I read this on http://www.msnbc.msn.com/ and thought I'd pass it along: Emergency radios, flashlights, phones, water purification

-- Craig

I didn't know anyone referred to them as "transistor radios" anymore. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That phrase has gone out. I still use it. That's what my granddad called 'em. That's what I call them. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Judging from my friends, I've got a feeling that portable transistor radios are a pretty rare find in the homes of people in their 20s and 30s. In fact, I think you'd be hard pressed to find *any* battery powered radios in a lot of homes today, since rechargable mp3 players (most sans radios) have taken over as the portable units of choice. I'd guess that a large percentage of city dwellers simply have no access to broadcast information during power outages.

You're probably right. I bought an mp3 player with an FM radio on purpose, because I needed one outside the car.

Radio today mostly sucks. It deserves to die. Too bad a pretty effective news distribution channel goes down with it. (Even if stations remain, it doesn't do much good if people aren't listening.)

If WiFI turns out to be reliable during outtages, we could download the latest warnings from the NHC as a podcast, I guess. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Totally agreed. The only FM radio I listen to these days is NPR. AM, however, is still useful for news, incredible nighttime propogation, and near infinite battery life.

I mostly listen to XM these days. I like the music, but the news (e.g., CNN) and emergency channels are great too. But, if you compare the 6 hour battery life on the XM boombox to the 200+ hours on an ordinary AM radio, there's simply no comparison for practical purposes.

Since I always carry a handheld ham radio (either a Yaesu VX-7R or a VX-2R), I can always receive commercial AM, FM, and TV broadcasts. They are okay for picking up local stations, but in an ermergency I would certainly turn to my ancient, customized Sony 2010 (the MW dx'ers dream machine) or my CCRadio for broadcast news.

Very true on the radio today. We have a few pop FM stations who play the same music over and over and a few AM stations that talk about sports all day long. When 9/11 happened I pulled out my little radio and nothing up and down the FM or AM dial had any useful news, so I switched back to the non-profit Christian station and they actually talked about what was going on some but the internet was pretty much beating everyone else. I guess it wasn't important enough to interrupt the sports and music to the rest.

I don't know about that... I have my tiny, tunes in anything Grundig, always with batteries, in a snagable pouch on the top of a milkcrate full of bug stuff. A hand cranked AM/FM/TVA receiver in my car, along with a battery powered, pre-regulation handheld scanner. My roomie has a bulkier, AM/FM only gizmo on his desk.

We have them, don't worry. Those of us who want to condribute the gene pool are ready(ish).

Present company is always excepted if I talk about people in general here. After all, if you're reading this site, you must care about being prepared.

I made sure our main radio, the one in our bathroom, runs on batteries. It receives AM/FM/SW bands. I also carry a small AM/FM/SW battery radio.

-- Craig