Grundig Satellit 800 Millennium
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| Frequency | RX: 0.1–30 MHz (AM/USB/LSB), FM 87–108 MHz, Air 118–137 MHz (AM) |
| Bands | general coverage + FM + airband |
| Power | Receiver only |
| Modes | AM, USB, LSB, Synchronous AM, FM |
| Weight | 6.6 kg (14.6 lb) |
| Connector | SO-239 for external, telescopic for portable |
| Year | 2000 |
| antenna 50ohm | SO-239 (50 ohm unbalanced; SW, LW, MW) |
| antenna 500ohm | spring clip terminals (500 ohm balanced; LW, MW, SW) |
| antenna 75ohm | F connector (75 ohm, FM and airband) |
| antenna switch | rear panel switch selects whip or external per band group |
| telescopic | 1.41 meter telescoping whip antenna |
| ferrite | internal ferrite bar for LW/MW |
| headphone | 1/4" stereo (front panel) |
| speaker ext | 1/4" stereo for external speakers (4-8 ohm, 2W) |
| line out | RCA phono x2 (stereo line out for recording) |
| dc power | 9V DC input (dual-voltage 110/220V AC adapter included) |
| battery | 6x D-cell compartment (rear panel) |
One of the finest consumer shortwave receivers made. Designed in collaboration with R.L. Drake, the Drake heritage shows in three excellent IF filters (2.3/4.0/6.0 kHz) and an accurate analog S-meter. A synchronous detector handles selective fading on AM, and three external antenna inputs cover 50, 500, and 75 ohm. It has a 1.41 m whip for portable use and strong audio with separate bass and treble controls.
Massive at 14 lbs ('portable' in name only). Discontinued. Not a DSP radio (it uses conventional IF filters). The SSB is fine for listening but not competitive with dedicated communications receivers (IC-R75, NRD-545). The LCD backlight is dim. The rotary encoder develops play with age. Battery consumption is high (6 D-cells drain fast with the backlight). Memory scan only (no VFO scanning).
The last great consumer shortwave receiver. The Satellit 800 was designed to be the best shortwave radio a consumer could buy. The Drake collaboration produced real IF filters, a proper synchronous detector, and audio quality that shames many communications receivers. Nothing in the consumer market has replaced it.
The Grundig Satellit 800 Millennium was the last of the great Satellit-line tabletop world receivers, a large, heavy desktop set aimed at the serious shortwave listener rather than the traveler. Released in 2000, it covers 100 kHz to 30 MHz continuously in AM, USB, and LSB, adds the FM broadcast band (87–108 MHz) and the VHF aeronautical band (118–137 MHz, AM), and includes built-in synchronous detection to steady fading AM signals and fight adjacent-channel interference.
Its pedigree is unusual: the radio was a joint effort of Lextronix and R.L. Drake of Ohio, its receiver circuit derived from Drake's SW8 portable, and it was actually manufactured by Tecsun in China, which sold the same set across Asia as the HAM-2000. Drake even handled the refurbishment of returned units. That Drake heritage shows in three real metal-cased IF filters (2.3, 4.0, and 6.0 kHz), an accurate analog S-meter, and SSB sensitivity better than half a microvolt across the HF range.
It was built for listening comfort: a big backlit display showing frequency, signal strength, and time at once; 70 memories; three external antenna inputs (a 50-ohm SO-239, 500-ohm terminals, and a 75-ohm F connector for FM and air); and separate bass and treble controls with line-level outputs that make it as much hi-fi gear as a communications receiver. At about 6.6 kilograms it is "portable" in name only. It is a discontinued classic. For other serious tabletop receivers see the Drake R8 and the smaller Satellit 750.