TECSUN PL660 AM/FM/SW Air SSB Synchronous Radio - Black

Tecsun PL660

Reception on AM with it's Synchronous Detector eliminates the phase distortion that can be present with a regular AM detector. It also can be rotated to improve and peak stations. Using it in the dark is not as easy as the PL880 because of its exposed knobs. Another plus is it's AC power supply is quiet and can be used when the re-chargeable batteries need charging. The timers are another plus as is has sleep and wake functions that are very useful.. The multi use button functions take getting use to, They are small and sometimes you can un-intentionall change settings when you don't want to.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: kaito-electroni...

Mediocre Radio

FM reception is very good.
SW reception is good with a longwire,
SSB works fine.
AM reception is terrible , worst radio I have for AM.
Air band is worthless on my radio, instructions state step function can be switched between 1 [slow] or 5[fast] steps but mine will not switch,only 1 khz is available which seems like it takes 1/2 a day to cycle thru the band and it will not pick up anything anyways. Also scan function is not available on air band.
Sync function hurts reception/clarity more often than helps.
Manual incorrectly states that light function can be set to stay on which is false - 30 seconds is max.

All in all this should be a $50 radio, bad AM , incorrect info in manual.

My old analogue Monkey Ward Airline radio outperforms the Tecsun hand down.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: kaito-electroni...

An economical but sophisticated transistor radio.

As a user of more sophisticated and expensive professional radio equipment I didn't have high expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised to find an easy-to-use, clean-sounding sensitive versatile radio. It picks up weak stations well, and sounds very clear even through the built-in speaker.
It loses one star for its SSB performance. The tuning control still operates in 1kHz steps in SSB mode, so you tune as close as that allows and then twiddle the "BFO" knob to tune in the last few hundred hertz to resolve the SSB speech. I'm not sure about the passband shape in SSB mode either - switching from USB to LSB gives a very different background noise profile, suggesting the passband isn't level and symmetrical. Tuning the BFO too far seems to throw the synthesiser out of lock, losing all reception. That said, it is very sensitive, there is some selectivity on SSB, and it does provide the ability to monitor SSB signals effectively on both sidebands, so I'm being super picky really, especially for such a low-cost unit. If there was a comprehensive service manual available, or just a circuit diagram, I might even attempt realignment!
I particularly like the fact that it comes with rechargeable batteries and a charger, to charge with the batteries in situ.
Loads of memories, feels robust, clear display.
If you want to keep in touch with the world on a budget, I can recommend this unit.

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Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: bigbargainonline

Very nice shortwave receiver

Again for the price and feature content on this radio you can't go wrong. Setting up and storing frequencies in the memory pages were a little awkward for me. There is one drawback I have found and that is the clock seems to lose time time by running a little slow. It seems to lose about 5-8 seconds over a weeks period of time. I have 2 other short wave receivers (Sony ICF-2010 and a Grundig G6) the clocks run slightly fast and do not lose time. The other issue having nothing to do with the radio was the delivery by USPS. I paid $16.00 for shipping and the package arrived in the US in less than 48hrs and sat at the USPS (ISC) international sorting center for 8 days for no apparent reason. On hind site I should have popped for the PL-880 with free shipping. BTW the sound quality and fidelity of this radio is extremely impressive, so much so I am considering to pop for the PL-880 too. Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: elink.shop

Very Good Portable Shortwave

Comparable performance to the KA1103 plus it has synchronous detection. Very sensitive and selective FM reception. Shortwave reception is typical of the better portables - good. Like the KA1103, AM reception is lackluster, no reception of distant daytime stations, neither has provision for external antenna on the AM band. Although I don't find it necessary, the external antenna jack works well on SW and FM bands. The sound is good and listening is not at all fatiguing (unlike PL-600, PL-880, Satllit 750 to name a few).

I use this radio on my kitchen table to listen to the low-power FM station, WTJU at UVA, 50 miles distant and over the Blueridge mountains. That and music on Voice of Greece, Radio Habana, WRMI rocknroll on shortwave.

Bottom line, I recommend the PL-660and KA1103 for their reasonably priced and performance.
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Tecsun PL 660

A good compact all-in-one receiver with good capabilities in the shortwave band. A little bit under powered on air band and no air band scanning. Otherwise, a bright a clear display and a stylish arrangement of buttons. Not much reception on AM and almost nothing on SSB. A good travel companion mainly for shortwave broadcasts and for Air Band if one is near an airport. Very reasonably priced. A bit difficult to operate for the un-initiated. (...but we are initiated)Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: elink.shop

Tecsun Pl-660

I recieved the radio after seven days only!!!!
It was very well packed in its original box mailed inside a bubble wrap lined envelope.
Very well made radio, superb fm reception. Air Band function picked up transmission using the whip antenna inside an apartment ...amazing radio!!
Cannot comment on the other modes because the other modes require a bit of reading and waveband database to explore the wavebands properly
Highly recommended !Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: anon-co

Great SW receiver

I've got a few others, and this is my second Tecsun radio. A bit larger and heavier than I had anticipated, but that's not a negative comment, just an observation. I fell in love with the tuning knob on the side; matter of fact I really like the layout of the knobs on the side and buttons on the face. This has now become my #1 listening radio. Looking forward to take on my travels as well - even though it's a bit heavier than my lighter Tecsun PL-380ET, the PL-660 is the one I'll take - too many other features to ignore.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: anon-co

Nice radio, somewhat quirky interface

I bought this mainly as a backup to have in the boat. The sound quality is really good on FM and sensitivity on 518kHz SSB was good. Picked up Navtex with just the built in ferrite antenna. The user interface is somewhat confusing when it comes to storing and retrieving stations, but as a whole it is great value for money.Read full review

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: elink.shop

Great radio with many good features.

Great radio, perfect for what I need.
Only one minor point, the supplied AUS/NZ mains adapter (to use with the USA type plug) does not function.
Pins are too thin, it falls out of the NZ socket.

Verified purchase:  Yes • Condition: new • Sold by: anon-co