Features:
- AM/FM/SW world receiver
- Digital quartz alarm with wake-up system
- Dual clock with world-time selector
- Earbuds included for private listening
- Built-in prop-up stand
Description:
No matter where you travel, Grundig's compact Traveller II PE world-band receiver keeps you entertained and feeling in touch. Even if you never leave home, this radio makes you feel like a globe hopper. Just spin the tuning dial of the Traveller II to bring in the news, culture, and personalities of the world. Grundig has been a leader in multiband radio technology for decades, and this radio does well by the brand, even though it's one of the German company's most basic and inexpensive models. To start with, you get two (12- or 24-hour) digital clocks--one to log home time and the other for world zones. While moving from one time zone to another, you can adjust the latter clock with the click of a dial that's hidden under the front cover. When home, it's useful to set the world clock for the 24-hour Greenwich (England) Mean Time zone; shortwave stations use this to fix their operations and promote upcoming shows. The home clock also functions as a sleep aid (with one-hour shutoff), or as an alarm, awakening with either beeps or a radio program. Although some people are put off by shortwave's tuning intricacies, if you can insert the batteries, flip a few switches, and twist a dial, you can be up and running in a few seconds with the Traveller II PE. For world-band novices, the slide-rule style analog tuner found on this model is actually preferable to the digital tuning mechanisms in more expensive multibands, which ask you to tap in a four- or five-digit station frequency (e.g., 4.950 or 11.650 MHz). In the shortwave world, some radio shows broadcast for just 15 to 60 minutes in a specific language (such as English), and frequency-sharing stations go on and off the air abruptly. So until you get your sea legs, it's easier to just "go fishing" across the dial, stopping when you get an audible bite and being prepared to move on at a moment's notice. It's also useful to know that shortwave programming and reception really picks up after dark, when those long-distance signals propagate best. From our East Coast locale in the U.S., we've been tuning in the likes of Spanish flamenco music from Madrid; BBC news from England; cabaret music and a special on philosopher Jean Paul Sartre from France; Canadian news and entertainment; classical music from Germany and Austria; Cuban jazz; "Voice of America Now" news; an RAI variety show from Italy; and lifestyle reports from Japan. The Traveller II PE has picked up all of these international stations with reasonable clarity and minimal fading. The Traveller II PE does a decent job at tuning in AM and FM channels, too, but be warned: the signal reach with these bands won't be any better than you'd get with a conventional portable, and the FM plays in mono only, not stereo. The small speaker puts out a limited-frequency sound, typical of pocket-sized transistor radios. Fortunately, the headphone jack delivers better quality sound when the earbuds are used. Overall, we found our world-radio expedition with the Traveller II to be quite satisfying--and there's no passport required. Pros:
- Good reception of many world stations
- Small size makes it a pleasure to pack
- Attractive silver styling
- Doubles as an alarm clock
Cons:
- Lo-fi listening through the speaker
- Monaural FM
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