Tecsun PL-330 AM FM LW Shortwave SSB Portable Radio Review

[@todderbert]

(paid link below) As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There are no additional costs to you. ▶ The Tecsun PL-330 at Amazon: amzn.to/2OD6qbR (paid link below) As an eBay Partner, I may be compensated if you make a purchase. There are no additional costs to you. ▶ The Tecsun PL-330 at eBay: bit.ly/TecsunPL330

[@quickdraw42]

I bought this radio some time ago. It actually receives shortwave better than my tecsun s-2000 base shortwave radio! It works extremely well, but keep in mind that it is a small radio and everything is smaller on it like the buttons. If I had a single complaint, it would be that there is no kickstand so one will have to be set up. (minor issue). Like Bert says, the radio is well worth the money. Thankyou for the super review.

[@fwfefrtefdv4719]

Hi, I saw PL380 price much lower than PL330, what is the reason?

[@vadaboy]

I did a scan the other night from northwest Connecticut, 62 am stations, 81fm, 42 shortwave, wow! I used an old 23 foot grundig compact antenna.

[@mrgolftennisviolin]

Your videos have inspired me to dig out every radio I own and to learn a lot more about how radio works. Your passion is contagious, easy decision to subscribe!

[@todderbert]

Thanks! Still tons to explore on the Radio Waves :)

[@mrgolftennisviolin]

For my next portable, would you recommend the Tecsun or a CC Skywave? Both seem great but I’m leaning towards Skywave with the prices being similar right now.

[@todderbert]

@@mrgolftennisviolin The Skywave is a winner, and has great headphone audio. Having Weather Alert is awesome.

[@moogdome2562]

Just bought one from Amazon after this great demo. Thank you

[@IbrahimIbrahim-mr9yn]

Please how much in dollar

[@Foulball0206]

Me too

[@nrich5127]

I got a Tecsun PL-310 , a very similar unit , and it has remained the best radio I've ever owned. The biggest plus is the stable sensitive tuning which delegates all my other radios to the trash can. I sometimes use a small Mifa speaker for FM radio when I go to the beach for better sound.

[@mcdeadsquirrel]

This is just one of the great reviews on the Internet. All of the reviews are good but when you have something that a lot of people are very interested in, it makes it even better!!! Thanks!!!

[@coptertim]

I've become a real fan of Tecsun radios. When I tried to buy this model, the PL 330, they were out of stock everywhere so I switched to the 880. After watching your review I believe the only real difference is in the size. I'm always amazed by Tecsun's AM and shortwave reception and I'm sure the 330 is just as good. It comes with a good manual in the box, even tho you wont need it. The PL 330 will be a good addition to my travel bag.

[@mgray612]

Fast forward two years and the pl-330 comes with usb C charging, and the STEP and ETM buttons are raised above the bezel :). This is still an excellent review thanks a ton

[@45acpP90]

Which vendor did you purchase from? I'd like to find it with USB C.

[@richsherman3673]

Portable is an understatement, I would call this Portable Compact. Great review, thanks.

[@watershed44]

@todderbert I always find myself waiting for you to upload new videos, because your reviews are so thorough and a pleasure to watch. Thanks for all the work you put into them!

[@todderbert]

You're Welcome. Glad to have awesome viewers such as yourself :)

[@Bdub1952]

Thank you for the great review. I've had my Chinese domestic version for a few months now (3302), and agree with your assessments. It can't be beat for the price. I might add that the clock in this radio stays much more accurate than the clocks in my PL-310, P-L380, PL-390, my CC Skywave, CCRadio 2E, original (Sangean) CCRadio OR my Drake R8.

[@jjarratt]

I received my 330 last week and have put it through its paces. I like this radio , especially ETM+. The antenna is a little short but is adequete for most listening. I am also using an outside 60 ft wire antenna that I built with a 9:1 balun. The antenna does cause the local MW station to bleed into the SW band so I put a MW filter in series with the antenna and the result is very good. The MW station disappears and the noise floor is much lower. Considering the price, I would rate this radio as simply amazing. BTW. The system version I have is 3306. I don't know what the difference is from 3305.

[@chriscook215]

Just got this in the mail, a couple of days ago. Glad I got it !!!

[@jesses7244]

Todd thank you for this in-depth review and breakdown of features. I am just getting into the hobby of radio, and was able to score a used Tecsun PL-330 for $45 on ebay with free shipping! Two years later, your video is still helping us newbies get the best bang for our buck!

[@todderbert]

You're Welcome, btw nice Switch logo. Are you a Switch collector? I just got my first one this Christmas.

