Eton Elite Executive AM FM LW SW SSB AIR Band Radio Review

The new Eton Elite Executive AM FM LW Shortwave SSB AIR band portable radio is a Rock Star!
In this video I explore the manual, functions and bands to give an in-depth presentation of this receiver.
▶ The Elite Executive at Amazon USA: amzn.to/2Twh0n3
▶ The Elite Executive at Amazon CA: amzn.to/3uCQbu8
(paid links) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There are no additional costs to you.
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Features I like about this radio:
Stellar FM Reception.
Strong LW/MW Reception.
Shortwave SSB works like a champ.
AM Sync.
700 Presets. 100 Pages of 7. Each Page Can Be Custom Labeled.
Presets can be added in any band configuration.
RDS.
AC Adapter included, which also charges optional NiMH batteries.
Cool Gunmetal color, similar to C.Crane radios.
Bright and Easy to read Display.
Four Alarms.
Line In / Line Out
DX/Local Switch
External Antenna Input Jack.
Nice speaker audio.
AIR Band works great.
Squelch function is very useful.
Fast/Slow/ and Fine tuning.
Multiple Bandwidth Filters for AM/LW/SW SSB & AIR bands.
Features that could be added or improved on:
Change antenna placement.
Make the Leather Cover more functional, and protective.
Overall, this radio represents a great value to performance ratio. If you can wait and find this radio under $150 you are getting something very special.
Thank you for watching.
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[@todderbert]

▶ The Elite Executive at Amazon USA: amzn.to/2Twh0n3 ▶ The Elite Executive at Amazon CA: amzn.to/3uCQbu8 (paid links) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There are no additional costs to you.

[@brianjarman5750]

Do.review.on.eton.750

[@DisasterClean]

Have had this radio for a while now. I really like it. It does a lot of things, particularly FM, exceptionally well. The sound is really good; not mind blowing. And as such, makes a perfect travel radio. I love being able to check out MW & SW when I visit different cities. Around the house, I might move it from room to room because it is so portable. For extensive listening, I prefer a more substantial radio with room-filling sound, like my Tecsun pl 660, or my Sangean pr D12. I would recommend this radio to anyone because of its’ complete feature set which rivals even the Tecsun PL 880 and the Sangean 909X radios, in a much smaller package. It has an amazing quality (the fit and finish are prefect), that one can perceive immediately when handling it. This radio is a great compromise in terms of size and sound, and it checks all the boxes for features and performance.

[@slimpickins9124]

I just purchased this radio mainly for the shortwave capability & frankly was struggling to understand how to operate it. This tutorial was very helpful & well presented so I subscribed.

[@todderbert]

If you have any questions feel free to ask. If you have discord, we have many members there who own this radio as well. discord.gg/9E2yUSe

[@uniquenamegoeshere2263]

Thanks for the great review. I was up in the air over the Tecsun pl880 and this Eton Elite. I went with the Eton. I took this radio camping last weekend. Perfect! Shortwave listening by the fire on a cold night, loads of crazy stations and highly entertaining. This radio is a real champ. I use it every day.

[@porkyfedwell]

I didn't even know I had this radio but I found it in my drawer. Can't recall buying it. I have a long grasswire antenna running out my window and will try to hook this Eton up to it.

[@Hi-lb8cq]

Just ordered this radio...hopefully I get it here soon...can't wait

[@TheExtremetraveler]

Thank you for the review and overview - I just found one of these at a discount store in their $10 bin (the package had some moisture damage but the unit works great) this is my first foray into anything beyond just standard AM/FM

[@Craigs-corner]

I purchased my Elite Executive a few weeks ago and really like it. I’ve been using the same rechargeable batteries since I received it and they are still showing fully charged on the radio. I did not charge them in the radio, but instead used my quick charger….very good battery life. I’d say performance in MW and SW are on par with my PL-660, but FM and SSB are much better than the PL-660. What really astonished me was how good the Air Band is on this radio…excellent reception, and using the squelch function here works well. I don’t think the Synch functions all that well…maybe a little better than the PL-660. I’m used to the Tecsun controls, but have gotten used to this Eton quickly. It’s a great radio for the price; I would definitely purchase again. I also have a new CountyComm GP-7 being delivered today…can’t wait to receive it. Thanks for the great reviews!

[@todderbert]

The GP-7 will be nice. I have the PL-368 which is similar.

[@bradlafferty]

Your reviews are consistently thorough - thanks! Also, great narrative voice and wording is concise yet friendly.

[@austinorth5549]

I just got this radio, and wow FM is so sensitive, this is one of the best FM receivers I’ve owned. MW is a monster such a good sound reception is amazing. Thank you for the review. I watched tons of your videos and ended up landing on this radio, and I’m glad I did.

[@todderbert]

It is an excellent radio, I own two! Thanks for your viewership ;)

[@robertkoascorpio]

Is ( was ) the Gunmetal Gray version the best for AM DX ? And what is your favorite AM DX machine for overlapping stations ?

