Universal Radio, Inc.
Universal Radio, Inc., founded in 1942 and based in Westerville, Ohio, is an independent specialty retailer selling new, used, and discontinued shortwave, amateur, scanner, and CB radio equipment, accessories, and books to hobbyists in the U.S. and Canada via its own e-commerce site and telephone ordering.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1942
- HeadquartersWesterville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Universal Radio, Inc. does
Universal Radio, Inc. is a privately held, independent specialty retailer of radio communications equipment, founded in 1942 and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio. The company sells new, used, and discontinued shortwave receivers, amateur (ham) transceivers, scanner receivers, CB radios, portable and emergency radios, antennas, power supplies, voltage converters, and a curated library of radio books and manuals across categories spanning HF, VHF, UHF, and satellite subcarriers. Product brands represented include Eton, CommRadio, Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, MFJ, Jetstream, Daiwa, Alinco, Grundig, and Japan Radio Co.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through its own e-commerce storefront (universal-radio.com / RFfun.com) with shopping cart functionality, a telephone order desk (Mon–Fri 10 AM–5 PM ET), and an email support channel; a physical showroom at the Westerville headquarters is currently closed. Distribution is restricted to U.S. and Canada (books excepted). Marketing channels are limited to the company website, an events listing, a YouTube channel, and a Twitter account — consistent with a small, niche, owner-operated retailer. Used equipment is tested in-house and carries a 60-day limited warranty; service parts for legacy gear (e.g., CommRadio CR-1 encoders, displays, buttons, lenses) are stocked. There are no disclosed subsidiaries, no parent company, no institutional funding, and no management team or board published in the source data.
Universal Radio, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Universal Radio, Inc.
- Legal name
- Universal Radio, Inc.
- Website
- https://universal-radio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1942
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Universal Radio, Inc., founded in 1942 and based in Westerville, Ohio, is an independent specialty retailer selling new, used, and discontinued shortwave, amateur, scanner, and CB radio equipment, accessories, and books to hobbyists in the U.S. and Canada via its own e-commerce site and telephone ordering.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Universal Radio, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Westerville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Universal Radio, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Product Sales: One-time sales of radio equipment including shortwave receivers, amateur transceivers, scanners, accessories, power supplies, antennas, and books. Both new and used equipment is sold.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Flat rate shipping based on order total |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Eton Quest emergency radio |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | CommRadio CR-1 service parts |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Seven Star TC100 Voltage Converter |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Radio Propagation For Beginners book |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pirate Radio book |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Universal Radio, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Universal Radio, Inc. is a specialty retailer of radio communications equipment, founded in 1942 and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio. The company sells new and used shortwave receivers, amateur (ham) radio transceivers, scanner receivers, CB radios, portable emergency radios, power supplies, antennas, accessories, and radio-related books and publications through its own e-commerce website and telephone ordering.
Product overview
Universal Radio, Inc. is a specialty retailer of shortwave, amateur, scanner, and CB radio equipment founded in 1942. The company offers a broad portfolio of radio receivers and transceivers, including tabletop shortwave receivers (such as the discontinued CommRadio CR-1 SDR and Japan Radio Co. NRD-220), portable emergency radios (Eton Quest, Eton Elite Mini), amateur handheld and mobile transceivers, scanner receivers, and related accessories including power supplies and voltage converters. The company also sells radio books and publications covering shortwave listening, amateur radio, scanner listening, and radio history. Products span current models and discontinued/used equipment, with power supplies from brands including Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, MFJ, Jetstream, Daiwa, and Alinco, and books covering propagation guides, frequency directories, and equipment manuals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tabletop Shortwave Receivers
Quantifiable outcome
- 60-day limited warranty on used equipment
Companies that use Universal Radio, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Universal Radio, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Universal Radio, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
Universal Radio, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Crutchfield: Large U.S. consumer electronics retailer with a deep catalog of home and portable audio, including some shortwave and emergency radios. Adjacent competitor for emergency-preparedness and portable radio buyers, though without Universal's ham/scanner specialization.
- Eton Corporation: Manufacturer of portable, emergency, and shortwave radios (e.g., Eton Quest, Eton Elite Mini). Functions as a key supplier for Universal Radio and is adjacent rather than directly competitive.
Broad incumbents
- Icom America: Manufacturer of amateur, marine, aviation, and land mobile radios. Universal Radio is a retailer of Icom products; Icom is a broad incumbent whose brand presence and dealer network compete for shelf space and customer mindshare.
- MFJ Enterprises: Manufacturer and direct seller of amateur radio accessories, antennas, tuners, and power supplies. Universal Radio stocks MFJ products (e.g., MFJ-290MY hand mic); MFJ is both a vendor and a broad incumbent competing for the same hobbyist wallet.
- Amazon: General marketplace that now lists most consumer radio brands (Eton, Tecsun, XHDATA) at competitive prices with Prime shipping. Competes with Universal Radio on price and convenience for portable and emergency radios, even though it lacks hobbyist curation and expertise.
- Yaesu USA: Manufacturer of amateur transceivers and handheld radios. Universal Radio carries Yaesu products (mentioned in microphone compatibility); Yaesu competes for the same end customer with a much larger product pipeline.
Direct peers
- DX Engineering: U.S. retailer specializing in amateur radio equipment, antennas, and accessories with a strong direct-to-consumer e-commerce presence. Overlaps with Universal Radio on ham and shortwave equipment, with broader antenna and tower focus.
- Ham Radio Outlet: Largest U.S. specialty retailer of amateur (ham) radio equipment with multiple storefronts and a full e-commerce site. Directly comparable to Universal Radio across ham transceivers, antennas, and accessories, though HRO's footprint is larger and more modern.
- R&L Electronics: U.S. amateur radio retailer carrying ham transceivers, antennas, and accessories via e-commerce. Comparable to Universal Radio's ham equipment category, with similar hobbyist customer base.
- Gigaparts: U.S. amateur radio retailer operating e-commerce and a physical superstore. Directly comparable to Universal Radio on ham transceivers, mobile and handheld radios, and accessories.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Universal Radio, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceUniversal Radio, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Universal Radio, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Universal Radio, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Universal Radio, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Universal Radio, Inc.
What does Universal Radio, Inc. do?
Universal Radio, Inc. is a specialty retailer of radio communications equipment, founded in 1942 and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio. The company sells new and used shortwave receivers, amateur (ham) radio transceivers, scanner receivers, CB radios, portable emergency radios, power supplies, antennas, accessories, and radio-related books and publications through its own e-commerce website and telephone ordering.
When was Universal Radio, Inc. founded?
Universal Radio, Inc. was founded in 1942. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Universal Radio, Inc. based?
Universal Radio, Inc. is headquartered in Westerville, United States, in the North America region.
How does Universal Radio, Inc. make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are Universal Radio, Inc.'s main competitors?
Others on record are Crutchfield and Eton Corporation. Broad incumbents are Icom America, MFJ Enterprises, Amazon and Yaesu USA. Direct peers are DX Engineering, Ham Radio Outlet, R&L Electronics and Gigaparts.
Does Universal Radio, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Universal Radio, Inc..