AM FM Shortwave Radiio

[Satori]

since we're talking about short wave

http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/03/radio_communications_for_situa.html

[Wombat]

I've got a Grundig Yacht Boy 400. It does alright, except I don't like the push-button tuning. It is compact, tunes SSB and runs on AA batteries.  For some reason, it won't pick up local FM stations as well as my cheapie alarm clock radio.  I'm in a midwest valley, so reception ain't all that great anyways.

I suspect the hand crank models won't hold up under a lot of cranking use; might be better to buy a radio you like otherwise and convert an inexpensive cordless drill to a crank charger for it.

In general, I'm so busy with work and homestead chores I don't get around to listening to it. Being monolingual doesn't help much either. 

[BlueOwl]

otherwise and convert an inexpensive cordless drill to a crank charger for it.

How do you do that?  Put a handle on the drill bit part, and then hook wires up to the battery hook-ups (w/ the battery not attached)?

[BlueOwl]

Found this explanation:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cordless-Drill-Crank-Charge-Batteries/

Cordless Drill Crank Charge Batteries
Use any cordless drill as a crank charger for batteries! The basic idea is to use the drill as a crank charge generator, and regulate the voltage to charge 1.2-1.5 volt batteries.

I don't hold this as the be all, end all idea, only as a starting point for discussion and development of better ideas. I'm just showing you what I was able to do using the parts mentioned, but I'm pretty happy with the results, especially as we're about to get an ice storm here that will no doubt knock out our power for a bit.

A couple of notes: The trigger MUST be held down for this to work. The drill is in reverse setting and cranked in reverse.

[Wombat]

Blue Owl, I'd just heard about doing that; never tried it.    A permanent magnet DC motor will act as a generator if the armature is spun; need a multimeter to see what kind of voltage/current you could get out of it.

[BlueOwl]

Apparently the trick is to make or utilize a voltage regulator so the batteries fully charge but don't overcharge.  In the video above he used a voltage regulator salvaged out of some cheap solar landscaping lights.

He got 30 minutes of runtime out of a D-cell maglite after charging them for 30 seconds w/ his drill charger.  That's pretty darned good.

[Stug]

Eton FR1000 seems one of the better ones. Most of the Eton/Grundig range seem good but the FR1000 just seems to have more. I just like the 2-way radio option and think it puts this model way above the others.

[NYLongBow]

I look over many of those crank radios. The FR1000 got less than stellar reviews on Amazon. Same for the FR500

I suppose they do have their uses though.

I was looking for something with more range/longevity.

Thinking the 750 might just suit the bill. Its DC, and portable (though not BOB portable).
A friend who knows a bit about radios liked the Etón E1 XM but he's not coming at it from a LATOC perspective :-)

Appreciate all the feedback so far. The 750 is sitting in my cart just waiting for me to get off the fence

[NYLongBow]

Satori,
You could probably do a better radio for 100 without the crank. So many reports of the cranks not lasting anyway. Seems a good solar charger or other charging procedure (the portable drill trick looked fantastic) would do you much much better in the long run.

if you do decide on a portable in that price range, please let us know. I will be looking for 1-2 of those as well.

[BlueOwl]

I really don't like crank-anything.  The batteries they stick in these things, all of them from my experience, are utterly worthless.  It doesn't matter if they're rechargeable if they don't hold a charge.  Before you know it you'll be cranking it 30 seconds for 10 seconds of listening time...if the thing even works at all.

Most batteries have a shelf-life of 5+ years, probably longer in good storage conditions (constant ~50F, dry, dark), and lithiums have a much better shelf-life than that...15 years or more. 

Buy a good radio that uses AA's, then buy a bunch of lithium batteries for it and call it good.  You can use the extra batteries in headlamps, flashlights, gun lights, walkie-talkies, etc.

[Wombat]

I'd be tempted to go to a hamfest and see what I could find if I were in the market again. Something solid state with manual tuning, digital frequency readout and battery operation.

[Capt_Overkill]

I have a Grundig G5.  Got it on clearance recently for well under $100.  I use it for shortwave news and monitoring my HF ham radio frequencies on SSB when I'm not at home.
I've been impressed with it's quality and performance.  I've had sony before with good results.  Eaton and Grundig are pretty much the same animal under a different skin.