[at-l] Radios: Hand cranked and others

[nealb at midlandstech.edu (William Neal)]

I got curious and went looking for "shortwave radios hand cranked".  The
first site was great.  It had lots of radios.  Some hand cranked (see PS).
Some battery powered.  And some with multiple choices for power.  Sizes
vary.  

This site also has other radios that are not "hand-crankable".  Just plain
old battery powered.  Some apparently are solar powered, and there appears
to be a solar panel you can use to plug into the radio (and maybe other
things) that will power any ordinary radio.  Just remember to make sure the
sun is on. ;-)

The site is named "Survival Unlimited".  A division or Picou Builders
Supply, Picou Builders Supply Co. Inc., 235 N. Airline Hwy, Gonzales, La.
70737. Phone# 225-647-2171, Fax# 225-647-7899, Toll Free# 1-800-455-2201
(Within the Continental US).  The web site says that Picou has been doing
business for over 45 years.  Net Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Central
Time.

It has lots of "neat" stuff.  Basically survival oriented, but useful for
possible camping or home use.  I have not done an in depth surf, but I like
what I saw.

The address below leads directly to the radio page, but it links to other
"survival" items.

http://www.survivalunlimited.com/radio.htm

I recommend hand cranks to people who go into deep woods for long journey IF
they have to have a radio.  You can leave the batteries at home, or if they
take rechargeables, you can recharge your radio or take the batteries out
and use them in other items you may carry or use. (See P2S).  And I
recommend multi-bands.  Not all multi-bands can access weather stations, but
many can.  Plus you can listen to AM, FM, Shortwave, Taxis, Airplanes, etc.
It all depends on the range of refrequncies they include on the radi.  

Note: This is not the only site I found, but I really like it.  But you can
probably find similar items at some Radio Shacks and other gadget or
electronic stores.  Only mail-order or e-order places probably will give you
more choices. 

William, The Soggy Turtle (See P3S)

PS	Hand cranking means what it says.  Cranking for a short while
usually powers ups the radio (don't ask me how).  I have never seen one
where you have to keep cranking and cranking and... to keep the radio on.  I
have seen flashlights that will quit once you stop cranking, but I don't
remember any radios like that.  Mostly the cranking builds up a "charge" and
gives you some listening time.  I remember one radio I saw in a camping or
military surplus catalog that said 5 minutes of cranking would produce 1 hr.
of listening time.  Most that I have seen are combos: Hand cranking and
battery.  Some come with the cords so you can plug into a wall socket.  Some
have the ability to recharge batteries (NiCa and other rechargeable
batteries).  

P2S	One hiker I met lives in Maine.  He is a 60s type person and lives
or lived in a house with no electricity.  But he did have a car in the yard.
The engine would run, but not the car. (I wonder if he was originally from
the South? ;-0 ).  He would run the car to charge up the battery, and then
he would take the battery out and use it to run a radio and a light.  Maybe
something else.

P3S	I'm not soggy because I am a Turtle.  I'm soggy because my apt. is
flooded.  It happened Tuesday and my Wally-world hikers are still drying
out. :-<