Let’s be honest here and admit that this particular portable digital AM/FM shortwave radio isn’t exactly the latest model of its class. The first Tecsun PL-360 radio review articles came out in 2011, so it’s somewhat old.
Yet it’s not obsolete at all. In fact, it’s a perennial favorite in the shortwave radio community, and it still garners rave reviews from customers.
It’s actually so popular that its price hasn’t changed for the last 9 years. You’ll still pay the same cost as it did way back when.
Table of Contents
Tecsun PL-360 Review
So why is it still so popular? A closer look at this Tecsun PL-360 reveals its terrific features that continue to satisfy the needs of modern-day shortwave radio fans.
Band Support
Check out the various frequencies you can listen to with this radio, using the PLL synthesized receiver:
- Worldwide FM 87-108 MHz
- Worldwide AM 520-1710 kHz
- SW band 2300-21950 kHz
Accessories Included
Your money gets you the radio, along with a carrying pouch. Inside the pouch, you also get stereo earphones for private listening, an external AM ferrite antenna to make sure you get your AM station, and a user manual in English.
Design
This has the size of a small TV remote, measuring 6.26 inches long, 2.09 inches wide, and about an inch thick. It also comes with a telescoping antenna.
On top you have the power button, along with the port for your earphone. There’s also the port for your AM antenna, which actually makes the whole thing look like a TNT detonator.
In front, you have the digital display, showing the station frequency, and the time and the state of the batteries.
On the side, you have the thumbwheels for the volume and the tuning. There’s also a mini-USB DC-In 5V battery charger. This uses 3 AA batteries, and if you’re using the rechargeable types then you can use this USB jack to charge your batteries.
The radio itself has a belt clip, so you can carry it while leaving your hands free. Even the case has a 2-way belt loop, so you can carry the while thing vertically or horizontally.
Tuning
You can just turn the tuning dial and find the stations yourself, across all the bands available. Then there’s also the auto tuning storage (ATS), which lets the radio automatically detect the next available station on the band and then save the frequencies in the memory slots.
This does have the unique Easy Tuning Mode (ETM), which is a bit different. It scans for frequencies a great deal more comprehensively, so you get more stations.
But the new stations it detects won’t automatically take up slots in your radio memory. It only stores the stations in its temporary memory.
This is super-convenient when you’re traveling, since you’re easily able to access all the local stations. It’s also really nice for shortwave radio, as then you save a lot of time and trouble looking for available shortwave stations.
450 Memory Slots for Frequencies
When you find your favorite frequencies, you can just save them in the memory slots. That way, you’re able to switch from one frequency to another without having to deal with the static or silence in between. You don’t waste time, either.
This offers up to 450 slots in its memory, which should be enough for your stations. You can save 100 stations for FM radio, 100 for MW, and 250 for shortwave.
Clear Sound
The telescoping antenna does its job, and so does the high sensitivity AM antenna. This also features digital signal processing (DSP), which gives you the terrific clarity when you’re listening to your favorite stations.
Additional Functions
The display here can display the time, but it does more than that. There’s a sleep timer here, so you can set it to power down while you close your eyes and sleep listening to your favorite stations.
It also functions as an alarm clock, should you need to wake up early in the morning.
The display also the signal strength of the antenna on the left side, while on the right side you get the signal to noise ratio. There’s even a thermometer function here, showing the temperature in either C or F.
Pros
- Compact and easy to use
- Comes with earphone
- Powerful AM antenna
- Lots of convenient ways to find radio stations
- Can power rechargeable batteries
- Works well for travelling
- Very affordable
- Easy to use with
Cons
- Not exactly new technology
- Batteries not included
- Somewhat poorly written English in the user’s manual
FAQs
How long do the batteries last?
They can last for a while, but it depends on how you use it. If you use this just for listening to music for 8 hours straight, then your battery life drops 1 bar. You still have 3 bars left.
Where is the AM button?
It’s right by the left side of the FM button on the front side of the radio, but it’s marked MW.
Do you get SSB transmissions?
No, you don’t. You get your FM and AM radio stations, plus shortwave radio stations.
Can this receive marine traffic?
It does get the shortwave bands that are used by maritime traffic. But it doesn’t get the FM marine bands.
Does this get NOAA weather channels?
No, since these channels use a frequency of 162 MHz. That’s a bit too high for the radio’s range.
How is the radio’s high-sensitivity?
Due to DSP si474 Micro-chips, it provides high-sensitivity.
Does this radio tune has SSB transmissions?
No, because this is made for close range broadcast band and FM. It will not tune SSB transmissions.
I go to race tracks that broadcast on 151.625. Will this radio receive that frequency?
No, this radio can’t cover that. It just receives about 22MHz.
What kind of battery does it use? Can I charge it on my computer?
Yes, you can charge this on your computer, PlayStation. You can continuously it about 8-10hours at a normal volume. You don’t need to worry about this radio’s battery.
Final Verdict
This is a handy radio to bring along when traveling, as it’s so easy to use. In fact, you can just carry it on your belt, and use your earphones to listen.
Because of the Easy Tuning Mode, you can always find a local station to give you some music or the news. With its shortwave receiver, you should be able to find lots of stations that regular AM/FM radios just can’t get.
All in all, it’s clear enough why the typical Tecsun PL-360 radio review till gives it high marks even today. It’s just reliable, and works with a minimum of fuss.
Leave a Reply