Sony ICF 2010 Portable Shortwave Radio Stands Up To Test Of Time
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 เม.ย. 2015
- This has been my favorite portable shortwave radio for many years and still is. It really stands up to the test of time and I use it daily, or should I say, nightly.
- วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
An outstanding radio. It is a shame that most of the foreign broadcasters have gone the way of the dinosaur. Here in eastern U.S. during the prime evening hours, after Radio China, Radio Havana, along with Romania and Turkey, very little broadcasters left to listen to. Miss the old days of BBC, Deutchewele, Radio Netherlands, the old Radio Canada Shortwave Club, etc.
You are righ. Michael germany
Back in the 80's with a 75 ft. long copper wire antenna I could hear stations from all over the World! It was REDICULOUS for these stations to just close up. The Internet is just far too easy for despotic Communist governments to sensor or block completely! With out that tremendous resource of International Shortwave Radio, were flying blind!
Main stream media here in the USA is nearly useless!
THEY NEVER REPORT THE TRUTH! And always parrot the same lying political agenda/Narrative!
I've had mine since 1995. By far the best SW radio Sony ever made. Just a shame they didn't release an updated version with the mods that the SWL community made, like improved narrowband filter, backup battery to keep the presets while changing the AA batteries, etc. And it's a bugger to repair.
Radios like this are timeless :)
Thanks for sharing
Thanx Larry, I used to have it in early 1980 . I loved it . You remind me with the happiest days of my life
This is an excellent video. It’s concise and informative and well done. Thank you for sharing! I hope to find one of these radios soon. Your wonderful description of its operation helped me decide that so thanks!
I purchased this radio partially because of your concise work on this video. Thanks.
I love the video Larry! It was to the point and very clear and concise. Great job!
I have a Sony ICF-2010 and it's an amazing radio!
I have ICF-SW7600GR. Same performance. Love it so much.
Owned a sony TFM8000 in the 70's and still remember how insane it was for shortwave back then. They can really build regenerative designs.
I fell in love with the internet in my teenage years in the late 90s....
But my love for this older technology - radio - started even earlier: as young as 8 years old.
The magic of radio never goes away, despite all the advances in internet.
remember this radio. was fairly expensive for a portable SW radio back then. still works well though and ahead of its time! 73
de N5XTC It was expensive at the time but sure was ahead of it's time and took years for other portables to really catch up to it!
RadioHamGuy most still haven’t.
A wonderful radio and very hi tech for its time! Bought mine way back in 1987.
Wow Larry, what a nice radio. Thanks for sharing that.
Carl
That is a nice looking unit and it seems quite sensitive too... thanks for sharing :)
Thanks. Great review. Great radio.
just got one of these beauties, love it!
Good instructional video on the Sony ICF 2010 , out of my collection of my portables , hands down the best all around radio , only have 3 of them.
That is one super nice radio! I never owned one but people who do, like them very much. I have a ICF7600GR. It's a newer, smaller version of your radio.
thank you very much.
I had this radio for many years, it was a gem!
I still have it.
Thx Larry,great review of a stalwart radio.
I loooove all those vintage radios! Wow that was expensive! I just looked it up on eBay and it's mostly selling for its original price. Is this pretty rare to come by, then? What a great radio. Love that it's portable. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome video! I've just bought one of these and I should hope to get it tomorrow. This video has been very helpful to know what to expect. Thanks from Northern Ireland :-)
+jordanh999 Thank you and I hope yours is in good condition and works as well as mine does! They are hard to beat even to this day I think for a portable SW radio.
Cheers Larry.Just bought one,and awaiting delivery.I used to have one years ago.Don't think I'll sell this one! Thanks for a fine demo.73s
+Howard Parker Thanks Howard, yes, these are fine radios, I use mine almost daily here, still working great. 73
I got the same one I bought it in 1991 when i was seaman but in my radio the label is writing ICF-2001D Thanks for video
Bought mine from a local Sony dealer in 1980. Used it for a couple of years and packed it away.
Wired it up a few weeks ago and it worked perfectly.
But thd bands are almost dead these days, so it looks like it will be going back into storage.
I think Sony saw the demise of shortwave stations coming, and stopped producing these types of radios.
Often wonder what Sony would be producing in this era of advanced electronics. Seems we will never know due to the demise of shortwave.
A great classic. The 2010's synchronous detector was Sony's stereo AM chip. (Anyone remember stereo AM radio?). There was a popular mod that gave you both outputs at the same time. I learned the hard way that, unlike the whip, the external antenna input had no static protection. After the repair I added a back to back pair of signal diodes across the antenna terminals to fix that problem.
