Love that. I live in Scotland and used to enjoy doing this, would pick up stations from over the north sea to baltic area. Before Internet it was always thrilling! It never seems to work nowadays, maybe I'll pick one of these up! Take care.
Hi Leslie, there are still many shortwave stations that you can hear. This D-220 or the XHDATA D-219 are both inexpensive and excellent little radios, perfect if you want to test the waters to get back into SW listening.
Very nice. Its good they still do them radios. At xmas time I buy a few of the pocket radios and give them to some of the homeless in the city I pass by. Radio always makes you feel as if you have company when you might not. PS I love the radio in the background. I used to have the AR 88D radio and that sucker was 52kg lol Take a dam hernia moving it.
I love it. I grew up with pocket transitor radios and I thought they were history. I used to listen to short wave too. Very interesting. Now I will again and give my cell phone a rest!! And there's some great stuff on AM overnights. Thanks much for this!!👍
I agree, there is certainly still a lot to hear on AM in the USA and many other countries around the world. It just feels so much more natural to listen to radio stations on an actual radio and not a phone. The D-220 works very well on both SW and AM, and of course FM also.
Thanks, Andre, for your video on the new XHDATA D-220 pocket radio indeed! The more I see this radio the more I believe that for the price point & its reception capabilities its worth buying!
I’ve bought a lot of these XHDATA radios recently; they’re fun and cheap. I just got the 220 in yellow, and the led power light is so bright it illuminates the top of the radio ad well as the band window. Thanks for doing these and other videos
Hey André, I've been seeing this radio being the new talk of the town, nice to see you getting it. Not surprised you chose green, I know that you have a thing for green radios since the R-909 😁 All the good reviews I've seen plus the the comments you made to me made my decision and I have one from Amazon FR on order now 😆 ... oh yeah, I really needed yet another radio for sure.
@@manonamission2000 Yes, this guy has done it: th-cam.com/video/-gvZgyNy81E/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared The name on the DSP chip has been scratched off though, so we still don't know which chip it uses.
It's really quite incredible what this little radio can do! You do need patience and a very steady hand when listening to shortwave, but it is a really sensitive little radio.
Nice radio. But what they need is a secondary fine tuning knob. I’ve seen them used on other radios and you roughly tune in with the main control then fine tune with the fine tuning knob.
Indeed, those fine-tuning knobs can help a lot! But I think this radio is so small already, there is probably no space for that, internally and externally.
I have an old '70s Reader's Digest-branded RDA-127 (Worldstar) I keep in the EMP can with all my other SHTF radios. Took it out last night to a high, open place and was surprised how well it picked up the U.K. on 550-ish kHz and 9600-ish SW. Also NZ on SW, with a simple speaker wire dipole, from California. It's big, but has many features for the $25 I paid a decade ago. I run rechargeable D-cells because plugging it in is too noisy. I just cut the plug off of some old mono adapter and soldered extensions. This may wake up your old radios too.
Hi Ben, thank you so much for your comment and for sharing the story of this radio. It is amazing how long-lasting some radios from decades ago are. I use a few quite old radios myself, including the Barlow Wadley XCR-30 from the late 1970s and a Sony ICF-J40 from the late 1980s. Both still work really well. I don't think many of today's DSP-based radios will last for four or five decades :-)
Jay Allen's review says the D-220 tunes in 1 kHz steps on medium wave, so no need to switch between 9 and 10 kHz steps. And hence, no separate US and rest-of-the-world models.
@@joewoodchuck3824 True! But this is a DSP-based radio, so 10 kHz steps would not work perfectly in countries that use 9 kHz steps, or the other way round.
Hola, gracias por la revisión.Sospecho que Xhdata sólo ha utilizado la misma electrónica que tienen otras radios económicas como la Baijiali KK67,KK78,..y sólo ha cambiado la carcasa.Son radios que funcionan muy bien en Fm, bastante discretas en Am y bastante bien en Sw.Saludos desde España.
¡Hola y gracias por tu comentario! Creo que XHDATA usó un chip DSP mejor que las radios que mencionas aquí. Estas son radios realmente bonitas y pueden funcionar bien. No tengo ninguna de esas radios Bajiali, así que realmente no puedo comparar. Por los videos que he visto de las radios Bajiali, me parece que el D-220 tiene un nivel de ruido mucho más bajo y parece ser un poco más sensible también. El D-220 me parece de calidad.
I have the green version. It's very sensitive for only using a 10.5" antenna. The audio is quite good too. I was able to hear Amateur operators on 40, 20, 17, 15 Meters while listening on AM. There's no b.f.o. You can still decipher cw signals, which is fun. Was able to hear WWV on 10, 15, 20 Mhz quite well. Surprisingly sensitivity is even good at lower end of SW. The muting while tuning is a pain, but all in all a fun radio. Measured 32 mA current drain, typical of digital circuit radios. Not as efficient as your old AM pocket radio.
Hi Michael, thank you for your comment. I love my green version! The performance of this radio is really quite something, even with its own whip antenna. It gets even better when you attach a long wire, and it does not overload. Interesting that you heard amateur operators and CW!
@@swlisteningWhen tuning cw, most or all signals will be on one frequency only, due to the large step in tuning. Like "coarse" tuning. I have heard Europe and WA state, also cw contests. Did hear ssb too.
I envy you for having local AM stations. Here in Germany they shut them all down a few years ago, at the order of the Government -._- So the only thing i can hear on AM now (unless my neighbors sabotage it with their freaking Powerline Adapters for their internet, instead of using LAN cables) are foreign stations. A lot of them sounding middle eastern, russian and sometimes when the conditions are good, hungarian and even english. But english is just talking about sports so it's nothing interesting at all. Absolute Radio in England used to broadcast on AM too but it seems they ceased their AM service and only push their online stuff.... Love the color options XHDATA provides. I may pick up one of these as well as an everyday carry radio for emergencies. Because at least this one runs on AA Batteries. Something i wish the XHDATA D-608WB would too.
