Grundig Yacht Boy 400: The World at Your Fingertips
Written: Apr 16 '03 (Updated Apr 19 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Outstanding quality and features. Very portable. High fidelity sound from a small package.
Cons: Does not include aircraft band (not a big deal).
The Bottom Line: The Grundig Yacht Boy 400 is an extremely good and portable radio that is a pleasure to own and use.
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| arbytronix's Full Review: Grundig YB 400PE AM/FM/SW Radio |
The Reviewer's Perspective:
I consider myself to be an amateur short-wave listening hobbyist. Thus this review is written from the perspective of never having used professional grade short-wave listening equipment. This review is based on the Yacht Boy 400 receiver, which is functionally identical to the 400PE with the exception that the 400PE comes with an A.C. power adapter.
Initial Impression:
This radio is equipped with all the features necessary for a successful listening experience. Features include wide/narrow bandwidth switch, DX/Local switch, Single Side Band(SSB) switch, high/low tone switch, headphone jack for private listening (in stereo for FM), dual clocks, wake-up timer, sleep timer, built-in ferrite antenna for MW(AM) and LW reception, retractable whip antenna for FM and SW reception, and an external antenna input for use with the included 23ft retractable wire antenna.
Tuning is done primarily by entering the frequency, however, you can also seek through frequencies automatically, or step through frequencies in large or small steps.
The Basics:
LW: 144 - 353KHz 1 or 9KHz step
MW(AM): 520 - 1,710KHz 1 or 9,10KHz step
SW: 1,600-30,000KHz 1 or 5KHz step
FM: 87.5- 108Mhz 50 KHz step
Single Side Band (SSB) Tuning:
The radio can be put in SSB tuning mode with the flip of a switch. Selecting Upper Side Band (USB) or Lower Side Band (LSB) is performed manually by using the analog Fine Tuning control.
Read the Manual:
A sign of quality engineering in a product is the elimination of redundant or unnecessary controls. This has the effect of making the user interface less complicated in appearance, but does sometimes make things a little less intuitive to use.
Fortunately, the most commonly used controls are very easy to use, but the clock setting, alarm, sleep, wake-up, and memory controls are a little less intuitive. The Manual provides detailed instructions on how to use these features, as well as where and when to use the various switches and options.
Also, there is important information for the newbie that provides valuable knowledge relating to the short-wave listening experience. Details such as what bands are best at what times of the day, and a very basic listening guide go a long way toward putting a first-time-listener in a position to have a successful experience. Information is also provided for locating more in-depth listening guides to further the ability of a new listener in having an enjoyable experience.
The Joy of Listening:
The built-in speaker and case enclosure combination makes for a very high fidelity listening experience. Though the speaker itself is small, Grundig has the reputation for doing the fine engineering homework that allows for warm, high fidelity audio from such a small device. The listening experience is enhanced by the quality of the speaker as it greatly reduces the harsh quality of sound that would otherwise fatigue a listener's ears during long periods of listening.
The FM listening experience is quite good. Listening to a very weak FM station can a little problematic when its frequency is close to a stronger FM station, however this radio does much better in that regard than any other I've used. On a positive note, I often find that my radio has been hijacked by family members for listening to the FM band. They claim that this radio sounds better than theirs.
The AM listening experience has also been very good. The ability to tune at 1 KHz increments and having a wide and narrow bandwidth switch goes a long way toward being able to isolate a weak station that is next to a stronger station.
The SW listening experience has never been a disappointment. I have found that this radio does very well in tuning in stations from abroad. Living in Central California, my experience is that if a broadcast is aimed at the United States, I can receive it. I have also listened to Portuguese language broadcasts in Brazil that were targeted for the Amazon region of Brazil. The latter experience suggests that a listener should be able to pick up SOME broadcasts that are directed at other parts of the world with time and patience.
I have to confess that I've not done much LW listening. All I can say is that this radio can receive LW broadcasts and that I never was frustrated by the experience.
Last remarks:
This unit is very portable. Even the 23ft external antenna is portable because it is on a small reel with a hand crank.
Be sure to use the recessed "lock" button to insure that when you pack the radio for travel to prevent the power from being accidentally turned on. The lock feature also works to keep "little fingers" from making changes while you're listening.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
arbytronix
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Reviews written: 4
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