Uuuuh, why don't you trust the windup radios. Have you had problems
with one? The Baygen radios have been used in Africa for a long
time. Over how long a term were you planning to use the radio.

In the case of an emergency evacuation, how long a term you would
need to use the radio would depend on the type of emergency. As to
trusting the wind-up radios, I have read reviews on the internet from
people that have had the crank handles break, and the generator fail
for some reason or other. I could understand the argument in favour of
having one in a shelter setting. But if you are on foot or bike
because of vehicle breakdown or some other reason, and you had to
carry everything on the backs of you and your family, then you have to
become very choosy as to what you would take. Would you want the wind-
up analog radio? Or a better radio, a digital. Same size or even
smaller and lighter then the wind-up?

Do you realize that solar chargers take a long time and that you need
sun or light for them to work. That may not be very practical in a
real emergency.

The newest solar cell technology readily available to the civilian
market, is the thin-film, roll-able,or flexible foldable solar cells.
It actually uses some sort of nano-technology. I bought a 6.5 watt
folding flexible panel at a sale promotion for $79.00. Two days later
it was $129.00. The larger more powerful panels cost much more. These
solar chargers take up little room in relation to their power output.
http://www.21st-century-solar.com/mm...Code=21stsolar
And the new batteries available are a real improvement. Look at
the new Panasonic INFINIUM batteries, (in Canada they are Panasonic R2
Technology batteries), or the Sanyo Eneloop batteries. These new
batteries in AA, and AAA size, in combination with a charger that will
charge several at time with the new solar cell technology is just the
thing to keep our family going in an emergency. Our FRS/GMRS radios,
flashlights, and our am/fm/sw, and our weather alert radio, will keep
running. You don't need the sun every day if you only listen a few
hours a day at reduced volume. And the new solar chargers charge
pretty quickly. Big improvement over older solar chargers.
A lot of the newer electronics in vital areas of our countrys is
more resistant to EMP then it was years ago. (Although the old tube
and valve technology was resistant.) Better shielding, Tested under
simulation, and better, resistant technology, (such as fiber optics.)
Keep a small radio in an improvised Faraday cage.

Cato

On Mar 3, 10:29 pm, wrote:
Not all Canadians are m IIs.
cuhulin

Thanks cuhulin. But I'm afraid I don't know what m ll means. Just goes
to show that I've got a a lot to learn, not afraid to admit it.

Cato

Cato wrote:

Uuuuh, why don't you trust the windup radios. Have you had problems
with one? The Baygen radios have been used in Africa for a long
time. Over how long a term were you planning to use the radio.

Baylis' design has one flaw IMHO. The radio is mechanicaly very complex.
It uses a clockwork mechanism to run a generator to power the radio.
This makes a lot of sense, Baylis is a mechanical genius.

However the clockwork mechanism must run the entire time the radio is
running, and the governer has to work smoothly. In a keep using it
situation, this is fine, sitting it on a shelf may clog it with dust,
or rust it sold.

The Grundig FR-200 for example, is much simpler. It uses a motor as a
generator. The speed of the generator is not controlled, it charges
a NiHM cordless phone battery. They of course have their own problems,
I've had to replace mine twice. I expect if I had used it more often,
it would have ben less of a problem.

The FR-200 is also powered by any external 4.5 volt power supply
(wall wart, photocells, car adaptor), and three AA batteries.



In the case of an emergency evacuation, how long a term you would
need to use the radio would depend on the type of emergency. As to
trusting the wind-up radios, I have read reviews on the internet from
people that have had the crank handles break, and the generator fail
for some reason or other. I could understand the argument in favour of
having one in a shelter setting. But if you are on foot or bike
because of vehicle breakdown or some other reason, and you had to
carry everything on the backs of you and your family, then you have to
become very choosy as to what you would take. Would you want the wind-
up analog radio? Or a better radio, a digital. Same size or even
smaller and lighter then the wind-up?

I would carry something small. A walkman type radio would be good, a
cheap MP3 player might be better. They are the size of a stick of gum,
run 12 hours or so in radio mode on a single AAA battery and cost less
than $20. The problem with them is they are FM only.

As for how long do you need it, the concept behind post fallout shelter
disaster planing is that you needed 24 hours of shelter and supplies. If
you were in an area that had severe weather problems more. However your
plan was to sit tight until help arrived, and then leave.

Hurricane Katrina and the Lebanon war here (ignore the politics, learn
from it instead) was that this was not true. Many people got evacuated to
a dry shelter only to find that it was worse than where they came from.
No food, not enough toilets, no drinking water, etc. If they had stocked
up, their supplies were left at home when they were evacuated.

Here it was different. Old people, children, etc, stayed in shelters
for over a month. Many could have evacuated, most refused to leave their
homes.

People who did evacuate found they had no money, no job, no schools, etc.

Although I did worry in the '80s about the "big one hitting", I would
not worry about it now. It's not very likely. Much more likely is
a little one, but too big for local authorities to hit. Another hurricane,
a terrorist attack and so on.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 Fax ONLY: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

On Mar 3, 11:27 pm, wrote:
On 3 Mar 2007 23:18:11 -0800, "Cato" wrote:

On Mar 3, 10:29 pm, wrote:
Not all Canadians are m IIs.
cuhulin

Thanks cuhulin. But I'm afraid I don't know what m ll means.

m ii is the nick of another poster on here one disliked by Dx Ace and
a few others it seemshttp://kb9rqz.blogspot.com/

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Well, Thanks to & cuhulin for filling me in here. I am
new to this list, and I am willing to learn who everyone is. Yep, I'm
a Canuck, and together with my better half, I am trying to raise three
boys. Nineteen, sixteen, and thirteen years of age. My nineteen year
old, David, is with the Lincoln & Welland Regiment, and might be
going on a little trip to Kandahar sometime coming up. Not sure
exactly when. Everyone is a bit worried, but he is following a long
family connection with the Regiment. Our sixteen year old is thinking
of enlisting, but our thirteen year old is totally into hockey, and
shows no interest in the military. (He even has me trying to learn how
to skate, and I'm fifty-five) ;-)
I enjoy collecting coins, meteorites, reading, camping, hiking,
traveling Canada and the U.S., and of course, my little collection of
am/fm/sw shortwave receivers.

wrote:

...
I do wish they'd be carefull what they wish for they just get it
JS
http://kb9rqz.blogspot.com/


You know me, I like to see everyone get what they want, would be nice to
see the MOOSELUMS get a nice jihad, one with all the bells and whistles
on it ...

JS
--
http://assemblywizard.tekcities.com

Hindsight is hindsight.What I would do is at least wrap a few little
bitty (So you got a jobbb in a little bitty city,,,,, it's alrightttttt
to be a little bitty,,,,, haie eeeeeee,,,,,,, www.us963.com
Jacksonnnnnn,where GOD isn't dead) of any kind individually in aluminum
foil and have plenty enough Alkaline batteries for the radios.It's
called (if or when the s..t hits the fan) grab it and GO!
cuhulin

F..K them muslim ragheads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where were those American born muslin M.....rF.....s on September
11,2001? Did we hear anything from them!!!!!!?????
www.devilfinder.com Navexpress Blackday 911
cuhulin

m II is the Canadian so-called ''expert'' on everything.m II will most
likely remind everbody once again about that time I was at
www.bianca.com and I pretended (I admit it) I was a 19 year old girl
interested in sex with dogs.
Sue me!
cuhulin

Welland Regiment? Sounds good.I will look it up.
cuhulin

I did a google on that, Welland Regiment

Crank up your bolume,real good Music.
cuhulin