I am looking for recommendations for a portable, affordable emergency radio (Hand crank/solar, AM/FM.) I do have a Ham radio, ICOM 735 and am looking for a back up radio.

Would appreciate make and model number.

Many thanks in advance.

Blake
www.outdoorquest.blogspot.com

Eton solarlink FR-360.

Usual disclaimers. Got mine with credit card points.

AM/FM/Weatherbands, solar, crank, battery, plug in w/transformer. Has a flashlight with blinker onboard. Tells time, has alarm. Can be set to only go off with Weather service warnings. For the money, around $35-$50, a really good value imho.

My Suggestion is the FR160

http://www.etoncorp.com/product_card/?p_ProductDbId=916255


I purchased one from radio shack for 30$ And so far Im pleased. Its by far not the best Radio ever but compared to many other AM/FM Radios its pretty darn good. The three Bulbs fort he LED light Are focused into a single Halo with lenses and is a decent brightness. The battery pack looks to be one easily findable such as a Wireless House phones pack. At low volume it seems to last at least 3-5 hours with 10 seconds of 4 revs per second of cranking. I think It suggests to crank it at 2 revs for 10 minutes to get 8 hours. Just be carefull on the handcranks as they seem to be all plastic construction.

Look at the Sangean MMR-77. This is a great little radio that sips on batteries.

Eaton. Mine needs a crank for the radio every 10-15 mins of use. YMMV

I've always wondered "why doesn't someone make a small protable crystal radio? A diode as a detector, a High Z earplug, a small tuning cap, and a few other part - NEVER NEEDS power, and works with AM radios

KG2V... made one for my 7th grade science fair, used an actual germanium crystal and wrapped the coil around a Quaker Oats box...still don't like oatmeal... used a diode detector model in class for a semiconductor example... kids were always amazed it worked

I really like our Grundig FR-200. A/C power, battery and crank. It's never let us down in the 6 or 7 years since we got it as a gift.

I've had good luck with Freeplay radios. Mine is a slightly older version with no flashlight built in, but it cranks and recharges by solar.

Has kept us informed through many power outages, never failed.

LINK

http://midnightscience.com/kits.html#kit2
among others