We review the XHDATA D-808 all-band receiver · Saturday May 30, 2026 by colin newell
Back when I was a early teenage radio listener, my radio of opportunity had 5 vacuum tubes, a scarcely calibrated dial, illuminated by incandescence, audio with the warmth of a winter glove and the ability to ascertain an accurate frequency commensurate with the times – which is to say: Not at all precise!
In the early 1970’s one developed a certain muscle memory with their radio. For instance, Radio Netherlands via Bonaire in the sunny Caribbean held court on 6165 Khz. HCJB in Quito, Ecuador appeared nightly, reliable as gravity, on 9560 Khz. The Northern Service of CBC Radio was on 9625 Khz and others.
A crafty and somewhat nerdy youngster like me quickly created a reference list of where everyone was on the dial, locking down the frequency purely by station identification and keying it into my muscle memory. If anything, these were the best of times. Like any new hobby, the technical prowess was low and the excitement of discovery was high.
By mid-decade, for me, tubes were replaced with transistors and the occasional analog integrated circuit. Digital read-out and frequency synthesis was still a few years away.
Fast forward 4 decades and we now have ultra-light portables like the XHDATA D-808.
At 310 grams with battery and dimensions of 14.5 × 8.7 × 2.7 cm (just fitting in my manly-man palm…) this is a high performance product that could discretely fit any sized carry-on bag, pack-sack, or shoulder-holster camera bag.
Let’s glance at the coverage:
Frequency range
- FM: 87.5 – 108 (64-108) MHz
- LW: 150 – 450 kHz
- MW: 522 – 1620 kHz (9k Step) 520 – 1710 kHz (10k step)
- SW: 1711 – 29999 kHz
- AIR: 118 – 137 MHz
This is comprehensive – and while results may vary by country visited, I’d likely not advertise the fact that it can tune in aircraft as an overly zealous border guard may see this as “suspicious”. Err on the side of caution and refer to it as an AM-FM radio.
In addition to solid AM(LW) and FM performance, the Shortwave capability is impressive – and it includes SSB (single sideband) functionality for ham radio, high frequency air band-aero weather, marine activities, more code and other neat things.
And while the XHDATA D-808 does not feature a dedicated Synchronous Detection (Sync) mode. Instead, it uses Single Sideband (SSB) with selectable Upper Side Band (USB) and Lower Side Band (LSB) to achieve the same result (if you know what you are doing…)
The XHDATA D-808 has 500 “memories” — referred to as “pages” in the manual and user reviews. One can populate the memories manually or with an ATS system. The ATS is useful for capturing all your local FM stations and nesting them accordingly. Using ATS for evening AM or LW reception: maybe not so practical. You either love it or you don’t.
The XHDATA D-808 has an internal rechargeable battery – charged by virtually any USB capable wall-wart… so, it can get a top up just about anywhere!
Hands on…
Moving between shortwave or “HF” meter bands is pretty streamlined: Press SW to move to the last visited SW meter band and then SW button repetitively to shutter between specific SW bands by increasing frequency.
For the “medium-wave” enthusiasts among us, the XHDATA D-808 has an internal ferrite rod antenna – great for sniffing out weak signals, useful for direction finding and easily coupled to larger loop or active antennas.
The XHDATA D-808 has an 1/8” antenna jack that works well with all active and passive wire antennas – balanced or unbalanced… ultimately extending the range of the radio in many ways. And by the way, if I use any terminology that is not immediately clear, by all means hit me with an e-mail for a more detailed explanation!
Display matrix – some folks complain about the display, its real estate and the overall layout with focus placed on the amount of pixels dedicated to frequency. The frequency display gets around one quadrant of the overall display — that is 1/4. Fine for me. Mileage will vary by how sharp your eyes are. The top left of the display is dedicated to frequency. The upper right is a 4-mode display function; Time, alarm time, air temperature and signal strength in dbu and s/n ratio… super nerdy and useful! What for you ask? Being able to interpret the signal level is useful in evaluating signal strength station to station, tuning up or testing an antenna… direction finding and so on.
Conclusions…
Compared to where I came from, historically, this would be a dream radio in any decade beyond the 1950’s until present. As mentioned, my 1965 radio contained 6 to 8 transistors and a very coarse analog display — and yet I could hear stations over 1000 miles away at night. The XHDATA D-808 is no different. No less sensitive. Full featured and a heck of a lot of fun for the dollar. Some people say, “But Colin, the shortwave dial is dead — and no one is on AM radio anymore!” Even if you live on the West Coast of North America, often considered the “fringe area” of HF/SW radio reception, most mornings around sunrise can be spectacular with stations from South, Central and East Asia clogging the dials with neat music and languages. The XHDATA D-808 is maximum bang for the buck. It is very discrete and readily tossed into an overnight bag or carry on. You needn’t ever be without local or regional news!
