Time for a new emergency radio.

3693 Views 16 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Fuzzee, Nov 1, 2013

Fuzzee

Discussion Starter · Oct 31, 2013

What's everyone else using. This is one of the things I've been slack on just keeping around a small battery powered AM/FM. And it's gone by by. I was looking at these. Anyone got one they really like and think is great?

Radio Electronic instrument Audio equipment Portable media player Gadget

Pure Digital Dynamo and Solar Powered Shortwave Radio with NOAA bands, KA600

:suppliesonforklift:

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Boss Dog

· #2 · Oct 31, 2013

Don't know anything about the one you're showing, I'm looking at this one.
CC Solar Observer AM/FM/Weather Windup Emergency Radio - C. Crane Company (800) 522-8863

or this one from Radio Schack
Eton SolarLink FR360 Multipurpose Weather Radio (Red) : Weather radios | RadioShack.com
or one of their Grundig's

I like this one cause it has SSB capabilities, but it is pricey.
ATS-909X AM/FM/SW/SSB Receiver (Black) - C. Crane Company (800) 522-8863

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Fuzzee

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 31, 2013

I question whether I really need the NOAA and shortwave. Whether AM/FM isn't enough. It always has been through so many hurricanes.

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Boss Dog

· #4 · Nov 1, 2013

rickfromillinois said:
Shortwave would be nice to pick up news from around the world,especially in order to get info from another source then government controlled sources, but most important would be to be able to get local information. The hand crank dynamo is a nice touch.

Yep, you can real news from overseas that our MSM will never tell you. I like the SSB model because if in the field, you can still hear amateurs talk and maybe get realtime news as it happens.

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1skrewsloose

· #5 · Nov 1, 2013 (Edited)

I've been thinking ham too, but is getting a license just a path leading them to your door, when the gov only want folks to hear their propaganda and not the real truth? Foreign gov shut down or restrict the web all the time. Not trying to hijack your thread, just to get the gist of it. Can we rely on any comm without it being censored or scrambled? Just my thoughts.

Sorry for going off-track, no ideas on what radio to get.

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wesley762

· #6 · Nov 1, 2013

I have a Eton crank, works good.

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Fuzzee

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 1, 2013

1skrewsloose said:
I've been thinking ham too, but is getting a license just a path leading them to your door, when the gov only want folks to hear their propaganda and not the real truth? Foreign gov shut down or restrict the web all the time. Not trying to hijack your thread, just to get the gist of it. Can we rely on any comm without it being censored or scrambled? Just my thoughts. Sorry for going off-track, no ideas on what radio to get.

No worries bud. Let it out. It brings thought to minds of what's worth having and not.

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Fuzzee

Discussion Starter · #8 · Nov 1, 2013

I've been reading review and looking at the Sangean stuff. They have some nice choices.

Sangean USA

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wesley762

· #9 · Nov 1, 2013

Kinda funny but in the advertisement bar at the top this is the radio I have.

Eton FRX3 Hand-Turbine AM/FM/NOAA WX Alert Radio (Red) : Weather radios | RadioShack.com

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Fuzzee

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 1, 2013

wesley762 said:
Kinda funny but in the advertisement bar at the top this is the radio I have.

Eton FRX3 Hand-Turbine AM/FM/NOAA WX Alert Radio (Red) : Weather radios | RadioShack.com

That's pretty nice and you can charge your cell off of it too.

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inceptor

· #11 · Nov 1, 2013

Being a ham, I have a number of radio's. No, there will be no secure communication of any kind but I still want the option.

I too have an Eton. It's still new in the box but it's nice to know it' there if I need it. The shortwave will be good to hear what's going on from other points of view.

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paraquack

· #12 · Nov 1, 2013

inceptor said:
Being a ham, I have a number of radio's. No, there will be no secure communication of any kind but I still want the option.

Would you really worry about a license if the SHTF. Besides, I think I'd rather copy the comm and not say anything.

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inceptor

· #13 · Nov 1, 2013

paraquack said:
Would you really worry about a license if the SHTF. Besides, I think I'd rather copy the comm and not say anything.

