Incoming Radio: HanRongDa HRD-757

In a moment of weakness, I ordered a HanRongDa HRD-757 (aka Raddy RF757, Zhiwhis ZWS-727) from AliExpress for around $72 including tax and shipping.

I expect a good bit of similarity between this and my shirt pocket Raddy RF75A (aka HanRongDa HRD-787) with its record capability and app control (same app).

What does it add that I don’t already have? It has UHF. From the product description:

Frequency Range:
FM1: 64.0-108MHz
FM2: 76.0-108MHz
FM3: 87.5-108MHz
MW: 520-1710KHz
SW: 3.20-30.00MHz
Air: 118.00-138.00MHz
V.UHF: 25-999MHz
WB: 162.400-162.550MHz

I think this is the UHF antenna:

Technical documentation is here: https://device.report/hanrongda/HRD-757

The only user manual I found was under the Raddy RF757 name.

The manual is simply awful; for example, one of the buttons is labeled “SNOOZE / STEP.” So what does the step function do?”

1: In the state of receiving, lightly press the “+/-” to adjust the bits of the shuttle. After the bits flash, rotate the shuttle knob to choose a target frequency.

I found, totally by accident, what this means. It’s explained in the LiJiANi Rd239 manual, and it works the same way that the HanRongDa HRD-701 works. Basically the step button selects one of the digits of the frequency and then the tuning knob increments that digit. It makes sense on the 710 where there are no direct frequency entry buttons. The Rd239 manual explains that “this method provides great flexibility to accommodate different channel spacing.

Also, one cannot search for some of the text in the PDF manual; it’s using some weird character set; other parts can be searched.

It appears to be powered by an 18650 battery (included) and has backlit buttons (yea!). The manual doesn’t specify the battery. It has MP3 play, record and a flashlight. It adds a thermometer and a calendar. USB-C charging cable is included.

So start the delivery wait timer on July 5, 2024. Scheduled arrival, July 19. [See section on tracking later on.]

Rambling

Once the order is placed, there is the occasional doubt, additional research, and things learned. One observation is that this radio, along with the Raddy RF75A and the LiJiANi Rd239 have a “clock state.” The radio is turned on with two presses of the power button. After the first, the clock is displayed for a period of time, during which a second press of the power button turns the radio on. Some settings are available in the clock state. The Rd239 and the HRD-757 both have backlighted buttons. The RF75A really doesn’t have much in the way of buttons (just 6 on the front) plus two on one side and one on the other).

It will be interesting to try to enumerate all the states/modes mentioned in the manual:

• Time
• Receiving
• TF Card
• Bluetooth
• Weather Alert
• Temperature select
• Power saving
• Scanning
• Taking a channel
• Working
• Recording
• Time updating
• Date updating
• Alarm clock setting
• Scheduled power on
• Scheduled power off
• Charging
• Computer speaker

Curious thing about charging. It says “This product has overvoltage protection function in charging,” and then, “Please use the charging device with input voltage of DC5V/1A-DC3A … or the device will be probably damaged.”

There are some nice pictures and specifications on the Raddy sales page.

So how big is this thing? I’ve learned that you really can’t tell a radio’s size from the photos, often supplied with artificial background images. The size is  5.4 x 3.4 x 1.2in / 138 x 86 x 30mm. I think the closest radio I have to that size is the Tecsun PL-330 at 139 x 85 x 26mm. The 757 is naturally thicker because of the larger battery.

Probably the first things I’ll do with the radio when it arrives is to run the customary daytime band scan for MW and FM. Then I think comparisons with with some other radios is in order. One obvious comparison is with the LiJiANi Rd239 since they have similar features: AIR, VHF, MP3, Flashlight, Weather alert, and record. Because the HRD-757 uses an 18650 battery and the Rd239 uses a BL-5C (with 3 AAA option), I’m interested in what the battery drain will be in Weather alert mode and whether my small solar panel will be enough to keep either running indefinitely in alert mode. So far none of my radios tested so far can.

My personal interest in AIR/VHF/UHF is minimal and I won’t do much testing there, so comparison testing makes sense with the Tecsun PL-330 and Qodosen DX-286. I talked to a local ham radio operator and he said there was stuff on 2 meters I should be able to hear.

And I am left with the burning question: will I rewrite the User Manual for the HRD-757? First I want to see what they send me — if it’s the same as the horrendous RF757 manual. I would like to work out a methodology for radio manuals, both content and document preparation technique. My rewrite of the XHDATA D-808 manual was done in Microsoft Publisher and it worked out fairly well, but it appears that Microsoft Word is more an “industry standard.” My D-808 manual was designed to be printed, but perhaps that’s not really worth the trouble.

I get nervous with AliExpress after three radios I ordered never arrived (purchase price refunded). Their tracking information is sometimes confusing. The good news is that I now have USPS tracking (I hope!) and the radio (as of July 16) is on a DHL truck coming from Georgia on its way to the postal service. I doubt it has any chance of arriving on time. [It didn’t.]

Another concern is the lack of a bandwidth setting for shortwave. It seems to me that radios intended for shortwave listening include a bandwidth control. Just looking at the radio shelf, I see most with a bandwidth control: Tecsun PL-330, PL-660, PL-990, Qodosen SR-286, DX-286, Sihuadon R-108, XHDATA D-109, D-808, Eton Elite Executive, and Sangean ATS-405. The LiJiANi Rd239 doesn’t have one.

One feature I really like in a radio is a mute button, helpful when doing A/B testing of two radios. The feature list for this radio includes a mute function, but it’s not in the manual.

Tracking:

AliExpress tracking is often frustrating. I made two purchases that never arrived (I got refunds). My last order was late, and this radio is late also. AliExpress tracking says that the order cleared customs on July 12, and that is their latest entry, 8 days ago. Normally I’m not obsessive about tracking, but having been burned by AliExpress in the past, I watch them. USPS has tracking on some mystery package that might be the radio and if so it arrives today, just one day late. But it could be something else. AliExpress packages usually come through New Jersey, but this one is coming from Atlanta.

Yes, the radio is $20 less on AliExpress than Amazon, but I would already have articles and videos online today if I had chosen Amazon. AliExpress has offered me compensation in the form of a $1 coupon, good for a limited time if I buy something else. Last time the coupon expired before I could use it.

It arrived, one day late.