grundig yacht boy 500 review

Modern Shortwave Receiver Survey

Grundig yb-500.

©1999-2006 by Universal Radio Research. All rights reserved.

• zum Inhalt springen

shortwaveradio.ch

Benutzer-werkzeuge, webseiten-werkzeuge.

• Letzte Änderungen
• Medien-Manager

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Power supply, accessories, seminconductors, development, further information, grundig yacht boy 500.

Manufactured by Grundig, Fürth .

Grundig intended to sell their world band receivers from the Satellit series to people living abroad who wanted to stay in contact with their home country as well as to short wave listeners, who like to tune in to signals from many different countries. For taking the set abroad on holiday trips, the Grundig Satellit double conversion receivers were usually much too bulky.

As an alternative to these heavyweight sets, Grundig introduced a series of much smaller lightweight travel portables, the Yacht Boy series. These single conversion superhets with several shortwave bands on a linear bandspread dial were predecessors of many successful travel radios.

The Grundig Satellit 500 was one of the last Grundig sets produced in Portugal, it features a PLL synthesizer circuit, alphanumerical memory channel designations and a FM tuner capable to decode RDS (radio data system) signals to display the station name or the name of song played…

Technical data

• Principle : double conversion
• Modes : A1 with BFO, AM (A3) , FM (F3)
• Frequency range : VHF, LW, MW, 6 x SW (1.6 - 30 MHz )
• Frequency display : digital display
• Frequency memories : 40
• Signal strength indicator : LCD bar
• Signal processing
• Features : on FM Stereo reception with headphones, RDS
• Sensitivity : AM (A3) / Selectivity : kHz (-6/-60 dB)
• Mains operation : 220 V with mains adapter NR 90-1
• Batteries : 4 x 1.5 V ( UM-3 )
• 113 x 186 x 41 mm, weight 0.56 kg

Because of the extravagant design and the fact that all important controls are located at the upper half of the front panel, you will most often have to use both your hands to operate the set and then put it back to listen… I would stay away from using the light button and the timer snooze button at the upper face of the set in an unlighted hotel bedroom, your radio will most proably end tumbling on the floor.

The telescopic antenna is mounted at the bottom of the right face and can be tilted to the rear; when you drop the set, you will almost surely damage the antenna - why did Grundig construct such a fragile travel radio…? An internal antenna that could be pushed down into the cabinet, when not in use, would have a longer lifespan.

In the upper part of the frontpanel, you find the backlit multifunctional LCD display; the frequency, signal strength (in three steps) and the time are displayed continuously. When you press the FM button, the RDS identification will be displayed, when are tuned to an FM transmitter with coded information.

Below the frequency display, the pushbuttons 0 to 9 for direct frequency entry and memory recall are located. The number 5 button is marked for visually disabled listener. I a vertical row at the right of the numbered keys, you find the pushbuttons for FM, AM, TUNE up and down. The volume control is a small slide control, You will have to grasp the set with botch hands to operate this without dropping the radio.

The speaker is located in the lower part of the front panel, you can switch the tone from MUSIC to SPEECH and with the button BOOST, you can increase the audio output power when the set is powered from the external mains power supply.

Small round pushbuttons at the right of the frontpanel activate the LOCK function, the SLEEP and TIMER modes, mono/stereo mode for FM reception, upper and lower sideband for SSB reception and MEMORY / alphanumeric TAGGING functions.

At the left face of the cabinet, you find the sockets for the center - positive 9V power supply, headphones and line out; at the rear the battery compartment for six UM-3 / AA batteries.

The set is switched on by pressing the OFF/ON button, at least as long as the set is not in locked mode.

Use the AM button to receive stations in the AM bands from long- to shortwaves, key in the frequencies and press the AM button again to set the receiver to the desired frequency. You can use the UP/DOWN buttons to move to a frequency higher or lower in the band. The 0/ROM button activates the ROM table with 96 frequencies of the major international broadcasters permanently stored in the receivers ROM: this table is nowadays mostly useless as very many international shortwave broadcasters ceased operation. Press the LSB/USB button for single sideband reception, to change to USB press the button again and for AM a third time; use the „fine tuning“ thumbwheel to tune for zero beat.

