This is the best reviews that I ever seen on yt about Qodosen dx286 radio that's why I could make up my mind and ordered it, thanks bro love from Punjab India🇮🇳
Fred Alabama USA here I got mine yesterday I can't say enough about this radio. It out performed my 909x2 and my 990x I did a local FM band scan yesterday I got 86 FM stations in am it's silly it works so amazingly well. And for it's size the sound isn't half bad.. I've got 16 radios all different kinds this DX-286 beats them all for what it is ......
The day I purchased, I falled in love, and pushed to me for FM Dxing😂. Thanks Sir 🙏 Try it with a tuneable passive loop antenna connected by 3.5mm plug and activate Ext Antenna.... LOVE IT! RECOMMENDED IT❤
Well my radio arrived and I have to say I'm more than impressed with the FM reception. I have owned various radios like these over the years Eton E5, numourous Tecsun models, XHData, Radiwow, TEF6686 and this tops them all on FM
Fred I’ve had the QoDosen SR-286 since April 2024 and don’t see much difference except in the setting features which are different on a few features such as Amp / Ext antenna selection much more of a pain to change. No battery was included, fortunately I had bought a set of 18650’s and charger for my order of a Clockwork PI computer (been waiting for over 7 months and counting) . The charger included with my battery order is much quicker than the internal charger. 73! Have a great day!
DX is not an updated version of SR, they are basically identical. SR is sold in the domestic market while DX is for international buyers. I got the clarification from their online store in China before making my SR purchase. SR documentations are all in Chinese.
Just ordered one, you certainly sold one to me after your review regarding the using of it for FM. I am currently using a TEF6686 v1 and an XHData D-808, I also have an old Tecsun PL-310 but I'd been considering one of these and you helped make the final decision for me. The only one I could find for sale was via your link, couldn't find them from anyone else on Amazon, none on eBay or even AliExpress. Thanks Fred
HI FRED looks like a good radio, seems to do everything well, and that's a new one on me you can't post lithium batteries , because I've get mine from Amazon and I call that being posted, anyway thanks again mate, ps were is this SKIP.lol. ALAN 💯🍻👍
There are shipping restrictions on the lithium batteries because they can ignite. There's more than one plane had fires in the hold, and look at all the ebike fires because they the batteries. They are doing the right thing. Oh, i see that someone has already commented about ultrfire batteries, one of the makes up there with the worst of the worst. Quick rule for safety, don't buy any batteries with fire in the name, lots of them are rubbish and fire starters. There are plenty of well known battery makers sell them and they are more expensive but a few pounds extra for a safe battery is much better than a fire and the subsequent damage.
I got this radio and found it to be super sensitive with great performance and great sounding stereo with headphones. All this good performance comes at the cost of it's high power draw of around 0.180 amps on FM and 0.160 amps for AM plus the backlight adds an extra 6ma when it's on. You can even feel a warm spot on the back of the radio after a while. This would still give about 15 hours of operation from a good quality 18650 cell though. Some additional audio gain for the headphone jack would be nice so I can use it as an assistive listening receiver on 72.1Mhz at churches and other venues since this is much cheaper then say the Listen Technologies LR3200 72Mhz receiver I saw on B&H photo.
@johnman1286 The PDF instructions online say that you will feel a warm spot on the back, and that it’s normal, due to the special chip used in the radio. Nothing to be concerned about.
Thanks for the review! It's on Amazon UK for £70 and then I found this! XHDATA D-808 Portable Digital Radio FM stereo/SW/MW/LW SSB RDS Air Band Multi Band Radio Speaker with LCD Amber Backlit Display Alarm Clock External Antenna for £80 would be good to A-B compare the FM stage?. I was always a London Pirate fanatic and they would often be in Mono especially the reggae and dub stations across London. I haven't experienced that much FM DX recently unless portable on a hill with other Amateur Radio equipment. I like the 4-5 FM processsing options, i'd need to run it through my Yamaha monitors or decent headphones to really hear it properly. Shame no USB C , is it firmware upgradable? Any Website support?
Receiver sensitivity is only one of many factors that make a good receiver. Selectivity, rejection, filtering, stability, bandwidth, dynamic range, and many other of the considerations that make a receiver a good or even excellent receiver sadly overlooked in the majority of reviews.
Great review . We have them in the US now. I have the TECSUN PL 990X and that great. That one is better on receive. Missing SSB but think a newer model will have that . For that 18650 battery you can get like 2 buttery's and a charger and a LED light Cheap now. Why buy just the battery . Flashlight or torch light is always needed . Radio shack in US before they closed had 18650 in stock. mine still work. only a few quit. Going out of business sale, I bought them all at 70% off. Flash lights, phones, radio ,CB and a whole bunch of stuff. They gave me free stuff as well. I filled the car ! . That a fun radio to DX with ! We can hear stories about crop circles in the UK on SW radio. LOL Cheers from NY !
