Tecsun PL-360 Digital PLL Portable AM/FM Shortwave Radio with DSP, Black

• PLL Synthesized AM/FM/SW Radio with DSP (Digital Signal Processing) Technology
• Patented ETM Tuning (Easy Tuning Mode) plus 450 memories
• Includes high-sensitivity AM antenna
• Alarm clock + sleep timer + thermometer + build-in battery charger
• 30-Day money back guarantee and 1-year manufacturer's warranty

I had some goals in mind when I purchased the Tecsun PL-360: I was looking for an easy to use, very portable, AM/FM/Shortwave radio for under a hundred dollars, that was not demanding on batteries and provided decent reception.

So, here is what I found when the PL-360 went to work:

The first thing I did with it, out of the box, was to scan the SW band with ETM. The Easy Tuning Mode button locates audible stations and then lets you flip through them with the tuning dial. This feature can be run at any time to update your location or add to the list with antenna changes. The Tecsun scanned the SW band indoors with just the whip antenna and locked onto 38 stations. 2300-21950khz continuous. Later, with the addition of an outdoor antenna, the PL-360 (during evening hours) using ETM, scanned and locked on to over 135 shortwave stations. Not bad and I felt that met my expectations for SW. I am not real fond of the clip-on antenna rigging. But, it will add to the ETM station count. ( Note: I got to my outdoor antenna by soldering a alligator clip to the bitter end of the supplied clip-on antenna wire. I am sure you are on your own when you do this since it is outside the design and not in the user guide.)

When the PL-360 locks on it is discriminating and holds the station well. Little to no bleed over or fade beyond the nature of the band.

AM/FM radio and features: Just fine & handy too. Stereo radio sound is surprisingly decent with my Skull Candy headphones. I also tried three other types of headsets; over ear and soft inserts with differing results. Basically, better phones improve sound. You get about what you would expect from the small onboard speaker.

Features are easy to access. Faceplate buttons are small but snappy and clean with room to disallow "fat finger." There is not so much clutter that it is confusing. Noted in one review was the tuning knob as being crisp and solid with good indexing. I agree with that. The buttons support a "short press," and "long press" action to manipulate features.

The little AM antenna that fixes to the body and makes it look like a TNT igniter is okay. In fact, it is directional. There is a signal strength indicator on the LCD and that responds clearly to movement of the bar antenna.

Holding the radio in the left hand allows my wrap around fingers access to the tuning knob and volume knob. In the right hand the thumb is in charge. LCD Display and button markings are easy to read at arms reach as if holding a book. The LCD screen lights when buttons or knobs are moved and turns down with inactivity.

Scan and memory features are handy. Very briefly: You scan using the VF button and the radio holds a station for a few seconds then moves on. You can use the tuning knob to stop the scan and fine tune. Also, there is an up and down button feature in the four button Band selector and Auto Tuning Storage section that makes gross moves from band to band while the LCD provides a quick band reference as you troll. The band you are on flashes for about two seconds. (It took me a while to catch this indication. Two seconds is kind of quick. So, you have to be looking for this.) So, if you like 31m, you just push the up or down button until 31m shows in the upper right corner of the LCD. You can then scroll through the band. A press of the memory button drives a station you like to one of the memory sets for later use by the VM button as a preset.

The Alarm (wake up) mode is easy to use and set. The auto off timer has a surprisingly large selection of time choices. A blinking sleep icon flashes in the upper left corner of the LCD when setting this feature. Also, the LCD shows ambient temperature. This is listed in Fahrenheit when North American step settings are selected for AM.

I did purchase NMH rechargeable batteries to use in the radio. The PL-360 needs to be told it has NMH batteries installed. I found the setup for this easy and the Intelligent Charging Feature handy. So far, the radio does not appear to be a power consumption hog.

Overall, the PL-360 is a nice surprise. I feel the radio met all the goals I had in mind and provided some very nice extras that made it well worth the price paid. Also, the learning curve is not too bad and even the user guide is compact as well as straight forward.

