I need a versatile Radio

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Peanut

Peanut

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My old analog radio died. :( I bought it in ’94 from radio shack. It could pick up am/fm, CB, two Shortwave bands, two tv bands, Wx and Vhf. It also had a built-in direction finder on the top. It could run on ac or dc (batteries).

I’d like to find something similar to replace it. Does anyone have a suggestion? I’ve shopped the net but all I found was a headache. There are many "brand names" that I don't recognize. It gets confusing. After last nights tornado scare I realized I need a replacement quickly. Analog is probably out of the question…

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After reading a few hundred reviews on the ham radio site the consensus seems to be that Eton and Sony make good radios.
I found 2 radios on amazon that are possible…

Eton Field AM / FM / Shortwave Radio with RDS, NGWFB - $130

SONY Portable Radio ICF-EX5MK2 FM AM Nikkei Analog Tunning - $150

Both are more than I wanted to pay but I want quality and longevity. Has anyone here in the forum any experience with Sony or Eton radios?
 
I do not have a receiver, I had an Eton many years ago but returned it because I found out later that I did not know how to string an antenna.( This was years before I got into amateur radio) I live down in a valley and the unit mounted one could not pick up any signal .
 
I had something similar in the 80’s from RadioShack. The problem with these radios are that nowadays many of the VHF radio systems are changing to digital. Here locally there are some analog VHF police frequencies out there but it depends on where you are. Some of these old radios could tune into TV stations, that’s all gone now. There are still shortwave stations out there to listen to but many stations of gone off the air due to the Internet. It just became too expensive for them to keep running a transmitter.

If you’re worried about severe weather I would invest in a NOAA weather radio that will continuously monitor for the alert tones. These are NOT the units from the old days, you can program them for your specific county or for a few surrounding counties if you prefer. This keeps you from getting alerts that are not for your immediate area which would lead people to just turn off the radio so it doesn’t bother them. It’s also nice that you can program it to silence some of the alerts such as ‘watches’ if you don’t want to wake up at 3 AM for a watch.

Midland WR120/WR120EZ NOAA Weather Alert All Hazard Public Alert Certified Radio with SAME, Trilingual Display and Alarm Clock - Box Packaging about $28.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00176T9OY/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Here is an analog AM/FM receiver that is both AC & battery powered (4AA). It is very sensitive at night on the AM band. Currently $30.

Panasonic RF-2400 AM / FM Radio, Silver
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00007KDX6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I’m able to get stations many hundreds of miles away from my home in the Louisville, KY area on AM at night.

650 WSM Nashville, TN
660 WFAN New York
680 ESPN Louisville
700 WLW Cincinnati, Ohio
720 WGN Chicago, Illinois
740 CFZM Toronto, Ontario
750 WSB Atlanta, Georgia
760 WJR Detroit, Michigan
770 WABC New York, New York
780 WBBM Chicago, Illinois
820 WBAP Dallas, Texas
820 WCPT Chicago, Illinois
840 WHAS Louisville, Ky
840 CFCW Camrose, Alberta, Canada (French)
870 WWL New Orleans, Louisiana
880 WCBS New York, New York
890 WLS Chicago, Illinois
900 WJIE Louisville, Ky
970 WGTK Louisville, Ky
1030 WBZ Boston, Massachusetts
1040 WHO Des Moines, Iowa
1100 WTAM Cleveland, Ohio
1120 KMOX St. Louis, Missouri
1140 WRVA Richmond, Virginia
1220 WSLM Salem, Indiana
1480 WDJO Cincinnati, Ohio (Oldies)
1530 WCKY Cincinnati, Ohio (Sports)

On AM, you rotate the entire radio to the best reception (internal antenna). That is how I was able to receive two stations at 840, tuning out a strong local station to hear Canada!

Here is a multi-band digital radio that has multiple power options. It does a lot of things but not all of them very well. Shortwave stations don’t come in as good as the more expensive units.

Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 Digital Solar/Dynamo AM/FM/LW/SW & NOAA Weather Emergency Radio with Alert & RDS, Silver about $80.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051PMWY6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I hope this helps a little. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.
 
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The 3 day bags have an AM/FM from the Family Dollar store. Home has 2 HAM rigs, one in an ammo can. 2 crank or battery Grundig FR-200 . The one I would buy if I had an extra 90 bucks is this one: https://countycomm.com/products/countycomm-gp-5-ssb-general-purpose-radio The USB/LSB would be useful for listening to the HAM frequencies and finding more "local"/"country" info.

