Panasonic's RF-1150 AM FM Shortwave Classic Radio Review

Full Review of the Powerhouse Panasonic RF-1150 AM FM Shortwave & CB portable radio that rocks the house with it's 6 1/2" Dual Range speaker. Such sweet sound.
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Features I like about this radio:
Amazing Looks!
Shortwave sensitivity is fantastic.
FM reception is better then most of my analog radios.
AM reception is glorious with it's rotating "gyro" antenna.
Speaker Audio is one of the best I've heard on a portable radio.
Brushed aluminum front plate.
Bass/Treble controls.
Dial and Tuning indicator Light.
Mechanical "Sleep" Timer.
BFO - So much fun tuning in HAMs with this radio..It is work but very rewarding.
CB Band.
AFC control.
Analog Tuning indicator. Loving that needle gauge.
Carry Strap...still there after all these years.
Takes 4 D cells.
External Antenna Input jack on the back.
Overall, I am very excited to be an owner of this wonderful receiver. I wanted a RF-2200 for so long and have on three different occasions tried to acqure one. Now I'm enjoying some old school "Tech" and am not in a rush for the 2200 anymore.
This radio will proudly sit next to my Superadios. It is a gorgeous piece from a bygone era. I'm loving every minute I spend tuning this radio.
Thank you for watching.
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[@todderbert]

▶ The Panasonic RF-1150 at Ebay: bit.ly/PanasonicRF1150 (paid link) As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase. There are no additional costs to you.

[@ominkan3129]

I used to have this radio and it was good sounding. I remember I had a lot of fun with it.

[@ArndroidInc]

How did I miss this video. What a beautiful radio. I love the tuning/battery meter. I would love to see more of this radio. Nice work Todderbert.

[@DriveInFreak]

Pro tip: The antenna on that one is actually longer than the optimal length for FM. To get the most out of it: Tune to a "fringe" station around 98MC/MHz, ajust the whip for the best reception, mark the telescopeing antenna with a Sharpie. SSB is going to drift on such a radio. Give it time to stabilize. Patience is the key. I know how obsered it sounds, but keep in mind that you're dealing with a radio from 40+ years ago..... let her warm up for 1/2 hour in a fairly stable temperature environment to keep the drift to a minimum. I see that you have developed the tuning skills of a safecracker. I also see (for what it's worth) that you truly love radio. I hate to say it, and I wish so very much that I had the means to send you one...but... YOU (out of all people) truly need the RF-2200 as you are one of the few who would truly appreciate it

[@todderbert]

Thanks for the tips DriveInFreak! I appreciate that. A RF-2200, one day..one day.

[@RJDA.Dakota]

DriveInFreak I used to have the RF 2200. It was absolutely awesome with it’s analogue tuning on shortwave. This system was foolproof if you are patient. Also note that it wasn’t perfect. The 2200 had issues with outdoor sunlight, as it was better in a slightly cool environment. With an outdoor antenna it’s simply awesome. SSB was fair to good. If you used it for SSB you want to leave it on for 1/2 hour to stabilize. The sound quality of the 2200 is very good and it has a bandwidth switch for wide and narrow (6/3,2 MHz). This was my favourite radio.

[@saltydog4759]

One of best multi-band portable radios ever made. Just behind the Sony ICF-5900 and the Panasonic RF-2200

[@MrSparks54]

I love an analog S-meter! Just a great old school receiver. Awesome radio and review!

[@todderbert]

It is awesome and so handy. I notice myself staring at it as I tune slowly on the SW bands. It really helps.

[@MalcolmArmstrong]

Awesome design. It looks like it's right out of a 70's sci-fi movie.

[@todderbert]

He says the sun came out last night. He says it sang to him.

[@RJDA.Dakota]

Used to have one of these. Used to pick up Radio RSA on 11 meter band 25790! And the tone quality was so great! And that CCrane transmitter is sweet also.

[@TheMysteryG]

A real Gem, manual tuning looks very enjoyable.