[@jesses7244]

@@todderbertNot a collector per se, just a lifelong fan since the Zelda days on the SNES

[@todderbert]

@@jesses7244 My wife just picked up the remake of Links Awakening for the Switch. Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom are games I want to play this year.

[@1975adam]

​@todderbert I also am a switch person .my pl 330 is in my p.o box I am just reviewing it and haveing a drink atm

[@StratmanII]

Hi Todderbert, I really enjoy watching your reviews of current and vintage radios and ordered a PL-330 last week. According to the China based seller, Tecsun has reverted the 3306 firmware to the earlier 3305 version, probably due to bugs in the 3306. She mentioned that customers buying the PL-330 in 2021 will be getting the 3305 firmware for the time being. The BL-5C battery was initially my pet peeve but I soon found out that I could order original Nokia BL-5C 1020 mAh batteries on the cheap and have also ordered a universal flat battery lithium ion charger for a good measure. I decided on the PL-330 as it's more precise on SSB reception compared to my existing PL-660 and can also have its frequency calibrated in case a station is off by a few kHz. I don't know if the PL-330 has an RF attenuation switch (DX/Normal/Local) but I find it very useful on the PL-660 when scanning only for strong stations and ignoring signals that are mostly static and electrical noise. Keep those interesting reviews coming - especially the ones of vintage SW receivers from the 70s! Best 73 from Malaysia! 📻😀👍🏼

[@StratmanII]

Updates: I finally received my PL-330 in ten days from the XHDATA official store. For some reason it came with the 3306 firmware and not the 3305 version as advertised. I couldn't believe how compact and lightweight it is and makes my PL-660 look like the flagship PL-990! 😶 The PL-330's plastic housing appears to be a lower cost plastic compared to the PL-660 and the tuning knob isn't as smooth, but I guess I'm paying more for the radio's technology than for its construction or audio quality. Still, the PL-330 is overall a satisfying, really pocketable receiver with an excellent sensitivity and a slightly better EMI rejection compared to my PL-660. It's the best MYR267 (US$64) I've ever spent on a world band pocket receiver with SSB capability! Thanks Todd for your great video reviews, keep 'em coming! 📻😀👍🏼

[@sidneycavalcant]

Acredita que a versão 3306, já tenha sido resolvido agora em 30/04/2023 ?

[@sidneycavalcant]

Qual site adquire originais BL5C ?

[@StratmanII]

@@sidneycavalcant Yes, the 3306 is still the latest firmware version in 2023. I have not heard of a new firmware update for the PL-330 yet. If there is nothing wrong with firmware 3306, Tecsun won't bother releasing version 3307. Your radio is good to go! 📻👍🏼

[@StratmanII]

@@sidneycavalcant I don't know which online seller advertises "original" BL-5C batteries as there are several Chinese battery manufacturers that make them under various brands. The simple rule of thumb is: avoid BL-5C batteries that claim having large capacities like 2400 mAh (like those "gold" jacketed batteries). The usual capacities for a BL-5C is between 900 mAh and 1100 mAh. It is possible for a battery manufacturer to make a 1800 mAh one but any capacity beyond that is doubtful. The BL-5C is a very slim and small battery. It is technologically impossible to squeeze 2400 mAh into it without making the battery thicker. Some brands that claim to have 2400 mAh turned out to have less than 1000 mAh!

[@whollyunaware5185]

It seems like Tecsun has another big seller on its hands - hopefully, enough to keep them in the business of designing future models of SW radios. The multitude of features combined with terrific sound quality in its compact size seems unbeatable for the price of this unit. Thanks for very capably demonstrating it to us, Pete.

[@ralphpannone3391]

I have this radio It’s a fantastic radio As are the other 6 I have purchased since subscribing to this channel. Not to mention the flashlights!!! My collection has doubled since finding this guy’s channel 😊

[@sidneycavalcant]

Quais rádios tem ?

[@listerdave1240]

One improvement it could do with is including air band. It probably wouldn't be too difficult to extend the range of the FM band and feed in to the AM demodulator.

[@radiorexandy]

WOW! Just based on a "Bang for the Buck" rating, this radio is top drawer. I didn't hear any "FM breakthrough" on the short wave bands, which was the bane of the old analog transistor portables of the sixties and seventies.. I do think I heard some minor circuit noise at a few spots on the shortwave bands, however -- a common shortcoming of almost all digital radios -- regardless of price. One error in an otherwise very excellent review I would like to point out is that the 75/50 selection referred to was not Hertz but microseconds FM de-emphasis selection. 75 in the US on FM and 50 in Europe.