This radio is very good near "blowtorches" on FM, it can handle these signals and still pick out the weaker ones due to the multiple FM banwidths. Now take a radio such as the Xhdata D-808 which cannot handle strong signals as good as the 286 and has a very wide FM bandwidth setting that cannot be changed. BUT put the D-808 up against the 286 in an area that does not have blow torches nearby and the clear winner is the D-808 for picking up signals by some margin over the 286.
Interesting review. I have had the Sihuadon D808 for a year of so here in the Philippines. I am 20 floors up and receive what little channels there are here okay. Might have to give this one a try.
Hi, the connector appears to be a micro USB, not mini. I don't like micro USB connectors as they seem to break off the PCB too easily. However, if you use a lead with a magnetic end you can leave the plug in the radio and just connect the magnetic lead to charge when required without putting excess stress on the charge socket.
Thanks for the video Fred, I would like to see your thoughts on how you think the XHDATA D-808 compares with this radio. I have just got the 808 and not sure I can justify another purchase for this one... Yet!
I have the Sr286 which i think is one of the earlier versions, mine came with soft pouch carbon fibre look hard case and to my surprise a battery which i wasn't expecting
It sound an impressive radio.... It's a shame there is no "BFO" for listening to "SSB" & "CW" broadcasts on the shortwave bands. Maybe they will include that on a future model ? Thanks for the review.
I’m really enjoying my Dx-286 and if they ever bring one out with the same chip and SW SSB if it’s even possible, I don’t know, I’d buy another one…and yep, the stickers don’t stick 😂
Sounds interesting - but not available in Uk or Ireland yet? Amazon only from US... that and customs would put that radio way over €100 here. Considering no battery included it is a rather expensive little radio. Then again, you can use it directly from a small solar panel or external battery, without a battery present inside the radio. It made me immediately think of the Tecsun 380, which was a great little radio. If the quality of this qodosen is similar then it will be a fine little travel compagnion! I like that the basic every day functions are easily accessible and all the complicated stuff for radio-nerds is hidden away - good for 2 different consumer groups. Yep, looking forward to what really will hit the shops here after first tests and critics...😊
@@CB-RADIO-UK Yes, I agree. I would love to try the FM sensitivity in the FM-mess we have over here in Ireland! It sounds great, looking forward to it!
I ordered a DX-286 from the official Qodosen store on AE last week. It should reach Malaysia by the end of this week. 📻♥️ Although I got to know the Qodosen SR-286 last year, I didn't order one immediately as I felt the price was too high for a non SSB receiver. At the time the SR-286 was priced between the Tecsun PL-680 and PL-880, so I decided to wait and see if prices will come tumbling down in 2024. I'd say my patience paid off handsomely! 😄📻👍🏼
I just received mine today. So far… not love at first sight, as there definitely is a learning curve with this radio. I’m using the basic functions, though, and it is most certainly a very sensitive receiver. Very small, but seems to be well made. So… we shall see. I have a lot to learn. 😊 EDIT: I agree, kickstand is pathetic. They need to strengthen it or delete it entirely. I’ve used this a bit now, and it’s and excellent radio. Very, very sensitive.
Hi Fred, I noticed the batteries you displayed to buy, the first battery is 3.7v / 3500 mah @ £15.99 and the torch pack being cheaper @ £12.99 but in the description of the charger DC 5V 1-3A, Output voltage: DC 4.2V 1000mA, so maybe better for the batteries you showed first would be better if the radio has the power to charge the 3500mah batteries giving you longer use between charging.
Use the USB power cord supplied to operate the radio without a battery. You shouldn't be telling people they can't play it without a battery. That is just not true. Otherwise, you gave a nice review of a very good product for the money. In my experience, you would have to move up to a $300.00 radio to get the same sensitivity; even then, there is no guarantee you would receive the same number of stations as the DX-286. It is hard to beat this little gem.
True but you will barely hear any MW/SW signals if powering only by a regular USB wall wart (or a computer), too much digital/switching noise. You can sometimes find a better (much bigger) transformer-based micro USB power supply for these radios which will be an improvement but still not as interference free as the battery
Nice one Fred, (you're getting good at this now😉) Can we see thru the grill, see if the Speaker is Round, or Rectangular.? All quality Comm's speakers should be rectangle. As for User/Instruction Manual. Leave it by the bog, you can take a load on, while dropping one off.😆
Yeah, they are usually the "optional extra" external speaker. Electrophone 63cm CB Radios have one mounted in the front facia, as do the Sawtron. Square is ok but Eliptical and Rectangular are the standouts. I'll leave this with you for 24hrs. See if anyone can come up with Why.
If for DX FM, you need a balanced antenna input. I see no PL-259 socket. I would like precise info on the antenna socket, impedence, etc. For DX, surely you would want to have a Yagi antenna or some other more sophisticated antenna (e.g., Cubical Quad). And I am wondering how this radio compares with a computer dongle radio with software.
I know. Ive heard him so many times testing radio around the 17 MHz range i actually take a min to listen to him now. I love the way he asks a question and then answers it himself in a slightly different voice.
lack of battery - maybe the manufacturer wanted to saved some trouble by not having to jump through the hoops necessary to certify for shipping with lithium battery (which would have increased the price, I suppose)
@6:53 the fact is we as consumers are going to have to be more cognizant of the fact of the restrictions that are being placed on anyone shipping lithium batteries, and the added cost and restrictions on those that are shipping particularly in bulk.
I ve got a Tecsun 600. On FM it is much more sensitive. I would say on SW that its prob on par with the cheaper tecsun but my 600 with its smooth PL tuning is better.
nice little set that pity about the lack of ssb. minor nitpicks its a micro usb on that set not a mini the mini plug is more squared off either way on a set of this age and size it really should have been usb c guess that was a little bit of penny pinching from the manif. and finally you complemented the packages for having the case and bag for the price then in the next breath you moan about the lack of battery make your mind up!
I think the foam lined case is a nice touch. The battery issue cannot be ignored though as most people wont have an 18650 to hand so you need to know this before you buy. There is also the cost of the battery compared to the cost of the radio which is high.
Hello Fred. As a bit of a noob, I’m unsure why this radio costs about eighty quid and whether it’s any better for an average user than an El Cheapo radio from Argos, or even Aliexpress etc?
Hi. Its a specialized radio with the Teff chipset. The amount of adjustment in the menu effecting the performance is mind bending. Its a FM DX'ers dream.
@@CB-RADIO-UK Thanks, all a bit over my simple head I’m afraid Fred lol. I doubt I’d get the best out of it as I’m not the best with this type of tech. Maybe one day I’ll take the plunge and see if I can enjoy it as much as you obviously do. Have a good week friend.
You know , there is so much ignorance about how radio works . A station can only put out so much energy . The sensitivity is relavent to how far away from that station you are located . Now if you want to receive stations outside of the market area , you need a larger antenna that is higher up off the ground ! Radio works by line of sight as well .
Update!! Here in the US Amazon is now shipping these with two (2) batteries included. For anyone who was put off by battery not included, problem solved! This is a really good radio, and now there is no reason not to buy one. 😊
I'm using Vapcell N40 4000mAh Protected. It fits into the battery compartment nicely. It has been tested by many to be true to its stated capacity. My charger confirms that.
Oooops it’s not! Try the Sony ICF-2001D BUT replace transistor Q303 and lift resistor L302 and then try it, also try it on a short reel antenna and you will be surprised. You will find it now out performs the Qodosen……👍
You should write "Qodosen", not "Qodeosen". You should switch to RDS instead of the American variant RBDS. You should use the bandwidth switch to get clearer sound on AM. You should be dancing, yeah!
@@chucky2316 Well, that then would be the perfect radio for you! UK soon switching off, but Ireland is not going for digital-FM - staying with good old analog FM! So you need a sensitive radio to be able to get analog-FM from Ireland!😉
@@CB-RADIO-UK I tried this radio but I am in remote area where AM reception is weak. It didn't pull in many stations. The only portable radio I have found that works OK in my location is the CC from Crane. Dropped mine and it died. They are a little expensive so looking for something less expensive. Probably doesn't exist.
Well... the Qodosen is a good, very sensitive radio. But - I am mainly interested in shortwave listening. And the dx 286 may be a sensitive receiver, it receives a lot on SW with its telescope antenna, but is is overloades with even short additional wires. A 6m longwire plugged in the antenna connector improves signal strength (the manual makes believe additional anennal work only on MW or LW) , but on SW there are clear signs of overload, lots of noise where it shouldnt be. My Belka, however, works very well with a 20m- longwire and is the better receiver especially for DX-ing shortwave radio. I need them both!
Well, for a person who knows nothing about wireless communications, buying a radio like this may be appealing. But from the standpoint of a broadcast engineer, it's a POS. You can have the best receiver in the world, but if you don't have a resonate antenna 60 -120 feet off the ground and a low loss feedline, you don't have anything. Yes it might pick up KDKA OR WWV , but what are you trying to listen to that you cannot hear with the internet and your cell phone? I guess the goal should be to be able to listen to ham radio because they are the only one in your neighborhood that will be taking on the frequencies I would hope this radio receives. And without a good receiver that can separate one station from the next, with good filtering, which this radio doesn't have. All you are left with is a expensive toy that doesn't do anything all that well.
