There are a few very low cost (under US$50) SW receivers that are the subject of frequent inquiries in rec.radio.shortwave: the DAK MR-101s, and a Chinese-built unit that is sold under (at least) the names Pomtrex, MCE, TEK, Windsor, and Citizen. The DAK, despite its digital tuning, has received generally negative reviews. The Pomtrex, which is an analog unit, has had much greater acceptance by users. Unfortunately, the radio seems to have virtually disappeared from the market. A recent radio that has garnered attention is the Casio PR-100. Initial evidence indicates that this radio is similar to the DAK radio. In general, radios in this price range can be expected to perform poorly, but may provide an inexpensive introduction to the world of shortwave and acceptable reception of the strongest international stations. The radios offered in this price range tend to appear and disappear quickly and to be offered at different outlets under different names. The radios are pretty much interchangeable, and you probably shouldn't expend a lot of effort trying to distinguish between them.
The second category of radios overlaps with the first, and consists of slightly larger portables. Common among this category are radios like the Sangean ATS-803A, (also sold around the world as the Emerson 803A, Siemens RK 651, and many other names), a fine starter radio with many capabilities for the inexpensive price of US$200, or the Sangean ATS-818. These radios often have digital readout, making it easier to know which frequency you are tuned to, and such features as dual conversion (which decreases the possibility of your radio receiving spurious signals from other frequencies), audio filters (which allow you to decrease interference from stations on adjacent frequencies) and beat frequency oscillators (which allow you to decode morse code and single sideband (SSB) transmissions on the ham and utility bands). The top range of this kind of radio includes technically sophisticated radios like the Sony ICF-2010, Sony ICF-SW77, and Grundig Satellit 700, which contain innovative circuitry to lock on to a given signal and allow you to choose the portion of the signal you want to listen to, depending on which part gets the least interference. If you follow the newsgroup for any amount of time, you're bound to notice some discussion of the relative merit of these features versus their cost (about double that of the Sangean radios.) Many of these radios can be and have been used to receive distant and weak stations from a number of countries, and can provide a cost-effective way for expatriates to receive programs from their native countries; they're also suitable for listening to programs from the major broadcasters. Most people should never need to buy a more capable receiver than those in this category.
The third category of receivers is the tabletop receiver. These receivers cost from US$600 upward, with a concentration of radios around US$1000. These radios naturally contain many more features than the portables, and are used by serious hobbyists who specialize in rare and weak stations. Current radios in this group include the ICOM R-71A, the Kenwood R-5000, the Japan Radio Corporation NRD-535 and NRD-535D, the Lowe HF-150 and HF-225, and the Drake R-8 and SW-8. These radios can be very complex to operate, and are generally not recommended for the beginner. Radios from the first two categories can give a beginner a very good idea of what's on the air and where their interests lie, at which point one of these radios may be an appropriate acquisition. Strangely enough, not all of these radios contain the kind of innovative circuitry that are part of less expensive portables like the Sony 2010 mentioned above. Newer radios, such as the NRD-535D, the Lowe radios, and the R-8 are starting to include such capabilities.
It must be mentioned that none of these radios, particularly the expensive ones, are "magic boxes" that will allow you to receive any station you wish. Many people find that the jump in performance between a high-end portable radio and a tabletop is more than offset by the increase in price. You should also understand that buying a tabletop radio will not likely allow you to hear many more stations than a high-end portable. The main difference between high-end portables and tabletop radios are in reduced susceptibility to internally-generated signals, the ability to modify the audio through the use of filters to reduce interference, the ability to tune more finely (for example, 10 Hz increments rather than 100 Hz or 1000 Hz increments), and the stability of the radio, or its tendency to drift from the desired frequency. People have often purchased an expensive communications receiver only to realize that a simpler-to-operate portable was better suited to their interests and style of listening.
There are many sources for detailed information on specific radios, most of it provided by two groups. Larry Magne, who publishes the Passport to World Band Radio, includes a review of virtually all shortwave radios currently available in that publication. For more extensive reviews of selected receivers, he offers detailed "white papers", which run between ten and twenty pages or so. Magne also contributes a monthly review column to Monitoring Times.
The other main source for equipment reviews is a group centered around Radio Nederland and the WRTH in Holland. The WRTH, as mentioned above, has a review section covering mainly new receivers, but also contains a table with ratings of most currently available radios. Radio Nederland also offers a free booklet with receiver reviews. The WRTH has also released a new book, The WRTH Equipment Buyers Guide, available from the end of 1992. The book contains extended versions of the reports available in the past five years of the WRTH, as well as new and updated reports. It also contains information on accessories and antennas, as well as a fairly technical tutorial on receivers.
There are also two books published by Gilfer Shortwave in New Jersey that cover the subject of receivers, called Radio Receivers, Chance or Choice, and More Radio Receivers, Chance or Choice. These books are fairly out of date now.
The Sony ICF-2010, Drake R-8, and Lowe HF-150 have Internet mailing lists devoted to discussions of their features among users. Joining these mailing lists can be a good way to keep up on modifications or workarounds for your radio. They tend to be quiet most of the time, with occasional bursts of activity. You can join the mailing lists with requests to the following addresses:
There is also a compilation of radio reviews from the net, maintained by John LLoyd.