Sangean ATS-909X2
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| Frequency | LW: 153-519 kHz (US) / 100-519 kHz (EU), MW: 520-1710 kHz, SW: 1711-29999 kHz, FM: 64-108 MHz (region-configurable), Air: 118-137 MHz |
| Bands | LW, MW, SW (general coverage), FM, Air Band |
| Power | Receiver only, no transmitter |
| Modes | AM, SSB (USB/LSB separate, 10 Hz or 20 Hz fine tuning steps), FM (stereo/mono, RDS/RBDS) |
| Weight | 728 g (25.7 oz) - 728g (25.7 oz) without batteries. ~830g with 4×AA batteries. |
| Connector | 3.5mm external antenna jack (feeds SW/MW/LW only, not FM/Air; defeats the ferrite rod). Built-in telescopic whip; ferrite bar for MW/LW. |
| Year | 2021 |
| antenna | 3.5mm external antenna jack |
| headphone | 3.5mm headphone out (separate amplifier) |
| line in | 3.5mm audio line in |
| dc in | DC barrel for 9V 1.2A AC adapter (included) |
| power req | 4× AA batteries (alkaline or NiMH/NiCad rechargeable, can charge rechargeable AAs in-unit via included 9V AC adapter) |
A current-production portable shortwave receiver aimed at serious SWL hobbyists. 1674 memory presets across 3 banks. SSB with separate USB/LSB and 10 Hz fine tuning. The patented 5-level auto bandwidth control is a useful feature. It has Air Band coverage, FM with RDS, and a dual-conversion architecture, with strong FM performance and good SW whip sensitivity (improved over its predecessor). A smart battery compartment flags failing cells. An ANT-60 roll-up antenna, case, and earphones are included. It is the third generation of a 30-year design lineage.
The shortwave-listener market has shrunk substantially. Sensitivity is adequate but not at the level of a tabletop receiver. SSB audio is good but bandwidth is limited to ~4 kHz on SW. There is no sync detection. The auto-bandwidth feature can be troublesome on weak signals (it is defeatable). LCD proximity generates noise on some frequencies. The user interface has quirks. There is no recording capability (use an external Sangean DAR-101).
One of the few serious portable shortwave receivers still in production. It offers 1674 memories, Air Band, RDS FM, and SSB with 10 Hz tuning, making it a standard portable for SWL. For listeners who want a quality portable they can buy new, the main choices are this or a Tecsun.
The Sangean ATS-909X2 is a portable world-band receiver - the third generation of Sangean's long-running 909 series, and one of the few "serious" shortwave portables a listener can still buy new. It pulls in longwave, the AM broadcast band, shortwave continuously to 30 MHz, FM with RDS, and - new to this generation - the VHF air band from 118 to 137 MHz. It is a receiver only; there is no transmitter.
For the shortwave listener the important parts are the SSB and the tuning. It receives single sideband with separate USB and LSB and tunes in fine 10 Hz steps, which makes it genuinely usable for resolving utility and ham signals - a big step up from the 40 Hz steps of the older ATS-909X. Selectivity comes from a Silicon Labs DSP stage behind an analog front end, with up to five bandwidths, and there are 1674 memory presets across three banks. What it lacks is synchronous detection, and there is only one (fairly wide) SSB bandwidth - its main limitations against a dedicated tabletop set.
It runs on four AA cells - and will charge NiMH cells in the radio from the included adapter, with a smart compartment that flags a bad cell - rather than a built-in lithium pack, and powers from a 9-volt barrel jack rather than USB. The external-antenna jack feeds the shortwave, MW and longwave sections (not FM or air), and an ANT-60 reel-up wire antenna is in the box.
Reviewers consistently place it at the top of the current portable field alongside the Tecsuns. Against the Tecsun PL-880 it has the bigger memory system, RDS, air band, and cleaner ECSS audio; against the larger Tecsun H-501 it gives up dual-speaker audio and synchronous detection but is lighter with a more refined display. For a listener who wants a quality portable, current production, and a 30-year design pedigree, it is an easy recommendation.