http://www.radioworld.com/article/111354
So, I didn't know exactly what to expect when I bought one. I just completed some rudimentary AM DX testing during the Daytime when you really get a feel for background noise level and local imaging, which is a huge problem where I'm situated, especially from 50KW CFRN-1260 just a few miles away, and many others not much farther away.
The CCRadio-EP plus the recommended $40 TERK Advantage tuned loop antenna (also sold by C.Crane) is a keeper for me, with my focus on high quality AM airchecks and AM DX on a budget. I have yet to do anything more than a casual test of FM but I like what I see.
Lest you be disappointed should you decide to buy the radio with or without the antenna, here are some things I would like to have known BEFORE I bought it, again just on the AM reception side of things:
- For anything beyond locals, the supplied AC Adaptor adds an annoying buzz, which is completely gone as soon as you run it on 4 D cell batteries and unplug the AC Adaptor
- A tuned loop like the TERK or the long gone Radio Shack 15-1853 is a must if you have severe problems (slop and imaging) with powerful local stations, like I do
- But, you will have to run the headphone jack into an external amplifier as you can't hear weak signals even at top volume when using the TERK or Radio Shack
- Be sure the external amplifier does not add RF noise of its own
- Be sure to set the Internal/External Antenna switch to External when using an external antenna or the much higher gain internal antenna "takes over"
- When using the internal antenna, the AM Fine Tuning knob is extremely important, as it tunes the internal antenna
- Always start with the AM Fine Tuning knob set at the locked centre point
- The AM Fine Tuning knob only needs tuning from the locked centre point when slop or imaging from a local station needs to be eliminated by detuning away from the local's frequency
- This radio has an old fashioned analogue radio dial, which takes some getting used to, and can be quite annoying if you are looking for a specific quiet frequency, i.e. - you can't just tune a dial until you see 1460 KHz displayed on some digital display, you have to get to a known station and move 10 KHz at a time
- The headphone jack seems to work fine as a Line Out into an amplifier
- You get slightly more audio gain on the headphones than the built-in speaker, but not enough to eliminate the need for an external amplifier when DX'ing using an external tuned unamplified loop antenna like the TERK
- The radio has a good sized built-in speaker, but only one, so you need to the headphone jack for FM Stereo (which I haven't yet tested)
- There is a Voice/Music switch; I did all my testing in Music mode which appears to be dead flat; there are bass and treble controls to change that
Bottom line: I highly recommend this radio. But I don't recommend any other CCRadio, having tested the CCRadio-2 last June, and sending it back. It has a digital readout, but lacks the switch to disconnect the Internal AM Antenna, which is a must in areas like mine with strong local transmitters so close by.
As for antennas, the TERK has two advantages over the long discontinued Radio Shack tuned loop antenna on loan from radiofan: a little more gain, and a tuning control marked with frequencies.
C.Crane charges a lot to ship into Canada. I lucked into a free FedEx shipping deal, but only to the U.S., so had it picked up by a friend near the border.