The one nice thing about not having local MW stations is that it is easier to DX distant MW stations. There are no strong local MW stations in the way :-) We actually only have very few local MW stations left in South Africa. Here in Johannesburg there are three, and in Cape Town there are three. That's all. You might be able to hear even more distant MW stations when conditions are good, like from North Africa, and even North America. I know many MW DXers in Europe like to DX North Amrican signals. It helps that your MW band is relatively clear because there are no MW stations in Germany. The D-220 is certainly a nice radio to get for emergencies, or just as a basic everyday radio. It is so compact and easy to carry around that you can really take it anywhere. And it performs very, very well!
Can you offer an opinion of the best option for a reasonably priced portable receiver to use in the area between and including the Antarctic Peninsula, and South Georgia? We only want the news, so major English-language broadcasts by the usual big names (BBC, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands...) is all we need. It is of concern because we will be sailing as the US Government changes hands on Jan 20, and we want to know if it is prudent to return home or not.
Hi James, I would most definitely recommend the Qodosen DX-286. It is a very sensitive radio and picks up even very weak signals. The location you mention will be mostly free from RFI (radio frequency interference), so you should be able to hear very many shortwave signals. The Qodosen is also excellent on MW (or AM, as you call it in the US). That means you might even be able to hear some of the stronger AM stations from the US late at night. AM signals can travel very far at night, and the Qodosen is great in picking these up, especially in areas where there is little RFI. I have many videos about the Qodosen on my channel, because it is such a great radio, here is the playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLG8LDwT4Lhb6W8jPt2ADjHzoCe0QbkSKK.html&feature=shared It is relatively expensive though, about $130. If you want something cheaper that is also very good, then you can consider the XHDATA D-109WB, or the XHDATA D-608WB. Both of these are very sensitive on shortwave. The D-109WB is also quite good for MW. The XHDATA D-808 is also a very good radio, but it is more expensive, around $70 to $80. It is excellent on shortwave and medium wave (AM).
That D-220 really looks like a "you never know what you're gonna hear" radio 😅 From what I see, the tuning dial is hardly any reference, and a smallest touch of tuning control (encoder?) will change a station. You'll be lucky every time you find something enjoyable to listen to, knowing you may not find it again! 😂 On this note, d 13:40 unno if it would encourage the aforementioned BBC to expand their SW airtime back, but still will be fun whene er you catch them :) If I were to purchase this radio, I would be looking to push its performance to the limit 🤓 I'd start with replacing its telescopic whip with a longer one, or just attaching a length of wire to it. In fact, that's what I'd been doing for many years since I was a child & DXing on all bands really hooked me. I would've wrapped lots & lots of scrap wire to a telescopic whip on my boombox to listen to a very weak & noisy pop music station 60km away. Today, an XHDATA D-808 can get it clearly with RDS already on its stock whip, depending on a spot I place it on... Too bad their programming had worsened inverse-proportionally; now half of their playlist is stuff from 10-20 years back 😒 BTW if you want to try again for Pretoria FM, tune to it first on another radio, and see if you can find the same signal on the D-220. That's the only way :)
Hi Arnie, it certainly is a "you never know what you will hear" radio! To me that's part of the attraction of this little radio, I am actually beginning to like it quite a bit. Really reminds me of my DXing days when I was a teenager and used something similar. I tried with a wire on this one and it works, with no overloading. Very many more signals appear. You just need to be very, very patient when tuning, then it actually manages to separate the signals very well and you can hear many different signals. I wonder who the target buyers are for this one, it is certainly not aimed at DXers. But you can DX with it. Sounds to me like you have been an FM DXer all your life! Trying to find remote stations on your boombox. Sounds like fun. About Pretoria FM, I actually do sometimes use a strong radio as a reference when I test new radios, I just didn't do it here. I still want to get Pretoria FM on the D-220, I will keep trying.
I am a big radio person, I rather listen to a radio than watch television 📺, it's better to have a analog one because I can pick up stations in between that are further out, ..
My dad gave to me a handheld radio that I think is from 50s. It has one of those square batteries. Manuel dial for volume, and tuning the radio. You turn it on when you raise the volume. It is fantastic. It looks a little like the black one you have. I've had it for about 25 years. It works perfect. I like these little radios.
Hi Steven, what a great story! Vintage radios are wonderful, I have a few myself, including a Hammarlund tube radio from the late 1940s. It was restored and works wonderfully. I would love to get my hands on a portable radio from the 1950s!
I don't like manual tuning. I got mine with digital tuning, just press and it will find the stations and can be memorized. Mine is only FM/AM, more than good enough. Sound is clear, price is about $7. It comes with 1 16850 batt and can be charged via USB mini port.
I do agree, digital tuning and a memory system are very useful. I think this radio is just something so simple, it reminds people of simpler times. That is why I like it a lot. But I have nothing against digital radios, I own many of them :-)
Andrea, love your channel. I bought multiple units of both Xhdata 219 and 220. I believe 219 has a slight edge over 220. Would you agree? Greetings from New York . Enjoy your summer while we are racing towards our winters.
Hi NIsar, thank you so much for your comment! I will withhold my verdict on the D-220 vs the D-219 for now, I need some more time to be sure. As of now I am actually leaning towards the D-220 as the better performer. It is WAY harder to tune than the D-219, but it seems to be really sensitive. I think I need to compare these two side-by-side some more before I will reach my final opinion! Enjoy your winter :-) Sometimes our summer gets a bit too hot for me, then I long for colder weather.
@@ditto1958 Yes, it is lighter than what it looks like on Amazon. I expected it to be similar in colour to the Tecsun R-909 that I show in this video. But I still like it.
The D-220 covers both 9 and 10 kHz on MW, by using 1 kHz steps . This also means that you have to tune s-l-o-w-l-y in order to find the strongest point. Tuning SW is more of a pain, because of the single cramped dial, but it does receive all strong SW stations. It is NOT a DXer, but it does have very good reception for the price. It really is a good little pocket radio. Sins you are in a totally different part of the world, it will be interesting to see Your results. 📻🙂
Hi Jeff, thanks for your comment, and the explanation about the 1 kHz steps on MW. I have already found that this radio is really good on shortwave. You need to tune very, very slowly, as you say. But it picks up very many signals. And quite clearly. It is a fun radio. I will make a video soon showing how I tune it on shortwave, so that you can see how many stations I hear.
