We review the XHDATA D-221 ultra-portable AM-FM-SW-Weather radio · Monday February 17, 2025 by colin newell
It has been said many many ways before: You don’t really need something until you don’t have it – and in this world of ultra-connectedness, this could not be more true than the absence of a simple radio during a crisis.
And in this drama filled planet, where we depend on our cell phones, personal planner brains and other assorted cloud based/cell tower dependent gadgets, the battery powered radio has never been more important.
But the average person does not get this concept – for one reason or another – like they have never been in the middle of an earthquake zone, or a country with some unexpected civil unrest or the unpleasant aftermath of some conflagration or another.
And it is during moments like that where panic and bewilderment can set in extra quick when one is 100% in the dark.
Solution: Stay connected. Be connected. Be prepared.
How? With a radio.
And XHDATA was kind enough to send me a radio to play with and evaluate for our technical/non-technical audience.
Let’s dig in: The XHDATA D-221 weighs in at 171g with a standard 9V battery.
It measures 12cm long, by 7cm wide by 3cm thick – meaning it sits in the palm of your (girl or boy) hands just fine.
Usage: If, like me, you grew up in the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s, you know the look and feel of the standard transistor radio – whether it be a handheld portable, discretely pocketable, or something larger for the kitchen counter – or something even larger that you might balance on your shoulders… radios and their usage comes pretty much naturally.
The XHDATA D-221 is no different. It is the model of simplicity: Volume control (with integrated power switch) and tuning control on the right (as it faces you) and band selection switch on the left. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Step by step: Power on. Extend antenna. Select band of interest. Adjust volume and tuning dials.
If you were expecting more bells or whistles, worry not. There are no bells. There are no whistles.
The XHDATA D-221 works very well on AM and FM. During the day, the AM dial picks up all the familiar stations you expect to hear and at night the XHDATA D-221 comes alive with long distance signals from 700 to 1000 km away or more. Not surprising. Any decent AM portable is going to hear distant stations. Our local FM dial is chock-a-block with signals – and all of those signals were present on the D-221 with perfect clarity via the internal speaker or through headphones via the stereo headphone jack.
The Weather-band network of marine stations were all crystal clear at my location near the Southern tip of Vancouver Island.
If I have one criticism, it was, for me, the Shortwave portion of the dial. While I live in something of a shortwave fringe area up here in the Northwest, I am also not really in a high intensity AM zone – but I do have a lot of powerful FM transmitters not too far away. Consequently, the SW dial of the D-221 was a wash of images (or birdies as they are often called) and no evidence of shortwave reception. This could be a bug of this particular sample or a byproduct of my listening environment. Either way, it was not an issue that would stop me from having one in my travel or emergency kit.
The XHDATA D-221 comes in at around $20 – via Amazon, or XHDATA direct or where ever you get your gizmo’s.
Pick one up. Better yet. Buy three and have one in your car, your home tote and send one to a friend. You never know, it might save their life or yours.
The XHDATA D-608WB - a radio for every application · Wednesday July 24, 2024 by colin newell
It is not everyday that a radio drops into my lap for the purposes of testing and day to day use.
So it was to my delight when the good folks at XHDATA contacted me with an offer: “Let us send you a radio. You put it through its paces. See what it can do. And put a review on your DXer.ca website.”
Hey! I can do that. So here goes.
The XHDATA D-608WB radio is described more as an emergency radio than a standard counter-top or totable radio.
Its dimensions make for an item that fits comfortably in the hand – at 15 cm long, 7.5cm wide and 4 cm deep it has a place in every emergency pack.
Why should everyone have this radio in their emergency kit?
The radio covers AM, FM, Shortwave and the weather band with impressive sensitivity. I had no trouble capturing all of my regional AM stations — and after sunset, all the clear channel stations were loud and clear – many from over 1000 miles away.
The FM sensitivity was comparable to all of my larger portable.
Sound quality is great for such a small package and is pleasant enough for hours of listening.
Shortwave sensitivity and selectivity was surprisingly good for a radio that appears to try to do everything.
All of my regional weather band stations (within 70 km away) came in crystal clear.
There are hundreds of memories available on the XHDATA D-608WB for your fav stations. The XHDATA D-608WB has auto-add of stations to memory during scanning! XHDATA did not appear leave out any desired features with this radio.
The radio is powered by a rechargeable battery. It can be charged via a USB cable (supplied), via solar cells built into the radio or from a hand-crank generator also integral to the radio! The radio comes with an Tri-level LED reading light (integrated underneath the solar panel array on the top of the radio! The radio comes with a very bright emergency light (or torch as some call it…)
The radio is also a selectable Bluetooth speaker — with great audio quality. So, you can pair it with your iPhone or Android device and any PC, Mac or Linux desktop/laptop! Not only that, when it is paired with your phone you can actually accept phone calls! I tested it. It worked flawlessly!
While watching YouTube on my iPhone (and paired with the XHDATA D-608WB radio, one can fast forward and skip between videos with buttons on the XHDATA D-608WB! What a great feature.
