Review: Coby CX38C Portable AM/FM Weather Band Radio

An inexpensive medium-sized portable radio, the Coby CX38C boasts three-band reception and comes with an AC power cord. This lightweight unit will also run on two "D" batteries, which last longer than "AA" or "AAA" cells. The Coby CX38C features a headphone jack, a long telescopic antenna and a three-inch speaker.

This radio receives FM stations quite well, with clear sound and little distortion at high volume levels. It offers fair AM and weather band reception. When I directly compared the CX38C's weather band reception with that of three other weather radios, it slightly outperformed an Electro Brand 2016. However, it could not receive weather stations as clearly as an Emerson RP6251 or a Vector Stormtracker Elite.

The Coby CX38C's quality leaves something to be desired. It doesn't have an especially rugged or "solid" design. A small piece of plastic rattles around inside the radio, although this doesn't seem to affect normal operation. The tuning knob turns somewhat tightly at times and there's an unmarked switch which doesn't appear to do anything. On the upside, the Coby CX38C radio's battery cover removes easily and the built-in speaker produces quality sound.

This radio uses analog tuning, adjusted via a fairly large knob on the side of the unit. The tuning scale markings seem accurate. The telescopic antenna moves left and right but doesn't rotate 360 degrees. The Coby CX38C radio also features a small red power indicator light on the front. The headphone jack works, although sound only comes out on one side with stereo headphones.

Overall, this Coby radio isn't perfect but it does offer better sound and more features than many receivers in this price range. The best characteristics of this radio include its long antenna, strong FM reception/sound and AC power cord. However, the Coby CX38C is not a good choice for picking up distant weather stations.