Kaito Electronics, Inc. Portable Dynamo & Solar-Powered Radio and Cell Phone Charger
by Kaito Electronics, Inc.
List Price:
Our Price: $49.99
You Save: $30.00 (38%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $47.50 (click here)
Category: CE
See more product details
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Kaito Electronics, Inc.Model: KA500
Color: GREEN
Product features:
- Emergency radio/phone charger
- Operates from any one of four different power sources
- Compact, portable design
- Uses 3 AN batteries or adapter
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Kaito Electronics, Inc. Portable Dynamo & Solar-Powered Radio and Cell Phone Charger
Customer Review: KAITO KA500 VERY VERSATILE
Summary: 5 Stars
KAITO KA500 VERY VERSATILE
If considering the Kaito KA500, you want a highly portable radio that does it all. I did. I wanted a radio with versatility in (a) sources of power input and (b) radio signals received.
Public radio served me well weathering Hurricane Katrina's aftermath with a plain boom box. But what if things get dicier? My solution was to put together a disaster/camping/survival pack. And I needed a radio.
I settled in on the Kaito KA500, because nothing else came so close to providing abundant sources of power and station signals. Internet searchings I did indicated sales to military, a good sign. I bought one with the optional antenna you reel out for 23 feet. Here's what I found.
FEATURES
1. Multiple sources of power: It's powered by 3 AA batteries you buy, or crank to charge the built-in Ni-MH battery pack, or use solar panel on back with tilting hinge for charging the battery pack, or connect computer USB to charge the battery pack, or use the AC adaptor to charge the battery pack.
2. Multiple sources of signals: AM, FM, all 7 NOAA weather channels on crystal (NOT analog knob) tuning, SW1, and SW2.
3. Bonus features beyond these basics: White LED flashlight, red flashing LED emergency signal light, 5-LED reading light built into the reverse side of the solar charging cells so it tilts up and down to adjust, and ear bud earphones. These LED light features are powered as is the radio, so they can work with multiple sources of power with no filament bulbs to burn out. The KA500 also includes a USB output jack with wire that fits onto five different cellphone and personal electronic devices to charge them, and all these items come with the unit.
4. Optional features: Long 23 foot antenna you can string out and clamp to the stick-up antenna that reels back into a closed spool 3 inches in diameter, AC adaptor, USB cable for charging the KA500.
EVALUATIVE REVIEW OF FEATURES
1. Sources of power
a. Before putting in any bought batteries, I cranked the radio up for about a minute, and the small light on the front said it was fully charged. It ran for 10-15 minutes without any problems receiving an FM station before I put in the store-bought batteries.
b. The store-bought batteries worked fine.
c. I have not yet used the solar charger, nor ordered the optional AC charger, nor ordered the optional USB charger that charges the battery pack. I have no reason to believe any of these would not work, as everything else has worked.
2. Sources of radio signal
a. FM signals came in fine. The output is mono but quite acceptable.
b. AM signals also came in fine, the usual many signals.
c. SW bands pulled in a lot of stations, somewhat more clearly than AM (I did this testing at night). I got perhaps half foreign language stations, mostly Spanish.
d. NOAA weather was great in another city, mediocre but intelligible here on the Gulf Coast. A separate knob is devoted solely receiving just the seven weather stations, which are received digitally using crystals.
3. Tuning and sound
a. The tuning knob worked fine, as did all other controls.
b. Sound quality was OK When MPB public radio played some vintage Earl Skruggs it was pleasant over the small built in speaker. The earphones actually added some bass. I count decent sound as a bonus, as I did not buy the KA500 for excellence of sound quality. I bought it for getting any intelligible signal under duress.
4. Bonus features
a. The LED flashlight does what one LED does, the same as the one on my keychain and 1/3 as bright as the three on my cap clip-on light.
b. The red flashing LED worked well. It is likely visible for an unobstructed mile or more, probably farther over water.
c. The reading lamp is a real jewel. I turned off all my lights and tried to read. Reading was easy, so this radio can also be a good tent light, has a strap up top.
d. The long antenna boosted reception a bit, not greatly. It improved marginal signals.
CONCLUSION
The Kaito KA500 gives me amazingly versatile sources of power and radio signals for its price. The bonus features make it real bargain. If you want an emergency portable radio of modest price, the best chance of powering up under duress, the widest variety of signals of practical use in a disaster/camping/survival situation, plus a bunch of bonus features, I'd say the KA500 is your best bet by far.
HINTS
1. Keep the bubble wrap the radio comes in and tape the flap shut with duct tape for protection in your pack. Put it in a gallon glad bag and you're set.
2. If preparing for emergencies, online resources offer a lot. I liked:
a. Doug Ritter's many recommendations and supplies. He has set up a foundation "Equipped to Survive" and truly has his heart into survival oriented outdoor gear. You can even download his survival sheet free on that foundation website. You can also spend about a half hour reading the details about his Pocket Survival Pak, which I bought on Amazon. You can spend another half hour reading why he included the items he did in the pak and how he selected his survival instructions. You gotta love this guy.
b. Good survival manuals sold by Amazon, Wiseman's usually topping rankings.
More Kaito Electronics, Inc. Portable Dynamo & Solar-Powered Radio and Cell Phone Charger reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Description of Kaito Electronics, Inc. Portable Dynamo & Solar-Powered Radio and Cell Phone Charger
Engineered to operate from any one of four different power sources (including handcrank and solar!) this emergency radio/super-bright lantern/cell phone charger is a trusted support tool for your emergency supply cabinet. Compact, portable design makes it great for travel and outdoor activities too. Optional use - 3 AA batteries or AC adapter (not incl.). ? AM/FM/SW1/SW2 ? 7 band NOAA weather radio ? Self-activating for NOAA alerts ? Bright LED reading lamp on back of solar panel ? LED flashlight on side turns into flashing red SOS for emergencies ? USB port (cable not included) for charging cell phone and iPodŽ ? Headphone jackDigital Cameras & Photo Categories
Similar Digital Cameras & Photo Products
Kaito Electronics Inc. KA500BLU Voyager Emergency Radio- BlueKaito Electronics Inc.; Kaito; Kaito Electronics Inc.; Electronics; Car Audio or Theater
Best price: $44.75
Price in other shops:
Emergency Fire StarterSE; Tools
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops:
100 Hour Plus Emergency Candle Clear MistEmergency Essentials; Emergency Essentials; Emergency Essentials; Kitchen; Home
Best price: $4.50
Sangean ANT-60 Short Wave AntennaSangean; CE
Best price: $17.95
Kaito Electronics Inc. KA500RED Voyager Emergency Radio- RedKaito Electronics Inc.; CE
Best price: $44.10
Price in other shops:
Kaito Radio antenna, T1Kaito; Kaito; Kaito; Electronics; Home Theater
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops:
Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 Digital Solar/ Dynamo AM/ FM/ LW/ SW & NOAA Weather Emergency Radio with Alert & RDS, BlackKaito; CE
Best price: $79.95
Price in other shops:
Kaito Electronics Inc. KA500BLK Voyager Solar/ Dynamo Emergency Radio - BlackKaito Electronics Inc.; Kaito; Kaito Electronics Inc.; Electronics; Musical Instruments
Best price: $43.50
Price in other shops:
Kaito Voyager KA500 Solar/ Crank Emergency AM/ FM/ SW NOAA Weather Radio, CamouflageKaito; CE
Best price: $45.99
Price in other shops:
Kaito Electronics Inc. AD500 AC Adapter for Kaito Voyager KA500 series RadiosKaito Electronics Inc.; CE
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops: