Tag: non-ham radios

Since I purchased the Raddy RF750 Portable Multimedia Player a year ago, it has become my favorite portable receiver. So, when the folks at Radioddity asked me if I’d like to have a look at a new upgraded version, I jumped on it. The new radio is the Radioddity RF75A Shortwave Radio, and it includes some interesting new features.

[Disclaimer: In the interest of full disclosure, Radioddity sent this radio to me free of charge to evaluate and review. However, the opinions expressed here are entirely my own and were not influenced by the vendor.]

What It’s All About?

Like its predecessor, the RF75A is a multimedia device. It covers the AM, FM, Shortwave, Weather, and VHF bands. In addition, you can play audio files from a micro SD card. In Bluetooth mode, it’ll play audio from an external source. You can also connect a computer to the USB connector and use the RF75A as a speaker.

Some specs from the Raddy Website include:

FM: 64-108MHZ (Step Value: US: 10KHZ, EU: 9KHZ)
AM: 520 -1710 KHz
SW: 4.75 – 21.85 MHz
WB: 162.400 – 162.550 MHz
VHF: 30 – 199.975 MHz
TF Card Max Capacity: Max 256GB
Audio Format: MP3, WAV, WMA
Size/Weight: 3.6’’ x 2’’ x 1” / 3.7 oz
Components & Accessories: 1 x RF75A, 1 x Storage bag, 1 x Lanyard, 1 x Wire antenna, 1 x Type-C cable, 1 x Earphone

The internal 1000mAh battery is charged via a USB-C connector, which is handy for a portable radio. The RF75A also has a built-in flashlight and an “SOS” mode. In the SOS mode, the flashlight flashes and the radio emits an ear-piercing siren. 

At the time this post was written, the RF75A was selling on the Radioddity website for $52.99 (USD).

Major Improvements in the RF75A

While the basic functions of the RF75A and RF750 are similar, there are some big changes in the RF75A. The first thing you’ll notice is the digital display and digital tuning. I found the analog tuning on the RF750 a little touchy and the frequencies hard to read. The RF75A’s digital tuning makes tuning much easier. 

One interesting improvement in the RF75A is an app that lets you control the radio from your smartphone over a Bluetooth connection. While the RF75A is pretty simple to operate as it is, the app makes it even easier.

My Impressions

The first thing that struck me is the RF75A’s small size. It’s smaller than an Altoids tin and thinner than the RF750, so it’ll easily fit in your pocket. 

Like the earlier radio, the sound quality is impressive. Listening to the FM band, the sound through the speaker has a rich sound you wouldn’t expect from such a small radio. The supplied earbuds are comfortable and also sound great to these old ears. The RF75A seems to have a little less bass than the RF750, but the sound is still very good.

I found the reception on the AM broadcast band to be very good, easily pulling in local stations. Because of high noise levels, my home location isn’t the best place for testing the shortwave bands. However, using the scan function, I was able to find several shortwave stations. I should note that the RF75A only receives in AM on the shortwave bands. So, if you want to listen to SSB or CW signals, you’ll have to look elsewhere. It comes with an antenna wire (approximately 10 feet long) that you can clip onto the built-in antenna to improve reception.

On the VHF band, I programmed in some local 2M repeaters and a few public service frequencies to test it out. Using the buttons on the radio, I found the tuning steps too coarse to zero in on some frequencies. Using the app, however, it was a simple task to enter the frequencies and save them as presets. Reception was good, but there’s no squelch setting. So, you’ll hear some background noise between transmissions. 

The memory card function works great and gives you a choice of four different play modes. I set it to play my MP3 files in random order. You can also choose from six different EQ settings. Using the RF75A’s Bluetooth mode, I was able to pair it to my cell phone and play audio files that way.

I also tested the alarm function. I like having the option to have the radio turn on instead of sounding an alarm. The alarm sound is a loud series of beeps, so I’d rather wake up to music. 

The smartphone app is easy to install and makes it easy to operate the radio (especially for my old eyes). The Android version of the app, however, requires the manual download and installation of a .apk file. I would feel safer getting the app through the Google Play store, instead of downloading it from an unfamiliar website. Apple iPhone users, however, can get the app from the Apple app store. 

