Eton E10 AM/FM Shortwave Radio

Eton E10 AM/FM Shortwave Radio Review

Eton E10 AM/FM Shortwave Radio Feature

• Very compact, full-featured digital shortwave radio
• Bright, backlit LCD screen; independent fine-tuning control knob and calibrated signal meter
• Tunes AM/FM and shortwave signals
• Auto-scan function; 550 programmable station memories
• Digital alarm clock with sleep timer

Amazon.com Review If hearing broadcasts from around the world is your thing, the E10 from Etón just might be the tool you're looking for. While the radio doesn't have the powerful features and reception of its big brother, the E1XM, the E10's scaled-down feature set and size make it simpler to operate and carry. The E10 has a few surprises, too, like an intermediate frequency (IF) set control, an antenna trimmer, and a bandwidth control -- features you'd expect on a much larger tabletop unit.

Simple to operate and carry, the E10 is great for tuning in the world wherever the notion strikes you. View larger.

On the left, connectivity, tone control, and antenna gain settings. View larger.

On the right, tuning and antenna trim. View larger.

Design and Controls
Measuring 7.5 x 4.5 x 1.25 inches, and weighing 1.3 pounds, the E10 is certainly in the compact radio category. Thankfully, the same rubberized coating that graces the exterior of the E1XM has been applied to the E10, giving it a stout and rugged feel. Most of the action can be found on the front of the unit, where you'll find a direct frequency entry keypad, as well as buttons for auto-scanning, up/down station selection, band selection, memory control, IF set, bandwidth, and slow/fast tuning. Meanwhile, power, sleep, and timer buttons are arrayed above the E10's speaker.

On the left side of the E10 you'll find a 3.5mm connector for an external FM or shortwave antenna. Etón generously includes a handy retractable antenna that can be plugged in here to enhance signal reception -- although there is a telescoping antenna on the top of the unit. In addition to a power port and stereo headphone jack, the side of the radio also sports an antenna gain switch that lets you choose between DX, normal and local modes, allowing you to tone down excessively strong AM or shortwave stations if need be. One curiosity is the "tone" switch, which lets you choose between bass and treble, but provides no adjustment for either one. We assume the switch is intended to enhance the lower or upper music ranges when selected, but the difference between the two settings wasn't that noticeable.

Three dials on the right side of the unit control manual tuning, antenna trim and volume. The knobs have a nice smooth action, but a note of caution here: The knobs can be easily -- very easily -- plucked from their posts. If you tend to jostle your gear around, you may find yourself looking for a lost knob.

In addition to AC power, the the E10 can run off of four supplied Ni-MH AA cells. These are automatically recharged when you plug the unit in. Of course, you can also use non-rechargeable AA cells in a pinch.

LCD Display
The E10's backlit display is crisp and clear, with a clean layout that makes it easy to control the radio's tuning, clock, and timer functions. A separate space in the upper right corner is provided for the clock display so you can view the time and tune the radio at the same time -- a nice touch. Selecting shortwave meter bands is a breeze with this display, as you just push the meter band button until the meter you want is displayed on the screen. The radio's memories are easy to browse and recall on the display, as well.

A retractable metal "foot" on the bottom of the E10 keeps it upright when you place it on a level surface. View larger.

Another interesting feature of the E10, and one that depends on the display for its functionality is the system set codes system. Using specific codes, you can modify the E10's factory settings via the display and the numeric kaypad. Some of the options include changing the tuning steps for AM, changing the clock format, and altering the FM frequency range for different geographic locations.

Tuning Options
Tuning the with E10 is pretty straightforward. The radio tunes MW (commonly known as AM), FM and shortwave signals, and you can choose from manual, auto-scan, direct frequency entry, or fine tuning modes. If you're new to shortwave, auto-scan will quickly become your friend. With it, we quickly made a lot of discoveries, and heard stations from all over the world -- although our limited language skills made it difficult to always know exactly to whom or what we were listening! We found the manual, up/down button press tuning the most laborious, but we liked the fine tuning accuracy made possible by the E10's tuning knob. With it, very meticulous tuning is possible, thanks to selectable fast or slow tuning modes.

We didn't have a chance to test the E10's two interference reduction methods -- the IF set control and the bandwidth selector -- but advanced users will surely find these functions highly useful. Another feature for advanced users, the antenna trimmer, effectively "matches" the antenna to the tuner for optimum performance in shortwave mode.

The E10's impressive memory system also deserves mention. With it, you can set up a huge catalog of stored frequencies -- 500 of them to be exact. Once stored, recalling all these memories is pretty easy, thanks to a straightforward on-screen interface that stores up to 50 memories across 10 memory "pages." You can also scan through your memories to rapidly find the frequencies that are currently broadcasting.

Pros

• Very compact, given the radio's features and reception quality
• Clear layout of functions on the LCD
• Fast, accurate shortwave tuning

Cons

• Knobs should be better secured to the unit
• Somewhat useless "tone" switch

What's in the Box
E10 radio, earphones, carrying case, retractable antenna, AC adapter/charger, 4 rechargeable batteries, and owner's manual. Imagine a radio that combines strong performance for fantastic reception and all of today's digital wizardry, bringing the world to your fingertips. The E10 is where intelligence meets performance.