[@todderbert]

Wait until the band scans come out...there is so much on the SW band. I have to produce some dedicated MW scans because I couldn't squeeze it all into one episode :)

[@TheMysteryG]

@@todderbert love the sound of that already ... Anth

[@gmzx3]

Good review. I got mine as a gift when I was 20 and it is a survivor in very good condition. The 23 channel CB band (on US sets) lets you know exactly what era it is from! Up until then, my shortwaves were tube sets. Later, I got more serious communications receivers like R390A and Icom R71A, etc but don't listen to SW much these days. I just cleaned the RF-1150 up and gave my SRII a break. Idle for years, the controls were very noisy but are getting better every day. I use it at night and do some AM DXing, but mostly coast to coast and sports radio. The RF-1150 performance is comparable to the SRII on AM but it sounds better and I think it is better on FM. I also enjoy my DX-398 (Sangean) portable. The digital display, to know exactly where you are, many memories and other features along with excellent sensitivity/selectivity make it fun to use.

[@marklane5372]

A little late I know but I thought it was uncanny, I live in the UK and was yet again searching for the European version of the rf2200 and could not find one for sale at a reasonable price so happened across the rf1150 (mine for UK market has LW instead of marine and no CB) had not heard of it before but liked the look of the radio so snapped it up. So glad I did, like you I love the audio on this thing it is so full and deep makes me.want to just keep listening.

[@thomasniner001]

Nice example, congratulations on the find and purchase.

[@todderbert]

Thank you Thomas, I am loving it. Getting more use then my SRs at the moment.

[@mikeathens9793]

THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEW. I OWN 2 OF THEM. ONE OF THEM IS WITH LW AND LOUDNESS SWITCH. BEST RADIO EVER MADE. TOP SOUND, SUPER SENSITIVITY AND LOW NOISE.

[@eddiedowning2571]

I just got a Panasonic rf2200 yesterday did some trading and got it need a cleaning but works fine

[@vincentspena8461]

Just ordered one on Ebay $100 with some issues I will fix. Unique thing is that it has Marine band and uses a ferrite bar for it. The RF-2200 does not go down to 160 meters.

[@watershed44]

@todderbert You lucky dog you! I think this unit has essentially almost the same AM/SW RF circuitry that the legendary RF-2200 has except for the single conversion instead of double conversion...makes it just slightly less sensitive, but really it comes darn close to the performance of the 2200. Built precisely and like a tank too. Plus excellent Panasonic sound out of that large speaker not only lots of base but really nice mid range and treble too (this is BETTER than the 2200). Gotta love the super duper sized ferrite bar that can be rotated 360 degrees without moving the unit (like it's big brother the 2200. They really knew how to design and build them back then. Thanks for the review.

[@todderbert]

Your Welcome, I'm loving this radio. I have it running in the background at the moment, and I love the tone of that speaker on MW.

[@watershed44]

@todderbert Yes back at that time a speaker of that size and quality in a very affordable multiband portable was pretty rare, in 1976 it might have been the ONLY one sold in the USA. Although I think Sony had a competitor that might have not been offered here in the USA at the time.

[@fixman88]

Very nice, I want one!

[@dalesworld1308]

I have that unit picked up from a yard sale, I think for ten dollars. Fun unit to play around with.

[@todderbert]

Can't complain for $10...awesome!

[@Phantasm713]

Hi there!What's song on 8:50 ?

[@rnigma]

I have the same model, but it has the following differences: 5 bands (FM, MW [AM], Sw1, SW2, SW3), and the FM band is 76-90 MHz instead of 88-108. No CB switch (just the BFO switch). Has the name "Cougar" on the top left, and "National Panasonic" instead of just Panasonic. I assume it was made for the Japanese market, because of the difference in the FM frequencies. Too bad I can't tune it above 90 MHz, the FM does sound good.