Press the FM button for reception of the VHF / FM broadcast band, you can enter frequencies using the numbered keys. If the FM station transmits an RDS identification, this will be displayed instead of the frequency. You can use the FM/RDS AF (alternative frequency) to seek for an alternative transmitter with the same program with better signal strength. The RDS coder needs a certain signal level and seems not to be too sensitive, but the RDS capability is an enormous help when you travel to a foreign country or city and want to make a bandscan of the available FM frequencies. It has never been so easy to identify the local FM station with the weather forecast after having arrived at a new location for holidays.

The sensitivity of the receiver seems not to be overwhelming, Sony's ICF-2001D remains unsurpassed. But the sensitivity of the Yacht Boy 500 is good enough to catch the signals of the international shortwave broadcasters and some tropical band and ham radio stations. I rate selectivity also also as only fair - good, but the receiver tunes in 1 kHz steps and has a fine tuning control to slightly detune to a higher or lower frequency to avoid interference from a stations on an adjacent channel - what a contrast to the cheepish Chinese PLL sets with their 5 kHz tuning steps.

In conclusion, the Yacht Boy 500 is not the smallest travel portable in size, but it has a good audio reproduction even for outside listening and has the very convincing RDS stations identification capabilities, it tunes the complete shortwave band even in SSB modes and comes with a clock / timer to wake you up - exactly what is needed for a travel radio.

If You can locate a Yacht Boy 500 at a amateur radio fair or an online auction for a good price, get one - it's a radio with quite unique features.

Technical principle

Double conversion with PLL frequency synthesis.

The unit is solid state.

Technical documentation

• Grundig Yacht Boy 500 Instructions
• Grundig Yacht Boy 500 Service Manual
• Grundig Yacht Boy 500 on the website of www.radiomuseum.org

Yacht-Boy 500

• Grundig (Radio-Vertrieb, RVF, Radiowerke)
• Manufacturer / Brand
• Broadcast Receiver - or past WW2 Tuner
• Radiomuseum.org ID
• alternative name: Grundig Portugal || Grundig USA / Lextronix

Click on the schematic thumbnail to request the schematic as a free document.

 Technical Specifications

• Number of Transistors
• Semiconductors present.
• Semiconductors
• Main principle
• PLL, Phase-locked loop
• Broadcast, Long Wave, Short Wave plus FM or UHF.
• Power type and voltage
• Batteries / addl. power jack / AA 4 x 1.5 V / 9 Volt
• Loudspeaker
• Permanent Magnet Dynamic (PDyn) Loudspeaker (moving coil) / Ø 7.7 cm = 3 inch
• 3 W (unknown quality)
• Plastics (no bakelite or catalin)
• from Radiomuseum.org
• Model: Yacht-Boy 500 - Grundig Radio-Vertrieb, RVF,
• Very small Portable or Pocket-Set (Handheld) < 8 inch.
• Dimensions (WHD)
• 113 x 186 x 41 mm / 4.4 x 7.3 x 1.6 inch

RDS & FM-Stereo (nur über Kopfhörer), SSB, 40 Speicherplätze + 90 zusätzliche durch ROM.

Main features

• Tuning steps: 100 kHz, 25 kHz
• IF: 10.7 MHz
• Tuning steps: 9 kHz, 1 kHz
• Tuning steps: 9 kHz, 1 kHz (10 kHz, 1 kHz when on USA mode)
• Additional 90, 80, 75, 60, 49, 41, 40, 31, 30, 25, 22, 20, 19, 17, 16, 15, 13, 12, 11, 10 m bands selection 
• Tuning steps: 5 kHz, 1 kHz
• AM, SSB (USB, LSB) with fine Tuning 
• Single 3.5 kHz bandwidth
• 1st IF: 54.5 MHz
• 2nd IF: 450 kHz
• Clock, sleep timer, Alarm
• Dry batteries 
• External AC adapter model NR 90-1 thru the DC IN 9V socket
• Net weight (2.2 lb = 1 kg)
• 0.6 kg / 1 lb 5.1 oz (1.322 lb)
• Price in first year of sale
• 499.00 DM
• Source of data
• -- Original-techn. papers.
• Model page created by Martin Bösch . See "Data change" for further contributors.
• Other Models

