tecsun: Tecsun PL-880 - Non documented or overlooked features
tecsun: Tecsun PL-880 - Non documented or overlooked features
A number of non official, non-documented, hidden, additional features have been disclosed as available on some of the model revisions, namely when they have firmware version 8820 installed. The following list covers those and other overlooked features.
| # | Feature | Power state | Key | Band | Procedure |
| 1 | Enable additional features | ON | "4" | AM LW SW | To be able to enable Muting Threshold and DNR, enable this option. Select "AM" or "SW", press&hold key "4" until "ON" or "OFF" is shown. |
| 2 | FM de-emphasis | ON | "5" | Select "FM", press&hold key "5" until "50" (Europe) or "75" (USA) is shown. | |
| 3 | Dynamic Noise Reduction | ON | "6" | Enable additional features (see #1). Press&hold key "6" until "ON" or "OFF" is shown; press key "6" to change (500Hz narrow band filter is not available when DNR is enabled) | |
| 4 | Line Out level | ON | "7" | Select "AM" or "FM". Press&hold key "7" until the current level is shown; use Tuning knob to adjust the required value (30 to 63). Not available on SW band. | |
| 5 | Muting threshold | ON | "9" | AM FM | Enable additional features (see #1). Select either "FM", "AM", "SW" or "SSB" (dedicated threshold levels for each). Press&hold key "9" until the current threshold level is shown; use Tuning knob to adjust it (00 to 40 dBu where 00 disables muting); press key "9" to change. |
| 6 | Center calibration and/or SSB zero beat calibration | ON | "0" and/or "Snooze" | AM(MW) SW |
Tecsun method: Select either LSB or USB; tune to a AM broadcast station and zero-beat using Fine Tuning for minimal distortion and audio is natural; if the last 2-digits of frequency are not "00", press&hold key "Snooze" to calibrate it where "00" will be shown when completed. Alternative method: Press "Display" to show the signal indicator; select either "AM" or "SW"; press "USB"; press&hold key "0" until a 2-digit number is shown blinking as well as the Hz digits of the tuned frequency; release key "0"; use Fine Tuning to adjust; press key "0" to set; repeat the above for "LSB" mode; check to have the same tone when tuned to nnn.95 USB and nnn.05 LSB; repeat the above as needeed. Note on AM/MW weak reception due to off-center calibration: According to Bill (Radio-TimeTraveller), additional +5 to +6dB can be acquired by using the fine tuning knob to tune around the radio station known frequency. In his radio the center frequency on MW is off by 2kHz, as on each station he needed to tune up 2 kHz. This issue seems to be unrelated to the SSB calibration. |
| 7 | Bandwidth scrolling | ON | "AM BW" | Press "AM BW" and immediately use either the Tuning or Fine Tuning knobs to scroll through the values. | |
| 8 | SSB Sync Detetion | ON | "USB" "LSB" | Press&hold either key "USB" or "LSB" until "SYNC" is shown; press the same key to disable it. | |
| 9 | External MW/LW antenna | ON | "AM" | MW | A Reset may be required. To use this feature, tune only upwards, so tune the station before proceeding. Toggles between internal magnetic antenna and external SW antenna socket. Press "AM" and tune to a station; press "USB"; press "AM" (if LW is enabled, press "AM" again); press "USB"; press "FM"; press "USB"; press "USB"; switch between internal or external antenna pressing "AM" or "SW". To return to normal, tune down. |
| 10 | 1 kHz bandwidth filter | ON | MW SW | Enable additional features (see #1). Select the required SW band. Set the Muting threshold (see #5) to 13 or above; disable additional features (see #1); enable additional features (see #1); press "AM BW" to see the 1 kHz filter; it will be enabled until "AM BW" is pressed again; | |
| 11 | FM range | OFF | "1" | Press&hold key "1" until 88-108, 76-108, or 87-108 MHz is shown; press key "1" to set. | |
| 12 | LW band | OFF | "2" | To enable/disable LW band, press&hold key "2" until "ON" or "OFF" is shown. | |
| 13 | MW 9/10 kHz steps | OFF | "3" | To set the MW tuning step, press&hold key "3" until "9kHz" or "10kHz" is shown. | |
| 14 | Battery low voltage shutdown | OFF | "4" | Press&hold key "4" until the current low voltage shutdown limit is shown; use Tuning knob to adjust the value (3.4 to 3.7 Volt); press key "4" to set. | |
| 15 | LCD backlight | OFF | "5" | Toggles the backlight between "ON (Auto Off)" or "OFF". Press&hold key "5" to toggle between "ON" (same as Auto Off using the slider Switch) and "OFF" (backlight turned off). | |
| 16 | Show Seconds | "8" | Press&hold key "8" until Seconds digits are shown on the clock. | ||
| 17 | Firmware version | OFF | "AM BW" | Press&hold key "AM BW" until all LCD segments are lit; press key "AM BW" to show Firmware version (8819 or 8820); press key "AM BW" to show the Firmwaree release date using dd-mm-yy format (recent chassis revisions will not show the date). | |
| 18 | Runtime since battery charge/Reset | OFF | "VF/VM" | Press&hold key "VF/VM" until the runtime is shown since the last time the battery was charged or since the last time the radio was reset. | |
| 19 | Days since first power ON | OFF | "VF/VM" | Press&hold key "VF/VM" until the runtime is shown; press key "VF/VM" to show the number of days (upper right) since the radio was new and battery was first installed. | |
To thank the Author because you find the post helpful or well done.