# Emergency preparedness radio



## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

I have an Eton Microlink FR160 that I've drug around with me for a few years now. It has American Red Cross labeling and as one would expect is red. It has the following features AM/FM, Weather Band, crank power, USB charging port, small solar charge panel, flashlight and headphone jack. 

Some of the features I think are useful, some not so much. I think the solar charging panel is a bit gimmicky, yet the AM/FM and weather band are things that may come in handy. 

I wonder if I am one of only a few people who carry an emergency preparedness radio in their kit. While it seems like a good idea to me, I'm not sure if this is a common practice among preppers.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

Eton FRX3!! I picked this one up with my air miles points! It has a hand crank, rechargeable batteries, solar, aux, micro usb, usb, headphone jack, dc, Alarm clock, weather alerts, led lightes...etc etc!
Ive used it dozens of times, I like using out hiking. I can get weather updates, charge my phone and play music through the radio from my phone, the charge takes all day, but it works!


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I have a small crank/solar job in my GHB.
It kind of takes a back seat to the 2 meter/440 handset.


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

I'm going to rely on HAM radio first! this is back up


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

Some Old habits just don't get left behind.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

GMRS handsets and I want a good shortwave.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

M118LR said:


> Some Old habits just don't get left behind.
> View attachment 15380


There may not be anyone listening on those frequencies around here, if there is, it may not be someone you want to.


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

Here in the warm, wet, and salty if I need an emergency radio; I'll take my chances that "Big Blue" still responds. If I TX during the proper time frame, there will be so many alarms going off they may come get me just to shut things up. I've got to much invested in "Big Blue" to swap allegiances at my age. JMHO.


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## Butler Ford (Mar 5, 2015)

M118LR said:


> Some Old habits just don't get left behind.
> View attachment 15380


Awesome! I had forgotten about those old things. If you got a good one, it wasn't a bad radio but about half of the ones I met wouldn't transmit out of the cockpit. I found a good one and carried it in the vest for many years.
Thanks for the reminder/memories.

BF


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Solar or hand crank, weather/fm/am, flash light, usb phone charger, blinking emergency light.


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## Butler Ford (Mar 5, 2015)

SOCOM42 said:


> There may not be anyone listening on those frequencies around here, if there is, it may not be someone you want to.


The Guard freq's are probably the most monitored frequencies in the world.

BF


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Seneca said:


> I have an Eton Microlink FR160 that I've drug around with me for a few years now. It has American Red Cross labeling and as one would expect is red. It has the following features AM/FM, Weather Band, crank power, USB charging port, small solar charge panel, flashlight and headphone jack.
> 
> Some of the features I think are useful, some not so much. I think the solar charging panel is a bit gimmicky, yet the AM/FM and weather band are things that may come in handy.
> 
> I wonder if I am one of only a few people who carry an emergency preparedness radio in their kit. While it seems like a good idea to me, I'm not sure if this is a common practice among preppers.


I use my UHF/VHF as my FM and weather band, no am/shortwave.

I have an eton much the same as yours but I don't really travel with it, it is for home, too big/heavy for what it does. It is more of a if power goes out (I have limited off grid power so that means no wind/sun for an extended time for me). It can be used out doors also if out hunting/camping/hiking. If I thought it would be really useful I'd take it but it isn't one of my normal bugout preps, it is one of my bugin preps. I have AM stuff but due to battery weight it is only for mobile not a footbased bugout.


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

Personally I use my Kestrel for immediate information pertaining to my instantaneous Local. Even makes shooting solutions a bit less complicated Will2.


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## cdell (Feb 27, 2014)

What is big blue? I keep a beufeng partable ham radio in my truck.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

cdell said:


> What is big blue? I keep a beufeng partable ham radio in my truck.


Yes what is big blue?
I have a decent short wave that when I set up the antennae can pick up the skip from China and Russia, I don't understand a word they are saying, yet FWIW I can listen in. I often get BBC Europe on it, but that's pretty much BBC anywhere. I have the small Eton AM/FM Weather band for bug out situations so I can listen to emergency broadcasts and weather forecasts.


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## M118LR (Sep 19, 2015)

Seneca said:


> Yes what is big blue?


"Big Blue" can be found behind the 13th button if your a promising split-tail.

For all others: https://www.navy.com/requester.html...on/mkwid/s4xEoEyEC|dc/pcrid/83871894636/pmt/b

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/navy/l/bluniformhist.htm

"THIRTEEN BUTTONS ON TROUSERS--there is no relationship between the 13 buttons on the trousers and the 13 original colonies. Before 1894, the trousers had only seven buttons and in the early 1800's they had 15 buttons. It wasn't until the broadfall front was enlarged that the 13 buttons were added to the uniform and only then to add symmetry of design."


