Shortwave broadcasting may be on the decline, but it’s not dead yet. Receiver manufacturer Sangean has a new portable shortwave receiver scheduled for release by the end of 2010. The ATS-909X is described by the manufacturer as “the flagship of the Sangean line of AM/FM/SW Receivers.” According to Sangean, “it provides performance and features generally found in the more expensive table top communication receivers into a very compact and stylish package.” More details are available on the Sangean website.
Unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on your point of view - the ATS-909X does not provide DRM reception. The new set appears on the website of Sangean North America, but not on the website of Sangean Europe. The website of Universal Radio adds that ‘This new model is expected November 2010. We are not accepting orders yet.’ According to Universal Radio, the list price is $449.95, but they will be selling it for $259.95.
on Aug 5th, 2010 at 15:26
That’s a lot of money to listen to radio in a format that is in decline, especially when there isn’t that much to listen to on it. People in Europe or North America won’t be able to listen to Radio Netherlands, the BBC World Service, DW, VOA or RFI in English.
on Aug 5th, 2010 at 16:40
This indeed is a surprising development. Haven´t I read a report by an insider elsewhere on this site that Sangean will cease all activities in this segment? May be the “new” DSP radio units made them change their mind. However, the portable Chinese DSP sw radios I have tried so far are all less sensitive than conventional receivers ot the same size. Hopefully Sangean will take care of this in their DSP receiver 909X. Otherwise it will be a quite deaf radio in a “nice” box.
on Aug 5th, 2010 at 18:14
However, many new pocket radios from China have indeed SW as standard today, mostly analouge display and very cheap prices. SW is not dead. people needs it for the news and other info.
on Aug 5th, 2010 at 18:44
Looks great!
And somebody from Taiwan kept telling us that Sangean is already out of making SW radios
on Aug 5th, 2010 at 18:58
Sangean is producing less models but better quality instead. if there wasn’t any market of SW radios, why are there 100-dreds of differet models on the market. Even the US government recomend people to by a multiband radio with wind up if bin laden is comming up.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 01:06
It’s a shame sangean have chosen to ignore DRM on this set,some dedicated DRM circuitry with a DRM button to flick the set into DRM mode via mw lw sw and fm would give listeners the choice to dip into these transmissions if desired. The amount of english language shortwave transmissions available in europe and well heeled countries is steadily declining and some have, and indeed are, switching to drm delivery over traditional sw and other wavebands.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 03:00
This radio has already been in Taiwan on the market for a while now. It may be new for North America and Europe, but here it’s not new. The reason for the price is simple. Cost!
At the moment Sangean (head office) is just selling off all its SW stock without trying to lose anything.
In 2008 there was a plan to come out with a DRM/sw version of this radio, but that idea was scrapped.
I’ll tell you right now anyone who pays the price that is being asked for this radio is a little crazy.
The radio here at the electronics market at Xinmending goes for 3800NT$ (around 120USD).
The last SW radio from Sangean came off there own production line a long time ago. As I said many times before, all the stock you see on the market is just warehouses full of product being sold. I’ve see them.
So if anyone wish to dispute this I welcome you to come here and I can show you. What your being told by Sangean in NA and EU is not the reality of what is one the grown. I suspect that thinking has a lot to do with the fact that in NA and the EU certain people just don’t want to admit that SW to these regions is no more.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 05:10
Looks like Sangean has fumbled the ball on this receiver. If this isn’t the original 909 in a re-tarted package I’ll buy a beer for any one who drops into RA in Melbourne.
9 mems/page, 40 Hz tuning increment in SSB, basic RDS, 3 timers - too many unique characteristics to be co-incidental. I reckon Sangean has ordered a new batch of the original chips and slapped on an improved display. Happy to be proven wrong.
How Sangean can label a radio without DRM capability as “flagship of the Sangean line of AM/FM/SW Receivers” beggars belief.
Relying on disposable primary cells is another relic of last century. Adapt cell-phone technology, include a charger & use a couple of Li-ion cells for 7 V at > 1Ah & offer a solar-panel charger as an option to bring the radio into the real world of expensive & polluting primary cells especially in tropical regions where hf still has domestic relevance and ordinary batteries are a drain on disposable income.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 06:26
If this 909X already is on the market in Taiwan: does it really have DSP in it? I wonder why it is not available on certain internet auction platforms.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 10:48
I agree nigel,any good top line sw multiband portable should at least all band drm circuitry and a drm mode button to access these transmissions,also an external antennae socket to pull in faraway weaker sw/am/drm signals for dxing(dont know whether this set has one) and energy efficient circuitry to increase alkaline/lithium battery life as Roberts fits to it’s sets,plus multiple power sources like multivoltage for world use/and 12v car power and an optional 3600mah rechargeable ni-mh battery(which fits inside the existing battery compartment)would make it even better.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 11:53
OK, Sangean has forgotten DRM but, what about DAB/DAB+ ?. Sangean has some receivers with those digital features and it would not be difficult to add those features in this new receiver.
Well, it seems like they can’t think in a multi band radio concept mixing shortwave listening with digital world. That shows how narrow minded they look like
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 12:20
Soon one day we will have a multiband radio with all broadcasting bands and all modulations.
AM/DRM 150 kHz - 30 MHz.
FM/DRM+ in band l and ll.
DAB+ in band lll and the L-band.
Special recievers band IV/V; radio via digital TV.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 12:20
How sad. Sangean either don’t believe in DRM, or they don’t want to risk adding it to the receiver, making it too pricey.
I tell you, it’s like bashing your head against a brick wall. I often wonder if we’ll still be having this DRM debate in 5-10 years time.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 12:24
Well, if SW will have lot of DRM stations to car radio listnings there will be a great market of listnings.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 12:25
Yes the marriage of analogue and digital formats together in a complete world multiband portable radio set would be ideal but the cost may well go to something ridiculous,however with the cost of technology driving down,there is no reason why it couldnt and shouldnt be possible on a new set,but i’ll tell you this;if I was in charge of sangean I would bring this set out with dab/dab+/drm/drm+/mw/lw/sw/fm/uhf/vhf plus the other features I mention and it would be sold at a very affordable £64.99 with the roberts name thru roberts radio uk dealers and online from robertsradio.co.uk and thru argos and other leading electrical retailers,AND it would be sold in europe and worldwide under the sangean brand for equivalent money in euros and other currencies worldwide. This strategy would also give large numbers of uk listeners a chance to listen to drm services on the AM bands from europe and beyond for the first ever time than being denied it by radio setmakers.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 12:32
Anthony;;;One problem in England, the OFCOM, the most stupid authority in England.
on Aug 6th, 2010 at 12:40
Ofcom do not decide what technical specifications sets in the uk are sold with, also with this multiband version of the set it would be possible to listen to any standard analogue and digital wherever you are in the world.
on Aug 8th, 2010 at 02:04
I’ve never been a SW listener but one thing I don’t understand is why, for a given channel, the frequency changes throughout the day. An example from the BBC WS for West Africa:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/schedules/frequencies/wafr.htm
It must be really annoying to have to retune if you’re listening throughout the day.
on Aug 8th, 2010 at 03:04
Hi Robert,
To give a simple answer. 1st: Propagation conditions for SW are different at night than they are during the day, 2st: Changes are also done because sometimes frequencies may be used by different broadcasters or close by, so it’s also a way to prevent interference.
It’s not really annoying at all as frequency changes are normally done just before the top of the hour and in regions where shortwave plays an important role in communications people are just use to it.
Again this is just a simple answer.
on Aug 8th, 2010 at 03:48
The ATS 909X was already discussed a month ago in:
http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld1027.txt
in the Radio Equipment Forum sexion.
Of course it`s an outgrowth of the ATS 909 and Sangean are not trying to hide that.
on Aug 8th, 2010 at 03:53
To add to Keith’s post, it’s a fact of life that the shortwave listener is required to change to alternative frequencies as broadcasters change transmissions throughout the day or night. If a number of frequencies are used, the listener can select the one that provides the clearest reception. It’s not really that much of a bother unless your receiver doesn’t have a digital display.
In addition to all that I’ve just said, if a broadcaster used DRM, and listeners had proper, dedicated DRM receivers, one would not have to tune at all. The receiver would be aware of all the frequencies used by the station and could automatically choose the best one. The data stream can carry all that information for the receiver to make a choice, without the listener having to lift a finger.
on Aug 8th, 2010 at 19:54
Looks as if it has slipped by the attention of almost everybody that a prototype of an ATS 909 upgrade has already been shown on CES 2009:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jelyce/3244800568/
Apparently Sangean choose to revise it before the final launch.
It’s also necessary to put things into perspective in another regard: Many people purchased an ATS 909 primarily as capable FM receiver and use its AM side rarely or even never. When the ATS 909 was new it was almost the natural choice for FM DXers, in spite of its problems with internal mixing products. Meanwhile the situation has changed in as far as companies from mainland China have become a tough competition.
Concerning the discussion of DRM capability: Just remember the French prototype called “Uniwave” that has been shown in last year and is almost forgotten by now. Consider its size and its power consumption, and no questions will be left why the ATS 909 upgrade did not get it.
Concerning the question about external antennas: The upgraded version will also be delivered with an antenna wire, so the AM antenna input will still be there. Large external antennas are of limited use with such radios anyway, a few metres of random wire can be enough to overload them, producing an obvious noise floor.
