Best weather radios according to redditors
We found 216 Reddit comments discussing the best weather radios. We ranked the 71 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 216 Reddit comments discussing the best weather radios. We ranked the 71 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
![[Upgraded Version] RunningSnail Emergency Hand Crank Self Powered AM/FM NOAA Solar Weather Radio with LED Flashlight, 1000mAh Power Bank for iPhone/Smart Phone](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41oJnl7-+6L.jpg)
I have been posting this in relevant places to people I think might take it into consideration (and this seems like a relevant comment chain):
You can disaster/survival prep very quickly. Buy a water filtration system (I prefer the Platypus brand gravity filter) and at least a couple spare filters. Alternatively, you can purify water with bleach (info here). Buy at least 2 weeks of canned food that you won't touch for at least a few days after the event (unless you plan to be moving), and eat all perishables first. Dry beans and rice are better for your calorie/weight ratio. Buy a gun and a decent amount of ammo and get familiar with using it safely. You should have a decent first aid kit, with a focus on antiseptics and sterile bandages. Also, a hand crank or solar battery charger, which can be found for around $20 combined with a flashlight and radio. Bam!, you're now better prepped than 95+% of the population.
Some other additional items: MEDICATION RESERVES (if possible to acquire), flashlights, hunting knife, rope/twine/parachute cord, tarp, Bic lighters, padlocks & chains, enough gas to drive to a location you believe would be safe, road atlas, hiking backpack. US Air Force Survival Manual for reading
I recognize this kind of preparation is a touchy subject, but in this day and age, I would encourage you to look at the world around us and maybe see that we could be in a more precarious position than we would like, with only a natural disaster or something worse standing between civil society and relative chaos. I would hope that we would never come to a point in which gear like this might be necessary, but it is better to build dikes than just to pray for sunshine.
*This is a simplified, but relatively comprehensive survival prep guide for everything from natural disasters to total societal meltdown. I would encourage everyone to do at least some of it. The Boy Scout motto simply says "Be prepared". It doesn't say what to be prepared for.
**If you do choose to become a gunowner, I seriously cannot overstate the importance of taking a class or training with someone experienced that you trust. I would be happy to discuss guns (or any part of this guide) further if someone wants more advice on those.
Hi, I run a business called ShakeproofLA and what I do is set people up to get ready for The Big One.
To set the stage, you have to understand that Los Angeles has, historically, had a major earthquake every 100 years, but right now we haven't a big one since 1857 when a 7.9 struck Fort Tejon.
So, add that extra 60 years to the amount of tectonic pressure that will be released when it finally does happen.
Now, what I'm going to say will scare the shit out of people, but here it is: When the next major quake hits LA it will be a major, major catastrophe. Thousands of people will die and the damage will be counted in the tens, if not hundreds of billions of dollars.
The water mains will break. The highways will crumble. The gas lines will erupt and fires will break out all over the place. It's estimated, worst case scenario, that 1/3 of the city will burn down, partially due to the broken water mains. If the earthquake is during a heatwave, those problems will be compounded.
The dust and smoke and pollutants (asbestos, etc) thrown up by the quake will cause further health problems down the line as well.
Downtown, all the glass in the buildings will break and fall. Except glass doesn't fall straight down, it floats down like a leaf, meaning that it will be thousands of razor blades slicing across the street. The fire department thinks there will be up to 10 feet of broken glass in the streets afterwards. Moreover, some 1/3 of the buildings in downtown could collapse, including many of the skyscrapers which were build using flawed construction techniques, during the 60's and 70's and 80's. Many of those same buildings are packed with asbestos, much like the World Trade center.
Scary AF, right? Well, I have a motto: "It's absolutely going to happen, so don't worry." All you can do it get prepared.
As the freeways will be out, there's basically going to be no leaving town. More likely than not, you will have to shelter in place. That being the case, you will need supplies.
Here's a list of ABSOLUTE NECESSITIES for you to have on hand. It's only a few hundred bucks and it very well could be the difference between life and death.
What I have listed are only suggestions and I'm not endorsing any particular brand over another. If you find something that does the same job for cheaper, great.
Food
Have at least 2 weeks supply of food above and beyond what is kept in the freezer and/or pantry. Below are some options, but feel free to search around and find the best price/amount for you and your family
Food Option 1
Food Option 2
Food Option 3
Radios
Emergency Radios are a must-have and the wind-up type, with a flashlight cover multiple bases at once.
Radio Option 1
Radio Option 2
Water
These jugs are available at any local Home Depot and will last for 5 years in storage. Do not store on concrete floors at it will leech, instead store on wood, cardboard or carpet only. You want one jug per person per week. Additionally, if you have a hot water heater, wait until it cools and use that. Be aware that the first water that comes out will be mostly mineral silt, so be sure to run it through a coffee filter.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/5-Gal-Water-No-Exchange-Initial-Purchase-5GALIP2/205227468
The Lifestraw allows you to drink any gross water you find.
Lifestraw
If you have an outdoor grill, great. That's your cooking platform. Make sure you have extra propane. If not, get a camp stove.
Camp Stove 1
Propane -
To be sourced locally.
Honey Buckets
You're going to need a place to poop, right? Get a honey bucket, or get hepatitis. Your choice.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079GFLVLM/ref=twister_B079C4GN4M?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/LEAKTITE-B5GSKD-5GAL-Black-Plastic/dp/B000VBW17S/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1529963064&sr=8-3&keywords=5+gallon+bucket
https://www.amazon.com/Besli-Gallon-DrawString-Strong-Garbage/dp/B075ST2KJ9/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1529963592&sr=1-4&keywords=5%2Bgallon%2Bgarbage%2Bbags&th=1
First Aid Kit
DUST MASKS
I can't emphasize enough for people to buy these. N95 is the standard you want, as it will filter most pollutants. Buy these and don't get mesothelioma later in life.
Towelettes
Power Station
And the list continues. Have a car kit ready, consisting of water (I like VOSS water, as it's in glass, a couple Clif bars, a hat, sunblock, and old pair of walking sneakers and a space blanket. And dust masks. Don't forget those.
Fill out a FEMA Emergency Plan. and you'll really know where to go and who to contact in an emergency.
And that's the basics. Two weeks of survival supplies and FEMA will be on the scene, hopefully and roads will be open enough to get out of dodge.
Another good idea is to strap your furniture and TV to the walls, into the studs. I'd provide a guide, but that's my job, y'all.
https://www.amazon.com/Emergency-Portable-Flashlight-Household-Survival/dp/B0774RRYZP
Emergency Weather Solar Crank AM/FM NOAA Radio with ...
Here is the list of gear. It is meant for both myself and my wife, so I doubled up in some places. (Links where I have them)
Total Combined weight 27.4969375 Lbs (assuming my measurements are correct, couldn't get a good read on the tent so I had to use manufacturer info)
Stuff I don't have yet, but which I plan to include as I get them:
I like the Morakniv and firesteel ideas, and also:
Bueno bonito y barato... https://www.amazon.com.mx/Midland-WR120EZ-Weather-Certified-Trilingual/dp/B00176T9OY
This will suck as a spinner.