Hmmm, I like that you can switch from internal loopstick antenna to the other option, but you don't want to use the short telescoping antenna in AM broadcast mode or shortwave mode without clipping on to the whip a random wire antenna. Idealy when you switch the internal loop antenna off while in AM broadcast or shortwave mode one uses the jack to input from a random wire antenna. Why, because antennas designed to work well have a length that is a factor of the wave length such as the 1/4 vertical antenna. The 160 meter shortwave band which is higher in frequency than the AM broadcast band would require a 40 meter vertical antenna which is a bit larger than the whip. So, with this in mind use the whip for FM & if AM broadcast use jack or clip on a long wire to the whip. Does look quite nice & price is great..
![MV วิถีชีวิตใต้ - ผา อัยย๊ะ [Official MV HD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nODlkOUu9B0/mqdefault.jpg)
This is the best reviews that I ever seen on yt about Qodosen dx286 radio that's why I could make up my mind and ordered it, thanks bro love from Punjab India🇮🇳
Hi. Thanks glad it was helpful.
Hi , I too am in India , how does one order this from India ? Any help is great
This is my 1991 Sony ICF-SW1 radio, I bought during a coup in Thailand to get news. Amazing for size, still works.
Fred Alabama USA here I got mine yesterday I can't say enough about this radio. It out performed my 909x2 and my 990x I did a local FM band scan yesterday I got 86 FM stations in am it's silly it works so amazingly well. And for it's size the sound isn't half bad.. I've got 16 radios all different kinds this DX-286 beats them all for what it is ......
Good to hear. Prob the best FM radio ive ever tested.
Thanks for the comprehensive review Fred.
Very helpful.
Cheers Lewis.
Still using my restored 1952 Lafayette HE-10 8 tube MW/SW rig. It’s sad the death of the old fashioned international SW stations.
You can purchase 18650 batteries at your local Vape shop as they are used in vape mods.
В вейп магазинах продают высокотоковые аккумуляторы, что не есть лучшим выбором для радио.
After watching your radio I ordered one. It will be here tomorrow. Very excited to check it out myself.
Hope you enjoy it!
A beautiful little radio. I've got an XHDATA D-808 with FM, LW/MW, SW and Air bands. This one you are looking at is a lovely set.
The day I purchased, I falled in love, and pushed to me for FM Dxing😂. Thanks Sir 🙏
Try it with a tuneable passive loop antenna connected by 3.5mm plug and activate Ext Antenna.... LOVE IT! RECOMMENDED IT❤
Well my radio arrived and I have to say I'm more than impressed with the FM reception. I have owned various radios like these over the years Eton E5, numourous Tecsun models, XHData, Radiwow, TEF6686 and this tops them all on FM
Have you played with the different FM processing features?
Why you don't have a few hundred thousand subscribers is a mystery.
Fred I’ve had the QoDosen SR-286 since April 2024 and don’t see much difference except in the setting features which are different on a few features such as Amp / Ext antenna selection much more of a pain to change. No battery was included, fortunately I had bought a set of 18650’s and charger for my order of a Clockwork PI computer (been waiting for over 7 months and counting) . The charger included with my battery order is much quicker than the internal charger.
73! Have a great day!
Oh clockwork PI now thats interesting.
Brilliant little radio, thanks for your review
Used to love the offshore pirate radio station Laser 558 broadcast from the MV Communicator ship on MW wave back in the 80s.
DX is not an updated version of SR, they are basically identical. SR is sold in the domestic market while DX is for international buyers. I got the clarification from their online store in China before making my SR purchase. SR documentations are all in Chinese.
thats what i was impressed with the Raddy it came with its own case and loop antenna
Just ordered one, you certainly sold one to me after your review regarding the using of it for FM.
I am currently using a TEF6686 v1 and an XHData D-808, I also have an old Tecsun PL-310 but I'd been considering one of these and you helped make the final decision for me.
The only one I could find for sale was via your link, couldn't find them from anyone else on Amazon, none on eBay or even AliExpress. Thanks Fred
Hi. Thanks. Yes they are not selling world wide yet. Pity as the radio is really popular.
HI FRED looks like a good radio, seems to do everything well, and that's a new one on me you can't post lithium batteries , because I've get mine from Amazon and I call that being posted, anyway thanks again mate, ps were is this SKIP.lol. ALAN 💯🍻👍
Yes most things come through ok with batteries these days.
Great review! Love the Rx. Sold!
Very nice broadcast receiver. Thank you.
There are shipping restrictions on the lithium batteries because they can ignite. There's more than one plane had fires in the hold, and look at all the ebike fires because they the batteries. They are doing the right thing.
Oh, i see that someone has already commented about ultrfire batteries, one of the makes up there with the worst of the worst. Quick rule for safety, don't buy any batteries with fire in the name, lots of them are rubbish and fire starters. There are plenty of well known battery makers sell them and they are more expensive but a few pounds extra for a safe battery is much better than a fire and the subsequent damage.
th-cam.com/video/ZTzEHsJVZhA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yL6-stANBCKajBJo
Yes agree. Or better if a battery is supplied and shipped from the UK.
