Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Being an electronic product designer myself, I usually end up wishing I could offer some design change orders to the manufacturers of the gizmos I buy. However, after a month of use, I haven't come up with much that I want to change here. I did find it rather awkward to set some of the time keeping functions such as zeroing the clock to get it sync'ed with WWV, but managed to get it done. The little bells and whistles such as station memory, auto scan, dual time zones, sleep and alarm functions are the sort of thing we nerdy types appreciate. However, if you don't like programming your VCR, this radio is probably not for you. The manual is written in a far eastern interpretation of British english, and consequently, for Americans, adds something to the challenge of understanding how to work all the features. Also, the radio's designers had an odd understanding of common english parlance in referencing shortwave bands to wavelengths in meters, and carried that quirky english through the radio display design, as well as the manual. However, only HAMs and avid Shortwave listeners will likely notice that.
Reception: FM sensitivity is excellent, seemingly the equal of my home stereo receiver, with excellent stereo and fidelity when listening through the included "earbuds." Those earbuds are the better quality type, too. Medium wave (AM) broadcast reception is OK. Shortwave is good. I listen routinely to BBC, Deutche Welle, Radio Switzerland and Austria, Taiwan and others, all with only the built in telescoping antenna. SW Band coverage is complete, so you can chase the BBC World Service up and down their various operating frequencies as propagation conditions vary through the day.
The only significant technical weakness of the radio, and the primary reason I didn't give it 5 stars, is battery life. I use Rayovac rechargeable alkalines and get about 20 hours per charge, which is OK, but not great. If one were buying non-rechargeable AA alkalines, the battery drain would add up to about $.25 per hour, which is a bit much, I think. A simpler radio, perhaps analog rather than digital, could be expected to go quite a bit longer on a set of batteries. I think Sangean should consider including an AC adapter with the radio, given the battery life. There's a jack to plug one in, but Sangean leaves it to the customer to find an adapter elsewhere.
Overall, after a month of daily use, I'm happy with the purchase. The radio met my expectations.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Sangean ATS-404 AM/FM Digital Shortwave World Band Receiver
The Sangean ATS-404 digital AM/FM stereo receiver is a portableshortwave radio with a built-in digital clock. This radio can receive anexpanded number of radio frequencies, which makes it an ideal radio for eitherurban or rural use.
The illuminated time display, which also includes seconds,can be set to show the time of day in either 12-hour (AM/PM) or 24-hour timeintervals. The alarm for this receiver has a repeating beep tone which increasesin volume once every 15 seconds, for up to 1 minute. The radio has an adjustablesleep timer and snooze control.
The radio frequencies can be tuned in eitherautomatically or manually. The auto memory scan will run through and play eachpreset station for seven seconds. The auto preset system will hold up to 45frequencies in memory.
The radio includes a carrying case and stereo earbuds,along with a manufacturer's warranty for one year on parts and labor.
Click here for more information about Sangean ATS-404 AM/FM Digital Shortwave World Band Receiver
