CC SWP AM/FM Shortwave Pocket Radio

This is a perfect radio for travelers - flying, hiking etc. The sound is really good, the reception is marvelous, it fits easily into pants pocket and the earphones have a long cord that reaches the ears from a pocket. I live in Brooklyn, NY and get all the stations. I took the CC SWP AM/FM Shortwave Pocket Radio with me to South West Virginia recently and was amazed at the reception. I go often to Europe and am sure that I will be happy withe the reception there as well.

I was hoping to replace my current AM radio with something that had incredible reception and could finally pick up the AM channels I have been unable to get. This was a big disappointment. Had to return it and stick with my little inexpensive Sony, as bad as that reception is-it's still better than this!

I found this tiny radio to be a pleasant surprise. The reviews of it are oddly negative. I would agree with two criticisms: the volume levels are quite awkward, with the first degree being nearly inaudible, the next too soft, the next too loud, and the others far too loud to ever be useful. This could be a problem at times, especially if the unit is used in a public place or as a bedside radio. I found that the problem could be somewhat mitigated by adjusting the tone control to darken the louder volume or brighten the softer one. Also, the SW band is limited to 2300-7500 khz and 9200-22000 khz. However, that's the end of my criticisms.

I took the CCRadio-SWP along for my walk today. The cold crisp November air was admittedly ideal for SWLing. While in the woods and surrounded by the hills of western Massachusetts, I was very surprised at the all-round quality of this radio. Naturally, while outdoors the volume levels were not such a problem. As I scanned the shortwave band, I was amazed at the number of frequencies that came in loudly and clearly, with little or no fade out. The reception was comparable to that of a nearby AM station. The radio also picked up many stations on the AM and FM bands with excellent selectivity. And by the way, the FM reaches all the way down to 70.0 mhz.

The SWP's ergonomics make the radio's functions easy to master. A little time spent with the well-written manual brings a quick and thorough grasp of the many possibilities this radio offers: window light, 12 or 24 hour clock, alarm, 200 frequency memories, automatic turn-off by 5-minute increments, sensitivity switch, function lock, stereo output, and etc. All of this is squeezed into a minute 4 3/4" x 2 3/4" body. The manual even provides a few shortwave tips and a little station log.

No, I would have to disagree with the other reviewers. This is a fine AM/FM/shortwave pocket radio. If it weren't for the volume problem (which C Crane is intending to improve in a second version), I would certainly give it a five-star rating. Instead, I give it a strong four. I like the SWP very much, and would highly recommend it to others - so long as they understand the two weaknesses I mentioned. Although it lacks a belt clip, this is an excellent radio for walking or hiking, especially thanks to the pouch that accompanies it. And the modest price makes it a bargain.

I looked forward to getting this small radio, and used it for about two hours before the tuning knob lost its coupling with the electronics, was still able to rotate, but actual tuning knob related tuning, stopped. Until this happened, I noticed these features/characteristics:
1. AM BCB fidelity was very good, sensitivity also, with a very wide filter in the 'music' setting which would have made adjacent channel reception difficult next to strong stations.
2. Shortwave band sensitivity with the whip antenna seemed very good, and the noise floor on shortwave seemed nice and low.
3. FM -- the radio broke before I could try FM
4. The 'favorites' feature was nice--letting you go back to those once stored.
5. The pushbuttons had to be seriously pressed and not just tapped, to get anything to happen, so 'tapping in a frequency' was more like press a key, wait and look for it to register on the LCD, press another key, etc.
6. I noticed the volume buttons could have used a little more fine grain between steps, but for my ears, 'one bar' on the volume LCD was fine for most listening I did.

Had the radio tuning knob coupling not broken,I'd have given the radio a 3/4 rating overall. As Passport to World Band Radio might say, a good effort, with quality control problems. Your mileage may vary.

The CCRadio SWP is an excellent little radio. It is able to get coverage in my office and apartment that other radios could not. It's extremely portable, sturdy, and well designed. Room for 199 preset stations in memory, wow!! My only complaint is in line with others - the electronic volume control stinks. The lowest setting, one bar, is too low and the next highest setting, three bars, borders on being too loud for many situations (office, quiet bedroom, etc.). Overall it is a very good buy and I recommend.