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| Brand: Eton
Category: CE
Buy Used: $650.00
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 12397
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 13
Dimensions (in): 20.3 x 8 x 9.3
MPN: SAT800
Model: SAT800
UPC: 750254212369
EAN: 0750254212369
ASIN: B00006I5AF
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Nearly Perfect February 10, 2005
18 out of 18 found this review helpful
What you have here is a general-coverage shortwave receiver that approaches, or perhaps equals, the performance of communications receivers costing twice as much or more.
The 800 meets the dictionary definition of portable, because it has built-in antennas and can run off its internal D-cells. But the truth is, it's luggage-sized. It's also hard on batteries. Feel free to lug it out to the back yard on a summer evening, but don't think you're going to be operating it like a real portable.
In fact, you might be cheating yourself if you did. It works well using its own built-in antennas. The fact that the FM-Shortwave telescoping whip is about the biggest, beefiest one I've seen no doubt helps here. AM performance on the internal antenna is, ehhh, OK I guess; not as good as the GE Superadio that costs a tenth as much. But this set is designed to be able to use, really use, a good external antenna. It really lights up when you do, on AM as well as on shortwave.
Sound quality is good, and there are jacks for an external speaker if you want to go really high fidelity. The controls are large and easy to operate. (With a radio this hyooooooge it would be a crime if they weren't!) It has three bandwidths. The filters seem well-chosen and act like they're good quality. The synchronous detection, which lets you lock in on one sideband or the other of a shortwave signal instead of the whole signal, is wonderful for avoiding interference from adjacent, strong signals; just pick the sideband away from the interfering signal and hear its interference drop away. Often right down to none.
I've had mine for a couple years now, I think, and if anything I like it better now than I did when I got it. I wish they'd decided to make it a bit smaller (and they could have, since the Drake SW-8 upon which the Satellit 800 was based appears to have been less than half as big). But that's not enough to make me lose any of my fondness for this fine radio.
One of the Best Values in Radio December 8, 2004
28 out of 28 found this review helpful
I've seen some of the reviews mentioning that the radio is expensive. "Expensive" is a relative term. Amazon's current price is $455 and change. This could be considered a lot of money (and, of course, it is), yet, when comparing this radio to others of equal calibre, the price is relatively "cheap."
It depends what you want from this piece of electronics. Note that it is extremely versatile: it can be used as an FM tuner in a stereo system (and its stereo FM section may well outperform the one in your receiver; its AM section certainly will).
The sound is really outstanding, certainly the best "built-in" sound of any short wave radio.
It even comes with a pair of high-quality headphones.
It is "portable" at least around the house or yard; don't try to take it on an airplane or even in your car unless you are alone! Yes, as others have stated, it is big, but I do not regard that as a disadvantage. The sound quality alone justifies the size, not to mention the pleasure derived from operating a radio with large, well-spaced controls and an LED-illuminated "control panel" that can be read by me even without my eyeglasses! (For airplane travel, you want a small portable radio.)
The sensitivity of this radio is outstanding. My particular unit measures 0.4 mcv for 10 dB S/N. I do not believe any currently available small portable short wave radio comes even close to that figure. Selectivity, with its three built-in IF filters, is equally outstanding. Image rejection (very important) is excellent.
Tuning is very versatile: a large, easy-to-operate knob (which does not "mute" the radio while tuning), 5 kHz "slewing" buttons, and 70 memories, which are, in fact, separate from the variable frequency "oscillator," in effect giving the radio two tuners. (You must use these tuners to really appreciate them.)
The synchronous selectable sideband circuit (sounds complicated, doesn't it? It's not. It is quite easy to understand once you have read the comprehensive and easy-to-follow instruction manual) makes listening to AM and SW signals, which are subject to "selective fading distortion" (sounds like the announcer has a very bad cold - I'm sure all of you have experienced that phenomenon) a positive pleasure. That form of distortion (very common) is completely eliminated by this circuit. A number of short wave receivers have that circuit, but very few work as well as that of the Satellit 800.
Most people use the built-in antennas which are, in fact, very good. I recommend a new purchaser use these antennas to become familiar with the receiver. If these are satisfactory, well then, nothing further is necessary. But note that the radio can handle three (3) "outboard" antennas: two for AM/SW and one for FM. There are many suitable antennas available for purchase which will enhance the listening experience. Remember, the antenna is actually more important that the radio! The antenna must be "matched" to the particular receiver.