Once installed, the app requires access to your phone’s location in order to pair with the RF75A. I’m not sure why the Bluetooth pairing depends on location. In any event, I only allow access to the phone’s location when I’m actually using the app, and I close the app when I’m not using it.

While the Operational Guidelines booklet provided with the radio is sufficient to get you up and running, it’s not without some issues. The wording is confusing in some places, and I came across a few errors and formatting issues. Despite these editorial shortcomings, I had no problems figuring out how to use the radio. 

The Radioddity website claims 7-8 hours of use from the 1000mAh battery. I haven’t actually measured it, but that seems about right. The USB-C charging port is handy, too. I can charge it using my cellphone charger or a portable power bank when I’m camping.

The last function I evaluated was one of the more important features for me: the weather alert function. To test it out, I set up the RF75A in the “Alert” mode in time for the weekly NOAA Weather Radio test. The alarm went off as expected, and boy, did it ever go off! Like the RF750, the weather alert triggers an extremely loud siren. Along with the siren, the light on top of the RF75A flashes, just like the SOS mode. I really wish there was the option to just activate the weather radio in response to an alert. Or, at the very least, be able to adjust the volume of the siren. As it is, I can’t imagine using it in a campground at night.

The Bottom Line (for me, at least)

All in all, I really like this little radio. It’s small in size, weighs next to nothing, and sounds great. I like that it’s simple to operate without having to navigate through a bunch of menu options. The smartphone app is a terrific improvement that further simplifies things.

Since I received it, the RF75A has seen a lot of use around the house, and I plan to take it along on camping trips and travel. Now, if there was only a way to tone down that weather alert, I’d be a very happy camper. 

73, Craig WB3GCK

A while back, I purchased the Raddy RF750 Multimedia Music Player and did a blog post reviewing that remarkable little radio. The folks at Radioddity reached out to me recently to see if I would be interested in taking a look at their latest offering. A week or so later, I received the Raddy RF760. 

[Disclaimer:  In the interest of full disclosure, this radio was sent to me free of charge to evaluate and review. This was with the understanding that I would write an honest and unbiased review.]

What It Is

The seller refers to the RF760 as a “full-band radio”. That’s an apt description, since it covers everything from the AM broadcast band up through the UHF range.

Here are the specs from the iraddy.com website:

• FM 1: 64.0-108MHZ
• FM 2: 76.0-108MHZ
• FM 3: 87.5-108MHZ
• AM: 520-1710KHZ
• SW: 2.00-30.00MHZ
• CB: 25.00-28.00MHZ
• AIR: 118.00-138.00MHZ
• VHF UHF: 20.000-520MHZ
• VHF: 30.00-223.00MHZ
• VHF: 144.00-148.00MHZ
• VHF: 156.025-163.275MHZ
• UHF: 430.00-520.00MHZ
• WX: 162.400-162.550MHZ
• Product dimensions: 4.37 x 2.36 x 0.79’’ / 11.1 x 6 x 2CM
• Lithium battery: BL5C 1000mAH 3.7v 3.8WH
• Loudspeaker: Ф40MM 8Ω 1W
• Headphone output: 3.5MM stereo input
• External antenna hole: 3.5MM
• Storage Capacity：700 stations in total（FM: 100, MW: 100, SW: 100, AIR: 100, CB: 100, VHF/UHF: 100, UBD: 100)

With the battery installed, the RF760 weighed in at a mere 3.8 ounces (108 grams) on my kitchen scale.

The box includes:

• RF760 radio
• 1000MAH 3.7V Lithium battery
• Earbuds
• USB-C cable for charging
• External antenna wire (approx. 10 feet)
• Wrist strap
• Storage pouch
• User manual

RF760 vs RF750

It’s clear from the specifications that the RF760 is not an upgraded RF750. The RF750, with its Bluetooth and ability to play MP3 files, is more of a multimedia player. The RF760 does not have those capabilities, but, rather, provides expanded frequency coverage.

