SonyICF38 Portable AM/FM Radio (Black)

Recently the little radio we have used for years at our remote Alaskan camp gave up the ghost. No big surprise I suppose as it was a very cheap unit in every respect. It had gizmos 'til it didn't end but it was the AM radio we kept it for. And it ran forever on the 3 C cells it required. Generally we changed them once a year. I liked that aspect a lot: batteries which lasted and lasted.So, finding another AM radio to replace it was a tall order. I have used the smaller "transister sized" Sonys for many years and have used them not only in camp, but also dropped them from airplanes, when needed, to weather-stranded travelers. I know the name has meant a decent product when it comes to radios. But I wanted a somewhat better radio for our cabin base camp, so I decided to give the Sony ICF38 Portable AM/FM Radio a try.I couldn't be happier. This radio is better in quality- significantly- than the old unit we had. The reception is excellent and clear. The tuner is very accommodating, something I appreciate since the three stations we can get here are 40-125 miles away. Each station comes in loud and clear and the position of the radio, unlike the old one, is not critical (although you can make some fine, if unnecessary, tuning adjustments by turning the radio if you like.)We use a small electric generator, but the battery power is what we depend on for the radio since our electrical uses vary quite a bit. Additionally, we also like to "secure" our fish rack (from the bears) by installing a bucket-protected radio when we are away for a time to resupply. So the battery source feature is important to us. One of the first things I wanted to know was whether the AA battery life in this radio would match the battery life we were accustomed to with the C-cell radio. To test this, I left the radio on when we left camp for a week. I tuned the radio just so the red LED tuning indicator went off. (The reception was still nearly the same.) When we returned 6 1/2 days later, I wasn't even thinking about the radio until I approached the cabin and was greeted by voices inside. What a pleasant welcome. The original set of batteries now have approximately 10 24-hour days of use on them with this radio. Obviously, I don't yet know if they'll go a year with intermittent use, but that's not critical. I am satisfied that the radio works as well as it does, and does so without eating batteries.KNOM, KICY, and KNSA can be assured that they have ready ears thanks to a good radio at a reasonable price.

This radio sits atop the bookshelf in my office and plays ETV radio while I work. It's a great little radio, and here are a few fine points to consider before buying:◘ Reception is great once you have a station finely-tuned. Luckily, the dials don't roll around haphazardly...they are solidly connected and allow for tweaking to a very small degree. One caveat to this...in my office, I had to place the radio up high to pick up a clear signal, and I also had to angle the antenna away from the wall (EM interference from electrical/data cabling behind the drywall). Note: I've only utilized this radio for FM stations, as there aren't many worthwhile AM stations in my area...AM listeners take note, and check others' reviews for AM performance commentary.◘ The sound is solid, so far as mid-level tones go. I do appreciate the Tone switch, as it allows me to take the sharp edge (High setting) off of musical broadcasts with a louder sound (Rock, Jazz) and restore it for talk radio. I can't comment on using this radio in a loud or open area...I'm sure it would work fine in a garage if only for background noise, but for clarity over a larger square footage and good bass-level tones, I'd recommend the Sangean LB-100 Compact AM/FM Ultra Rugged Radio Receiver instead...it's a bit more pricey, but rugged and able to produce a consistently full sound.◘ The option to use wall power, as well as batteries, make this a very versatile radio. The power cord only stretches to about 6 feet, so keep that in mind if you wish to run continuous power in a larger space.Bottom Line: If you wish to have a radio with solid mid-level tones that can be sharpened or dulled, and this radio must be a no-frills AM/FM radio with the ability to fine-tune and use two power methods, this radio will certainly fit the bill...and at this price point, it's a steal.**Update 9/24/2013**: I had to move this down to a corner of my desk in the center of the room in order to cut down on interference to the signal, which means I had to begin using four AA batteries instead of the provided power cord. I have since begun using Eneloop rechargeable AA batteries, and love the portability of this little marvel! Sound quality and reception are still excellent!**Update 1/30/2015**: I'm not sure if other owners have had this issue, but the speaker cone seems to be damaged in some way. I've never played the radio at top volume or stored it in extreme conditions. It's been relegated to the radio pile for now in my third bedroom (pile of radios with no batteries in them...so sue me, I'm a collector!) and am using a Sony ICF-304 for my desk at work.