Asked my wife for a shortwave radio about 20 years ago. Thought I'd get an inexpensive Radio Shack one, but she got me this! Just dug it out of mothballs and Googled it. Still have all the original stuff and the box it came in. Seems to work fine although I know little about SW radio.
Thanks for this instructional video.
You are very lucky to own one of the best portable short wave portable type radios ever made! If it still works as normal, it is one of the best out there to this day. Very high quality and well thought out radio. Thank your wife again!
He's lucky to have a wife like that.
Your good man Larry! Thanks for the info very very much! If you don’t mind, I’d love to stay in touch with you and maybe run a few radios by you when I’m set to buy my own Ham set.
On another note my friend, my Sony 2010 arrived today in the mail from the seller I bought it off of eBay. I am so excited!! Thanks again for this video because it helped me decide to purchase that radio instead of a different one.
Back in the late 1980s I really wanted a Sony 2010 but couldn't afford it, so I got Radio Shack's poor man's version, the DX-440 (Sangean 803A) which still serves me well. Then about five years ago a friend who I introduced to the radio hobby sent the UPS man to my door with a 2010 as a thank you gift. Great radio with features and performance the Sangean lacks.
One tip: I keep a sheet of clear plastic over the face of the radio when it's not in use -- keeps the dust away from all those buttons.
That is great to hear, mine is still working great as always, I use it mostly by my bedside at night since I like the timer in it so I can have something on and have it shut down in an hour. Great idea on the dust cover idea. Mine is always dusty it seems and hard to clean between the keypad digits.
Hi Larry,
I think the dumbest thing I ever did was sell my 2010! I really loved that radio. At the time, it was pretty hard to justify the cost with my wife and I owed her big time for a few years after that LOL! That was the best radio I ever had and I've been looking on e-pay for another one, but I'd have to justify the purchase again and I'm not sure I could afford it ;)
I have one of these radios I bought ages ago. I still have the original box, directions and receipt
I bought my 2010 in 1992 fresh out of the box-still have it.
You are lucky to still have it!
You're right. This radio is my best SW receiver. I have a Tecsun PL-660, a Sony ICF-SW7600GR and a DEGEN DE1103 but none are as sensitive and resourceful as the ICF-2010.
I sure have not found a better over all portable to this day, they were way ahead of their time.
Top vid!
Hi I’m looking for external antenna for icf2010 and junction box any help would be greatly appreciated
I have one of these radios. I bought it in January, 1991 at the start of the First Gulf War. Tried using it a few times but I never really got the hang of understanding all the functions. So I removed all the batteries, packed the radio back in the original box and placed the box in a plastic storage container with a lid. That storage container has been sitting under my bed for over 25 years with the occasional moving for cleaning. Maybe I should get that radio out and see if it still works. Thanks for the informative video.
Thank you and yes, I sure would see if it still works, it is a great radio to this day for a portable. If you find your display don't work, if I remember correctly there is a battery for memory backup that is kind of hidden, been a while but it seems like it is under the regular batteries in a compartment or something, I kind of forget now but it you look for it you should find it ok. Hopefully all the batteries were removed when you put it away or you may have some clean up to do with the battery compartment.
Hi Larry, greetings from Scotland. I recently returned to BC bands DXing after a 15 year hiatus. My Sangean AT803a was kaput, my 7600 much the same but the Yacht boy 400E was still working via an ac adaptor. However, I decided to 'update' my RXs. Bought an ICF2001D via ebay, its excellent as you have noted, it still holds it own. My new D808 and Pl660 while good, are not as good as the venerable 2001D. Its a bit like an old Rolls Royce, it performs well but you have got to make allowances for it! here's to all you ERROR 3 fans out there..
Jim,
The "error 3" comment caught my eye because that's what I got tonight when I first powered up! First time in a decade. Gotta dust it off.
Thanks Larry. The physical configuration of those older radios also gave them a lower center of gravity so every time you pushed the power button or something, it didn`t tip over. I can`t for the life of me, see how the morons who design these radios today can`t make them more thick so they wouldn`t flop over. You almost need 3 hands to use them.