Very cool video! Maybe somebody reading this can help? I need a basic bedside radio plug in AC with digital presets on a few favorite stations! I go online & it's a weird void, either all batteries or dialed system..the wood ones seem perfect but they don't have pre- sets (?)
Thanks! What about the Sangean PR-D4W? I have one, very good sound. It covers FM, MW (AM) and weather alerts. Reception on FM and AM is quite excellent on this radio. It has alarm clock functions and displays the time. You can use D-size batteries or use the supplied power cable to keep it plugged in permanently. It has five presets for your favourite stations. It is relatively big, about the size of a large novel, but I think it's perfect as a bedside radio.
@@F4LDT-Alain Hi Alain, I haven't compared them side by side, but the D-220 really has very good sound. I noticed it immediately. Will do a side-by-side with the D-368 at some point.
Thanks Andre, nice to see you in your Prime…(Amazon Prime), that is…😂! The radio looks promising and good looking, but @ $10 I will have to take out a loan …😮! Looks like Xhdata has another winner on its hand, my question to you is the SW and MW bands better on this or the D219? The sound sounds almost as good as my D-608WWB. 73! Have a great day!
A comment about headphone jack volume would be nice. I’m severely hearing impaired and modern radios 📻 have this disconcerting habit of having quite muted headphone volume.
I checked it for you now and the sound via the headphone jack is not very loud. It is loud, but not exceedingly so. I checked the sound via the headphone jack on two of my other small radios. The Clooblut RD218 is quite a bit louder than the XHDATA D-220, but the loudest one is the Tecsun R-909. It is very loud indeed. It is a nice little radio also.
@@swlistening As a guy who is severely hearing impaired I really appreciate your reply and helpful information. I know some companies deliberately mute their headphone jacks output in order to protect the hearing of young people, but it’s a real problem for the hearing impaired. Oddly enough some of the cheapest radios have powerful headphone volume. My Panasonic RF 2400D kicks out a quite loud output. It’s my favourite because of this.
@@penguinvic9892 My pleasure. It is true what you say, manufacturers seem to be quite careful these days with audio output for headphones. Sometimes too careful, I think. On phones I find the volume output over headphones very low. Sometimes when I am at the gym I like to listen to podcasts on my phone, but the sound is so low that I really struggle to hear my podcast over all the surrounding noise.
Hi Andre, I see we share a name :-) Thank you so much for your comment and for subscribing! I do unboxing and review videos quite often, and also comparisons of radios and reception videos. I hope you will enjoy my channel.
@@swlistening Hi there, Andre! It isn't my real name but I love it, I wish it was my real name. I loooove radios, especially the small ones, it brings me back to my childhood. I will definitely watch your videos. :)
@@JCalltheway I also have a real soft spot for small radios. The new D-220 is one of my favourites at the moment. I also have a Tecsun R808, it is similar to the Grundig Mini World 100 PE, do you know that one? A great radio!
@@swlistening Right? Pocket radios are awesome. Well, I'm from the Philippines. We're not big on technology so those radios that you featured on this channel might not be available here. But probably we have an equivalent for that model 😊
@@JCalltheway The R808 is not available anymore, unfortunately. But the D-220 that I show in this video, and the D-219, are great radios and not expensive. I've been to the Philippines two times already. Mostly around Sta Rita, San Fernando and Bacolor in Pampanga, and Baguio. I loved the historic cathedrals and the natural beauty.
At 16 USD, it sounds like a good entry-level unit. Amazon doesn't say whether or not FM broadcasts are stereo w/earphones, but I have to assume so. Other radios in this category are cheaper--as low as 10 USD--but most are nameless so the quality is suspect. Otherwise, a good overview.
Thanks for your comment, this is very true. To put it bluntly, some radios are really cheap, cheaply made and they perform like cheap radios. I would put the D-220 in a different class though. It's not cheap, but it is inexpensive. I think it is very solidly made and should last for quite some time.
It seems like a nice little radio although the tuning seems very finicky. You can't argue with the price and it would be a good radio to have handy during power failures etc. I wonder how you found the battery life?
Hi Ivan, thank you for your comment. So far the battery life has been excellent. I use the radio quite regularly, and I have not changed the batteries yet since I got it. I don't use it every day though, but batteries seem to last long.
thank you for this video, it has sparked an interest in getting one and having the ability to listen to normal FM as well as SW. One question is can you increase reception if required in an emergency situation? Cheers Stu
Hi Stuart, thanks for your comment, glad it was helpful! I'm not 100% sure about what you mean by increasing reception? But what I have done is to attach an external antenna, a long wire, to the whip antenna. It makes a huge difference, even more signals come through. So you can certainly get even better reception by attaching a long wire.
Hi Robert, I explain how to enter in this video: th-cam.com/video/O7y-VAGY5dY/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared It's fairly simple, you just need to leave a comment.
Hi Patricio, it does have AM (or, as I call it in the video, Medium Wave). In Europe and other countries AM often refers to both MW and SW, so to distinguish between the two I use the terms MW and SW. This radio definitely does cover AM, as it is known in North America.
Hi Mohamed, I mean that it is a DSP radio, that means digital signal processing. So there is a digital chip inside the radio that processes the signals. All FM, MW and SW signals that reach the radio are processed into sound that our ears can understand by this digital chip. It does not receive internet radio.
This is actually a very good question, I don't know the answer. Some people say the radio works in 1 kHz steps on MW, others say there are 9 kHz and 10 kHz step versions. I don't know at this point. I will contact XHDATA and try to find the answer.
The band that starts with 64 Mhz tunes in 9 Khz steps. The 87-108 Mhz band tunes in 10 Khz steps. I think they included the lower FM band for Japan, that uses it. I think Europe might use 9 Khz steps too. I don't know the step size for the SW bands.
Thanks for your nice comment about my accent! I'm not in the USA though, I'm in South Africa 😀 It's true, these batteries are quite easy to recharge with the right kit. I generally keep a whole bunch of extra AA batteries anyway, you never know when you might need them. They are quite cheap and remain charged for a very long time.
Of course the small radio has a 10 khz step on medium wave. Anyone here think it would be 1 khz steps? This would be the equivalent of 1200 frequency steps of one khz each on a tiny radio... Impossible. Even the big brother D219 with its spread bands only uses 9 khz steps on medium wave.
