Yes, the lack of this capability is a deal killer. And look at the number of people who have said that.
too bad it doesnt pick up digital radio, that’d be sweet.
Donna Osmond Says:
June 5th, 2009 at 2:08 am
I bought a G4 a few days ago at The Source/Circuit City in Vancouver. It’s crap. I’m reasonably tech-savvy, but find this radio very confusing to use. The manual is useless - there are no clear instructions beyond basic functions, and these are inadequate. You can easily waste hours trying to figure out how this thing works, to no avail. No wonder the G4 was discontinued. I’m taking this thing back and getting something else. Grundig/Etón, you laid an egg with the G4.
I’m in for one. Been wanting a radio for recording AM talk shows while I’m away at work, plus portability for trips or outside. For $50, this thing should do the trick, and I can play around with the other features. Amazon reviews indicate a possibly high failure rate, so I’m glad its already refurbished. Also sprung for the 2-year warranty extension from SquareTrade (only 11.99).
Looks like just about the best bang for your buck you’re gonna find on a sw radio with the ability to play mp3’s. Also, the ability to play mp3’s as an alarm (as mentioned in a previous post by another user) is a big bonus for me. I very well may be in for one.
First, a question, then a quick review.
Does this require a driver to access the built-in memory storage? I bought a used one on eBay a while ago (probably for about this price) and it didn’t come with anything but the radio. I have a USB cable that fits it and allows me to charge the NiMH batteries inside, but I can’t “see” the memory in it.
If it needs a driver to see the memory, could someone who has it contact me at t2000kw at gmail dot com please and we can make arrangements to send it to me via email if it’s not too big of a file?
Also, is the AC adaptor something that connects to the USB port? I don’t see a jack to accept a power plug. If one is there, where is it located on the radio? I’ve been using the USB cable for charging.
(replies to the above email address, please, since I might not see them here)
Now my quick review . . .
I have one of these and love it. Sure, no SSB, but I have amateur radio equipment (I am licensed as KJ3I) and can use that to listen. It gets an FM station that my cheaper FM radios can’t get, and has god discrimination. We have a strong signal station in town and it shows up across the band in cheaper radios, even a Sony FM/AM/Weather radio I have (but the Sony DOES receive that weak signal FM station I like).
Like the reviews for it on Amazon:
Disappointed
Very disappointed
Have to have a doctorate to operate…
KABLOOWIE
I do have a Grundig (FR-200)…one of the hand-crank ones (which is why I bought it.) Actually ended up using it last summer, when we were all huddled in the furnace/breakroom, where I worked, during an outbreak of tornadic weather.
I don’t believe this a recorder. Receiver perhaps, but recorder, ah-ah! If I am wrong, how long does this records, I did not read the specs, too lazy.
2nd the notion
I’m sorry, but I have ten radios with SSB and BFOs, and I hardly ever listen to any sideband transmissions. If you listen to shortwave international radio shows you don’t need SSB or a BFO. The SSB transmissions are usually utility stations, ham radio operators, and the rare AFRTS transmissions which can be found on regular AM anyway.
The really good thing about this radio is the recording feature and digital tuning.
I havent read the reviews, but I’ve owned 2 small Grundigs and one larger one. I was the only one in the building at work that could get a signal period, AND it was clear. If I wasn’t unemployed at the moment, I would be snatching this one right up. I used mine as regular radio’s only and its been well worth the normal price…and at least the 2 I had were small enough to fit into my purse or a shirt pocket.
No driver is required for Windows XP or Vista. No driver is available for Windows 98, so that won’t work. Newer Macintosh versions probably work OK without a driver as well.
Yes, the AC adapter uses the USB port, just like many cell phones. The radio can also be powered from a computer when connected.
Simply use an old am radio next to it and you can get it to act as a BFO (Beat Frequency Oscillator). I did the same thing in the 60s
wd9haa
??..could you explain??
Thanks,
Bob
I’d actually like to know about this too.
I bought one. From all the reviews that I read (and I read everything that I could get my browser on) it looks like the positives are that it has great sensitivity, recording, mp3 playback, clock, alarm, digital tuning, and nearly every other feature under the sun. The negatives seem to be that operation is arcane and that the recording quality is very limited. However, since I’m unlikely to use the recording feature very much anyways and don’t mind pondering through the controls of my new toy I think I’ll be very happy with this.
The batteries, Kimono, not the chargings; which this beauty has available from both the AC adapter and the USB connection! Really? Yes!
BUT - as they also admit, the supply of rechargables - that, dear bewaring buyer is on you. You buy 'em your G4’ll charge 'em.
Ready, complain, READ!
Years ago, I built an add-on BFO for a JVC boom box that had shortwave bands. It was not much more than an IF transformer from an AM radio, a transistor, and a few capacitors and resistors. It really did work, more or less, but the radio/BFO combination was very sensitive to signal level, so I had to have the BFO circuit sit just in the right place next to the boom box’s cabinet to make it listenable.
This Grundig would probably not work well with an add-on BFO, because it has fixed 5 kHz tuning steps and no fine-tuning control.
God discrimination? That sounds sacrilegious.
I bought one anyway. I needed an AM/FM with digital tuning, that ran on AC power. Everything I found was $35, so I figured all the other features were worth the extra $20.
First Woot ever.
I have been looking to learn about shortwave radio for a while, but have held off because the price buying a radio.
For the experts out there: would this be a good radio for a n00b like myself to start out with?