Just got me a Retekess PR15 for $8.77 shipped.
Small Portable Radio's?
- Thread starter bmstrong
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Does anyone have a C. Crane Twin Coil Ferrite Antenna? Looks pretty neat.
twin coil ferrite video search results
twin coil ferrite video search results
Did an MW ETM scan at around 2am pacific on my PL-310ET and happened to id san francisco kcbs 740am - around 560 miles. CC Pocket picked it up also.
StarHalo
Flashaholic
The LCD clock is on when the radio is off, that would be the only parasitic drain; my Sony 7600GR also has the clock on at all times, I change the [Eneloop] batteries less than once a year.
schuster
Newly Enlightened
The Elpa is not a Skywave clone. It is the same as the Digitech AR-1733, an underperforming model (poor AGC implementation) whose cabinet was the basis for the Skywave design but with totally different circuitry. There is no reason, in todays market, to spend US$70 for this model when there are better choices.
Last edited:
Read about the AR-1733, popular in Australia.
schuster
Newly Enlightened
Jaycar, an Australian electronics dealer, carries this and other models under the Digitech name. When the Skywave was announced, the exterior was noted to have an uncanny resemblance to the AR-1733. But a side-by-side performance evaluation and actual teardown of both models revealed that they are very different animals.
Great thread here !
lovecpf
Received today my new C. Crane Skywave SSB.
Quite an Amazing little radio !
Never even realized I *needed* it,
until I started reading all yer' comments here !
Tell me, please --
Can I use Energizer L91 Lithium cells in this ?
Instructions say DO NOT USE LITHIUMS,
but I'm thinking that means the 3.7 volt
rechargeable Lithium batteries !
Anyone ? ? ?
lovecpf
Received today my new C. Crane Skywave SSB.
Quite an Amazing little radio !
Never even realized I *needed* it,
until I started reading all yer' comments here !
Tell me, please --
Can I use Energizer L91 Lithium cells in this ?
Instructions say DO NOT USE LITHIUMS,
but I'm thinking that means the 3.7 volt
rechargeable Lithium batteries !
Anyone ? ? ?
vadimax
Flashlight Enthusiast
Great thread here !
lovecpf
Received today my new C. Crane Skywave SSB.
Quite an Amazing little radio !
Never even realized I *needed* it,
until I started reading all yer' comments here !
Tell me, please --
Can I use Energizer L91 Lithium cells in this ?
Instructions say DO NOT USE LITHIUMS,
but I'm thinking that means the 3.7 volt
rechargeable Lithium batteries !
Anyone ? ? ?
You are absolutely right. They mean do not exceed 1.5V per cell.
Lebkuecher
Flashlight Enthusiast
Jay has updated his AM Portable Mega Shootout for 2019. And still at the top is the Panasonic RF-2200 but not mentioned is the new C. Crane CCRadio3 which Jay has but has yet to post a review. Could the C. Crane CCRadio3 topple the RF-2200?
Gene
Flashlight Enthusiast
Received my blue and white Retekess PR12. Boy, is it purdy! 😄 Like others have mentioned, it's UI is a little bizarre. When I charged it after receiving it, I turned it on to see how sensitve it was on the FM band. I could only receive one FM station, a PBS station which has the strongest signal here and broadcast from Medford, Or. and the signal was weak with a lot of interference.
I followed all the instructions but could only get the one station on FM and nothing else! I tried AM and of course received nothing. I finally got frustrated and gave up. I tried it again the next day with the same results. I had let it search for stations in my area and all that but to no avail. I figured I had a defective radio.
I thought I'd try one more time this morning and what do you know? The radio suddenly was receiving all the FM stations I can possibly get up here and on AM I could even get an additional staion, (though weak), where I can get only one with my other more sensitive radios. Weird! It was like the radio rebooted itself!
I haven't tried it with a music mini SD card but I will soon. The sound from this, (to my ears), is about the same from my mini Degen and Tecsun radios which isn't bad. Which is amazing is that this is slimmer and slightly shorter! Most of that of course is because the mini Degens and Tecsuns have compartments for replaceable AAA cells.
The only minus I have that others have eluded to is this has the most fragile built in antenna I've ever seen. But in a radio/MP3 player this small, it's incredible it even has one! I decided the best way to extend the antenna and to retract it is not to extend the last portion of the antenna which is too delicate.
Sorry for the long diatribe but this is a nice radio and you won't find another with all it's features in such a tiny form factor but things could be integrated better but all in all, a neat little radio!
I followed all the instructions but could only get the one station on FM and nothing else! I tried AM and of course received nothing. I finally got frustrated and gave up. I tried it again the next day with the same results. I had let it search for stations in my area and all that but to no avail. I figured I had a defective radio.
I thought I'd try one more time this morning and what do you know? The radio suddenly was receiving all the FM stations I can possibly get up here and on AM I could even get an additional staion, (though weak), where I can get only one with my other more sensitive radios. Weird! It was like the radio rebooted itself!
I haven't tried it with a music mini SD card but I will soon. The sound from this, (to my ears), is about the same from my mini Degen and Tecsun radios which isn't bad. Which is amazing is that this is slimmer and slightly shorter! Most of that of course is because the mini Degens and Tecsuns have compartments for replaceable AAA cells.
The only minus I have that others have eluded to is this has the most fragile built in antenna I've ever seen. But in a radio/MP3 player this small, it's incredible it even has one! I decided the best way to extend the antenna and to retract it is not to extend the last portion of the antenna which is too delicate.
Sorry for the long diatribe but this is a nice radio and you won't find another with all it's features in such a tiny form factor but things could be integrated better but all in all, a neat little radio!
Gene
Flashlight Enthusiast
By the way Don and if you don't mind, where'd you get the PR15 for $8.77?
Nice! That means I can use lithiums in mine too. Thank you!
^ great review on your PR12 Gene.
shipping may take a bit lol:
Estimated Delivery Time:19-39 Days
aliexpress with a discount code.
shipping may take a bit lol:
Estimated Delivery Time:19-39 Days
* ATTENTION *
Just received THIS reply from C. Crane, the manufacturer:
You cannot.
Lithium batteries do well in high drain items.
In low drain electronics they deliver too much power and end up frying the circuits.
The voltage to amps ratio depends on the drain.
In a high drain item it would deliver 1.5V
while in a low drain product it would deliver 1.7V.
It is a weird aspect of lithium batteries.
Me:
I am Very Disappointed to hear this !
_
StarHalo
Flashaholic
Year twelve of using Eneloops in my Sony 7600GR, no complaints.
Other news, for you music/podcast folk:
The Mighty Vibe
This iPod Shuffle-esque player downloads tracks/album/playlists from your Spotify account for offline listening - no cables, no media, no files, no wifi, anything you listen to on Spotify can now be in a 1.5" square clip with Bluetooth or 3.5 mm plug headphones/buds. 1000+ tracks, 5+ hour playback, $85.
Other news, for you music/podcast folk:
The Mighty Vibe
This iPod Shuffle-esque player downloads tracks/album/playlists from your Spotify account for offline listening - no cables, no media, no files, no wifi, anything you listen to on Spotify can now be in a 1.5" square clip with Bluetooth or 3.5 mm plug headphones/buds. 1000+ tracks, 5+ hour playback, $85.