[@nasiruddin-pj8jt]

I have this national Panasonic RF-1150LB in my collection although the fm has a very low sound due to weak capacitors and I don’t have the time yet to change the capacitors, a deep and clear sound and excellent design this is one of my favorite I must tell you that the reception is not as good as a Sony icf 5900 but the sound is better than the Sony specially on MW and FM the battery 🔋 life of Sony icf 5900 is better but still this radio comes in my top 10 radios , the first one is off course the Sony icf 2001D but any way a good review

[@Lin-vp8tk]

Are you still keep this ?

[@taylorp1637]

I have one of these. Paid a pretty penny on Ebay for it. Its quite deaf and needs some serious cleaning. I say deaf, because when i put the DX switch to local, I can barely hear anything on AM. I want to love this radio, but I need to find someone out their who can bring this thing to life. Oh that speaker!! One of the hottest speakers on a portable radio. 6.5" of pure glory. Additionally, getting back to AM, it doesn't respond well to my PK loop inductively, so I think it needs a bit of help getting back on its feet. If I do put the DX switch to distant, its loud on the locals, but nothing else. DXing AM is not fun on this radio even with a loop. Can anyone help me? I have a couple of RF-2200's, and one needs a bit of aligning too

[@BassmahOnline]

Hi Sangean PR-D6BK or Sangean PR-D4W AM/FM, which one is better? also what is the best radio you recommend under $ 60? Thanks!

[@todderbert]

PR-D4W is excellent on AM. Best radio under $60 for me would be a GE Superadio. I love em!

[@sigiang3701]

radio dep qua gia tri bao nhieu tien / 1 cai vay

[@yardleybottles6025]

Good deal!

[@todderbert]

Thanks, I am happy with it.

[@watershed44]

@todderbert Tip when using this unit for Amateur band ssb/bfo. These radios had some tension in the string attached to the tuning capacitor so even after you stop turning the main tuning knob there is some physical pulling on that pulley system. Turn that gently back and forth a few times and then concentrate on the BFO control, which also might need some contact cleaner as well. DO NOT..NOT EVER apply any contact cleaner to the TUNING CAPACITOR (main tuning) it will make drifting severe and almost permanent!!! When you are applying cleaner to the volume or other minor controls NEVER allow ANY residue to get near the tuning capacitor area!!!!! Very important!!!!! So happy you got this unit. Joy to use once you get some practice.

[@todderbert]

@@watershed44 I fixed my tuning capacitor using compressed air. It had dust in it causing severe crackling while tuning. Now it's perfect. I don't plan to use this radio for HAM activity. Mainly for SW broadcast stations. Might get a lot of MW use :)

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

AM Expanded band on MB BAND.

[@watershed44]

@Francis Litan not really it starts at 1800 kHz. Although some of them actually tune down to 1760 or so. But only designed to start at 1800 kHz which actually is the 160m Amateur Radio band 1.8-2.0 MHz

[@todderbert]

@@watershed44 The radio is marked 1.6 - 3.9 for the MB and I just tested it, the band starts at 1580kHz. Amazing.

[@watershed44]

@todderbert Color me wrong! I just got back from looking at my RF-4900 which is again very similar circuitry and sure enough my SW-1 band has 1.6-3.0 I rarely use that band for amateur listening so forgot about it. But for that price range back then that was really good frequency range especially since it had the SSB BFO control!

[@jeffking4176]

Great Yeah, you got a great deal ‼️ 📻👍🙂‼️

[@todderbert]

Thanks Jeff, I had to do some cleaning, that I wasn't sure was going to work. The tuning cap sounded horrible. I thought for sure it was shot and I would have a parts radio..but a little compressed air fixed it right up.

[@jeffking4176]

todderbert I am just beginning to learn to work on my own radios. Then , simple stuff for some time. I have an rf-2200, But it needs a full restore, looking like some $300.oo‼️

[@RJDA.Dakota]

Jeff King yes they’re very expensive to repair because of all the mechanical bandspreading systems. I had to have mine repaired and it was really expensive and the first time they repaired it it wasn’t quite right.

[@sajidmehmood7489]

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