It will not spin freely as it will have a DC motor instead of a bearing, meaning that the only way for it to spin is if you push it constantly.
A way better alternative is a hand crank emergency device like this https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Version-RunningSnail-Emergency-Flashlight/dp/B01MFCFKG5/ these things work (not tried that model but you get me) you convert your energy into electrical energy. simple shit.
You can't convert fidget spinning into electrical energy as fidget spinners are just frictionless bearings with some plastic wrapped round.
There are some very small radios that use 2xAAA. Hand crank doesn't save you anything.
The FM radio built into your phone is handy in a pinch but can't pick up weatherband and that is what you really want. Coincidentally I have been looking into radios lately.
The Retekess PR15 is the lightest option I could find at 68 grams.
Everything else comes in around 115 grams but there are some more trustworthy big names here:
Some of the more expensive models have automatic alerts. This will be a constant drain on the battery but could be pretty important if you are in an area with a flash flood risk.
Some other important points:
I mean, it was literally the first option that came up. There are better options with really good reviews for about $20-30, like this guy with a radio, flashlight, solar panel and 2000mAh battery. I'm okay with a little work for a 90-95% cost savings...
I'd think just a small am/fm/weather radio with batteries would last a week, especially if using headphone:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K33JX5G
>What do you guys recommend for a lantern?
Redundancy:
I've discovered camping is the perfect time to test out lots of your preps. You don't know how useful this stuff is until it's pitch black and trying to fry up some burgers and also mix your girlfriend a margarita and multi-tasking. I've found some things awesome (headlamp) and some things just impractical this way. It's made me remove and add stuff to my BOB. I highly recommend taking your BOB and other prep gear camping and trying it out for real.
Going by amazon.com reviews is almost always a good idea in my experience. Whatever battery lantern has 4.5 or 5 stars and 150 reviews is almost always a good pick. Buy spare batteries too!
Q2: Do you have a tub?
I think the main thing here is you want >72 hours of spare water already without doing anything fancy. You should have some water ready without having to filter anything. If your faucet turns off, you're not going to go start filtering ocean water. The sidebar has info about requirements, suggesting 2 gallons of water per person per day, and 5 per if it includes hygienic purposes.
Chances are you'll way more often deal with not having water for a couple of days rather than not having water ever again. If you can't go a few days without water comfortably, you should focus on that. Get something to store water and fill them. Buy a few packs of bottled water and keep it in the closet. Get that waterBOB. Have at least 72 hours worth for your family just directly from stocks. After you've got that done, then maybe consider "long term solutions"... but arguably you've probably got a lot of other stuff you should take care of before that, like extra beans and rice and cans of food.
I don't think there's any easy way to handle ocean => potable. Here's the thing. Let's say you'd benefit from something like that. That means you have no more water? Your city is completely water-free, as in everyone is trying to get water? Shit will get hellish. What are you going to do, go to the ocean, grab a few buckets of water and take it home? Either you've got a stealthy way of getting a lot of salt water to your house (live near the ocean?) or you are going to be noticed and people will start begging you for water for their grandmother, infant, etc. Get ready to have families lining up on your door step, begging for your help, fighting over half cups of water.
My point is, if you're prepping for never having water running again, you've got a lot more to handle and it'd be absolute chaos. It'd be better to make sure you can go 2 weeks safely at home without food and water, and if you've got that covered, then you can maybe consider long term homestead craziness. You prepare for a flat tire before you prepare for lightning striking your car, know what I mean?
Get them an emergency battery/solar/hand cranked flashlight/radio/usb charger. Like $30 for something decent. http://www.amazon.com/American-ARCFR160R-Microlink-Self-Powered-Flashlight/dp/B001QTXKCE
Never been through a storm here but just some general answers to your questions:
> Other than getting their stuff together, any special advice for pets? Shelters probably won't be open to three cats, two big dogs, and a bunny, most of whom are disabled in one way or another.
Red Cross does provide animal & human shelters. Make sure to get chips and recent pictures of your pets (and you with your pets) for when you pick them up.
> Without regular broadcast television to feed those old battery operated sets, how do you get info once power and cell service are gone?
Emergency radios. Preferably crank radios like this one: Crank Radio
> How long does the power usually stay out?
Varies on where you live but plan for about 3 to 4 days.
> How do you protect your shit if you do gtfo.
How do you protect it when you go on vacation? You secure it the best you can and just have faith people don't go full looting asshole.
> How do you deal with window A/C units?
You take them out if you are boarding up or evacuating and secure the windows. How do you handle them when you go out of town and don't board up your windows?
> At what point do you board up windows, and how?
Most cases it is plywood cut to the size of your window frame and screw them in the frame. Some houses have shutters or bermuda shades you can close to secure the windows.
A first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
More than just drinkable water you are going to want extra water for flushing the toilet if pressure is lost. Clean your bath tubs with bleach and then plug and fill to the brim. Also works as an emergency water supply. Also you can get some good food grade plastic 30 gallon or 50 gallon bins at wall mart you can fill with water.
An emergency water filter. Can be found at Walmart or Academy in the camping sections. These can filter 100,000 gallons of water no problem and make them safe to drink.
I assume you probably have more than just non-perishable foods so it's good to have a couple full bottles of propane if you have a gas grill or charcoal if you have a coal grill. I have various steaks in my freezer that will be getting grilled if the power goes out for a while.
Get a couple of tarps. If you are not boarding up your house (which you probably don't need to) and have a broken window you can hang the tarp over it to keep the rain out. Can also use it to catch water if you run out.
Lights. Flashlights with batteries and candles.
Emergency radio. Crank powered is preferable but batter powered if you can't find one since they are all sold out probably. This will keep you in the loop with weather updates and PSAs.
A generator is great. After Ike our power was out for a week. Our generator kept us nice and cool running a small AC unit.
Make an emergency evacuation plan. Sit down with your family and figure out if the worst happens where you will meet and where you will go and how you will get there. It's a good idea to make a "go bag" that has all your important documents, cash, medications, a flashlight, map with evacuation route marked, rain poncho, cell phones, and the first aid kit.
Check out this checklist.
Edit: Stick an axe in your attic in case you have to escape to the roof.
Clean out your houses gutters so water will drain properly.
Take pictures of everything in your house for insurance purposes.
Bring in every loose thing from your yard. Everything.
Solar power banks as well. Though some radios are all in one.
https://www.amazon.com/Esky-Powered-Emergency-Flashlight-1000mAh/dp/B018I4BPNU/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1504451012&sr=1-5&keywords=emergency+radio
one of these
I have this one made by Esky - it's actually below your price range; but I've used it a fair amount and can vouch for it. Has crank, solar, and battery and can charge USB devices.
