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| Reviews Summary for ETON E5 with SSB |
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Reviews: 22
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Average rating: 4.3/5
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MSRP: $169.95
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Description: The Etón E5 is the a world class portable radio covering AM, FM and shortwave. It features dual conversion AM/SW circuitry for exceptional sensitivity and image rejection. It offers S.S.B. - Single sideband reception. It has an amazing 700 channel memory capacity with memory scan and auto tuning storage. The 24 hour clock features alarm and sleep timer functions. Tuning is via auto-scan, manual scan, conventional tuning knob or direct keypad entry. FM stereo is supported to the mini earphone jack. The LCD display can be illuminated one of three ways. In Normal Mode pressing any button activates the display. While plugged into the AC outlet the Always-on mode illuminates the display whenever the radio is turned on. In Manual Mode the dial will light for 15 seconds when the light button is pressed. Other refinements include: Local/DX Switch, Wide-Narrow selectivity and external SW antenna jack.
The E5 operates from four AA cells (not supplied) or via the supplied AC wall adapter. The supplied AC adapter can also recharge NiMH AA cells (not supplied) while in the radio. (Do not attempt to recharge other types of AA cells). This radio also includes a multi-language Owner's Manual, wrist strap, protective case, wire antenna and ear buds. 6.675 x 4.125 x 1.125 inches 12.2 oz (168x105x29mm 346 g). One year limited warranty.
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More info: http://www.etoncorp.com
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write your own review of the ETON E5 with SSB.
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NS6Y_
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 21, 2007 01:15
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Very good SWL AM Medfer DX
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Well, I think this radio is great! I can pick up beacons (it tunes a low band below the US AM band, down to 150kHz, and it actually will get stuff down there). It's a good AM DX'er, good battery life (I'm using Radio Shack NiMH batteries) good stable CW/SSB reception, good audio, good HF reception, all in all a great set.
Two small bugs - the overlay over the LCD that has some of the display "legends" is crooked, maybe sometime I'll open this up an streighten it. The VFO knob is a bit crooked, does not affect use, it's probably just a shaft encoder in there anyway.
The little "nibs" on the VFO knob allow quick scanning of the band better than any "finger dimple" could on a knob that size. There's a small dial on the right side that allows you to "dial in" SSB signals, so you can deal with USB and LSB.
I would highly recommend this radio for an all-around hears-a-lot set or for a gift for someone you want to introduce to SWL'ing. $140 is not too much for a kid's birthday or Christmas present, not these days.
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KB0LPI
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 11, 2007 00:04
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Great portable receiver
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I need a choice between 4 and 5. I'd give this unit a 4.7
Receive quality is good even with the built-in whip across all bands. AM receives station from 1000k+ miles away despite 50kw powerhouse less than 50 miles away, 20kc away.
Build quality is solid. This feels like a serious listening unit.
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GM20878
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 10, 2007 13:43
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A Good Performer
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Purchased from Nevada Electronics UK,this radio is one of the best I have come across, for performance, and value for money.
I have found it very sensitive on all bands using the whip antenna, but if you want a bit extra, use a long wire, it doesn't overload. It has good audio, not hissy like some of the Sony portables, it is certainly better than some of the desk-top receivers that I have owned, it is also very user friendly, SSB is easy to resolve,and with 700 memories plus alpha tagging more than enough for my needs.
All in all a very good well built radio.
This ones a keeper.
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G20877
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 7, 2007 10:15
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A Great Radio That Out Performs Sony Portables
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have owned this remarkable portable now for a few weeks and can't believe it's performance, purchased from Nevada Communications UK. I own other portables like Sony and the tests that I have run comparing the Eton against the Sony always favours the Eton. I was receiving VOA via their Botswana relay on 17Mhz with the Eton E5 when I switch on my Sony ICF-7600D I received nothing. With my Sony ICF-SW 7600 the station could be heard but weaker than the Eton and audio was not as good.
I would like to say that the Eton E5 is designed and built excellently...(well mine is), and comes with 700 memories with alpha-numeric tagging unlike the handful of memories on most Sony Portables. It can receive SSB and because it tunes 1khz it is very easy to resolve SSB with the clarifier. The radio can internally charge 4 NI-MH batts, and the radio can be used while you do so, The LCD is very easy to read and you can either show time or memory alpha tag with the current frequency there is also a S-meter. The backlight stays on for 15 sec when on batts and is either on or off when on mains. It automatically comes on when you operate the tuning wheel or buttons and the buttons illuminate also very useful.
Now some reviews point out that the Eton is not very good on SSB this is somewhat true when used on it's whip, but if you connect a Longwire via the Ext Ant jack the performance is amazing. Can I just say that the provided external antenna is Rubbish use your own. On my 60ft Longwire I received VK1GG on 14mhz he was also audible on the whip but very weak, NOTE the Sony receivers could not receive VK1GG. Now my first concern when I had to use an external antenna was overloading the Eton E5 did not suffer from any overloading and this amazed me. The noise floor on the Eton is very low at times you would think it was squelched....this makes a difference when Dxing and leaves the Sony radios in its wake.
For broadcast band listening the whip on the Eton E5 works great, you just need the external antenna for SSB listening to improve reception.
I have up until now been using a Grundig Satelite 800 that cost me £250 second hand, now this receiver is allot better than the tabletop receivers I have used like Kenwood/Yaesu/Icom I have tried them all but the Grundig 800 beat them all. But my Eton E5 is a match for the Grundig only difference being superior audio on the Grundig and built in AM Sync. The noise floor on the Eton blows the Grundig away, the best point is the Eton E5 only cost me £89 NEW !
