New SSB Pocket Receiver ATS120 (LW,MW,SW,CB,FM) Review

- ATS120 SI4732 ESP32 Bluetooth SSB FM 64-108MHz RDS AM, LSB, USB All Band Receiver Radio
vi.aliexpress.com/item/100500...
- BNC to Jack 3.5mm Adapter: vi.aliexpress.com/item/100500...
- Magnetic Loop Antenna MC-20: om0et.com/ultralight-mla-mc-2...
- Teardown ATS-120 receiver video: • ATS-120 Receiver Teardown
PRO's:
+ finally no mutes in every 1kHz step
+ great additional LNA (low noise RF amplifier)
+ direct frequency input
+ CW, USB, LSB, AM modulations
+ 10Hz and 100Hz steps added
+ baragraph real-time s-meter
+ change the bandwidth up to 4kHz/SSB
+ change the bandwidth up to 6kHz/AM/CW
+ BFO settings for each band stores in memory
+ high quality FM broadcast receiver with squelch with good selectivity+sensitivity
+ attenuator on FM broadcast band
+ FM bandwidth: 40,60,84 and 110kHz
+ adjustable SQUELCH lvl also in SSB
+ up to 75 memories
+ modul audio over Bluetooth
+ vertical/horizontal screen option
+ screen saver option
+ USB-C data+battery charge
+ LED lamp
+ external antenna input (3.5mm audio socket)
+ CNC precisely machined aluminium enclosure, ergonomic form factor
+ 1400mAh Li-ion battery
+ battery voltage-percentage icon indication
‐---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CON's:
- no bandpass filters
- no FM modulation for CB or 10m bands
- attenuator is not working in SSB mod. AM is OK.
- crossmodulation from FM in some HAM segments
- worse screen visibility on direct Sun
- touch panel's high peak noise when internal antenna
- RDS not working properly on the current FW ver.
- antenna is little wobbling, modif. is needed
- signal strength influence on holding radio in hand
#ATS120 #SSB #review

[@Nettlebed7]

a) Isn't it amazing that after more than 30 years manufacturers finally are dealing with the annoying mute-on-tuning which took away all the speed and fun of sweeping a band like was done on a real analog radio by a fling on the tuning wheel? b) The LNA appears to be quite useful. c) Personally I do not like any hard coupling between band and modulation method. You can't predict what people are doing (amplitude, frequency, fsk, ssb etc.). Quite frustrating to find a strong station with only a distorted residue of the real signal because their modulation is different from the hard setting of your COTS receiver.

[@user-tj9ft3xf2t]

You have given so much useful information about this receiver, I can't thank you enough!

[@DonzLockz]

Lots of features in a tiny radio, pretty impressive.

[@user-uw1oy9sb9x]

Very interesting video! Thank you for being so thorough in the explanation of all the features

[@mattnik]

I love the deep dive into the specifics of a radio, especially one I'm thinking of maybe buying. Thanks so much! 73 from EN44kh

[@WECB640]

When the GUI is better than the receiving capapabilities. Very thorough review Paul. 73

[@OM0ET]

😃😃 yes, but also receiving is very good, if we forget this crossmodulations sometimes 😉

[@JorgeFerreira_jomafe]

Mr. OM0ET, thank you very much for the excellent videos you have published

[@OM0ET]

Thank you for your nice comment 😊

[@fabio6935]

Thank. The best reviwe I ever seen on ATS 120 on KZbin

[@RT65CB-SWL]

Audio sounds good apart from the cross modulation issue. Nice display too. 73’s RT65CB-SWL

[@NJF60]

Lots of impressive settings

[@eugene-anthony4823]

Interesting video, thanks! How much current does the receiver consume and how long does the battery last?

[@tech29X]

Wow, Fantastico! Excellent in depth review. I'm sorry about the little accident you had with your radio, but it still performs good as new. Does it scan FM or AM bands and store channels in memory like ATS/ETM function. This is a great radio, I wish it was a little bigger with dedicated volume knob. I'm seriously considering about ordering this radio now that it does not mute at 1Khz increments.

[@OM0ET]

Thank you! I don't think it does ETM.

[@tech29X]

@@OM0ET Mi scusi, I want to make sure I understand correct. It can not scan FM band and store channels it finds to memory. If so, it is disappointing.

[@MarioVe2]

Thanks for the Video, Nice little Radio, tempting :) 73's

[@imreolajossr6355]

Very good video, good review!

