A radio for my Dad

HiFi
1

The radio I bought him a few years ago has given up the ghost, completely fucked. He needs a new one.

He’s 91 in a few weeks and has less than great eye sight so an easy to read display will help.

Listens to 5 Live, TalkSport (I know!) occasionally Radio 4 but very little else. Rarely listens to music.

Must be:

  • Decent size, will be permanently in his kitchen - he doesn’t want a small pocket/portable thing
  • Easy to operate and I mean very easy
  • No USB/Bluetooth/streaming/Internet based facilities required (he doesn’t even have a mobile phone, let alone broadband)
  • Mains operation essential
  • £60 max (might be the stumbling block!)

Any ideas?

1 Like
3

I know this has broken the first rule, cost, but very simple to use, and does the job.
Wife loves it.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164350319051?_skw=sony+tabletop+radio+sdr+s61d&itmmeta=01JDQKQ93EGSJXT7QEPSQ8QQRF&hash=item26440ad9cb:g:NwIAAOSwZzZm0R71&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKn5Ld00UTigJc4C%2BAln7NH%2FGCOzzkqoIqdWZf6U4%2BBg1YDCOmmdFKkb9c98uV9pttzCjsqv2co2nALtgLySSkwlmHP7WnQoV53SxHnspvYGtwFDQE%2FmJfDVCFT%2FpWKbLPT8K2o44uVBhSLvARjOdZD8P03J4KToa3nyt5Q7nLWPnfk7INzcCl68JXBH2IAMQ4EM2TGt%2B%2FHWah34Eo3dpEobg60UqQqOeYorMKYsDrjrKXvOhmIV3RxKKJfaUSttCcqevO%2BT7wT65PjT%2FJTM8gUC|tkp%3ABk9SR-SR3fPtZA

4

Slightly over,but screen looks small

1 Like
5

Roberts were traditionally the go-to for this kind of thing.

More sturdily built, hard buttons etc.

We bought one for my mother that got christened “the cricket device” (she understood “whack that button = cricket”).

But this may not longer be true, and definitely out of budget.

6

This meets the brief and looks easy enough to read if he doesn’t need/want DAB.

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Sony ICF506 Analog Tuning Portable FM/AM Radio with Battery/AC Power : Amazon.co.uk: Electronics & Photo

1 Like
7

We have one of these and works well

But then saw this if a really big screen is required, not heard it though and maybe too small.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-RF-D10EB-K-Portable-DAB-Radio-Black/dp/B08B8W8RW7/ref=asc_df_B00JRX11LS?mcid=334f661a02793fa4840ac6792e860f6f&th=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696452133746&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9695362025894348565&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007127&hvtargid=pla-564345311471&gad_source=1

1 Like
8

My wife sounds like your dad and she loves the Roberts we bought her for Xmas

Second hand one might be £60

9

I think he would be reluctant to buy second hand, unfortunately.

10

Shame. I’ve used one of these by the bed for the past 20 years. Sounds great & works well on both FM & AM. Quite a few on ebay at various prices.

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Hacker Sovereign II

3 Likes
11

I’ll try to convince him because that looks ideal.

12

They were a 60’s thing that ran on big batteries 2xPP9.
I made a little 15v power supply for mine so I didn’t have to keep getting them.
It does sound good though. I guess he might be better off with something mains powered.

13

Ah, that kills it, he needs a mains powered job

14

It wasn’t difficult to make something mains powered to run instead of the battery. I could knock him one up! But I guess he might also want proper pre-sets rather than having to go & find R5 on MW & R4 on FM. They used to sell little marker stickers you could put on the displays of these things so you could quickly find the station you wanted.

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15

On the contrary, he’s used to doing that. Pre-sets are the stuff of nightmares to him :exploding_head:

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16

Went for this in the end. Bog standard, simple to operate and decent reviews.

I bought it for him, so that’s his xmas gift sorted :grinning:

14 Likes
17

Good …bless him .:blush:

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18

Thats what i got my dad last year, he’s 84.

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19

You should get him something age appropriate with large colourful control knobs which obviously are great for those with visual impairments…

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5 Likes