I have a tiny portable weather radio.
It only cost 15 bucks, weighs almost nothing, gets reception in a lot of places that cell phones don't, and has saved me on more than one occasion from nasty weather on the trail.
This is the right way to go, but if you're dead set on an external power source I'd like to see you use one of those hand crank power banks. Can you imagine people having to crank one of those things hundreds of times to get the window up or down when you used to do it in a couple cranks?
All of this is stored in the trunk of my Jeep strapped down in the black tote pictured. I didn't get all of these things at Amazon, but tried to find a link to purchase everything.
Not pictured is a rollbar mounted fire extinguisher
This isn't specifically for camping, just what I have on me at all times.
Starting at the top right:
this is the one I like
https://www.amazon.com/Midland-WR300-MIDLAND-Weather-Radio/dp/B00009V2YV/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=DFU0SYNLE7NN&keywords=noaa+weather+radio&qid=1558652689&s=gateway&sprefix=noaa%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&smid=A33O82Y9CWW4GL
I really like my CC Pocket Radio. I've had if for around 5 years now and it's still going strong.
If you find a radio capable of all that across the different bands and able to power itself in the mentioned price range I'd genuinely love to know what it is as I've been throwing my money away piecing it together.
My main go to radios are the Eton scorpion II which receives AM/FM/NOAA broadcasts in addition to being an extra flashlight and phone charger. I've had this for months and have not had to charge it yet(crank nor USB), the solar recharge has kept up with my usage just sitting opposite a window or on my dashboard when driving.
https://www.amazon.com/Eton-NSP101WXGR-Scorpion-Portable-Multi-Purpose/dp/B00WS6SKTM
For communication I have a cheap baofeng uv5r5 requires a ham license to use which is max $15 to test for and a few hours of study. It works on ham frequency ranges and also receives NOAA (edit: and FM) stations and has another built in flashlight.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00YMN0SCG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1498753670&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=baofeng+uv-5r5&dpPl=1&dpID=51Iz2MzNWNL&ref=plSrch
For truckers would think you'd want a citizens band radio with no licensing requirements. I had one of these in the early 90s which would pick up some traffic but from what I gather reading online I don't think they get nearly as much traffic and can probably glean just as much information hitting local repeaters as you travel. Hammies are always giving updates on weather and driving conditions while mobile, at least in my area.
For emergency channels (again as far as my area goes) many emergency response have switched from analog to digital broadcast which means analog sets like the baofeng can't pick up the transmissions. I think you'd need a scanner or type of radio they use whatever that is.
I have other cheaper backups but those two aforementioned radios are my go to. My eton keeps itself charged and I can charge my baofeng through other means.
Edit: and of course I'm still not finished in what I want as far as radios go. At some point down the road my next radio related purchase will probably be something with shortwave reception capabilities.
> I was just like, what do people who are completely disconnected do like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Version-RunningSnail-Emergency-Flashlight/dp/B01MFCFKG5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504017144&sr=8-1&keywords=radio+storm
It does not 'push' notifications or alerts out.
You would be better off with something like this.
Midland WR120/WR120EZ NOAA Weather Alert All Hazard Public Alert Certified Radio with SAME, Trilingual Display and Alarm Clock - Box Packaging https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00176T9OY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TjjzybAEDFRB8
Being in an apartment I can appreciate that space is tight. If you're looking to have enough calories to survive for a while, the all around best option is white rice. Grab 2 50 lb bags of the stuff, find 3 food grade 5 gallon buckets with lids. Dump them, put the lids on, stack them vertically in a closet. Yeah, doing them up in Mylar inside of the buckets and adding O2 absorbers is a much better way of storing them, but they'll still last for a decade or so stored this way. That's 160,000 calories stored for probably less than $50 in US money. May be more or less equivalency for you. So long as you have water and some kind of way to heat, you can enjoy nice, bland, non-nutritious calories for a good long while. Have some multivitamins and spices on hand.
Hopefully you can also have propane tanks. I'm not sure what apartments look like there, but here they frequently come with a patio and a basement storage area. If you can have propane tanks, you can get a propane burner along with a High Pressure Hose so that you can use normal propane tanks. (Note: I didn't dig too deep into direct compatibility of those two items. I just listed them as an example so you could see what I was talking about.)
Water in an apartment is more iffy. Assuming you have a bath tub, get a Water Bob. It's an easy 100 gallons of water if you have time to fill it before/if water lines go out. With more space you could do more, but once that's full also fill every container and glass in the house and cover them with cling wrap to stop evaporation. Normally I'd advise a tarp and an extra 5 gallon bucket to catch rainwater... but I'd imagine there might be the risk of airborne radioactive particles coming down so I don't know how relevant that advice would be here.
The other major thing is that you'll want to have a radio that you know will work. I'm not sure of the range of an EMP from a nuke, but it might be worth looking into that and also how to construct a faraday cage. Then get yourself a hand crank radio along with batteries and store them in there. You'll need to know what's safe and what's not, and realistically you're going to be relying on your government a bit for that. Your job, assuming you're out of the immediate kill radius, is to ensure that you and your family have water, food, shelter, and know what to do to stay safe.
So far as avoiding radiation... surrounding yourself with dirt or water are the best ways to stop it from getting to you. The deeper the better. There probably aren't a lot of options for that in an apartment complex, but knowing that is important so that you can react to whatever the situation is. The other thing is that you'll want to have a supply of Potassium Iodide tablets. If you are exposed to radiation, other than getting the radioactive particles off of you (strip clothes, thoroughly rinse off) those are your primary recourse.
Best of luck. I hope our crazy guy doesn't trigger your crazy guy into doing anything that forces you to need this.
Here in Gainesville they recommend at least 1 gallon per person per day for 3 days, so you have that. If you have a bathtub fill it up before the storm hits and use it for cleaning and emergencies. You can cleanse bathwater in an emergency following the instructions here https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/emergency-disinfection-drinking-water.
If you can, get your hands on something like this https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Version-RunningSnail-Emergency-Flashlight/dp/B01MFCFKG5/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1504719082&sr=8-4&keywords=weather+radio.
They make crank radios with flashlights and USB charging cables and solar panels on top. Might be slightly more pragmatic than just the USB crank.
By the way, it might be worth grabbing a weather radio or a battery-operated AM/FM radio for storm updates as it gets closer. Weather radio stations (in descending order of coverage) are: 162.550 (Tampa), 162.500 (Sebring), 162.475 (Orlando) (click for coverage maps) and are provided by NOAA. Regular radio coverage can be found on AM 820, 1230, and 1430 as well as FM 97.5, 98.3, 107.1, and 96.7 - coverage provided by Bay News 9.
Weather Spotter here!
I have this Midland HH54VP2 model and for the most part love it. The slight problem is Midland's batteries aren't the best, so you'll want to keep it charged and may need to order additional batteries. The thing I love about this model is it has Tone, Voice, and Visual alert modes (or all 3). Whenever it goes off in my house, I get a loud tone, the display flashes, and then it immediately tunes in to the Alert broadcast so I hear what it is. It also has a text read-out display so if I am not right by it, I can see what the alert was.