Hi Fred, thanks for your comment! I certainly agree, compared to more expensive and bigger radios this is only average. But I think it sounds great for a small pocket radio. The other pocket radios I have sound more tinny, this one has just a bit of warmth to it. I find it pleasant enough to listen to for extended periods of time.
It's nice to have a real radio as backup for when the internet fails during a storm or a power cut. Or for when you are far away from reliable connections. Or just to use on a daily basis without having to always connect via WiFi or mobile data.
So what is the rational for having 2 FM bands, when one of them completely overlaps the other? One goes low enough to pick up Japanese FM stations but only if you are in Japan - makes no sense to have that capability being sold in the US! You can't DX on FM.
@@swlistening You are right. AM radio is being discontinued in Brazil. Fm has been expanded so the old AM radios could move to fm, and now fm starts at 76 MHz in Brazil.
I think this one is very power-efficient, I have a feeling the batteries will last for months. I really like the fact that it uses regular AA batteries.
Hi Rafael, I think there are some small radios with very good sound, and they are not noisy. Like the D-220. And also the Clooblut RD218. Have a look at this comparison that I uploaded today, between the small $10 Clooblut and the much bigger and the much more expensive Tecsun PL-680: th-cam.com/video/Zc8lrphO7LM/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
Love that. I live in Scotland and used to enjoy doing this, would pick up stations from over the north sea to baltic area. Before Internet it was always thrilling! It never seems to work nowadays, maybe I'll pick one of these up! Take care.
Hi Leslie, there are still many shortwave stations that you can hear. This D-220 or the XHDATA D-219 are both inexpensive and excellent little radios, perfect if you want to test the waters to get back into SW listening.
Very nice. Its good they still do them radios. At xmas time I buy a few of the pocket radios and give them to some of the homeless in the city I pass by. Radio always makes you feel as if you have company when you might not. PS I love the radio in the background. I used to have the AR 88D radio and that sucker was 52kg lol Take a dam hernia moving it.
That's a very kind gesture 🙌 I agree with you, for many people radio offers some companionship.
What a great thing to do. I pray you be blessed for it.
📻🙂
that’s a great idea. Very kind of you.
So kind!
priceless for homeless living in Vegas tunnels for when flooding might happen
Great post, you talked me into it. Just ordered one. Haven't had a pocket transistor radio in many years.
I'm glad I stumbled on this video! I've been wanting something for music or news radio, when I'm ice fishing, that I didn't need to use my phone.
Glad you found the video Matty! This is the ideal radio to take along on fishing and camping trips. And it sounds WAY better than a phone!
I like fishing 🎣 😅
@@swlisteningI’m up for adoption 😅😅😅
I love a radio with normal batteries
With good reason!
I love it. I grew up with pocket transitor radios and I thought they were history. I used to listen to short wave too. Very interesting. Now I will again and give my cell phone a rest!!
And there's some great stuff on AM overnights.
Thanks much for this!!👍
I agree, there is certainly still a lot to hear on AM in the USA and many other countries around the world. It just feels so much more natural to listen to radio stations on an actual radio and not a phone. The D-220 works very well on both SW and AM, and of course FM also.
Thanks, Andre, for your video on the new XHDATA D-220 pocket radio indeed! The more I see this radio the more I believe that for the price point & its reception capabilities its worth buying!
My pleasure John. I agree, I think it's a nice little radio that offers very good sensitivity.
You're a great salesman! Only three minutes into the video and I've already ordered two! Damn it! lol
Well, thank you 😀 I hope you will enjoy the radios!
This reminds me of when I was a boy listening to Horror radio stories in my bed
I can understand that, it has a really nostalgic feel to it.
I’ve bought a lot of these XHDATA radios recently; they’re fun and cheap. I just got the 220 in yellow, and the led power light is so bright it illuminates the top of the radio ad well as the band window. Thanks for doing these and other videos
The light sounds very useful for DXing or radio listening at night!
Lol, how many XHData radios is “a lot”?
Hey André, I've been seeing this radio being the new talk of the town, nice to see you getting it. Not surprised you chose green, I know that you have a thing for green radios since the R-909 😁
All the good reviews I've seen plus the the comments you made to me made my decision and I have one from Amazon FR on order now 😆 ... oh yeah, I really needed yet another radio for sure.
Hi Alain, I really like the green colour! I hope this one will not disappoint you, but I think you will enjoy it. It is really good.
Nice vid cool radio. Perfect for emergencies when cell/internet might be out.
Hi Anthony, I agree, perfect for situations like that!
I'm very happy with mine. I bought one to use and one to keep in storage for emergencies.
That's good to hear! This is the perfect little radio to store away for emergencies.
I am old enough to remember when Sony made many small mulitband radios. I had a little SW, SM and FM that I traveled the world with.
Wonderful memories 😀
I have an old wind up Sony pocket radio that still works flawlessly! I’m guessing it’s 1960s!
@@g-sailing4427 That's great, and amazing that it still works so well!
I have one. I enjoy sitting on my back patio and tuning in the world. It brings in many more stations at night.
Thank you for your comment! It's true, this one pulls in a surprising number of stations, great fun to tune around and see what you can hear.
has anyone taken this unit apart to understand why it pulls on so many stations?
@@manonamission2000 Yes, this guy has done it: th-cam.com/video/-gvZgyNy81E/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared The name on the DSP chip has been scratched off though, so we still don't know which chip it uses.
With some drink and seeing the planes fly by at night
Listening from Denmark to Radio Martí and Voice of Korea among others. Incredible!
It's really quite incredible what this little radio can do! You do need patience and a very steady hand when listening to shortwave, but it is a really sensitive little radio.
I have a small Raddy radio that is very good to 😂
Good to hear this Les!
Nice radio. But what they need is a secondary fine tuning knob. I’ve seen them used on other radios and you roughly tune in with the main control then fine tune with the fine tuning knob.
Indeed, those fine-tuning knobs can help a lot! But I think this radio is so small already, there is probably no space for that, internally and externally.
Thanks for the video 👍
My pleasure!
thank you so much!!!
You’re welcome!
Hello Sir, Very nice radio. Thank you so much for this review.💖
My pleasure Ashu, glad you enjoyed it! This is a very nice radio!
