Tecsun PL-800 world band radio for boater

Review: Tecsun PL-880 – My New Favorite Boating Companion

After way too much research, I picked up a Tecsun PL-880 Radio, and it’s been a blast. As someone who’s new to shortwave, I’ve found it fun to dive into world of the electromagnetic spectrum. Learning how signals travel, bounce off the atmosphere, and land in your radio from thousands of miles away feels like tuning into the invisible rhythms of the planet. What’s impressed me about the PL-880 is how good it sounds and how easy it is to use with smooth tuning and a display that is not overwhelming. Even without an external antenna, the reception was good, but once I rigged up a 25-foot wire to my flag halyard, the signal strength really came alive. Find it at Amazon…

If you’re into boating and have ever been curious about shortwave or world band radios, I can honestly say this radio is worth checking out. It’s not just useful, it’s fun. Note: You’ll get most distance signals at night or early morning. There’s something calming and kind of magical about flipping through stations and hearing voices and music from far-off places. It adds a whole new dimension to time spent aboard, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite tools on the boat.

Quick Setup Tips for Boaters

External Antenna Boost: The PL-880 comes with a clip-on wire antenna, but for even better reception, try running a ~25-foot length of wire up your flag halyard. Just make sure it’s not touching metal rigging where possible. I attached the wire to the radio’s antenna using a simple alligator clip.

SSB Mode for Weather: If you’re trying to pick up weather broadcasts from ham operators or marine services, try the Single Side Band (SSB) mode—it’s a bit of a learning curve, but totally worth it.

Rechargeable Convenience: The PL-880 runs on a rechargeable battery (included), and you can charge it via USB. Super convenient if you’ve already got a boat-friendly USB setup on board. My battery lasts over 18 hours between charges.

Our Reader Score
Average: 5 Stars

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