Category Archives: Emergency Preparedness

Post-Helene Update and the Importance of Radio After a Natural Disaster

No matter where you live in the world, everyone should have a battery-powered or self-powered (hand-crank) portable radio in their home.

Recently, the pace of articles here on the SWLing Post has slowed down. That’s because I live in Swannanoa, North Carolina—a town that was particularly hard-hit by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene, which brought unprecedented rainfall and caused widespread destruction.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been chronicling my experiences on my ham radio blog, QRPer.com. I’ve also been sharing regular audio updates with supporters on Patreon.

In short, our rural mountain community was completely cut off for several days. Our bridge washed out, and a critical section of road crumbled daily.

At one point, two families had to be helicopter-evacuated for medical reasons, and less than a week after the storm, the Sheriff’s department came door-to-door recommending evacuation.

Our amazing community pulled together: we cleared our road of hundreds of downed trees and made sure everyone had food, water, and supplies. We took care of each other.

Now, things have improved dramatically. After two and a half weeks without power, we’ve been reconnected to the grid. The Kentucky Department of Transportation repaired our road, making it accessible to regular vehicles again. On Tuesday, an arborist crew finally made it up the mountain to remove fallen trees from houses.

Although things are starting to feel more normal at home, the impact on Swannanoa, Asheville, and surrounding areas has been profound. Entire neighborhoods are gone, numerous businesses have closed, and several grocery stores were severely damaged.

The Communications Void

The National Guard helped us for a full day at our home. Thank you 5th Battalion 113 Field Artillery!

It’s often said that modern communications infrastructure fails us after a disaster.

I can confirm, first hand, that this is true.

The mobile phone network went offline during the storm, leaving us without service for days. Even now, three weeks after the storm, mobile phone service remains unreliable. Calls drop every few minutes.

Mobile data services at home are still down at time of posting (October 18, 2024). Internet services like cable, fiber, and DSL are mostly still out across the county. Only those with satellite internet have a connection—I’m fortunate to be one of them. Our cell tower still only supports basic voice calls and text messaging, without data or media attachments.

Radio to the Rescue

As many of you know, I’m not just a radio listener, but also a licensed amateur radio operator, and both of these hobbies became essential post-Helene.

As highlighted in an article by WIRED, amateur radio proved to be our lifeline for communication when everything else failed.

Using the local repeater (N2GE on Mount Mitchell), I was able to pass wellness checks, coordinate helicopter evacuations, and arrange supply drops for our community. I handed out a few handy talkies to unlicensed neighbors so we could stay in touch.

My wife and daughter, who are also hams, helped tremendously. While I was out with a chainsaw, clearing driveways, they acted as net control operators on our community’s simplex frequency (147.555 MHz), passing critical messages.

For that first week especially, amateur radio truly was our community’s connection to the outside world.

AM/FM Radio: A Lifesaver

Fortunately, our local TV station remained online after the storm, but few people could access it. Many people rely on cable or internet to watch TV, and in areas like ours, the digital transition over a decade ago left many without the ability to pick up over-the-air signals.

In contrast, FM and AM radio became the most reliable sources of information. Here in Buncombe County, public information and news were broadcast on 99.9 MHz (FM) and 570 kHz (AM). Both stations stayed online throughout the disaster, and the information they provided reached a vast audience. Check out this feature from CBS Evening News:

In Henderson County, the local AM station WTZQ stepped up as well. They did incredible work serving their communities post-Helene, as highlighted in a report by Queen City News:

Information Lifeline

As a presenter in the above story pointed out, everyone should have a battery-powered (or self-powered) AM/FM/Weather radio in their home.

After a disaster, you’ll rely on that radio for essential updates like where to find clean water, how to apply for FEMA assistance, what businesses are open, and when services will be restored.

Even three weeks after the storm, much of the Asheville area is still without water, so radios remain vital for getting updates.

Here at SWLing Post HQ, I shared my extra portable radios with neighbors who needed them. I used my CC Skywave SSB 2 in the kitchen window to tune into local news on 99.9 MHz and 570 kHz. I also relied on my XHDATA D-109 and CC Radio 3—they became our constant companions for information.

Many of you here on the SWLing Post are already radio enthusiasts, so no doubt I’m preaching to the choir. But let this serve as a reminder to stock up on alkaline batteries and check your radios regularily to make sure they’re fully functional. Keep spares on hand so you can lend them to neighbors if needed—they’ll never forget your generosity.

And don’t assume your area is safe from natural disasters. Western North Carolina was considered one of the safest regions in the country for weather, yet we were hit by one of the most devastating storms in state history.

Stay prepared. Don’t become complacent.

Thank You!

