American Red Cross FR400 Emergency Radio, Red
By: Eton Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 68
More Information
 On: 2008-10-24
I bought a smaller Eton/Red Cross emergency radio/light. The unit came with a postcard to mail away for an adapter to fit your cell phone, so you can charge it in an emergency using the hand crank or solor panel. Weeks went by, nothing... Months went by, nothing.... Repeated calls (always got an answering machine), left details.... nothing. I am still waiting. I will say the unit works well, but I purchased it mainly for the cell phone charger, and without their custom phone "power tip" youre up the creek.
 On: 2008-10-20
I got this radio as part of a deal that also gave me free wind-up flashlight. I had a five-day outage and we huddled around the radio in the evenings since everyone was out. Bad news is that this radio gets the analog TV signals currently but that will be gone in February, 2009 when all the signals covert over to digital...making this feature non-working after that date. The weather alert also is a good function and keeps on in our household.
 On: 2008-09-19
Bought this to keep around in case the power goes out - have had it for a few months now and check it every so often - its been reliable so far. It is compact and has lots of features including a windup cell phone charger - only issue was you had to order the adapter for your phone and it took 2 months to come, but it was free.
On: 2008-08-05
This product is EXACTLY as depicted and will be very useful in the event of an emergency. Ive tested it out, with and w/o batteries and its flawless! Its a little smaller than I had anticpated; however in hindsight, thats a good thing!
You wont be disappointed in this product.
Bob in NC
On: 2008-07-12
The clarity of the stations is perfect, even indoors. The radio is water resistant and to make sure, I intentionally dunked it in the sink (it survived). The emergency notification setting was a disappointment. I was planning on leaving the radio on emergency notification 24 hours a day to be warned of tornadoes during tornado season, but unfortunately the emergency weather service blares up every few minutes just to tell me that the temperature is 98 degrees in cities hundreds of miles away. So I had to turn the radio off and stuff it in a closet. Not a limitation of the radio though, just a limitation of the national weather service.
 On: 2008-07-06
I received this radio in early May and asked for a particular cell phone adapter.
After almost 2 months without hearing from them I contacted Eton and they said they didnt have it in stock and it would take 2 or 3 months to get it. They could have notified me earlier, their customer service is not impressive. I wonder if Ill ever get it? I would suggest that before you buy this radio, check with Eton and make sure they can supply the adapter.
On: 2008-06-23
I am so glad I found this emergency radio. Living in Florida you try to stay prepared for the worst during hurricane season but buying batteries and not needing them for a couple of years is a waste. I wont have to concern myself with that purchase any longer. The multiple bands available, such as TV and NOAA weather radio, are just what you need in the time of a storm.
On: 2008-04-09
This radio is small,compact,and works well.We bought this for those times when the power goes out,which has happened twice in the last two(2)years.The different bands do a great job of giving updated info on storms and news local news.
On: 2008-03-24
This is the second radio for me girlfriend got the first. They is so easy to set-up. Very happy camper!
On: 2008-03-23
Thankfully I havent had cause to try out its emergency capabilities, but since I needed a radio for the kitchen I thought this would kill two birds with one stone. After a few weeks I managed to snap the aerial off - partly my fault but I would have hoped that wouldnt be so easy to do. And now about a year on, the power connector fits so poorly that I cant power it from an electrical outlet any more. Itll just have to be stored away in case of dire need and Ill get something sturdier and cheaper for everyday use.
On: 2008-02-13
The radio came with a storage bag but it is not large enough to accomodate the AC adapter.
Reception and clarity of the radio speaker is not great.
On: 2008-02-13
The reception on this radio is very good and the ability to power it by battery, hand crank and AC covers all bases. After receiving the radio they give you information on how to order the appropriate power cable for your cell phone. The one they sent me was not the right one but I am confident they will make it right. Outside of that a great tool in the event of an emergency.
On: 2008-02-09
Very nice unit, gave one to the mother-in-law for those times of power outages. Excellent reception in or out of doors and very easy to use well formatted instructions.
On: 2008-01-15
This product was delivered in great condition. I love all the features that it has.
On: 2008-01-12
Bought the radio as a Christmas present for my 81 year old father, who used it during thr recent January outbreak of tornados in the Midwest. He set it to the emergency alert before bed, in case he didnt hear the tornado sirens. Radio gives a high comfort level in case the electricity goes out during a major storm.
On: 2008-01-12
This is a good emergency preparedness radio. My husband was impressed with it. It came with a cover that doesnt really fully cover it. The radio would easily fit in a backpack. We havent used the radio extensively to know the quality of the radio frequencies and the ability to pick up stations in various conditions.
On: 2008-01-08
Be aware...
When the mandatory NTSC to HDTV switchover happens in Feb 09, the TV reception on this radio (and any other radio with TV reception) will cease to function. (AM/FM/NOAA reception will not be effected.)
On: 2007-12-26
All handles and switches are made of plastic and they dont seem very sturdy. The flashlight Leds are not powerful. The display should be illuminated. Anyway, Ive got two of these radios (one for home, the other for the office) and I like them, they work well.
 On: 2007-11-26
This product can be bought for the same price if not less at other online retailers. Amazon makes it look like it has been "marked down" but in reality it hasnt! Buyers beware.
On: 2007-11-25
This product can be bought for the same price if not less at other online retailers. Amazon makes it look like it has been "marked down" but in reality it hasnt! Buyers beware.