[@IrishvintageTVRadio]

I have my PL-330 for maybe 3 months now, very happy with it so far.

[@geoffh784]

Thanks for the review, based upon it I've just ordered one, looks like a great little radio!

[@Bassotronics]

The Report Of The Week will be happy with this one for sure.

[@ZommBleed]

Just got mine in today. Version 3306. This truly IS a sweet radio. I have the H-501 and this little gem goes places with me where it's not practical to take the 501. IT'S AWESOME!!! I have the SO-259 -to- 1/8 mono jack adapter. I ordered the random wire antenna from the W2DX guy (if I have his name correct) on eBay. My next radio is going to be the 680. I'm putting off the S-2000 indefinitely. These three just might round off my my radio fetish. I'm going to mount one of them in my Freightliner cab. This will be great when I'm out on desolate locations. I might even switch back to night shift just for the clear signals. The STEP button is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be on the 330. The lack of a kickstand...meh. The angle of kickstands sucks on ALL radios. They put the radio in a position for all lighting conditions to glare off the display and orientate the control interface at an awkward angle. So, the lack of a kickstand isn't a deciding factor for me. BTW, great video. I've rewatched it and will do so again. Thanks for the great info. You are greatly appreciated, sir.

[@NTPTM]

Hej Todderbert thanks for the review of Tecsun PL-330 the PL-330 is a great radio and clearly Tecsun has improved the speaker quality and other things in the new Tecsun radios 2021 take care have great sunday.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

PL-368 smaller than PL-330

[@kaysguy]

I've been waiting for this review and this radio. Now I need to get one.

[@DriveInFreak]

Thank you. 8) I've been waiting for this. That one has a full 9KHz bandwidth on AM/MW, thus is capable of full fidelity sound. If you have a music station on AM in your aria, tune it in, switch the BW to 9KHz. plug it into your sound system, and be prepared to be blown away. Do yourself a favor and just tune the SSB to even 1KHz steps (i.e. last numbers 00 e.g. 3.898.00 , 3.899.00, ect). Now that analog dial ham rigs are a thing of the past (and actually somewhat frowned upon) even KHz frequencies are practically all that are used. I haven't heard anyone on a +/- 1/2 (e.g 3.898.50) in a very, very long time. Keep up the good work. Love your vids.

[@todderbert]

SSB can be calibrated. I was messing with mine and may have detuned it by mistake.

[@DriveInFreak]

@@todderbert How long did it take for yours to come in the mail?

[@todderbert]

@@DriveInFreak About Ten Days from the HK dealer, I think they have a warehouse in NY.

[@todderbert]

@Ge 3305

[@godfellas483]

Great review Todderbert...🙂 Tecsun has a great support page on their website. They have all their radios manuals in pdf format. The printing is so small in the given manual, I like to blow it up on my PC so it's easier to read. Keep up the great vids!

[@charlesyoung3795]

I have a Realistic DX 440, am range 150- 29999 kHz, fm, Lw, Mw and shortwave. It has bfo and rf gain, other features to many to mention. I bought it back in the 1980's portable and still works great.

[@c120flyer]

Yep, I have a DX-440 as well, and it’s not a bad receiver! I carry it when I travel in our RV. An external antenna really brings it to life!

[@charlesyoung3795]

@@c120flyer I found in the absence of an external antenna just take a wire of any length and put two alligator clips one on each end and extended telescopic antenna and clip it to I can aluminum window frame it will really enhance reception and when I was out camping I got like a 50 ft copper wire and just like throw it over a tree and do the same thing with the alligator clips and it really enhances reception too.

[@godfellas483]

Great review Todderbert! Time to upgrade from my PL 380. I love the tuning dial and volume knob. This is my next purchase.

[@marvinhanson6942]

If you push and hold number 3 button it switches to the antenna Jack on the side for broad cast and shortwave, awesome radio love mine.

[@domingollerena8808]

I have the PL-880 model, and they really are very good and have a great sound, for their small size, as well as all their characteristics. Thanks for your video.

[@baneverything5580]

@jeremy ballin It has different features, better sound, uses a better 18650 battery, and I think it has an RF gain switch which allows you to use longer and more resonant antennas without overloading. But all of these various radios have their advantages and disadvantages. Some prefer the Tecsun PL-660 because it has no muting on tuning and it also has a three position gain control switch. I like mine but the volume is kinda low on SSB which can be remedied by connecting external speakers. Finding active signals is easy because you can tune very fast since it`s a PLL receiver and not DSP. I bought the one in this video as a backup and because you can use an external antenna on AM. I love to experiment with antennas so that should be fun to mess around with.