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

The Baofeng UV-5xxx series of ham radio is equipped with FM receiver, and you can program a weather frequency into it.
I picked a 3800ma battery for it that has a built in charging port and comes with a cigarette plug so I can plug it into my 
single panel solar panel. The solar charger can also accommodate my laptop, tablet, cell phone, etc. With its 12 volt output, 
it can also handle my nicad and niMH chargers and the desk charging stand for the Baofeng with its 12volt car plug.


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

I keep this one in my bag. That and I usually have my little Sony mp3 player with me, it has FM radio too. 
.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

paraquack said:


> The Baofeng UV-5xxx series of ham radio is equipped with FM receiver, and you can program a weather frequency into it.
> I picked a 3800ma battery for it that has a built in charging port and comes with a cigarette plug so I can plug it into my
> single panel solar panel. The solar charger can also accommodate my laptop, tablet, cell phone, etc. With its 12 volt output,
> it can also handle my nicad and niMH chargers and the desk charging stand for the Baofeng with its 12volt car plug.


Same for me. I keep the Baofeng in the truck along with a portable solar battery pack.
I have all local PD and WX frequencies programmed in, as well as many nets.
As a backup, I also have the FRS frequencies set up, just in case.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

I brought one of the Eton/Redcross from radio shack on sale. Solar charge did nor work as came with dead battery. Radio reception was so terrible it word not pick up local FM stations. I popped the tip off the antennae and rigged a coat hanger setup , reception is almost as good as a cheap FM now.

If worked as advertised might good to have at home. 

I have an old grundig that has AM/FM/SW/NOAA. It needs AAA bats but works WAY better and small as my wallet.


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## Hemi45 (May 5, 2014)

paraquack said:


> The Baofeng UV-5xxx series of ham radio is equipped with FM receiver, and you can program a weather frequency into it.
> I picked a 3800ma battery for it that has a built in charging port and comes with a cigarette plug so I can plug it into my
> single panel solar panel. The solar charger can also accommodate my laptop, tablet, cell phone, etc. With its 12 volt output,
> it can also handle my nicad and niMH chargers and the desk charging stand for the Baofeng with its 12volt car plug.


I've been toying with the idea of getting something like this but I don't know ANYTHING about them ... how they work, how to use them and maximize their usefulness, what features are desirable, etc.

Can someone point me towards a link or some other primer on this class of radios? It would be much appreciated!


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

We've got a pile of Baofeng UV5R programmed, charged and stashed in vehicles with 12v chargers (2 in each daily driver, 6 in the motor home)
Commercial grade analog/P25 digital VHF/UHF radios, 1 each in each vehicle and one portable.

Lately my wife and I have adopted the AnyTone AT-3318UV-E handhelds as daily carry radios. They're not inexpensive like the Baofengs, but they sport some impressive features and seems to work just fine.









Tri-Band - Transmits 4+ watts on three bands (136-174Mhz, 222-225MHz, 400-520MHz)
Full Duplex - Receives two signals at the same time / Transmit and Receive at the same time
Cross-band repeater function
AM Aircraft Band - Receive AM transmissions 118 - 136 MHz
Shortwave Band - Receive AM transmissions 2.3 - 30 MHz**
Longwave Band - Receive AM transmissions 520 - 1710 kHz**
FM Broadcast Band - Receive FM transmissions 64 - 108 MHz
2-Tone & 5-Tone & MSK encode and decode
Pager Function - radio will function as 2-Tone pager
FHSS - Selects random TX and RX frequency for stealth transmissions
TX on sub-band while main band continues to scan
Can operate VFO mode & Channel mode at the same time
Wide Band & Narrow Band (TX and RX)
2.5 kHz tuning step for splinter frequencies
199 Channels with Alpha Tags
View frequency of Alpha Tags by pressing button
Memory Banks - 10 memory banks, can assign same channel to multiple banks
Memory Banks - assign any or all banks as "active"
Memory Banks - add or remove active banks by quick key-press
Squelch mode programmable for each channel (Carrier / CTCSS / DCS / etc)
Squelch level programmable for each channel
Change squelch level on the fly
Squelch tail elimination
Stun / Kill feature
Dual / Single PTT - can program single or dual PTT buttons
CTCSS that really works - when scanning channels, radio will stop ONLY when CTCSS tone is present
VFO Scanning - frequency limits can be set for both VHF & UHF
Channel Scanning - scanned channels can be ADDED or REMOVED via the keypad
Channel Scanning - resumes scanning after off/on cycle
Channel Scanning - has Normal & Fast scanning rate
Frequency Reverse button - exchanges TX & RX frequencies
Talk Around button - sets TX frequency to repeater's output frequency
Adjustable VOX - both level & delay - no other Chinese radio has this feature
Programmable by computer
EASY to manually program
Has no voice prompts
Keypad totally lockable to meet FCC Part 90 requirements


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