On: 2007-11-11
We know that this is one of the best radios for emergencies. Being up north with our snow and ice storms, we need a good reliable radio. But this radio, though one of the best, arrived at our home broken due to some cheap...cheap plastic parts. You also have to send off for your cell phone attachment and if you have more than one type of cell phone in the home, youre out of luck.
On: 2007-09-24
I returned the first one because it did not have the cell phone adapters, I received the replacement the very next day, but it also did not include the cell phone adapters
On: 2007-08-19
What the vendor fails to tell the buyer, until the radio is unwrapped, is that it takes at least 15 minutes crank time to get less than a minute of cell phone charge. Secondly, the appropriate cell phone adapter tip and charge cord have to be sent away for separately.
On: 2007-08-06
This product did was it said it would do. I am happy with it.
On: 2007-07-04
What a fantastic product. We have used it camping...and it does perform as intended. Good quality...at a GREAT price!
On: 2007-05-21
I love this radio, the features are so cool yet is is compact and affordable. I gave it to my dad who lives in an area susceptible to hurricanes. I feel a little better knowing he has it in case of a disaster. The unit can be cranked in case the batteries are dead, and it is water proof. It also has an emergency flashlight and siren. Too cool. Also, the purchase provides assistance to a great cause.
On: 2007-05-16
Wow!!!! I bought this to use for camping trips. I read though all of the reviews here on Amazon, and was a little leary. I thought i would give it a try because it was the only radio that had all of the features I was looking for. We recieved it the morning we left for are first camping trip of the year. We triied it out with nothing but the crank, and listened to the radio all day. We were able to receive all radio and TV stations very clearly. I think it has something to do with the region you live. Must people that hated this item lived in the east. I live in Utah. We go camping in most areas that have no services and are at least a half hour to the nearest town. I am so glad I gave the radio a chance. I am also purchasing 2 more for Fathers Day gifts.
On: 2007-05-05
Very well designed radio. The radio includes a cordless phone type battery and an AC power adapter.
The battery can be charged by turning the crank generator. Be gentle when you crank it. Crank just enough to lite the charging lite on the front panel. Doesnt take long about 10 minutes to charge. Also, there is a card that you can send in to get a free cell phone charger plug adapter that works with the generator...
Plus, you can use AA cells for power.
The radio covers all weather, TV, FM and AM radio channels. The radio is very sensitive and can pick up long distance signals...
The carry case is very nice and Radio is weather proof. Although I would not drop it in water...
The led light is very nice. Plus the siren is handly if you are trapped in the basement after a storm so the rescuers can find you...
Best Radio I have ever seen...
On: 2007-05-04
Very well designed radio. The radio includes a cordless phone type battery and an AC power adapter.
The battery can be charged by turning the crank generator. Be gentle when you crank it. Crank just enough to lite the charging lite on the front panel. Doesnt take long about 10 minutes to charge. Also, there is a card that you can send in to get a free cell phone charger plug adapter that works with the generator...
Plus, you can use AA cells for power.
The radio covers all weather, TV, FM and AM radio channels. The radio is very sensitive and can pick up long distance signals...
The carry case is very nice and Radio is weather proof. Although I would not drop it in water...
The led light is very nice. Plus the siren is handly if you are trapped in the basement after a storm so the rescuers can find you...
Best Radio I have ever seen...
On: 2007-04-05
Item was received in a timely manner and was as described. Tone quality is not very good but as an emergency band radio that probably isnt much of an issue to most customers.
On: 2007-03-04
The FR400 does everything it is supposed to do passably well but Id hoped to see some cell phone adapters instead of having to send for one which they might or might not have. And the radio does not have a fine tuning knob. Either I misread the description or it is just another discontinued feature.
On: 2007-02-25
I just received my FR 400 from Amazon. I noted several problems right away. NO cell phone tips or cord were included. Instead you get a warranty card on which you are to specify what model phone you have, then (in theory) they send you a cord and that SINGLE tip. Not what they advertised, nor what I expected/wanted, as my wife and I have different phones. Possibly this is a recent change, but this kind of bait and switch makes me distrust the entire product. I would not have bought it if I had known this. Also, the AC adapter uses a barrel plug with reverse polarity (i.e. positive on the exposed outside, negative on the shielded inside), which defeats the entire purpose of a barrel plug. Apparently they wanted to make their charger useless for any other purpose, and prevent you from using any other charger. Not having a phone cord Im not sure, but I would be afraid they reversed the polarity on that too, making any other cords and tips that might fit useless as well. An emergency product should be versatile, not proprietary. Additionally this arrived just before a severe storm (24 Feb 2007), but not to worry. If the power goes out and my phone goes dead, I can take comfort in my warranty card.
On: 2007-02-24
I just received my FR 400 from Amazon. I noted several problems right away. NO cell phone tips or cord were included. Instead you get a warranty card on which you are to specify what model phone you have, then (in theory) they send you a cord and that SINGLE tip. Not what they advertised, nor what I expected/wanted, as my wife and I have different phones. Possibly this is a recent change, but this kind of bait and switch makes me distrust the entire product. I would not have bought it if I had known this. Also, the AC adapter uses a barrel plug with reverse polarity (i.e. positive on the exposed outside, negative on the shielded inside), which defeats the entire purpose of a barrel plug. Apparently they wanted to make their charger useless for any other purpose, and prevent you from using any other charger. Not having a phone cord Im not sure, but I would be afraid they reversed the polarity on that too, making any other cords and tips that might fit useless as well. An emergency product should be versatile, not proprietary. Additionally this arrived just before a severe storm (24 Feb 2007), but not to worry. If the power goes out and my phone goes dead, I can take comfort in my warranty card.