[@kc8tby]

Another fine video review; thanks Todd! I own this radio and, although I like it a lot, I found that trying to understand some of the user instructions contained in the user manual to be very difficult to understand. Maybe it's just me?

[@baneverything5580]

kc8tby How does this radio perform with a longwire antenna? Every Tecsun radio I`ve bought has malfunctioned. Does the gain switch on this one allow using an outdoor antenna without overloading?

[@STR82DVD]

Nope not just you it is a cryptic manual to be sure. Took me a good month to get used to the controls.

[@b.2221]

OK haven't spoken to you for a long time my friend, but I was the one who said to you about the tacky out of line numerical s, and number offsets on the push buttons. You have vindicated what was a nearly fantastic radio with the latest version, and this is a top notch review and demonstration video of 2019. Thank you very much for this amazing demonstration Sir 👍 Tam.

[@w.p.3384]

I ordered this most excellent radio based on your most excellent video. Thank you.

[@todderbert]

That is Excellent :)

[@GG-vx7gi]

radio confirmed as excellent by both Bill and Ted.

[@Filsterman1]

Thank you for your reviews and being so thoughtful to even include the manual section. Really appreciate your channel!

[@MarshalArnold]

Just scooped one of these up for $128.00 on Amazon. Thanks for the great review!

[@shawnj6279]

Amazon had a silver one I just bought a few weeks ago. I hope when they update this radio it’s going to be just as good. The way they perform you really don’t need a bulky communications receiver that takes up room and takes more juice . I have a sangean ultimate 2. That works nice and the ssb is loud on it to. I noticed with sangean it’s a hit or miss on getting a good one

[@Hi-lb8cq]

What a pretty radio...love the leather case too

[@Onyx88]

Broke down and bought this a time back because of your excellent review Todd, love, love, love this radio, one of my favorites! My next purchase has to be the Ccrane sky wave SSB!

[@DG-kq8zf]

I'm on my second CC skywave SSB. The first one was abused to no return. Left it in my carport for years. The FM reception is phenomenal after adding 10" of tin foil. I bought an aftermarket antenna and replaced it. While camping in a gulch there was only one station on FM after adding the foil I had all kinds of stations. And the batteries last FOREVER. Funnest radio ever! A little powerhouse, for sure. Probably the most impressive radio I've ever owned. Besides my Zenith Transoceanic. But the battery in that died about 50 years ago, so it's only 110v today. 😀

[@plls5]

Odd that they wouldn't include some earphones or a longwire antenna. Still like the radio, after receiving mine today.

[@shawnj6279]

One of the best radios made

[@todderbert]

I own a couple, and use one every evening. That is something to be said when I'm surrounded by receivers.

[@cdb702]

Amazon has this for $142.15 now, or $135 (after you get your 5% cash-back) if you don't mind using one of their credit cards. Some of the old version don't include the power adapter, so you might want to take that into account when price shopping.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

IF AM TUNING STEP SELECT TO 9 KHZ, 150 - 513 - 1620 kHz uses AM antenna, but for 1625 - 1710 kHz, you have to use telescopic antenna to receive AM expanded band. The rest, 1711 kHz - 30 MHz, SSB, CB and Shortwave also use telescopic antenna. Especially for FM and AIR band.

[@howardj2878]

I am thinking of buying the Elite Traveler. I liked the "minipocket, but there is no pre-set feature for tuning. For my budget, the Elite Traveler looks good.

[@todderbert]

It is not so great on headphones. I would recommend the Sihuadon R-108 for a smaller radio.

[@rjy8960]

I've been looking for a portable radio with SSB AND DAB for a long time - I thought this would be the job but apparently Eton didn't enable DAB which is a real shame. This would have been perfect.

[@paulhunter6652]

Thanks for your videos!! I ordered the Skywave SSB instead of this model and the Eton/Grundig travel version. Better for travel because of smaller size, additional external antenna, easier to use and takes disposable double A batteries. I love Grundig and owned one but the Skywave hit all the sweet spots. Downside is the premium cost of the Skywave shipped to Canada off of Amazon and the speaker sound but they all sound like tin cans.

[@meredithcoles4536]

I saw your review of Eton Elite Executive radio and now I have one. It was a toss-up between this radio and the C.Crane Skywave SSB and I ended up with both. The Eton Elite Executive is another goody for listening to shortwave SSB and the VHF aviation band. Although you have not reviewed it, I have ordered the Eton Elite 750. I enjoy your videos. Thanks.

[@tys3456]

If you had to pick between The Eton Elite Executive or the C.Crane Skywave, which one would you pick and why? Thanks.

[@rickstirling7045]

Thanks for the review! Just ordered this radio.

[@todderbert]

Awesome Radio, I use mine daily to listen to Old Time Radio shows at night.

