best (most useful) feature
The DE1105 signal strength meter is unusually useful; its 10 bars do not show false full-strength signals i.e. if it displays 6 – 10 bars, you have an eminently listenable signal. Sometimes, the DE1105 delivers listenable stations with NO bars showing on the meter. The meter is unusually useful for antenna placement and direction, whether for AM, FM or shortwave; the meter is especially useful for fine-tuning a Terk AM Advantage antenna. The Terk AM Advantage routinely added 5 – 6 bars to the signal strength meter, making AM listening a delight. The DE1105 signal-strength meter is far more useful than the DE1102′s 4 lights, which all light up for even the most marginally listenable signal, making the 1102′s meter lights all but useless for antenna aiming etc.
GE SuperRadio II comparison
I compared the DE1105 against the oft-referred GE SuperRadio II. I picked weak stations at the low, middle and high end of the GE SRII dial … and tried to receive the same stations on the DE1105. To my surprise the DE1105 was able to receive each weak station on the GE SR II! … though the audio quality varied and was certainly debatable.
Ferrite bar antenna length considerations
This got me thinking about the ferrite bar antennae in each radio. The GE SRII has a 200 mm ferrite rod. The DE1105 ferrite rod antenna is located across the top, which is only 75 mm wide; so, it couldn’t be much longer than 60 mm. The DE1102 is 143 mm wide and its ferrite bar goes across the top; so, it couldn’t be much more than 120 mm long. How could we expect any pocket-sized receiver to hear what a lunchbox-sized receiver could haul in with a 200 mm ferrite bar?
So, I decided to see what might happen in conjunction with a Terk AM Advantage antenna to boost things. I did the same comparison with my Dad’s Sangean 803A, as well. With the Terk AM Advantage antenna all radios were able to provide quite intelligible audio from the weak stations! Hmmm …
Admittedly an inductive coupling Terk AM Advantage is hardly consistent with pocket receiver portability, but if the question is merely “Can this vs. that receiver render listenable audio from weak stations?” … I found the answer to be “Yes !” … with a Terk AM Advantage (or similar Select-A-Tenna or Degen TG-39) booster. At RadioIntel, see Jay Allen’s excellent antennae comparison (http://www.radiointel.com/review-degentg39.htm).
btw, I also noticed that EACH receiver worked best with the Terk AM Advantage when the AM Advantage was positioned at about 45* with relation to the radio’s internal ferrite bar antenna i.e. neither parallel nor perpendicular to the radio. Placing the DE1105 inside the Terk AM Advantage loop i.e. resting against the inside of the loop, routinely added 2 bars signal strength to the best radio placement outside the Terk AM Advantage antenna loop.
I’d rate both DE1105 and DE1102 AM reception as amazing, especially in concert with a Terk AM Advantage (or similar Select-A-Tenna or Degen TG-39) antenna.
From Rhode Island, at night (without an external antenna) both the 1105 and 1102 heard:
700 Cincinnati, Ohio truckers
740 Toronto, Canada
780 Nashville, TN
1000 ESPN
1020 Pittsburg, PA
1070 Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
1100 Fox … New York
1110 Charlotte, NC
1520 Buffalo, NY
However, below 600 kHz the DE1105 was deafer than the DE1102. … due to its shorter ferrite bar antenna? I don’t know …
Even during the day both the 1105 and 1102 hear the New York city stations, like 1130 Bloomberg business news and 880 CBS etc.
FM listening
To test the FM I compared to a Sony ST-J75 (a very sensitive separate component tuner), using a Radio Shack tunable powered booster antenna, vs. the DE1105 on its whip, alone. There’s a tasteful classical station in mid-Connecticut at least 50 miles west of me (I’m in s.w. RI). The Sony tuner showed 3 bars (of a maximum 5 bars) and the signal had more static than one would consider enjoyable. The DE1105 did just as well in the same location; however, in the middle of the room, the DE1105 beat the Sony component tuner and produced a nice, quiet very-listenable signal.