The Eton E5 is the next generation of portable radio with lots of functions and excellent performance at a realistic price.
If you are still not sure I have taken some video recordings of the Eton E5 in action and posted them on my website http://dxing.topcities.com/
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KB1GHH
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Rating: 1/5
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Jan 30, 2007 09:14
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Defective product......
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I bought this radio at christmas time. There was a "special deal" going on and "I" got caught with a "bad one"????!! Sure,anyone can get a "bad one",right??!! I got an "E-5" AND a fr-200
"crank-up" radio for free. I should've seen the "fine-print"! A 40. dollar radio for FREE??
The radio ONLY produced FM-stereo. No AM and NO short-wave. NADA. If I loved stereo music I would've been happy 'cause it did that very well.
I wanted a decent HF-SSB portable....that's not too much to expect. All I can say IS "BEE-CAREFUL" on some of these "special deals". They MAY be better than they CAN BE.......
RayN
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KB7SSU
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 8, 2006 20:28
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Like a Minature Tabetop Receiver
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have the Grundig G5 version, this little Radio is amazing. I have had a variety of high end receivers Kenwood r 5000, Drake SW8, Icom R75 , JRC 535, also Portables such as the Sony 7600, sw77 etc so I have a good experience base to compare to.
This is one of the finest little radios I have ever owned. Audio is superb, The noise floor on AM and SSB is extremely low. It does not give off the hissy/hash which causes listening fatigue that the Sony portables have. Somehow the noise has been largely eliminated but the sensitivity remains. My main radio is an Icom 746, but the little Grundig is a perfect bedside companion. While obviously not comparable to a 746 in weak signal reception and QRM defeating features, at bedside I do not find myself wanting for the big radio features. With the 7600 and even the fine SW77 I always felt like I was listening to compromised portable performance, with the G5 its like having a miniature 746!
For example one of my hobbies is trying to pick up marine SSB, The 700 channels on the G5 really helps in storing the unintuitive marine frequencies. Also Marine SSB is a finicky hobby, signals are generally weak and frequencies have to be sat on to find activity. Well the little G5 performs admirably here, the only portable I have had where I can consistently pull out weak marine SSB traffic... amazing! Plus all of this is performance on the WIP!
FM performance is also a pleasant bonus. FM is rich and well balanced. The unit runs forever on 4 rechargeables. The night light feature is a perfect balance for night use without inordinate battery drain. I only wish Eton/Grundig would build a bit of an enhanced G5 with Sync Detection however the AM reception is also robust and I don’t really miss sync, except when substantial fading occurs.
The filter selection feature is also very useful for a portable. Switching to the narrow filter improves many interference issues and helps avoid heterodynes, but still yields nice audible signals. This feature on both Sony’s often degraded the signal so much as to make it hardly worth using. This is by far the best portable radio buy I have ever experienced. In comparison I do not miss my SW77 and G7600 at all. Give this model serious consideration and a close look!
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NR3G
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Rating: 3/5
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Jun 13, 2006 12:45
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Not as good as hoped
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've owned the ETON E5 for 2 months now, and find it to be a very good AM/FM band receiver. My disappointment with it, however, stems from it's very poor HF sensitivity using just the internal whip antenna. I enjoy monitoring aeronautical HF SSB frequencies, and have unfortunately found that SSB signals heard on both my Kaito 1102 and 1103 receivers using their internal whip antennas cannot even be heard on the E5 using it's internal whip. The only way I can hear these signals using the E5 is by using a portable externally amplified antenna. If you're an SSB buff like me, then
I would think twice before purchasing this receiver.
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TORONTOGUY
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Rating: 5/5
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May 17, 2006 10:38
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A winner!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This is rapidly becoming my favorite portable. I have the venerable YB400PE as well and the E5 compares quite well to it.
The E5 can actually pull in some stations with more clarity than the YB400PE. The SSB is better than the YB (but that is a known shortcoming).
All in all, this is going to be a classic so get one!
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KD6JBF
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Rating: 2/5
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Apr 21, 2006 07:49
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Needs help... STAT!!!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Received radio from Amazon on 4/17, and quickly returned unit on 4/18! Good points: nice size LCD viewing panel and backlight, good rechargeable circuit for batteries built-in, audio not bad for radio that size. BAD : subjectively, poor sensitivity compared to YB 400-PE(which I have and compared it to), annoying hum to use of AC adapter(although I believe this is inherent to adapater which Eton shipped, but one can request replacement), interference on weaker FM signals when hand is placed anywhere near the radio, and approx every 100Khz, while tuning radio, approach frequencies which sound like a carrier wave, and signal strength lights up, but no audio.. definitely internally-generated signals, but that was totally bothersome!!! Radio seemed flimsy to touch and feel, and certainly not worth the $150 paid for it!! I received the Sony ICF 7600GR yesterday, and after a little playing with the functions(had to work last night), that unit just "feels" more solid and the reception just blows the Eton E-5 out of the water!!!(leaving evidence of a radio implosion!!!!). Eton E-5... later!!!!!
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K9HDT
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Rating: 4/5
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Apr 11, 2006 14:46
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Nice Small Portible
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Great radio with 700 memories. Very easy to use and pleasant sounding. Would be a 5 execpt for that adapter. It is very noisy. When you buy one, if it has the curved power supply, call Eton and have them send you a replacement. They know about the problem and are taking care of it. I am waiting on mine now. Good, friendly customer service.
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