[@sidneycavalcant]

@@todderbert E para ondas curtas ele é bom ?

[@cmvb69]

@@todderbert what frequency do you hear old time radio shows ?

[@sleeve8651]

Maybe you eluded to this, and I missed it, but as I sat here watching, it dawned on me that this radio looked awfully familiar ! If not for the few upgraded features, this looks pretty much like my Grundig G5 ! Not being an avid SWL, I'm very likely out of the loop on this ! One thing about the G5, that only became apparent after several years, was the rubberized texture covering the radio, began to break down, and develop an uncomfortable feel. Almost sticky ! I bought a small walkie talkie radio of sorts, with the same material, and it too began to meld into something else !

[@todderbert]

It is the upgrade of the G3. I too have a G5, horrible gunk is impossible to remove without damaging the radio.

[@dannycalley7777]

TDDT ………….I saw your face reflecting off the radio window , I feel like 60 yrs. ago with the Lone Ranger episode !!!!!!!!

[@redsquarejay]

This radio is $175 USD in Canada where I am. Things are obviously more expensive in Canada and I waiting a long time and haven’t seen it on sale yet, maybe I should just go ahead and buy it

[@dexteryarza3448]

Setting presets in any of the bands, at least for me, even after reading the owner's manual, appears to be very complicated. I would very much appreciate any step by step instructions to achieve this end for a novice. Thank you.

[@dexteryarza3448]

In the meantime, I will just have to be content with entering a specific channel and pressing the AM/FM buttons.

[@solojinglesradio1]

Looks very good, I don't know why it was disbanded from Europe and only in sales on USA, it's very similar to XHDATA808 but it's very beautiful and useful

[@shawnj6279]

I just bought this radio from Home Depot website it will be shipped to Home Depot by my house in a few days. Amazon Wayfair granger and some other stores were on back order so I got a nice coupon from Home Depot ended paying 152. Thank you for the tips and demonstrations of this nice radio.

[@todderbert]

Cool that Home Depot sells an item like this.

[@jkratoville]

I have the Eton Grundig silver. What I'd like to know is A) when the volume is really low, as in late-in-bed listening, is the sound distorted? And B) is the "stereo" Line In one channel only? What is an awesome radio is marred by these two major flaws and I'm wondering if they were addressed, or is this just a cosmetic change sending the Grundig nameplate into the history books..

[@todderbert]

A) when the volume is almost ready to cut out it starts to distort, but I have to put the radio against my ear to hear this. With headphones on, there is no distortion, easy fix, a pillow speaker. B) The stereo Line In works great. Tested with headphones, my MP3 player, and a stereo patch cable. FYI this also works as it should on my Executive Satellite.

[@r0naldzuccala198]

Hello. Yes somehow I lost my manuel. So what a great feature. Good work Mr. T. Thank you. Ron z Wa3090Swl.

[@user-hi1ys9fz3h]

good option for a grid down scenario

[@todderbert]

Found myself with no internet, so I just fired up the ol Eton radio for entertainment, and news.

[@captainnolan5062]

Do you like this or the cc crane skywave ssb better?

[@geevervarghese9862]

How to store thE frequency using the page Memmory for Short wave,M wave and FM

[@todderbert]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4nVhX6upJyqqqM

[@MikeWood]

I really like my Eton Grundig Edition. Seems very similar to this one. I can't pull in the stations you can from Mexico from here in Toronto but I really enjoy it. Thanks for the review. :)

[@shawnshoptaugh4907]

I would love to have this radio, but wow is it much more expensive than the Eton Elite Traveler. I would prefer this, though, because of the buttons on the front to dial in the frequency. I had the Traveler for a good while, but the tuning dial gave out and didn't want to change frequencies, so the buttons would have been a good backup

[@probuilders1]

Just found your excellent review on this radio and have one on the way. Love your attention to detail and the tutorials. What shortwave antenna do you recommend for it?

[@todderbert]

Kaito T-1 or Sangean ANT-60, both are great.

[@karls1649]

Thank you for this very thorough and excellent review! I think I got a bad copy or something, I live in the suburbs of St Louis and you got KMOX better than I did!! And that station in atlanta, forget about it. Think I need to play with my radio some more...

[@todderbert]

May have to check your surroundings, RFI from LEDs, Computers, Tablets, Phones, Chargers, ect can be a huge issue when tuning the MW band. I use old school Light bulbs, and turn everything off when I perform my radio videos.

[@karls1649]

@@todderbert thanks for the tip!

[@Huanchee]

Damnit if I had known about this several months ago I would have not spent my money on my ccrane ssb skywave, this has more features and seems better overall. And it’s cheaper

[@tomjones239]

It was just on sale for only $100.00. I wanted to spend $100.00 on a radio (at most) and decided to buy a Tecsun. It didn`t work right on AM. I kept it because shortwave was good and bought an Eton Elite Traveler (which went on sale for half price two days later). Both radios and accessories cost me nearly $150.00. It makes me so mad. I could have bought this for less and had SSB and an excellent radio to boot.