I have an old '70s Reader's Digest-branded RDA-127 (Worldstar) I keep in the EMP can with all my other SHTF radios. Took it out last night to a high, open place and was surprised how well it picked up the U.K. on 550-ish kHz and 9600-ish SW. Also NZ on SW, with a simple speaker wire dipole, from California. It's big, but has many features for the $25 I paid a decade ago. I run rechargeable D-cells because plugging it in is too noisy. I just cut the plug off of some old mono adapter and soldered extensions. This may wake up your old radios too.
Hi Ben, thank you so much for your comment and for sharing the story of this radio. It is amazing how long-lasting some radios from decades ago are. I use a few quite old radios myself, including the Barlow Wadley XCR-30 from the late 1970s and a Sony ICF-J40 from the late 1980s. Both still work really well. I don't think many of today's DSP-based radios will last for four or five decades :-)
Jay Allen's review says the D-220 tunes in 1 kHz steps on medium wave, so no need to switch between 9 and 10 kHz steps. And hence, no separate US and rest-of-the-world models.
Hi Paul, thank you for clarifying this. I was wondering about the steps.
Great news! thanks
Good point. Of course the steps are not an issue with analog tuning at all.
@@joewoodchuck3824 True! But this is a DSP-based radio, so 10 kHz steps would not work perfectly in countries that use 9 kHz steps, or the other way round.
The thumbnail also reveals a 64-88 MHz band on FM covering OIRT and Japan, which is also nice.
Squelch comes to mind.
Hola, gracias por la revisión.Sospecho que Xhdata sólo ha utilizado la misma electrónica que tienen otras radios económicas como la Baijiali KK67,KK78,..y sólo ha cambiado la carcasa.Son radios que funcionan muy bien en Fm, bastante discretas en Am y bastante bien en Sw.Saludos desde España.
¡Hola y gracias por tu comentario! Creo que XHDATA usó un chip DSP mejor que las radios que mencionas aquí. Estas son radios realmente bonitas y pueden funcionar bien. No tengo ninguna de esas radios Bajiali, así que realmente no puedo comparar. Por los videos que he visto de las radios Bajiali, me parece que el D-220 tiene un nivel de ruido mucho más bajo y parece ser un poco más sensible también. El D-220 me parece de calidad.
@@swlistening Te animo a que pidas una de esas radios,te va a sorprender y podremos comparar con la Xhdata, gracias por responder.
I grew up with the tube radio in the background!
That's great to hear Harry! It is a wonderful radio, I was very lucky to get mine, in perfectly restored condition. It works like a new radio.
I have the green version. It's very sensitive for only using a 10.5" antenna. The audio is quite good too. I was able to hear Amateur operators on 40, 20, 17, 15 Meters while listening on AM. There's no b.f.o. You can still decipher cw signals, which is fun. Was able to hear WWV on 10, 15, 20 Mhz quite well. Surprisingly sensitivity is even good at lower end of SW. The muting while tuning is a pain, but all in all a fun radio. Measured 32 mA current drain, typical of digital circuit radios. Not as efficient as your old AM pocket radio.
Hi Michael, thank you for your comment. I love my green version! The performance of this radio is really quite something, even with its own whip antenna. It gets even better when you attach a long wire, and it does not overload. Interesting that you heard amateur operators and CW!
@@swlisteningWhen tuning cw, most or all signals will be on one frequency only, due to the large step in tuning. Like "coarse" tuning. I have heard Europe and WA state, also cw contests. Did hear ssb too.
I envy you for having local AM stations. Here in Germany they shut them all down a few years ago, at the order of the Government -._- So the only thing i can hear on AM now (unless my neighbors sabotage it with their freaking Powerline Adapters for their internet, instead of using LAN cables) are foreign stations. A lot of them sounding middle eastern, russian and sometimes when the conditions are good, hungarian and even english. But english is just talking about sports so it's nothing interesting at all. Absolute Radio in England used to broadcast on AM too but it seems they ceased their AM service and only push their online stuff.... Love the color options XHDATA provides. I may pick up one of these as well as an everyday carry radio for emergencies. Because at least this one runs on AA Batteries. Something i wish the XHDATA D-608WB would too.
The one nice thing about not having local MW stations is that it is easier to DX distant MW stations. There are no strong local MW stations in the way :-) We actually only have very few local MW stations left in South Africa. Here in Johannesburg there are three, and in Cape Town there are three. That's all. You might be able to hear even more distant MW stations when conditions are good, like from North Africa, and even North America. I know many MW DXers in Europe like to DX North Amrican signals. It helps that your MW band is relatively clear because there are no MW stations in Germany.
The D-220 is certainly a nice radio to get for emergencies, or just as a basic everyday radio. It is so compact and easy to carry around that you can really take it anywhere. And it performs very, very well!
I WISH I needed another radio! Although the lack of quality control is a concern.
If you do need one, this will be a great choice! That little scratch is really small, so I'm not too bothered about it.
Just got a sub from me thank you. I live in Canada I am on cb but I well be heading to shortwave soon
Welcome to the shortwave world Adam, you'll love it! 🇨🇦
Can you offer an opinion of the best option for a reasonably priced portable receiver to use in the area between and including the Antarctic Peninsula, and South Georgia? We only want the news, so major English-language broadcasts by the usual big names (BBC, Deutsche Welle, Radio Netherlands...) is all we need. It is of concern because we will be sailing as the US Government changes hands on Jan 20, and we want to know if it is prudent to return home or not.
Hi James, I would most definitely recommend the Qodosen DX-286. It is a very sensitive radio and picks up even very weak signals. The location you mention will be mostly free from RFI (radio frequency interference), so you should be able to hear very many shortwave signals. The Qodosen is also excellent on MW (or AM, as you call it in the US). That means you might even be able to hear some of the stronger AM stations from the US late at night. AM signals can travel very far at night, and the Qodosen is great in picking these up, especially in areas where there is little RFI. I have many videos about the Qodosen on my channel, because it is such a great radio, here is the playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLG8LDwT4Lhb6W8jPt2ADjHzoCe0QbkSKK.html&feature=shared It is relatively expensive though, about $130. If you want something cheaper that is also very good, then you can consider the XHDATA D-109WB, or the XHDATA D-608WB. Both of these are very sensitive on shortwave. The D-109WB is also quite good for MW. The XHDATA D-808 is also a very good radio, but it is more expensive, around $70 to $80. It is excellent on shortwave and medium wave (AM).