Over the past few weeks, many of you have reached out with kind words and support, and I can’t thank you enough!

As of this morning, I have 310 messages in my inbox.

I’ve been too busy to reply to emails and comments—though I’ve read each one—but I truly appreciate your patience as I try to catch up. My days have been consumed by helping neighbors and getting our own life back in order. It’s been exhausting but incredibly rewarding, and we still have months of work ahead of us.

Thank you also to the contributors who have kept the SWLing Post running during my absence, and a special shout-out to my friend Vince (VE6LK), who has taken on a huge role in keeping QRPer.com updated.

Again, I’ve been posting updates on QRPer.com and sharing more informal audio updates on Patreon.

Thank you so much for your support and understanding—and, again, keep those radios ready. You never know when they’ll become your primary source of information!

Best & 73,
Thomas (K4SWL)

Spread the radio love

Checking out the CCRadio SolarBT

13 Replies

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM

The syllables coming through the headphones were unknown to me. Clearly it was a language, but not one that I knew. So I logged it: 2/18/24, 1101Z, 1660 kHz, unknown language, orchestral music. (I later found out it was a Korean language station from New Jersey.) Then I moved on down the band.

Next stop: 1650 kHz, male voice French. Then: 1630 kHz, pop music, followed by “Arabic sounding music” on 1610 kHz, and so on down the medium wave band. It was a pre-dawn morning, and I have had a great deal of fun, creeping along in 1 kHz increments using the 2.5 kHz bandwidth, turning the radio from side to side in my hand, trying to tease out distant stations, and hoping to hear my first transatlantic DX.

In my lap was a radio that very much resembles a brick, but a very elegant designer brick. In the words of the instruction manual: “The CCRadio Solar is likely the first emergency radio that doesn’t look like one.” The folks at CCrane sent me one for review without charge.

The CCRadio SolarBT measures 6 inches wide by 3 inches high by 2.5 inches deep and weighs just a bit over a pound with batteries installed. Most of the SolarBT’s case is white polymer, but the bottom, top, and sides are covered with a gray rubberized “skin.” The end effect is a solidly built unit that is pleasant to view, easy to handle, and won’t readily slide off a slippery surface.

The CCradio SolarBT can receive AM (MW) band from 520 to 1710 kHz, FM from 87.5 to 108 MHz (76-108 MHz in expanded mode), and 7 NOAA Weather Radio channels from 162.400 MHz to 162.550 MHz. In addition, the SolarBT has a wealth of other interesting capabilities, and we will get to those in just a bit.

Clearly, the CCrane folks are serious about this radio’s emergency capabilities. There are five different ways of powering the SolarBT: (1) an 18650 Li-ion 3.7 volt rechargeable battery which provides around 50 hours of playing time (the manual advises fully charging the internal battery before use), (2) 3 AA batteries (not included, but good for about 40 hours of playing time. The manual warns: don’t use Lithium batteries), (3) a 110 mA solar panel (park the radio in a sunny window to keep it trickle charged), (4) a wind-up dynamo generator (300-500 mA at about two rotations per second. 90 seconds of winding will power the radio for 8-13 minutes or will charge your cell phone enough to make a few quick calls), or (5) a 5-volt DC, 1000 mA micro USB cable or optional AC adapter.

On the left of the front panel, you’ll find a 2-inch, 3-watt speaker. To the right of that is an LCD panel which serves as information central for the SolarBT. The display’s backlight will stay illuminated for about 10 seconds after each button press; you can set the light to stay on continuously if the SolarBT is plugged into continuous power. To the right of the display are a couple of up and down tuning buttons. Press quickly to advance to the next tuning increment. Press and hold to automatically tune to the next strong station. Hold continuously to cycle through the entire band.

Below the display are 5 memory station buttons that have some additional functions we’ll get to in a while. To the right of the memory buttons is the volume knob.

The top of the radio is dominated by a solar panel that, if exposed to direct sunlight for 8 hours will provide 10 to 14 hours of playing time at medium volume. Surrounding the solar panel are 4 buttons: one for power, one for the flashlight, one for changing radio bands, and one for BlueTooth functions. At the extreme back edge of the top is a fold-out telescoping antenna for FM and weather band reception. Inside the case is 10-centimeter a ferrite bar antenna for AM reception (by comparison the ferrite bar inside a CCrane Skywave is 7 centimeters).

CCrane’s attention to detail is evident: the button for the flashlight glows in the dark (very handy if you awake to find the power is out), and the instruction manual is very informative and well-written. In fact, it’s been my experience that CCrane consistently delivers the best-written user manuals in the radio business. Well done!