Finally: The “digital world” is neither DAB nor DRM. Thus I would also recommend to be not so quick with declaring that “shortwave is dead”, since this statement is pretty close to “classic international radio is dead”. Unless this would just reflect your opinion, of course.
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 09:09
Thanks for the hint concerning the prototype shown at CES 09, Kai. However, since Sangean/Roberts some years ago presented a prototype of an AM/DRM/FM/DAB-Radio, which then never materialized on the market, I am kind of sceptical concerning such prototypes.
Maybe IFA 2010 will tell us more. If as we have been told it is already available in Taiwan, the ATS-909X should hit European market before the end of the year.
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 12:19
Likewise this “XR” prototype, shown almost two years ago, never went into production.
So the now announced “X” version is already being sold in Taiwan, but nobody ever saw one abroad? Strange, to say the least.
In the meantime also consider the comments posted here in last February:
http://herculodge.typepad.com/herculodge/2010/02/is-sangean-still-updgrading-the-ats909-with-the-909x-for-2010.html
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 13:17
Why is it so strange? There are many mobile phones, radios, DVD players, televisions which you can find in Taiwan and maybe shops like Broadway in Hong Kong that you won\’t see in any other countries in Asia.
The ATS909X can be found at a number of shops in the Xinmending area of Taipei.
I would still like to know how the hell that radio could have such a big mark up. Even the regular ATS909 goes for 2600NT$ (around 85USD) and if you talk to the owners you might even be able get it down to 2200NT$, which I did when I got mine. Someone somewhere is making a profit and it certainly not Sangean.
Just out of curiosity how much are BLUERAY DVD players in the EU or US?
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 15:15
Keith Perron - I just bought a Sony BDPS370 Blu-ray Player for £99 at Amazon UK.
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 18:04
Dear Keith (with all respect and consideration I am your Fan)
Some months ago you showed some TECSUN SW statistics numbers selling as being ultimate and unfortunately they are not. At EBAY is where SW are more sold, just ONE seller is selling more than 340 unities radio sets, here is the link http://cgi.ebay.com/TECSUN-PL-380-DSP-ETM-PLL-WORLD-BAND-RADIO-PL380-/110448079281?pt=Shortwave_Radios
This one seller sold more than 340 sets since Apr-12-10 11:07:32 PDT until Aug-08-10 12:08:14 PDT. Aparently chinese firms like TECSUN, DEGEN, REDGEN and many other did not stop making SW sets, they are using DSP and USB resources on their receivers and they are booming. I agree completely with you that shortwave transmissions are in decline. Plase say to major brodcaster do not stop broadcasting in SW, specially to AFRICA and LA etc. These new DSP portable from china they are excellent and very cheap but I think there is still room for expensive SW radio set for the rich ones. Thanks to China the poor people can buy cheap SW products.
Thanks,
Osmar From Brazil
PS:, Here in Brazil you can find SONY SW35 and others SW sets new brand sold at Mall, I think Sony as replaced its production line to China. Also at AMAZON.COM you buy SONY SW7600GR brand new and so many short waves receivers.
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 18:20
Dear Keith
Last month I could see another EBAY seller sold more than 500 unities of DEGEN 1103. Really statistics are very difficult to accompany and EBAY give a very small picture of the SW sold everyday worldwide. But shortwaves continue to be sold widely around the world. I personally I got a small DVD store and I expose some SW sets and many got interested on them.Radio does have a magic. It a pity the major broadcaster today just think on the INTENET of course the stream is another media much better than SW but we can not got slave of this new media,if you go out take with you small receiver (specially on the beach and countryside the reception quality is excellent). Here in Northeast of Brazil near seashore I can lots of transmissions to AFRICA. Even RN in Dutch and DW in German unfornately no longer in English but afternoon I can listen to RN in English to Africa.
Thanks,
Osmar
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 18:38
I agree with you SW radios are still being sold now, but when I looked at Sangean’s own sales for SW. In the early 90s SW accounted for about nearly half of all there sales, but in 2008 it was less than 7%.
True they are still being sold, but the figures are very low.
Tecsun or the other radio makers in China can sell them very cheap, because over the years they made them in the millions. But even Tecsun when I last visited there head office showed me a warehouse of units they are just trying to get rid of. The main market place for SW radios these days is the internet. But I really think once Tecsun runs out (considering how many they made) they will still be available for the next 10 to 15 years.
Tecsun like other SOEs in China they need to produce and produce. Tescun I know even made radios which have not even made it to the market yet, but they are sitting on top of them.
