I'VE GOT TO SAY THIS IS THE BEST PORTABLE RADIO I HAVE BOUGHT
582975
WELL. I'VE GOT TO SAY THIS IS THE BEST PORTABLE RADIO I HAVE BOUGHT. I CAN'T THINK OF ANY BAD THINGS TO
SAY. IT'S JUST REALLY GREAT. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BATHROOM HERE IT IS.  WORKS GREAT , SET IT ON A COUNTER AND  ROCK AND ROLL. THE VOLUME IS GREAT, SOUND IS FANTASTIC. ME I PUT AN SD CARD THAT I HAD OF SONGS IN MY LAPTOP. IT'S  GOT 457  CLASSIC AND MOTOWN SONGS ON IT. AND I'M NOT FINISHED YET. GET ONE BEFORE THEY ARE GONE.
  THANKS AMAZON FAN-------TASTIC.
304748
This is one of the best portable radios on the market.  I had an older model for over 20 years.  It still works great, but my son wanted it. I purchased this new model and it has the same wonderful qualities.  I highly recommend this outstanding product.
1874951
This is a wonderful radio by Sony. It is better then any other portable radio I have ever had including a portable that starts with a G and cost a lot more money. This one picks up stations I had found it very hard to get good reception on my G radio. The Sony picks up the Canada station and lots of others that I like to listen to. You will not be disappointed.
2322752
This radio is amazing!!.  The quality is superb.  It has all features I need and the signal is excellent. The best small radio I have ever owned.  I highly recommend it to everyone who needs a small radio.
2617043
For several weeks I gathered a LOT of info. from the web about many of the portable shortwave/SSB radios, including Kaito, Eton, Grundig, Sony, Sangean, Radio Shack, and a few others.

What weighed most heavily in choosing the Kaito 1103 were the reviews that came from some ham radio operators that I found on a prominent ham website. I was surprised, but happy, to see ham operators reviewing a shortwave radio. There were almost 25 reviews of the 1103. But it wasn't just the fact that all but one gave it a 5-star rating, it was the way they went on and on raving about what a great radio it is in terms of sheer power and performance (not convenience). And I figured if that many ham operators are that impressed with it, then that's good enough for me. Because for me, performance was the determinant factor in making my choice - not convenience.

UPDATE (10/2007)

I've had my KA1103 for a month and it is everything I had read about it. In a word -- it is a POWERHOUSE! I've picked up China, Japan, Cuba, and other countries, and the signal from some of these stations was amazingly strong: as strong and clear as a local station right here in my own area (north Texas).

UPDATE (02/2008)

 I've had my 1103 for 5 months now and the radio has performed flawlessly; no malfunctioning at all. It continues to amaze me with its power. Not only have I picked up shortwave radio stations around the world, but also ham radio operators, by using the Single Sideband (SSB) function. I've listened to hams in: Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama.

  UPDATE (10/2013)

 I've had my 1103 for 6 years now and it is still working great. Still pulling in stations from all over the world, many of them strong and clear. I love listening to ham operators on the SSB. Tonight I picked them up in OK, LA, AL, FL, TN, KY, and someone who only identified his location as the "Upper Peninsula," which could be Michigan; I know MI has such a place.

 I also picked up a station on SSB, at 1943hrs (7:43 p.m.), 7336 KHz, that I couldn't identify the nationality of, but the language sounded rather "Russian" to me.

  I LOVE my Kaito 1103 - after 6 yrs., it still amazes me!
1271965
I LOVE this radio and recommend that you buy it.  As a longtime radio fan, this is a dream and will work well if you do a little legwork BUT if you want to get the most out of the unit you have to look out for a couple things:

1. Update The Firmware...it is necessary to get it working with WPA security.

2. Note that YOU CAN add stations directly to this radio (contrary to what most reviewers say) via a website at [...] where you register your radio and get access to this feature. However, I can't blame other reviewers for not knowing it!  For some reason, this key feature IS NOT included in the documentation! I only stumbled on this at one of the forum posts here at Amazon.

I have not gotten into the media server function but as an internet radio this is absolutely amazing!  I LOVE IT, its sound is perfectly good for unit of its type plus you can output it to better speakers if you wish.

