Tip: lift up the external antenna even on AM for better reception (no need to extend it), as it interferes somewhat with the internal AM antenna. Same with the DR920c...
Agree with your assessment. I also noticed the drifting but it seemed to calm down (as often happens with these radios) after a warmup time, maybe 30 minutes or so. It’s hard to find fault with it at such a low price point though. Coverage gaps are kind of odd however.
Hello I tuned in to your live broadcast last weekend and i asked you what you would choose to interest a kid in to getting into the shortwave hobby. And a few other questions. As my son is young and who knows how well he takes care of things I opted to send him this to play around with. At its price point and based on your reviews I decided i could afford to blow $22 and see if he liked the hobby. You really interested me with the QSO cards you talked about. I thought that would be cool to do with my him. Is there stations that still send it good post cards? I have both the ICF-sw7600gr and the Tecsun pl880 maybe if he likes this he might inherit one of them someday. I love the ease of use of the Tecsun but i think the Sony receives better and when I used it with the hffax app on my iPad I was way more successful at getting it to draw the weather map then with the Tecsun is that because of having a BFO? At any way I do most my dxing offshore on the boat I captain. When i was a kid visiting my grandpa I would get very bored fast ass everything was Antique and you couldn’t touch anything. So one day my grandpa broke out a legal pad and a realistic patrolman and set me down and said log what you hear and turned me loose. That radio tuned airports and cops and fire trucks and radio stations around the world. I had so much fun! It kept me glued to it for hours. My father his first major purchase he said that he ever made was a telefunkin bejazzo shortwave and he used to listen to radio Norway so he could keep up with the news where he was from. I remember sitting around that radio and being scared witless by Chuck Swindall reading revelations and describing the beast that came out of the sea one night after a blizzard had knocked the power out at our country home in rural Colorado. The illuminated dial and the scary verses coming out over the hiss of the Coleman lantern and while we all huddled in the one warm room of the house near the wood stove. Good memories
Very good thoughts of the Tecsun R-9012, Gilles, especially the not always optimal band-coverage (41m, 25m) and the mentioned trick with inductive usage of a longer wire antenna which works good, thats true. All others i agree with you in all details. This radio is hard to beat in its prize range. People who wish to have the advantage of a digital readout and bit better band coverage should have a look on the bigger brother of the Tecsun R-9012, the Tecsun DR-920C. Its 5€ prize-difference, but maybe a good alternative. I have them both. :) VY73 DE1DGK
This channel is almost entirely devoted to SW hence the name. Look around on CZcams. There are video reviews that highlight the R-9012's MW capabilities.
It is interesting to note that the box shows a silver one. Yet, I have never seen a silver one offered for sale.
Tip: lift up the external antenna even on AM for better reception (no need to extend it), as it interferes somewhat with the internal AM antenna. Same with the DR920c...
I noticed this radio begins around 3 MHz on the SW band which comes in handy for late night listening. Most low cost radios begin around 5.5 MHz.
Agree with your assessment. I also noticed the drifting but it seemed to calm down (as often happens with these radios) after a warmup time, maybe 30 minutes or so. It’s hard to find fault with it at such a low price point though. Coverage gaps are kind of odd however.
Thanks for the review. I sure like mine especially Mw D.X. ing . I 've purchased several for friends and all happy also.
Agreed! For 20 dollars or less it's a fun little radio.
I ordered one yesterday
Thanks lad
I have one for the money I can deal with the coverage great video !
Hello I tuned in to your live broadcast last weekend and i asked you what you would choose to interest a kid in to getting into the shortwave hobby. And a few other questions. As my son is young and who knows how well he takes care of things I opted to send him this to play around with. At its price point and based on your reviews I decided i could afford to blow $22 and see if he liked the hobby. You really interested me with the QSO cards you talked about. I thought that would be cool to do with my him. Is there stations that still send it good post cards? I have both the ICF-sw7600gr and the Tecsun pl880 maybe if he likes this he might inherit one of them someday. I love the ease of use of the Tecsun but i think the Sony receives better and when I used it with the hffax app on my iPad I was way more successful at getting it to draw the weather map then with the Tecsun is that because of having a BFO? At any way I do most my dxing offshore on the boat I captain. When i was a kid visiting my grandpa I would get very bored fast ass everything was Antique and you couldn’t touch anything. So one day my grandpa broke out a legal pad and a realistic patrolman and set me down and said log what you hear and turned me loose. That radio tuned airports and cops and fire trucks and radio stations around the world. I had so much fun! It kept me glued to it for hours. My father his first major purchase he said that he ever made was a telefunkin bejazzo shortwave and he used to listen to radio Norway so he could keep up with the news where he was from. I remember sitting around that radio and being scared witless by Chuck Swindall reading revelations and describing the beast that came out of the sea one night after a blizzard had knocked the power out at our country home in rural Colorado. The illuminated dial and the scary verses coming out over the hiss of the Coleman lantern and while we all huddled in the one warm room of the house near the wood stove. Good memories
Quick question. Do you know if this thing can hook up to a mixer or speaker? I’m wanting to get one of these to use for experimental music.
The headphone port can be used for external speaker connections.
Very good thoughts of the Tecsun R-9012, Gilles, especially the not always optimal band-coverage (41m, 25m) and the mentioned trick with inductive usage of a longer wire antenna which works good, thats true. All others i agree with you in all details. This radio is hard to beat in its prize range. People who wish to have the advantage of a digital readout and bit better band coverage should have a look on the bigger brother of the Tecsun R-9012, the Tecsun DR-920C. Its 5€ prize-difference, but maybe a good alternative. I have them both. :) VY73 DE1DGK
I had one of these and found that the so called DIGITAL READOUT was always 20 or 30 Kcs away from the actual station! Not acceptable.
Excellent reviews Gilles! Purchased in 2020 still fun to play with & accompany during Covid 19 lockdown!
I love this radio, but the SW in general is not great
SW is actually very good for such a low priced radio.
Listen man..... Forget shortwave.. I just wanna know how good this thing is in mw. Give updates on that.
This channel is almost entirely devoted to SW hence the name.
Look around on CZcams. There are video reviews that highlight the R-9012's MW capabilities.
It shines on mw . Even better with A,N. 200 portable loop .fm is so so but strong stations are o.k.