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 19:13
Hi, Keith
Thanks for your explanation it is very reasonable what you have said now I agree with you maybe within 10 or 15 years no longer SW making. But everything is possible and it depends on several factors - who where this world is heading? So many things can happen suppose if there is an Internet collapse? I think we should go to back to time, for speaking to time excellent your show interview with Vassily Streinikov - Back to the USSR - I like too much your show that guy is very intelligent also you is a excellent presenter. Today I tried to download your last show and I could not - maybe my connection is not so fast and later I´ll do.
keep your excellent work - please next show mention at least mention my name.
on Aug 9th, 2010 at 19:26
“The main market place for SW radios these days is the internet.” Keith, I have to agree. Do you have an idea why the ATS-909X as it seems is not available via internet shops yet?
on Aug 10th, 2010 at 01:42
I would suspect it’s the same that you find in Japan or Hong Kong. In this part of the world you will see many electronics that are sold on the domestic market in areas that take longer to sell overseas. You see this with digital cameras, digital recorders, televisions, ect ect ect.
With Sangean just like with others I know they have products they don’t export and if someone is wants to buy it to resell they need to come here and meet a local supplier.
Michael 99 pounds? That’s nearly 5000NT$. Here the Sony BDPS370 Blu-ray sells 1399NT$ in Taiwan and 350HK$ in Hong Kong (around 28 Pounds).
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 14:17
I am just coming back from IFA in Berlin. As expected, Sangean presented the “new” ATS-909X there. This, however, was just a prototype. Sangean Europe expects the radio will be available around February or March.
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 14:22
If there wasn’t any market of listning to SW radio anymore we don’t have any new SW radio on the market, But we have new radios comming up with am fm sw, lot of new radios.
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 14:56
Well, Roy, Sangean was more or less the only company at IFA 2010 presenting sw receivers. Etón was there but not their receivers. In contrast, I have seen lots of webradio receivers coming from many different companys.
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 16:09
yes it’s true new radios are coming out. But if you take Tecsun as an example as I have said time and tme again. What you guys see as new, has been on the China market for years. For Tecsun to make a few million of one radio is easy. And as I said I have see first hand one of there Warehouses in China with crates of units one after the other of radios not on the market in the West yet and of radio which have not been in production for years. Like the BCL3000, which they stopped producing years ago, but they have millions of these radio to get rid of. Which is the reason why they are so cheep.
The new radio from Sangean is not even new. It just looks different.
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 18:33
Have been intuch with factory’s telling me that if a new sw comming up, it’s a brand new design and new on the market. It cost so less to ad Sw in a radio today. A few USD.
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 18:44
Have you been to the factory? Have you been to the PRC? Do you know how they do business with people who don’t meet them face to face.
If you can read or speak Chinese i would urge you to come to this part of the world spend a few weeks and see what’s on the market and what your being told is new, but infact has in been out for a while at anyone of the electronic markets in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and others.
In China the State Administration of Overseas Business calls companies like Tecsun and other “surplus providers”, because for a company like Tecsun to get state funds, it needs to hire as many people as possible and to make products no matter if there is a market or not. Just like how the USSR or GDR operated.
Not to long ago I had a friend who contacted Tecsun about the S2000 (sold as a Grundig 750). He was told it’s a new model ect ect. Not to long after he contacted them I went to see them. They sales person on the phone said the same thing to me. Until one thing. When I just switched to Chinese and he realized that I had lived in China for over 8 years, then he told me another story. I found it rather amusing.
on Sep 9th, 2010 at 18:57
I know that a group of lobbyists is figthing for the on-line radio as the future.
That am fm dab+ drm is dead forever. It\’s cheaper for the broadcaster to reach the world via on-line, but it\’s more cheaper to listen to a radio station on the broadcasting band, no subscriptions, no expensive recivers/phone/computers. Just a simple radio for USD 5 with am fm sw 7 bands radio. The one and only way to make some money on radio is to be in the broadcasting bands. People wants local radio and Sw radio while traveling. The real rdio is not dead, it\’s comming back !!!
on Sep 10th, 2010 at 01:25
I know what your saying, but every study into SW and traditional terrestrial radio have shown each time this is not the case. Yes it’s by region. Africa, South America and parts of Asia SW is still vital and very important.
Who wants SW when they travel? I want to see figures. Even airport shops don’t carry SW radios anymore. I remember when they did. The last time I saw a SW set in an airport shop was almost 10 years ago.
on Sep 10th, 2010 at 05:40
However, AM FM SW recievers is still selling.
on Mar 15th, 2011 at 09:14
Shortwave broadcasting might be on the decline, but there is a lot more to the Shortwave world than just the broadcast stations. At least for those who have SSB capabilities on their receivers. The utility world on SSB can be fascinating. Even if every country abandons it\’s shortwave broadcasting stations, and even all the religious stations cease, there will still be hundreds of thousands of utility stations to chase whether it be aero, marine, military, or even federal agencies. There\’s a lot more out there than the simple broadcast stations.