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| Reviews Summary for Radio Shack DX-394 |
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Reviews: 35
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Average rating: 3.6/5
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MSRP: $399.95
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Description: General Coverage Communications Receiver Rating (1-5): H (1)
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Made In: China 1995-1998 Voltages: 120 VAC 12 VDC
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Coverage: 150-30000 kHz Readout: Digital LCD 0.1
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Modes: AM/LSB/USB/CW Selectivity: 7.2/6/5.7 kHz
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Circuit: Double Conversion Physical: 9.125x3.5x7.8" 5 Lbs.
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Features: ¼" Head. Jack, S-Meter, VRIT Tuning, Dial Lamp, Keypad, NB, Fine Tuning, Clock, 5-Event Timer, Scan, Sweep, Standby, Lock, Record Jack, Sleep Timer, Four Tuning Steps.
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://
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W4ARZ
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 4, 2011 18:49
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Good 4 Overall
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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In addition to all my high end receivers & transceivers, I have given home to 2 of the B series 394's. Both have the anti chuff and audio mods. Didn't buy em for tracking space shuttle signals but I did want to use them for casual shortwave,MW & SSB listening. I hook em up to my Cushcraft A4s or my Carolina Windom 160. My friend Allan has a couple of SW stations 7.415 & 5.110 WBCW.. They work fine & I turn doen the RF gain ( most people run their receivers with the rf gain wide open & wonder why the front end is overloading). These little guys look great ( mine are pristine). and they take the load off my really high end equipment & boatanchors if I just want to listen around the shack casually. Not bad on SSB either. The Problem I have is that there is no adjustable brake on the vfo.. All of em are kinda free wheeling and I like a little resistance in the tuning.. Otherwise it would give it a 5.
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KB1FQG
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 8, 2011 15:11
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Good for what it is!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I question the logic of people who compare this to a $500 RX and complain about it. I have a few $1,000 plus radios and wouldn't expect this radio to be anything like it. It is what it is, a $100 (used price) portable hidden in a desktop box with some extra features. If I'm looking for ultimate satisfaction I'll use my Drake R-7A, SW-8, or my collins, Racal, or Harris gear. But for poking around or something to use at my office or out on the porch, its just fine.
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KI6RSE
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 26, 2011 21:16
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FUN TO PLAY WITH
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Honestly ive had a couple of these..If you dont have the funds to spend a few hundred buck on a more expensive reciever by all means get one of these..I read some of the prima donna reviews on here and definately dont agree with the low scores..This is available for the 150$ range on Ebay and for the price works great..I can hear AM stations on alongwire..right on frequency with WWV .. not difficult to operate..SSb works fine...its not a Kenwood 350$-500$ reciever ..people should give this radio shack radio Credit...For the price its a Great bedside radio..even better if your into the mods for it..
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AA9K
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 17, 2011 11:04
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Add These Mods To Make It A Very Good General Coverage Receiver
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I bought a non-working DX-394 which had the boards covered with oxidized junk. It worked after disassembling, cleaning and reassembling but I was not impressed with the performance.
After looking around the Internet for some mods I came across this site - http://www.monitor.co.uk/radio-mods/dx-394/dx-394.htm and installed all the mods except the DRM (I don't need it) and DSP (I'm too cheap) mods. It's hard to believe how much better this receiver performs now - and for less than $15 worth of parts !!!
Mine still has one issue that needs to be addressed; the IF selectivity is broad enough that strong adjacent CW signals will pump the AGC. However, there is a Kiwa IF Filter mod that might help with that. There is a lot of information available on the Internet including the manuals which can be downloaded free from the site mentioned above.
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N4UE
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Rating: 3/5
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Aug 2, 2010 16:19
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"toy" radio that kinda works
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have thought long and hard about how to rate this radio. I have been a frequent contributor here and my radio collection grows almost daily.
My delimna, is that the radio is 'kinda good', 'kinda bad'. This is the first radio I have ever had these kind of mixed feelings about.... ha ha
The previous posters hit all the nails on the head about this radio.