[@Huanchee]

@@tomjones239 well I might get one of these eventually to just at least compare the two, just not anytime soon.

[@Huanchee]

@@MissKimmy777 I did cave and bought this one after awhile. Great radio, but I do now have more respect for my ssb skywave for it's portability. This eton while great, with some better features IMO, definitely better speaker, is bit of a pain to lug around. The skywave fits in my shirt or jean pockets reasonably enough. I'm glad I got both now tbh.

[@sleezylink9136]

I can’t pick up an SW stations unfortunately I’m trying to get Radio Japan. I’m new to radios and I fell in love with them once I bought a cheap one while I was in the Philippines. I’ve traveled all over south East Asian and I fell in love with listening to SW while out at sea. Please could someone help and show me some information that would help me and learn more? This is really becoming my passion.

[@RJDA.Dakota]

The station on 900 is definitely the Mexican XEW. Used to be a superpower station but now I the it’s down to 50 000 watts. Stop not a bad catch on a small portable.

[@todderbert]

I didn't know for sure. Thanks for the validation.

[@jeff2424]

XEW had a broadcast power of 250 KW for over 80 years, but in 2016 moved their transmitter location and reduced power to "only" 100 KW.

[@robertl.fallin7062]

@@jeff2424 Dont want to pay their electric bill. I did the math and it 10% of Mexicos gdp! Honest.

[@kevinriley7834]

Thanks for this. Where do you buy the ac adapter with the right barrel and polarity? I just acquired this radio

[@debrahannu7642]

Which quality radio is best for an elderly person with limited small-button capability? We need a lightweight one that can be moved around, but not so small that it is hard to grab...

[@todderbert]

Sony ICF-506: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYuVhoSBd5WkeK8

[@williamlinington9166]

I just got it from Amazon today. $184 Canadian.

[@Yesterday5656]

Amazon just raised the price on this $15 as of 8/22/22

[@tvradio1972]

Great review Todderbert. I have been wanting to replace my Grundig G3 with a newer radio that has separate USB/LSB controls. I may have to look into this one.

[@todderbert]

It is a solid radio, you will love it.

[@someparts]

The silver version sure looks a lot better.

[@jimberence]

this is my favourite cost effectives portable radio that includes tecsun -680

[@scramjet4610]

Excellent review, thank you!

[@AngelAngel-qm2ko]

Great review, what is a good radio for emergency, listening to police, weather, radio, ham etc?? Would this be a good radio for this??

[@erikbetancourt7194]

Love your channel, i now look at your channel before i buy a radio. I was going to get a eaton radio. Would you pick this on over any ones in this series? Im not sure if i should get the field or this one??

[@todderbert]

This one.

[@JohnRAllen]

Hi Todd, love your reviews and I am a new subscriber. What is a good price for this radio in 2023 ? Also do you recommend this for someone who has dabbled with shortwave as kid and wants to get back into it ( many ) years later ? I don't want to pay over $150.00. Is there something better at that price or lower ? I am interested in shortwave and of course AM / Fm Sideband. I trust your opinion. Thank you so much and keep up the great work. John

[@todderbert]

Check out the Tecsun PL-660.

[@ameliapellicciotti9014]

Greetings everyone, I am visually impaired (completely blind in both eyes) and I am just starting to get into shortwave and exploring SSB as a hobby. How easy do you think this radio would be for me to use? I would require knobs, switches and buttons and I have a auditory preference for analogue tuning anyways. I likely won't use the alarm and sleep timer functions. This seems like a great buy getting started, but I kind of need to know how accessible it is before buying. Touchscreens are a no go. Any thoughts? Thanks, Amelia.

[@totoksudiarto5221]

Thank you sir...success for you. From Indonesia.

[@Huanchee]

So a bit of a followup on this after using it quite a bit…. One thing I absolutely hate about the radio…for whatever reason it keeps changing the time no matter what i do, and I’m forced to change it back. It’s as if it’s receiving rds data to change the time when i specifically set it to manual to NOT use rds data. Idk if the radio stations are sending wrong data for time, or if the radio is bugging out, but I’m leaning more towards the latter because it should ignore it if it’s set to manual. That’s really the only annoyance I have with it. It’s working fine otherwise. I’m just sick of constantly fixing the time every day i use it.

[@tonyscalise4462]

I have this radio. There’s now a break in the ac/dc adapter. I would like to get a new adapter and have tried looking on the internet for it with no luck. I tried Eton customer support which is nonexistent. I have no idea what to do and it’s clear that the company isn’t going to help me.

[@todderbert]

I would look into universal DC adapters that supply the required voltage, and amperage. There are ones that let you select the voltage, and some even allow switching of the jack's output polarity.

[@glennsanders6464]

Nice tutorial, very informative. How does this one compare to the C Crane skywave ssb?