On: 2007-02-08
hope I dont have to use this but, most functions work well; have only been able to receive one radio station on both the tv and radio bands all across the band; like the other functions like light and cell phone charge
On: 2007-01-20
Was very disappointed in this product for several significant reasons:
1. The thin plastic crank handle is WAY TOO flimsy. This "handle" provides a critical function-- you think/expect the manuf. would have invested a few pennies more for a thicker or metal handle. (The internal generator produces a fair amount of crank resistance-- so its only a matter of time before this handle will break.)
2. The time needed to charge a dead cell phone for a brief call (1-2 min.) was way too long-- especially given the fragility of the plastic crank handle.
3. The ON/OFF is inadvertently turned to the ON position each time you slide the radio back into the very snug storage cover/bag. (Nice surprise to open your "Emergency" radio only to find it has completely drained batteries because of this design flaw.)
4. Radio reception is poor for FM stations, and was non-existent for TV stations-- tried tuning-in both at various location in my town.
5. For a price on $79 (currently on sale at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $65) these BASIC features should work as advertised.
6. Amazon customer service has been EXTREMELY slow to deliver the pre-paid return slips as promised. It has been over 30 days now-- and 5 phones calls-- (3) to India, (1) to the Philippines, and finally, one to the US. The international calls each averaged over 20 minutes because of language and phone connection difficulties.
7. Product is a great concept-- every home should have one. I would buy locally so you can test the features first-- and because of the slow/inept Amazon customer service... in this case.
On: 2007-01-19
Was very disappointed in this product for several significant reasons:
1. The thin plastic crank handle is WAY TOO flimsy. This "handle" provides a critical function-- you think/expect the manuf. would have invested a few pennies more for a thicker or metal handle. (The internal generator produces a fair amount of crank resistance-- so its only a matter of time before this handle will break.)
2. The time needed to charge a dead cell phone for a brief call (1-2 min.) was way too long-- especially given the fragility of the plastic crank handle.
3. The ON/OFF is inadvertently turned to the ON position each time you slide the radio back into the very snug storage cover/bag. (Nice surprise to open your "Emergency" radio only to find it has completely drained batteries because of this design flaw.)
4. Radio reception is poor for FM stations, and was non-existent for TV stations-- tried tuning-in both at various location in my town.
5. For a price on $79 (currently on sale at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $65) these BASIC features should work as advertised.
6. Amazon customer service has been EXTREMELY slow to deliver the pre-paid return slips as promised. It has been over 30 days now-- and 5 phones calls-- (3) to India, (1) to the Philippines, and finally, one to the US. The international calls each averaged over 20 minutes because of language and phone connection difficulties.
7. Product is a great concept-- every home should have one. I would buy locally so you can test the features first-- and because of the slow/inept Amazon customer service... in this case.
On: 2007-01-18
The primary reason I bought this product was because, in addition to all the normal emergency features, it advertised a built in cell phone charger. Well, if you happen to own one the selected brands and models for which they provide adapters, you can. Once you receive the product, the fine print on the box tells you that not all cell phone manufacturers and models are supported. I dont own any of those they support. So I am very dissappointed about that.
On: 2007-01-14
The FR 400 is easy to use. The ability to charge your cell phone is a tremendous feature.
I gave out 6 FR 400 Emergency Radios this holiday and all who received them were more than pleased with their gift. It is a must have for every household!
by: fignetti On: 2007-01-13
I received an FR300 one year ago and have loved it. My mother wanted one for christmas, so we bought her an FR400. They are essentially the same radio with a couple important differences.
First, the FR400 is more weather resistant than is the FR300. I thik this is an important inclusion. In emergency conditions, you may not be able to stay free from the weather 100% of the time. Second, the FR400 has a new case shape. This shape places the flashlight in a more convenient place (the end), thus allowing it to be carried as a flashlight more easily. However, this new case also eliminates the carry handle - s strange omission and not positive. Third, the FR400 includes the AC wall adapter. This is nice. The price is higher than the 300, but if you factor in the cost of the adapter, the price is about the same.
Thus over-all it is a slight improvement to the FR400.
About its features:
Radio: Acceptable. There is significant over-shadowing, where strong FM stations appear and re-appear all over the dial. I agree this is not great, but I found that by -lowering- the antenna, this is minimized. Perhaps the receiver is a bit -too- sensitive. With the antenna completely retracted, I find the radio equivalent to others. With it up, you had better be good at nano-adjustments. Alternatively, this radio picks up stations at my grandfathers ranch where others only find static.
NOAA channels: If you live within receiving distance of an NOAA channel, you should be able to get at least one (several are available on the dial). We get two with excellent clarity and one a little fuzzy. We can even get one on my grandfathers ranch way out in no-where. This seems to work very well.
Cell phone charger: This is a great feature. While other devices may have cell chargers included, Eton included seven different adapters - AND will send a free one to match your phone if the included adapters dont fit. They will do this even if you are just changing phones. I tried and they were very good to work with - a five minute call and NO expense on my part. The charger may not give you lots of gossip time (without a virtual workout), but it can give you an emergency call. If you are tough or if there are several who can crank it for a long time, it will give you as much as you need.
Flashlight: The light is provided by 2 LEDs. While not an air-raid search light, it provides plenty of light to navigate around. We have found it sufficient for general room illumination as well.
Flasher: The third LED is a red flasher. Not very powerful, but probably plenty to let someone know where you are in an emergency - if conditions are dark.
