Doug Gives Us a Close Look at the Radio Shack SW-100

 

Thanks to Doug Rennie for evaluating his Radio Shack SW-100.

Enjoyed reading through your updated Best of 2009 reviews. Here is a relatively inexpensive option for the Backup FM or Outdoor categories or, for that matter, as a general purpose backup to move around the house. It's the Realistic or RadioShack (same radio, different badges) SW-100 that offers pretty good AM (rotating directional antenna on top) and FM sensitivity and very nice speaker sound from the single large center speaker Not quite SR II caliber, but nonetheless good, the equal, I think, of the Eton 350.. On talk radio, clear and strong voices; you can hear every lip smack and swallow. Music has a rich, burnished sound. I see these on eBay all the time, good ones going for as little as $30-35. Mine is near mint and I paid $56 plus shipping for  it. Also has SW1 and SW2,  Air, VHF, and CB bands along with the now worthless TV1 and TV2. All in a muscular military-look package that meets all the "Manly Radio" criteria.

Comments

[Angelo]

This is a useful review---proof that for very little money, you can pick up a sturdy, good looking radio that apparently is not a bad performer. This is one of those sleepers---I've seen them before and never gave much thought about them. I wonder what they sold for new?

[John]

I think Emerson's version went for about sixty until recently--don't know if they're still available new. Radio Shack's might've been about thirty more.

[Shawn Patrick]

1994 Radio Shack catalog
http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalogs/1994/

Go to page 27. What is interesting is that radio was not in the SW radio section but the section with AM/FM radios instead. $99 new

The shortwave on the 94 catalog were on page 94.

[Doug]

There is currently one listed on eBay that works well but is only fair cosmetically for a BIN of $29.95. As a knockaround garage/yard/outdoor radio it would be a decent enough choice for that price. The same radio also comes with Emerson and Rhapsody badging. I am 100% satisfied with mine. There is also a later model with a more sculpted, futuristic look.

[Angelo]

I actually prefer the rugged, no-nonsense look of this model better than the futuristic one---I think I know which one you are referring to.

[Travers]

Cool, my first "real" radio I got when I was in middle school! For years I fiddled with my dad's 70's era multi-bander (don't ask me model, no idea) so one Christmas he got me that. I credit that radio for launching me into the radio hobby. It was a good AM and FM performer, other bands were so-so. Still have it buried in my closet somewhere, now I should dig it out! Great post :)

- Long time reader first time poster

[Angelo]

I recently saw the Rhapsody version on E-Bay. Where is there a photo of the "futuristic" model that replaced this one?