[@todderbert]

This radio is a perfect home, and going out once in awhile radio. The Skywave SSB is fantastic for Travel because of its compact size. Best reception on all of the bands goes to the Eton. The Skywave does have the NOAA Weather Channels.

[@raffaele2205]

Very kind, I don't know if it was said in the video because I understand very little spoken English, so I would like to ask you a question: does this radio work with the external antenna on long and medium waves? The limit of Tecsun, as well as of many other radios, is to operate with the external antenna only on the FM band and on short waves. I don't know what the reason for this choice is, but I had to exclude many radios from the purchase for this reason.

[@todderbert]

Works only on the SW/FM/AIR bands. My Sangean 909X works with AM antennas, same with my Sony ICF-7600GR

[@raffaele2205]

@@todderbert Thanks a lot for the answer! I purchased the Sangean and I confirm that it works well with the external antenna on medium and long waves. Too bad for this Eton, because I like it in a particular way. Do you know if there is a modification to make it work with external antenna on all frequencies? On the Tecsun PL-660 just make a small modification that requires the addition of a capacitor.

[@jukingeo]

Given that you mentioned that NYC was 50 miles from you, I am surprised that when you hit 1100, I was expecting you to identify that as WHLI, which is right here on Long Island. They have 10k watts transmitting power. So I would figure they would go quite a bit of a distance, certainly reaching your location easily....if you are 50 miles from NYC. Certainly a lot closer than Ohio.

[@todderbert]

Seven hundred and Fifty Miles. I live in Chicago.

[@jukingeo]

@@todderbert Oh! Sorry, I misheard and thought you said 50 miles. If that would have been the case, 1100 AM would have been WHLI. If you hear WCBS out there, then that is pretty impressive.

[@todderbert]

@@jukingeo I can pick up 770 WABC, 880 WCBS, 1010 WINS on a Rare Occasion, along with 1130 WBBR. It is a nice clear shot over the Great Lakes.

[@jukingeo]

@@todderbert On yeah, forgot about that. Having the lakes certainly gives a long run before you hit New York state and the city isn't too far from that from there. 1010 WINS is one of the biggest radio stations in our area. I think they are 50k watts. They have four transmitting towers.

[@parrotraiser6541]

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same model, but in Toronto, (on the 14th floor), this will generally pick WNED-FM from Buffalo out of the general background noise, even when an SDR dongle barely shows any signal. For FM sensitivity, how does the Eton BT Field compare?

[@todderbert]

The Field BT bests it by about 10%, in my area at least.

[@KayakMark34]

is there a way to scan the saved airband memories? I thought there was but I can't recall how.

[@edhollingsworth2335]

This gets good ratings on KZbin.

[@StephenPruitt]

I want to buy something for use to listen to daily, but also as an emergency receiver I can throw in my bag and travel with. I'd like something with reasonably good sound quality through its speaker, even though I know that's partially an issue of size, good reception, with shortwave/SSB capability and using AA batteries. This and the Tecsun PL-660 seem to be the two at the front of the pack... any other suggestions, or comments about which one sounds better in casual listening to FM/AM? Thanks for all your reviews and the information you include in your comments on each one - your stuff has been incredibly helpful in learning my way around what's available!

[@todderbert]

I rarely use my 660. The Eton Elite Executives are Awesome. I bought two of them. Another to consider is the XHData D-808: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3LPfampnNWfb9k , and the new Tecsun PL-330 which has excellent audio for its compact size: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lauziJutpd1pfdU If you use headphones and have a deep wallet the CC Skywave SSB would be high on my list for portability: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5W0ZHmNp6eeo6c

[@todderbert]

I just gave two radios with rechargeable batteries..not an issue if you pack a small power bank with them..there are many great deals atm for them: kzbin.info/aero/PLdx4wjfRGJ8Fbv_zV-3mRj5Vg1Hhy6EH4

[@digitalmediafan]

Airband sounds great. Is the display text actually yellow or is that the camera?

[@todderbert]

The text is an amber color. It looks the same in person.

[@digitalmediafan]

@@todderbert Thanks. is there much bass with the speaker ? Seems there is a little

[@todderbert]

@@digitalmediafan not a ton, more of a mid range one. Good for news/talk/shortwave.

[@jukingeo]

Speaker sounds very tinny. I am looking for a radio that has good sound for FM, but also can do Ham bands. The Tecsun radios have good sound, but they don't seem to be the greatest performers on SSB. The price point on the Eton is good. How does it sound if you hook up an external amp/speaker to the line out?

[@todderbert]

I use one of my Elite Executives that way, and it sounds great. Clean Audio, but I opted to use the headphone jack.

[@jukingeo]

@@todderbert The headphone out sounds better than the line out? Well, with me, I would be hooking it up to a pre-amp / powered speaker that has its own volume and tone controls. But I guess I can see the advantage of going with the headphone jack to have a "local" volume control. Do you think that the Elite Executive outperforms the Tecsun radios (660, 680, 880, 8800) for SSB / Ham listening?