In my view, the RF760 is aimed more towards shortwave listeners and scanning enthusiasts. It includes features like selectable bandwidths, selectable demodulation modes on certain bands (AM/USB/LSB/NFM), and adjustable squelch. 

The RF760 also includes a headphone jack (earbuds included) and a connection for an external wire antenna. These features are lacking on the RF750. The RF760 also has a digital display, which the RF750 does not. Both radios are charged via a USB-C connector. 

The RF760’s additional features come with a higher price tag. As of this writing, it was selling for $99.99 USD

My Impressions

The RF760 is one small radio. It’s roughly about the size of an Altoids tin and weighs next to nothing. (It weighs about 0.65 ounces less than the RF750.) You can fit the RF760 in a shirt pocket, and you might even forget that it’s in there. 

There’s a lot going on with the RF760. Even with the power off, a press of any button will light up the display showing time and temperature. Oh yeah, did I mention this thing even has a built-in thermometer? It even includes an alarm clock and a sleep timer. If you can think of a function, the RF760 probably has it. 

The user manual does a decent job of covering the myriad of features in this radio. The small size of the printed manual, however, is a little tough on my old eyes. Fortunately, the Raddy website has a PDF version of the manual for downloading. The softcopy manual allows me to search for specific functions, which is handy. I also stored a copy on my cell phone, so I always have it available. As is typical of manuals for Chinese products, some of the wording is not always clear. For example, a section covering how to delete a station that has been saved to memory is titled “Delete the radio.”

The various configuration options (e.g., bandwidth, demodulation mode, tuning increments) vary according to the band you are on. Once you get the hang of it, navigating through the options and selecting specific values becomes an easy task. 

In the FM mode, the sound quality is reasonably good, considering the RF760’s diminutive size. In all honesty though, I think the RF760’s audio lacks the richness and fullness of the RF750. When using the included earbuds, however, the RF760’s audio is greatly improved. On FM, make sure you have the radio set for the proper de-emphasis (75 microseconds here in the U.S.).

The weather alert function is one of the more important features for me, and I had the opportunity to give it a “real world” test. My area was under a tornado watch, and we had multiple severe thunderstorm warnings. While tuned to the weather band, a long press of the “SET” button places the radio in the “SCAN” mode. When NOAA issues an alert, the radio comes on with a brief tone followed by the weather station’s audio. There’s no loud siren like the RF750 has, but that’s fine with me. After an alert, you need to long-press the “SET” button to go back into the “SCAN” mode. During the storms, the RF760’s weather alert function worked flawlessly, going off three or four times. 

Tuning is interesting in that it uses a combination of two methods: up/down tuning buttons on the front panel and a rotary “shuttle tuning” knob on the right side of the radio. You can select the tuning increments for the buttons, which is helpful. You can also select the digit of the displayed frequency that is adjusted by the rotary knob. Now, I’m an old “knob spinner” from way back, so I’m generally not a big fan of using buttons for tuning. However, once you get the hang of using the shuttle tuning knob, you can tune to a specific frequency quickly. You can also scan the selected band by long-pressing the “up” or “down” tuning buttons.

There’s a lot of information shown on the display panel. On such a small radio, though, I find a few of the smaller items hard to read with my old eyes. Fortunately, these are items that I don’t have to deal with often. You folks with better eyes probably won’t have a problem. 

I haven’t done any formal measurements on battery life, but you should be able to go for days before recharging. The USB-C charging port is handy; I can charge the radio with the same chargers I use for my phone. 

Bottom Line

The RF760 is a small, lightweight, and feature-packed radio. For camping or in my emergency go-kit, I’d go with the versatility of the RF760. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of radios. I especially like how the NOAA weather alert feature is implemented on this radio. However, If I want to listen to music while working around the house, I’d go with the RF750 and it’s superior audio. 

73, Craig WB3GCK

My (far) better half and I like to keep a radio in our little travel trailer. When we’re camping, we often listen to baseball games in the evening (go Phillies!) while sitting around the campfire. It’s also handy to have a weather radio on hand, when the cell service is unreliable or non-existent. I bought this little radio to see how it compares to the old radio we’ve been using for years.

