Grundig FR200 Emergency Radio by Eton
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Our Price: $99.95 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Speakers See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Grundig FR200 Emergency Radio
Digital camera Review: A good choice for local emergency reception
Summary: 4 Stars
I've owned this radio for two years now, as my desk radio at work. I decided to run an experiment, and only power it with the crank. I've cranked this radio every day for the last two years.
After about a year, one of the dynamo gears lost a tooth. A call to Eton got me a replacement dynamo set under warranty. I installed it myself (which is not a job for the faint of heart, but is within the skill of anyone who's handy with a screwdriver). The new dynamo and gears lasted through the recent breakage of the winding arm (which was not replaced with the new dynamo), which has relegated it to alkaline power. Of course, now the radio's well out of warranty, so I don't expect any free replacement parts.
However, that's pretty good. In an emergency situation, it's unlikely you'll crank the dynamo even 1/50th as much as I did, and it held up quite well. I'd typically crank for 30-45 seconds, and get about the same number of minutes at low volume. Increasing the volume markedly shortens runtime.
Reception is fine, although I've only played with shortwave a little bit. There's no way a radio like this can make a good shortwave receiver, so that feature is a bit silly. It would still be potentially handy in an emergency, when a lot of local interference goes away. For local FM reception, it does quite well. I haven't really tried AM, so I can't comment there.
The little LED flashlight would be handy in an emergency, especially the fact that it can be recharged by cranking. More important would be one of the higher-spec Eton crank radios such as the FR250, which include cellphone chargers -- SMS messaging is an important communication method in many emergencies.
I heartily recommend this radio for emergency use, particularly given the robustness of the dynamo system.
Digital camera Review: A handy emergency radio
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this radio for my parents in Kansas who live in 'Tornado Alley' and often have to deal with rural power outages. This radio surprisingly picks up the local stations from deep inside the basement and has served well on the several trips into the tornado shelter. The batteries should definately be stored out of the radio, but overall it fulfills its niche to be used in an Emergency. The shortwave functions are very simplistic, but when you are sitting in the dark waiting for the power to come on or the storm and tornado to pass overhead, it is entertaining enough to spend time searching for the elusive shortwave stations. A good, compact radio useful in an emergency or for occasional use around the house.Digital camera Review: A must have
Summary: 5 Stars
Very good product at a great price. A must for any home or auto emergency kit!Digital camera Review: A must have item for today
Summary: 5 Stars
I live in Long Island and work in NYC. I watched in horror the World Trade Center towers burning from my office window and I got stranded in Manhattan this past summer because of the blackout.I learned a valuable lesson: WE ARE VERY VULNERABLE IF WE DO NOT HAVE A SELF-SUFFICENT SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY FOR INFORMATION AND LIGHT (and I should throw in a clean water supply, although I haven't experienced that crisis yet). My advice is to 1) get a landline phone (a cheap $10 Trimline at Kmart will do); 2) get a crankup radio with a built-in flashlight; 3) get a gravity water filter (like British Imperial used by the Red Cross) that lets you extract clean water from just about any source (rain, toilet, you name it).
Some of this really hit home during the blackout. I ended up staying at a friend's apartment, but my friend (like many others New Yorkers) was woefully unprepared: no candles, no batteries for the flashlight or radio, and only a cordless phone which of course is useless during a blackout because it depends on electicity. We ended up having to roam the streets for information, depending on strangers for light, and groping in the dark in the August heat to make our way up the VERY long staircase because the elevators were knocked out.
I have since bought a landline phone, a gravity water filter that is much cleaner and cheaper than those endless Poland Spring Water bottles... AND I got a Grundig crankup radio. It's the neatest thing! Just crank it up and it works like a dream -- with a flashlight to boot. The reception here is terrific and I'm getting all kinds of radio stations I didn't know I could get. And best of all, I feel safer. If anything happens I know I'll be prepared.
I've given this radio as a gift and it's always a big hit. Our Radio Shacks here are on back order because it's one of their most popular items.
I hope more manufacturers begin making things with built-in generators. It's an untapped market.
Digital camera Review: Actually got to use it a few days after I got it.
Summary: 4 Stars
We had a short power outage, so I "cranked it up" in order to listen to "A Prairie Home Companion". It works as advertised, about 3 minutes of cranking lasted an hour or so. The sound quality was what you'd expect from a speaker this size. Not a bad little radio, but I wonder how the rechargable battery will hold up over time. Probably best to leave it in the disaster kit...but it's a great addition to a disaster kit.Update - it came in REAL handy after the December earthquake out here. Yep, put one in your disaster kit.