So. Bluetooth speaker – this opens access to unlimited podcast listening.
What’s more, the XHDATA D-608WB accepts the TF card – so fill your boots with MP3 audio and Podcasts! This radio just keeps getting better!
I recently travelled to Calgary, Alberta, Canada (a one hour flight from Victoria B.C. where I live…) and the XHDATA D-608WB radio came along with me. Airport security did not bat an eyelash at the radio — to them it appeared to be just that, a travel radio.
In conclusion, the XHDATA D-608WB is for all intents and purposes, the Swiss Army knife of radios – it does almost everything anyone would want out of a travel or emergency radio. I found no fault in the radio and give two solid thumbs up for this product — and look forward to sampling and testing other XHDATA products!
Stay tuned for a YouTube video on this product on my YouTube channel and a subsequent podcast!Colin Newell in a resident of Victoria B.C. Canada – on the West Coast – on Vancouver Island. His features on tech and pop culture have been featured on national media outlets across Canada and the U.S. since 1995!
Long lost Gibson Guitar Les Paul Gold top stolen from ago · Saturday March 20, 2021 by colin newell
A very long time ago (1985) I was a Gibson guitar player – The Gibson Les Paul guitars are awesome for Rock, Blues, Jazz, pretty much whatever you want to play.
And I played this one in a few eighties bands… in a life a long time ago.
That said, I was not a big fan of this for some reason. It might have been the colour or the weight.
Ah, the weight! It was like carrying around a large dog draped around your shoulder – like a Lab or a Bull Mastiff -
The sound of the Gibson Les Paul is unmistakable – it snarled like a cornered tiger and effortlessly took charge of any musical performance it was involved with.
But the weight got me down… literally… and one day I sold it to a notable and successful gigging musician and session player. That was in 1990.
The new owner traveled the World with it – and the old Gibson took on a new life of its own. Click photo for bigger view
Then one day in 1992, it was in the locked trunk of of the owner, “Sean’s” 1980 Buick in underground, gated parking beneath the Seagate Apartments on Esquimalt Rd. He came home after an afternoon practice and had left it for around two hours before he had to head out to another practice. Two hours in a locked basement garage. It could have been an inside job, an unscrupulous neighbour… someone that clearly did not appreciate the fact that this particular guitar playing fellows livelihood depended on those 6 stringed instruments. Guitar be gone.
Anyway – occasionally I make a shout out to the World about this missing guitar – likely in the wrong hands, maybe getting played, maybe not or in the hands of someone that is not aware that it is hot.
Click Photo for a bigger view.
Anyway – here is the picture of the guitar stolen years ago – and somewhere out there, this guitar is waiting to come home to its owner. If you see it, please send it on its way.
The original owner thanks you!
This was a 1971 or 1972 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe with hard case stolen from the Seagate Apartment parking lot in 1992. The serial number is 171568 –
Any intel on this item would likely be rewarded with cash or whole bean coffee! Or both!
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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Winter is coming - Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Soup · Saturday November 10, 2018 by colin newell
This time of year I really enjoy hearty vegetable soups – on dark and dreary late Fall and early Winter weekend evenings, there are few things more satisfying that healthy and filling wholesome vegetable soup. This new Instant Pot recipe feels like it’s destined to be a classic.
Ingredients
3 Tbsp Butter
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 small Onion, diced
1 large Carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Coarse Salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground Nutmeg
2 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth, low sodium
1 1/2 lbs Broccoli Florets, fresh (chopped-shredded, about 6-8 cups)
Roux To Thicken
1/4 cup Flour
1/4 cup Butter
To Finish
6 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 cups Half and Half
Instructions
Gather all ingredients, and prepare all of the vegetables, and shred the cheese. It’s easier if you have it all ready to go.
Turn on the Instant pot’s Sauté setting.
Add the butter and olive oil when it heats up. Then add the onion and cook for a few minutes.
Add the grated carrot and cook for a minute to soften.
Add the pepper. paprika, salt, nutmeg, and garlic. Cook for a minute, stirring.
Add the broth, and stir.
Add the broccoli, but don’t stir. Put the lid on and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
Cancel the Sauté function.
Then press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial. Then the + or – to select 5 minutes (High Pressure).
When the cooking cycle is over, let the pot sit undisturbed for 5 minutes (5 minute Natural Release).
Then Quick Release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release knob to the Venting Position.
Turn off the pot.
If you want a creamier consistency, use an immersion blender. I like the slightly more rustic finish.
Mix the flour and butter together in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 15 seconds. Then mix very well until it is smooth.
Turn the Sauté setting back on and mix in the flour/butter mixture and stir until it starts to thicken.
Add the cheeses and stir in. Cancel the Sauté function and add in the half and half. Stir well.
Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.
Serve with some nice sourdough or cheese bread/buns.
Colin Newell is a resident of Victoria B.C. Canada and an active member of the Canadian Media Guild – he enjoys cooking and talking about it.
