Grundig G4000A: Observations Part 2

Shortwave

I wanted to test a collection of “comparable radios.” Given that we’re comparing a vintage radio to newer ones, there’re not exactly comparable. The Tecsun PL-660, bought not long after my original G4000A, is the only one with similar technology. Most radios these days are DSP based. Here is the field:

• Eton Elite Executive (DSP) 1.711 – 29.999 MHz – SSB
• Grundig G4000A (Dual conversion, PLL) 1.6-30 MHz – SSB
• Qodosen DX-286 (DSP) 1.711 – 27 MHz
• Sangean ATS-405 (DSP) 2.3-26.10 MHz
• Tecsun PL-330 (DSP) 1.711 – 29.999 MHz – SSB
• Tecsun PL-660 (Dual conversion, PLL) 1.711 – 29.999 MHz – SSB
• Tecsun PL-990 (Triple conversion, PLL, DSP) 1.711 – 29.999 MHz – SSB
• XHDATA D-808 (DSP) 1.711 – 29.999 MHz – SSB

In honor of our newcomer, I’m using the Grundig branded 23-foot reel antenna that comes with this radio for the comparisons. It plugs into all of the group except the Sangean where it has to be clipped onto the telescopic.

I keep having this feeling that the G4000A is somehow kin to my Sangean ATS-405. Superficially that’s true in that both have a silver colored case and they have round buttons. They both also have 40 memory locations. Neither has a tuning knob, relying on up and down buttons for tuning (the G4000A has a fine tuning knob just for SSB). The G4000A shares the one thing I dislike most about the ATS-405, band scanning. Both of them only scan within the current meter band and then cycle back to the beginning of the band. You have to manually select the next band to scan it; however, the ATS-405 has a METER button that will advance to the next band; the Grundig does not. To go to the next band on the Grundig, you have to look at the frequency, turn the radio over, search for the range on the printed table with very fine print, read the next band, turn the radio back over, key in the meter band and press the FREQU/METER button. Neither of the two radios has automatic tune storage (ATS).

Testing

I like to test with the time stations WWV and CHU, plus commercial broadcast station CFRX 6070 almost exactly 400 miles away in Toronto, Canada. The time stations are great because of consistent program content that makes comparisons easier. In the afternoons, Ifrikya FM from Algeria is a nice choice.

Before doing the comparisons, I tried a brief test of the G4000A in the backyard. CFRX came in quite well on my 20-ft. wire up a tree (WUT) antenna. The time stations were good. I even tried some SSB. I’m clumsy when it comes to SSB, but I was able to get a very natural sounding decoded SSB signal.

Even with my new outdoor antenna and shielded cabling, I am plagued by noise, and no one is interested in how well a radio picks up noise. I had planned a new location location, but I checked it out in advance and found a couple of young people there practicing their communication skills and decided not to disturb them. The post office’s 2-day overdue delivery shot my schedule all to pieces, created conflicts and wasted some gorgeously warmer weather. So instead of a more exotic location, we have the back yard, the 20-ft WUT antenna and a shorter session in the chill air.

Frankly 8 radios are a lot to compare. By the time the tests are run, reception conditions can have changed, so don’t make too much of this small sample. Later on, I’ll do more videos with 2-3 radios.

One issue became obvious: the G4000A display is impossible to view in some lighting, and the display has no illumination option.

Ifrikya FM, 13855

It must have been a little early for Ifrikya FM (20:04 UTC, 16:04 local). The signal was pretty weak. I started and ended the video with the G4000A.

Time Stations

Next I ran through the list of all my regular time stations, WWV on 25000, 20000, 15000 and 10000 and CHU on 3330, 7850 and 14670. 10000 and 14670 were particularly weak on all the radios. It got a little tricky when the zero was on a different place on some of the keypads, and each radio had its own rules on frequency entry.

Audio Impressions

The G4000A speaker, rated at 600 mW can be turned up quite loud, and this is an advantage for a weak station. I guess the automatic gain control (AGC) is limited. I had the G4000A set for narrow bandwidth and the TONE switch was set to low. On FM music stations, results were uninteresting and there was a total lack of bass. That was helped some with a good set of headphones that revealed the higher bass, but the really low stuff was not there.

Overall Impressions

For someone who lives and breathes meter bands, and knows all the frequencies in their head, this radio might be fine, but scanning is worthless, both because there is no ATS, the radio selects noise more likely than it does stations and the scan only works with a shortwave meter band. Direct entry of frequencies is, however, very efficient. The lack a a display light is a major limitation. The size and weight (1.5 lbs.) makes it less attractive for travel. FM overload is a significant issue that I noticed and that has been reported by other users.¹

MW and SW is sensitivity is very good. SSB sounded very natural as well.

Given that the radio has full SW coverage and that it offers SSB, I think the $44.88 plus shipping wasn’t unreasonable. There are G4000As on eBay for a good bit less than that. Still, given that the radio chuffs, you’re not getting anything unavailable in a more modern radio.

1. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product/9136 ↩︎