Ok, but why do other radios from China come with a battery? Tecsun, XHData…
You can ship things with Lithium batteries in the U.S. you just have to ship it ground.
I got this radio and found it to be super sensitive with great performance and great sounding stereo with headphones. All this good performance comes at the cost of it's high power draw of around 0.180 amps on FM and 0.160 amps for AM plus the backlight adds an extra 6ma when it's on. You can even feel a warm spot on the back of the radio after a while. This would still give about 15 hours of operation from a good quality 18650 cell though. Some additional audio gain for the headphone jack would be nice so I can use it as an assistive listening receiver on 72.1Mhz at churches and other venues since this is much cheaper then say the Listen Technologies LR3200 72Mhz receiver I saw on B&H photo.
@johnman1286 The PDF instructions online say that you will feel a warm spot on the back, and that it’s normal, due to the special chip used in the radio. Nothing to be concerned about.
Thank-You so Much! By chance I happen to have a spare 18650 so will order ASAP, I have missed Radio since my 909 died on me.
Another great vid Fred so many new radios coming out cheap to tinker with it's great watching u testing em out 👍
Thanks.
I think a BFO would have been a nice addition. Great review, thx
Thanks for the review! It's on Amazon UK for £70 and then I found this! XHDATA D-808 Portable Digital Radio FM stereo/SW/MW/LW SSB RDS Air Band Multi Band Radio Speaker with LCD Amber Backlit Display Alarm Clock External Antenna for £80 would be good to A-B compare the FM stage?. I was always a London Pirate fanatic and they would often be in Mono especially the reggae and dub stations across London. I haven't experienced that much FM DX recently unless portable on a hill with other Amateur Radio equipment. I like the 4-5 FM processsing options, i'd need to run it through my Yamaha monitors or decent headphones to really hear it properly. Shame no USB C , is it firmware upgradable? Any Website support?
Receiver sensitivity is only one of many factors that make a good receiver. Selectivity, rejection, filtering, stability, bandwidth, dynamic range, and many other of the considerations that make a receiver a good or even excellent receiver sadly overlooked in the majority of reviews.
Great review . We have them in the US now. I have the TECSUN PL 990X and that great. That one is better on receive. Missing SSB but think a newer model will have that . For that 18650 battery you can get like 2 buttery's and a charger and a LED light Cheap now. Why buy just the battery . Flashlight or torch light is always needed . Radio shack in US before they closed had 18650 in stock. mine still work. only a few quit. Going out of business sale, I bought them all at 70% off. Flash lights, phones, radio ,CB and a whole bunch of stuff. They gave me free stuff as well. I filled the car ! . That a fun radio to DX with ! We can hear stories about crop circles in the UK on SW radio. LOL Cheers from NY !
Hi and thanks for the info.
This radio is very good near "blowtorches" on FM, it can handle these signals and still pick out the weaker ones due to the multiple FM banwidths. Now take a radio such as the Xhdata D-808 which cannot handle strong signals as good as the 286 and has a very wide FM bandwidth setting that cannot be changed. BUT put the D-808 up against the 286 in an area that does not have blow torches nearby and the clear winner is the D-808 for picking up signals by some margin over the 286.
That's why you can never have enough radios
Interesting review. I have had the Sihuadon D808 for a year of so here in the Philippines. I am 20 floors up and receive what little channels there are here okay. Might have to give this one a try.
Hi, the connector appears to be a micro USB, not mini. I don't like micro USB connectors as they seem to break off the PCB too easily. However, if you use a lead with a magnetic end you can leave the plug in the radio and just connect the magnetic lead to charge when required without putting excess stress on the charge socket.
Thanks for the video Fred, I would like to see your thoughts on how you think the XHDATA D-808 compares with this radio. I have just got the 808 and not sure I can justify another purchase for this one... Yet!
Hi. Yes currently testing the 808 but not covered SW/SSB yet.
I have the Sr286 which i think is one of the earlier versions, mine came with soft pouch carbon fibre look hard case and to my surprise a battery which i wasn't expecting
Good compact radio, great presentation from you Mr Fred.
56CT004
It sound an impressive radio....
It's a shame there is no "BFO" for listening to "SSB" & "CW" broadcasts on the shortwave bands. Maybe they will include that on a future model ?
Thanks for the review.
Super review. Thanks!!
Farpoint Farms just did a video of the same radio, Qodosen must be sending them out to everyone
Thats normally how it goes.
I should like to note that in the US, you have the option of getting one with two batteries included for an extra 10 freedom dollars.
th-cam.com/video/CB-WJbnztBQ/w-d-xo.html
Qodeosen DX-286 AM lw FM sw 4band portable receiver is awesome my friend
Nice little radio, I guess Retekess can learn a thing or two from these guys. That's a micro-USB not mini-USB port.