[@acidfroggy1194]

Nice receiver! I wish it also picked up 6 meter ham and air bands, but I also know there's not a lot of demand for that. Thanks for making another great video!

[@bobsoldrecords1503]

I can't wait to get this in the mail. I was a DXer many years ago and decided to get back to the hobby recently. I'm going to have fun with this little guy cruising the bands giving the pirates on 4th July

[@suprlite]

Just ordered 🙂 also ordered a Rtl-Sdr V4 and a baofeng uv-5r. This hobby is waay more affordable now than it was in the 80s-90s when i sooo urged for it.

[@draff1662]

The PL-330 is an amazing radio. Again you are spot on with your review. If you don’t have a lot of money and you want SSB and sync, this is the radio to go for IMO. The Radiowow and XH-DATA are great radios I just think the feature rich PL-330 has an edge over them. I have no issue with the battery, actually I get great battery life and gradually I think we’ll see less and less AA being used on future radios. No big whoop to me - things change, so do I. Carry a couple of extra in your radio Go-Bag. Tecsun has provided us with four new radios in 2021 - all of them are impressive. Thanks for your review.

[@Antenna101]

have been using this radio for 2 weeks now, love it!

[@kc8tby]

Wonderful and very detailed and comprehensive review! Thanks for uploading this, Todd! I own this little radio and everything you said about this little gem I found to be true! The only complaint I have , and I hate to nitpick, but I wish they had included some sort of backstand ! I dislike having to find something to prop this little radio on each time I use it. LOL! OK...aside from that I LOVE this little radio. It is a true DX dream machine!

[@todderbert]

I agree about propping it up. I use a phone stand.

[@mpatrickthomas]

😂😂.. I'm EXACTLY the same way.Will I not buy it because it doesn't...no,but just having that thin plastic kickstand to rest it on is great cos it's at the perfect angle.

[@7775Kevin]

Got the new version with USB C port and the raised Step and ETM buttons. Works great. The radio came with a battery, too.

[@todderbert]

The Most Excellent Tecsun PL-330 is now at Amazon ▶ amzn.to/3s0HdWo The Awesome Tecsun PL-330 is available on eBay ▶ bit.ly/TecsunPL330

[@joeblow1942]

How is it that you were getting such radically different kinds of music without switching channels?

[@todderbert]

@@joeblow1942 Using a small FM Transmitter with a MP3 Player hooked up to it. I am changing the tracks manually. Also these transmitters are great for MW receivers in a noisy environment.

[@joeblow1942]

@@todderbert So the FM transmitter is a separate device from the radio and you were playing the music from the MP3 player through the speakers in the radio?

[@todderbert]

@@joeblow1942 Yes, the transmitter was taking the MP3 Player's music and broadcasting it on 92.9MHz. So any FM radio could pick it up within a few hundred feet.

[@BG101UK]

Nice that this actually has Long Wave, which is all too often omitted on so-called "World Band" receivers.

[@markdouglas1741]

Hi Todderbert, Thank you so very much for taking the time to make this comprehensive video as you said you would. I found a hidden feature on mine! If you press and hold down the # 3 button the radio will disconnect the internal mw bar antenna 📡 and switch to the telescopic for mw. You may have noticed that i had to drop my membership with you todoy. This is because my Visa has been stolen. The bank has closed the one i paid you with. Should be all fixed and back with you quickly. Mark.

[@todderbert]

No problem Mark, hope to have you back as a Channel Member.

[@jeffking291]

That’s really interesting. Especially for us who listen to a lo of distant MW stations. 📻🙂

[@eighteenin78]

I have one of those red loop antennas where the input jack would come in handy for MW, but I did not know that a telescopic whip was any use on MW on any radio.

[@jeffking291]

@@eighteenin78 I have 3 vintage AM radios that actually came with external whip antennas. 2 are Channel Master radios, and one is a little 1959 Toshiba. And it does help on these . And an extra length of wire to the antenna also helped. 📻🙂

[@markdouglas1741]

Hey old Master of the DX bands. Any way You could order an English owner's manual. I sure look after all of your effort

[@dardotoscano9319]

Whoa, very small receiver capable to listen shortwave,Awesome!

[@CJDarkRose]

If I didn't already have a Skywave SSB, I'd jump on this. I might get one anyway, since I have a stash of those XHDATA BL-5C's now.

