Kaito KA1107 Dual Conversion Shortwave Radio with FREE T1 Shortwave Antenna
An Analog Contender For Modern Times
I too am one of \\"those\\" people that owns far more radios than I could ever reasonably use in a lifetime, but always find room for just one more. I blame it on spending 20+ years in the broadcast industry. Although digital tuning makes finding stations a breeze, I still prefer the old needle and dial for bandscanning. After reading the specs and a few reviews for the Kaito KA1107, I decided to purchase one myself, and feel it was money very well spent. The 1107 is a nicely-sized portable, being just a tad too large to fit in a normal pocket, but slips easily inside a jacket or backpack. The box contains the radio, a black carrying pouch, stereo earbuds, power adaptor, and a long section of wire antenna with a 1/8\\" plug on the end. The first thing I noticed is that it feels like a durable unit ready to withstand normal use long past its included warranty. The 1107 uses 4AA batteries that insert easily in the back of the unit. The battery door is hinged, and should be a standard feature on all radios. Another plus is that if rechargeable batteries are used, they can be recharged right in the radio with the simple flick of a switch located on the side of the unit. The 1107 has a small digital clock complete with alarm and sleep - an unusual but welcome feature for an analog radio. The power switch is located next to the dial light on the upper portion of the 1107. Both switches seem to have been designed for users with small fingers. FM reception is quite good, and can be switched from stereo to mono depending on signal conditions. The SW band has good sensitivity for a radio of this size, and uses a 3-step attenuator(L/M/H) to maximize reception. Shortwave reception is fantastic for this radio, and surpasses several digital sets I own that cost far more. 10 different shortwave bands are selected by a dial on the right side of the radio. The switch does feel a bit sloppy at times, but has yet to pose a problem. Normal AM selectivity and reception are very good, and aided by a music/news switch to tailor the sound quality to your liking. The Kaito version also has the extended AM band to 1710khz. The volume dial is located on the lower-front of the unit, is easy to read, and can fill a room with sound before distorting. The antenna swivels and extends a good distance with no flop or slop. The dial accuracy is either right on, or very close to frequency on all bands, and is aided for night listening by uniform dial illumination. An external antenna wire can be plugged into the side for just a bit more \\"oomph\\" if needed. For a breakdown: <br /> <br />PLUS +: <br /> <br />- analog for easy bandscanning <br />- digital clock and alarm <br />- excellent reception and sensitivity on all bands <br />- batteries recharge inside radio <br />- low price for performance ratio <br />- well constructed <br />- good overall audio with excellent FM stereo separation <br />- uniform dial/clock lighting <br />- no signal bleed or \\"ghosting\\"  <br />- rear stand folds out for angled table use <br />- signals remain stable with no drifting <br /> <br />CONS - : <br /> <br />- analog tuning adds guesswork in finding some stations <br />- light and power switches small for larger hands <br />- band-select knob can have a \\"mushy\\" feel to it <br />- only comes with a carry pouch instead of a protective case <br />- no wide/narrow filter <br />- no SSB reception <br /> <br />Overall, I'm very happy with this latest offering from Kaito. If you are feeling nostalgic, or like having a good all-around radio at a great price, then I would certainly recommend the 1107 as your next receiver purchase.