The remote is very nice.  Do a little legwork and you'll love it too.
3706391
The best portable radio for the road. It has a very wide scanning range and delivers superb sound. My third Sangean radio in 30 years: one for the shop in the boon-dock, one for the cabin, and one at home for when the power is out (too often!).
4772728
Can't say enough good things about this radio it does everything flawlessly, and it's worth three times the price"  5 Stars
523495
OMG- You have to buy this radio. I was skeptical but being a person who already had a portable gps, I wanted something combined with a radio where I did not have to take the time to put it on the widow each and every time. I also knew that pioneer, in geneeral, makes great radios but furthermore, I wanted a radio that if I was in a not so great area, would be detachable for safety concerns. THIS RADIO solves ALL THESE desires. And then after installing it today, I can not express the benefit enough of having the handfree bluetooth for my cell phone through the radio. Although I normally use the ear head set, this is so much easier! this is a great purchase and it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. I compared for days, searching the features and prices, and this is definitely the ONE TO BUY. don't forget to order the cord for your ipod. if it does not fit your car, don't worry, it didn't fit mine, but I called to find out the installation kit for my car and I AM SO GLAD I DID. I am so glad i did not settle on another radio because of the initial fit, i simply (for my car) ordered the proper installation kit, about 23 dollars and the company was able to install it without a problem. A MUST HAVE!
23651
Best portable radio I have ever used, especially on AM. I live in the country about 60km from town and can get very good reception with no external antenna at all. Used with a passive tuned loop like Tecsun or Pks loops (Australian) its amazing. Greg
1637577
this thing is GREAT !!!  it sure beats buying another radio to listen to at work  works on my home stereo and my portable at work  hooks up great with my bluetooth headphones
3894351
This is a very nice radio.  Love the presets, the ability to use rechargeable batteries and then just plug it in for a recharge.  I have had this for 3 months and have recharged it twice.  With so many disasters this year: floods, hurricanes, fires and their power outages, it is really a safety factor to have a portable radio for up to date news and instructions in case of emergency.  It is also very nice looking.
1496316
I bought this as a gift for someone and ended up buying 2 since it sounded so great. It requires no batteries, it has a hand crank which loads the power and its long lasting power. The radio has clear sound, the flash light is bright and the charger/usb is an awesome feature. The one thing I'd improve is that there is no storage on the unit for the cables, so I know at some point I'll lose them. We have lost our power a lot with this windy weather and I'm so highly I have this!
2011040
I bought this radio for AM and FM DXing after reading a review on it at "www.radiojayallen.com". I absolutely love it. To me. this is the new Superadio! The audio is excellent with plenty of bass and treble on tap so you don't always have to have the bass and treble controls maxed out. This is one of the few radios I own that picks up all my local FM stations with zero static, despite (or maybe because of) the shorty whip. The MW DX is superb as well, and I have had some astonishing daytime DX receptions.

What is not mentioned in the reviews, or shown clearly in the photos, is the way the radio flares out at the base. The 2 rows of D cell batteries, instead of being placed one row on top of the other up/down, has the batteries instead side by side at the bottom of the radio. This results in the base being extended out the width of a D cell from the top and middle of the radio. I really like the looks of the radio this way. Also, it provides a considerable amount of stability to the radio such that it is almost impossible to accidentally tip it over. The overall construction is very solid and high quality; there is nothing that feels cheap, or screams "crap" at you when you hold the radio.

Another feature not advertised is that this radio is capable of self-alignment. It is shown in the manual under the trouble shooting section for the question as to what to do if there is a drop in volume when tuning in a station. To realign the radio, when tuned to any AM station, press and hold the "Display Clock and Frequency" button until the weather alert LED starts flashing (top left on front of radio). At this point, release the "Display Clock and Frequency" button, then give it a short press. Leave the radio alone while it auto aligns. mine takes about 5 minutes to do. You are always assured of razor sharp alignment with this feature, no matter how old the radio.

While I do not listen to the 2 meter ham band, the weather channels are a welcome addition.

This has turned out to be my favorite radio in a very short time. It is well worth the price.
4515534
This is an awesome portable radio.  Crystal clear sound from the built-in speaker, better than many table radios- a pleasure to listen to.  The handy features like memory and sleep timer are easy to use.  Lots of battery life to the built in rechargeable battery.
Excellent shortwave reception for a small radio- but you will likely have to use the included wire to get the reception you are looking for.
It is a rare treasure in the crowded field of portables- most of which cannot come even close to this model in sound or reception performance.  I liked it so much I bought a second one in case they stop making this model.
2874026
I like the portable radio very much.  Nice size and great sound.  Glad I made this purchase.  I always take a radio with me when outside working in the yard and this works nicely.
144906
This is one of the best portable radios out there. It has great shortwave reception! The F.M. and A.M. both have great sensitivity and selectivity; the ability to pull in weak stations next to strong ones. The only reason I don't give this radio 5 stars is because of the telescoping antenna. I've been through 5 radios because the antenna becomes lose and breaks after a long period of use. Other than that this would be a perfect radio.