|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
| Reviews Summary for Degen DE1103 |
|
Reviews: 62
|
Average rating: 4.6/5
|
MSRP: $54.90
|
|
Description: A world band radio: 100-29000 KHz AM + SSB + stereo FM. Two IF bandwidths.
|
|
More info: http://
|
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this review.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
|
You can
write your own review of the Degen DE1103.
|
W1GFH
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jan 11, 2010 18:48
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
HOT
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
|
The real pleasure of the Degen 1103 is its amazing sensitivity using just the 3 foot whip antenna. I've had Sony portables (with much longer antennas) that didn't do this good. And getting that kind of performance with a 36" telescopic whip is a real "wow" moment.
|
|
G7AQK
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Jan 8, 2010 09:27
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great performance and very portable.
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I really like this little radio. And have found a new way to enjoy my hobby without even getting out of bed. The radio is very sensitive and can pick up ham stations even when operating on just the telescopic whip, so I can often be found enjoying a lie-in whilst trawling the bands with my DE1103.
My only complaint is the audio quality when listening to music stations on MW. The audio quality could be better but is probably limited by the tight filtering of the radio. FM music stations sound great especially through the headphones.
|
|
N7JBH
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Dec 9, 2009 08:34
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great value
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
For the price, you can't beat this radio. I used it together with a Vectronics 1 watt QRP CW transmitter on 40 meters. Made contacts all over the western United States using a random length end fed long wire at work. The volume control and additional "analog" tuning indicator are my only complaints. I have a Tecsun PL600 on it's way in the mail. The Tecsun has a dedicated volume control, BFO and is a little bigger. I'll write a review on it after putting it through the paces. I just wish somebody made a 160-10M QRP CW transmitter with digital frequency readout. It would make the perfect "on the go" station coupled with the Degen 1103 or Tecsun PL-600
Cheers and 73
|
|
31DELTA90
|
Rating: 1/5
|
Nov 15, 2009 10:19
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Chinese Junk
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY. WORKED GREAT WHEN I FIRST GOT IT, THEN SUDDENLY NO AM BROADCAST RECEPTION. VERY LOW RECEPTION ON 80M SSB. MY GRUNDIG $10 RADIO DOES BETTER. REMEMBER PEOPLE IT'S CHINESE MADE GARBAGE. BUY A GRUNDIG OR A SONY.
|
|
CESARSOUND
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Oct 5, 2009 08:49
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Great receiver.
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I’ve bought my Degen DE1103 on EBay, from Elink.shop. I recommend this shop, as the trade went perfect. I received it in my home yesterday (Sep 29) here in Brazil in perfect state in a delivery time of 20 days. I received the latest version (s/n dated of Sept/2009).
So far I am happy with this radio, it is a joy to play and scan bands with this receptor.
I also own the Sony ICF7600G for 10 years; in my opinion the DE1103 beats the Sony in some aspects:
-Easy to use due to jog tuning. The jog tuning wheel is very effective and turns smooth. This is an incentive to use this radio, opposed to the boring method to tune on ICF7600G.
-More Sensibility even in 27MHz, where the ICF goes down. Every night I copy the CBs in my city. Tonight can copy some international stations on extended MW band (1600 – 1700kHz). I can also copy perfectly Hams in 80m and 40m in AM and SSB.
-More Selectivity
-SSB reception is very easy to set up and works very fine.
-Much more Memory (that also memorizes the SSB on key on/off state)
-The S-meter works like a charm and gives a nice visual effect.
Note: DE1103 has little distorted audio in AM (sounds like that “walky-talky” sound), but this is not a problem for me as this distortion also helps on intelligibility of speeches. But in FM band it not shows any audio distortion.
Of course the assembly and finish of ICF7600G is more refined.
Good luck.
Julio.
|
|
RMINER
|
Rating: 4/5
|
Sep 29, 2009 19:25
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Two hands required
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
After reading all the hype I was looking forward to getting my own 1103 and toting it along to the cottage and on business trips. The 1103 was to take the place of a Sangean 808 which I have used for over 15 years and which I consider to be the perfect radio (refer to my review on the 808). How does it compare?
The DE 1103 does very well where it counts. Sensitivity is very good and on par with the Sangean on FM and on SW. It does fall noticeably short on MW where the 808's larger ferrite bar offers a significant advantage. Selectivity is good, but again not as good as the 808. In fact, while listening to SW several hundred miles from town, I had CBC 1 (AM) breakthrough on 49 meter band!?
So what do I like?
At this price point the quality is impressive. This radio truly works well and comes packaged with all sorts of goodies. Included are rechargeable batteries that can be control charged right in the radio, very cool! It lights up very nicely for surfing in the dark. The digital / analog display has received mixed reviews but after using it for several weeks I am in the "like it" camp.
What's not to like?
Not alot. I found the user interface fairly intuitive after reading the useful manual, but, ... and it's a big but, most functions require toggling through buttons and rotating the multifunction dial to control the functions of the radio. It's not that bad, however it basically requires operating the radio with 2 hands. The Sangean 808, in comparison, can be completely operatad in the dark with one sleepy hand.
Lastly, the 1103 doesn't have a buzzer option for the alarm. This is the most important feature if you take the radio along say ... on business!? Degen has offered a compromise by seperately controling volume and station in the alarm mode but I would have preferred to see a buzzer.
Despite my personal criticisms, this radio represents great value. I would recommend it as a buy!
|
|
SV1ZZ
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Sep 23, 2009 12:36
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
What a marvelous Little Radio
|
Time owned: 0 to 3 months
|
I received this radio today bought from a seller in Hong Kong. I was amazed by its immense futures and capabilities that this little radio offered.
The selectivity was superb and the ham bands SSB reception was stable and clear.
I recommend to buy this radio or at least to have the possibility to get one just for review
|
|
4Z5NU
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Dec 15, 2008 10:39
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Still 100% working
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
After more then 3 years this "Little Wonder", as I called him in My previous review from Nov 6, 2007, still fully functioned as new. DE1103 became My favorite portable radio in every trip and every tour.
If you want to make some mods, please look here:
https://sites.google.com/site/4z5nu4z5nu/
Happy NEW 2009!
Shalom and 73!
|
|
N3OQD
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Nov 4, 2008 19:13
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
Overview
|
Time owned: more than 12 months
|
|
Got this at a local hamfest new for $50 three years ago. Really great set. I have tried many inexpensive SW sets over the past 3 decades and this one is clearly a winner in its class. I have repaired Hi Fi equipment as a hobby before I became a ham. So in this know that I am picky about sound. Great tone and clarity for its tiny size package. Yes, one can spend alot more for well established classy units as I am sure that Victrola927 has been accustom to. If you are used to a Jaguars, BMW's, Mercedes Benz type automobile, then a Toyota would definitly be inferior all the way round to that person. The only small thing to watch is that the rod antenna is phisically large in perportion to the size of the radio. I just connect a clip lead to the rod and run the wire.
|
|
M5AEO
|
Rating: 5/5
|
Oct 11, 2008 03:52
|
Send this review to a friend
|
|
A real bargain
|
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
|
Not quite as good as my Sony, but easier to tune and great fun! And a real bargain: I paid $25 !!
|
|
If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions about Reviews,
please email your Reviews Manager.
|
|
|