Here you find 6196 models, 5420 with images and 4191 with schematics for wireless sets etc. In French: TSF for Télégraphie sans fil. All listed radios etc. from Grundig (Radio-Vertrieb, RVF, Radiowerke)

 Collections | Museums | Literature

Collections

The model Yacht-Boy is part of the collections of the following members.

• Piet Blaas (NL)
• Martin Bösch (CH)
• Rainer Friedrich (D)
• Rudolf HEINZ (D)
• Reinhard Hopfe (D)
• Winfried Höller (D)
• Willi Lich (D)
• Jose Mesquita (P)
• Fred Overbeek (NL)
• Rich Post (USA)
• Dieter Schulte-Kulkmann (D)
• Francisc VISKY (RO)
• Hannes Wurnitsch (A)

 Forum

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

GRUNDIG Yacht BOY 500 YB500 AM FM LW SW Shortwave Radio + GRUNDIG Carrying Case + Multi Language Instructional Manual + Documents

Customers also viewed these products.

Product information

Technical details, additional information, warranty & support, product details.

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Item model number ‏ : ‎ YB500
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ November 22, 2015
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ ER-RADIO
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B017O04BSU

Product Description

The Yacht Boy 500 is a dual coverage portable digital receiver covering 150-353, 513-30000 kHz and the FM broadcast band.

Looking for specific info?

Customer reviews.

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top review from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

• Search forums
• HF / MW / LW Monitoring
• HF/MW/LW General Discussion

Grundig Yacht Boy 500

• Thread starter SCPD
• Start date Apr 9, 2011
• Apr 9, 2011

does anyone have one of these? If so do you know where to get parts? I need the back stand. I tried looking on eBay, nothing.... I neven called Eton in Cali but the unit is too old to stock parts for it.  

• Apr 24, 2011

Anyone?  

Similar threads

• Mar 12, 2024
• Uniden Tech Discussion
• WirelessMike
• Mar 2, 2024
• Motorola Forum
• FFMedic1148
• Mar 29, 2024
• Connecticut Radio Discussion Forum

• Apr 11, 2024
• Amateur Radio Equipment

• jordoncloutier
• Mar 20, 2024
• Software Defined Radio

View prices for your travel dates

• Excellent 18
• Very Good 9
• All languages ( 43 )
• Russian ( 37 )
• English ( 4 )
• German ( 1 )
• Italian ( 1 )

" DIR: West; bigger nice evening sun but louder due to main street DIR:East; Quiter, very bright in the morning if sun rises "

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

APELSIN HOTEL - Reviews (Elektrostal, Russia)

Turn Your Curiosity Into Discovery

Latest facts.

13 Facts About Brain Tumor Awareness Month US May

13 Facts About Community Garden Week Apr 1st To Apr 7th

40 facts about elektrostal.

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 02 Mar 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Was this page helpful?

Our commitment to delivering trustworthy and engaging content is at the heart of what we do. Each fact on our site is contributed by real users like you, bringing a wealth of diverse insights and information. To ensure the highest standards of accuracy and reliability, our dedicated editors meticulously review each submission. This process guarantees that the facts we share are not only fascinating but also credible. Trust in our commitment to quality and authenticity as you explore and learn with us.

Share this Fact:

Please fix the following errors:

Reviews For: Grundig Yacht Boy 300 PE

Category: receivers: general coverage, email subscription, eham.net vision statement.

Europe's Premier Medium Wave DX Club

RECEIVER REVIEW: GRUNDIG YB305

This review was compiled independently. The Medium Wave Circle and Radio Netherlands has no financial connection with R.L. Drake, the manufacturer of this receiver.

