Kaito KA390 AM FM SW WB Emergency Radio Unboxing & Review

[@todderbert]

▶ The Kaito KA390 at Amazon USA: amzn.to/2lddqKh (paid links) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There are no additional costs to you.

[@TGO92507]

What a GREAT radio! I never would have found this gem without this review. I got a “used” 390 for $15. It outperformed a Sangean pr-d19 right before my ears! The dsp on this unit pulls extremely weak fm stations from BETWEEN two strong signals... I got 91x in San Diego/Mx and I could hear clearly... Sangean no bueno... amazing! Old school gives the new school the business! Lol

[@joseaugusto8284]

Olá! Quais as dimensões do plugue de energia elétrica externa,que pode ser utilizado neste receptor?

[@3dplanet100]

Wow, that radio is so awesome! The sound is super clear, unlike other small radios. I love it!

[@raymondg5643]

Great review! It's on sale at Amazon. Just grabbed one.

[@joseaugusto8284]

Olá! Quais as dimensões do plug do plugue de energia elétrica externa, que pode ser utilizado neste receptor? Como é a sensibilidade dele, nas ondas curtas e médias?

[@roekozlov2176]

I was using a similar WeatherX brand radio since my auto radio died. I had to use the Todderbert clip on antenna to get anything. Then i read this review and bought the Kaito. Whoa what a GEM!. Even in the auto it has no FM noise and that speaker is so much better and clearer! No clip on antenna needed anymore! I retired the WeatherX to the house.

[@darkdeepred6577]

I have a radio branded as "Suoyana" (model SYN100) which is virtually identical to this "Kaito", except it's even simpler. There is no SW band, no headphone jack and no power jack. It still runs on 3 D cells and has a very nice sound, great reception and the all important weather band (and the little light). I'm very fond of it! (edit: sounds like I'm not missing out on much with the omitted SW ban on my Suoyana)

[@ArndroidInc]

I like the radio. The weather radio is more important than shortwave to me. Solid AM-FM great.

[@todderbert]

The NOAA reception is a big deal to me as well. Having an amazing FM and AM receiver is a bonus..plus don't forget the LED light :) I love the fact it runs on D cells.

[@rafaucett]

Arnold Alt: I agree. The NOAA reception and the use of three D cell batteries are two of the main reasons I purchased this radio after watching todderbert's review. I've got some other radios that can handle the shortwave reception. It's a very nice little radio for only around $20. 👍

[@joseaugusto8284]

@@todderbert Olá! Qual as dimensões, do plug de energia(dc jack)?

[@Drmikekuna]

I wonder if there is some variability with this radio. On mine FM is very good, WB is pretty good, a few stations on SW, but AM is pretty mediocre. Tuning during the daytime I got around 20 stations compared to a Panasonic RF2400D which yielded 30, and a Kaito KA500 which gave me 27. The selectivity seems to be very broad on my radio, and I'll often hear the same station right next to itself (like bi-modal humps). However, I can't complain for $24. I even like the little flashlight.

[@joseaugusto8284]

Olá! Quais as dimensões do plugue de energia elétrica externa, deste receptor?

[@danielorr7124]

This is a great radio with everything that you need and nothing that you don't. I agree about the solar panels and hand crank being unnecessary, they just add to the price and not needed because the D-cells last such a long time. The shortwave is a little disappointing but the weather band is more important to me and that works fine. This is as good as some radios that sell for 50 dollars; I'm glad I found it.

[@todderbert]

Glad you agree. The perfect price point for sure.

[@vickymast8485]

~ in times like these solar not necessary ~ seriously ~

[@joseaugusto8284]

Porque as ondas curtas nele, são decepcionantes?

[@joseaugusto8284]

@@todderbert Olá! Quais as dimensões do plugue de energia elétrica externa, que pode ser utilizado neste receptor?

[@railfan100]

I bought this radio......added to my small collection I also have the much touted....SONY ICF 19 and ICF 506.....this kaito blows the sonys out of the water on fm reception and selectivity...Also a much sharper clear sound especially on classical staitions!....$20 dollars to boot!

[@chuckermatinger3794]

Excellent review - this is very tempting!

[@todderbert]

Thank you Chuck, it's a very inexpensive radio, but when someone has a "few"...it may be tough to decide on another :)

[@tedgreenwood2645]

Terrible AM reception, the ferrite antenna doesn't seem to be directional, however when I raised the dipole antenna it improved the AM reception dramatically. I'm wondering how they configured the antenna. FM and weather is excellent.

[@funkamp1015]

Thank you for the review , I just ordered this radio from Amazon from your link below . Do you have any thoughts on the Following: Eaton Scorpion 2 Eaton FRX5-BT Midland ER310 Looking to get another emergency radio and you have really good input .