On the left side of the case is the LED flashlight. On the right side is a soft rubber hatch that provides access to a jack for auxiliary input, a radio power/charging jack, a switch for selecting between the 3 AA batteries or the 18650 rechargeable battery, an earphone jack, and a standard USB port that can be used to charge your cell phone.

On the back of the SolarBT is the fold-out crank for the dynamo generator and a hatch for accessing the 3 AA batteries and the 18650 rechargeable battery. That’s it.

Judicious pressing of the memory buttons provides access to the clock and alarm functions, to selecting 9 or 10 kHz AM band tuning steps, to designate clock or frequency while listening to the radio, to select 1 kHz running steps on the AM band, and to choose among 3 different bandwidths for the AM band: 6 kHz, 4 kHz, or 2.5 kHz. The manual will tell you how.

Yes, you say, but how does it perform? Bottom line: just great.

The SolarBT may be small, but, in my opinion, it punches above its weight and provides excellent sensitivity for its size on the AM, FM, and weather bands. You might buy it as an emergency radio, but my guess is that you will soon discover the joy of DXing with it.

I would be remiss if I didn’t add the following. Normally, I “play radio” using headphones to help compensate for a hearing deficit. Lately, however, I have been listening to the NOAA Weather Radio on the CCRadio SolarBT through the speaker, and I have found that the sound coming through the speaker is very pleasing indeed.

A final note: I did not test any of the Bluetooth connectivity because at present I do not own any gadgets that would connect through Bluetooth.

Bottom line: I liked the CCRadio SolarBT a great deal and can happily recommend it. You might buy it as your emergency radio, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself using it for general listening or for DXing distant stations.

Click here to check out the CC Radio Solar BT at C.Crane.

Spread the radio love

Raddy RE40 Emergency Radio

3 Replies

By Robert Gulley (Guest Post)

The Raddy RE40 is another portable shortwave radio offering from Radioddity, but with a twist – it is intended to be an emergency radio first, and a listening-for-pleasure radio second. In this review I will cover the emergency options incorporated into the unit, as well as discuss operability and its overall functionality as a radio.

As always when I do a radio review, I will point out what I believe are the radio’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as where this might fit in your radio arsenal. The usual disclaimer applies for any product I review – I tell it like it is, good or bad. While the radio was provided to me without cost by Radioddity, that does not affect my opinions one iota. With that out of the way, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of the rig!

As we have come to expect from other Raddy portables, this has a lot of features packed into a relatively small package. I say “relatively small” because it is thicker than many vertical portables, and heavier. This is a solid bit of kit, and the size and weight are the first clue that this radio is not just intended to sit on a coffee table. It is definitely designed to work outdoors, as well as finding a place in the car or boat for when you need to check on the weather, or be out in it.

Specifications

- Frequency Range: FM: 87-108MHz, AM: 520-1710KHz, SW: 5.7-17.9MHz, WB: 162.400-162.550MHz
- Bluetooth: Version 5.0
- Card Type: MP3/WAV/FLAC/APE
- White Noise: 7 different natural sounds
- Max. Capacity of Micro SD Card: 256GB (not included)
- Size: 81x52x132mm / 3.2x2x5.2in
- Weight: Approximately 350g / 0.77lb
- Operating Voltage: 2.7V-4.2V
- LED Light: 1W/120LM
- Max. Power: About 5W
- Speaker: 4? 5W
- LED Flashlight: 1W/120LM
- Battery Capacity: 4000mAh / 3.7V (non-replaceable)
- Operating Temperature Range: -10? to 60??14°F to 140°F?

What’s in the box?

- 1 x RE40 Radio
- 1 x Type-C Cable
- 1 x Wrist1 x User Manual

Power Options

This radio can be powered by an internal battery charged by a USB-C port, solar powered to charge the battery, or by a hand crank. Here is the manual description of the emergency power options:

A. Solar Charging

Put the solar panel directly towards sunlight. When the green charging indicator lights on, it indicates that the solar panels charging the internal battery.
The charging efficiency depends on the solar exposure: the stronger the sunlight, the better the charging effect.

B. Hand Crank Charging

Turn the hand crank clockwise or anti-clockwise and the green charging indicator will light up to indicate that it is
Speaker has no sound: Hand crank at 130-150 rpm for 1 minute, the flashlight can be used for more than 30+ minutes or play the radio (medium volume) for 3

NOTES:

The hand crank can be turned for 3-5 minutes before using the product to activate the internal battery.
The hand crank is normally used in emergency situations when the power is out.

The radio has a compass built into the volume control knob on top, a flashlight, analog tuning dial, and switches for moving between playback modes (Radio, Bluetooth, and media) and desired operations (SOS, Standard battery or solar/crank charging modes, and USB charging). As an aside, the SOS feature is LOUD!