That D-220 really looks like a "you never know what you're gonna hear" radio 😅 From what I see, the tuning dial is hardly any reference, and a smallest touch of tuning control (encoder?) will change a station. You'll be lucky every time you find something enjoyable to listen to, knowing you may not find it again! 😂 On this note, d 13:40 unno if it would encourage the aforementioned BBC to expand their SW airtime back, but still will be fun whene er you catch them :)
If I were to purchase this radio, I would be looking to push its performance to the limit 🤓 I'd start with replacing its telescopic whip with a longer one, or just attaching a length of wire to it. In fact, that's what I'd been doing for many years since I was a child & DXing on all bands really hooked me. I would've wrapped lots & lots of scrap wire to a telescopic whip on my boombox to listen to a very weak & noisy pop music station 60km away. Today, an XHDATA D-808 can get it clearly with RDS already on its stock whip, depending on a spot I place it on... Too bad their programming had worsened inverse-proportionally; now half of their playlist is stuff from 10-20 years back 😒
BTW if you want to try again for Pretoria FM, tune to it first on another radio, and see if you can find the same signal on the D-220. That's the only way :)
Вы очень верно выразили мысль о радио, как о чуде, о непредсказуемости радио контента. Эту прелесть понимает не каждый! Радио - реальный медиум!❤
Я согласен!
Hi Arnie, it certainly is a "you never know what you will hear" radio! To me that's part of the attraction of this little radio, I am actually beginning to like it quite a bit. Really reminds me of my DXing days when I was a teenager and used something similar. I tried with a wire on this one and it works, with no overloading. Very many more signals appear. You just need to be very, very patient when tuning, then it actually manages to separate the signals very well and you can hear many different signals. I wonder who the target buyers are for this one, it is certainly not aimed at DXers. But you can DX with it.
Sounds to me like you have been an FM DXer all your life! Trying to find remote stations on your boombox. Sounds like fun.
About Pretoria FM, I actually do sometimes use a strong radio as a reference when I test new radios, I just didn't do it here. I still want to get Pretoria FM on the D-220, I will keep trying.
Super😊👍
I luk it u lut !! If I were Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite movie..I’d sniff it for that new radio / electronics smell
Hi Daniel, this is a very nice radio indeed!
Bought 1 today brother in yellow. Looking forward to ur unboxing now .I paid 12 euro in Ireland .not available on amazon here got it on Ali express.
Hi Ged, I was really surprised by this one. So small, but seems to have really good reception.
How do you like it
@@mugsy_71 I have to say for the price it's 10 outta 10 ..Great value decent sound and picks up loads of stations.
Mine will separate three stations at 1170, 1200 and 1210.
1210 KGYN is 329 miles away!
These radios are very good!
This is great to hear! I must say, I have used mine mostly for shortwave listening, good to hear that it is also a very good performer on MW (AM)!
I am a big radio person, I rather listen to a radio than watch television 📺, it's better to have a analog one because I can pick up stations in between that are further out, ..
Hi Fred, I'm the same, I don't really watch much TV at all. Prefer the radio.
Always did, always will..
I enjoyed this. For once the algorithm worked.
I'm glad to hear that! Thanks for the comment.
My dad gave to me a handheld radio that I think is from 50s. It has one of those square batteries. Manuel dial for volume, and tuning the radio. You turn it on when you raise the volume. It is fantastic. It looks a little like the black one you have. I've had it for about 25 years. It works perfect. I like these little radios.
Hi Steven, what a great story! Vintage radios are wonderful, I have a few myself, including a Hammarlund tube radio from the late 1940s. It was restored and works wonderfully. I would love to get my hands on a portable radio from the 1950s!
I don't like manual tuning. I got mine with digital tuning, just press and it will find the stations and can be memorized. Mine is only FM/AM, more than good enough. Sound is clear, price is about $7. It comes with 1 16850 batt and can be charged via USB mini port.
I do agree, digital tuning and a memory system are very useful. I think this radio is just something so simple, it reminds people of simpler times. That is why I like it a lot. But I have nothing against digital radios, I own many of them :-)
Andrea, love your channel. I bought multiple units of both Xhdata 219 and 220. I believe 219 has a slight edge over 220. Would you agree? Greetings from New York . Enjoy your summer while we are racing towards our winters.
Hi NIsar, thank you so much for your comment! I will withhold my verdict on the D-220 vs the D-219 for now, I need some more time to be sure. As of now I am actually leaning towards the D-220 as the better performer. It is WAY harder to tune than the D-219, but it seems to be really sensitive. I think I need to compare these two side-by-side some more before I will reach my final opinion! Enjoy your winter :-) Sometimes our summer gets a bit too hot for me, then I long for colder weather.
I’m still tryna decide if I wanna pay more for the orange one 😢
Why not, you don't get many radios in an orange colour 😜 I like the green one also!
The green is nice, but I’m glad you chose it for the video, because on Amazon it looks like it would be more of an army olive green
@@ditto1958 Yes, it is lighter than what it looks like on Amazon. I expected it to be similar in colour to the Tecsun R-909 that I show in this video. But I still like it.
😅
The D-220 covers both 9 and 10 kHz on MW, by using 1 kHz steps .
This also means that you have to tune s-l-o-w-l-y in order to find the strongest point.
Tuning SW is more of a pain, because of the single cramped dial, but it does receive all strong SW stations.
It is NOT a DXer, but it does have very good reception for the price.
It really is a good little pocket radio.
Sins you are in a totally different part of the world, it will be interesting to see Your results.
📻🙂
Hi Jeff, thanks for your comment, and the explanation about the 1 kHz steps on MW. I have already found that this radio is really good on shortwave. You need to tune very, very slowly, as you say. But it picks up very many signals. And quite clearly. It is a fun radio. I will make a video soon showing how I tune it on shortwave, so that you can see how many stations I hear.