[@todderbert]

You will enjoy the Audio on this one for sure. Plus the Time Slots are an Excellent tool for scanning the bands.

[@marrkparkes3775]

Jump

[@jisa98]

Nice radio, Amazon should have it in stock.

[@FrancisLitanofficialJAPINOY]

Cheap on Aliexpress

[@jeffking291]

Great video. I’m almost tempted - just not crazy about the battery. 📻🙂

[@klrscout]

Yeah, an 18650 would probably be overkill, But I've standardized on them.

[@troyvalentinoriedel]

I have a couple of portable radios, mp3 players & recorders with this battery ... and I was skeptical at first. Mine hold a charge for a very long time - and when stored they seem to be very low self-discharge and thus they've grown on me (I'm indifferent at worst ... I've *never* run out of power when using them).

[@joeblow1942]

Why don't you like lithium batteries? I try to buy everything with lithium now because they last a long time and don't lose their charge when not using.

[@jeffking291]

@@joeblow1942 I don’t mind the 18650 batteries so much, but I live in Jacksonville Florida. The last hurricane that came NEAR us -stayed off the coast [ and I live 30 miles inland], my power was out 5 1/2 days. Some didn’t have power for 2 weeks ❗️ The XHData, and PL-880 both take the 18650, and so do a couple of my Emergency Radios. So, I had to buy a couple extra batteries and a charger for them. And every 2 months I make sure the radios are working, and recharge ALL my batteries. ( 16 “AA”/ 6 “AAA”/ 2 “9-Volt / 8 “D” batteries [ I don’t have any “C” batteries yet]) And I keep a rather large stock of Alkaline batteries for emergencies. So I’m really not into having to buy another charger and more batteries. Yes the radios can charge them , but like many others, I prefer not to use the internal chargers unless I have to. With an 18650 with more capacity, I can go a day or two without having to charge it. So I prefer those radios that take “AA “ batteries. (( also , if the Lithium batteries sit too long without being used, they do go bad.)) 📻🙂

[@joeblow1942]

@@jeffking291 What's wrong with using the radio's internal battery charger?

[@tommythetoe]

Thank you I needed a replacement for my old grundig shortwave. Your reviews are very good. When I followed your link there was a 10% discount. I am sure I will prefer this radio that grundig weighed a ton. This radio plus my 65 watt power bank will still weigh much less.

[@richardmerriam7044]

Mine should arrive in a few days. A good solution for the missing kickstand are book stands available from Amazon. Adjustable tilt angle, and will fit many different radios. I use one for the PL-380 and it works well. The apparent reason for the 'step' button being flush may be its location being close to the tuning knob. Pretty busy control panel!

[@astrazenica7783]

Wow he said it's 10:43 in the morning. I look at clock and what time you think it is when I heard that..... 10:43

[@GnosisMan50]

You could get a 0.032" gage black plastic sheet (or any other color) from a hobby store, cut a piece the size of the STEP button, and glue it on with crazy glue.

[@glennsanders6464]

I received mine about a week ago and it's awesome 😎 Mine has the newest version of software, a English manual and a nice Tecsun branded zipper pouch instead of the draw string bag.

[@sidneycavalcant]

Notou algum erro devido a versão nova do firmware ?

[@craigie13]

Within 1 min of video starting, I ordered one

[@PatrickIrelandsentienti]

A great review, I love shortwave.

[@markdouglas1741]

Personally , I have noticed in all your mw tests with an analog rig, when you use the CC Sky Wave to check what exact frequency you are on. It seems to always Pick up a lot of rf and at times this burier's the signal on mw. Big money for what you get.

[@RobHinkforth]

How long does it take for the battery to be fully charged? When the radio is plugged directly into the wall via an adapter or while connected to a computer. Thank you

[@todderbert]

About Three Hours.

[@RobHinkforth]

@@todderbert thanks and one additional follow up. How many hours of listening time (on average) is there on a fully charged battery. Thanks

[@todderbert]

@@RobHinkforth Appx. 8-12 Hours, more if using headphones.

[@44Mag]

Very good, comprehensive and effective review. Thank you. I currently have an old Panasonic RF-B60 that I've had for about 20 years, and this PL-330 looks like a good upgrade radio with the full band coverages and large memory storage. (Though it does look like I would give up the air band of 108 to 137 that I get with the B60) Thanks again.

[@todderbert]

You're Welcome! The BF-60 is an very good radio. The Tecsun offers the ETM+ which is nice.