[@erikbetancourt7194]

Another nice video, ive always turn to you for opinions on radios. Im a eton fan, but the 750 is big to lug around. I do but looking for another easier EDC. I like the elite executive. But also looking at the tecsun H501? Which one would you recommend as the strongest EDC radio? Thanks.

[@todderbert]

The biggest I would carry as an EDC portable is the CC Skywave SSB. If I had to go bigger, I would take the PL-880 for SW, or the Eton Elite Executive for SW, and everything else.

[@dexteryarza3448]

Between the EEE and CC Skywave SSB, which has has better SW and SSB performance? Thank you.

[@baneverything5580]

@@TheFaceofRebellion The Tecsun PL-660 is a nice radio. No muting on tuning so easy easy to find active shortwave frequencies and uses PLL instead of DSP. If you get two SSB radios, and I recommend that you do, consider this one. Do yourself a favor unless there`s a feature on the CCrane Skywave you just can`t live without and get the Tecsun PL-330.

[@baneverything5580]

@@TheFaceofRebellion They all have different strengths and weaknesses. I bought the 660 so I could connect a long outdoor antenna to it. When the Skywave with SSB came out I saw a Grundig with all the same features plus external antenna brand new in a store for only 50 bucks. The Skywave has a few extra things going for it but I just can`t bring myself to spend that much on a SSB radio that can`t be used with a proper antenna. An RF gain control and external antenna jack would make me a customer. The Tecsun PL-330 really surprised me. I`m moving soon and can`t wait to do AM external antenna experiments with it because you can disable the internal AM antenna and use the external port. SSB works unusually well....just calibrate it and then when you hear a SSB signal you only have to push one button and the voice comes in perfectly natural. I like the fact that I can charge it with a portable solar panel. I just hit the order button on an Eton Elite Executive with SSB and it has external antenna and LOCAL/DX switch. It was on sale for around 120.

[@baneverything5580]

@@TheFaceofRebellion I forgot to add, what I usually do is use headphones with quieter radios or connect the headphone output to a set of recording studio speakers. Usually you get a superior sound using headphones using a radio like the Sangean PR-D4W on AM when using the low bandwidth settings so I always use a good set of padded over-the-ear studio type headphones when listening to SSB and to greatly improve DX when using bandwidth filters. Or I run the sound through a Yamaha audio mixer to a set of recording studio monitors with an adjustable subwoofer. You then have complete control over audio volume and quality. I played drums for many years in bands so my hearing isn`t great.

[@baneverything5580]

@@TheFaceofRebellion Satirical. But hopefully the insane people who keep banning everything and creating problems that don`t exist will see it and discover some shame. Or, maybe seek the help of qualified mental health professionals while we still have a civilization.

[@baneverything5580]

@@TheFaceofRebellion Thank you for being there to protect us. I was unable to join the Service due to both physical and mental problems. I did try but was rejected. Thank you.

[@law_esidiot8192]

Just got this radio yesterday it’s very nice. I just wished I could use the DAB.

[@shawnj6279]

only place that had it in stock and fair price

[@todderbert]

Hopefully the supply chain will improve, last Christmas this radio was so cheap. I think I saw it new for as low as $77, can you believe it? :)

[@shawnj6279]

@@todderbert Im lucky to get it because now its sold out. I got it from them because being in Florida its safer to pick up in store then having it outside from heat and thunder storms

[@patrickkerns2022]

There is a very cool radio I wish you would review .it is the ats 25 multi band reciever .curious about the mw band but it looks nice and seems to preform well.i would like your opinion if possible.thank you todd

[@fineoutrick9789]

In a comparison between this Eton and the Tecsun PL880 and the Eton Executive Satellit, the Eton was significantly poorer in performance than the 880. TRRS does a good job, so I'm wondering if his Eton was uniquely bad, or just an earlier version? Your video (and others) indicate great sensitivity on AM and SW for the Eton Executive Satellit. Since I'm looking at the Elite Executive and the PL 880 (and the Skywave SSB), what has been your experience with those two units?.

[@todderbert]

The 880 is a nice tuner on SW, I just didn't like the audio and sold mine. Personal preference. The skywave SSB is ultra compact, while the Eton will have better reception on most of the bands because of it's longer antennas. Also better audio goes to the Eton. On SSB the Skywave and Eton are similar.

[@sidneycavalcant]

@@todderbert qual foi a resposta ?

[@grand.pitcher]

For me PL880 sounds better than most competitors in this price range, it's definitely a feature rich radio, feels and looks very good as well. However I've got SIHUADON R108 and noticed that on AM it could be better then PL880. From your perspective guys is Eton a better rig on AM than PL880/R108/D808 etc?

