The Spirit of Radio

[athelind]

Why is it so hard to find a portable radio or, hell, even an entertainment center-style stereo that has a nice row of programmable radio buttons, so you don't have to twiddle up and down the dial every time some hockey game clutters up your classic rock station?

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Comments from people who don't listen to the radio because of technology X, Y, or Z will be deleted. Do not open Pandora's Box.

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Comments

[doc-mystery.livejournal.com]

You're pretty well SOL if you're shopping these days one of the big box stores. It seems that all radios need to be able to connect to some form of iPod.

Have you thought about trying to track down a used vintage radio? I sometimes see them up here at the Salvation Army store and similar places selling for $10-20.

::B::

[kfops.livejournal.com]

I find it incredibly frustrating that one can drop hundreds of dollars on an mp3 player and not get a freakin' fm radio feature built in.

The radio I bought a couple years ago had programmable presets, but they weren't separate buttons as much as a "function button" and then a forward/backward button.

[tombfyre.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to pick up some of the nifty portable radios I've seen around the city before. I think at least some of them have had programmable buttons. :3 And quite a few can even pick up the weather-radio and shortwave bands, which can be quite handy if you're out off the grid.

I like the ones that can be plugged in, take batteries, cranked up, or solar charged. ^^ And if you can nab one that makes use of the SAME system for the weather radio, then all the better.

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

I've never seen a radio that wasn't a car stereo that has something sensible like that. It annoys the crap out of me.

[hafoc.livejournal.com]

Pick up a shortwave portable with memories.

Particularly good, but pricey: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0360.html

Well-regarded, but I've never played with one: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0626.html

Less pricey possibility: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/portable/0011.html

There are various others on the same site.

Here's an AM-FM with the actual row of preset buttons you wanted: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012YFY54/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00007079D&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=03JXT9W1ZZW34XP2R6Z7 Sangean is a good make.

Pocket sized: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/spcialty/4502.html

Just got to look beyond the local stores. There are still decent radios out there. 'Course most of them have memories that are more trouble than **I** want to deal with; I just twiddle the dial. But that one with the row of buttons looks plausible.

[hafoc.livejournal.com]

And one last one, also AM-FM with the row of buttons you wanted: http://www.amazon.com/Sangean-PR-D5P-Portable-Digital-Tuning/dp/B000TEVQVO/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

It appears THIS one is the bigger, table sized set with stereo and the other is similar in features and performance, but mono, smaller, and more portable.

[araquan.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't think I've ever seen a portable radio with that functionality... except maybe one of those little pocket sized $234985438 spaceship-grade short wave radios that'd do everything but listen for you.

My entertainment center radio is so equipped, but it's from like 1990 or something. And it'll only be given up when it's pried from my cold, dead hands.

[yasha-taur.livejournal.com]

May I suggest...
http://www.ccrane.com/radios/am-fm-radios/sangean-wr-2-wooden-radio.aspx

Or one of their other products...

http://www.ccrane.com/radios/

[leonard-arlotte.livejournal.com]

I used to have a walkman that had that functionality. I can check and see if I still have it, and if it still works, I can give it to you.

[leonard-arlotte.livejournal.com]

Alternately, there's this.

[shdragon.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure my entertainment center radio has this feature. though I think you have to "page through" the presets, but that's still better than hitting "scan" through the whole radio range.

But it's several years old now so it's not something I think you could get to the store and buy anymore.