[@44Mag]

@@todderbert What is your current favorite radio in the $200 and under group? (with best channel attenuation and clearest sound with just a reel-type external antenna like the Sangean $15 model?) - Thanks

[@todderbert]

@@44Mag My Sangean 909X, if you can find under $200, if not the Eton Elite Executive.

[@todderbert]

@@brsingh4912 Yes, and the B65 is awesome as well.

[@Robb-jf7vg]

I've got TWO of these radios! And your right! The FM Stereo reception is EXCELLENT! And with a "long wire" antenna, SW reception is great too! My only complaint is they chose to use that funky old "cell phone" battery 🔋, instead of a couple of triple "A's" ! Other then that, great radio 📻

[@baneverything5580]

The AN-200 loop works exceptionally well with a direct connection to the Tecsun PL-330 on AM. It actually gets a much cleaner signal than my CCrane EP PRO and Sangean PR-D4W at night on target stations. It turns the PL-330 into a DX monster! I can`t wait to finally move this Summer to try some AM external antenna experiments with the 330. I made a 4 ft loop from a solar panel box to get the lower AM band so I can get a strong daytime signal on 870 WWL New Orleans and I could faintly hear 820 WBAP in Dallas. I plan to modify some larger loops for a direct connection.

[@kalibiznes]

Wow 👍

[@martinabowm1786]

Hi Todderbert! I own this little radio and compare it with the 680 and 501x. It basically does the same like the big brother the x-501. It is an excellent receiver with surprisingly good sound quality. Of course the "big brothers" sound better with their big loudspeakers. The "SYNC"- function really only works reliably on the PL-660 and the Pl-680. The "SYNC" on this little guy and the big brother 501x is more hit and miss with very little positive effect. One more notable difference is the "DSP-Stutter" when you are tuning across the frequencies - you can hear every notch of the tuning knob as a short "puff"-sound, DSP-Radio typical! You get used to it. This little radio is probably the most sensitive and stable mini-receiver on the market. It is ideal even for Amateurs looking for maximum performance in a very handy little package. It does what the big boys do, just in a tiny box. The only thing the 660 and the 501x are of higher quality is the dual - and triple PLL- conversion receiver. No "puffs" while you are tuning the frequencies and with triple conversion stable as a rock etc. I got myself a little bag where my 330 resides together with additional batteries, sw-antenna, mini-charger, headphones and everything else I need for this radio. This way I have quite a powerful "grab and go" solution for when I am on a brake or just a long weekend. I recommend this radio, you can't go wrong - even if you are an amateur with certain expectations. Here a compliment to jour presentations and style: you always are positive and even with "lesser" radios you always find something good to say in a nice way! Every time I watch a video of yours I go away with a good mood! Well done - keep up the excellent work! Greetings from Ireland!

[@ma-mo]

Bought mine a few weeks too early. Apparently. Mine was a bit more expensive for an earlier Chinese-market version. Still, it's a great radio, for sure.

[@Juani2392]

Whats new on new version?

[@Inkling777]

In features, this radio is much like my Sony SW7600G including the SSB and AM synch but with more versatile knob tuning. Those who're looking for a radio for a major crisis should be aware that the world is no longer like Europe in 1942. SW broadcasting has deteriorated to the point where the once-mighty BBC now has no broadcasts to the Western hemisphere. What will be useful in troubled times is a radio (like this one) that can make the Donald Duck squawking of SSB understandable. You'll be able to find out what is happening via radio hams and your state emergencies services. (The latter will typically be around 5-6 MHz and probably in touch with the National Guard. To follow local events, the best option is a portable VHF/UHF scanner that'll tune to your local law enforcement, the airport, and perhaps the rail line. They'll be reporting trouble close to home, which is where it matters. And I agree with the reviewer that this radio needs a battery than can be replaced, although in a pinch you could probably run it with a USB charging pack connected.

[@Nikolak44_AJ_Epic]

Hello, I am from Canada. As you may be aware this country is transitioning to full on Communism with a new sensorship law soon that will greatly "filter" external news, media, internet etc. and was wondering if this radio makes a good choice to listen to American stations for news and information?

[@444DG]

@@Nikolak44_AJ_Epic It will work for that, but keep in mind here is the USA we're not far behind you in communism and our mainstream media is full blown propaganda.

[@johannesvanhoek9080]

Thank you sir, very informative and I just ordered the radio off your link and you have a new subscriber

[@todderbert]

Thanks! Now for some Shortwave fun :)

[@ralphnunn3]

FYI, for the future for catching hams - 14.300 is the Maritime Mobile Net. It is my understanding that they're on that net 24x7.