Thank you for your fun and interesting review. I owned a Realistic DX 440 for many years. I brought it on family vacations and threw a copper wire to any tree I could find. I listened to the BBC, 40 meter CW and radio comms during the first Gulf war in 1991. I used a knife switch my Dad rigged up to to alternate between the DX 440 and a Johnson Viking Navigator when I received my Novice license in 1990. Later, the receiver came with me to college. Eventually it failed, even after my Dad paid for its repair many years later. I was thinking about buying another one, but tonight I vaguely remembered the great ICF 2010 review way back in the early 1990s, printed in the Monitoring Times. Many raved about the synchronous detector and great receiver. I decided to go for it tonight and purchased the ICF 2010 on eBay. I’m really looking forward to receiving and enjoying it. I also bought a repair kit, as the backlight will need replacement. I’ll be interested in learning about the backlight modification you mentioned in your video. I look forward to more of your content and enthusiasm for the hobby. I see others enjoy your excitement for radio, as well. Long live SWLing. 73 de KA1WHT.
That is great to hear and thanks for you post here. I am sure you will like the radio if it is in working condition. Mine is still working good for me however my eyesight is getting pretty poor with some issues I have been having lately so I am not able to work on much electronics anymore, I even have a difficult time typing here now but am still able to see the screen with zoom. Enjoy the radio!!
I hope your eyesight issues improve soon. Happy listening!
Caps have dried up on mine not operational anymore.I bought the ICF 2001 model years earlier and it is still working well with no problems at all.
I wish I still had mine. ):
A help
Friends my Sony ICF-2010, there appeared a problem.
I need to call and charge 3 times for it to work.
But only FM, Air and AM does not only tune in.
Someone in the group already had this
defect in your Sony?
I've already looked into batteries and support connectors, flat cabol power supplies.
The display module already tested is ok.
Does anybody know of any tips to help which component is faulty.
I would appreciate any tips.
Thank you
hi, nice video to learn how I do to save a station
A nice little radio.
it look little bout is not
I bought mine in 1986. Here in the UK it is called the ICF2001D, but appears to be the same beast as the 2010. Still works perfectly.Just got to be careful when connecting it to an outdoor wire antenna as the front end is said to be very sensitive to static. It would be nice to have smaller tuning steps than 100Hz for tuning in SSB for a more natural sounding audio, but I can honestly say that is one of its' few inadequacies. Stereo output to headphones for FM listening would have been nice too as on the Sangean AT909. A ver superior radio though and a shame Sony didn't follow it up with anything comparable.
I agree totally on your comments. I have heard a lot over they years about the sensitive front end being blown out with static discharge or overload so I have never hooked up an external antenna, I just use the built in whip and it serves the purpose well for what I want the radio to do for me here. Yes, stereo FM would have been a nice touch too!
i just picked up one of these today for 4.00 lol. but it has this long white cord like thing do you know what this is for?
I looked for one on ebay. WOW! those prices!
*_Bravo. Super radio.*_👍
Great radio, Larry. I will trade you a Sangean with synchronizer problems for it! Takes 30 minutes to lock onto a station, scans all the time until it finally locks on what it is set at....gripe, gripe...Your radio is the berries!!!
I must have your radio
wow didn't know you have this video, I got one of these radios for 5 bucks from a yard sale but the battery door was missing. not a problem to me but looking for one anyway. great video ANYBODY know where a battery door is?
I just bought a used one that looks brand new but find it very hard to use since I know nothing about Short Wave and the lingo..... I'll learn as I go.... Do you have any kind of advice...web sites etc that will help me to learn a little more on the radio? I have the manual and have begun trying to read the darn thing..... I think I'll send it to a guy and have the back light upgraded to the modern bulb type like you mentioned. Thanks for the demo...it was very helpful.
Best!
+NIP IT in the Bud Very good, well if it is in good working condition it will be a great radio for you! Best thing is to just google "what is shortwave radio" or something like that and it can give you a lot more info than I can cover here but basically you will hear more in the evenings on the lower frequencies, such as if you enter in 10 then execute button and tune down from there, in the day you are better above 5 Mhz. Use AM mode most of the time for the broadcast stations, but if you are in the ham radio bands, you can google them also to see where they are, then usually you want to be in the LSB position for voice if below 10 Mhz or USB if above. I know that might sound complicated at first but I will try to help you more if you need or have something specific I can explain in a paragraph or so like this. Have fun with it!
bought one here in the UK from Germany. doesn't seemed to have reduced in price since the 90s and that's all I'm saying ;)
they sure seem to hold their price I guess!
Hey Larry, the input voltage on the radio is 4.5 volts. Could it run safely off 5 volts from USB?
purplemutantas I would think it would be just fine but I have never tried it so I would hate to say for sure. I have not looked at the diagram of the radio to see if there is a regulator on that input or what, maybe someone else can comment here if they have done that.