[@mikeyf103]

Nice kit,be interesting to see the sensitivity

[@n1vca]

Thanks for the great review. Regarding the 14MHz "cross modulation" is actually an FM image/IF problem that can be solved with a FM BC blocking filter or a selective HF antenna, like you used later. If this RX would have Air Band, I would buy this instantly, because it has variable bandwidth and a squelch, ideal for Air Band, but I believe the tuner IC is incapable of exceeding 108 MHz. Does it have any DSP noise reduction like the Malahit, which offers a very well designed noise reduction and an auto notch filter on top? I just saw a video of one guy who flashed the decoder SW into this radio and inserted a tiny SMD decoder module and now received FT8, RTTY stand alone in the ATS120 ... SSTV should also work ... that is pretty amazing for this tiny little thing.

[@OM0ET]

Yes, I am in contact with Manuel, who posted this video today and I will do the same modification for decoder. No, this receiver doesn't offer the NR. Thanks for your comment! 😉👍 73

[@digitalmediafan]

Very nice but shame no FM. You didn't upgrade to the alternative firmware on the ATS100 then ?

[@OM0ET]

Thank you! No, I used a genuine FW only. Do you have any link for it?

[@digitalmediafan]

@@OM0ET Ah ok well I did send you a link on your video of the ATS100 6 months ago kzbin.info/www/bejne/iarWfIadoKdjY5Y

[@kevinsturges6957]

I hope there is a black leather carrying case available to keep this beautiful radio safe.

[@TheoSmith249]

Black 'faux' leather... with cinch cord.😂

[@aschlack8889]

Saludos, una consulta. Llevas la ft 857 de portatil? Como andan esas radios necesitan cambio de capacitors con la edad que tienen ? Disfruto bastante tus videos Saludos desde vk2 73

[@TheGmr140]

Nice little sdr radio

[@kurtzFPV]

Nice little radio. I just don't see why SWR manufacturers continue to put out models without sdr tuning bars and waterfalls though.

[@MikesPOV]

RDS works fine on this receiver. You have to turn off "RDS only FM button."

[@davidridley721]

Is this radio software upgradeable? I've seen videos on the ATS-25s but the 341 driver isn't working with this radio. Searched the net far and wide and seeing nothing on this particular radio or how to upgrade, if even possible. Also, no details on WI-fi setup anywhere.

[@mids44]

thanks you been my manual since mine doesn't have a manual ;-)

[@hgfhghghgfhfghgfhghg538]

does it still have the screen noise like the ATS25

[@tomcruiser2407]

thanks for that Video. The Rx seems to be good.

[@dayleedwards3521]

All the clever programming cannot hide or compensate for the poor front end RF performance. It would be a fairly simple matter to add a track tuned front end driven by the processor to improve the performance considerably.

[@johnorrells3797]

RDS works on the memories. Go to second page of setup go to memo and save a rds carrying station into a memo. Back to setup, make sure RDS highlighted then highlight FM. The station name will be shown the main rds comment and the time come up. Hope that is of help

[@bluenetmarketing]

Does it receive the USA weather channels?

[@ferencm.3635]

operate every 1 show separately eal in use , O,K? Hm?

[@Really2950]

Please mention that this radio has a esp32 microcontroller, which means it can be upgraded easily over usb port.

[@OM0ET]

Yes, upgrade process and new firmware is explained in my latest video - ATS120 Decoder Modification

[@JerryWasARaceCarDriver]

With everything this little radio can do, does it have FM stereo or just mono w headphoned?

[@OM0ET]

FM is stereo with RDS

[@user-lc7rz4xt9s]

Can I scan quickly? New SSB Pocket Receiver ATS120

[@ronaldzuccala-pv8tu]

Well thank you for an excellent review.

[@richiehoyt8487]

