Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Sangean ATS 818 / Realistic DX 390

Category: Receivers: General Coverage

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Sangean ATS 818 / Realistic DX 390
Reviews: 49MSRP: 175
Description:
Nicely priced Good Rx. for the dollars
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.sangean.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00493.9
AC6AN Rating: 2006-03-24
A decent budget SW/SSB receiver Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I read the many reviews on this site and decided to throw my 2 cents...
I'll start with the conclusion and then explain: the DX-390 is a decent AM/FM broadcast radio. It receives shortwave and single-sideband too and is a good value if you can live with that.

Ergonomics

As many noted, the radio has many features. It's great if you like bells and whistles, not too great if you need function and they don't deliver. You can enter a frequency on the keypad, but it's not an accurate frequency for sideband reception. There is just no indication of the BFO shift, so you have to guess.
Turning the tuning knob brings a lot of clicks and the mute circuit is just annoying. Tuning step is coarse, designed to work with the wide-range variable BFO. It works, but leaves a lot to be desired.
And that sorry backlight… Let’s not go there…

Sensitivity and Selectivity

The whip antenna is not suitable for serious shortwave listening but it will bring in the strong stations. For example, net controls on West Coast daily nets on 7235 and 7268.5 are an armchair copy but the weaker stations are sometimes in the noise.
The receiver features an RF preamplifier stage for SW, but it is prone to damage from static discharge. I would bet there are many “deaf” DX-390 with that transistor gone. I burned the front-end transistor and eventually replaced it with a much more robust MPF102, which may have also improved sensitivity. Be careful when you change devices. The pinout might be different and the device you pick may not work in that circuit (for example, only select MPF102 would work).
Connecting an external antenna brings in a lot more signals, but since the preamp is not switchable, you may end up with overload and intermod. There is no free lunch!
Good communications receivers have some front-end selectivity. This radio doesn't - and it shows.
It also lacks selectivity. There is just no substitute to a good IF filter or roofing filter coupled to a low-IF DSP filter. This radio has none. It features cheap filters that just don't do the job for serious ham or general SWLing.

Noise Fighting Features

Are you kidding?
Any serious listener would eventually move on to receivers that offer some QRM/QRN fighting features such as: IF Notch, Passband Tuning (PBT), IF Shift, optional IF filters, Noise Blanker (NB), selectable RF Gain or Attenuation (ATT), DSP, etc.
The DX-390 is a bare-bones radio in that respect. There is a "wide-narrow" select button, but it is useless for serious communications work. Engage the AM/Narrow button and turn down the TONE control to lower the hiss. A little bit of practice with the BFO will make this radio somewhat usable for casual listening on the ham bands and in some instances you might prefer listening to broadcast stations with the BFO on. Sort of a “poor man’s sync AM”…
Don't even consider "modding" this unit. Even if you find a way to squeeze a decent ceramic filter in there, this radio will never be mistaken for a communications receiver...

Price and Value

Now we're talking!
Recent examples on ebay did not sell for $30! Let's think of this for a moment: a radio which offers decent AM/FM reception and can hear shortwave broadcast and some sideband - for $40-50 total (including shipping).
If you're on vacation and you want to listen to ham radio without dragging your table-top communications receiver, then the DX-390 is a reasonable substitute at a rock-bottom price.
If your budget does not allow you to buy a $200 Kenwood R-1000 or a $300 Icom R-71A but you still want to listen to some HF, then the DX-390 is better than nothing - and well worth the recent ridiculous prices in the used market. It beats the likes of DX-160 in overall ergonomics and the beginner is not likely to struggle with low-price tube receivers with their size, instability and lack of features. Hop on the HF wagon with the DX-390 - it's a great way to start!
N8AUC Rating: 2006-03-24
Keeps going and going... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had the DX390 for 9 years now. It's a nice radio with good sound quality, and excellent versatility. This unit covers AM broadcast, FM Broadcast, long wave (150-500KHz), and short wave up to 30 MHz. There is a BFO to allow you to copy CW and listen to SSB, and on FM you actually get stereo when you plug in a set of stereo headphones.

Sensitivity is very good, even on the built-in whip. When you connect an external antenna you have to turn down the RF Gain control. Selectivity is OK, but not great. You wouldn't want to try working a contest with it. But for casual listening it's serviceable.

This radio does a lot of things well, but none of them great. It is NOT a high end professional receiver. It IS an excellent portable, that will run a long time on a set of fresh alkaline D cells.

I got a good deal on it when I bought it, it has served me well, and I'm glad I have it. If I had it to do all over again, knowing then what I know now, I'd still buy this radio. It's a keeper.
SLIDERULEX Rating: 2006-03-23
Great SW performance (West Coast!) Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
When I recently received this radio through the mail (won it on ebay for $37.50 price includes shipping) I put in the 4-D batteries and the 3-AA batteries, and the only thing I got from it was speaker sound. The only operational control was the volume control. No lights on the LCD, no other button functioning. I couldn't even turn it off! To turn it off, I had to remove one of the D batteries.