The XHDATA D-808 is a must have for any radio enthusiast. It also has a home in every emergency kit. I cannot stress this enough: Keep a battery powered radio in your emergency pack along with a first aid kit, water and food stuffs, etc. The XHDATA D-808 radio is the perfect radio to always have within arms reach! Stay safe, listen in, have fun…
Colin Newell is a resident of Victoria B.C. on Vancouver Island – floating out in the Pacific. His blog has been on the air since the late 1990’s and he enjoys talking on the subject of popular and food culture!
Book review - Chase of the Rising Sun - Colin Rink · Monday July 4, 2022 by colin newell
I grew up out in the countryside listening to the national broadcaster of Japan, NHK, on the shortwave spectrum. In the 1970’s, international broadcasting was about to enter its peak before a swift decline in the 1990’s.
Inasmuch as I knew about Japan, from what I was taught in school, watched on television (with the requisite twisted stereotypes more typical of 1960’s television), I was always fascinated by this mysterious culture. A society, largely closed to the rest of the World, save for tourism. NHK radio opened up some of the secrets of this nation and I was hooked.
In Colin Rink’s debut novel, Chase of the Rising Sun, Colin crafts a tale of adventure, intrigue, romance and tragedy around one Mark Rasper, a newly minted 30 year old from Vancouver B.C. who is eager to break free. Rasper has tired of his job, the shallowness of his relationships and succumbs to a yearning for travel and a fresh start.
Obsessed with Japanese culture and traditions, Rasper pulls up all his stakes and heads to Tokyo with a small suitcase, backpack and the barest of minimums of Japanese fluency. Propelled by a solid job opportunity from his Vancouver employer, Rasper finds himself immediately over his head as if overwhelmed by the power of a Pacific tsunami.
For those that have bookmarked Japan as a future destination, Chase of the Rising Sun is as much a thriller as it is a tourist masterclass on what awaits the first time visitor. Attention to detail is exquisite. The sights, sounds and smells of the Tokyo culinary scene literally waft off each page as the reader is slowly drawn into the fray.
Rink leaves few aspects of Japanese daily life off of the table – which reinforces the solidity and believability of “Rising Sun.” Whether it is the almost insurmountable task of merely “fitting in” or getting a more complete understanding of the work culture, to the habit of “work hard, work long hours and drink impossible amounts of liquor late into the night…” Rink does not miss one rhythm of this nations mysterious heart beat.
I found Chase of the Rising Sun to be an immediately breezy read – with a familiarity to it that was more a byproduct of my preexisting knowledge of this cryptic and often contradictory society. For those seeking a culinary or cultural shockwave to Japan, this is a must read or must pack along. From the food and beverage aspect of the novel, the cuisine alone is a sufficient enticement to drop what you are doing and buy a ticket pronto! And by the way, this book is not a foodies guide to the land of the Rising Sun – but more an extension of the author’s literacy. And I loved it.
Chase of the Rising Sun would be a great first book with some tame adult content for teens – but enjoyed immensely by this 60 year old. There are some surprising twists and turns in the novel. If there was one bone to pick, I genuinely wanted more – and I was left not knowing – which made the denouement of the book… well, I’ll let you find out for yourself!
Chase of the Rising Sun is available in most reputable bookstores and on Amazon!
Colin Newell is a Victoria resident and lover of coffee and cocktail culture – and occasionally reviews a book or two. Read? Me? You bet – and you should too!
Staying sharp, on the edge, where you have to be - with Cutluxe knives. · Tuesday October 12, 2021 by colin newell
Life is a series of celebrations, transitions, reflections and predictions. And if all these things have one thing in common it would be the daily cooking rituals that we look forward to.
For me, the food experience is 1 part doing to 2 parts preparation to 4 parts planning. It is a rhythm as reliable as gravity and predictable as the sunrise.
After all, the gathering of ingredients and culinary creation is a major part of everyone’s life.
Let’s face it, we need to eat. The process of these things take time. And in a life as rushed as it is, there is no reason on Earth that the tools should have any form of compromise.
It is no coincidence that our country kitchen has the most hardware in it. Whether it is a reliable gas stove, a tireless refrigerator, kitchen accessories like a VitaMix and an Instant Pot, well thought out work surfaces and kitchen tools… like knives. The kitchen is the hub of all things.
Because in the midst of the food experience, it often comes down to you and the blade that you hold in your hand.
A steady hand and a well balanced Chef’s knife, paring or cleaver – regardless of which, there is no room for error or sacrifice.
We had the opportunity recently to sample a blade or two from Cutluxe – knowing full well that there are few people harder on cutting implements than I am, I was more than happy to accept a paring knife from the Artisan series.