[@todderbert]

I've heard good things about the Midland ER310. That would be one I would purchase out of that list.

[@johnwilliams8654]

For strictly NOAA access Which is better between this and the Kaito Voyager V2? Also, which of the two do you like better overall?

[@ajw1976Horn]

Thanks for the detailed review. I plan to purchase from your link.

[@kajalmukherjee124]

Sir,please tell me about the difference between the Sony icf19,Panasonic 562d and kaito 390 in all performance and reception quality. Thanks. Regards.

[@nerdbit84]

Just ordered one, thanks! No nooa alert, I am assuming.. not a big deal to me, however.

[@francisallen4882]

I have a older one and just bought a newer one also i had to replace the speaker on my old one well when i looked inside the radio all the parts are made in the USA i found that strange so it is put together in china with USA made parts

[@ToddTinley]

lol, weird.

[@MrDandan170]

i made mini jumper cables for a radio that took 6v dc .... used a 6v lantern battery and got 21 days 24/7 before the signal started to fade ..... last week i got in a 12v to 6v stepdown transformer , now its hooked to a 12v battery with a solar panel , the am reception improved 2-3x during the day from the transformer being hooked is my guess ???? .....this radio in your video says 5v or 6v dc plug in , would it work with 6v hooked to the battery leads ???

[@todderbert]

I've used a variable power supply on my bench to directly power the radios I work on through their battery contacts. If your going to use the battery contacts you will have to bring it down to 4.5 volts. The DC input jack has a regulator board to bring the voltage down from 6 to 4.5V most likely.

[@joseaugusto8284]

@@todderbert Olá! Este receptor de radio, possui entrada 6v 300 mA. Estou com uma dúvida,sobre as dimensões do plug jack da fonte, em milímetros(mm).

[@ebazz1]

Great Video. How does the Kaito radio compare to the PRUNUS J15 Weather Radio ? Ernie KC1LKB

[@todderbert]

The J15 is built better, and has AC.

[@ebazz1]

@@todderbert Thank you for the reply. Have a Happy Holiday. Ernest Bazzinotti KC1LKB

[@djncwood]

Great radio. Thanks for the review. May pick one up.

[@mariojr377]

if I lived in the United States I would go crazy buying radios. kkkkkkkkkkk In Brazil very few models . Best regards, Mario.

[@luizhenriques3667]

Mario visite o Ali Express e vc vai encontrar uma gama extensa de bons rádios com bons preços. Comprei vários lá

[@mariojr377]

@@luizhenriques3667 valeu a dica, muito obrigado.

[@luizhenriques3667]

@@mariojr377 comprei há 15 minutos atrás este equivalente Dengen DE 390 por 140 reais com frete incluso para chegar em 24 de julho 2021, A diferença para o Kaito KA390 e que não tem wb weather band que no Brasil não tem este tipo de emissoras,

[@mariojr377]

@@luizhenriques3667 muito obrigado por essas informações Luiz .

[@joseaugusto8284]

@@luizhenriques3667 Olá, Luiz! Também recentemente, agora no mês de Agosto, adquiri esse receptor aqui do vídeo, só que da marca:Degen. Agora estou na dúvida, quanto a fonte externa de energia, que devo usar nele. Pelas especificações do mesmo, é uma fonte de:6v e 300 mA. Até achei essa fonte para comprar, mas a minha dúvida, é sobre as dimensões do plug(jack),quantos milímetros? Saberia me dizer? Desde já, agradeço a atenção!

[@jisa98]

DSP Gem is the title of the video, does this radio features a DSP chip?

[@todderbert]

yes, and it does a great job on FM. For the money it is a winner in my book.

[@joseaugusto8284]

@@todderbert Ele é sensível nas ondas médias e fm?

[@Jdub41Utube]

This is my second try with the Kaito 390 the first was DOA ,only the power light came on.The FM on Kaito 390 is fantastic even with the antenna even being lifted. The AM is another thing as it hardly picks up anything that normally would be able with any other radio. DXing AM at night is great I was able to pick up WSM 650 Nashville Tenn 500 miles,WLW 700 Cincinnati Oh 500 miles,WEB 750 Atlanta Ga.293 miles and WJR Detroit Mi. 810 miles. Hard to believe I know maybe it has DSP problems ?

[@joseaugusto8284]

Olá! Quais as dimensões do plugue de energia elétrica externa, deste receptor?

[@kajalmukherjee124]

Sir,which would be better to buy Panasonic rf 2400D or kaito ka 390 to buy in their respective quality and their features.waiting for your useful reply.Thanks.Regards.

[@RadioRich100]

the panasonic has no weather.

