From: maton@jester.usask.ca (Terry Maton)
Subject: Radio Shack DX-380 - SUMMARY
Originator: maton@jester.usask.ca
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 14:55:49 GMT

Several people asked me to post a summary of replies I received to
my request for comments from people who actually own DX-380.

Here are the replies...

From: Littlejohn Tim <little@ERE.UMontreal.CA>

> Now that RS has the DX-380 on sale here in Canada - I'm looking at
> buying one.  I am sure there has been comment and reviews before, so
> please email replies to me.
> 
> I would like to hear comments from people who actually own a DX-380
> and use it a lot.

I recently bought one of the DX-380s at the same sale.  I find it's
features of:
1.	programmable stations
2.	digital frequency access
3.	scan mode
4.	alarm built in
5.	dual timer
6.	control lock facility

excellent.

After 2 weeks of CONSTANT use (taking it wherever I go, including using
it in the car while driving long distances!!!) I have found it great for
picking up BBC and Radio Australia (the reason why I bought it).
With an additional portable external antenna, I have no problems
with reception with these broadcasts.  I am a newcomer to SW, but
when all is said and done, noone seems to criticise the radio at all.

The only problem I have is that the whip antenna is starting to
get a bit loose; this is only irritating me a little bit, and results in
it wobbling around somewhat.  I constatly move the antenna around, and
put it up and down all the time as I take the radio with me
wherever I go.  That's probablky why the slack in the antenna has
developed so quickly.  Nevertheless, this is the only complaint
that I have and it does not interfere with the radio's function.

Go for it!

==============================================================================
From: phaedrus@unkaphaed.gbdata.com

OK.  I actually own a DX-380 and use it a lot.  Mind you, I've only used other
radios a little - mostly, lusted over them.  Grin.  But for $150 (current
sale price in the States), it seems to be one of the best beasties for my
dollar.

For me it was a major step up; I was previously using an ancient Heathkit
with the multi-band slide rule tuning.  Going to digital tuning with mondo
presets (8 AM, 8 FM, 8 LW, and 16 SW) was great.  While wearing headphones,
the radio can catch FM stereo signals, and the overall sound quality is good.
(I'm a bit of an audiophile, so its hard for me to say that the thing sounds
GREAT.  Grin.)

My listening habits include a few major internationals (RNI on WWCR, BBC,
Radio Australia, and a few other that I can catch) and just generally tuning
around to "see what I can find."

The fact that it is small and runs off of 6 AAs (2 for clock/preset backup)
also meant that it became my travel radio/alarm.  At the price level, I don't
feel too bad about taking it mobile.  I'd be a little more nervous about a
larger radio/higher priced radio getting legs and going for walkies.

The antenna is rather powerful, and there's a switch to boost/not boost the
antenna.  (Sorry, I'm still a semi-novice, so I don't know what that'd be
called.  It thinks its a LOCAL/DX switch.)

On the downside, the up/down buttons don't get used very much; I mostly hit
direct frequencies I'm going for with the numbers and then use the knob to
go up/down as needed.  I have heard of other people saying their knob on
similar beasts has gone out on them; mine's still going OK and I've had the
radio for the better part of a year now.  Also, when you're using the up/down
buttons to scan, you get locked into a particular meter band when running along
(for example, when you get into the 31m band, the radio displays that you're
in it, but if it scans to the end of the band it goes back to the beginning
and keeps on scanning).  The only other thing I'm a little disappointed in is
that it beeps all the time - pressing too many of the buttons results in a
beep, scanning results in a beep, etc.  There should have been a way to kill
off the beeps.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Other replies gave similar info.

Terry

-- 
Terry Maton
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

INTERNET:   maton@sask.usask.ca   or   maton@herald.usask.ca
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave