Paid just £20. Saisho SW 5000 - Sangean ATS-803A - Realistic DX-440 SW

Shortwave. Saisho SW 5000 - Sangean ATS-803A - Realistic DX-440 - Matsui MR 4099 Short Wave Radio Review and testing. Picked this feature packed SW radio up in a local charity shop for just £20 with a wall PSU. Has a great sound on SW and the Ham bands from it built in 40" whip antenna.
Technical data
Principle: Double conversion superhet, IF 55.845 MHz / 450 kHz / FM 10.7 MHz
Operation modes: A1 with BFO, AM (A3), FM (F3)
Frequency range: FM, LW, MW, SW (150 kHz - 30 MHz)
Frequency display: Digital display, 1 kHz
Frequency memories: 9 memories
Signal strength indicator: LED chain
Signal processing: RF Gain
Features: Frequency direct entry keypad; clock, timer
Sensitivity: AM (A3) / Selectivity: 2.8 / 6.5 kHz (-6 dB)
Power supply
Mains operation: Mains adapter for 9 V DC.
Batteries: 6 x 1.5 V (UM-1), 2 x 1.5 V (UM-3) for quartz clock and memory
Dimensions
310 x 160 x 60 mm, weight 1 kg
Accessories
integrated telescopic antenna

[@laszlofyre845]

Have a search on the net for 'Sangean anti chuff mod'. I did it on my 803A BITD. IIRC it involves just cutting/unsoldering one wire-can't remember which one- so is dead easy, and it works! The chuffing is when VFO tuning, as frequency steps, auto-squelch is enabled, when the next 1kc increment is tuned, squelch cuts off. It is quite possible to miss plenty of stations with it working! And I think these were also sold badged as Philips and Grundig too.

[@48pluto]

The connector is called a 5 pins DIN. Beside regular HAM and Broadcast stations there are a lot of pirate SW stations in the Weekend to be heard. Mostly between 5800 - 6400 in AM. EU stations and USA stations between 6900 - 7000 SSB

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks for the info. DIN socket.

[@duncanrosslair1813]

Have one of these badged as a Matsui MR4099. Love it!

[@EricTechstuffs]

Sangean ATS-803A was my first portable shortwave my father bought me ! Great radio ! Used alongwave anyenna to hear lots of military in the 90s. Shortwave isn't as active as it once was. Did like hearing BBC fired up a shortwave transmitter in 2021 !

[@6643bear]

Hi Fred , another great informative video, I remember these , the direct frequency function I first saw on the early Sony world radios , 73 mark

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi Mark. Yes digital input for the freq was quite a thing back then.

[@greggaieck4808]

FRED IN THE SHED Iam thinking of getting my ham license

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi Greg, Go for it a whole new world awaits.

[@radioman140]

Not a bad radio that can certainly compete with today’s portable offerings

[@thestonerguy5276]

Nice review/feature description on this model Fred 👌(I'd forgotten all about Radio Shack's version), the BFO seemed to work very well and I do like the variable RF Gain control, so I guess I'll be hunting the resale shops around town to see what I can find! Thank You.

[@ronleblanc9832]

The jack was a 5 pin din .radio shack old cb sets used thes on their mikes . i like that it has a an external antenna jack nice looking radio i started listining back to short wave since the going ons in ucrane in the house use icom ic-718 and in the shed a grundig satalite 800

[@notreallydaedalus]

Similar to the keyboard connector on computers of the '80s.

[@GordonHudson]

Matsui was Curry's own brand. Saisho was Dixons. Dixons took over Curry's in early 1985. I know because I worked for Dixons at the time. There are some differences between the models. The Sangean has a tape recorder output. Not all of the other versions did. The recorder output could unpause a tape recorder. I sold one of these for 99p recently on eBay!

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks for the info Gordon. 99p wow i wish i had seen that sale.

[@greggaieck4808]

FRED IN THE SHED your shorwav reciver is cool there is lots on shortwave

[@ericdee6802]

I love shortwave radio. I have an old Signal Corps BC-348 reciever with a simple long wire antenna I play with. I love listening to WWV (nist) on it. What i find interesting is the Guys voice on WWV in Ft.Collins,Co has never changed in the 50+ years Ive been listening to Him...lol🤣

[@ClassicTrialsChannel]

Still have mine. had it since 91

[@PaulTaylor1]

Just what I wanted, perfect timing!

[@jgstevens5169]

Thank you Fred... I'm envious!! Think you could squeeze in a scan on MW sometime? Thank you again and congratulations!!

