mark. There are other reviews from the reviewer ( a lot of reviews) on both and with some googling.
I've always been able to get weather forecasts by searching around for local radio stations esp at night with AM, or CBC FM stations during the day, so the lack of weather band on the Tecsun didn't seem that great. And wanted to find out for myself why the reviewer felt it was such a good buy, so just went ahead and got one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y59CUGkKMI
The Skywave doesn't have the clock and alarm displayed out front and the easy-access buttons like the Tecsun PL-310ET does, and only holds two AA batteries compared to the Tecsun's three. I went with the Tecsun mostly based on the reviewer above, esp with comments after about the 19 minute mark. There are other reviews from the reviewer ( a lot of reviews) on both and with some googling.
I've always been able to get weather forecasts by searching around for local radio stations esp at night with AM, or CBC FM stations during the day, so the lack of weather band on the Tecsun didn't seem that great. And wanted to find out for myself why the reviewer felt it was such a good buy, so just went ahead and got one.
The Skywave SSB does have an alarm, but at 2x the price.
What is reception like, assuming these are not satellite linked?
There was a thread (elsewhere or here, I don't remember) discussing add-on wiring to boost reception. I'd rather do without a radio entirely rather than fiddle with coat hangers or scale tall trees. But I'm thinking some quiet evening radio might be nice.
There was a thread (elsewhere or here, I don't remember) discussing add-on wiring to boost reception. I'd rather do without a radio entirely rather than fiddle with coat hangers or scale tall trees. But I'm thinking some quiet evening radio might be nice.
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Reception in the Tecsun has been good enough to justify buying it at that price... pulls in distant stations much better than the older radios that didn't have the DSP chips. There are all kinds of reviews out there on both the Crane Skywave and the Tecsun PL-310ET... The Skywave might have the edge on AM reception according to some but the Tecsun might have the better FM/SW reception since it has an FM/SW antenna socket... and IIRC a longer telescoping FM antenna.
Some of the Tecsun 310 reviews were using superlatives like "brilliant" and "amazing" when it came to reception.. so again went with that one.
Wrt reception, there are two variables to consider... sensitivity, the ability to pull in weak signals (good distant signal reception) so they can be heard above background noise, and selectivity, the ability to separate out individual signals that might overlap and interfere with each other. The Tecsun improves on selectivity by narrowing down bandwidth in steps so a narrower range in frequency is allowed in to separate out an individual signal, while wider bandwidth allows higher quality audio listening for close, strong signals. The Skywave also has selectivity adjustments IIRC.
I've enjoyed listening to radio at night in the tent esp when days were shorter.. the big plus now is with the new chips and electronics, all you have to do is press a buttom and the radio will find all the stations available at that site on it's own - no time spent hunting around, much easier finding good stations and saving them.
Some of the Tecsun 310 reviews were using superlatives like "brilliant" and "amazing" when it came to reception.. so again went with that one.
Wrt reception, there are two variables to consider... sensitivity, the ability to pull in weak signals (good distant signal reception) so they can be heard above background noise, and selectivity, the ability to separate out individual signals that might overlap and interfere with each other. The Tecsun improves on selectivity by narrowing down bandwidth in steps so a narrower range in frequency is allowed in to separate out an individual signal, while wider bandwidth allows higher quality audio listening for close, strong signals. The Skywave also has selectivity adjustments IIRC.
I've enjoyed listening to radio at night in the tent esp when days were shorter.. the big plus now is with the new chips and electronics, all you have to do is press a buttom and the radio will find all the stations available at that site on it's own - no time spent hunting around, much easier finding good stations and saving them.
I am looking for a radio that would slow down Quebec French.. In Northern Maine it is all you get. At home at night too on AM. There is on line news in Slow French mais pas de Quebecois
Thanks very much Frozentripper, this has been a very helpful review.
G
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Tecsun is 11.2 ounces, according to Amazon, and about $50
For decades I've used a cheap, waterproof Timex digital watch. The same one.
I have no need for an alarm whilst tripping. I guess that makes me lucky, or lazy, or irresponsibly tardy. Truth of the matter is I've always been a daydreaming flâneur and have no motivation to change. But that doesn't mean I sleep in, I just have no need to be prompted not to, I have a spouse for that. Ha.
But the idea of having a radio for some evening programmes interests me. I just asked the spouse and she agrees, that it might be cool to relax around the fire listening quietly to some late night radio. Something to ponder.
But the idea of having a radio for some evening programmes interests me. I just asked the spouse and she agrees, that it might be cool to relax around the fire listening quietly to some late night radio. Something to ponder.