I found the Cutluxe knives were well packaged and razor sharp out of the box. The paring knife has great balance and weight and feels good in my right hand. After 2 – 3 weeks of steady sous chef duty (lots and lots of veg!), I put the blade under my microscope and noted, at most, 1 or 2 microchips in the steel – and not yet ready for a sharpening with my Steel.
In my kitchen I am a pretty dedicated Wusthof and Henckels user – so trying something different was refreshing. I enjoyed the Cutluxe knife enough that I would not hesitate to sample some more of their products.
Sea to Sky series Chapter 1 - with Bush pilot Ryan from Papua New Guinea · Monday September 7, 2020 by colin newell
I’ve often thought that God has to have a sense of humour. Moments after creation, the supreme being paused for a moment, and during a millisecond of pique, created Papua New Guinea as an exercise in extremes.
For Papua New Guinea is a land of unapologetic beauty, impossibly isolated mountain ranges, with waterfalls emptying into valleys of inexhaustible fertility.
Ryan Farran was fascinated by aviation while growing up in Papua New Guinea. The child of missionaries, it was during adolescence he decided that a life of service to the people of PNG, from sea to sky, would be his career choice.
His work for Ethnos360 Aviation, a non-profit organization, assists tribal church planning missionaries, running MedEvac missions and supplying safe water projects, to name a few.
We asked Ryan where his interest began, “I have had the itch to be a pilot since probably first grade. It’s always been an interest, but it wasn’t until about 11th grade that I made the decision that being a pilot is what I wanted to do. More specifically, a missionary pilot. Flying with the airlines looks too monotonous and boring. I like the fast pace, single pilot aspect of my job.”
We reflected, how “a kid from the United States…” would adapt to a cultural mosaic that could not be more diverse and separate from his own.
The actual answer is likely more complex. Papua New Guinea is, on geography alone, a place so exquisitely secluded, that a 25 minute flight between villages is a 4 day trip through impenetrable jungle. This is where the benefit of bush flying comes in. However dangerous this job might be, and not without a myriad of challenges, a skilled pilot makes the difference between getting supplies to an isolated community a reliable option versus, well, not at all.
Ryan continued, “I was born in Missouri, but grew up everywhere. My parents went into missions when I was 5, so we moved around a lot for that. We lived in Papua New Guinea in the late 80’s and early 90’s for 4 years. That is where I got my first introduction to bush pilots. From 6th grade on, we lived in the States, mainly in Michigan where I finished off high school and started my flight training at age 19.”
Ryan discovered, early on, that the people of Papua New Guinea are easy going and friendly. Guests in this country must be mindful that this is a paradise where time and distance are not measured in quite the way we are familiar with.
Today, tomorrow or next week all can mean the very same thing. On some primordial level, this is simply the way things get done.
For Ryan, this sense of time suits him just fine. His greatest joy is planning out his day, making all of the important decisions and completing his mission safely, “on time” in a World where time is often meaningless.
Ryan again, “We live, on a missionary center, and it’s kind of like raising your kids back in the 1950’s in a small town where everyone knows one everyone else. We live on a 35 acre village with about 250 other missionaries.
There are a ton of kids for our kids to play with, and a school that has K-12. It really is great when one finds his purpose in life doing what he loves, and having eternal value while doing it. It’s definitely a rewarding and fulfilling life.”
Ryan’s company aircraft is the Kodiak. Purpose built in Sandpoint, Idaho, the Kodiak is considered one of the more robust STOL (Short take-off and landing) aircraft seemingly destined for the most efficient humanitarian workloads. With a cargo capacity approaching 1000 kg, it’s a lifeline to communities that are separated by the most rugged of countryside.
For those seeking a career in bush pilot flying, be advised, the training is a long haul, 10 years or so according to Ryan. If our readers think there is anything routine about this line of work, Ryan offers…
“Yes, my most memorable flight days have been usually linked around bad weather.
Coming to the field with Very little IFR (instrument ) experience, it has made me learn it very well and fast.
PNG’s weather can change in a blink of an eye, keeping you on your toes at all times.
That aspect of the ever changing weather can be challenging at times, and fun other times.
Even though we fly a lot of the same routes to different bush locations, no two flights are ever the same. Cloudy or rainy weather can make the area look completely foreign.
I wind down with my hobbies. I love riding my dirtbike through the local mountains. I’ve probably put on 8000 miles over the past 4 years. I’ve always had a passion for photography, and it’s only been in the past 6 years that I’ve started getting into videography, and actually enjoy it even more.”
Ryan’s Missionary Bush Pilot YouTube channel is a delight to watch if you are interested in aviation and rugged terrain.
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