Etón FR160B Microlink Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (Black)
by Grundig / Eton
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List Price: Our Price: $29.12 You Save: $10.88 (27%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Etón FR160B Microlink Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (Black)
Customer Review: Just what I was looking for
Summary: 5 Stars
Just what I was looking for, a small compact radio to take along camping and leave laying around in case of emergency. The weather bands will be usefull in both cases.
Note that there is no AC charger for it, and the batteries are not replaceable - the power comes from solar charger or hand crank. It's about the height & width of a soda can, maybe 1/2 the thickness, and light enough to toss into your backpack and not really notice.
I hooked it up to my Blackberry Storm (9530) using the USB cord and found that charging was quite easy, no problem keeping a constant charge. However the "15 min for a 1 min call" that the manual states means you'd probably only do this in the most extreme emergencies. However, in an emergency a 1 min call may save your life.
Sound quality was surprisingly better than I expected for such a small radio, a couple coworkers felt the same way. I haven't put the battery life to a serious test yet, but I cranked it for maybe 1 min and left it on for over an hour - and played with the light a couple times during that hour. It still plays load and clear. Reception works fine too, even the AM band works better in the middle of our office building than most of the higher quality radios around here. (Note: if you're looking for a great AM desk top radio, I'm very pleased with the Sangean WR-2).
The biggest con for me is that there is no water proofing, doubt it's even a little water resistant. Things tend to get left out over night when camping, or damp in a backpack when it rains, so care will have to be used to be sure it's kept dry.
All in all, I'm quite happy with my purchase.
Customer Review: For emergencies only.
Summary: 2 Stars
Take the description "emergency radio" to heart, as this should really be used in case of an emergency. The primary problem with this radio is reception. The width of the tuning dial is miniscule, which means that all the stations are virtually on top of each other. When scanning FM stations where the stations are densely packed together, such as in the 80s and lower 90s in New York City, where there will be five stations for every whole number on the dial (i.e., stations at 90.1, 90.3, 90.5, etc.), the radio will inevitably skip over certain stations because there is not enough space on the dial to properly tune in to them.
One should also be aware that the only power sources are the solar panel and the crank. There is no battery compartment. The solar panel seems to work to some extent, although the radio will not hold much of a charge from the solar panel, so if you want to use it at night you're going to have to crank it. Sometimes you will even need to crank it during the day if you listen to it for extended periods of time.
The sound is not bad for such a small unit. Much better than our Trutech clock/radio/cd player. However, the sound is not as good as larger portables.
Overall, this radio is very small, very cute, and would be good for traveling or camping. Not good as your primary radio for any extended period of time because you will be doing a lot of cranking. Also, if you live in an area where the FM stations are densely packed together, and you're interested in being able to pick all of them up, I would recommend something else.
Customer Review: Great addition to emergency kit
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this product to add into my emergency kit. I initially tinkered with it when I first received it. In light of recent evacuations in Hawaii, I decided to give this device a full night trial run. So we shut off the power to the house leaving us fully in the dark. We were able to listen to AM broadcast of our local favorite hockey team for 60 minutes (we were not using the light) after the initial cracking (didn't get to do a max time run as the fiance wanted lights back on...).
Stations are a little hard to fine tune on an analog dial (I know lost my touch with all my other radios being digital), however with a steady hand we were able to get what we wanted. I figure in a true emergency, I doubt I'd care which radio station I was listening to. The light is sufficient, as in better than cell phone but not replacing a decent flashlight. However should I have the choice of grabbing only this radio or a stand alone flashlight, well the radio wins.
As for the ability to cope with the weather, the usb charge port and on/off light switch are rubber. I can't speak for the speaker(pun intended) or the radio dials ability to deal with water.
Final judgment: Will be purchasing additional units to place in small car kits.
Customer Review: Well built for the price
Summary: 5 Stars
I honestly didn't know what to expect with this little radio. When I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised at both its compact size (great for bug out bags) as well as the sturdy feel. After maybe 10 cranks, both the flashlight AND radio worked. I was able to play the radio (on just those 10 cranks) for the half minute or so that I kept it on. It didn't die out before I turned it off. Also, the crank itself is very quiet. I have another flashlight, a smaller one, that makes 5 times the noise when being cranked.
It does indeed have a solar panel, neatly folded when not in use. I didn't get to test that, but I'm sure someone else will. There is a telescoping antennae that really helps the reception. Radio came in loud and clear, as did the weather channel I listened to.
Most crank radio/flashlight combos have a problem where the tuner dial is loose, and makes it hard to get a particular station. This one was tight enough to roll only as far as you want it to go. It was all in all a fabulous buy for under $30.
Kudos for a great handy item!
Customer Review: Excellent Item for Travel, Backpacking, Camping, Etc
Summary: 5 Stars
This is truly a phenomenal product. Everything works as described, including the cell phone charging which can be quite a boon when going away from electricity - abroad, to other countries, or hiking/camping/backpacking.
The light - powerful halogen type LEDs that power the device, as strong as a good bike light. Battery can be charged via solar or hand crank. Three to five minutes of hand crank has given me over two hours of battery life, and still no sign of dying battery. That's quite a great find for people who need a flashlight all the time like I do.
The radio - a bit weak with the speakers, but works. Includes a weather band. A bit of a blah item, especially since the dials pop off all the time.
The charger - Great little device. Can charge all your Apple iPod products, including bluetooth headsets, and your iPhone. A big reason I waited for the next gen Eton charger was for the iPhone charging...really great and works well. Charge your iPhone, iPhone 3G (and probably the new 3GS).
Well worth $30