ETON Satellit 800 Millennium Shortwave Radio

ETON Satellit 800 Millennium Shortwave Radio Review

ETON Satellit 800 Millennium Shortwave Radio Feature

• Deluxe shortwave radio features supremely accurate tuning and advanced features
• 6 x 3.5-inch multifunction LCD panel displays all the radio's functions and tuning parameters
• Tuning via up/down buttons, auto-scan, memory scan, and a numeric keypad
• Tunes AM/FM, shortwave and VHF aircraft bands
• Features traditional analog signal strength meter

Take one look at the Grundig Satellit 800 AM/FM shortwave radio and you'll know it means serious business. From the easy-to-read liquid crystal display and traditional analog signal strength meter, to the silky-smooth tuning knob that creates absolutely no audio muting, this radio defines shortwave at its best. Continuous frequency coverage of 100-30,000 KHz gives you broadcasts from every corner of the globe. Even listen to ham radio operators, or planes as they take off and land at your local airport.

Design and Controls
Weighing in at a hair over 14 pounds, the Satellit 800's sleek, modern cabinet is 20.5 inches across and eight inches deep. The sturdy cabinet has metal guards, much like a rack-mounted component. A built-in antenna on the top of the device handles AM, FM and shortwave reception. To the right of the full-range speaker on the front of the unit, a massive 6 x 3.5-inch multifunction LCD panel displays all the radio's functions and tuning parameters. The display offers up to 100 Hertz accuracy on the AM, SW and VHF aircraft bands. An evenly lit backlight enables display viewing under all lighting conditions. To the left of the screen is an analog signal strength meter that helps achieve perfect tuning accuracy. A keypad below the LCD screen allows illustrious shortwave listeners to directly enter their shortwave band of choice, giving instant access to known broadcasts. Meanwhile, a selectable automatic gain control (AGC) offers fast and slow modes.

Tuning options abound; you can choose from a variable-rate tuning knob, the aforementioned direct keypad frequency entry method, up/down buttons, or programmable memory scan. And when you have your station locked in, you can tweak the sound quality with separate, continuous bass and treble tone controls. A bridged type audio amplifier provides high output power, even when the radio is operating on battery.

Tuning and Bands
The Satellit 800 is designed to receive a broad range of signals in the 100-30,000 KHz range, which includes shortwave, medium wave AM broadcast band and longwave. FM reception is robust, with tuning available in the 87-108 MHz ranges. VHF aircraft band reception is also supported. While you make your broadcast discoveries, you can add them to the Satellit 800's programmable memory, which features 70 frequency entries. As an added bonus, entries are immune to power loss, ensuring that your favorite tunings are never lost.

For tuning precision, the unit offers selectable bandwidths (7.0, 4.0, and 2.3 kHz) for excellent selectivity. And to top it all off, the Satellit 800's high dynamic range tuner allows for detection of weak signals in the presence of strong signals. And for those who enjoy tuning into far-flung AM stations, the Satellit 800 features a single sideband synchronous AM detector.

Connections and Power
The Satellit 800 is packed with connectivity options, including a stereo line-level output for recording or connecting the unit to a home stereo. There's also a stereo headphone jack for private listening (high quality headphones are included with the radio).

For the truly dedicated, the Satellit 800 offers vital external antenna connections. Take your pick -- professionally engineered shortwave antennae, long-wire shortwave antennae, specialized AM broadcast band antennae, FM broadcast band antennae, and air band antennae can all be connected. The unit can be powered with the included AC adapter, or via six "D" batteries. A low battery indicator is provided, as well.

Extras
Grundig thought of everything, so they've included dual programmable clocks. You also get a dual-event programmable timer that can be used for timing a recording or as an alarm clock.

What's in the Box
Satellit 800 radio, stereo headphones, AC adapter, and owner's manual. 100 kHz to 30 MHz Frequency range / Synchronous signal detection / Selectable sideband