I have an FR-200 and have been happy with it. My expectations were
admittedly low, but the radio exceeded them by a good bit. Reception is on
all bands is much better than I would have expected for the price. Since
the shortwave coverage is fairly wide, and split into just two scales,
tuning it takes a little practice. You'll get the hang of it, though.

The FR-200's generator and rechargeable battery work well, and battery life
from conventional alkaline AA cells is good, too. I've used it an hour or
two daily for over a year, alternating between the two power sources, and
have yet to change the disposable batteries. The built-in light could be
handy, but keep in mind it will drain the batteries more rapidly than the
radio does.

The only alternative I can think of that is similar in price, and meets your
criteria, is Kaito's KA007. Its shortwave coverage is not quite as wide,
and has no built-in light. It does include weather band, however, and also
has a solar panel for recharging. I've never tried one out, so I can't say
how well it works. I'd say go for the Grundig. Sounds like it would serve
you well.

Hope this helps.



"Tony Adams" wrote in message
...
Greetings,
I'm in the market for something like the Grundig FR200. My initial need
is for something to take this summer on an extended camping trip. I
definitely want something that does not rely on batteries, and the
addition of a light is a nice bonus.

I did find positive opinions of this unit on this newsgroup via Google's
archive. If you have one or chose an alternative, I'm wondering a few
things:

If you got something else to serve a similar purpose, are you happy with
your choice? What did you get?

If you've been using the Grundig FR200, has it met your expectations?

Is there something else I should be considering? I like to spend
something around the price of the Grundig ($40?) or less. Size and
weight are issues of course, as is reliability in the field and the
above-mentioned battery free operation.

Thanks