Siren: Pretty loud. During daytime conditions, it is very audible and Id bet could be heard for many hundreds of feet or though a great deal of rubble. Alternatively, my young son and I run around with the red flasher and siren going playing fireman. :) His mother seems to find this strange. But she is used to strange behavior from us.
Power options: You can power your radio with 3 AA, the crank, or a wall adapter (now included). The included replaceable rechargeable batery pack (just a simple cordless phone battery) seems to have sufficient capacity. The crank will power the radio for about an hour on one minute of vigorous cranking (as described). I would have paid a little more for a solar panel as well, but one is not included. If you play the radio loudly or use the flashight at the same time, you will shorten the power time, but you can always re-crank. If your rechargable battery wears out over time (and this is very important), you can just replace the battery with a cordless phone battery from Wal-Mart (we found one for about $8). For some similar radios, the battery is integral and cannot be replaced easily. ALWAYS check this out.
Alert mode: Irritating. I put my radio on alert, which is designed to turn on the radio with the siren when a weather alert is detected. Seems nice. Well, the first time I tried it it alerted me to clear weather. It was very loud. After I repaired the body-shaped dent in my bedroom ceiling, I vowed to ONLY use this feature in genuinely serious circumstances.
Build Quality: I do not, like others, believe it is overly fragile. However, I do think Eton should opt for more contoured knobs and switches - which would make it more resistant to accidental changes while being moved around. Otherwise, it seems tougher than another radio we had which shattered when dropped once. I dont think this would - although dropping should be low on the lost of things to do with your new radio.
Summary: I agree it is not a radio for audiophiles, or serious radio experts. They will probably be annoyed by the reception issues. However, its list of features makes it a great choice for emergency situations. I have been very happy with it and even use it for day-to-day listening when I am on our patio. If you want a radio to put in your emergency kit, I think this is a great choice.
New note: We just got through several days of power outage in the big ice storm in Missouri. We thought it would be a week or two. (We wish to express thanks to our efficient and hard-working utilities teams.) Though we had plenty of batteries, it was a great comfort to know we had this radio. You never know when youll need it and having all these features in one small package is very nice.
On: 2007-01-12
Every home should have one of these. After the last NYC blackout, I started putting together an emergency kit. This radio is the foundation. Radio, TV (audio), flashlight, and a crank to recharge it and power your cell-phone. These are the basics when information becomes vital. A solid, compact buy. Get it.
by: fignetti On: 2007-01-12
I received an FR300 one year ago and have loved it. My mother wanted one for christmas, so we bought her an FR400. They are essentially the same radio with a couple important differences.
First, the FR400 is more weather resistant than is the FR300. I thik this is an important inclusion. In emergency conditions, you may not be able to stay free from the weather 100% of the time. Second, the FR400 has a new case shape. This shape places the flashlight in a more convenient place (the end), thus allowing it to be carried as a flashlight more easily. However, this new case also eliminates the carry handle - s strange omission and not positive. Third, the FR400 includes the AC wall adapter. This is nice. The price is higher than the 300, but if you factor in the cost of the adapter, the price is about the same.
Thus over-all it is a slight improvement to the FR400.
About its features:
Radio: Acceptable. There is significant over-shadowing, where strong FM stations appear and re-appear all over the dial. I agree this is not great, but I found that by -lowering- the antenna, this is minimized. Perhaps the receiver is a bit -too- sensitive. With the antenna completely retracted, I find the radio equivalent to others. With it up, you had better be good at nano-adjustments. Alternatively, this radio picks up stations at my grandfathers ranch where others only find static.
NOAA channels: If you live within receiving distance of an NOAA channel, you should be able to get at least one (several are available on the dial). We get two with excellent clarity and one a little fuzzy. We can even get one on my grandfathers ranch way out in no-where. This seems to work very well.
Cell phone charger: This is a great feature. While other devices may have cell chargers included, Eton included seven different adapters - AND will send a free one to match your phone if the included adapters dont fit. They will do this even if you are just changing phones. I tried and they were very good to work with - a five minute call and NO expense on my part. The charger may not give you lots of gossip time (without a virtual workout), but it can give you an emergency call. If you are tough or if there are several who can crank it for a long time, it will give you as much as you need.
Flashlight: The light is provided by 2 LEDs. While not an air-raid search light, it provides plenty of light to navigate around. We have found it sufficient for general room illumination as well.
Flasher: The third LED is a red flasher. Not very powerful, but probably plenty to let someone know where you are in an emergency - if conditions are dark.
Siren: Pretty loud. During daytime conditions, it is very audible and Id bet could be heard for many hundreds of feet or though a great deal of rubble. Alternatively, my young son and I run around with the red flasher and siren going playing fireman. :) His mother seems to find this strange. But she is used to strange behavior from us.
Power options: You can power your radio with 3 AA, the crank, or a wall adapter (now included). The included replaceable rechargeable batery pack (just a simple cordless phone battery) seems to have sufficient capacity. The crank will power the radio for about an hour on one minute of vigorous cranking (as described). I would have paid a little more for a solar panel as well, but one is not included. If you play the radio loudly or use the flashight at the same time, you will shorten the power time, but you can always re-crank. If your rechargable battery wears out over time (and this is very important), you can just replace the battery with a cordless phone battery from Wal-Mart (we found one for about $8). For some similar radios, the battery is integral and cannot be replaced easily. ALWAYS check this out.