The other one I like is the Cobra CWR 200 Weather and Emergency Alert radio. Cobra has better battery life. This one is nice as it can charge your phone if you needed it. I had one before our move and left it with a friend who didn't have one at all.
I also recommend a desktop WX radio that can be left at home at all times. This way you have one that is on stand-by at home 24x7 and your portable can go with you in the car, hiking, or to work.
You may also find this Weather Station and Portable Alert Radio useful, although I haven't personally used this model.
Some apps, if you're on Android, I highly recommend are Dark Sky, RadarScope, and MyWarn. I also have the Weather Radio app but lately it's only advantage is Text-to-Speech reading of the warning like a Weather Radio, which can suck when you're in a crowded place and don't want your phone talking.
The tried and true Sony Walkman.
I did you one better and found the "weather radio" version. If there's a tornado or earthquake or something else, you can automatically turn into the National Weather Service frequencies and listen to updates for your area. Emergency news is usually broadcast on AM radio as well, so this particular Walkman has you covered. Best of all, it runs on a single battery, so you can listen for a long time on a pack.
EDIT:
But if you want a more portable version that also has a hand crank, antenna and a built-in flashlight, I recommend this model.
Already exists. I own one.
As others have said, don't rely on the sirens. They're primarily for people who are outdoors and sometimes malfunction. There was a notable incident in the last few years where some didn't sound during a tornado, and, in any case, if the rain is really pouring or the wind blowing you might not be able to hear them inside. A weather radio is your best bet. You can find them everywhere here. I think even Kroger and drug stores carry them.
I usually recommend this model, primarily because you can disable most alarms except tornado. I have most turned off because the tornado one is the only one I really want to wake me up. Too many alerts and you become desensitized to it. The severe thunderstorm one is especially annoying because we get tagged with that one a lot in the spring. This is Alabama, every thunderstorm is severe. :P
this midland model can program multiple counties
I just bought one of these the other day for the same reason:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003A21DQA/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_E6a5CbC1YMNAT
It would fit more into the mobile/portable category. It feels kind of cheap but works well. It has LED lights, AM/FM + NOAA + SW radio. You can also charge your phone off it, but the battery capacity isn't great for that. It can be charged via USB though, so if you had one of these plus a couple portable battery packs you'd probably be set for awhile.
A more stationary option would be one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Midland-WR120B-WR120EZ-Certified-Trilingual/dp/B00176T9OY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=weather+radio&qid=1558450236&s=gateway&sr=8-3
We have several scattered around my office and they can be programmed to only alert for certain counties or at certain thresholds - severe weather warnings only vs watches. That type of thing. They're loud af.
It’s a super comforting voice—I totally put it on low when I’m falling asleep. I think they’re only selling them for a limited time because we’re heading into severe weather season. They had a few events where local meteorologists were programming them for you in-store, but those are over. They’re easy to program.
This is the same one they sell, and it’s a bit cheaper online: https://www.amazon.com/Midland-WR120B-WR120EZ-Certified-Trilingual/dp/B00176T9OY/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=37NU88DPIZQ6Q&keywords=noaa+weather+radio&qid=1557697384&s=gateway&sprefix=NOAA+wea%2Caps%2C247&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
Also, if there’s severe weather and the power goes out, you’d be screwed with websites and TV but the radio has an automatic battery backup. :)
https://www.amazon.com/Version-iRonsnow-Emergency-Weather-Flashlight/dp/B00WIF2T7C?crid=3SDMK85Q53XMS&keywords=hand+crank+radio+flashlight+cell+phone+charger&qid=1537472677&sprefix=hand+crank+radio&sr=8-4&ref=mp_s_a_1_4
I have 3 of these and I think they rock. Seems like the same brand as the one you have posted but it has the solar panel that the review you posted said that it needs. It does not have the personal radio stuff though which I think could be nice.
Hey, I'm a SF Neighborhood Emergency response volunteer. Here's what you need:
Nice to have:
It's a bit special, but uses an 18650 and could be made to run on any 18650 pretty easily.
http://midlandusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/ER310-Battery-Installation-Instructions.pdf
https://www.amazon.com/Midland-Consumer-ER310-Emergency-Digital/dp/B015QIC1PW
This guy says he's 18650 but I haven't heard of the company before (they sell them at Sears though): http://kaitoradio.com/ka500lyellow.html
For a full-featured radio, the Tecsun shortwave runs on 1x18650, no NOAA specifically, but it'll do am/fm.
https://www.amazon.com/Tecsun-PL880-Conversion-Shortwave-Reception/dp/B00GJ51NVA/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_469_tr_t_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A7EMVJ2CJB5E3FR452D0
Fair enough. I have no issues with air raid sirens. They have those in Berkeley already.
It’s frustrating to see so many messages on this whole post of pessimists complaining, finding reasons why taking precautions won’t work. There is a lot of great info and positive solutions being offered, and some people are just finding ways it won’t work for them. It’s like a sense of entitlement that they want firefighters to literally come to every door and wake them. I’m not sure what people are expecting quite honestly. At some point people need to minimally be somewhat diligent. Can’t rely on everyone else all the time.
On the point about being glued to the radio: get a proper emergency radio which has a screeching alert notification These use the S.A.M.E. Localized alerts which are different than hand-crank radios, which just usually just have weather and AM radio.
You could get yourself a weather radio and keep it next to your bed. That's what we do. I believe we have this model.
I've got the Midland ER310 and think it's a great radio with lots of neat features (like recording broadcasts so you don't have to be listening 24/7)
I have a weather radio in my get home bag. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P708NM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I just googled the UVR-5 and see it is about the same price as my weather radio and does a lot more. Looks like upgrade time.
This one, I bought it yesterday.
HDMI Splitter, Techole Aluminum... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079FLNWJY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
The IBIS is expensive now
You can do a LOT at your age, but it will be mostly research and learning skills. That's what a lot of us did at your age. Scout groups used to teach a lot more bushcraft and survival skills than they do now. Some really excellent books on wilderness and emergency survivial were written more than 50 years ago. The American Boys Handy Book (1882) is one you can download. Boy's Own Book 1834 is another. they will have information in them on how to snare animals, catch fish, build shelters, with only sticks, ropes and a pocket knife.
You can find a lot of how to videos on Youtube that will teach you outdoor craft and survival skills.
Do all the research for your family: Diagram your house and its exits, and map your neighborhood, try to get your family to agree on a meetup place outside your house in case of emergency if you get split up. ...say a relative or friends house. and then choose one outside your neighborhood, then one outside of your city so you all know where to meet.
Gather all the emergency information and contact numbers you can find. put em in a paper notebook and keep them current. Write in the Rain makes some very nice notebooks that are practically indestructible. Find out where your town's emergency shelter is.
