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| Grundig G6 Aviator Buzz Aldrin Edition AM/FM, Aircraft band and Shortwave Radio, Black | 
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| List Price: $120.00
Buy New: $99.00
You Save: $21.00 (18%)
Buy New from $99.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  (based on 3 reviews)
Sales Rank: 2777
Category: CE
Publisher: Eton
Studio: Eton
Brand: Grundig
Label: Eton
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 1.1 x 4.9 x 3
MPN: G6
Model: G6
UPC: 750254803437
EAN: 0750254803437
ASIN: B0018QQDII
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | AM, FM, Aircraft Band (117-137 MHz) and Shortwave (1711-30000 KHz) | | • | Three types of automatic scan tuning: STOP tuning system stops on next available frequency D5 tuning system stops for 5 seconds on each available frequency ATS tuning system automatically stores your favorite FM stations | | • | 700 memories with 4 character page naming | | • | Signal strength indicator | | • | Accessories: owners manual, warranty card, AC adaptor, earbuds, protective pouch |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Celebrate America's 50 years of space exploration with this Buzz Aldrin edition radio.- AM, FM, Aircraft Band and Shortwave portable radio with Single Side Band
- Aviation band to tune into communication between planes and control towers
- Digital tuning with digital frequency readout (LCD)
- Features an alarm clock and headphone jack
- 700 memories with 4 character page naming
- Full-featured world time zone: clock, sleep timer
- Signal strength indicator
Hear great listening options wherever your travels take you, while honoring an icon in aviation, Dr. Buzz Aldrin.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Non-functional AIR band makes this a disappointing purchase! August 1, 2008
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
For $100, I didn't expect much from this radio and figured it would simply be an experiment at purchasing a Chinese-made product that appeared to have some decent design/operating qualities. When I received it, I was initially impressed but was quickly irritated regardless of any good qualities it may exhibit.
The good: Tiny and ultra portable. Carrying case, AC adapter, carrying strap included for an ultra-low $100. Plenty of information on the dial including signal and battery strength, frequency, time, band, and other settings. Quite complete in terms of useful information. Several tuning options including the two-speed slewing dial. Radio lock, light, antenna jack, stereo, etc. There's a lot here in a little package. Also, the FM, AM and SW performance is quite good for a tiny radio. It picked up all the stations I expected to find and they came in well with little to no drift. I was easily adding presets for all my favorites such as Radio Australia, Radio Netherlands, etc. All in all, a surprisingly good performer well worth the $100.
The bad: Unfortunately, the only reason to buy the G6 is to also get the AIR band which is not included on the similar G5 although the G5 is another $50 more. While this should be *good* it ends up being *bad* because, while the AIR band does indeed receive AIR traffic fairly well, it also produces FM bleed-through at many points along the full AIR band range. Slewing through to see what's out there only frustrates you as you continue to pick up FM along the dial. Some stations come through quite clearly and are easily identified. Even AIR frequencies that are constantly receiving AIR traffic but also pick up the FM bleed-through are a chore to listen to because, as the AIR traffic broadcasts and temporarily mutes the FM, as soon as the AIR is done transmitting, the FM picks up again. Completely useless unless the frequency you want is not near the FM bleed-through locations.
I should have shipped this directly back to Amazon as a defective product but instead contacted Eton and they authorized a return. They said the radio was indeed defective and sent a replacement. Much to my surprise, the replacement had the same flaw. So I am out the $100 to Amazon and $8 in shipping the first one back to Eton and am left with a radio that was SPECIFICALLY bought because it had an AIR band that fails to work correctly on that very AIR band. I have contacted Eton again to tell them the replacement is as faulty as the original but that I was not going to pay to ship it back again for a replacement. I am awaiting a reply.
Regardless of the other good features and performance which would earn it 4 or 5 stars, this one only gets 1 for the good but loses everything else due to performing so poorly on the one feature that is its main selling point.
If you want this one for the AIR band, forget about it. If you want it for the AM, SW, and FM and do not intend to use the AIR band, then you may be happy with the product. Otherwise, you might be better off with a G5 even though it costs more.
UPDATE: Here's the official reply from Eton regarding the second poorly functioning unit:
"As the G6 is designed, it picks up most airband traffic. That is certainly true in our area where it picks up traffic from the San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose airports. Yes, there are some images, but their interference is minimal.
The G6's airband circuitry is working as well as it can. To eliminate these images would take circuitry that is far more expensive than can be incorporated into a radio of this type, driving the price up too dramatically for the unit to sell. At $100, this unit is a bargain. If you need a radio with no images, a high quality scanner must be used. High quality scanners utilize triple conversion circuitry in air band, thus eliminating images."
So this essentially admits there's a designed-in flaw that prevents the AIR band from performing properly or at least as it should and it's covered under the "what do you expect for $100" excuse.