I already have the wire, insulators, etc etc etc to string a long wire SW antenna, in the ECOMM bag.
 
kd4ulw said:
Here is a multi-band digital radio that has multiple power options. It does a lot of things but not all of them very well. Shortwave stations don’t come in as good as the more expensive units.

Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 Digital Solar/Dynamo AM/FM/LW/SW & NOAA Weather Emergency Radio with Alert & RDS, Silver about $80.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051PMWY6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I hope this helps a little. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.
Click to expand...

@kd4ulw This little radio seems to be what I'm looking for. The KA600L can be powered with an ac adapter as well and is only a couple of bucks more. With any bad weather I lose satellite internet and tv and at some point usually lose electricity. I kept a deck of cards with my old radio. I'd play solitaire and listen to the radio. If power is off for several hours and the sky clears some I break out a generator so I can check the weather on the tv.

Thanks to Everyone for helping! :)
 
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@kd4ulw Your post brought back an old memory. It started when I was about 13. My grandpa farmed 600 hundred acres of cotton. During spring planting several tractors were running 24/7. I’d get off the school bus around 4. Grandma would have a supper packed for me in a paper bag. She’d take me to a field to relieve someone, usually grandpa. I’d spend the next 6.5 hours on a John Deere 4020.

It had an am radio on it. I always listened to a station in Chicago. At 10:10 pm a funny show would come on. I believe it was reruns of “The Lum and Abner Show”. It also meant my night was almost over, an uncle would relieve me at 10:30pm and take me home first.

I remember this one field… There was a creek at the bottom of a hill at the timber line. Seems like every spring I worked that field “Honey Suckle” would be blooming and that scent filled the entire field. I haven’t thought of this in decades… Thanks :)
 
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www.ccrane.com They have a large selection of shortwave radios, a friend of mine had one of their radios that was awesome for picking up hard to get signals it was a Sangean brand but I don't know if they sell that brand anymore.
 
My new emergency radio came today. It’s smaller than I thought. Its am/fm/sw and weather alert and has a led flashlight on the end. It can charge cell phones and other gadgets.

It has a lithium battery that can be charged via hand crank, a solar panel on the back or by a USB cable attached to a pc or an AC adapter I bought. I also got an extra battery and a SW antenna for it.

My new Maglite came too. I just hope my new radio lasts 25 years like my old one did.

Thanks to everyone for helping! :)

weather radio_v1.jpg
 
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Looks good and has a really good price. I have two handcranks. I like both, they have good range. Both have a scan function for picking up any broadcast. Both can charge phones or take a charge from any device with a USB port. The green and black scorpion has solar charging which I like. I keep it in my go bag. The white unit I keep in my kitchen.

The only thing I don't like about any handcrank device is the fact they are handcrank! I guess I need to work on my forearms.

Keep us posted @jimLE , let us know how you like it. :)

hand crank 640_v1.jpg
 
what i like about it so far.is i have 3 choices of recharging it.but my concern for now.is,does it have good reception? i had gotten a red cross radio off of amazon.poor signal from a fm station 30 miles away.pluss i had to sit outside for the noaa station.to me that aint good during thunderstorms.
 
@jimLE I found my scorpion radio still for sale on amazon. $30

I need to charge it and retest it, forgotten all it's functions. At least I need to find the user guide. I always keep the manuals. Anything I buy I use a hole punch and put the manual in a binder.
  • EMERGENCY RADIO: This emergency radio & LED flashlight receives AM,FM & NOAA weather bands with digital tuner & display. Features a rechargeable lithium battery plus hand crank & solar power options.
  • RUGGED & MULTIFUNCTIONAL: This compact & rugged unit can easily be stored in a safety kit or tossed in your rucksack. Use it to monitor emergency alerts & charge your USB smartphone or other device.
  • STAY SAFE & HAVE FUN: Use the metal carabiner to hang from a tent pole or tree limb to charge. Pop open a cold beverage with the built-in bottle opener!
  • KEEP CONNECTED: From weather alert radios & backup battery packs to solar-powered sound systems, we'll keep you connected & in the know at home, in the office, on the road or in the great outdoors.
  • ETON'S COMMITMENT TO PREPAREDNESS: We're committed to helping you be prepared for everyday fun & unexpected emergency, whether you’re out on a 10-day backpacking trip or barbecuing in the backyard.
I have the same problem as you I'm over 30miles from an FM transmitter but when I originally bought the radio I tested the basic functions. It picked up Noaa fine. During storms the reception is a bit iffy.