[@todderbert]

Thank you.

[@jplacido9999]

14.300 MHz is the Ham Emergency 20m frequency. That's why they are there..😀👍

[@justincassidy4512]

I like it but I don’t like radios with those batteries.😩always great reviews👍👍✌️

[@RJDA.Dakota]

Confused about how to recharge the battery. And how safely to keep it in the radio.

[@totoksudiarto5221]

Small radio but strong performance...thank you sir...from Indonesia. Success for you..

[@deadeyedsam850]

I have a TECSUN PL-365 and the County Comm GP-5/SSB , battery life is crazy good on both of them , 70+ hours on 3 AA nimh batteries on a med/low volume level.

[@stridermt2k]

I have ended up on your channel in a couple of times researching stuff. Subscribed! Just picked up a PL-330 to replace my venerable PL-660. Waiting for it now. Thanks for the videos de N2NLQ!

[@golf-n-guns]

I have a PL-880. I may need to get this one too.

[@douglasrowland9986]

I have both. Best feature is the ability to change the am antenna to external on the PL-330. I wish the PL-880 had it

[@Garyscott7]

Got mine from Amazon/ Kaito today April-17-2021. It is not the extreme best in any one area compared to my CC Radio 3 (best AM & big full sound with handy Bluetooth audio receiver), CC Radio SW (best FM, decent SW, just OK AM), Tecsun PL-880 (box of rocks speaker, eats the battery and best at nothing except the nifty leather like case it came in) and a couple of Sangeans (the old PR-D5 is killer after I added a couple of loops around the ferrite & an external AM antenna jack). But I am impressed with the small size, exceptional voice quality speaker and overall performance. For a do-it-all ultra-portable it succeeds very nicely. I only hope Tecsun has improved the longevity of their switches and buttons from a few years ago. Time will tell.

[@youtubeuser3357]

What do you feel is the ultimate modern, still-selling, shortwave radio?

[@Garyscott7]

@@youtubeuser3357 I really don't know or have used the models out there right now. Short of high end Kenwood (my favorite brand) and such receivers at much more $$ I would start with the PL-330 then concentrate on making a good external antenna/ grounding system. And use a tuner, Like a MFJ-16010 or ??? If you suffer overload just insert a 3db or 6db 50 ohm pad in the coax. All radios, no matter how good, can only use what you feed it. If you want big sound out of it take the headphone audio and AUX into your stereo receiver and play with the bass & treble controls until you like the audio.

[@tonymagnier9846]

One persistent bug in my PL-330 is if you set the radio to external antenna (long press 3 with the radio on) and you run an ETM on MW or LW, when you get to tune through the channels it heard on ETM, the external antenna function has disabled itself, you have to long press 3 again...but when you move onto the next station it heard you have to once again set it to external...very annoying...anyway maybe the later models have sorted this, I dont know.

[@robertrockwell7581]

I have the Tecun R9700DX now thinking of buying this for the SSB.

[@govinda102000]

I would add this one to my collection if it had mini SD card and recording option.

[@huntercarver1851]

The new PL-990 has one on it.

[@ismalakas]

@@huntercarver1851 but just for playback. No recording.

[@Huanchee]

It's such a shame, since this radio looks great, but I just can not bother with any that don't run off normal aa batteries, sealed rechargable ones are always big no for me.

[@fedp48]

this one is not sealed

[@jeffreyhickman3871]

I rate this radio 📻 a five star 🌟. Just for you!! Your friend, Jeff!!

[@STR82DVD]

Looks like you received a very early revision with them pouch rather than the zippered case. Thanks for the content lad.

[@Mark-gy9dc]

I just got mine from Amazon. they must have seen your review lol. because mine came with raised buttons that were flush with the bezel, it also came with the battery and a USC-C Charging port.

[@Misfitnz8]

Thank you for the page you showed

[@Mark-gy9dc]

oh, and awesome review! no nonsense, straight to the facts.

[@filipmac5577]

Should i buy a Tecsun pl-330 or a pl-600? Which one is a better option, the 600 is larger but I do not know if it is a better radio electronically.

[@larrybragg7406]

I have a Tecsun 330. I have to keep it to the 2.2 filter on SSB for the best sound. I wished they had access to all the filters for SSB instead of just the 4. Everything else, I really like.

[@Seekthetruth3000]

Good review, thanks. I wish it had a tone control/knob.