Scan all your family's important documents, birth certificates, vaccinations, health records, insurance policies, and the med records for your pets! and put them on flash drives, keep one, put one on your parents key chain. Paper copies are also worth putting in more than one location.
Monitor all the batteries, flash lights and detectors in your house. use maskng tape and markers and a notebook to keep track of how old the batteries are. usually people change the batteries when the clocks get changed.
Start your bug out backpack, start simply - compass, maps, flash light, Swiss Army pocket knife, sweater, glowsticks, rain poncho, first aid kit, hand warmer, candle, matches. Get an old cell phone that has no service and keep it charged. put IT and its power cord and and whatever cables you need to charge it. This phone will be able to dial 911 even without a service contract. Ask for an Eton Crank Radio/Flashlight Phone Charger for a present or buy one. I like to have a seperate crank flashlight besides the radio.
In case of emergency you will probably end up in a shelter with other people. Collect all the things that will be helpful in that situation....
Shelters will have bottled water, snacks, and maybe sandwiches. You should carry hard candy, power bars and flavor packets for the water. Keep them fresh. basically take them out and eat them and replace them with fresh ones every so often.
Shelters may not have anything cool to keep you and others from being too bored, bring small games, like ones with dice -Yahtzee, card games like UNO, a book of short stories or a classic novel that can be read outloud in pieces, like Tolkien. Basically stuff that everyone knows and takes up a small amount of space in your back pack. This is something everyone forgets but will make you very popular.
Do you have pets? Pets need their own prepping..Research sites like Pets and Disasters at American Veterinary Association etc... and gather the things you need for your pets evacuation bag. Make sure you can gather it all up quickly.
There is a lot more to emergency preparedness than stockpiling food. You are very wise.
Hand crank solar powered AM/FMNOAA radio, $27. Granted it isn't two way but you can listen to music while you eat your instant potatoes and mushroom gravy.
Sangean dt-400w
Look at the used list from the universal-radio.com site. Try to ignore 1990's-era design--this is a good site that sells enthusiast and professional-grade radios. Go down and explore your options for radios within your price range.
The Grundig G8 Traveler is good, as well are many other older, tried-and-true Grundig models.
Almost anything from Crane is good. I bought one of these as a gift (actually got a lightly-used one through universal-radio.com), and it has reception like you wouldn't believe. FM was perfect, and the AM reception was so good, you wouldn't mind listening to AM music.
Sangean also makes some famous pocketable models.
Oh, and always try and read reviews on radio enthusiast blogs. Check out the comments here for some very useful commentary on pocketable radios.
edit: Here's a nice review of the Sangean DT-400W. I'd go either with it or the DT-200VX if you're looking for something that's pocketable.
For emergency rescue use this seems to be a good option although it does not include a weather radio. Satellite
I think an crank radio with a weather band will fill your other criteria: Radio
Tornado sirens are largely considered antiquated and you shouldn't rely on them as your sole source of information in the first place. If you live in a storm prone area, you should have a NOAA weather radio in your home. They often have a loud alert tone built in that sounds when warnings are issued. Also with the expansion of the Wireless Emergency Alerts system important weather alerts should be sent to the phones in your area as well.
These are both quality products, but I think you're going to be hardpressed to find one that acts as a CB Radio as well, you're better off getting something separate for that.
https://www.amazon.com/RunningSnail-Weather-Emergency-2000mAh-Flashlight/dp/B01DVXDXQU/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1498753723&sr=1-3&keywords=solar%2Fcrank+radio
/// https://www.amazon.com/Epica-Emergency-Flashlight-Smartphone-Certified/dp/B00CZDT30S/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1498753723&sr=1-4&keywords=solar%2Fcrank+radio
We have a weather alert radio in the house that puts our smoke detector to shame.
Understood that you can stream the weather on the news station's sites, I was mostly just commenting that I don't watch TV so I didn't understand the this meteorologist vs. that meteorologist battle.
If you live in Canada or the US, try this.
I like these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003A21DQA
Without knowing what gear your dad has or needs - it's going to be a crap shoot getting a winning gift.
There are items that we all like, but your dad may already have one he likes more.
Regardless... here are a few basic ideas from Amazon (hopefully available in the Canadian version too):
No gastes en apps pedorras
Yo lo compre en best buy (o walmart no recuerdo bien, ya fue hace varios años) en eua.
Este es el que tengo:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009V2YV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_4u9Tzb0BXTS0J
(Por lo que vi tambien esta en amazon mexico un poco mas caro y hay otros modelos mas nuevos).
Lo unico que tienes que hacer es poner la frecuencia 162.450 (creo) que tiene musiquita clasica y emite la alarma sismica cuando ésta es activada.
I'm in California where our two largest concerns (mine, anyway) are earthquakes and fire.
For earthquakes it's standard preparation stuff because aspects of grid can shut down for short or long periods of time. There's also the "get out of the house now!" type situation which is really just shoes and a flashlight, or just your human body. If your bag is downstairs and you're upstairs you're not going to run to a bugout bag first. It's just get out (depending on the quake, the building, etc).
I do have a bugout bag primarily for fire evacuation, which has:
I also have a google spreadsheet printed out that has the items we want to take. The evacuation orders can come at any time and you might be knee deep in some project or sick on the couch, you need to be able to mindlessly grab items that a smarter-you considered bringing. The bag is just the one that we're really screwed if we don't have. This is my list, it's taped under my desk at home.
Edit: also, there's a column for different family members. My kids have stuff they're supposed to grab (a change of clothes, etc) while mine has the chainsaw and a shovel.
It's possible you'll have less than 20 seconds to escape your home but chances are you'll have at least a few minutes, maybe even a few hours. Having a list of things to grab from the house thought out in advance seems reasonable to me. And some stuff that's super useful (like dumping everything from the medicine cabinet into a bag) is more of an instruction than an item, per say.
Dolls (for kids)
laptop
EMT gear
Backpacking food
Flashlights
Gasoline tanks
Wet wipes
Toilet Paper
Firearms
Ammunition
Map (Marked)
AA/AAA Batteries
Chainsaw
Shovel
Solar Panel
Tent
Soap
Medicine Cabinet
Checkbook
2m Radio
10 gallons water
2m base antenna
2m pvc ant mast
I also have a list of things I need to do if I leave the house, again this is tailored to fire evacuation. This is taped to the inside door of our utility closet. Easy to find but house guests aren't staring at it and we can keep our home more "homey" looking versus a forward operating base. These are taken from CalFire's suggestions and my own experience in and around fire.
​
That's cool.
Reminds me of this: http://www.amazon.com/American-Turbine-Weather-Smartphone-Charger/dp/B007KFLVTM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1369806914&sr=8-2&keywords=eton
RunningSnail Solar Crank NOAA Weather Radio For Emergency with AM/FM, Flashlight, Reading Lamp And 2000mAh Power Bank https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DVXDXQU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_iOa8AbYR9DE8F
I do not know if this does the alerts automatically or not. Just been in my wish list forever. Flashlight, handcrank, solar and a battery pack to charge external.