It's another in the long line of "GRE" radios made for RS. Mine is the "B" model and made in China.
I guess if there were some GOOD aftermarket filters available for it, it might be a much better radio.
(I have the Service Manual and downloaded ALL the mods for this radio from 'mods.dk', but have not attempted any yet).
Just a brief recap of MY likes and dislikes:
Likes:
- quite sensitive when using an outside antenna
- very stable
- sounds good on SSB, fine tuning is great
- easy frequency entry
- small
Dislikes:
- broad as the proverbial barn door. I have it and several other receivers connected to a good coax switch. The '394 is the only radio that hears multiple signals on the WWV frequencies. Not loud, but they are there.
- small (see above!) I guess I just like 'big' radios. My DX-302 is the same size as my Icom 761. Still, to be fair, this would make a great 'bedside' radio.
- mine might need alignment, 'cause it's a deaf as a stump with the internal whip.
The seller described it as "mint" etc. It wasn't too bad, but the whip antenna and the flip-down feet were missing. I made a whip and feet.
However, I have to wonder....don't Americans wash their hands anymore?
This in NOT the fault of the radio of course, but just a commentary on the usual condition of the radios I purchase (and I buy a lot!). I would be ashamed to sell a radio with funky knobs and I won't use one until I clean them.
Yeah, take all of 3 minutes...... NO, I am NOT a 'neat freak'!
Off the soapbox, sorry for the rant.
ron
N4UE
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DXTUNER
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Rating: 3/5
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May 17, 2010 21:58
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Good at some things
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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If you can forgive the chunky PLL tuning and the horrible audio quality, then you've got a fairly useful little tabletop DX machine here. The DX-394 is small, light & plastic - the anti-thesis of the Kenwood R-1000 - but it actually receives very well. I use it for snagging LW broadcasters abroad, as well as beacons stateside, things my other general coverage receivers don't hear quite as good.
It just doesn't have that real 'radio feel', however. But for the $100 - $200 it sells for on Ebay, the DX-394 is a darn good buy. For what it can do.
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WA7UHR
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 2, 2009 14:45
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A good receiver
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Have had it only a short while. Paid a whole dollar for it at a yard sale. After some fluff and buff it fired right up. The bands were poppin' with signals. Little rig has lot of options and is not that bad a preformer. For the money (ha) it's by far the best receiver that I own. It went on the night stand next to the bed for some relaxing late evening listening.
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KITKAT1963
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 13, 2009 15:50
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Great budget radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Mine is the "Rev B" model, I got it second-hand of Ebay for less than £50. Yes, ok, the tuning is clunky, but what do you expect for an entry level HF receiver? Mine is hooked up to a Global AT-1000 ATU, and a 30ft longwire in the garden. On a good night I can pull in signals from the USA quite well, and also the Trans-Atlantic HF transmissions from Gander and Shanwick. It also picks up things like Radio China well too. One of it's best features is the direct entry of frequencies, which is great for following the aircraft from one freq to another. It does just as good a job as my rather tired FRG-7700, but the audio isn't as good. Great little rig for not many bucks!
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N8EKT
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 19, 2008 15:58
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Radio Shack's BEST
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is by far the best receiver Radio Shack ever sold.
I coupled mine with the Radio Shack DSP unit.
I could pick out ANY signal with ease.
At $249.00 Retail, this was a steal!
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SWLABN
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Rating: 4/5
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Dec 3, 2007 13:35
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Pretty nice
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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When I was a boy starting in radio I really loved the look of this receiver. It just looked cool high tech, nice screen and buttons and it must have great performace. Well, that is what I thought then but now I just respect the receiver. It looks good in the shack - it's sturdy and has good AM audio. Compared to my late Eton E1, the USB performance leaves a fair bit to be desired. Filters could do with some tweaking.
But I will continue to use it with my 50ft longwire and wait for some decent propagation!
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