Alert mode: Irritating. I put my radio on alert, which is designed to turn on the radio with the siren when a weather alert is detected. Seems nice. Well, the first time I tried it it alerted me to clear weather. It was very loud. After I repaired the body-shaped dent in my bedroom ceiling, I vowed to ONLY use this feature in genuinely serious circumstances.
Build Quality: I do not, like others, believe it is overly fragile. However, I do think Eton should opt for more contoured knobs and switches - which would make it more resistant to accidental changes while being moved around. Otherwise, it seems tougher than another radio we had which shattered when dropped once. I dont think this would - although dropping should be low on the lost of things to do with your new radio.
Summary: I agree it is not a radio for audiophiles, or serious radio experts. They will probably be annoyed by the reception issues. However, its list of features makes it a great choice for emergency situations. I have been very happy with it and even use it for day-to-day listening when I am on our patio. If you want a radio to put in your emergency kit, I think this is a great choice.
New note: We just got through several days of power outage in the big ice storm in Missouri. We thought it would be a week or two. (We wish to express thanks to our efficient and hard-working utilities teams.) Though we had plenty of batteries, it was a great comfort to know we had this radio. You never know when youll need it and having all these features in one small package is very nice.
On: 2007-01-11
Shortly after we got this little radio, we were involved in an eighteen hour blackout. The radio provided non-stop weather and travel conditions for our area. We also appreciated the built-in emergency flashlight. Its a good little product.
On: 2007-01-10
Shortly after we got this little radio, we were involved in an eighteen hour blackout. The radio provided non-stop weather and travel conditions for our area. We also appreciated the built-in emergency flashlight. Its a good little product.
On: 2007-01-08
Best little piece of mind I could buy. I did not have any problems with the battery closier etc... A few cranks and the thing works. Ive had it on for long stretches of time with a few cranks every now and then. I use it for camping, storm watches, etc... Get yourself one and feel prepared.
On: 2007-01-07
Best little piece of mind I could buy. I did not have any problems with the battery closier etc... A few cranks and the thing works. Ive had it on for long stretches of time with a few cranks every now and then. I use it for camping, storm watches, etc... Get yourself one and feel prepared.
On: 2007-01-06
Absulute garbage. Poorly built, no way it is water resistant, (battery case doesnt even close). POOR RECEPTION, WORSE SOUND! Do dot wase your money!
Id give it 0 stars if it were a choice!
On: 2007-01-06
I purchased several of these radios--one for myself and others for gifts since everyone should have some type of emergency radio. Heres my thoughts on the product so far:
- Reception seems pretty good.
- Overall construction seems a little flimsy for an emergency product. The battery compartment cover, crank handle, some of the knobs and switches could easily be broken without careful handling.
- Save the box! The case wont hold anything except the thin instruction manual. It would have been much better to have a case that would hold the accessary cords, recharger, etc.
On: 2007-01-05
As advertised, this emergency radio works as advertised.
i had no difficulity in using the hand cranked ni cad battery back up
reserve, BUT with the limited 2 min. generated, leaves one exausted,
at the thought of repeated efforts needed in a true emergency. :-(
On: 2007-01-05
Absolute garbage. Poorly built, no way it is water resistant, (battery case does not even close). POOR RECEPTION, WORSE SOUND! Do dot waste your money!
Id give it 0 stars if it were a choice!
On: 2007-01-05
A must have for any home emergency kit. Good construction and functionality. Worth the price.
On: 2007-01-05
I purchased several of these radios--one for myself and others for gifts since everyone should have some type of emergency radio. Heres my thoughts on the product so far:
- Reception seems pretty good.
- Overall construction seems a little flimsy for an emergency product. The battery compartment cover, crank handle, some of the knobs and switches could easily be broken without careful handling.
- Save the box! The case wont hold anything except the thin instruction manual. It would have been much better to have a case that would hold the accessary cords, recharger, etc.
On: 2007-01-04
This low tech radio is great to have, and also fun! My husband loves cranking it up! We especially like getting weather information whenever we want it, as well as just knowing its there in case of power outages.
On: 2007-01-04
The radio is everything I expected from it. I did not experience any of the poor reception others did. I live in the Chicago area, so perhaps the signals are better. All the features worked fine. The hand-crank light and radio were easy to work. The weather stations came in fine too. I got to test it during a short power outage. It was nice to have. Good buy.
On: 2006-12-29
I got this model from Radio Shack. The first one was defective--the FM band indicator was off by 5 MHz or so, and the TV bands didnt work. The replacement model I was given is also defective--again, the TV bands dont work. Also, the cell phone charger only charges while you crank the crank--no battery power stored will charge your phone, a serious defect. In an emergency, you could call if you continuously cranked during your call, but there is no spring like some other crank radios, which effectively store your cranking for long periods of time. A big disappointment, both in quality and features.
On: 2006-12-05
If youre buying this radio for emergency preparedness and expect to use the TV feature then you should also expect a disaster in the next 2 years. Thats because after Feb 16, 2009, all analog TV transmitters will be shut off and the TV tuner in this will be worthless. You can thank your friends at the FCC for this great idea
by: imuilu143 On: 2006-11-16
What do you need from a radio in emergencies? First is to be sure that it hasnt dissipated its power, but the switch at the top of this unit is left-light, middle-off, right-flash, and with experience in similar devices stashed in tool boxes or car trunks, etc. the switch is gonna get moved so itll drain the batteries. This needs a better switch.
