Dan's Update on Eton Elite Satellit September 8 2022

Dan Robinson provides his latest update on the status of the Eton Elite Satellit

[@raydowley1038]

Thanks for the update information Eton should be speaking to you and people like you to help sort the problems out.

[@jorgeberrios8797]

Thank you for the update, Dan Robinson. It is very important for everyone to know about the issues with this expensive $$$ Radio 📻 . Will post this in all the several Radio Shortwave Groups that I am a Administrator or Moderator and on the groups that I am a member of.

[@Richard-Seekingwulf]

Thank you for giving honest reviews, people like you is what helps people like me. I have not even been on shortwave since my little Grundig S350 was broken back in 2008 and before that time I only went on what the man at Radio Shack had to say. I'm hoping today or early tomorrow I get my TecsunH-501X.

[@ChrisC-fp9qu]

I got my Tecsun H-501x this past Monday and I love it. I was waiting to see how the eton turned out before I decided on what to buy. The eton seems to be problematic.

[@Richard-Seekingwulf]

@@ChrisC-fp9qu I got my TecsunH-501X last week and love it.

[@ChrisC-fp9qu]

@@Richard-Seekingwulf I have two tecsun pl-360's I bought many years ago, a good radio but no key pad for direct tuning. Now I have the tecsun pl-368, pl-330, and now the H-501x all great radios. But I must say I was shocked how small the radios are they look bigger on KZbin videos.

[@Richard-Seekingwulf]

@@ChrisC-fp9qu yes that's for sure I thought I was going to get a boombox LOL.

[@user-pl5dq1kf6z]

The only gripe I have with my h501x is the memory. I find it much easier to either type the freq. directly or use the tuning knob.The manual tuning is the best by far on any other I have ever used . A certain freq. can be obtained very quickly using the SW up and down buttons then tuning.

[@whollyunaware5185]

Thanks for the update, Dan. Assuming that all of this cannot be accomplished via a firmware update, the company really needs to place a hold on further rework, etc., in an effort to get all corrections accomplished in a single return. I'm encouraged that Eton is communicating with you, with your knowledge and personal experience with E1, for advice. Let's hope they are able to resolve these issues and remain a viable source for all of us portable SWL nerds..

[@dxace1]

Totally agree

[@user-pz4cn2zr9q]

Hello, can I have the price of this radio? Thank you. Please reply🎉

[@STR82DVD]

Dan, I only have one thing to say. You have my greatest sympathy.

[@ic0mr75]

Thank you Dan. I am speculating that there is a limit to what can be done with the chips and firmware. After 20 years, I had hoped that technology would have offered us a better E1 receiver.

[@STR82DVD]

Agreed. Chuffing, passband filtering, display issues, whip antenna issues at this price point is outrageous. You're not going to fix physical hardware issues with a firmware fix. This is very disappointing.

[@frankiejust3767]

yes, the DSP chip should not have been used if the features of E1 were claimed to be there

[@thomasniner001]

Hey Dan we are patiently waiting for some videos. You have the only updated radio so far.

[@michaelagner4355]

Dan I have a sneaking suspicion about why the PBT doesn't work as it should. The Eton engineers couldn't figure it out, and they tried to reverse engineer it, but failed. Drake won't give it up because they feel it's proprietary (even though they're out of the HF market) so we're left with something they threw together without giving it much thought. Entirely plausible theory, but we'll never hear from Eton to confirm it

[@spytromics]

I wonder if the DSP chip even allows for passband tuning or not muting on tuning. Any radio at this price point should be able to have firmware updates performed by the owner of the radio via USB. That alone is a deal-breaker.

[@craigc.494]

Regarding your reference to the top left knob, that IS the squelch on my original E1XM. Indicated level by below the signal strength bars being underlined so you have a reference. Also earlier it was said often online the DX button was attenuation, actually was a 10dB preamp originally. Really sad so many issues making a mess and so clear they don't know what a passband is, not reinventing the wheel. I found circuit diagrams online. Seems the design, construction and company departments either departed with covid or not talking to each other. Definitely not enthusiasts. So another letter for you to send to them? Send them a link to a few passband circuits and to read the 2009 Passport to World Band Radio, 25 Edition as well. Great job! Thanks for staying with this!

[@drsysop]

The firmware will not fix the mute on tuning problem & antenna issue as I am hearing. DAB+ portion of that radio also not working correctly if you are in UK & EU. A good idea is to include a USB cable so you can update firmware online for the over price they charging for it. $600 HRO selling it before & is not worth it for a Chinese made radio, If it was made in Japan then maybe. You can buy a used ham radio for that & get the best receiver. Tecsun PL-990x & H-501x are the best ones you can get & there $300 cheaper.

[@dxace1]

This is interesting re DAB

[@drsysop]

@@dxace1 yes if u in that areas as HD Radio only for US & Canada.

[@bigapple5946]

Dan, it sounds like they have confused Passband Tuning and manufactured the radio with RIT (Rate Incremental Tuning). This would explain why it seems to be "fine tuning". Just a guess.

[@dxace1]

That is quite possible

[@lovetheblue6659]

If that’s the case, then they shouldn’t be advertising that it has passband tuning!

[@MrCaveman8]

I wrote Eton via email and asked through their Facebook about the difference between the new one and older which I fortunately own. Weeks passed and even now still NOT a word from them hmmmmmmmmmm....

[@dougmiller2937]

I enjoyed your review of this radio.