[@Stoobing66]

Nice review. Having owned this radio for awhile now, are you still satisfied with it's overall performance? Are the rattling battery springs a constant annoyance or just an occasional thing?

[@joseaugusto8284]

Olá! Este receptor é sensível nas ondas curtas e médias? Quais as dimensões do plugue de energia elétrica externa, que pode ser utilizado neste receptor?

[@gonzocom]

Why not the solar panel? Just asking thanks. I think I’m gonna get this one

[@todderbert]

You need quite the real estate of solar panels to have an effective charger, plus it has to be sunny out. Most panels on radios are too small to provide a reliable charge, especially when you need the radio to work in an emergency. Better to have backup batteries on hand and maybe a dynamo crank radio.

[@mohammedfaisal3786]

Sir, can you compare AM reception and speaker sound with ICF 19

[@todderbert]

The Sony is much better Audio and Reception wise on AM. FM, this radio maybe slightly better.

[@mohammedfaisal3786]

@@todderbert thank you so much for your valuable reply. I am 39 old. Some months I am researching about radios, that's why I ask you so many questions in this days. I own now 9012 (great value for money radio ever made in history)

[@FrostPlutarc]

Thanks for the review. It help my sister decide between this and the Panasonic which you also reviewed. I emailed Kaito and within 24 hours they answered my question. I asked about the DC, they said and I quote: "Hello, It’s about 3.48mm " Does that sound correct to you?

[@todderbert]

Sounds like they gave you the dimensions of the headphone jack. The power jack looks like a 1.7mm type, but I can't be sure since I don't have an adapter to try. I would pick up one of those universal power adapters with the multiple tips (center positive +).

[@FrostPlutarc]

@@todderbert Thank you for your reply. I went ahead and ordered it from Kaito's site. 10 bucks not too bad yet, half the price of the Radio. Their site is a bit conflicting as well. It shows a picture of a 6V but, the description says 4.5V. I'll try to remember to update here.

[@todderbert]

@@FrostPlutarc It will probably work well. The DC from the batteries is 4.5volts. From the pictures I took awhile back of the inside, it looks like you want to use 4.5V, the Brown wire goes directly to ground, and the Red Wire goes to the shared positive connection at the battery bay. Here are the pictures: www.patreon.com/posts/19445152

[@FrostPlutarc]

@@todderbert Great, once more thank you for all your help.

[@joseaugusto8284]

Olá! Você saberia me dizer, quais as dimensões do plugue de energia elétrica correto, para esse receptor de radio?

[@mariojr377]

Does exist an affordable radio , like this Kaito , made in USA or they are all imported from China? just curious. In Brazil exist a small brand called Motobras .

[@mcdus78]

Mario Jr I want a Motobras radio. Can you help me get one please!

[@NisarAhmad-jr6ol]

How is the reception on SW band?

[@todderbert]

Not worth showcasing. Images from adjacent bands coming through the entire section. So this radio should be bought only for its FM AM and WB capability.

[@chuckermatinger3794]

I think in your area the SW band would improve if you shorten the antenna. Here in the city, on my DSP radios I usually have to keep the antenna very short on shortwave bands, or else MW stations blanket the dial.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Remind me when you get Tecsun R-1012. Thanks

[@blueee100]

How is the audio? harsh high pitched or nice and mellow?

[@todderbert]

Decent mids, easy to listen to for extended periods.

[@JamesGMunn]

Have them make it in an L version with an 18650 battery and built in charger!

[@todderbert]

that would rock!

[@TheRadiogeek]

would you do a KA390 VS C Crane EP Pro shootout on the AM band? Nice review, Thanks!

[@todderbert]

Thank you TRG, the EP-Pro will blow this radio out of the water on AM, but on FM it will be a close match. The FM on this radio is stellar.

[@TheRadiogeek]

todderbert oh ok it sounded like maybe the AM was better then normal on the ka390. Thanks for letting me know.

[@jeffking4176]

TheRadiogeek Big difference: the C.Crane radio is considered a “super radio” (ie: G.E. “SuperRadio “). And costs some $ 80.oo‼️. (Compared to $ 20.oo).

[@todderbert]

Your Welcome TRG, the AM is slightly better then radios in this price range. It has a 3 1/4" ferrite antenna in there also.