Second, another concern is the two flimsy plastic turn-knobs on the front. The knob on the left front lets you select the power input as to how to supply power to the unit (battery or crank-around-and-around), but the knob sticks out and feels flimsy, so its a likely candidate for getting broken in any storage place or when being used, so that you may not be able to use it to select how you are gonna power the radio. The knob on the right front that sends out a siren (left), off (center), or sets up the weather alert monitoring (right) is built the same way, and its also a likely candidate for getting moved away from the off-position, or getting broken off when you need it. Its too much a plastic toy and not durable enough.
Third, radio reception is decent, but the TV bands appear limited to channels 2 though 13, and if you are in an area where TV is channels 16 and higher, it wont help you there unless you get lucky to pull in some sideband or whatever it is called (I did once get a wisp of a higher channel, but I wouldnt want to depend on that in an emergency.) The maker does send 70 cents per sale to the Red Cross, so that is likely why this says Red Cross on it. Im gonna keep it cuz who knows, but I have a better built Garmin unit.
Fourth,if I dropped the Garmin unit, I think itd hold together. From handling this Eton unit, if I dropped it, I think Id have 50 broken pieces of plastic. Im not Consumer Reports so Im not gonna try the drop test--why trash it needlessly--but I feel sure thisd shatter.
BTW, the battery door opened easily on this unit. Perhaps the plastic connection for the rechargeable batteries sometimes isnt turned 90 degrees to fit down all the way down inside a internal slot, and thus this plastic connection might stick up into the battery space, which then creates a narrower vertical space which doesnt let you shove the rechargeable battery package all the way down into its home, and then (still following me?) the rechargeable battery package, sticking up higher than it should, provides friction on the battery door making the battery door hard to open. Or hard to close if you dont position things just right. I can understand the complaints about this issue. This is yet another indicator of poor design, as with the top switch and the flimsy knobs on the front. Yet, everyone should have some emergency radio unit, thus I give it a 3 as its a whole lot better than nothing, plus in buying it youve sent $0.70 to the Red Cross--woo woo.
On: 2006-11-14
Im not sure what some of the other reviewers were having a problem with here... this is a great little package!
I just opened the box, got the radio out, opened the door on the radios back without any difficulty (or breaking it!), hooked up the rechargeable battery, and everything worked just fine immediately.
The tuning was just fine for a non-digital radio, and the sound quality was much better than I expected... I tried all the bands: the AM was fine, the FM was pretty much static-free, the TV bands were excellent, and 4 of the 7 weather radio settings had no trouble pulling in a signal... my weather-radio-only products cant even do that... I was getting great reception in the house on these bands (surrounded by more electrical products, computers, wireless networks, and you-name-it than I care to think about), and I didnt even have the antenna up....
The siren is annoyingly loud (I agree that I wouldnt give this unit to a pre-teen), the flashing red strobe was sufficiently bright as a warning beacon, the 3 bulb LED flashlight was bright enough to see OK in a dark house or for whatever other emergency purpose most people are going to use it, though Im not going to throw away my $50 3 watter LED flashlight.
And, its all powered just about anyway I want it, though I havent rigged it up yet for generator power from my bicycle...
Im so impressed Im ordering half a dozen as presents for co-workers, kiddos, spouse, and, most importantly, the big boss... :-) Enjoy!
On: 2006-11-10
Im very satisfied w/ the radio. The tuner works great. The only complaint I have is that it is impossible to remove the battery compartment door without using a screwdriver to get enough leverage to pop it open to hook up the battery for the 1st time out of the box. I dont think its because of the seal on the door for the weatherproofing but more a small fault in the design.
On: 2006-11-10
I purchased an emergency radio to have in the event of an emergency. Duh! And it seems like the charger, lights, siren, and radio reception will all perform adequately should that happen. My teen wasnt awed by the sound quality, but thats not the criteria here.
I do have concerns about the quality of the product. For starters, like many others, I had trouble with the strange latch on the battery compartment. Even though I had been warned by other reviewers, I broke the latch trying to get it open. Amazon accepted an exchange without question, and Im very grateful. The next time, having experimented with the broken one, I was able to get this one open, and connected the rechargable power supply. Hopefully, if I ever have need of the radio in a real emergency, I wont break the latch in attempting to open it.
Other design considerations: I might have recessed the buttons, or maybe built a more rugged frame, if I was designing it. But then, I might have priced it out of the market doing so.
My purpose is that this radio goes in a kit of supplies in case of an emergency-earthquake, tornado, flood, etc. (ask FEMA for a great manual, or see if your local fire dept offers a CERT program-Community Emergency Response Training). My emergency radio is there in the box, and I think it will be worth my investment if I ever need it.
On: 2006-11-05
Overall Im pleased with the unit and believe it will be handy indeed come a power outage. A few issues (beyond the basic feature set tradeoff designed into the unit) Ive experienced with 2 separate units tested:
1. Cellphone charger doesnt seem to work.
2. FM reception (contrary to what Ive read in other reviews of this product) is actually pretty decent - but not great.
3. Battery door is VERY hard to open the first time and then doesnt close very tightly thereafter.
4. The light can accidentally be left on when the unit is slipped into the carrying case.
Again, overall this is a nice unit (and I love the siren!)
On: 2006-11-04
I am glad I made the choice of this item. It works fine. The sound quality is good, the tuning is good. I could wish the light was brighter...but for what it is..I got my moneys worth.