I'd maybe upgrade to the FRX3 for your radio.
Creo que la app no es la mejor solución, ya que tiene retraso en la propagación de la información. Si bien te va, te llegará la notificación 10 segundos después de las alarmas.
Yo compré un "weather alert radio" en amazon, después del 19S. Este viernes fue la primera ocasión que sonó y me avisó como 1 o 2 segundos antes que las alarmas de la calle.
Si tienen necesidad y les interesa, aqui está la liga:
https://www.amazon.com.mx/gp/product/B00176T9OY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lo compre por que no escuchaba la alarma cuando estaba viendo la tele.
Buy a weather radio like this one and you can set it to your county. Then it will go nuts when you have a weather warning and you won't die because you weren't watching Wipeout during the thunderstorm.
I've used this for years and the reception is great.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0012YHQVE?pc_redir=1411930653&robot_redir=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CZDT30S/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It works fabulously!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B015QIC1PW/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile
Solar powered/hand crank AM/FM/NOAA radio, LED flashlight, USB cell phone charger
I wish I had bought this one instead: https://www.amazon.com/Eton-NSP101WXGR-Scorpion-Portable-Multi-Purpose/dp/B00WS6SKTM
I highly recommend getting a NOAA Weather Radio. Program it for your county so it will go off any time there is a watch or warning and tells you what is going on.
https://www.amazon.com/Midland-WR120B-WR120EZ-Certified-Trilingual/dp/B00176T9OY/
I have this:
http://www.amazon.com/NFR160WXR-Microlink-Self-Powered-Weather-Flashlight/dp/B001QTXKC4/
I'd like something with shortwave and an MP3 / aux input but haven't found one I like yet. Having the crank handle and flashlight is handy. You can charge your phone with it over the USB, though the charger is a bit weak so you have to crank continuously to charge. Still nice to have in a pinch.
Some ideas and comments that come to mind:
For your clothing you might check out this video which gives useful info on folding your clothes down to very compact, self-retaining rolls/balls.
Mountain house is good stuff, but you have to expend water to prepare it - not a bad thing exactly, but I don't see a water filter in your kit.
Next item refers to previous item: water filtration. Usually a fairly important component. Yes, I see the iodine tablets, but it would still suck to have to use dirty water, even if you know you've killed all the bacteria and parasites, dirty is still not fun (and often unsafe) to drink.
General backpacking tip: you always want the weight as close to your core as possible (and also the heaviest items as high as possible, see below video) - the more of the weight that sticks further out from your back, the more strain on your body due to leverage effects. I see from the pic of the full bag that it protrudes out pretty far - you might consider a taller/wider bag that isn't as thick when packed.
Another general backpacking tip: even though you have your weight down to a reasonable 23lbs, it will still be even less strain to carry if you have a pack with a frame & waist strap to let your hips hold the weight. WAY better and easier for you. Here is a useful video on load distribution inside your backpack.
Let's see, what else? Others have already mentioned toilet paper, good. Having a small pack or two of baby wipes or wet ones for cleaning is usually a handy thing to have.
Small medical kit: a few various size band-aids, alcohol prep pads, antibiotic ointment, cortisone ointment (anti-itch), a few doses each of aspirin, ibuprofen, tylenol, benadryl, pepto-bismol (pill form), loperamide (anti-diarrheal), antacids, a bit of medical tape, one or two triangle bandages, tick/splinter-tweezers, small freznel magnifying lens, mini-bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitizer. All of this can fit into a very small bag and is worth far more than the weight and volume taken up.
Pick of the options available for a solar/crank powered radio/flashlight. Gives you weather alerts, AM/FM radio for emergency broadcasts and music to stave off boredom. Worth the weight (and they don't weigh much, and they're cheap).
Sunscreen? Insect repellent?
Signalling: signal mirror (useful to have a mirror anyway), loud whistle?
Self-defense? Firearm/chemical spray/taser?
I see the rain poncho, so OK for rain. Now let's say you fall into (or your pack gets dropped into) a creek, is the stuff in your pack that you need to stay dry still dry? Consider ziplocks or a dry bag perhaps?
Emergency document? A sheet of paper with photocopies of your IDs, emergency contact #s, medical info for yourself (blood type, meds, allergies), etc...
Small sewing repair kit?
The Cliff bars really were the best for on the go, although after three weeks of at least one peanut butter cliff bar a day I got sick of it. Protein is important for energy, not to mention plenty of water. Beans, beef jerky, and camp food sold at walmart (I mostly ate the beef stew ones).
I did not use traditional bike travel gear - I had a camping backpack on my back, with the tent and sleeping bag fastened with bungee cords. The food and water rested on a bike rack in the back, and I had a bottle on a holder that was fastened to my handlebar cap with some tweezers and strong wire. A year after my trip I got one of these. Really wish I had it at that time.
I used a mountain bike instead of a traditional road or hybrid bike - it got me out of several tight spots. Bike gloves saved me from blisters and gave me a unique tan for conversation starters. And there really IS a difference between bike glasses and regular sun glasses. You can get a decent pair at walmart for 20 bucks. Don't forget bike lights, and lots of them. You'll be traveling in some very rural areas that don't have anything but the moon and stars to light your way.
You want to pack as light as you can, though eventually you'll get used to the weight. There are plastic camping sporks, one knife. Walmart sells this really compact set of aluminum cookware, it's really impressive because it doesn't look like much until you unfold it all. An extra aluminum cup for tea won't hurt (oh yeah, no caffeine, dehydrates you like hell). You want water proof matches. Fire starters and wood can be bought in the camp store. Always buy wood at the store, don't gather it yourself. Take a can opener as well (I didn't and ended up just using my axe. It impressed some people though.)
I had my biking clothes (spandex) and a pair of jeans and two shirts, plus socks and underwear. Detergent was bought at camp store (they sell in one-use sizes) and I had quarters for the machines. I had a camp towel (it's amazingly absorbent) and emergency foil blankets for the really cold nights. No pillow.
I concentrated the weight on emergency gear. An axe, flares, walking pole, whistle (which I wore at all times), flashlight that was both solar and battery powered, two first aid kits (one with bandaids and basics, the other more specialized with water sanitation pills, burn ointment, bite and sting kit, needles, lighters), an emergency phone, solar-powered radio (oh yeah did I mention that my trip occurred in 2011 at the same time as all those freak storm and tornado activity up north? That was SUUUPER fun, staying up listening to the radio).
The radio is awesome - I got an American Red Cross eton emergency radio. It's compact, solar powered of course, comes with a USB port so you can plug your phone in for emergency power. There are also compact power banks for extra power.
