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This listing is for a Magnavox / Philips D2999 in nice, but not perfect, original condition. We have provided detailed pictures that will show the overall cosmetic quality of the unit and allow you to view things accurately. Please note that there is some oxidation on the battery springs in the rear battery compartment. We installed 6 D cell batteries and were able to operate the radio just fine and so the oxidation is more visual than it presenting an operational handicap. The antenna is quite long and this radio offers one of the longest telescoping whip antennas that we have ever seen on a portable radio and this serves to deliver best performance on shortwave.
You do not see these D2999s come up on Ebay as frequently and they are somewhat scarce having been manufactured for a short time in The Netherlands. Here in North America, they are even less common than as found in Europe and they are sought by collectors for their unique appearance, interesting layout of controls, and great sound on FM. Please look at the pictures closely and let us know if you have any questions.
We tested this radio and it performed wonderfully with no known issues. When using the radio with the volume turned up and both the top and front panel speakers engaged, you can enjoy room filled sound with minimal distortion of the audio. The radio is a pleasure to operate and it demonstrates excellent sensitivity. Operation requires AA batteries for the memory (included) and then either 6 D cell batteries (not included) or the AC cord (included). The combination of power options give the user the ability to utilize this radio at home, for outings, or for emergency use.
The D2999 comes with:
Even though this radio may be badged as a Magnavox, on occasion it can also be seen listed as a Phillips unit and both radios are identical being manufactured by the same company in the Netherlands in the mid '80's. The D2999 was released to the public under 2 different name plates to appeal to brand minded consumers.
Let us now explain what makes the radio appeal to consumers of shortwave radios.
The D2999 is a general coverage receiver that will allow the listener to hear from 150 KHz to 26100 KHz plus FM. That means that you can hear longwave, AM broadcasts, marine, amateur radio, shortwave plus FM all in one portable package. We would like to qualify the word "portable". This Magnavox is actually larger than most portables that we have used, with the exception, perhaps, of the Dr*ake SW*8 portatop receiver or Grun*dig Sat*ellit 800 radio.
The D2999 has a carry handle, uses a portable battery supply, and picks up weak signals quite well using its lengthy built-in whip antenna. However, it is not the unit you pack in your luggage when traveling overseas. Rather, it is a much better portable to take to the cabin for the weekend, on the RV for a trip, to the tailgating party, or on the boat. The handle is dual purpose and can be used to tote it about or flipped underneath the radio for cantering the front panel upwards for easier tabletop use. This handle arrangement is reminiscent of so many of the popular Tele*funkens and Nord*mendes produced in the 60s and 70s.
What makes this D2999 a nice tabletop / portable is that it offers the user an array of features that make listening on shortwave a real pleasure but does so with outstanding sound quality. The user can tune via the old analog method of the tuning dial or use direct keypad entry. Or the choice is there to do a combination of tuning knob and keypad. For this, the user selects a band utilizing the top set of "meter" keys and then proceeds to tune the dial to the proper spot. You can see this row of meter band buttons in the pictures at the top of this listing.
Here are some of the features found on this interesting radio:
· LW - AM - FM - Shortwave Reception
· Tuning via tuning knob (manual), keypad, or band selectors
· Dual bandwidths (narrow 3 KHz / wide 6 KHz)
· 16 Memory presets
· 12/24 hour clock timer
· Front panel lamps (remain on with AC and turned on pressing button when using DC)
· AM gain control (manual or automatic)
· BFO for CW or Sideband
· Local / distance reception (to prevent signal overloading)
· Separate bass / treble controls
· S-meter / battery strength meter
· Sweep search
· Enormous 62" whip antenna
· Dual built in ferrite antennas (for AM / LW)
· Dual selectable 7" and 3" speakers
· 120 volt AC or DC (6 D cells) or 12 VDC for external power / 3 AA batteries for memory backup
· World map and frequency guide (on top)
Probably one of the outstanding features of this radio is that it has two speakers built into the cabinet and the user can select to use only one or both of them. There is a push button on the front and this allows the choice of the front facing 3" speaker alone or the addition of the large 7" speaker on the top. This option allows the user to weigh battery consumption with fidelity and chose the best option to suit their needs. When we tested the unit plugged in using AC power, we chose to listen to the D2999 with dual speakers all the time since power consumption was not a factor!
In addition, the D2999 has been given good recommendations by prior authors in Passport to World Band radio that is the virtual bible of shortwave listening. Online users in the eHam website have also reviewed this receiver and of the 11 reviews, it has been given an overall of 4.9 average from them. You may read those reviews and see the scores here:
https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=4939 (please copy and paste this link into your internet browser)
We are happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this radio.
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International buyers are welcome to purchase and we are happy to ship worldwide. We have shipped to 112 countries during the past 24 years on Ebay with excellent results. You may use the shipping calculator for your cost, but please keep in mind that this price may not include any import, duty, customs or VAT fees.