Very cool video! Maybe somebody reading this can help? I need a basic bedside radio plug in AC with digital presets on a few favorite stations! I go online & it's a weird void, either all batteries or dialed system..the wood ones seem perfect but they don't have pre- sets (?)
Thanks! What about the Sangean PR-D4W? I have one, very good sound. It covers FM, MW (AM) and weather alerts. Reception on FM and AM is quite excellent on this radio. It has alarm clock functions and displays the time. You can use D-size batteries or use the supplied power cable to keep it plugged in permanently. It has five presets for your favourite stations. It is relatively big, about the size of a large novel, but I think it's perfect as a bedside radio.
@@swlistening thanks very much! & I'm thinking about buying the OG radio from the review also. Keep up the good work
Nice little radio. The speaker grill is very similar to the D-368. How it compares with it? Have a nice day, André. Thanks for the video.
Hi Ísleif, it actually sounds quite similar to the D-368. Very similar tuning experience also.
@@swlistening That’s very nice indeed, André.
Really as good André? that's quite a reference, the D-368 has a high-quality speaker.
@@F4LDT-Alain Hi Alain, I haven't compared them side by side, but the D-220 really has very good sound. I noticed it immediately. Will do a side-by-side with the D-368 at some point.
How does this compare to the D-219 reception / sensitivity?
Thanks Andre, nice to see you in your Prime…(Amazon Prime), that is…😂! The radio looks promising and good looking, but @ $10 I will have to take out a loan …😮!
Looks like Xhdata has another winner on its hand, my question to you is the SW and MW bands better on this or the D219? The sound sounds almost as good as my D-608WWB.
73! Have a great day!
The sound does sound almost as good as the D-608WB, it has a very nice speaker. Take out that loan 😂
A comment about headphone jack volume would be nice. I’m severely hearing impaired and modern radios 📻 have this disconcerting habit of having quite muted headphone volume.
I checked it for you now and the sound via the headphone jack is not very loud. It is loud, but not exceedingly so. I checked the sound via the headphone jack on two of my other small radios. The Clooblut RD218 is quite a bit louder than the XHDATA D-220, but the loudest one is the Tecsun R-909. It is very loud indeed. It is a nice little radio also.
@@swlistening As a guy who is severely hearing impaired I really appreciate your reply and helpful information.
I know some companies deliberately mute their headphone jacks output in order to protect the hearing of young people, but it’s a real problem for the hearing impaired.
Oddly enough some of the cheapest radios have powerful headphone volume. My Panasonic RF 2400D kicks out a quite loud output. It’s my favourite because of this.
@@penguinvic9892 My pleasure. It is true what you say, manufacturers seem to be quite careful these days with audio output for headphones. Sometimes too careful, I think. On phones I find the volume output over headphones very low. Sometimes when I am at the gym I like to listen to podcasts on my phone, but the sound is so low that I really struggle to hear my podcast over all the surrounding noise.
Hey did I notice small solar panels on that yellow radio?
Hi Steve, you did! You can recharge it in the sun. Perfect for an emergency radio.
I'm a new subscriber, hope to see more videos like this
Hi Andre, I see we share a name :-) Thank you so much for your comment and for subscribing! I do unboxing and review videos quite often, and also comparisons of radios and reception videos. I hope you will enjoy my channel.
@@swlistening Hi there, Andre! It isn't my real name but I love it, I wish it was my real name. I loooove radios, especially the small ones, it brings me back to my childhood. I will definitely watch your videos. :)
@@JCalltheway I also have a real soft spot for small radios. The new D-220 is one of my favourites at the moment. I also have a Tecsun R808, it is similar to the Grundig Mini World 100 PE, do you know that one? A great radio!
@@swlistening Right? Pocket radios are awesome. Well, I'm from the Philippines. We're not big on technology so those radios that you featured on this channel might not be available here. But probably we have an equivalent for that model 😊
@@JCalltheway The R808 is not available anymore, unfortunately. But the D-220 that I show in this video, and the D-219, are great radios and not expensive. I've been to the Philippines two times already. Mostly around Sta Rita, San Fernando and Bacolor in Pampanga, and Baguio. I loved the historic cathedrals and the natural beauty.
Where is the AM radio band for emergency braudcast?
The MW band is exactly the same as AM. So this radio does have AM for emergencies.
At 16 USD, it sounds like a good entry-level unit. Amazon doesn't say whether or not FM broadcasts are stereo w/earphones, but I have to assume so. Other radios in this category are cheaper--as low as 10 USD--but most are nameless so the quality is suspect. Otherwise, a good overview.
Hi Scott, yes, it certainly is a very good entry-level radio at the price. FM is not in stereo on the headphones though.
I bought some cheap radios but they tuning doesn't hold after some time... I now have a Sony portable pocket radio for quality🎉🎉🎉
Thanks for your comment, this is very true. To put it bluntly, some radios are really cheap, cheaply made and they perform like cheap radios. I would put the D-220 in a different class though. It's not cheap, but it is inexpensive. I think it is very solidly made and should last for quite some time.
How about one earlier this week and I bought a 219 3 days ago
Actually I bought two 219 this week. And 1 220 last week
These are both really nice radios. I have three D-219s! One to use and two as back-ups :-)
Why are there two FM bands? Why not just have one with the wide spectrum?
The second FM band is in use in Brazil.
It seems like a nice little radio although the tuning seems very finicky. You can't argue with the price and it would be a good radio to have handy during power failures etc. I wonder how you found the battery life?
Hi Ivan, thank you for your comment. So far the battery life has been excellent. I use the radio quite regularly, and I have not changed the batteries yet since I got it. I don't use it every day though, but batteries seem to last long.
@@swlistening Thank you. I think I will order one to have handy.
@@ivandubinsky1857 Good choice! I really like this radio.
thank you for this video, it has sparked an interest in getting one and having the ability to listen to normal FM as well as SW. One question is can you increase reception if required in an emergency situation? Cheers Stu
Hi Stuart, thanks for your comment, glad it was helpful! I'm not 100% sure about what you mean by increasing reception? But what I have done is to attach an external antenna, a long wire, to the whip antenna. It makes a huge difference, even more signals come through. So you can certainly get even better reception by attaching a long wire.
Somehow there must be a way to enter our name for the chance to win this radio but I could not find it ?
