Panasonic RFSW200 Shockwave Metal AM/FM Silver and Blue Arm Band Radio

changing scale:
. this unit is really designed for listening to 10 presets in 2zones (modes); each mode can be set to one of 3scales:
1:
fm 87.9 ..107.9 step 0.2M
am 520 .. 1710 step 10k
2:
fm 87.5 ..108.0 step 0.1M
am 520 .. 1710 step 10k
3:

fm 87.5 ..108.0 step 0.05M
am 522 .. 1629 step 9k
. to set the scale, turn it on and select the mode that you want to change the scale of; press-and-hold the power button; then also press-and-hold preset#1; after a few seconds it will beep and briefly show the steps of the new scale

03.12.9: review
. with a rebate from this reputable company, this is a great value
. if you have trouble with the headset sliding off your head, then tape the wires to the head band so they tuck behind your ears
. if you live in the usa, you will want to change the tuning scale using power+ preset#1 until it beeps ( 03.12.9: rtfm:
. there is no missing TV stations if you know how to change the scale )

. the preset buttons are stiff, and there is a time delay between pressing a preset button and getting the sound which can be quite annoying when you are trying to scan all stations while having to stay busy on the job
ni-cads work ok

03.12.10:
. the buds on the headset have rough edges that were suitable for long-term use only after being filed and sanded
. if you find the chrome trim to be ugly, safely removing it requires considerable effort


excellent radio   December 13, 2003
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I feel tired turning the tuning wheel every time commercials come on, so I went out and bought this digital tuning radio with memory presets. Now I can jump between AM talk radios quickly. This makes exercise feel more enjoyable (time goes faster too).
RF-SW200 has great built quality, the metal case/preset button feels very solid, mine is made in Taiwan, that assures me it received better quality control than those made by other third world countries.
It's also a great office radio, I use a Sennheiser head phones and the FM stereo sounds amazingly clean (I only recommend XBS --panasonic's extra bass, with a lesser head phones).
One note on the tuning increments, it can be set as small as FM 0.05Mhz and AM 9kHz, it's clearly printed in the instructions :-)
Also there's a $20 rebate going on till end of Dec. 2003.


Good Radio except   October 15, 2003
 1 out of 1 found this review helpful

Pros:
1. Good reception;
2. Light weight;
3. 20 Preset station;

Cons:
1. FM do not have STEREO/MONO switch;
2. Bad headphone;
3. No AM/FM auto search

My rating: 4


Finally found one that works!   December 13, 2002
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

My wife and I are avid runners and have been looking for a AM/FM radio unit that is small enough to use while running but not so small that you can't easily hold it in your hand. We don't like the strap on types, they never seem to stay in place, it's easier just to hold the unit in your hand so you can change the station and keep the wire to the headphones clear. In addition, I've tried and returned a few of these and this is the only one that actually works. It gets all of my favorite AM and FM stations clear enough to be useful while running. If you are not sure about which unit to buy I would give this one a try, it worked for me.


Great Radio!   March 4, 2002
 14 out of 14 found this review helpful

I love this radio. It is great to use when working out, whether you actually use the arm band on your arm or to attach it to the machine you're using.

Positives: 10 FM Stations!!!! This was one of the few armband radios that I could actually find that would allow me to program more than 5 FM stations. It also allows for 10 AM stations, which I could never in a million years fill. Reception is good, features are good (Hold is feature that I like, that forces the radio to keep its settings no matter what buttons are pressed - keeps the radio from being accidentally turned on in a gym bag). The radio is lightweight and compact and batteries seem to last quite some time.

Negatives: Headphones are uncomfortable. No worries, I'll buy new ones. Reception is good but not great. If you're moving around, you sometimes lose reception a little too easily. Moving between preset bands (1 & 2) is a little difficult.