Buy Tecsun PL-360 Digital PLL Portable AM/FM Shortwave Radio with DSP, Black Now

This is an interesting packaging of the new DSP radios coming out of China. Don't expect miracles out of the very small rotating am/lw antenna or tiny speaker, but if you do not need ssb or selectable sideband and want a travel radio with am, fm and shortwave, this may be of interest.

There are multiple tuning and entry options, along with an interesting "seek" function that seems to work better than previous implementations of this idea.

With an external direct or passively coupled loop antenna, the am is on par with my DE1103 on the "wide" setting.

San Francisco and Vancouver BC stations are an easy catch most autumn and winter nights. I've gotten one or two East Coast stations.

Small enough to slip in a big pocket, and it has a mini-usb charging port for the three AA cells. You will need that, as this radio seems to run through NiMh battery charge very fast, at least compared to my DE1103.

Read Best Reviews of Tecsun PL-360 Digital PLL Portable AM/FM Shortwave Radio with DSP, Black Here

Tecsun has several DSP radios utilizing the IC Si373x from Silicon Labs of Austin TX. The AM/FM/SW/LW digital tuning radio is shaped more like a TV remote compared to its other DSP cousins. It doesn't standup easily, nor does it fit in your pocket well. I don't think this design lends itself to any advantage other than putting an antenna on the end of a skinny block.

The unique feature of this radio is the Medium Wave AM radio antenna input, and the supplied external ferrite bar antenna. Testing the AM sensitivity for me is not easy as I live in a high QRM (man-made interference) area of my city, with commercial buildings all around. For me the supplied ferrite bar antenna performed well pulling in stations clearly up to 50 miles away that I know are under 2.5KW. I also tried Tecsun's AN-200 Loop antenna with direct connect to the radio. Not surprisingly a noticeable increase in reception, with late PM full of signals I could not identify in the World Radio Tv Handbook. So with the right antenna, this radios AM reception is very good and allows for experimenting at a reasonable price.

The FM and SW receptions are surprisingly good using the stick antenna. However, I mainly purchased the radio for the MW input as I'm planning a large loop antenna to take to the Eastern Seashore for Trans Atlantic DXing. As one of many Tecsun Ultra Light Radios (URL) with Digital Signal Processing (DSP), there fun, useful, work well, easy to use, light weight, and priced right. I like Tecsun because of their DSP radios, highly recommended.

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This radio performs as well as the Tecsun PL-380, and some may prefer the PL-380 because of its more familiar dimensions and features. However, the PL-360 will accept substitute plug-in antennas if the owner cares to create one or more for experimental purposes.

The PL-360 has no keyboard for direct frequency entry, but that's not too big a deal. The radio is solid feeling and has much better sound than I would expect from a small speaker. DSP enhances the listening experience substantially.

Sensitivity and selectivity, especially, are good for a small radio.

The integrated circuit at the heart of this chinese-built receiver is made in Austin, TX.

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Received this rather quickly from Amazon even with free (slow) shipping. I think I ordered on Friday and it arrived on Tuesday. Not bad.

The build quality of the radio is okay. Though, it does not have a robust feel like my Sangean DT-400W which I also bought recently.

Your experience may vary, below are only my opinions:

Here is what I don't like:

1) Silly ferrite external antenna. Surely they could have fit that darn thing into the radio. There is a pouch that comes with the radio, but there is not a place for the ferrite antenna in pouch. I suppose you can stuff it in the belt loop, but it is not really secure. If this external antenna works better than it does, then I would not be picking at it.

2) Can the buttons be any smaller? You almost need to use an magnifier to read the label on the buttons. Overall, the buttons are not very responsive.

3) The instruction booklet is mostly in Chinese so it useless unless you know Chinese. I think there may be English translation of it on the web somewhere.

4) No numerical buttons for frequency selection so there is a lot of thumb exercise.

Here is what I liked:

1) It has a strange shape. Reminds me of an old walky-talky. Easy to hold one handed.

2) The speaker is decent.

3) FM reception is solid while MW and SW is marginal.

4) Uses 3x AA batteries (isn't 3 an odd number???). Can recharge NiMH in the radio. Haven't really tried this feature yet.

5) ETM