I bought the radio @kd4ulw recommended above as my main emergency radio at home. It has excellent reception even during really bad weather. I guess my hand crank radios are backups for the backups. (Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 Digital Solar/Dynamo AM/FM/LW/SW & NOAA Weather Emergency Radio with Alert & RDS)


The Voyager Pro also has handcrank and solar recharge. A good radio in the $90 range
 
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Here's what i ended up with..am/fm/noaa radio and solar charger in 2nd pic.compass key ring in 1st pic.it came with the charger.the fm and noaa works fine while im inside with it.but could be better. charger won't recharge when something is pluged into it.but that's ok.

1031191227.jpg
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Looks good... How did it do during the rain storms thru/friday in your area. Was the reception good? Hope so, looks like it should meet you requirements. :)
 
i didn't get them untill today..so i don't know about bad weather yet.the reception is ok.and better when i have left hand on the antena.but worse with right hand on it.that's while sitting on the opisit side of the living-room from the window.
 
Peanut said:
My new emergency radio came today. It’s smaller than I thought. Its am/fm/sw and weather alert and has a led flashlight on the end. It can charge cell phones and other gadgets.
I just hope my new radio lasts 25 years like my old one did.

:)
Click to expand...

Well, my new radio (kiato 500) only lasted 5 years. Crap! I had just replaced the lithium batter in May, held a charge, no issues (spent money for nothing...)

It was working fine since i put in a new battery. I took it to the bluegrass event weekend before last, listened to it while camping. When I got it home, nothing, nada, zip. Won't turn on, display shows the battery is fully charged but doesn't work on the battery or while plugged in. Doesn't light up, it's just dead...

An emergency radio is a necessity so i bought the latest version of the same radio. A Kiato ka900. All the same features with bluetooth added and more charging options. Hope this one lasts a decade!

Kiato Radio.jpg
 
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Peanut said:
My old analog radio died. :( I bought it in ’94 from radio shack. It could pick up am/fm, CB, two Shortwave bands, two tv bands, Wx and Vhf. It also had a built-in direction finder on the top. It could run on ac or dc (batteries).

I’d like to find something similar to replace it. Does anyone have a suggestion? I’ve shopped the net but all I found was a headache. There are many "brand names" that I don't recognize. It gets confusing. After last nights tornado scare I realized I need a replacement quickly. Analog is probably out of the question…

View attachment 4587
Click to expand...
I have that exact model!
Try these:
https://www.quill.com/sangean-hdr-16-am-fm-hd-portable-radio/cbs/52819884.html?effort_code=369
https://www.amazon.com/Sangean-ATS-...5MC/ref=asc_df_B00X15M5MC/?tag=hyprod-20&th=1
The one at the bottom is on my radar!
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sangean...W-LW-Air-Multi-Band-Radio-ATS-909X2/316438334
My current radio has the advantage of using AND recharging Lithium-ion batteries, it's a tank!
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Makita-...less-Job-Site-Radio-Tool-Only-XRM05/306259263
 
Peanut said:
Well, my new radio (kiato 500) only lasted 5 years. Crap! I had just replaced the lithium batter in May, held a charge, no issues (spent money for nothing...)

It was working fine since i put in a new battery. I took it to the bluegrass event weekend before last, listened to it while camping. When I got it home, nothing, nada, zip. Won't turn on, display shows the battery is fully charged but doesn't work on the battery or while plugged in. Doesn't light up, it's just dead...

An emergency radio is a necessity one so i bought the latest version of the same radio. A Kiato ka900. All the same features with bluetooth added and more charging options. Hope this one lasts a decade!

View attachment 115599
Click to expand...
Almost sounds like a plug or connection came loose.
 
Bacpacker said:
Almost sounds like a plug or connection came loose.
Click to expand...
What i think also... the led display is keeping clock time, shows battery charge. IN other words it's low level functions are there and have power. Even the built in flash light works.

But the power button doesn't turn on the unit. The selector switch for operation on battery power or power cord or for hand crank power has no effect. It's stuck in the 'off' setting of the main power switch (on/off).

I ran a series of tests in different modes/settings/functions. It's as if the power switch is broken. Nothing is wrong with supplied power, just the switch to enable power use.
 
Needs an attitude adjustment. Suggest radio meets Mr. Hammer.
 
I have a Kaito 500, but I don't use it anywhere near as much as you guys do. Sounds like it would be a good time to check and make sure everything is working.
 
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