I am always intrigued by self-powered gear, like solar and crank stuff.

Anybody with real world experience with the Elton Grundig radios, like:

http://www.21st-century-goods.com/page/21st/PROD/GRFR300

Or the Alton 4-in-1 led flashlight plus:

http://www.redflarekits.com/pc/RFM-FL3030/lh/ALLTON+Emergency+4+in+1+Wind-Up+Flashlight%2C+Yellow+Body+-+FL3030

Or the shakelights like:

http://www.generationgear.com/products/shakelight60.html

Edited to add:

Walmart Safety Cross 6-in-1:

http://reviews.walmart.com/1336/5192386/reviews.htm

Garrity led crank lite

http://www.garritylites.com/page653.html

Garrity crank lantern

http://www.garritylites.com/page576.html

A collection of lights and lanterns:

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/lights.html#dynamo

A collection of radios:

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/audio.html

This “Bodyguard Self-Powered Emergency tool” thing:

http://www.slashgear.com/bodygard-self-powered-emergency-tool-your-own-personal-bodyguard-048828.php

Car?

http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C9836/


Any such gear gotten a thumbs up?

Thanks.

I recently added 3 Freeplay products to my camping box. The EyeMax WB radio, LED Flashlight (the exact name escapes me), and the Indigo LED Lantern.

Having tested these out over the long weekend I can definately say they are a good buy but hunt for bargains as they sometimes sell them with somebody elses brand on them...identical in every way but in another companies packaging. I got the radio and the flashlight together for a song under the Woods brand.

The flashlight and radio can be charged by USB and the radio also charges by solar. Over the Victoria Day long weekend I didn't need to crank either having charged them once when I bought them several months ago. I'm guessing the NiMH batteries are new enough that their discharge rate is low.

The radio has a weather band but it's on an analog dial. I haven't been able to thoroughly test it because there aren't any NOAA equipped stations in the national parks except around major villages or towns. It seems to work fine in the city...just more finicky than fixed stations.

The lantern does not charge by USB and i bought it the day before we left. 40 seconds of cranking was enough to light up my tent more than long enough to get settled in my sleeping bag and my gear stowed with a little left over in case I got up in the middle of the night with any sudden bathroom needs. If you crank for 10 minutes it will last for hours and hours but I'd recruit a friend if you plan to do this. A way to charge it externally would be great and is the only issue I found with the lantern.

I've had two crank flashlights from WallyWorld that seem okay. I also have the Radio Shack copy of the Eton FR250. If I did it again, I would get the FR300 because I would prefer the NOAA frequencies over the international shortwave frequencies. Why they can't build both into a single radio is beyond me.

I'm actually about ready to purchase an Eton FR150 for use in a family 72-hour kit. See http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_CM%20R15 or http://www.etoncorp.com/product_card/?p_ProductDbId=353085 and you will see it seems to have the best of everything in a small package. The per crank battery life isn't as good as some of the others, but it is AM/FM/NOAA, 3 LED light, and cell phone charger (adaptable to other things) all in one for $30.

If someone has used it, I'd be interested in feedback on it.

I am also looking for a small emergency radio. The one that Goatman just wrote about (Eton FR150) has a cell phone charger with it and that is one thing I want in my next radio. Thank you for sharing that Goatman. I am also interested in hearing any feedback on it.

I am interested in the Kaito's. Here is a page with their radio's on it: http://www.kaitousa.com/radios.htm

The Kaito that I am looking at (KA009R) has a cell phone charger and NOAA Weather. You can also look at the User's Manual (scroll down to the bottom of the page for link to Owner's Manual) http://www.kaitousa.com/KA009R.htm

I currently have a CCrane Radio Plus. This is the one we listen to when we have power outages here at home. The batteries seem to last forever! It is not self powered though. http://www.ccrane.com/radios/am-fm-radios/ccradio-plus/index.aspx

I also have a Baygen Freeplay that I got at CCrane. Mine is an older model and I don't like the noise the hand crank makes when you wind it up. I don't know if all hand crank radio's make that much noise. It is also too big for BOB's.

We love the CCRadio Plus, but I am looking for something smaller for the BOB's in our cars. Here is a new CC Observer that I have never seen before:
http://www.ccrane.com/radios/wind-up-emergency-radios/cc-observer-wind-up-emergency-radio.aspx It is cheaper then the Kaito KA009R. I wonder if the batteries last as long as they do in the CCRadio Plus.

Here is the page to CCrane's radio's: http://www.ccrane.com/radios/index.aspx

Joy

I guess solar ovens fit the self-powered category:

http://store.sundancesolar.com/sospliposiso.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/02/earlyshow/living/recipes/main3004670.shtml

http://solarcooking.org/newsletters/scrapr05.htm
Nityam Privette
PO Box 1163
Rough and Ready, CA 95975
(530) 273-9378
www.solarovens.net

Bill Potts
Solar Oven Society
Marketing and Sales Consultant, Volunteer
952-890-0574
www.solarovens.org

I assume that receivers advertising TV reception are analogue channels which die next February. Shrug - maybe the receivers will drop in price to get rid of inventory.

Here's something to think about, who has a complete set of self-powered tools as a back-up to power tools?

I bought myself an old style hand-crank drill a while ago to keep in my shop, just in case. Sure, it's not very fast compared to a modern battery powered drill. However, it's more compact, doesn't require electric, and is no where near as complex. If worst comes to worst I can still use it to drill holes just fine.

I also have both crosscut and rip tooth hand saws, keyhole saws, planes, rasps, ect, ect. Sure, I have generators so that I could probably keep all my power tools running, but I wanted to make sure that I could still accomplish all my normal construction and mechanical tasks, no matter what my power situation is.

I've been acquiring and using more hand-powered tools lately, as part of long term preparedness. I make a point to use them instead of powered tools so that 1) I know how to use them effectively, 2) I know that they work, and 3) to get a little bit of extra exercise.


Back to the OT, I have a Kaito KA009, and it's pretty decent. It has multiple power sources and many bands, so it's quite flexible. I mostly keep it charged using the AC adapter, and the internal batteries will hold a charge for a very long time. The solar panel is pretty small, but in direct sunlight it does seem to work, albeit slowly. The dynamo part works too, but that wouldn't be my choice for extended listening, just to get periodic updates. As for reception, the FM/TV/AIR/WB/AM are all good, but the SW is pretty marginal. I'm sure that if I set up an external antenna, it would pick up more stations, but otherwise there's not much in SW to hear.

+1 on hand tools. A hand-crank drill, for instance, or even a simple push drill, is fine for many jobs. And hand tools take up less space and make less noise.

Hand-operated kitchen tools are fine too, unless you're cooking for a crowd. I actually enjoy using a manual mixer ("egg-beater"), coffee grinder and can opener.

The vintage tools are often things of beauty and a pleasure to use.

Nurit

We have the 'Grundig'/now Eton hand crank AM/FM/SW1/SW2. We love it. Yea we though about the TV and NOAA one but we have enough redundency with the NOAA that it was no big deal to do witout it in this radio....the sound is pretty good. Our only drawback is that the SW is analog tuned so if you are looking for the "EXACT" station day after day, it can be tough.....get a digital tuner for that. if you enjoy just 'surfing' the radio waves.....it is fine. The AM/FM come in great and really clear. the light is akward in the location on the front but it provides a decent amount for its size. Top it off with the fact that it runs on my 'dead' batteries. I've held batteries for things in which they went dead in and put them in this radio....it will put out sound and light for another 2-3 days easily.....I'd buy another one in a minute.