Thanks very much for uploading this helpful and (for the most part) comprehensive review/instructional video. One minor criticism - if I may - I would have liked to hear a few more words on the radio's performance on LW and MW.× But yes, essentially a great review. Being one of these "old~school" Lo~Tek type guys you spoke about, there were times I came close to flinging this thing against a wall; you helped demystify it for me, at least sufficiently to save me from some of my more destructive - and _expensive_ - impulses! I don't think I would have ever worked the '120' out on the fly, as I had hoped, and, unable to find much online that was actually helpful, I was starting to think my only remaining option would be to enroll for a few terms at Hogwarts!! How is it that if you buy a really straightforward window~sill radio, just something with which to listen to the breakfast show or whatever, it'll come with practically a _textbook_ of instructions in 18 languages, yet you buy a mobile phone, or a complex 100% digital radio that looks like a control panel for a nuclear power station, you'll be lucky if you get just a slip of paper in Chinese, or in really badly translated English. You know, "Congratulations for your selection of Happy Lucky radio! Superior Excellent performance in all operations..." Etc, etc! At least it was some consolation to me to happen upon the simulated anologue display. Maybe it's because it's what I became used to growing up, but those old style dials make it much easier for me to have a sort of intuitive understanding of where I am in the spectrum than a simple number; I suppose its kind of like how some people are more comfortable using an analogue watch to tell the time, and some prefer digital models. Even back in the day, I detested those little indicator wheels on pocket transistors where you had to peer at a little number through a hole, eg. (5⁴) I'm not even super keen on those kind of rotary dials, where there's a knob with a pointer on it which you can turn to the number indicating the desired frequency (or wavelength - I'm _that_ old~school!) such as you find on the well known 'Model One' tabletop radio. Incidentally, I too was puzzled that the (faux) analogue dial was configured for Italy; why Italy?! I mean, why _not_ Italy(?) It's not like I've some kind of problem with Italy, but why particularly _there?_ Did the factory maybe get a massive order from some one of these 'virtual storefront' brands for 10,000 radios for the Italian market, that then fell through or something, lol?!! Perhaps there is some way of downloading some sort of software via which you can configure the display for different respective radio (station) markets? Anyway, it does seem to be a remarkably good radio for what it is (and at that price) I'm just lucky I found your video so I could unlock some of the radios capabilities. ×I'll have to play around with it some more to make sure, but I will say that, at least until now, I've found the ATS~120 to be a complete let down on the AM broadcast bands. Finding myself for the first time in my life without a radio with Long Wave coverage, I had bought the radio _specifically_ so I could listen to BBC Radio 4 on long wave, especially now that RTE on LW are gone (along with their DAB services, leaving thousands of Irish households with expensive plastic bricks gathering dust... but that's another story!) I can't listen to BBC R4 on FM being too far away to even catch any overspill, and the BBC, in a particularly miserly move, have removed live radio feed from the Web (outside of the UK), excepting, I think, the World Service. Anyway, I obviously hadn't done sufficient homework. I knew the 120 'wasn't great' on AM, being designed for use with an external aerial (and earth?), but I'm not picking up anything _at all!_ It might just be my lack of technical proficiency, maybe all I need to do is fiddle with the squelch function; I had been under the impression that, small as it is, the radio might have had the option of an internal ferrite rod aerial, or that you could use the telescopic aerial for FM/SW _and_ AM, as used to be the way with car radios - and maybe it does, or you can, but I'm starting to get the feeling that that might have been wishful thinking on my part... I expect I'll have to invest in an external aerial, but living in a small flat, something that's going to look like a H.A.A.R.P. installation is definitely not going to be a possibility! Anyway, again - great run through. I'm glad I came across your channel.

[@mikewalton8086]

Could you not post a long comment?😊

[@eldontyrellcorp]

Am and lw cannot work good without a ferrite antenna, I'm afraid. And most ferrite antennas shipped in the other Chinese radios such as pl330 are not correctly designed and I had to remove the wire on them and add more turns with a Litz wire. Then it starts to correctly receive on the lw band (and mw is quite good, on the pl 330 at least).

[@kennymilsom]

Will this unit go to this Frequency 485.300 up to 485.500. If it can ,I will buy one. Thanks for the great video.

[@OM0ET]

I am sorry, but this is just HF radio up to 30MHz + FM broadcast

[@dyslectische]

Ssb are stil use on boats to download analoge weather maps .

[@davidsonkofi858]

In Ghana where can I get one to buy

[@michaelboone5660]

I used to be heavily into shortwave radio and CB radio but I have to be honest my cell phone takes me places that shortwave radio and CB never could it's still nice to see those things around tho😊

[@News_Blogs_Tutorials]

Shortwave radio listening is are free of charge. Whilst you need to pay for data connection to listen to online radio. If you can afford some good Internet connection plan then you're lucky to ignore shortwave radios. But for typical people who can hardly pay the bills, paying daily for a decent speed data connection just to listen to online radios and podcast is a luxury. Traditional over-the-air radio is still the best choice for the poor, especially into rural and remote places that has poor Internet connection or has no cell network coverage. In fact, in my area I have no GSM signal inside the apartment clad with aluminum screened doors that I need to raise an antenna at the rooftop to listen to news from overseas radio stations on my shortwave receiver, or even watch decent signals on digital TV inside the house.

[@Nettlebed7]

Wait until you live or hike in remote areas. Your urban-luxury gadget will be pretty useless on 67% of the earth surface. Only densely populated areas reach 95% (and that's not even 100%). Speaking from experience.

