I had it in my mind that this radio was unreasonably expensive, but a check on Amazon noted a “special deal” for Prime customers for $58.49, and given that it has MW, FM, SW, CB, Air, Weather, VHF and UHF, and SB, it seemed a good candidate for a travel radio that would actually fit in a shirt pocket. It’s not a new radio, first introduced in 2022. I did a bit of checking on the price:
🤖When the Raddy RF760 radio was first released in 2022, it was priced at $99.99 USD. This was considered a higher price point compared to some other portable radios, reflecting the additional features and capabilities of the RF760. It’s worth noting that about a year after its release, some retailers were offering the radio (or identical models) at lower prices, with one user mentioning a closeout price of $50 USD for the Retekess TR-110, which is identical to the Raddy RF-760. [I see the TF-110 on AliExpress for $36.59 with free shipping.]
It’s powered by a BL-5C battery, for which I have a few spares. The Tecsun PL-330 and Degen DE29 (among others) use that battery. This will keep me busy until that Sansui F51 arrives.
I will of course compare it with the Raddy RF75A that covers some of the same ground frequency-wise, but not UHF or SSB. The RF75A is not a particularly sensitive radio. I’m encouraged that the RF760 has an external antenna jack, suggesting it might be more serious about shortwave. Also the ability to select from a range of bandwidths is a plus.
Red flag
Yes, this is an Amazon frequently returned item. I couldn’t find exactly what criteria create that flag, but some have suggested a return rate over 10%. So why would someone return it?
One reason might be the wire thin telescopic antenna that reportedly gets lose quickly.
Twelve percent of Amazon reviewers gave it one star. The biggest problem seems to be getting one that didn’t work, followed by the complaint that it was too difficult to figure out.
The two-star users said it was a crummy radio.
We shall see! Apparently reading the manual is a must.