When I reserved a place, I always got an RV spot (no one says you have to have an RV to rent one). These are guaranteed to have power stations so you can plug in your electronic devices over night, and you can get adapters to connect USB devices to traditional power outlets. They're also not that much more expensive than traditional tent spots. Also depending on age and gender (I was 22 at the time and am female) you have plenty of elderly parents/grandparents who just come over and invite you to supper with them.
Speaking of electronic devices, ditch the smart phone because you don't want that out while you're sleeping, it's a thief magnet, and too expensive to replace. Also it's a power drain. Get a phone compatible with your sim card at walmart. A music player, sketch pad/diary, and one or two small paperback books are a must to keep sane. Don't forget a good camera (and extra camera batteries and storage).
Research animals before you leave - not just for safety, but it's something for you to look forward to. I specifically made a stop at Potato Creek because they had nesting Ospreys. Even though I lost the gorgeous pic I took (phone got rained on two days later) it was worth it.
You know the bottom padding inside your shoe? Rip them out and put the largest bills and a credit card, then put the padding back. You'll have to replace the credit card later as the magnetic strip will wear out, but the numbers are still visible. I didn't encounter any trouble at all besides dangerous drivers and the odd snake, but you never know.
You'll assimilate quickly, but, sleep early - 6 or 7 pm. Get up at 2 -3am, have a bite, some water, and head out by 3-4. Those early cool and quiet hours are crucial, especially in the southern areas and during the summer.
Know your route. There are national bike/hike roads that stretch from coast to coast. Recognize areas where you'll be most isolated and do some google street view research to check out the terrain and gauge risk. Amish places were awesome - the air smelled sweet and beautiful, and no one bothers you (though they may do a double take).
That's all I can think of for now. If I remember more, I'll PM you.
I have one of those Eton radios, and it works just fine. I don't know what reviews you're looking at, but from Amazon, they are mostly positive, as you see. It has everything you requested except short wave. But it does have a USB charger, flashlight, and a small solar panel. It's a solid piece of kit. I've had it for a couple years, camping in the rain, it's been tossed around a bit and its still fully functional.
The is the Midland emergency weather radio. It has a decent flashlight, radio, hand crank, solar panel, and the ability to charge a cell phone. It has a 18650 battery that should last years. About the flashlight I have many better lights but this would due in a long power outage but it is not the best. It's also highly focused so it goes a long way.
I want an NOAA alert radio for a friend in tornado alley. Used is fine. $22.
Yeah, I'm getting one of these for next time:
http://www.amazon.com/American-ARCFR160R-Microlink-Self-Powered-Flashlight/dp/B001QTXKCE/
Solar/crank flashlight, weather radio, and cell phone charger in one. Awesome.
I use this weather radio http://www.amazon.com/Midland-WR-300-MIDLAND-WR300-Weather/dp/B00009V2YV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321723550&sr=8-1
I set it up so that only my county and the county next to mine gets alerts. I also can set which alerts I want, yes for Tornado Watch and Warning but no for Flooding or Freeze Warning. So far it's worked out great.
Me too. And I got one of these things: American Red Cross FRX3 Hand Crank NOAA AM/FM Weather Alert Radio with Smartphone Charger https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KFLVTM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YQF1xbMDYE74Y
I'm like totally prepared.
Kaito KA500 5-Way Radio You can power it via Micro USB and Adapter as well as the usual Solar, Crank, and AA batteries. This radio also gives you access to the Shortwave bands so you can listen to.
If you want to go small, I recommend any portable radio that allows you to power it via external batteries AND internal rechargeable batteries while having an auxiliary jack for speakers and headphones. There are not that many portable radios that have all those features in a small package so it may be hard to find. The closest I got is this RunningSnail and it is in a similar size like the Kaito, but it managed to be a perfect fit in the side pocket of my daypack.
I also recommend using analog for emergencies if you plan to store it for months on end without checking the batteries. I have a Midland ER200 that died on me after the LED screen drained itself, however, the other RunningSnail that I keep in the car still had plenty of power even after six months.
That is assuming you are planning on receiving signals. Refer to others if you are looking into portable HAM radios.
Best option is to learn to use both screens on Windows, right click on desktop and play with "display properties"
But what you are looking for is a video switch:
https://www.amazon.es/Techole-Conmutador-Switcher-Bidireccional-Entrada/dp/B079FLNWJY/ref=asc_df_B079FLNWJY/?tag=googshopes-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=199020452837&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7413299005068201307&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9047061&hvtargid=pla-429894155940&psc=1
Look into a weather alert radio like this one
While I can't say it's saved my life or protected any property, it's made me aware of potential storms coming my way.
HDMI splitter that will support 4K one to the tv one the the receiver.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B079FLNWJY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_txWIBb7XZMDRG
Scrolled through the replies, so I won't repeat what everybody else has said as they are all correct. But I didn't see anybody mention getting a Weather Radio. Here's the one I have (non-affiliate link, and not promoting anything):
https://www.amazon.com/Midland-WR300-MIDLAND-Weather-Radio/dp/B00009V2YV
You can set the alerts to cover not only your county, but those near you. I have mine set to alert on the counties to the southwest, west, and northwest of my county so that as storms develop I know what's coming. (Storms always track from West to East. And NORMALLY track Southwest to Northeast, but sometimes track from Northwest to Southeast.) When the radio alerts on a county that is west of us, I flip on the TV and start monitoring radar. The radio has a LOUD alarm so it will wake you up in the middle of the night if there is sever weather when you're sleeping.
TV channels to watch, 4, 5, or 9. Each one has pros and cons, so pick the person who is the least annoying to you. I flip between all three as their storm trackers are scattered all over the state during severe weather.
Also, if your the technical kind of person, get a scanner and monitor the Amateur (Ham) Radio repeaters. The storm chasers will use ham radio to report back to the National Weather Center in Norman. These folks are on the ground and will know what's going on before anybody else. You can normally find out about a tornado on the ground about 90 seconds earlier than they report on the news channels. Here's a good handheld scanner:
https://www.amazon.com/Uniden-BC75XLT-300-Channel-Handheld-Emergency/dp/B00A1VSO9M/ref=zg_bs_172530_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=4X5AMGKE7X3W7Z5NRNE3
The frequency to monitor with your scanner is 145.41. This is the WX5OKC repeater and is connected to a network of radio towers all over the state. This is the repeater that the Weather Center in Norman will monitor for updates from storm chasers, so it's usually pretty quiet except during severe weather. As an added bonus, the scanner will also pick up the different weather radio frequencies (pre-programmed), which can give you an update on warnings and watches.
I have used [this Sangean pocket Radio] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012YHQVE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BrWZCbN08JE0A) for the past two years and over 20 games. It works great and the batteries last forever.
This one? https://www.amazon.ca/C-Crane-Pocket-Radio-Presets/dp/B00BSYCZZ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537933419&sr=8-1&keywords=Crane+pocket
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Seems to be a very close contender and was one or my original prospects before I bought the DT200X but for some reason it's priced super high in my area. How much did you buy yours for?