[@drippinglass]

I wish we had the modern digital units back in the 90’s. I had the Radio Shack DX-394 then. I do have a Hallicrafters HQ150 and a 1946 S-38 with the BFO. Also an Icom IC-R71E. One of my favorites was the Grundig YB-400.

[@NJF60]

The Retro feature is very cool

[@pierpa_76pierpaolo]

With this device you can hear the voices of my neighbors talking but in a very low voice and I can still hear them and it gives me an annoyance you can't imagine. I hear but it is not sufficent to be able to record them. Do you understand? Thank you very much.

[@macciocatapulta4070]

No upgrade for 11 meters?

[@Boediprasetya]

Nice micro CR

[@sammyboyde6489]

I guess I missed it. What does the right hard button do?

[@OM0ET]

A bluetooth connection to the speaker

[@rms8698]

I wish it had a DSP to eliminate those background white noise.

[@Paul_VK3HN]

I so want to like these si47xx receivers but alas they are just nowhere near good enough for practical use on the ham bands. The rx noise is giving me a headache even on this video. A decent receiver should emit almost no.noise without the antenna connected. This one is a wideband noise source. It is telling that most of the video explained the digital control functions, not the basic receiver performance. It doesn't matter how good the controls are if the receiver is noisy and insensitive, it wont last a few days on the shack bench. I would like to see this receiver side by side with an FT817 for comparison. I know the Yaesu is 10x the price, at a certain point people will trade off performance and price, such a comparison might assist with that decision. Thanks Paul for helping me decide!

[@pierpa_76pierpaolo]

@ OM0ET URGENT Question. My neighbors we have never spoken to each other and we can't even see each other they for the last three years have come up with this "game", I understand that in their home there is a receiver (and in their cars they keep their respective TX), as well as a digital recorder that goes to 'infinity when they are not in their respective home. So I want to have a receiver, and surely it will be VHF or UHF, to intercept and record them, since this way you cannot go on. They are my neighbors divided only by a dividing wall of about 40 cm but when they talk normally you can hear their voices but using an ultrasonic microphone suppressor I can understand what they are saying but of course I have to hear them at a considerable distance (attenuated a few times). I would like to modulate them all the way through. Last year I had done a test and I did not think I would get a result even if it was trivial and of little value, I was trying an fm receiver for microphones, I pass different channels and I can hear the radio station and the music they were listening to. They, however, could not hear anything anymore and only when I turned off the receiver was everything as before. I hope I have clarified the issue. I look forward to hearing from you.

[@devilsatan2973]

And why is what they do any of YOUR concern?

[@pierpa_76pierpaolo]

@@devilsatan2973 How do you mean?

[@devilsatan2973]

@@pierpa_76pierpaolo Why is what their doing matter to you? Or even does their "game" include you?

[@pierpa_76pierpaolo]

@@devilsatan2973 Ah. Because with this transceiver I would like to pick up the voices of my neighbors talking at night and if they''re also using a transmitter with the receiver I can hear them. :)

[@joblo497]

@@pierpa_76pierpaolo invite them over for dinner.. better 👍

[@frequencywatchers]

This Video Should Be Called "ATS100 VS ATS120"

[@kishascape]

Also should just do a write out of of the various differences and advantages. 50 minutes is just way too drawn out useless content by someone obsessed with watching themselves talk.

[@vincenzofidanza2539]

This radio is an ATS25X1 in a different format

[@darrang7483]

Great video as always Paul, nice to contact you on 17m earlier. 73 MW7EOG

[@deandaniels203]

Would you say this is a good buy especially for my first receiver.

[@OM0ET]

Yes, but If you plan to connect a long wire antenna or another big antenna then no.

[@deandaniels203]

Have you ever done review on the usdx ultra sot pota transceiver on your channel.

[@StratmanII]

@@OM0ET What happens if a Tecsun AN-05 retractable reel wire antenna or an MLA-30+ is plugged into the ATS-120? Does its front end overload badly? I'm torn between getting this or the ATS-25X Max Decoder. 🤔

[@OM0ET]

Both models don't have front end filters so I presume RX will be overloaded.

[@StratmanII]

@@OM0ET Thanks for replying! I've been a subscriber of your channel for some time, but this is the first time I've commented. I've seen all the videos of your demonstration of both the ATS-120 and the ATS-25 Max Decoder. Between the two models, if you had to sell or let go of one, which model would you let go of? 🙂

[@davidgreedus7483]

shame no FM on CB why they could not put a FM modulation blows my mind ?