[@ricktemmen6272]

Another great review. BTW you can download most manual to your phone. I always do before a purchase. I purchased the Kaito KA1103 on your recommendation and a couple other KZbinrs. I just got it so the fun begins. Thanks 😎👍

[@user-yo3bh4nx4m]

Going to order this. What is a good plug in antenna to use

[@todderbert]

Kaito T-1, or the Sangean ANT-60.

[@garyblackerby3226]

Mine is coming tomorrow. I swear, I need to delete my subscription to you. You make me want more stuff.

[@lovinradios6495]

radios have personality making them our friends, love my radios, a lot of time for a lot of people they speak to us whenever we crave company. I believe that is why I love this channel.

[@garyblackerby3226]

Lovin Technology, I have lived with this radio for a while now - it is my favorite.

[@fineoutrick9789]

I went ahead and bought one, based to a large degree on your reviews. I have found this Eton to be sensitive on all bands (unsure of LW). I think the major issue that many have is the small printing of semi-dark ink on the manual. I downloaded the manual from on line, changed the type, size and blackened the type, and it's now readable. If one doesn't read the manual, it's easy to think that the calendar is off if it says "2" for Tuesday, but that's how it works, Monday is the 1st day of its week. There are other issues like that, and someone who's impatient is likely to think there are problems with the radio, when it's really the manual. I had one question: Connecting my End Fed doesn't do much for reception (the KX3 blows it away). I have used mono, stereo plugs, but direct contact with the antenna seems to work better. Any thoughts on that from you would be appreciated. Thanks

[@todderbert]

It is setup for a FM/SW antenna. I use a simple wire with great results. Also used a MLA-30 Magloop with success as well.

[@JohnRAllen]

Todd thank you for all your suggestions. I have watched many of your excellent videos. This will be my last question. Not considering cost, which do you consider the best radio for what I am intersted in. Am for trying to get distant stations. SW, SSB and air. Decent FM and EASE of use. Tecsun pl880 Eton Elite 750 or Sangean 909x-2. It would be a Christmas gift to me. Lucky me.

[@todderbert]

You will want to use external antennas. I have not used a 750, so the Sangean would be my choice.

[@JohnRAllen]

Thank you Todd. I mispoke. Eton Elite Executive not 750. Does that change your choice ?

[@todderbert]

@@JohnRAllen If you plan to use External antennas, the Sangean will be the best bet for getting on frequency. It is the better performer on AIR/FM for sure. Shortwave both are similar, but the Sangean is easier to dial in HAM activity.

[@JohnRAllen]

Thank you. Did you purchase a new 909x2 ? I am going to go with it and I will let you know how I make out. I won't actually have it until Christmas. Thanks for all your time. You 've been a huge help.

[@todderbert]

@@JohnRAllen I had one, sent it back for a faulty button, and never bought it again. I own a 909X that I'm happy with...but boy is the X2 a FM/AIR monster.

[@WretchedPlebe]

Ok, I have this radio, and reading the instructions, I cannot get my preset set for an FM station. I follow the instructions and it won't take the preset. It will switch to an AM band. I have no idea what I am doing wrong. I use the F1 as the designation on the PAGE 99. What am I doing wrong and do you have a video on it?

[@dx398]

I have one of these, unfortunately the back light is intermittent, flickers or does not come on at all sometimes.. Any ideas?

[@tonyscalise4462]

Nice review! However when I went to Amazon I was disappointed by the ratings. I believe the number of 5 star ratings was around 65% and the addition of 5 , 4 and 3 star rating is shy of 90%. I think one of the main complaints is how difficult it is to operate, very unintuitive. I’m wondering if I should get the Tecsun 330L?

[@todderbert]

If size is not an issue, this is the superior radio. It has a slight learning curve, not that bad at all. I own two of these radios, I like them that much.

[@ev1650]

Crane Skywave SSB vs Eton Elite Executive vs Tecsun PL-990? Purely performance and reach?

[@st.louisdxer9616]

I second this.

[@tomperone9338]

How does this compare to the Tecsun PL-680?

[@debjarz3809]

Thankyou for your video. I have this radio. Can I listen to over seas with it? I was hoping to find other countries. It's going to take me a while to learn all the functions.

[@todderbert]

You may be able to listen to other countries depending on your location, time of day, and solar conditions. Shortwave has to bounce off a charged atmosphere so it can achieve great distances. Dusk/Dawn is a good time. Outside use is recommended, or the use of a external wire antenna that you can pick up for $13. I use the Kaito T-1 wire with amazing results.

[@STR82DVD]

Ok, I agree with most of your observations in this particular receiver except for your evaluation of the audio output from the headphone jack. I've used Sennheiser HD 600, Sennheiser HD 398, Koss Portapro and Sony XM4 headphones on my Eton Elite Executive and the bass response and treble are very much in evidence. Might I suggest that you get a better set of cans for your amazing radios. Thanks for the content lad.