It's too bad this great radio isn't made anymore I used to get passport to world band radio from the 1995 2008 or 2009 simply a great book, the sw 2010 is a classic where can I pick one up?
Andrew Bowe They can be found on ebay. A ham fest might be another place to check out.
Larry where could I pick one up? I looked at Universial Radio said it was disconued? Andy AB9EW the SW 2010 is the best
+Andrew Bowe They have been out of production for some time so about the only way is on ebay or some of the ham radio for sale sites probably. I think they still bring a pretty good price though last I have seen.
My friend, I’m blessed to be getting a 2010 but I’d also like a smaller portable that I feel comfortable taking with me on vacation. I really like the PL660 as well as the PL 880. Do you have any comments you could give me on which one would be a better radio?
Unfortunately I do not have any real experience with the 660 or the 880 so I really can't say much, maybe someone else will comment here on those radios.
RadioHamGuy Thank you so much for your honesty. And again, thanks for such a great video. I’d love to take this on vacations with me but because of its age now I’d hate to see it get destroyed with baggage handlers things like that do you know? That’s why am looking at maybe a sub portable.
Hi I have a Sony 2010 that I got in the 1990s. It was modified with KIWA filters and the FET was fixed. It sits in the house near the computer. Not as good on AM medium wave as a Panasonic 2200 but you can't beat it for sensitivity on SW and SSB.
I had one for years until my ex-brother-in-law tossed it into the trunk of my car and destroyed something internally. Never worked the same even after service. I sure do miss it.
Sony made the 2010 when it was manufactured in Japan. You couldn't beat the quality control in Japan. I almost got a Panasonic shortwave radio the RF-65 but decided on the Sony 2010 instead. I see Panasonic RF 65's on E bay and they aren't cheap.
Receiption of SW stations world wide and SSB utility stations including shipping & aircraft has become almost nil where I live down under the rest of the world here in NewZealand.I remember about ten years ago I could sit one of my portable SW/ SSB receivers outside on a table and just with telescopic antenna receive all world wide stations as well as SSB utility stations.Now its almost a waste of time trying to tune in stations that once were broadcasting,or are now so quite that I can not receive them anymore.Atmospheric conditions seemed to have killed radio receiption for me.
Larry, great video as usual! Are you going to HamVention? 73 Mike WB8CXO
wb8cxo I wish I could get back to Dayton, been there many times but looks like not this year yet again. Maybe next. If you are going have a great time and I will be watching all the streaming video from there.
I sold my Sony 2010 to buy a Drake R8 used and eventually sold the Drake for almost what I paid for it. I now have a SDR unit but its not so easy to tune. I miss the Sony 2010 - Try and bid on used ones on Ebay but they go for a lot of money.,
yeah lol looked just now. too much money haha
Larry, I would love to get a ham radio someday. I’m new to the hobby. Could you give me an idea of a really affordable I am sad that I could start out with? I’m disabled and would love to finally realize my dream of having my own “ham shack.“ 😊 blessings,
Larry
Sorry, that should say ham set not “I am sad“ LOL how pathetic is that… I couldn’t even spell check it... sorry about that
That is great, you can do it, all you need to just get started is one of the cheap Chinese dual band hand held radios you can find online for under 50 dollars or so and you will be on the air locally, Then you can upgrade from there as you can but that is a start for low cost. If you can find a club in your area, that might be a big help to meet some local hams that can get you started and give you your test also. You can find a lot of information on the American Radio Relay League website, just google ARRL.
Hello ..
How many channels can be stored
32 channels can be stored in the memories.
Interesting, what do you think is a resonable price?
you maybe getter in a perfect condition easy it can you for 200 on eBay
manuel galo thank you sir =)
I still use mine daily also. There are used ones on eBay etc, they still fetch about $200 or lightly used ones with the accessories can go for much more. There is a user group specifically for users of this radio at groups.io free to join just search Sony ICF2010 user group - many hints, circuits, manuals, photos, fixes and contact other users. Sony made a great radio in this model but probably better to have a higher serial number for the best performance and reliability - above 340000 would be good.
bonjour,combien vous me vendez votre sony 2010 il super.
My next door neighbor is selling one for $50 I got to pick it up
I bought one new years ago, but keep[t it packed away, House burned down, don't know where the Ac adapter is... Batteries work fine
" Лучший переносной радиоприёмник Sony ICF 2001D - 2010"
Вот ссылка - на русский перевод - всех настроек по "сервису мануалу". Немного потрудился и всё получилось. Пользуйтесь на удачу. vozhatim.org.ua/showthread.php?p=8361#post8361
Got one for 10$