[@F4LDT-Alain]

Great review, as usual. I really like my PL-330, it's an excellent SW performer with more usable SSB than the D-808. All this in a compact package. However mine has a flaw that tends to get worse with time: the tuning button is way too smooth, the slightest contact makes it move. And it's becoming very imprecise, skipping steps or making two frequency hops with a single step. It gets really annoying when browsing the bands. Is anyone else experiencing this as well?

[@kyezun]

just ordered this one!

[@hawkinscsa]

Don't have a single Tecsun radio but I may have to get this one! Thanks!

[@todderbert]

It is worth it.

[@45acpP90]

Thank you for the great video. I just purchased one a few days ago. Looking forward to trying it out.👍😉😎🇺🇲

[@todderbert]

Tons of stuff to tune out there!

[@zendonbuilds948]

Looks like a real workhorse in the tradition of the Sangean ATS-818. About the only thing my PL-880 seems to have that the 330 doesn't is 100-153 khz LW coverage, but then again if you're going to get into LW listening, you need some serious real estate for the antenna.

[@rimasmeleshyus9486]

I like it ,great short wave radio 📻, thanks for sharing. I like it to listen from around the world ⛵️ 🌎

[@markmeador1137]

Like your very detailed features of this radio. I am going to get one of these. My yb400 is really looking old.

[@trustin.p9504]

Great reiew. Looks like a dissonant buy. This radio will be in my future. 👍

[@starfield1874]

I love my PL-880, but really like the size of this 330. May look into getting one as space in my laptop bag is very limited.

[@todderbert]

It is worthy, just had mine out today on a walk. The Speaker audio is an upgrade over previous models in this size range.

[@ronbotex]

How would you would compare this to the XH-DATA D-808? I do like the 18650 better than BL-5C

[@todderbert]

I would pick the D-808. though I would miss the ETM+ feature.

[@ronbotex]

@@todderbert That's good because I have the D-808. A surprise auction win on Ebay for about $65 .....

[@tallpaulmagic]

Just ordered mine. I love the size comparison with the deck of cards. As a magician, it's something I'm very familiar with and helped.

[@darwinfox6734]

Thanks for reviewing the Tecsun PL-330. I will be looking forward to day and night band scans. Also, could you compare the performance and features of this new radio, to the Digitech AR-1780, XHDATA D-808 and even the Tecsun PL-380. The main differences that I see are, the Tecsun PL-330 has better audio, synch and an external antenna jack that will also work on MW and LW. The Digitech and XHDATA probably have better reception on the internal ferrite rod for MW. the Tecsun PL-380 probably has no real advantage other then it's price and it has no SSB. So, what do you think? This would make a good video and show us allot about these similar radios. Darwin

[@hs0zcw]

Notice that radio model 808 and some others have two speed tuning which makes tuning in ham radio sideband much easier and otherwise it is extremely difficult to tune.

[@garycitro1674]

Hmmm, Mine is a PL-310ET.. I guess it's a much lower model looking at the features. As I recall, much cheaper. My reception isn't good but I'm rural and I'll have to do some antenna mods.

[@EfficientTrout]

Many smartphone comes with FM radio but they are usually in mono. These dedicated portable radios is the only way you can experience FM stereo. I love napping while listening stereo FM on my PL-380 with earbuds.

[@heyyy4783]

Will you be doing a teardown? I'd like to see the PCB to know the build quality and which chip it's based off.

[@todderbert]

Possibly, though I am using the radio alot :)

[@eldontyrellcorp]

It's a very good radio and the speaker sound is a lot better than the pl-380. That was my main complain about it and they fixed it. Unfortunately they now use a bl5c battery which sucks. Fortunately this should be possible to place a 2500mah battery inside the radio, with some slight modification. I already replaced the ferrite antenna like in my pl380 and it receives a lot better in LW. And once the battery mod will be done, it'll be a fantastic little radio for sure. UPDATE : I confirm this is possible to place a 2500mah battery by removing the plastic under the bl-5c radio.

[@jemeliatube]

What's the model of the 2500 mAh battery you managet to fit in?

[@tfptalowahfishingpaddlinga3742]

Where can I get a copy of that special features print out? Thanks so much for the great review

[@baneverything5580]

No RF gain control?

[@mikemortensen4973]

I just got one yesterday and the AM bandwidths were the normal 9Khz, 3.5 and 2.5 I think, which is what they are supposed to be. But now if I press the AM BW button while in MW on a AM station and rotate the volume knob, it only shows 1Khz and does not change. Can't find any info on this anywhere, Anyone know what possibly happened and how to restore the proper bandwidths?