China made SW radios review

1) Kaide KK-9

This radio (Kaide KK-9) looks cheap and actually very cheap, usd 5.00 in a retail shop in HK.
But the short wave reception is quite good even using the CD2003 common Am/Fm IC. The spec of this IC does not say anything about SW reception.

7 SW bands: 5.95-6.42MHz, 7.08-8.40MHz, 9.43-10.97MHz, 11.44-12.29MHz, 13.56-14.13MHz, 14.94-15.71MHz, 17.47-18.29MHz

The inside is quite messy. Many Ceramic Disc Capacitors (30pF, 50pF, 68pF, 75pF, 120pF, 150pF, 300pF) are arranged with a long Slide Switch. This may be their technique or copy of someone else.

Inside of Kaide KK-9

2) Kaide KK-2005A

This radio is an up-grade, larger, more powerful and clear sound and higher priced version of KK-9. US$15 retail price in HK. It uses CD2003 too.

7 SW bands: 5.67-6.43MHz, 6.96-7.87MHz, 9.28-10.36MHz, 11.15-12.28MHz, 13.15-14.00MHz, 14.90-15.80MHz, 17.06-17.90MHz

We can see four colorful (red + pink, orange and green) IFTs and not so many Disc Capacitors a long Slide Switch but some between the AM bar antenna and the three filters. Because of the space not so messy. And the SW reception design seems different form KK-9. Maybe because of the ample space not so messy as KK-9. SW reception is not necessarily noticeably better than KK-9, however.

Inside of KK-2005A

3) AUDIOLA RTB2051

This radio, nice outlook and color, uses the same Radio IC CD2003 and says SW reception.

2 bands: 6-12MHz, 12-18MHz

But it detects only 2-3 SW stations under the same condition as Kaide KK-9 and must change the radio direction to try to find a strong distinctive signal. The reception signals are much weaker than those of  KK-9. I cannot see many ceramic disc caps like KK-9. Even it has space quite messy too.

Inside of RTB2051

4) Yima - YM-131

A so called Potentiometer Tuning Radio. Very cheap - costing about US$10 at a discount retail shop in Hong Kong. Very simple function - even no earphone jack, no LED, nothing but simple radio function with a loud speaker. The sound quality is fair. The inside is very simple. No PVC, No IFT, No Air Coils, even no Ceramaic Filters. Much less Ceramic Disc Capacitors but many resistors and two potentiometers. A long slide switch and AM Antenna remain. Tuning function is good and the turning the wheel is almost same feeling as that of PVC tuning. The radio IC is C9615 (SI4825 equivalent). The name Yima sounds like Malaysian or some other South East Asian, but China brand.

 

Inside of Yima - YM-131

Radio IC:  C9615 (DIP 16P) (China brand)
Audio Amp IC:  8002A (DIP 8P) (China brand)

sptt