Pros: Accurate Controls, Clear Signal, Compact, Easy To Set Up, Good Sound
I bought my CL-100 based on reviews I read online. J&R's price was excellent and although the radio was on backorder from the supplier, it arrived a week sooner than expected.<br ><br >The unit is exactly as described in reviews I read online. The build quality, including the feel of the controls is good, nothing cheap or flimsy. The unit is compact enough to put on an end table and not take up too much room. The screen is easy to read and the brightness can be controlled through three different intensities.<br ><br >Setup is straightforward. If you've set up any weather alert radio, this works the same way. If you have not set one up before, the quick setup guide does a good job of getting you started, but for setting up the weather radio features like siren defeat, etc., the full printed manual that is included is the way to go. My only complaint, albeit very minor, is that the button time-out is fairly short (just a few seconds), and so if you take too long to while making a menu selection, or have to reach for the manual to look it up, the screen will have gone and you'll have to start that step over. I did not list this as a "con" since it is at most a very minor nuisance.<br ><br >The only thing I had to do on my own was look up our county's weather alert code which was easy to do with a quick search online. While it would be convenient to have this information included with the radio, it may change over time and so it's better to get the latest information from the official sources.<br ><br >Reception with the telescoping antenna is excellent in our area. I checked each of the 7 channels, and for us Channel 6 does the job even with the antenna folded down (aesthetic plus).<br ><br >One caution: I found out by accident while moving the radio from the setup location to its permanent location, that the power source icon does not seem to change based on power source but rather decides based on whether the A/C adapter is plugged into the back. When I unplugged the adapter from the wall (still connected to the radio), the unit indicated that it was receiving A/C power which it was not. When I unplugged the A/C adapter from the back of the radio, the icon changed to show that it was running on batteries. I plugged it back in and the icon changed to show line power (A/C), all while not plugged into the wall. This could cause a false sense of security. If the plug should come out of the wall by accident, the batteries would run down without warning that the unit was using them. This does not detract from my overall favorable impression of the radio, but it is important to know that you cannot necessarily trust the power source icon.<br ><br >The bottom line is that I am very pleased with both the Sangean CL-100 and J&R. and would recommend both very highly.
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