I own a very expensive short wave receiver; it cost over four times the price of the Satellit 800. I also own a very sophisticated (and expensive) antenna which I use with that expensive radio.
Yet when I hook my Satellit 800 to that antenna, I get AT LEAST 95% of the performance of the expensive radio.
In that light, the Grundig Satellit 800 is NOTHING SHORT OF A BARGAIN!
I cannot recommend this radio too highly.
 Outstanding radio... November 26, 2004
4 out of 11 found this review helpful
Worth the purchase price, a modern masterpiece. If you enjoy radio, don't hesitate, get one of these.
I Want This Radio September 7, 2004
16 out of 18 found this review helpful
I used to own the Satellit 500 series radio several years ago and it served me fairly well for a portable radio. However, it did not perform well when pulling in weak signals and you had to be very patient when tuning into sideband frequencies throughout the various ham bands. Some of the features I liked about the 500 series was it had RDS, lots of memory provided you bought the chips to put into the radio, and alphanumeric tagging of names and so on. One of the problems with this radio that really turned me off was when tuning to shortwave frequencies such as 25, 60, 80, or 120 meters the frequencies tended to drift at any given moment regardless of the time of day. The AGC didn't work very well either. I've seen the 800 Millenium series in person and it is a big (BIG) radio but I am impressed with it although it does not have RDS capability, lots of memory, and alphanumeric tagging like the 500 series but I don't mind that. I highly suspect the makers of Grundig are more concerned with signal and modulation performance as opposed to a lot of electronic gadgetry. Quality is another factor when buying any shortwave radio and the Satellit 800 series seems to be built with excellent quality. Some argue this radio is expensive but you have to ask yourself what do you really want from a shortwave radio?
Great Shortwave Performer July 22, 2004
54 out of 54 found this review helpful
This is a very good shortwave receiver but somewhat difficult to review since it may be viewed differently depending on the user--where they live, primary usage, etc. If you're really only interested in AM or FM, I'd consider it way too expensive. FM reception is incredible but it's not stereo--it's mono unless you plug in stereo headphones. It's not particularly good for pulling in distant AM signals--without any external antenna, my GE Superadio pulls them in just as well (although not any better). However, I bought it primarily for shortwave and it just flat out shines compared to the portables I've used.
It is designed to use either the supplied whip antenna or may be hooked to external antennas. I have only used the whip so I cannot comment on external antennas. The reception out of the box with the whip is the best I've encountered and I live in the shortwave challenged American West. (Unlike Eastern USA, we have trouble pulling all but the most robust signals in the West.) Weak signal sensitivity is excellent. The synchronous selectable sideband (which I've not had before and now I wouldn't waste money on a radio without it), adjustable bandwidth, AGC, and bass/treble controls really allow you to "clean up" the signals and the large speaker and included headphones provide very good audio--it's not nearly as tiring to listen to as those tiny shortwave portables. (Ditto on AM.) Also, I should note that I live in a framed wood house--shortwave is tougher to pick up in brick or metal buildings.
The air band and SSB both work well but I haven't listened to them much since my interest is primarily AM/FM/Shortwave. However, if you're interested in airport traffic or hams, it performs very well.
The controls work very well--ergonomically correct and easy to use even with my big hands and fingers. Solid craftsmanship and workmanship on my unit--no slopping fittings or loose knobs.
Some drawbacks: it's more a tabletop than a portable. (Think two shoeboxes end-to-end, filled with rocks--that's the size and weight.) I don't like the "outboard" transformer brick that runs the AC power--would have preferred it built into the radio. And it does not have "station seek" or scanning feature which even the cheapest portables have and are particularily useful for shortwave. (It will scan the settings put into the memory--memory holds 70 settings.) These are relatively minor quibbles--all in all, it is an excellent radio.
One final note: I was somewhat reluctant to order from Amazon because I was worried they wouldn't package it well for shipping. (In the past, I've had some articles arrive without adequate packing.) Not a problem--the radio retail carton was enclosed in heavy corrugated shipping carton wrapped with plastic bands and that whole package was enclosed in another shipping carton with plenty of "air pillows" all the way around. Everything arrived in excellent condition.
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