The Raddy RF750 is sold by the folks at Radioddity. When I went out to their website to buy one, it was showing “sold out.” They had some in stock, however, on Amazon, so I placed my order there. The same radio is also available at a lower price from Chinese sellers branded as the HanRongDa HRD-700. Being the impatient sort, I went with Amazon Prime at a slightly higher price than the $34.99 price tag on the Radioddity website. (When I checked a few days after receiving my radio, Amazon was showing it as “currently unavailable,” and Radioddity was still “sold out” in the U.S. These things must be selling like hotcakes.)

What It Is

The Raddy RF750 is a compact multimedia player with a radio that covers the AM, FM, shortwave, and the NOAA weather bands. It has a Bluetooth mode, so it will play audio from your smartphone. The RF750 will also play MP3 files from a micro SD memory card (up to 256GB) you can insert into the unit. It’s powered by a 1000mah Li-ion battery, which you can recharge via a USB-C port on the radio. 

When playing audio via Bluetooth or SD card, the RF750 has an audio equalizer with six preset configurations to choose from. You can also set the radio to scan a band automatically and store the stations it finds (up to 20 stations each on FM and AM, 10 stations on each of 7 shortwave bands). This can be useful when you’re traveling. There is also a sleep timer that will shut off the radio after a user-selected time (10 to 70 minutes).

Here are the specifications from the Radioddity website:

FM: 87.5-108MHz
AM: 520-1720KHz
SW: 5.7-17.9MHz
WB: 162.400-162.550MHz
Memory: Support TF card, Max 256GB
Audio format: AV, WMA
Power supply: replaceable 3.7V 1000mAh BL-5C lithium battery included
Charging: DC 5V, Micro USB-C interface
Size: 3.5″ x 2.4″ x 1.5″
Weight: 0.22lbs

My Impressions

When I first unboxed this thing, the first thing that struck me was the small size. The descriptor, “compact,” is an understatement. It’s smaller than an Altoids tin and just a bit thicker. Weighing in at less than 4 ounces, it won’t add much weight to your go-kit or backpack.

Along with the radio, the box included the Li-ion battery, USB charging cable, wrist strap, a rubberized drawstring storage pouch, and a user manual. The battery was easy to install and charge up.

I powered it up and tuned to a local FM station. Frankly, I was blown away by the sound coming out of this little radio. Apparently, it uses DSP filtering to provide that sound clarity. Given the radio’s small size, tuning can be a little touchy for an old guy with clumsy fingers. Fortunately, there’s a tuning indicator that makes it easy for me to lock in on a station.

I was particularly interested in the weather band capabilities. In addition to covering the 7 NOAA weather channels, the RF750 also includes a weather alert function. In this mode, the audio is silenced, and the radio appears to be scanning the 7 weather channels. I haven’t been able to test this out yet, but I plan to see what happens during NOAA’s next weekly test.

[Update: I set up the RF750 in the “Alert” mode for the NOAA weekly weather radio test, and the RF75o’s alert went off as expected. The only issue is that the siren sound it makes is excruciatingly loud. On a positive note, when a weather emergency happens, you will definitey know about it!]

When I tested the Bluetooth mode, it paired easily with my smartphone. Although my phone’s audio played through the RF750 was nice and clear, I don’t see myself using this function much. 

To test the “Music Player” mode, I copied a few MP3 files to a 2GB micro SD card, which I inserted into the RF750. The sound quality coming out of the tiny speaker really impressed me. I plan to load more of my music collection onto a larger memory card, which I’ll leave installed in the RF750.

I was a little surprised that the RF750 doesn’t include an earphone jack. I would have expected one on a portable radio like this.

The user manual provided is typical of low-cost Chinese products. The English isn’t always clear, but it was enough for me to figure out how to use the various functions.

I have to say, I’m impressed with this little unit and all the features packed into it. It will be a handy item to have around, especially while camping or during emergencies. In fact, during a recent snowstorm, we lost power for a while. The RF750 allowed us to check the local NOAA weather forecast, listen to local news on the AM band, and enjoy some music on FM.

Disclaimer: I have no financial interest in this product. I purchased it with my own funds, and I’m merely a satisfied customer.

73, Craig WB3GCK