Battle of the Affordable Shortwave Heavyweights

There's been a lot of enthusiastic press lately about the Kaito WRX911 at sites such as Radiointel.com. Small wonder: on sale for US$29.95 at Radios4You.com, the WRX911 is one heck of a radio!

Let's talk specs. About the size of an audio cassette tape case, the WRX-911 is an 11-band radio that receives AM (530-1710 kHz), FM (88-108 MHz), and 9 shortwave bands. In order, the bands covered are 4.60-5.20 MHz, 5.75-6.40 MHz, 6.95-7.65 MHz, 9.30-9.90 MHz, 11.55-12.10 MHz, 13.55-13.85 MHz, 14.85-15.80 MHz, 17.40-18.05 MHz and 21.30-21.95 MHz. More details are available at Kaito Electronics.

As you can see, the WRX911 has nice wide coverage of the top end of the 49 meter band (5.75.6.40 MHz). However, its 31 meter band (9.30-9.90 MHz) leaves a bit to be desired, since the WRX911's version cuts off the WWV time station at 10 MHz. Fortunately, the WRX911 can receive WWV on 5 and 15 MHz. Still, I've always relied on the 10 MHz broadcast to calibrate my analog radios, even if only to figure out that "on this radio, 10 MHz is when the needle is here".

Some other details: The WRX911 comes with a fully extendable, rotatable whip antenna, and a nice big tuning display somewhat reminiscent of the Sony ICF7601. (The ICF7601 was a wonderful radio with great selectivity and sensitivity, and a nice tuning control with lots of 'twiddle room' to move between stations. You can learn more about the entire Sony 7600 series at The Sony 7600 series page, from which this image was borrowed with permission.) The WRX911's side-mounted tuning knob has lots of play for fine tuning by ear, while the front speaker gives reasonably good, if somewhat high-pitched, audio. Power comes from two 1.5V AA batteries; the WRX911 can handle an AC adaptor, but doesn't come with one. Finally, Kaito throws in a black cloth bag with drawstring for carrying the WRX911 and, in a nod to fashion, offers hits radio in either blue or black.

Operationally, the WRX911 acts and feels like a radio larger than its size. The controls work well, and there's room to move between stations; even on shortwave. The audio is reasonable, and the sensitivity and selectivity is good. Add the price of US$29.95, and you've got a radio that is truly a Cheap and Cheerful (C&C) bargain!

Which begs a question: how does the WRX911 compare to the Radio Addict's Corner longstanding C&C favorite, US$29.95 the Grundig Mini World PE 100 (available online at The Shortwave Store)? It's time to find out, and to make the contest more interesting, we'll throw in two other C&C contenders from Radios4You.com. These are the US$24.95 J-WIN JX-M14, and the $24.95 Kaide KK-989.

The Competitors

From left to right: The Kchibo KKE-220, the Megasound MT-500, the Mini World PE100, and the Kaito KA007.

The Test

The time was 0200 UTC; 10:00 p.m. local. Propagation conditions were good. Location: Ottawa, Canada.

In contrast to previous tests, this time I scanned the 49 Meter band on each of the four radios. The rankings that follow include stations received, and how each set performed overall.

First Place: Kchibo KKE-220

Boy, am I impressed with this little receiver! Granted, it is not a Sony 2010, but when it comes to a balance between price and performance, the KKE-220 is truly a Cheap and Cheerful winner. Using the KKE-220's direct entry keypad, I went straight to the BBC on 5975 from Antigua (250 kW). The signal's SIO (Strength-Interference-Overall) rating was a solid 555. So was Radio Taipei International on 5950 kHz. Radio Havana Cuba on 6000 KHz came in at 433, with some high-pitched heterodyne squealing the background. Meanwhile, the rest of the 49 meter band was packed with signals, most of them reasonably clear and solid.

My only complaint was that there was signal slopover in the 5 kHz gap between stations. I suspect that the KKE-220's bandwidth filter is set to wide: a position that provides good audio response, but allows stations to bleed over each other.

Operationally, the KKE-220's buttons are noisy to operate, which doesn't make this radio a good bet for 'beside the sleeping wife' bedtime tuning.

Second Place: Grundig Mini World 100 PE

The Mini World performed slightly worse than the KKE-220 on BBC 5975 kHz. I gave it an SIO of 545 due to the fact that the BBC's signal was overloading the set slightly. Still, the audio was clear and solid. Scanning upwards, the Mini World also tuned in a number of stations successfully. On Radio Havana Cuba at 6000 kHz, the signal came in strong but with more squeal than on the KKE-220. I rated the SIO at 423.

Third Place: Megasound MT-500

The MT-500 performed better this time around, thanks to the fact that it was being tested during 'shortwave prime time' in North America. The BBC on 5975 kHz had an SIO of 343. Compared to the other two radios, the MT-500 was less sensitive in receiving this signal, which seemed a bit weak but still clear. Meanwhile, Radio Havana Cuba on 6000 kHz had an SIO of 233: the signal came in relatively well, but the het squeal was pronounced.

Fourth Place: Kaito KA007

On BBC 5975 kHz, the Kaito KA007 only managed a 211 SIO. The problem was a combination of poor sensitivity, het squeals, and a 'buzzy' interference that overloaded the signal. Meanwhile, Radio Havana Cuba came in better with an SIO of 242. Cross references with the other radios showed that the problem was definitely the KA007's sensitivity and selectivity. To get a broader opinion, I checked the KA007's FM performance, which was okay. Still, this is not a shortwave set of choice.

The New Cheap and Cheerful Rankings

1. Kchibo KKE-220 -- Best Overall Performer Receiver
2. Grundig Mini World 100 PE -- Still The Best Buy
3. Megasound MT-500
4. Kaiwa KA007

Conclusion: The KKE-220 Rocks!

Much as I still like my Mini World PE 100, the Kchibo KKE-220 has really impressed me. It is truly a Cheap and Cheerful direct entry receiver worth buying. I wouldn't recommend it as a DX'ing and/or primary receiver. However, the KKE-220 is a solid little performer, and worth its price.

In this round, the Megasound MT-500 did redeem itself somewhat. Still, for a few cents more, the Mini World is just a better buy. Its sensitivity and selectivity consistently surpasses the MT-500. As well, the Mini World's tiny size makes it great for travelling, or for keeping inside a coat pocket.

As for the Kaito KA007? If you want an all-round radio with a flashlight, solar, and windup power -- and if SW reception isn't a big issue -- then you could consider this set. Still, even though it lacks solar, I still prefer the better-performing Grundig FR-200.

The Kaito WRX-911: A New Dragonslayer?

A recent email to the RAC has alerted me to the new Kaito WRX-911 multiband receiver (www.kaitousa.com). Available at Radios4You.com for US$34.95 and ably reviewed by RadioIntel.com, the WRX-911 is reported to be very sensitive across the

According to Radiointel.com, the $34.95 WRX-911 bested the US$39.95 Mini World in side-by-side tests! If so, it could be the next contender for the Best Buy Cheap and Cheerful title! I am going to be chasing down a sample of this radio, which comes in either blue or black, by the way. Stay tuned!