So, I used a voltmeter to check the voltages to make sure I was getting the proper voltages from the batteries, and that checked out okay. Then I decided to remove the back cover to see if any obvious problems revealed themselves to me. Nothing obvious. So I decided to bend the prong coming from the 3-AA battery section which makes contact with the circuit board to power it. And, wah-la, it worked! The prong had broken contact so that the 3-AA battery powering the processor and LCD was not operational. Now, it is.

And then I tested it. Shortwave performance is EXCELLENT! I have some 20 plus worldband radios of varying capability from the meek and lowly Grundig 100PE and Kaito WRX911 (a good radio for the price) and Sony ICF-7601, to medium-performers SW7600GR and Radio Shack DX-380 and DX-440 and Grundig S350, to the noble and glorious high-performers Sony 2010 and Panasonic RF-2200 and Zenith 1000D Transoceanic and the Degen DE1103. I have other brands too, but these are representative of the 3 categories low-medium-high performers.

I would put the DX-390 in the high-performer class. It is as good on shortwave as the other high performers (off the whip!) and is also just as good on SSB. On AM, it is also quite good, though not quite as good as the Panasonic RF-2200 on AM. On SSB, it is better than the Panasonic RF-2200 on SSB.

I live on the West Coast (Washington State) and shortwave is typically more difficult to get here than in other locations throughout America. But my DX-390 performs admirably, and I'm glad I won it in auction. I know others have had problems with theirs, but at least mine is quite a good performing worldband radio. I did tighten the antenna screw, and it is holding okay. All in all, for under $40.00, I think I have the best radio money could buy!
K4IDX Rating: 2005-12-04
Middle of the pack Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This radio was certainly not worth what I paid for it, but every now and then I just have to have a new toy! Overall, it's a good radio. The size is larger than what I prefer, but for those who want a laptop size rig, here it is! Sensitivity is not nearly as good as a 7600GR or even a YB400, but the sound quality is much better than those two. Tuning the SSB is a bit tricky and takes some getting used to, although it isn't difficult, but takes a little practice. AM reception works great and exceeds those cheap GE Superadio's, so BCB'ers will appreciate that. FM has nice reception too and good sound to go with it. I did perform the modification to eliminate the muting when using the tuning knob and HIGHLY recommend others to do the same if you're a bandscanner too. The plastic build of this radio is rather cheap, but it is a Chinese deluxe, so I suppose most of you probably expect that from Sangean/Radio Shack.
KA2EEV Rating: 2005-07-24
Just a mediocre radio Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
If you've had first hand experience with many different receivers over a period of many long years, you are likely to form a strong opinion about Sangean's ATS-818 as to how well it compares to some others of the same league. In light of this, my opinion is that it can be credited as being just a mediocre radio with a lot to be desired. Although this model offers some attractive functions, it will inevitibly turn out to be a disappointment even for the beginner.
The ATS-818 has a multifunction LCD that is large and easy to read. Its controls are simple enough to use and easily accessed in a logical configuration, albeit you might find some of the controls are a bit fragile to the touch. Which incidentally, it would be wise to use extra care while operating this radio being sure that it doesn't get knocked over and take a fall. Accidentally dropping it, even as little as 1 foot or less, could result in significant damage to its sensitive plastic contruction.
The ATS-818 has continuous tuning from 1.7 to 30 MHz, plus longwave, medium wave, and FM band with stereo output via an external headset jack. There are several methods by which any given frequency can be accessed. You can tune the frequency manually using its rotary tuning dial, you can enter the frequency directly via the numerical keypad, you can activate the automatic up / down scanning mode, or, you can quickly retrieve your favorite frequencies from its 45 programmable memories. While all of these different access methods have an appealing lure, you might feel let down once you get your frequency in and hear the signal. If your only objective is tuning into any of the big gun stations, no doubt you will be as happy as a lark and you'll be content to settle for the status quo. Even the least expensive of bargain store radios can do that. If however, you are attempting to fish out some of the smaller obscure stations with weak signals, there's no question that you're bound to become very frustrated by this receivers poor sensitivity. Sangean could have easily enough added a preamp stage to enhance reception, but, they didn't. Although signal reception can be greatly improved by attaching an external antenna, the radio is still a bad choice nonetheless for travelers or vacationers who need to rely on the built in whip.
The Sangean ATS-818 includes other features, such as a "pitch" (BFO) control for ssb and cw reception, a selectable wide and narrow bandwidth, a digital signal strength meter, and a dual clock with on / off timer.
The bottom line is this. Any newcomer to the SWL hobby will no doubt be initially satisfied with the features and performance of the ATS-818. It will only be a short matter of time, however, for the new SWL to quickly discover this radios many pitfalls and inevitibly upgrade to a receiver of genuine quality.
WA8MEA Rating: 2005-07-19
Only one other radio a better deal! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
What many people don't understand is that there is no amplification stage before the telescopic whip antenna. Other receivers, such as the Sony 7600 do have a small pre-amp stage. So it seems that the radio just doesn't pick anything up, if you're using only the whip. In otherwords, the whip on this radio is nothing more than a decoration.