[@darukaru]

Picked up a “renewed” (open box/refurb) version of this from Amazon Warehouse for $125; I’ve never used a wide spectrum radio before but it sounds like you can do a lot worse than this one. Any recommendations for putting a unit like this through its paces to make sure I haven’t gotten a lemon?

[@destinogaia7168]

Great video. it´s my first buy in Amazon from Colombia. Thanks for this video. Greetings

[@todderbert]

You're Welcome. That is a fine radio.

[@JohnRAllen]

Hi Todd, I see this is on sale on Amazon for about 124.00. I purchased the sangean ats 909x2 and the cc skywave 909x2. Would the elite executive make sense for me to purchase at this price ? Would it add anything to what I already have with the Sangean or the c crane. Thanks. As you know I always value your opinion.

[@todderbert]

Not needed, unless you love collecting awesome shortwave portables :)

[@JohnRAllen]

Thanks. I was tempted.I am sure something else will come up in one of your reviews that could fill in the gaps. I appreciate your honesty and expertise.

[@ScottJones-fj6hq]

Can someone please answer this: Can you get the backlight to remain on? I don't want it to shut off if there's no activity (pushing buttons or tuning, etc.) for x amount of time. This was one of my pet peeves with the Tecsun PL-660. I prefer the backlight to remain on when it's plugged in. If anyone knows, please answer. Thanks.

[@todderbert]

You can set the back light to remain always on with battery power, and DC input.

[@Huanchee]

One thing I'm curious about now on this one. I've went through the manual to try and find something about it but really can't... it states the frequencies for DAB, and even has an icon for it on the radio itself, but I can't find a way to access this function. I know the US doesn't use DAB, but it seems kinda weird for them to leave the icon there on screen when there's no way to access it.

[@todderbert]

The hardware inside the radio does not support it. Eton may have a DAB version planned for the EURO market. The PCB will be different. It seems cost efficient to keep the display as universal as possible.

[@GG-vx7gi]

Trying to choose between this one and the ccrane ssb. I like that this one has external antenna jack, ccrane doesn't but has weather band. Am I missing any ssb capable radios with both external antenna jack and weather band?

[@HelloThere-tf8ix]

Keeta previously asked about DAB, which you replied this radio does not receive. Sales documentation also mentions HD radio reception. I see it performs the RDS function, but have yet to see a review tune in a HD channel. Would you please confirm if it can tune in HD radio stations (U.S.). Thank you!

[@todderbert]

This radio does not have HD support. There may be a Euro version that supports DAB. Call Eton and ask them ;) 1.800.872.2228

[@azamatkarasaev9933]

Hello everyone. Does anyone know how to make the RDS decoder turned on constantly, like, for example, on D808 or Satellit 700?

[@johngalt9416]

Got this, followed the manual and the video, good instructions on the video, BUT: buttons did NOT line up as this video said they would, radio seems defective, am returning it to Amazon. Steep learning curve, going to search for simpler ones easier to understand. I do not like buttons that you press once for this, twice for that, forget it. Sorry about complicated radios. I think this one is defective.

[@kenarcher2292]

How does this compare ( sensitivity, reception, build quality) with the X Data 808, and Digitech 1780. I can only purchase one, so which one is the best out of there three Please

[@marcosmza1962]

HXDTA for MW, SW, SSB, FM and AIRBAND. It uses an 18640 battery. You can charge it with a dedicated charger or use your cell phone charger 🤫👌📻 It is a very little, good speaker, affordable, sensitive and selective receiver for less than 100 bucks.

[@marcosmza1962]

Thanks for the review. I have an old one, not executive version, but Satellit Edition and it has a solid sound, good MW sensitivity, poor in LW, more than decent HF sensitivity and selectivity, great SSB performance... well, I love it PS: Sync function sucks 😁

[@HondaGuy2009]

Great Review! I just ordered one from amazon for 125 despite it being on backorder 2-4 weeks. I am thinking this will be a great upgrade from my Grundig G3. The G3 has a “up/down” volume adjusted on the keypad rather then A regular potentiometer like this one which is a plus.what is your favorite bandwidth setting for AM/MW and Air?

[@todderbert]

I use 3-4k Hz most of the time, even on AIR, seems to really quite things up. I do move it to 6kHz when I am recording on the MW band.

[@robertkoascorpio]

Are some AM Stations now transmitting on much wider bandwidths than FCC allows causing a LOT of bleeding over in background even on strong AM Stations.

[@jerrys9136]

Just bought one because of your great review! I have a question can you get marine band on this?

[@todderbert]

It has full coverage of the Shortwave band, so yes it can.

[@jerrys9136]

@@todderbert great thanks any books you could recommend to learn more about short wave?

[@fjockey1]

Did they extend the longwave band up to 519 kHz? That was one of the few drawbacks of this model. On the back of your unit, it still says it tunes only to 285 kHz.

[@todderbert]

Yes, LW is extended even though the writing is incorrect on the back.