[@dxace1]

One correction -- SW8 did not have PBT -- I was thinking of R8xxx series...and on the strange EQUIL control, there is but one mention of this in the manual and it's not explained. Also, I say that the manual describes PBT as squelch. Actually, this is shown on a photo of the radio, which identifies the PBT not as PBT/Squelch, but only as SQUELCH. Puzzling... One other new issue I found while using the receiver -- when entering a memory with STORE, the radio shows a MEMORT....I think this should be MEMORY, with a Y. So, that is a physical correction that needs to be made on the display?

[@thomaslogan5467]

The r8 has pass band tuning the sw8 does not.I own both use almost every day.

[@b.2221]

Top notch Sir , thank you for sharing this with us all Sir.

[@maritzafuentes7834]

Hey Dan. It is nice to see you doing this review on the Eton Elite Satellit. To tell you the truth I just heard about this radio yesterday, it means that I am not up to date with radios as I used to be. But anyhow, now I know that the Eton Elite Satellit is a cold turkey right from the start. Hopefully like you said Eton will take your findings seriously, just like other radio aficionados who like you are disappointed.

[@thomasniner001]

Dan, One of your videos described the passband as acting like a BFO. Do you still think that? Does it also successfully function as a squelch on air band? Please give us some videos as we wait for our radios to show up. Thanks...

[@dxace1]

Checking now, and it also functions for squelch but in a strange way...there's no fully quiet point as you increase squelch level. You always here noise in background.

[@qudo8405]

Equil move from right to left when you listen with ear phones stereo fm.

[@scottbelcher9026]

Thank you for the updates!!!

[@ryangassxx]

Assuming everything functioned exactly as advertised, I still wouldn’t value this radio at $300. I’ve seen on-camera tuning of this radio and it doesn’t even seem to receive well. Signal was absent when tuned next to a 501. When connected to a Wellbrook loop it overloaded. I’m not even sure WHAT to value it because frankly I don’t want one lol. It’s a radio that doesn’t radio well. Then add in the things like muting, being off frequency, etc… I’m at like $50 just as a novelty item.. I’ll be curious to see where pricing ends up on this radio when the dust settles. A good over/under bet would be $200.

[@CM-oc1bw]

Thanks Dan. I’m a newbie for SW listening and I feel you have helped a lot of people avoid losing $700 from buying such a shoddy product. They had a reputation, to outsiders at least, of quality for a price. Be great if the story of what happened in Eton came to light some day. I’m staying away.

[@HappyDiscoDeath]

the HD actually stands for Hybrid Digital

[@donmayer58]

Well hello there. It sounds like you might be interested in hd fm radio. So am I. I heard Eton is coming out with another FM hd radio. I wondered if you knew about this new radio. I will appreciate any information you can provide.

[@Mr07008]

I don’t think I’ll buy an Eton radio again !

[@la5984]

Good tip I will never buy one

[@r0naldzuccala198]

Hello Dan. Question. How is it on mw. Thankyou. Ron z.Wa3090Swl.

[@tomreynolds7178]

Hello Dan, This unit isn't even close in performance on Am and SW to its own Elite Executive. Its background noise level is so high on AM and SW that it makes the unit essentially deaf when using its own wobbly whip antenna!!!! Shame on Eton!!!! I'm sending it back.

[@kevmichael2064]

I will stick with Sony for Shortwave....I have two made in the 1970s...and 1980s...both still running great!!!...

[@maryrafuse3851]

First of all, congratulations on your excellent report. My preference would be to stay away from this radio. I have purchased a Tecsun H-501x for my husband's Christmas present. He already has both the Sony ICF-2010 and a Kenwood R-5000. I don't think he will want the Eton, and its Elite troubles.

[@johnbauman4005]

Hi Mary, I'm new to this. If I may ask, how does your husband like the Tecsun, and what is his favorite SW radio with scanning ability? Thanks for your consideration Kind regards & Happy New Year! John

[@gary-kr7dm]

I sold my XH-Data D808 due to chuffing / muting on tuning so I certainly won’t be buying this piece of junk.

[@Kitsaplorax]

Besides the defects, this radio was designed to be uncomfortable for lefties. I'd pass on it if it were over 150.00.

[@spresc2180]

Bottom line, stay the heck away from this radio.

[@watershed44]

Fact is that Eton should have just reissued the original E1 just tweaking it and fixing any issues perfecting it. With the R.L. Drake work on the receiver it was really outstanding. The main problem with the E1 was that Eton did not do a decent job of marketing this unit and making sure people knew about it and could actually find it in stores to buy or order. The new Eton Elite Satellite is junk and they should just stop offering it, you can't polish this turd.

[@sigint99]

They can't reissue the old E1 because it has proprietary technology designed by Drake. They knew this and tried instead to create a knockoff which unfortunately ended up as a trainwreck. Even aTecsun S-2000/Grundig 750 performs better than the new E1.

[@watershed44]

@@sigint99 They could have paid the licensing fee to Drake...now Eton will lose a lot more

[@kamalzoro]

the spent of money

[@madmax2069]

What

[@vahanyazarian5582]

Junk! Thanks for homest review I like 20 Dollar radios from Anon The analogiest you can buy!

[@alphabeets]

What a mess. Sounds like Elton needs a new engineer and better beta testers.

[@TonyLing]

Eton were always overpriced tosh. It sounds like they have really lost their way now.

[@papakrampus3062]

"Missed opportunity" is an improper definition of Eton's engineering, production and marketing disaster. I hope all involved were sent packing in disgrace.

[@yzc-wi6ln]

vvvvvvvvvv ?????