I live on the coast of New Jersey and ever since Hurricane Sandy I realized I really need to be more prepared for emergencies so I would love this solar powered flashlight that is also a radio and cellphone charger. Or anything at all from my survival wish list would be amazing. Thank you for running these contests!
That's probably pretty solid. It's nice that it has a speaker instead of just headphones. As long as the batteries don't burst in it, or you drop it down the stairs, it should hold up for a long time.
For an emergency radio, I might want the weather band, for things like tornado warnings. I also like digital tuners.
I have a Sangean CL-100 which is a solid piece of kit that can run off an outlet or battery. It has excellent reception.
The Sangean DT-400W is more like your Sony, only with digital tuners and weather band, but it costs $50.
[amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Version-RunningSnail-Emergency-Flashlight/dp/B01MFCFKG5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504017144&sr=8-1&keywords=radio+storm)
FTFY
I tossed in a bic mini and a clippers lighter. I personally prefer clipper lighters over bics and bought a bulk set online ages ago when I used to smoke. They are really good quality, refillable, and have a removable and replaceable Flint. From experience, they are better with wind too.
I also tossed a set of diamond greenlight matches I had laying around. They aren't waterproof but I know they are decent and last a long time since I just replaced them after buying bulk set 3 years ago.
As for radio, sadly this kit didn't come with one but I plan to find one to toss in. Looking for a quality mechanical light and radio combo. Like this one but wanting one that's an AOE one and not a targeted one.
Yea, there definitely things in this kit I would have never thought about
Jensen and a few others made head units that received the NOAA Radio channels but a quick look shows that they have been discontinued. I carry a small Midland Pocket Weather Radio in my backpack. It can monitor the radio transmissions allowing you to listen, or be set to alert with a "wail" tone that sounds until you slide the button to the speaker position to listen. It works well and has alerted me to Tornado Warnings several times while staying in hotels and sound asleep. In those cases, there were no tornado sirens where I was located, so without the radio I may not have known about the warning. This was before Tornado Warnings were transmitted through WEA to cell phones.
I used to drive thousands of miles each year through the Midwest and Southern US for work, and also have an older CB unit installed in my vehicle. I rarely used the CB function, but it was the first unit I found that would receive weather alerts in the vehicle. It looks similar to the GMRS radio posted, so one of those probably isn't an option for mounting in your vehicle based on your earlier comment.
How about a goodie bag of some emergency stuff? A big flashlight, a mini first aid kit, and one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Epica-Emergency-Flashlight-Smartphone-Certified/dp/B00CZDT30S
https://www.lindy.co.uk/audio-video-c2/splitters-c159/hdmi-c162
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Splitter-Powered-Converter-Support-Projector/dp/B07KZMTQMP/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=HDMI+splitter&qid=1556210889&s=electronics&sr=1-5
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Splitter-Techole-Aluminum-Bi-direction-Switcher-Black/dp/B079FLNWJY/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=HDMI+splitter&qid=1556210910&s=electronics&sr=1-8
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Just some I found via google and amazon, specifically for the word splitter.
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Mileage may vary. It might be a good idea to contact some PS4 Pro streamers on Twitch/Youtube/Whatever platform PS4 Pro streamers use and ask them directly. Seems like something they would be using as apposed to most of the people here.
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Edit :good luck with your search, I hope you find what you need :)
Eh, I'd spend $10 more and get something like this with a built-in radio and crank/wall charging/solar charging/AA battery charging capabilities. It's a few dollars more for a lot more flexibility and functionality.
Between that, an 18650 headlamp, a solar-chargeable LED lantern, I've got reliable electronic light for months.
Ultimately it's up to what you think you need. Something like that hand-crank flashlight may be a good backup light source for a get home bag ... but I think there are better options for a multi-day bugout, especially if you need to keep on the move as much as possible.
LOL, do you think we are stupid?
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https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-Version-RunningSnail-Emergency-Flashlight/dp/B01MFCFKG5/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=solar+flashlight+with+usb+charger+hand+crank&qid=1556493544&s=gateway&sr=8-4
I mentioned a folding shovel. I was planning to use the Mylar blankets as mini tarps, but I really don't see the use of a tarp in my situation. As for communication I have a red cross radio, a cell phone, a whistle, and I'm planning on getting a personal locator beacon. I was planning on using a Datexx crank generator, in addition to the Mophie powerstaion XL, but I'm thinking of getting a radio that has a built in solar panel/crank generator.
This is the one I was thinking about getting...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003A21DQA/
Good?
BOOM!
So the best working device so far is this one:
Devices that didn't work:
Este fue el que compré
Lots of good points here. Good to check on your preps once in a while to make sure things are charged / ready to go. And like others have mentioned to practice sometimes.
This radio has a handcrank and can charge a phone:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DVXDXQU/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Goal Zero makes little solar panels that can charge a battery backup. Look up their switch 10 mulit tool. Back up battery / flashlight / fan...cool device!
This one is a #1 seller on Amazon and will also charge a phone.
I have had very good luck with this.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYYUJAT/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So, if you are going to use headphones, like at all I would suggest getting this.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L1NP7YI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Handy for any headphone application. I carry one in my edc.
The Eton Scorpion II is a water/shock/dust resistant tank. Hand crank, solar panel, AM/FM/NOAA bands, USB chargeable, and will charge your phone or electronic devices. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
http://amzn.com/B00WS6SKTM
It sounds like you should just get something like https://www.amazon.com/iRonsnow-Emergency-Powered-Weather-Flashlight/dp/B00WIF2T7C if your concern is around camping.
Maybe find a water proof one if you're frequently at the river or lake.
Funny thing about that: When hurricane Sandy hit, I tuned in to the local FM radio station (which I usually don't listen to because it's a lot old guys waxing ignorant about politics, and repetitive music).
The first thing I heard when I switched on the radio? "Well, if you're tuning in to us to find out what's going on... we don't know either. Our internet is down, our cable TV is down, and our phones are down. And that's all of the ways we get our information."
So, it was pretty useless.
Also, a cheap battery powered AM/FM radio or even a crank-powered model, is going to be a lot more efficient and reliable in an emergency than a smartphone sucking down battery searching for a cell signal, that also happens to have an FM receiver in it.
Time to take out this:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00WIF2T7C/ref=psdc_6893245011_t2_B007T13E2O
You'll be fine. In the worst case scenario (it goes around Florida and then comes up to hit you), you'll have ample time to prepare or evacuate.
For now, I'd just grab some extra supplies (Jugs of water, non perishable food) on your next grocery visit.
Edit: I've read a bit more about this storm, I think it's worth taking more seriously (Cat 4 is HUGE). Get all of those supplies you need, but also consider a hand crank radio/flashlight. I bought this item on amazon last year when I lived in Florida before Matthew threatened, it's a hand crank radio/flashlight/phone charger all in one. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DVXDXQU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1