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi. I normally skip MW. There really is not a lot on these days other than sport. I cannot show music. Cheers

[@chrispike5773]

That radio looks like it was hardly used. Nice unit.

[@felinespirits]

On the Realistic DX-440, that external antenna input is not for an RCA plug. It actually takes a Motorola plug.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Interesting how they differ.

[@JoJoGunn1956]

I had the DX-440 and the antenna socket was indeed an RCA jack. (There was no "Record Out" of any type either).

[@Elo-hv3fw]

that round jack at timestamp 12:59 is called " DIN Jack" DIN stands for " Deutsche Industrie Norm " which means " German Industy Standart ".

[@kinezo1961]

I have an Emerson ATS 803A.

[@paulb4uk]

Quite a neat radio looks a bit like some of the sonys but without the cost they can go for, and this works from what i see a lot of sonys need repair

[@ronaldgroves6350]

I remember an article in short wave magazine showing how to trick these radios into tuning down to 50 kHz but I can't remember how it was done

[@stevefox3763]

That has been sold under so many names, i had one years ago with the Realistic branding but it was available under many names much like CB's ha ha.

[@martinryan5069]

That sounds great for its age as good as the Sony radios even better

[@jasonhowell5362]

socket is a din plug, i still have my realistic one with built in tape recorder i did a mod on my vfo no more clicking or loosing sound whilst tuning ill find the details out and pass them on to you but im sure they will be found on google

[@Speedyz57]

Nice one yet again Fred , 😀

[@Tobinindustrial]

A great review Fred. As you know, I have the identical unit gifted by an old mutual friend, Mark Taylor (TheCobraMan) who passed some years ago. You hit on all the important features of this radio. It is certainly a good performer. There is an ":anti-chuff" mod if you wish to have that switchable option some day in the future. I didn't modify Mark's radio out of respect for the man. This is a great portable SW unit that one can expect to have lots of fun with. The built in telescopic whip is quite impressive. Experimenting with external random wires is the most fun with this unit. Thanks for sharing.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi Andy. I recognised it in the window from one of your older videos. Did not know it was the one Vanny sent you. Its a good performer for an older radio. Ive already got an RCA Phono converter for the ext antenna so look forward to receiving some CB skip on USB when it kicks in.

[@johnnymac26]

best £20 spent ever

[@richardmillican7733]

Fred, I inherited my late fathers Sangean 803. It got damaged so I bought the Saisho to take to bits to repair it. I only really needed the VFO. take note the VFO has an internal circuit, and is connected to the main RF board. I noticed the components inside were of lower quality and the build quality is far lacking in the Saisho to the Sangean. Generics are not a factor!

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi Rich. That might explain the much higher asking price for the 803. Thanks

[@richardmillican7733]

@@CB-RADIO-UK it's recently interested me that the Delta 318 I bought for £69 in 2014 is being traded as the Thunder pole T2000 at well over £100 (sometimes closer to £200) Yet PNI sell the 9001 (same rig, same time, same eBay) for under £75 What's going on? My Delta LT 318 puts out 12 watts! The thunderpole 4 watts. Weirdly it's like this: Thunderpole T2000 = Waitrose Delta 318 = Aldi PNI escort 9001 = Asda (with a sale on) I'm pretty sure the CBs would be identical, just different labels!!

[@640amthemix]

Wonder how this radio would compare to the legendary Sony 2010?

[@782matt2]

👍👍

[@RF_Burns]

Matsui... "Matsui - Introduced in the 1980s by Currys as a brand for its consumer electronics goods assembled in the United Kingdom, using imported components. Products in the Matsui line involved neither Japanese parts nor Japanese labour, but were branded with a Japanese sounding name" 😔

[@MONTY-YTNOM]

Made in South Wales near Blackwood. Alba Company

[@wulfsige14]

how come you can pick up sw in the daytime? I cant and I have the tecsun pl 990x

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

I can normally get something in the higher freqs. This was recorded at sun down around 5pm.

[@wulfsige14]

@@CB-RADIO-UK maybe I need to get my line outside perhaps

[@kimoclyde]

What does 'chuffing' mean in your country?

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Like an audio stuttering noise.

[@greggaieck4808]

S video like the TVs 80s 90s Fred in the shed

[@31LR176]

connector DIN pin 5

[@symonenry7442]

DDDixons

[@nesquiksvlog]

Don't completely write off shortwave Fred. The Ukraine situation has shown there's a place for shortwave, and RF in general, when the internet dies when comms are needed most. 73 mate.