[@OM0ET]

As it is the SDR receiver, I believe they could implement FM in to the next FW updates on our demand. 😉

[@frequencywatchers]

Can USB And LSB Be Used In Any Meter Band?

[@OM0ET]

Yes, you can use SSB also on LW, MW and SW frequencies/bands

[@derkjh]

No

[@JerryWasARaceCarDriver]

WIFI? That's cool. OMG blutooth?

[@ehsaananwaar]

Why don't you compare this with Retekeas TR 110.

[@OM0ET]

maybe I will in one of my next livestreams or videos ;) btw. I have HRD747

[@ehsaananwaar]

@@OM0ET شکریہ ، موازنہ کا انتظار رہے گا اور آپ کے HRD747 کی وڈیوز بھی دیکھ چکا ہوں۔

[@rinadych]

Is it possible to enable NFM modulation at 2130-2464 kHz? These are the frequencies of train radio and metro in the territory of the Russian Federation and the former USSR. (Train 2130, 2150; Metro 2444, 2464) *UPD:* 8:40 A-ha. Understand. Bad receiver ))

[@OM0ET]

Unfortunately no. There is no NFM at all. Only FM radio broadcast.

[@martinryan5069]

Great video but receiver is too niosey too much background hiss needs niose reduction it will give you a headache after a while

[@OM0ET]

Volume level was set too high. My bad, I didn't test it before recording 🫣

[@66vds]

Похоже, на LW-MW всё совсем грустно, раз туда даже не заглянули. С таким сенсорным цветным табло на весь фасад на низких частотах наверняка сплошные помехи.

[@OM0ET]

On LW and MW, this radio listens very well, but unfortunately during the day there are bad propagations, so I wouldn't hear much there at that time ;)

[@66vds]

@@OM0ET Very well - растяжимое понятие. С внешней антенной вполне возможно и даже скорее всего, но вот с встроенным телескопчиком вряд ли.

[@johnadams-fn4nd]

What? Your message was garbled in translation! Retransmit Please

[@fwijnja]

Looks the same as a ats25x1 from xiegu.

[@OM0ET]

yes, firmware looks similar with minor graphic differencies :)

[@jaysgood10]

Oh my word the noise. Is this guy on the moon or what. I thought this radio would be an interesting little gadget. The noise would kill me.

[@migsvensurfing6310]

NFM is missing sadly.

[@OM0ET]

Yes, that is true

[@Altoid777]

Too bad...No Air Band...

[@nightlore000]

Thank you for posting .. Be of no use in the UK .. Police / are all encrypted .. /

[@rawhides]

This isn’t a scanner for police lmao

[@derkjh]

Agree

[@dorin.dumitru]

this is waaaaay too expensive. for 100 bucks you can find (with a little bit of luck) a yaesu vx6 that will enjoy you more.

[@AlteSchutze]

They're a different devices !

[@gdj6298]

Except that this review is of an SSB -capable radio.........

[@frantisekmihalik1326]

For my is wery bad radio. Many sweetches and for nothing. Missing any elementary filters. And nois -horror. Hearting 1 hour you must use medicaments🤪

[@thelydiaspringexperiment6437]

Alinco djx10 from 20 odd years ago did a better job

[@onnonugteren2935]

Tell us first what it at all is. !?!?? radio? A bit very dumm not to do so. I did quit. Is it DAB too? Learn from this comment please.

[@BimBims]

This stupid things will dissaper in the future

[@user-wu3yi5eq2e]

Па руски мона, сцуко.😠😠

[@tn7579]

To much words, just for like

[@SnoDawg]

Instead of buying radios, buy a fingernail brush.

[@rs1107]

😎 Greetings From California 😎 KN6UTF

[@pierpa_76pierpaolo]

@ OM0ET URGENT Question. My neighbors we have never spoken to each other and we can't even see each other they for the last three years have come up with this "game", I understand that in their home there is a receiver (and in their cars they keep their respective TX), as well as a digital recorder that goes to 'infinity when they are not in their respective home. So I want to have a receiver, and surely it will be VHF or UHF, to intercept and record them, since this way you cannot go on. They are my neighbors divided only by a dividing wall of about 40 cm but when they talk normally you can hear their voices but using an ultrasonic microphone suppressor I can understand what they are saying but of course I have to hear them at a considerable distance (attenuated a few times). I would like to modulate them all the way through. Last year I had done a test and I did not think I would get a result even if it was trivial and of little value, I was trying an fm receiver for microphones, I pass different channels and I can hear the radio station and the music they were listening to. They, however, could not hear anything anymore and only when I turned off the receiver was everything as before. I hope I have clarified the issue. I look forward to hearing from you.