After a quiet period the receiver market is starting to move again, prompted by a new travel portable from Grundig. 1995 saw this German consumer electronics company celebrating its 50th year of existance. They have also diversified production outside Europe. The shortwave receiver line has been moved to Grundig North America based in California who in turn have decided to manufacture the Yacht Boy range in the Far East.

In Europe and North America, the Grundig Yacht Boy 305 is an entry-level portable set designed for the travelling market, but its significantly cheaper than the Yacht Boy 400 which was launched in late 1994. The Yacht Boy 305 is a different design inside, being single rather than double conversion, there’s no single-sideband and the tuning steps are coarser than on the more expensive 400. But its not bad value at all.

The first thing that strikes you as you unpack the receiver is that it operates on 3 volts DC rather than 6, and it uses the Size C cells or UM2’s, the next size up from the penlights. An AC power supply is available as an optional extra. In practice though we got around 28 hours of use from a fresh set of alkaline cells. Once you put them in the back, unclip the stand, and the set sits at an angle on the table ready for use. Let’s switch it on. And the liquid crystal display shows the last frequency you were tuned to… in this case 6165 kHz. If you have a new shortwave frequency you want to try you just press the enter button, tap in let’s say 9895 and press enter again.

The Yacht Boy 305 has 10 memory channels for mediumwave, 10 for FM stereo, and 10 for favorite shortwave channels. Unlike, the more expensive Yacht Boy 400, the 305 doesn’t offer longwave, at least on the model we tested. A table on the back of the set reminds you the ranges of the shortwave broadcast bands, although it is possible to tune continuously from 2300 up to 21850 kHz.

The Yacht Boy 305 tunes in 5 kHz steps on shortwave. There are two tiny switches in the battery compartment which let you select 50 or 100 kHz tuning steps on FM, and 9 or 10 kHz tuning steps on mediumwave. The instruction manual explains how to select the right steps depending on where the world you happen to be. The 5 kHz tuning step is coarser than on more expensive portables. You cannot slightly off tune to escape some interference. However we did notice that the single bandwidth filter is remarkably sharp for a set of this nature and strong signals 5 kHz away are well attenuated. A fine tuning control would still have been nice, but this 5 kHz tuning is the best seen in a long time.

The set can help you find the bottom end of the popular shortwave tuning bands such as 120, 60 or 31 metres to take a few examples. The keypad is simple to operate and the keys are well spaced out. It is pretty simple to scan the dial for strong signals and store them in the memory.

The Yacht Boy 305 has no dial light, but it does have a small recessed locking switch to prevent it accidentally springing to life in a suitcase. You can also set the radio to send you to sleep over a period of up to 90 minutes. There’s a two step attenuator on the side of the set. We found that in Europe after dark it was a good idea to switch the setting to local and collapse the telescopic whip antenna. In more remote parts of the world you’ll probably find that you can make do with the built-in antenna. There’s a small socket to connect an external antenna, but the single conversion design of the 305 is sensitive to signal overload. If you realise that too much signal can be as bad as too little then a bit of experimentation will yield the best results with this set.

In short, there have been cheaper PLL synthesized sets on the market before now. But their performance has been mediocre to say the least. The Yacht Boy 305 from Grundig retails in North America at US$129.95, which is about 60 dollars cheaper than the Yacht Boy 400. In Britain we found it in the shops for 79 pounds 95 pence. At that price it is one of the best entry level portables every made. Although made in China, the craftsmanship is fine, and the use of the slightly larger batteries makes for optimum use during travel. You don’t really need the charger with you. We found rechargeable batteries needed to be very fresh in order to get proper performance on the radio, otherwise the battery voltage is too low and you lose sensitivity. The receiver has no clock, again a feature that was left out in order the meet the price range. The English language manual does mention further sources of information but not really enough about the broadcasting stations you can hear on this type of set. Bearing in mind the traveling market includes a lot of impulse buying, information neatly packaged for the newcomer is important and in this case we feel insufficient. But overall a useful new package.

This review first appeared on the Radio Netherlands website.