I’d rate the DE1105 and DE1102 FM reception as quite excellent, especially from such small pocket-sized packages. Stereo works well through the headphone (and out to a stereo sound system). The bass boost option is tastefully done … a pleasant addition.
shortwave listening
On the shortwave side, I was amazed at how listenable the audio became with the 13 foot wire antenna. At night (inside), the auto memory found 17 stations off the whip, but 75 stations off the 13 foot wire antenna! I tried a Degen TG-34 indoor medium/shortwave active loop antenna … and marvelled at how the noise floor dropped and the fading was reduced … so much more listenable than what was available off the whip antenna.
Despite reading that shortwave “goes through glass like light”, I have NOT found this to be the case at all – either in the house or car. Outside these little pocket receivers really shine, autoscanning outside via the whip about five times as many stations as inside. Shortwave stations autoscanned via the DE1105 whip tended to be very listenable (i.e. relatively free of noise) with more than 5 bars of signal strength.
btw, I find their autoscanning into memory very useful … a feature lacking in the Eton E1. The Degen 1105 auto-scanning implementation is particularly nice, as it scans up to 99 stations at a time vs. 19 stations with the DE1102. This allows the DE1105 to scan most of the whole shortwave range into memory positions in a few moments – NICE.
As to shortwave scanning sensitivity, I compared the DE1105 (rated 2.5 stars in 2008 Passport …) with a Degen DE1102 (rated 3 stars by Passport …). Off the whip (inside) at 3PM the DE1105 found 13 stations between 5,800 and 26,100 kHz; the DE1102 also found 13 stations on its “W” (Wide) setting and 22 stations on “N” (Narrow) setting. Though the DE1105 lacks the DE1102 W/N bandwidth choice, the DE1105 default scanning sensitivity appears identical to the DE1102 “W” scanning sensitivity. This sensitivity level results in highly listenable catches on both the DE1102 and DE1105. Of course, the above doesn’t, by any means, indicate that one is limited to stations turned up via auto-scanning; one can punch in any frequency on the keypad or, manually, step through a frequency range – even 1 kHz at at time on “page 8″ for AM or ‘page 9 for shortwave and SSB. Very flexible tuning options.
I ran a 90 foot 22 awg longwire antenna straight into the DE1102 and delighted that the DE1102 had enough dynamic range to not distort. I was impressed with the DE1102 vs. my Eton E1 off this light-guage longwire. The DE1105 with a whip-clip off the same 90′ longwire distorted and really couldn’t handle that signal strength, although the DE1105 works great with a whip-clip from a Degen TG-34 indoor medium/shortwave active loop antenna.
I’d rate shortwave reception from both Degen radios as surprisingly good, especially outside off the whip.
overall quality
Rather than repeat other review content (RadioIntel has a DE1105 review), I’ll just note that the plastic case is firm and solid. The brushed aluminum faceplate gives it a higher quality appearance than other pocket radios, like the DE1102. The buttons are firm … and lit in the dark. I was even more impressed with the DE1105 quality than the well-regarded DE1102, which I also tried … and very much admire.
I’ve found the sound volume more than adequate from both the DE1105 50 mm speaker and the DE1102 62 mm speaker, especially in quiet settings, like relaxing in bed. I noted that the speaker volume that was comfortable for me was less than the volume setting that I would choose for headphones … far more than enough volume for either, though. Maybe I’m not deaf? <G>
I noted that the DE1102 had a 29 inch whip vs. a 21 inch whip on the 1105. The LCD screens were quite legible and good looking on both the DE1105 and DE1102. The DE1102 is approximately 1/2 inch longer and wider than the DE1105, although either will fit in most pockets. The DE1105 is a NICE, true pocket-sized (~ 4″ x 3″) receiver.
Either Degen is available from Tao Qu (tquChina on eBay http://stores.ebay.ca/RADIO-AND-COMPONENT_W0QQssPageNameZviQ3asibQ3astoreviewQQtZkm), who has a 100% approval rating over about 1,600 reporting sales) for about $69, delivered; it took 13 days from China to the USA east coast. Skillfully and tightly packaged, it arrived in perfect condtion. VERY pleased … and highly recommended.