On: 2006-10-29
After reading other reviews, I purchased this with more than a little uncertainty about the product. I simply could not find another radio with all the same features. As far as the battery compartment is concerned, it took less than a second to open and very easy to use...same for my husband when he tried it. You may have to fiddle with the antenna directions a bit but we were able to get any radio or TV station we wanted to clearly. One station that does not come in well on our stereo and other radios was clear on this one. One problem- none of the cell phone adapters worked on our samsung phones- but easy enough to get an adapter somewhere (if you remember to do it!). Also, it says it takes a lot of cranking to generate even one minute of cell phone time....but I suppose that it is better than none at all. I have not tried this. I like that it takes batteries and Ive been using it around the house for weeks with no sign of running low yet. I originally pruchased this for my parents in Florida, but am keeping it and ordering another for them and my mother-in-law too! I have not used the case since I use it all the time.
On: 2006-09-13
This radio is poorly built. When you set it down the little door in back opens and the batteries fall out. You put them back in, carefully set it down, then when you pick it back up the little battery door falls open and the batteries fall out again...Now, I put rubber bands around the whole radio to keep the battery door in place....stay away from this particular model unless you have lots of rubber bands...good luck and thanks for the opportunity to write the review...
Bruce Payne
On: 2006-09-12
I was hesitant to get this, since other reviewers gave it poor ratings on reception. Now that I bought it, Im very glad I have it. It does all the things you might want in a disaster, inluding a flashlight, red flashing light (especially if your car breaks down at night), a siren (if youre trapped in a building), AC, battery, and crank power, and multiple radio bands. While some reviewers complained of not getting a lot of stations, in a disaster, you only need a few stations, as everyone will be broadcasting disaster news. Between the AM, FM, TV, and NOAA bands, my radio will received a huge number of stations--many more than would ever be needed in a disaster. (I didnt try the cellphone charging function.) It comes in a carrying case.
Only minor criticisms: The case seems like an afterthought: it doesnt hold the AC adapter; the knobs tend to turn the radio on when putting it in the case, and the knobs could get broken off if the case is hit (not that protective). However, it comes in a strong box which is perhaps better storage for everything.
Overall, this is all you should need for light, siren, and broadcast information from multiple power sources in a disaster.
On: 2006-09-11
I was hesitant to get this, since other reviewers gave it poor ratings on reception. Now that I bought it, Im very glad I have it. It does all the things you might want in a disaster, inluding a flashlight, red flashing light (especially if your car breaks down at night), a siren (if youre trapped in a building), AC, battery, and crank power, and multiple radio bands. While some reviewers complained of not getting a lot of stations, in a disaster, you only need a few stations, as everyone will be broadcasting disaster news. Between the AM, FM, TV, and NOAA bands, my radio will received a huge number of stations--many more than would ever be needed in a disaster. (I didnt try the cellphone charging function.) It comes in a carrying case.
Only minor criticisms: The case seems like an afterthought: it doesnt hold the AC adapter; the knobs tend to turn the radio on when putting it in the case, and the knobs could get broken off if the case is hit (not that protective). However, it comes in a strong box which is perhaps better storage for everything.
Overall, this is all you should need for light, siren, and broadcast information from multiple power sources in a disaster.
On: 2006-09-01
I will not be sending this item to my frail 85-year old mother in law to help her survive in hurricane alley on the west coast of Florida. It is virtually impossible to open the battery case cover to assemble the rechargeable battery connection for this radio. Most folks would buy this and store it until needed and so would not know in advance that they cannot access the battery compartment. This is unacceptable design failure for something the Red Cross is touting as a household essential.
When the company was contacted for assistance, they suggested inserting a butter knife in the hinge and forcing the cover open!! Folks have already reported being injured in trying to force the cover open.
I will be returning this one as soon as I can.
On: 2006-08-31
I will not be sending this item to my frail 85-year old mother in law to help her survive in hurricane alley on the west coast of Florida. It is virtually impossible to open the battery case cover to assemble the rechargeable battery connection for this radio. Most folks would buy this and store it until needed and so would not know in advance that they cannot access the battery compartment. This is unacceptable design failure for something the Red Cross is touting as a household essential.
When the company was contacted for assistance, they suggested inserting a butter knife in the hinge and forcing the cover open!! Folks have already reported being injured in trying to force the cover open.
I will be returning this one as soon as I can.
On: 2006-08-31
Excellent product! Has everything I need. The only negative was that I couldnt pick-up ALL the local TV stations, but thats probably my location. Wish I had it during last months power outage. Im ready for the next time.
On: 2006-08-24
This little radio is just what I was looking for - TV audio (since how often do radio stations have live djs anymore?), NOAA weather stations, an "alert" mode which turns it off until theres a severe weather notice and then it squawks; flashlight/emergency beacon, siren, and more power sources than you could hope for. It even will charge your cell phone (even with the hand crank). Usability factors are very good, with the exception of the siren, which is too easy to turn on when you dont want to (and its loud).
The radio is light, but thats exactly what youd want in your car, camping gear, or go-bag. Im buying a second one for the car, as well as one as a gift for a country-living relative.
My only disappointment was that there isnt currently a power adapter included that will charge a Treo.
On: 2006-08-09
I received this radio a couple weeks before we had a major power outage in St.Louis caused by heavy storms. My power was out for 48 hours, and many didnt get power back for 7 days or more. I was able to listen to the TV news broadcasts using the radio. The built in flashlight was also great to have. The radio brought a lot of comfort, as did taking cool showers (having no power for air conditioning in 100F weather!) Everyone should have one of these!
On: 2006-08-03
I have not been able to even try out this pooduct because no one can get the battery door open. Bedsides myself, five other adults have tried and cannot get the door to the battery compartment open. This is necessary, according to the instructions, to use the radio. Maybe we should try a kid? Anyway, if we cannot fix this defect, then we must reject!
