Grundig Satellit 600 (1983–1985)
The Grundig Satellit 600 was the last large-format shortwave receiver in the Grundig Satellit series. It was introduced in 1983 and discontinued around 1985. It's a substantial tabletop HF/VHF receiver covering LW, MW, the full shortwave spectrum from 1.6-26.1 MHz, and FM broadcast at 87-108 MHz, with AM, SSB, and wideband FM modes. Sixty memory channels are available, and a clock is built in. It runs on batteries or an external 8-16 VDC supply. The antenna input accepts 50-75 ohm feeds alongside the built-in telescopic whip. It's a big set at 500 × 240 × 200 mm and 8.5 kg. Two loudspeakers sit behind the grille on the left side of the front panel, a layout carried over from earlier Satellit receivers.
The 600 earned genuine respect for its performance. One owner called it the best world-band receiver ever made, described its FM sound as "just huge" and said no other world-band portable competed with semi-professional class HF receivers while also being a highly sensitive FM set. A more measured assessment, similar to that of the Satellit 3400, called the 600 an excellent VHF performer, though tuning steps and sensitivity couldn't quite match its predecessor. The manual documents a headphone connection via 6.3 mm jack at approximately 100 ohms. It also documents a loudspeaker switch that selects the built-in broadband speaker, tweeter only, or an external speaker. A tweeter for the 600/650 occasionally appears as a spare part. The manual includes guidance for mobile use, including securing the set and screw specifications.
The German magazine Funkschau covered the 600 in a Gebrauchstest (practical test) in its 9/1984 issue, though no details from that review survive in the archive. The 600 appears regularly on the used market, with dozens of eBay listings, and a price-data service estimates a good-condition value around EUR 267. Russian classifieds show asking prices of 35,000-59,000 ₽, though those are asking prices, not sales. The "Professional" suffix appears on some units and in some documentation. The distinction, if any, isn't recorded.
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