[@gregmedbourn5347]

Love what your doing !!! I enjoy seeing all the different radios and your reviews. I bought this Kaito radio and I have several higher end radios and I a/b them against each other and this Kaito had the best FM reception of everything I tried against it. I love how it sounds (very clear with great mids ) It doesn’t sound cheap at all. It’s very light weight and easily can hold with 1 hand while turning the tuner. The am is poor ( I wish I could say otherwise) The Sangean SR-35 has better am reception by far but would buy this Kaito again in a minute. Blessings Greg

[@rafaucett]

Well, after mulling it over for a few weeks, I ordered one this evening. 🙂 I currently have a couple of hand crank emergency radios, the Kaito KA350 and an older Radio Shack model, but they only use AAA or AA batteries respectively as their auxiliary batter power source. I live in Houston so I'm primarily thinking about hurricanes and extended power outages when it comes to having an emergency radio on hand. For example, just as recently as August 2017 we rode out Hurricane Harvey here in Houston. I wanted something with D cell batteries, or at least C cells, and I also wanted the NOAA stations. The Kaito KA390 looks like it should fit the bill perfectly! 👍 I love that it uses three D cell batteries. I have a charger for C and D cell rechargeable batteries so I'm good to go there. Of course, I can't use the battery charger during a power outage, but having a few extra D cell batteries on hand should power this radio for quite some time. Besides, I can always fall back to the Kaito KA350 or the Radio Shack model if I need to have the hand crank charge capability. The AM and FM reception seems like it should be much more than adequate for my needs. I really like the fact that the radio has a 32" antenna for FM and the radio's AM antenna seems to be very good. I think you stated in another comment here that it has a 3 1/4" ferrite antenna. Not too shabby. I also have a Tecsun AN-200 AM/MW tuneable loop antenna so I should be set when it comes to AM reception. I'm not too concerned about the radio's shortwave capability as I have other radios for that. For example, I have a Tecsun PL-880 and a Sangean ATS-909X plus some others. Strangely, especially since your video is fairly recent as I type this, I noticed on Amazon that the KA390 is currently listed (and photos of the radio also show it) as having 5.6 through 18.0 MHz for shortwave as compared to the radio in your video. Hmmm... I'll see what it actually has when I receive the radio. 5.6 through 18.0 MHz is a very usable frequency range though not completely ideal. Starting out at around 3.2 MHz or 4.0 MHz would be better IMHO. I'll play around with the shortwave just to see what it can do but I'm not really too concerned about it. BTW, the KA390 is currently listed as of the date of this post for $21.00 on Amazon but that's still a great price, IMHO. I watched your video several times over the last few days and it really helped me to decide that the KA390 was worth a try. Thanks for the video and the review! Cheers! 🍺 Bob 😎👍📻 Hurricane Harvey: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Harvey 🌀

[@rafaucett]

The radio arrived today (8/31/2018). Yay! I haven't had a chance to thoroughly play with it yet but I did confirm the SW frequency range. The range is 7.0 - 19.0 MHz. Kaito needs to update their product description and photos on Amazon. Photo on my Microsoft OneDrive storage: 1drv.ms/u/s!AtHG5rP7dx-No16dxW1OVFgwwS9Z

[@joseaugusto8284]

@@rafaucett Este receptor, é sensível nas ondas curtas? Qual as dimensões do plug dc jack de energia elétrica, em mm(milímetros)?

[@harrytuttle8161]

a no brainer just buy 2 , it covers all the bases I need , I would pair this with the ION Survival Scout and a Glock 20 .

[@mattcatlover333]

Would you recommend this over the ccrane ep pro

[@todderbert]

Yes, if you want FM performance on the cheap and don't need stereo. The crown still belongs to the EP-Pro on AM.

[@Gogogordy1]

that LED would be more compelling if it was illuminating the dial

[@karupugksamy3098]

Hello friend . i like am and sw band receiving radios. I want to buy this types of radios. But how its possible? Because im from India. Please help me. Give me the buying link for indian people

[@jeffking4176]

I did a little search. Kaito makes 28 + different models‼️ Don’t like the SW coverage. Misses too many stations-especially at night. Other than that it looks really well designed. And it sounds like a almost an FM DXer on the cheap.

[@todderbert]

This radio is worth all of it's $20 price tag. The FM is crazy good. This is a guilt free purchase :)

[@arupm7949]

AM not good. FM reception, no comment as no station nearby. SW, satisfactory. From India. 🙏

[@mariojr377]

Love it. .

[@АлексейСмольянинов-у6д]

почем такой можно купить и ссылку укажите

[@calderon551]

this radio is not on your amazon list.

[@todderbert]

I'll have to add it, thanks for bringing that up.

[@totallyfrozen]

I’m very interested in this radio, but...I want to say for the record, I hate when radios run on 3 batteries! 😡 Batteries are sold in even numbers. 2 pack, 4 pack, 8, 10, 12, 16...whatever. No one sells you 3 D batteries. Either radio manufacturers need to change or battery manufacturers need to change. LOL! The bigger question: Will this replace my Sony ICF-38?

[@samiullah7491]

I dont like Made in China . I like Japan . Malaysia . Taiwan . Radio ...

[@joseaugusto8284]

Porque não gosta,de produtos chineses?