On: 2006-08-01
There are some nice features to this radio, but on the key measure, radio reception, it fairs dismally in my location. The weather stations could be pulled in with lots of static, but FM and TV channel reception were impossible. The receiver so lacks sensitivity that two local FM stations totally overwhelmed reception from all other stations, both on the FM and TV channel bands. AM worked okay. The manual that comes with the radio says that youll probably have to crank the hand charger for 10-15 minutes to get a cell phone charge sufficient for a one minute phone call. And thats basically a dismissive guess on their part. Thus, this feature seems pretty useless. I was unhappy enough with this product to return it.
On: 2006-07-13
The battery compartment door is so tough to slide open - almost impossible without a screwdriver to pry it - that my finger slipped and was cut trying to do it. I dont know if this an issue with just my particular radio or is generally the case.
The radio itself seems OK and charged up right away with the crank.
On: 2006-07-12
less than expected. The first one came with a broken latch for the battery compartment and I had to go through the exchange hassle. Reception is not that good and the T.V. mode of reception is very weak. Will keep it but disappointed.
On: 2006-07-11
Living in a hurricane prone area I thought this might be a good investment. I received it today and am very disapointed. It reminds me of something I could have ordered out of a comic book as a kid. My first impresstion is its light weight,poorly made,very bad sound and doesnt receive stations very well.Maybe in a storm Ill be glad I bought it ,but I doubt it. Hope I dont have to find out!
On: 2006-07-11
less than expected. The first one came with a broken latch for the battery compartment and I had to go through the exchange hassle. Reception is not that good and the T.V. mode of reception is very weak. Will keep it but disappointed.
On: 2006-07-10
I was very impressed by this radio. Great functionality and a really good combination of features. Havent used the cell phone charger but thats a plus. One of those things that you hope you never need but good to have around. I highly recommend it.
On: 2006-07-10
I havent had to use it in an emergency and hope I never do, but everything checked out as advertised for it. Its surprisingly compact and light - very important. We were in the Hurricane Rita evacuation last year, and every square inch and ounce counts. Its a great item to have for emergencies.
I have one complaint. I have all sorts of battery-operated electronics, but it took me at least 20 minutes to figure out how to open the battery compartment, and the manual was no help at all. I was afraid I was going to damage it before I finally got it open.
On: 2006-07-10
I purchased two of these radios to have for emergency purposes. However, the antenna broke on one within 2 days of receiving the radio. This of course makes it virtually useless since I cannot receive radio signals clearly. Prior to the broken antennae, I thought the sound quality was good and clear. As for the charging of cell phones, I have not attempted this, but it did include an adapter that fits my cell. I recommend that Eton make a more durable antenenna since this radio will be used in emergency situations. I should note that I was simply listning to the radio in my backyard when I began adjusting the antenna for better reception. The antenna broke with no unusual pressure from me.
On: 2006-06-16
Just received the FR400 and tried it out. Everything works as stated. You get a wall charging unit extra along with a carrying case. My eyesight is not what it once was and all of the control are clearly labeled and easy to use. I am on the Gulf Coast, however if youre in an earthquake area, a flood zone, or subject to tornados, ect this is a no brainer purchase. You only have to need it one time to make the purchase price well worth it.
On: 2006-06-16
This radio has an outstanding set of features that would appear to make it a great emergency radio for the home. It has nearly every conceivable feature in an emergency radio that covers al the bases in one small unit. Unfortunately, The radios performance is so wide of the mark that I cant recommend it.
The radio suffers from two serious performance flaws: Strong FM stations can prevent reception on some TV channels. This "image rejection" problem is well known in receiver design. You should check if the TV channel you intent to listen to can be received at your home. I had one strong TV channel that my 10 year old GE radio could receive just fine that was completely blocked on this radio. Keep in mind that in a real disaster you may not be able to hear same stations because the stations themselves have lost power. What if the only station you can hear is rendered useless because of this receivers poor performance?
Secondly it is not nearly as sensitive as other, cheaper weather radios. The Midland WR-300 is a far superior performer at pulling in weak weather broadcast stations. In side-by-side tests over -several days the Midland could easily hear two stations while this radio could only hear static.
Also, the design had several ergonomic issues. If, like most of us, youre right handed, youll find the crank placement cumbersome since its on the left side of the radio. Also the tuning display has no back light making reading it in the dark very hard. Third it really needs a carrying handle, which the cheaper model FR300 has (but it lacks an AC adapter). This alone might have me decide in favor of the FR350 since, even after you purchase an AC adapter at Radio Shack, your still ahead dollar wise and you have a nice handle!
This unit was unable to charge my cell phone completely (an LG VX3200). The cell phone display indicated "charging complete" sooner than I expected. Sure enough it still kept charging on its own charger. I suspect that is due to the wimpy AC adapter included.
On the positive side: The tuning knob works well and the radio is easy to tune. The audio is very clean and clear even at moderately load levels. With the exception of the crank, most of the controls are well laid out and clearly marked. The operation is fairly self explanatory so any member of the household should be able to use it effectively in an emergency once they become familiar with it.
Unfortunately there doesnt seem to be any real, direct competition for this radio given its excellent features. Im disappointed that Eton, which prides itself on its radio design expertise, would have designed a radio with such poor performance. Im also a little dismayed that the American Red Cross would put its name on a radio that might not work when its needed most. I cant recommend this radio.
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