I’m really enjoying my Dx-286 and if they ever bring one out with the same chip and SW SSB if it’s even possible, I don’t know, I’d buy another one…and yep, the stickers don’t stick 😂
Batteries are listed as a hazmat. And It cost extra to ship a hazmat.
Sounds interesting - but not available in Uk or Ireland yet? Amazon only from US... that and customs would put that radio way over €100 here. Considering no battery included it is a rather expensive little radio. Then again, you can use it directly from a small solar panel or external battery, without a battery present inside the radio.
It made me immediately think of the Tecsun 380, which was a great little radio. If the quality of this qodosen is similar then it will be a fine little travel compagnion! I like that the basic every day functions are easily accessible and all the complicated stuff for radio-nerds is hidden away - good for 2 different consumer groups. Yep, looking forward to what really will hit the shops here after first tests and critics...😊
Yes were hoping they will soon ship to the UK. Very intersting Teff chip though.
@@CB-RADIO-UK Yes, I agree. I would love to try the FM sensitivity in the FM-mess we have over here in Ireland! It sounds great, looking forward to it!
I ordered a DX-286 from the official Qodosen store on AE last week. It should reach Malaysia by the end of this week. 📻♥️
Although I got to know the Qodosen SR-286 last year, I didn't order one immediately as I felt the price was too high for a non SSB receiver. At the time the SR-286 was priced between the Tecsun PL-680 and PL-880, so I decided to wait and see if prices will come tumbling down in 2024.
I'd say my patience paid off handsomely! 😄📻👍🏼
Do you recommend the Qododen dx-286 for learning to use as a beginner? A great review!
Yes i would say so as it very easy to operate and receives a lot of freqs.
@@CB-RADIO-UK Thank you for your reply & this is the best review I have seen about this radio!
I ordered my Qodosen dx286 today & I am to receive it this Sunday
Appearance wise it is a dead ringer for the Sony ICF-SW1S from the 80s.
No it’s not. Speaker looks the same…..that’s about it.
The Qodosen DX-286 is a extraordinary DXer due to its chip TEF6686 built in its circuitry!
Yes thats what your paying for and the amount of adjustment and tuning in the menus.
I just received mine today. So far… not love at first sight, as there definitely is a learning curve with this radio. I’m using the basic functions, though, and it is most certainly a very sensitive receiver. Very small, but seems to be well made. So… we shall see. I have a lot to learn. 😊
EDIT: I agree, kickstand is pathetic. They need to strengthen it or delete it entirely. I’ve used this a bit now, and it’s and excellent radio. Very, very sensitive.
Very sensitive. Great for dxing long wave ndbs
Hi Fred, I noticed the batteries you displayed to buy, the first battery is 3.7v / 3500 mah @ £15.99 and the torch pack being cheaper @ £12.99 but in the description of the charger DC 5V 1-3A, Output voltage: DC 4.2V 1000mA, so maybe better for the batteries you showed first would be better if the radio has the power to charge the 3500mah batteries giving you longer use between charging.
Good point.
Good one Fred, better than the sdr..... if they can figure out how to add ssb...... 73 ed
Very nice
12.015 Voice of Korea
Was coming in good
Use the USB power cord supplied to operate the radio without a battery. You shouldn't be telling people they can't play it without a battery. That is just not true. Otherwise, you gave a nice review of a very good product for the money. In my experience, you would have to move up to a $300.00 radio to get the same sensitivity; even then, there is no guarantee you would receive the same number of stations as the DX-286. It is hard to beat this little gem.
True but you will barely hear any MW/SW signals if powering only by a regular USB wall wart (or a computer), too much digital/switching noise. You can sometimes find a better (much bigger) transformer-based micro USB power supply for these radios which will be an improvement but still not as interference free as the battery
Looks similar to a SONY from the late 80's with the addition of RDS
Frid in the shed your TH-cam videos are awesome my friend
Nice one Fred, (you're getting good at this now😉)
Can we see thru the grill, see if the Speaker is Round, or Rectangular.? All quality Comm's speakers should be rectangle.
As for User/Instruction Manual. Leave it by the bog, you can take a load on, while dropping one off.😆
Hi. Cannot say that any of my radios feature a square speaker including my Yaesu.
Yeah, they are usually the "optional extra" external speaker. Electrophone 63cm CB Radios have one mounted in the front facia, as do the Sawtron.
Square is ok but Eliptical and Rectangular are the standouts.
I'll leave this with you for 24hrs. See if anyone can come up with Why.
Rectangular speakers are inferior to round in all circumstances.
Nice review! My 286 is coming soon. Please, where did you buy this antenna? Or where can I get it?
Hi The buy link for the GA-800 is in this video rewiew. th-cam.com/video/9LdNV2l-WSg/w-d-xo.html
Great review! Unfortunately, not currently available on Amazon, at the moment.