When the SHTF, all bets are off. Until then I enjoy my hobby AND I know how my radios work. Plus I know how to work my radios. So you're gonna wait until that time, turn on a radio, start dialing in any one of a number of frequencies, find out you need to ask a question, key up and maybe release the factory installed smoke?

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Go2ndAmend

· #14 · Nov 1, 2013

This is an area of prepping that I need to put more effort into. I have one of those Dewalt Jobsite radios that charges (and can run off of) 18 volt batteries. I also have a really small handheld from countycomm that has a SW band. I need to further educate myself on emergency radios and hope to get into HAM once I get further along with some other preps. Security, water, food, medical and then the rest.

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Boss Dog

· #15 · Nov 1, 2013

1skrewsloose said:
I've been thinking ham too, but is getting a license just a path leading them to your door, when the gov only want folks to hear their propaganda and not the real truth? Foreign gov shut down or restrict the web all the time. Not trying to hijack your thread, just to get the gist of it. Can we rely on any comm without it being censored or scrambled? Just my thoughts. Sorry for going off-track, no ideas on what radio to get.

To block/jam the whole HF spectrum would be quite a feat... and self defeating. They would have to do it on a wide regional scale to be successful at keeping info from flowing. The Govt uses sections all over the HF spectrum and to try jamming wide parts would interfere with their own comms. I think if some one in particular was giving them cause for concern, they would just track them down and destroy the transmitter and send the operator to a "reeducation" center. I want mine to make periodic or sparse comms with family and friends on predetermined frequencies at predetermined dates and times and to listen to shortwave and the new amateur broadcasters that are sure to pop up.

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BigCheeseStick

· #16 · Nov 1, 2013 (Edited)

I had two of the little hand crank Kaito radios I gave to my daughter after trying two other models.

Tecsun PL-660 and a CCRadio. The PL-660 will slightly outperform the CCRadio, slightly, but honestly the 660 has so many little functions and mult-use buttons, unless you use it a lot, or get out the manual, it gets a little frustrating. The CCRadio you can just turn on, it has a few knobs that are clearly labled and away you go listening to anything you like. Both outperform the Kaitos so much they aren't even comparable (why I gave the Kaitos away).

Tecsun PL-660 PLL World Band Receiver Product Reviews

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/8329

Benefit of the MUCH bigger & heavier CCRadio other than simplicity of use, it's sound quality is excellent. But when it comes to really dialing in distant, weak signals, the little PL-660 has the edge.

Both run on multiple power sources (no crank though), and both pick up loads of channels from south of the border, Europe, and a few from other countries I don't even understand the languages (their not English, German or Spanish).

View attachment 3155

If your going to listen to SW at all, get used to hearing crazy annoying evangelist bible thumpers trying to convert everyone!!! OMG! There are dozens of them on 24hrs a day, broadcasting from all over the world! Mostly old timey evangelist ranting and raving. Gets pretty annoying... Even for those who believe!

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Fuzzee

Discussion Starter · #17 · Nov 1, 2013 (Edited)

Well I bite the silver bullet and bought a Sangean ATS-505. It doesn't have the solar charger or rotary charging handle, but it's got good reported reception and sound quality. Being bit of an audiophile from being a musician for a long time, I'm kind of hard to overlook what's sounds good too. It has AM/FM, Shortwave dual conversion, SSB, fine tuning to 1 kHz steps, autoscan, lots of memory, comes with a case, power adapter and extended antenna to expand of signal capture. I bought some rechargeable batteries and will probably pick up a solar charger somewhere coming up. Should do what I need it to giving me the up to date and what's going on in this pisshole world and hopefully last a while. Now I need to keep saving for the new shotgun.

Communication Device Gadget Telephone Telephony Font

http://www.sangean.com/support/download/Flyer/V1/Flyer_20111209_ATS-505_SAI_V1.pdf

ATS-505 : FM-Stereo / MW / LW / SW
PLL Synthesized Receiver

:mrgreen:

Thanks for everyone's input.

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