Actually, the radio is more a kin to the old tube types, where you really need a GOOD external antenna to get some excellent reception.
I recently wanted to get back to my roots of ham radio. (Building my own little xmtrs and using a commercial receiver.) I purchased the Sony 7600, mainly because of the low price. I was highly disappointed. Yes, it worked fairly well on the telescopic whip. But, when using an outdoor dipole, I had all kinds of spurs. Plus, there was no tuning knob, many of the controls were inconveniently on the sides of the radio, and battery consumption was high. This prompted me to once again buy the famous Sangean 818.

I've been using it in conjunction with my little QRP transmitters and enjoying every minute of it! Receiver works excellently on all bands, including FM. I've patched the radio into my stereo sytem and get terrific sound from it.

It's well worth the money. Only one other portable deal out that that's better....and that's the Sangean 909.

73 - Bill, WA8MEA
G3SEA Rating: 2005-07-19
Great Value :) Time Owned: N.A.

I have heard to date 271 cw/ssb DX Ham countries on 8 ft of indoor wire on this receiver:) All major World Broadcast stations are received at good strength too.

Not bad for a modest 'Portatop' RX ;)

The internal tape deck is an added bonus. The audio is not'Bose'quality but is acceptable especially on FM Broadcasts.

I was lucky enough to get the black Radio Shack DX392 version some years ago for $89 close out :)

73 & Aloha :)

KH6/G3SEA

----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by G3SEA on 2002-08-13


I have the Radio Shack DX 392 ( Sangean 818 ACS ) cassette deck version.

This receiver is definitely underated as evidenced by previuos posters.

It is really quite sensitive ( C Crane Co measured it's sensitivity at better than 0.5 uv ) as are
many of these type receivers which work fine on short antenna's but tend to overlaod on longer
wires.In any case you really don't want it to be too sensitive as all you do is bring up the
noise floor.

In just over two years I have heard 252 different ham countries on cw / ssb on 8 ft of indoor
wire here in Hawaii

The variable BFO is a must in receivers that use 1 khz steps,enabling one to fine tune those
cw and ssb signals.

The DX 392 actually has a woofer and tweeter plus a cassette deck for those rare DX signals.

The AC adapter is fine on broadcast signals but like all " wall warts " the low level ripple
will degrade weak signal cw and ssb signals.Using the 4 internal D batteries or a regulated
6 v dc supply will cure this.

This reciever is destined to be a classic.

Improvements ?

Replace the Long WAVE band with a VHF band ( aircraft am and ham 2m fm covearge ) ?

A blue,green or orange LED for the dial ?

----------------------
Earlier 4-star review posted by G3SEA on 2002-01-04

While inactive in Hawaii I have used one of these receivers ( Radio Shack DX 392 version obtained new for a $89 discount price ) and in 18 months of casual listening with an eight
feet length of indoor wire have heard to date 227 ham countries cw/ssb.Not bad for a modest
World Band Rx ! I had the opportunity to test it alongside a Sony 2010 and a Drake SW2
which were no better.The tape deck comes in handy for recording the more exotic DX
stations.

Aloha KH6/G3SEA
WIRED Rating: 2005-07-19
Weak performer / Very disappointing Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Looking at the DX-390 in photos, it appears to be a very nice radio and it gives the impression of being a good quality set. Well, in this case, looks can certainly be deceiving.
One of the very first things that immediately got my attention when I got my DX-390, is that it had a noticeably lightweight and delicate feel to it. The casing and controls are made of a cheesy plastic which makes you feel like the radio has to be handled very gingerly, otherwise something might easily break. It certainly does not have a good solid feel to it. Even the telescopic antenna is thin and flimsy. The biggest disappointments, however, are with the performance of this radio. The sensitivity to signals on the shortwave frequencies is poor, and sensitivity on the medium wave BC band is downright awful. It's a misnomer for this radio to have a name like DX-390...because it certainly is not capable of good DXing. Another disappointment of this radio is with the audio which is lacking greatly in fidelity. To put it bluntly, it sounds weak and cheap.
The DX-390 does have a few nice features, unfortunately however, the features cannot make up for its poor design. It seems that Sangean took a lot of short cuts in production of the DX-390 / ATS-818, which ultimately resulted in a very inferior radio.
WILDTURKY2A Rating: 2005-01-14
Good Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got the ats 818acs and think it was just what I needed. I have a Kaito 1103 and it is to small for certain things. The knob on the Sangean is awful and I wish it was as well built as the Kaito{Degen} 1103. Well my 1 cent worth.
TOM_SF Rating: 2004-07-25
Very Good Value Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the Radio Shack version of this radio when it first came out and I concur with other reviewers about it's DXing, selectivity and even that pesky antenna screw that always comes loose.

The only problem I had is that there is a design flaw that won't allow the user to have batteries in it and the AC adapter plugged in at the same time. I found out the hardway that when the AC is plugged in, it charges the batteries which causes battery leakage and ruins your table top.... So be aware of that.

Spectrum-wise, this radio would be perfect with TV sound and a weather band. Better AM frequency response would be much welcome too. (So would AM-Stereo). An atomic clock would be nice too. Maybe the newer models will have thes features.