Hi Robert, I explain how to enter in this video: th-cam.com/video/O7y-VAGY5dY/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared It's fairly simple, you just need to leave a comment.
I have just ordered the green color I have the yellow and black already
Hi Eddie, one can never have enough radios 😁 Sounds like fun to complete the collection, all the colours!
i HAD A SIX TRANSISTOR WHEN i WAS A KID......
Is that . . . a colorful radio 😃
It is! The orange one looks very nice also 😀
Hi nice colour indeed. Do compare it with Tecsun R808 when you get time.
Cheers!
New Delhi
I like the colour also! I will do many comparisons for sure, I will do one with the R-909 also, thanks for the suggestion.
no AM? we had a tornado and the only thing working and giving info was the AM broadcast
Hi Patricio, it does have AM (or, as I call it in the video, Medium Wave). In Europe and other countries AM often refers to both MW and SW, so to distinguish between the two I use the terms MW and SW. This radio definitely does cover AM, as it is known in North America.
@@swlistening cool, Im from Argentina, so not much SW or MW use. We mostly use FM and a lot on the AM
@@PatricioGarcia1973 Sure! You might get some of the Brazilian SW stations on this radio! It is sensitive enough. But it will serve you well on MW.
Cool
Thanks!
what do you mean by digital radio? Does it receive radio channels from internet?
Hi Mohamed, I mean that it is a DSP radio, that means digital signal processing. So there is a digital chip inside the radio that processes the signals. All FM, MW and SW signals that reach the radio are processed into sound that our ears can understand by this digital chip. It does not receive internet radio.
How do you know if you have the 10khz AM steps vs the 9khz AM steps???
This is actually a very good question, I don't know the answer. Some people say the radio works in 1 kHz steps on MW, others say there are 9 kHz and 10 kHz step versions. I don't know at this point. I will contact XHDATA and try to find the answer.
The band that starts with 64 Mhz tunes in 9 Khz steps. The 87-108 Mhz band tunes in 10 Khz steps. I think they included the lower FM band for Japan, that uses it. I think Europe might use 9 Khz steps too. I don't know the step size for the SW bands.
That is not a bad price 15 something they just do not play Buffalo Bills games on internet radio.. in the end you might need shortwave to get any news
I agree, you get a nice radio at a good price. Right now it is available on Amazon for just $13.
Dre!
Wow only $13 on Amazon in USA! What a bargain!
Indeed, it's a good radio, for a good price.
No AM stations?
It does have AM. MW is the same as what is called AM in some countries.
OK thanks you learn something new everyday, Aloha 😀
cool accent, here from the USA , maybe u are USA also, you can recharge AA battery as well almost anywhere if you have the kit
Thanks for your nice comment about my accent! I'm not in the USA though, I'm in South Africa 😀 It's true, these batteries are quite easy to recharge with the right kit. I generally keep a whole bunch of extra AA batteries anyway, you never know when you might need them. They are quite cheap and remain charged for a very long time.
Is this a rechargeable radio
No, it's not rechargeable. Uses just regular AA batteries, with no recharging function.
Pocket 4 band radio these features find it on bigger units
Hi Urbano, yes, indeed, there are better features on bigger radios. But this one is great for what it is!
@@swlistening still a great device for pocket radio.......the major brands don't make them any more
@@UrbanoDagrippino I agree, it's a terrific pocket radio! Great that XHDATA is making something like this.
Of course the small radio has a 10 khz step on medium wave. Anyone here think it would be 1 khz steps? This would be the equivalent of 1200 frequency steps of one khz each on a tiny radio... Impossible. Even the big brother D219 with its spread bands only uses 9 khz steps on medium wave.
Hi Markus, thank you for this. There were some reviewers who said that it has 1 kHz steps, but thank you for your explanation.
No AM frequency?
It does have AM. MW is the same as what is known as AM in the US and some other countries.
I think the sound is only average.
Hi Fred, thanks for your comment! I certainly agree, compared to more expensive and bigger radios this is only average. But I think it sounds great for a small pocket radio. The other pocket radios I have sound more tinny, this one has just a bit of warmth to it. I find it pleasant enough to listen to for extended periods of time.
Why do one need a separate radio when the smartphone comes with radio app installed.
It's nice to have a real radio as backup for when the internet fails during a storm or a power cut. Or for when you are far away from reliable connections. Or just to use on a daily basis without having to always connect via WiFi or mobile data.
It has FM but no AM band.
It does actually have MW (or AM, as it is called in the US).
From KB8VJR
So what is the rational for having 2 FM bands, when one of them completely overlaps the other? One goes low enough to pick up Japanese FM stations but only if you are in Japan - makes no sense to have that capability being sold in the US! You can't DX on FM.
Good question Hank, I don't know why they added a second FM band. I think Brazil also goes down to 76 MHz, so it would work in Brazil and Japan.
@@swlistening You are right. AM radio is being discontinued in Brazil. Fm has been expanded so the old AM radios could move to fm, and now fm starts at 76 MHz in Brazil.
America is not the world...
@@1michelmarques Hi Michel, thanks for this. Now I understand the reason for the expanded FM band in Brazil.
Too bad it doesn't have an outlet for external power.
I think this one is very power-efficient, I have a feeling the batteries will last for months. I really like the fact that it uses regular AA batteries.
Why do TH-camrs make a song and dance about unpacking stuff?
Because it is like opening a gift for many of us :-) Fun to see what is inside.
Looks like a 45 year old Sony. I mean a clone of it.
True :-) I guess most pocket radios are more or less clones of one another, not too much you can do in terms of design with such a small radio.
No AM , nope for me
Hi Edward, it does have AM. MW is the same as AM.
I won't buy a brand new, scratched up radio regardless of the price.
Hi Marcus, the scratch on mine is so small, I don't really mind.
Small radios are out. Too noisy and hard to understand the language.
Hi Rafael, I think there are some small radios with very good sound, and they are not noisy. Like the D-220. And also the Clooblut RD218. Have a look at this comparison that I uploaded today, between the small $10 Clooblut and the much bigger and the much more expensive Tecsun PL-680: th-cam.com/video/Zc8lrphO7LM/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
impressice. sound
I agree, for the small size it sounds really good.