I have one of these and it does ok. I like the fact that it will also charge usb devices such as a cell phone. http://www.amazon.com/Kaito-KA600-Digital-Emergency-Real-time/dp/B005OZJYZS/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1394131462&sr=8-18&keywords=wind+up+radio
While I am mildly interested in HAM, it's not something I can get into right now. Way too many other hobbies. My interest really lies in just being able to have one more tool with which to receive any sort of news.
Most shortwave radios receive AM and maybe FM, but If you are interested in Ham radio,
you might want to get a radio that receives SSB also. Almost all ham on the shortwave
bands are SSB, or it might call it LSB and USB.
That way you could listen in on the ham chatter and others also.
I use a Sony SW7600 for travel, it works decent with a short antenna.
Here are some reviews.
http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/8
you might want to get a radio that receives SSB also. Almost all ham on the shortwave
bands are SSB, or it might call it LSB and USB.
That way you could listen in on the ham chatter and others also.
I use a Sony SW7600 for travel, it works decent with a short antenna.
Here are some reviews.
http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/8
Mr Johnson,
Please understand RJZ'S radio sugestion is a kit...you have to put it together.
Not saying you can't do it if your good with a soldering iron and know how to read schematics.
Please understand RJZ'S radio sugestion is a kit...you have to put it together.
Not saying you can't do it if your good with a soldering iron and know how to read schematics.
Don't forget this is posted in the prepping section. To me, that predicates its use as an item we would find of use in our SHTF situations. We don't know what conditions will be in a worst case situation, but it pays to prepare for the worst. To me, that means that if I am wanting a receiver in my kit, it must be as capable as possible. There may well be no radio traffic at all in the commercial spectrum, and we may be depending on information from hams around the world. In that case, I need a radio that is capable of picking up broadcasts in SSB or single side band mode that most hams use today on HF radio. Lots of shortwave receivers neglect this feature, so in looking at what is available, that is a must in my opinion. Here is one such receiver http://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICF-SW76...8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1394218021&sr=1-8
Not the cheapest radio out there, but would give you a much better chance of getting useful info. Here is another and maybe a better radio. http://www.amazon.com/Grundig-Globe...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1394218735&sr=1-27
Both of these use 4 AA size batteries and I would recommend a couple of sets of rechargeable batteries and a solar charger to go with it. Do a bing or google search and be sure to look for SSB capability on the receivers. I hope this helps some.
Not the cheapest radio out there, but would give you a much better chance of getting useful info. Here is another and maybe a better radio. http://www.amazon.com/Grundig-Globe...?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1394218735&sr=1-27
Both of these use 4 AA size batteries and I would recommend a couple of sets of rechargeable batteries and a solar charger to go with it. Do a bing or google search and be sure to look for SSB capability on the receivers. I hope this helps some.
There just isn't as much shortwave broadcasting as there used to be. Ever since the internet became commonplace many countries and operators have either greatly limited or shut down their shortwave operations.
Yeah, I'm showing my age. I'm in my mid-50's, I hold an extra class ham radio license, and I have some short wave radios from the 1980's and 1990's.
Don't let my remarks discourage you, there is still some good shortwave, but it's not as much as it used to be.
To answer your question, look for Grundig, excellent quality radio. You can even find really good used ones on EBAY. Sony is also good.
I'm looking at some a solar panel or two, plus a couple of storage deep cycle/RV batteries, etc, to operate my radio station.
It's a great hobby, glad to hear you are interested in it. Good luck to you.
Gene
Yeah, I'm showing my age. I'm in my mid-50's, I hold an extra class ham radio license, and I have some short wave radios from the 1980's and 1990's.
Don't let my remarks discourage you, there is still some good shortwave, but it's not as much as it used to be.
To answer your question, look for Grundig, excellent quality radio. You can even find really good used ones on EBAY. Sony is also good.
I'm looking at some a solar panel or two, plus a couple of storage deep cycle/RV batteries, etc, to operate my radio station.
It's a great hobby, glad to hear you are interested in it. Good luck to you.
Gene
If you are like me Gene, you still have some tube type equipment on the shelf. If we ever have the misfortune to experience an EMP blast, the old tube stuff will probably be the only thing left working. Powering the old tube stuff if the power grid is gone will be a challenge in itself. I have some permanent magnet alternators stashed away to use with wind, water, or steam power if I find myself surviving in that world. I'm an older guy and one of the books and movies that had an impact on me was "On the Beach" by Nevil Shute. a truly post-apocalyptic novel. Scared the stuffin' out of me as a kid, I think I was about 10 years old when it came out. I used to work the field day exercises, have done wind and solar power as well as generators. I still have my portable antennas and masts and can get on the air within an hour if need be. I'm way too old to climb towers and trees anymore, and don't have the upper body strength that I used to either. What's between the ears still works after a fashion and that lets me work around some of the handicaps of age. I have a pretty massive collection of vacuum tubes, mostly of the receive type, but I do still have an assortment of transmitter power tubes that would let me get on the air if needed. I would greatly miss the internet, and would be among the first to try to cobble together a wifi net if there was any solid state stuff still viable after that event. I worked Radar in the USAF, and terrestrial microwave and land mobile in the civilian world. I've built and repaired a lot of radio equipment over the years and it is very difficult to find parts and pieces any more. All the good surplus electronics places have dried up. I still hit Tanner Electronics for small parts when I go to the Dallas area, and hamfests are about the only good source for RF stuff anymore.
Here is a link to an excellent receiver for the HF bands, it is a kenwood R1000. It covers from 1.5 to 30 MHZ so wouldn't be good for the AM broadcast band or the FM radio band. This one can be operated portable and is about as good as it gets for an HF receiver.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kenwood-R-1...pt=US_Ham_Radio_Receivers&hash=item20e0be2db6
These normally go from $220 to $300
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kenwood-R-1...pt=US_Ham_Radio_Receivers&hash=item20e0be2db6
These normally go from $220 to $300
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