Roadie wrote:

On Mar 3, 12:11 pm, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:

Roadie wrote:

A radio that uses a built-in generator would be much easier to carry
around and keep charged up than your other alternatives. AM, FM and
weather channel coverage is far far more imprtant than shortwave in an
emergency radio.

Only in the U.S.

Geoff.


Do you honestly think that hams will be of any use for providing
emergency or weather information in an emergency? They haven't yet.
And what possible value could there for the victims of a hurricane to
be able to hear BBC or any other international broadcaster on
shortwave. The original poster would be much better off listening to
local MW and FM broadcasts as was done in New Orleans.


Really a good assertion as shortwave is too long distance to really
matter for the most part. So you are pretty much left with AM locally
within 200 miles and then FM in a 75-100 mile radius. For the average
person, unless you are a ham operator you won't be able to find out
certain things. Not to mention cell phone coverage will be spotty in any
disaster area. Ask the people in New Orleans. Most cell towers will rely
on mains power so you're pretty much out of luck. If you can afford the
equipment, a satellite phone would be a good thing to have. At least for
getting your information to loved ones etc.

Another problem I see here is the lack of power and being able to even
hear hams on their bands. Anything such as Baygen or windup radios only
operate AM modulation and the AM/FM/SW bands but not SSB. I wish that
someone would come up with a crank type of radio capable of SSB and
digital readout with a BFO. It would be interesting to see a
manufacturer make some version of an Sangean ATS-818 or something
similar with SSB and capable of being wound up.

The other option you might have is to keep some solar chargers around
with NiMh batteries. Wind generators might be an option as well for
battery recharging as well as solar panels. But in a direct disaster
such as a hurricane or tornado you can say bye-bye to solar, towers, and
wind. It will be a mess in that instance.

Antoher plan would be to put together a wind generator system on your
own out of various components and then being able to erect that in an
emergency. Again that will be out of the reach of most people due to
property restrictions, CCRs, and other zoning stuff.