Thanks. Yes thats the only issue that the radio is hard to get hold of.
I sees it there now . 79.99 USD
Shipping & VAT to my country double the price (Norway)
If for DX FM, you need a balanced antenna input. I see no PL-259 socket. I would like precise info on the antenna socket, impedence, etc.
For DX, surely you would want to have a Yagi antenna or some other more sophisticated antenna (e.g., Cubical Quad). And I am wondering how this radio compares with a computer dongle radio with software.
Its a portable radio so a pl 259 is out. A BNC would have been nice though.
No ssb tho very worth a play with for sure 👍
My guess it doesn't come with a lithium battery it's easier and less complicated to ship. Otherwise, I think they would.
They are now shipped with 2 batteries.
Even the UK can't escape Brother Stair...
I know. Ive heard him so many times testing radio around the 17 MHz range i actually take a min to listen to him now. I love the way he asks a question and then answers it himself in a slightly different voice.
lack of battery - maybe the manufacturer wanted to saved some trouble by not having to jump through the hoops necessary to certify for shipping with lithium battery (which would have increased the price, I suppose)
See here. th-cam.com/video/CB-WJbnztBQ/w-d-xo.html
The radio is sold with batteries $10 more on Amazon.
@6:53 the fact is we as consumers are going to have to be more cognizant of the fact of the restrictions that are being placed on anyone shipping lithium batteries, and the added cost and restrictions on those that are shipping particularly in bulk.
Yeah your right. I think if they stock in the UK it should solve the shipping issue.
I prefer to purchase my own batteries. To criticize a radio because it does not come with a battery is absurd.
Did you hear the plane fly past. How does it compare to the tecsuns
I ve got a Tecsun 600. On FM it is much more sensitive. I would say on SW that its prob on par with the cheaper tecsun but my 600 with its smooth PL tuning is better.
nice little set that pity about the lack of ssb. minor nitpicks its a micro usb on that set not a mini the mini plug is more squared off either way on a set of this age and size it really should have been usb c guess that was a little bit of penny pinching from the manif. and finally you complemented the packages for having the case and bag for the price then in the next breath you moan about the lack of battery make your mind up!
I think the foam lined case is a nice touch. The battery issue cannot be ignored though as most people wont have an 18650 to hand so you need to know this before you buy. There is also the cost of the battery compared to the cost of the radio which is high.
It might be sensitive - but what is the SELECTIVITY like? - - The Aliexpress link comes up with "Not available in your country" (UK)
Yes its a hard radio to buy from the UK. Mentioned in the video.
It's Sony ICF-SW1 design clone. Not Tecsun. Also micro USB, not mini.
Hello Fred. As a bit of a noob, I’m unsure why this radio costs about eighty quid and whether it’s any better for an average user than an El Cheapo radio from Argos, or even Aliexpress etc?
Hi. Its a specialized radio with the Teff chipset. The amount of adjustment in the menu effecting the performance is mind bending. Its a FM DX'ers dream.
@@CB-RADIO-UK Thanks, all a bit over my simple head I’m afraid Fred lol. I doubt I’d get the best out of it as I’m not the best with this type of tech. Maybe one day I’ll take the plunge and see if I can enjoy it as much as you obviously do. Have a good week friend.
You know , there is so much ignorance about how radio works . A station can only put out so much energy .
The sensitivity is relavent to how far away from that station you are located .
Now if you want to receive stations outside of the market area , you need a larger antenna that is higher up off the ground !
Radio works by line of sight as well .
Frid in the shed I learn lot from you about bying cb radios and antennas for cb radios and power supplys for cb radios my friend
It reminds my of the Sony ICF-SW1 mini SW Receiver. Shoot, does go to 27 MHz only😢. Does it receive modern DRM and DAB+?
Afraid not.
Frid in the shed iam thinking about getting the XHDATA D-608WB AM FM sw wx Bt mp3 weather Alert emergency portable receiver my friend
Update!! Here in the US Amazon is now shipping these with two (2) batteries included. For anyone who was put off by battery not included, problem solved! This is a really good radio, and now there is no reason not to buy one. 😊
Hi. Yes they emailed me. I ve made a video and will publish on Weds. Just need it stocked in the UK now. Thanks for the info.
No USB-C and no SSB? That's a pass for me.
They must to resolve that flimsy backstand 😢
Yeah i does need to be better.
Hi where can you buy these radios
Currently only from USA amazon. Sometimes on Aliexpress.
What is the highest quality 18650 battery that will give this radio the longest runtime available on Amazon Prime? TY!
Hard to say. There as so many fake batteries out there. I would read the amazon review comment closely.
I'm using Vapcell N40 4000mAh Protected. It fits into the battery compartment nicely. It has been tested by many to be true to its stated capacity. My charger confirms that.
