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Portable shortwave radio is a good idea and doesn't really need to be crank-powered. These things sip power and can last a couple weeks of moderate daily usage
by exitb 4y ago
Portable shortwave radio is a good idea and doesn't really need to be crank-powered. These things sip power and can last a couple weeks of moderate daily usage on a single set of batteries. A box of double-A batteries (which you should have anyway) can last you months.
A good receiver with a bit of antenna can easily give you access to radio stations thousands of kilometers away, as well as amateur radio operators.
- LinuxBender 4y agoAdding to this there are portable shortwave radios that also play mp3/wav files. Most are not great quality but useful if that's all one has. I have one in front of me made by XHDATA. D-328
- tpmx 4y agoSmall shortwave radios with built-in antennas are next to unusable in urban/semi-urban areas these days, unless there also is power outage shutting down all of those local emitters of RF noise. Witnessed that last winter when we had a six hour power outage - the SW/MW radio could suddenly receive quite a few broadcasts again. And then you realize that these days mostly China and some american religious organizations invest heavily in shortwave broadcasts.
- tpmx 4y agoI should add that it was possible to find the BBC WS on medium wave, iirc. During the power outage, that is. Not before or after. Location: Southern Sweden
- mod 4y agoA small solar charger designed for camping (charging phones) might make this pretty self-sufficient.