Kudos to Eton for making at least one attempt at satisfying their customer but anti-kudos for hiding under the cover of low-cost and not attempting to make things right.
 Grundig Radio G6 Aviator an all-purpose radio in a small package July 26, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
Though I found the instructions reasonably clear the actual operation of the radio can seem somewhat complex, a problem familiarity will remedy. Also, due to its compact size I found its speaker to be a bit small but capable of excellent sound reproduction non-the-less. Other than those small difficulties I have found the radio itself to be everything I had wanted in this portable a package including AM,FM,SW and aircraft bands along with 99 available programmable station settings and 3 programmable alarms for travel or shared wake-up times. I am more than pleased with my purchase and appreciate the quality of construction and attention to detail.
Grundig Buzz Aldrin Edition G6 July 9, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
When the G6 arrived I must say I was a little shocked as I was expecting a larger package, but as the old expression goes "Size Makes no Difference",and that applies to the G6!
The build quality was extremely good, the rubberized coating and the "just right" weight make for a very good, solid feel.
After a brief scan of the operating manual I placed 2 AA Alkaline batteries in the G6 (you can also use NI-MH batteries and charge them in the G6) but I was very excited and did not want to wait one minute longer, I wanted to play now!
I powered the G6 up and selected the MW AM Broadcast Band, my favorite
for chasing weak, distant signals. I then thought to myself, I need a "Standard" in which to compare the G6. Being an avid radio collector I selected a Tough Act to Follow" radio from my collection for the AM MW Blue Ribbon. I chose my Panasonic RF2900.
Both radios had brand new alkaline batteries installed, as I did not want to deal with AC power line noise, induced into the units by operating from the AC Mains.
It was in middle of the day so I selected a station on 1360 KHz, KWDJ, 1000 watts day, in Ridgecrest, CA, about 100 miles from my location in Lancaster, Ca. At that distance the measured signal strength of KWDJ was less than 100 Micro volts/Meter (Measured on Potomac FIM 22 AM field strength meter)
I placed both radios on the same table ,and rotated the units so their loopsticks were optimized for reception from the direction of Ridgecrest, Ca.
Also note, that in Lancaster, there is a 1000-watt AM station on 1380 KHZ
Its transmitter, less than 3 miles from my location, and in the same heading as
Ridgecrest!
As I tuned the RF2900 to 1360 I heard Dr. Laura, pretty clear along with a fair amount of background noise.
I listened for about 2 minutes to make sure that the signal was steady, which it was.
Now it was "ShowTime" I powered the G6 up, and using the Jog Wheel, I tuned the G6 to 1360...and with the volume set about halfway....I heard Dr. Laura, with about the same amount of noise as the RF2900!
Needless to say, I was impressed.
OK I said, lets take a listen to the low side of the band.
How about a lowly 100 watt AM station XSURF on 540 KHZ in Mexico, over 100 miles away.
I rotated the radios toward Mexico, tuned the RF2900 to 540 ,and there in the noise was XSURF on 540.
I should call the G6, the "Little Engine that Could" because when I tuned it to 540 KHZ, there was XSURF with just slightly more noise than the RF2900, WOW!
The G6 had no trouble in pulling in most all of the Los Angeles radio AM signals which ranged from 75 to 100 miles away with only one 50,000 Watt signal.
Ok, I was convinced that the G6 had great performance on MW AM, but how about FM?
I went back to my radio collection looking for a portable radio to make the comparison, a unit with better than average FM reception, my Eton E5.
On FM a good test would be pulling in KGZO, 90.9 in Shafter, CA
Operating with only 1.9 KW of power, over 100 miles away.
This is a good test of sensitivity and selectivity as my location in Lancaster, Ca, is within the 1MV contour of Superpower 110,000 Watt KPFK at 90.7.
In the past the Eton E5 had no problem in pulling in the KGZO signal in full stereo, with only a slight intrusion from KPFK.
The Eton E5 repeated this task as expected.
After tuning the G6 to 90.9 and with a little playing with the rod antenna, there was KGZO in stereo with just a slightly more amount of intrusion by KPFK, but still listenable!
The G6 had no trouble in pulling in signals from all the Los Angeles FM signals from Mount Wilson, the location of 99% of Los Angeles FM Signals.
On more thing.... do not let the small speaker size fool you, this little baby can fill a small room with pretty good volume.
On Shortwave the G6 is comparable in selectivity and sensitivity to several of my Shortwave rigs including my Eton E5, my Sony 6500 ,and my Sangean 909. The BFO makes copy of SSB a breeze as well.
On VHF I can hear signals from Aircraft and from LAX and Lancaster's Fox Airfield.
On a scale of 1 through 10 the Buzz Aldrin Edition Grundig G6 gets a
BIG 10!
Chris Compton
Professional Broadcast Engineer, and Avid Radio Collector for over 35 Years
Lancaster, CA
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