No side band? For the same price you can get the Tecsun PL330 with Side Band, so why bother with this?
I guess for the FM DXing... Or just an alternative DSP chipset. I'm happy with my PL330 but I'm jealous of the special carry case lol.
You can pick up the Tecsun PL330 for about half of what this costs.
The Tecsun was never half the cost and when last in stock on Amazon UK it was £65 so about the same. It does offer SSB though.
Oooops it’s not! Try the Sony ICF-2001D BUT replace transistor Q303 and lift resistor L302 and then try it, also try it on a short reel antenna and you will be surprised.
You will find it now out performs the Qodosen……👍
The clock doesn't seem to have a 12/24 hr setup and only display am/pm which is so outdated middle age measure of time.
You should write "Qodosen", not "Qodeosen".
You should switch to RDS instead of the American variant RBDS.
You should use the bandwidth switch to get clearer sound on AM.
You should be dancing, yeah!
Many thanks for picking up the typo as i missed that. Cheers and beers.
Now if they just made a newer version with form factor and speaker of PL880 then it would be near perfect
Apparently it is pronounced Cho-do-sen.
Would rather not have a built in battery myself ,it would die eventually..those batteries are easy to buy online.
This is a great device for third world countries like India or the US, but is there a DAB equivalent for Europe?
What would be the best chip for DAB?
Sadly no DAB at the moment.
It is a nice radio fred, arent they switching the analogue off soon 😢
They have been saying it for MW for a while now.
@@chucky2316 Well, that then would be the perfect radio for you! UK soon switching off, but Ireland is not going for digital-FM - staying with good old analog FM! So you need a sensitive radio to be able to get analog-FM from Ireland!😉
Does anyone have a link to the manufacturers website?
I don't like that radio has the model numbers 6 6 6 chip in it.
First comment never done it before😂 always a good video Fred
Thanks
Might be great radio but way to complicated for me. I need something simple with exceptional AM reception.
Something like this perhaps. th-cam.com/video/i62DZotVJos/w-d-xo.html
@@CB-RADIO-UK I tried this radio but I am in remote area where AM reception is weak. It didn't pull in many stations. The only portable radio I have found that works OK in my location is the CC from Crane. Dropped mine and it died. They are a little expensive so looking for something less expensive. Probably doesn't exist.
Well... the Qodosen is a good, very sensitive radio. But - I am mainly interested in shortwave listening. And the dx 286 may be a sensitive receiver, it receives a lot on SW with its telescope antenna, but is is overloades with even short additional wires. A 6m longwire plugged in the antenna connector improves signal strength (the manual makes believe additional anennal work only on MW or LW) , but on SW there are clear signs of overload, lots of noise where it shouldnt be. My Belka, however, works very well with a 20m- longwire and is the better receiver especially for DX-ing shortwave radio. I need them both!
No SSB single site band
You can get FM stations really far. Without any propagation miracle at 60 miles or even more with a very short antenna ❤
I also have an XHData D-109WB, which is pretty darn good on FM, but the Qodosen pulls in some FM signals better than the XHData does.
Frid in the shed my hobbies are painting pictures 🖼 and listening to shortwave and ssb iam thinking about getting my Grms license my friend
$79 US Amazon + battery
Well, for a person who knows nothing about wireless communications, buying a radio like this may be appealing.
But from the standpoint of a broadcast engineer, it's a POS.
You can have the best receiver in the world, but if you don't have a resonate antenna 60 -120 feet off the ground and a low loss feedline, you don't have anything.
Yes it might pick up KDKA OR WWV , but what are you trying to listen to that you cannot hear with the internet and your cell phone?
I guess the goal should be to be able to listen to ham radio because they are the only one in your neighborhood that will be taking on the frequencies I would hope this radio receives.
And without a good receiver that can separate one station from the next, with good filtering, which this radio doesn't have.
All you are left with is a expensive toy that doesn't do anything all that well.
I think MOST people will be very happy with the radio.
Hmmm,
I like that you can switch from internal loopstick antenna to the other option, but you don't want to use the short telescoping antenna in AM broadcast mode or shortwave mode without clipping on to the whip a random wire antenna.
Idealy when you switch the internal loop antenna off while in AM broadcast or shortwave mode one uses the jack to input from a random wire antenna.
Why, because antennas designed to work well have a length that is a factor of the wave length such as the 1/4 vertical antenna. The 160 meter shortwave band which is higher in frequency than the AM broadcast band would require a 40 meter vertical antenna which is a bit larger than the whip. So, with this in mind use the whip for FM & if AM broadcast use jack or clip on a long wire to the whip.
Does look quite nice & price is great..
I agree on the battery situation. It seems like a decent receiver.
Adam In The Attic
697 Tennessee, U.S.A.
KO4HPC 73
Hopefully if they stock on Amazon UK they will be able to supply a battery,