Almost the whole back of the radio is devoted to the solar cell. This is much larger than other solar cells on portable radios that I own, and presumably will recharge the internal battery faster. There is a rubber flap over the headphone, USB and memory card jacks/slots.

The unit has another interesting feature: you can charge your phone or other USB device from the standard USB slot under the flap. To use this feature the mode switch on the back of the radio has to be in the right-hand position under the charging symbol. When set to charge another device all other functions are disabled, so if you turn your radio on and can’t get anything to work, you might just have pushed the button over to the right accidentally, or intentionally the last time you used the radio.

Radio Performance

I’ll not spend a lot of time here, not because the radio performance is poor, but because as I have already noted, that is not the primary focus of this radio. There are plenty of portable radios by Radioddity and others which have better performance. However, I found the FM reception to be exceptional for a radio in this class, and AM radio reception to be reasonably acceptable for a radio with a lot going on inside. I did not test the AM radio reception with one of my loop enhancement units, mainly because I am not looking to use this as a regular radio receiver. This is going in my car for emergency/safety issues, and to grab when I am having a picnic lunch or the like.

Shortwave reception is on par with other radios of this size, and a pleasant feature is a sturdy telescoping antenna. Unlike several other small Raddy radios which have very fragile antennas, this one is much more solid.

Weather band reception is decent, but not quite as good as other radios I have tested. I can pick up one very strong signal, and a usable/readable second signal, but some other radios I have give me 4 or 5 stations. Of course, as long as you can get one strong signal, it is likely that is the one most important to you in your immediate location. With at least a second station you have the chance to pick up information should the one nearest you experience difficulties.

Sound and White Noise

As for the sound quality, it has a nice large speaker and delivers good sound, and I have found this typical of most all of the Raddy radios I have tested. In addition to the typical sleep timer radio option, this radio features a “white noise” option which allows the user to select between 7 different white noise options for those who prefer to go to sleep that way.

Compass and Flashlight

Pros

Feature-Packed in a small footprint
Loud SOS
Sturdy Antenna
Large Solar Charging Cell
Ability to charge phone
Multiple ways to power radio/flashlight
Strong FM, acceptable AM and Shortwave (no SSB)
Price ($49.99 from Radioddity, $44.99 plus 10% off coupon from Amazon at time of writing. There is also a bundle offer from Amazon which includes an SP4 4W Portable Solar Panel for $59 plus 10% off coupon) [Note that these are affiliate links that support the SWLing Post at no cost to you.]
18-month(!) warranty

Cons

Weather band not as impressive as some other radios, but hardly a deal-breaker
Analog tuning dial very sensitive (if you have shaky hands this is probably not for you, except perhaps for the emergency functions)
Multi-colored striped analog dial is sometimes hard to read (then again, I need my reading glasses for a lot of things!)

Wrap-up

This little radio packs a lot of punch for the money, adding features similar emergency radios do not have. If you are like me, emergency radios are a necessity given our unstable weather and power grids, and I like knowing I can use solar power to recharge a radio, or crank it when the sun is not available. Some folks expect more power from a hand-crank generator than these small radios produce, but my main goal is to be able to quickly check weather conditions, use the flashlight, or make use of the SOS function if needed. These do not require massive amount of time spent cranking the generator, and to me that is a plus.

I would recommend one for each car or boat, or to take with you on outdoor trips just in case of an emergency. Of course, you could always listen to the ballgame on your front porch, too!

Cheers, Robert K4PKM

Spread the radio love

WF-100SE Weather Station Review

11 Replies

WF-100SE WEATHER STATION

By Robert Gulley K4PKM

Weather stations have always intrigued me, particularly ones that sent information to the Internet. They are often more revealing than the local weather forecasts, and certainly can be used to augment NOAA weather reports. When living near a big city there were enough stations around I didn’t feel I could justify the expense, but living out in the country now there are only a few stations in the county, so I decided I would get one eventually.

About that time Radioddity came out with the WF-100SE and it seemed to tick most of the boxes I was looking for, and, as a amateur radio operator, had the Internet connectivity I sought. Since I suspected I would not be the only radio aficionado who might be interested in it, I approached Radioddity to do a review of the station and they promptly sent me a unit to review at no cost. I have reviewed other products for them, and they understand the ground rules – I tell it like it is, good or bad.

Here is a feature description as found on their website:

Easy-to-read Display: The WF-100SE features a large and clear 13-in-1 color display that presents weather data in a user-friendly format. Check temperature, humidity, rainfall, UV index, feels-like temperature, dew point, sunshine intensity, weather forecast, wind direction and speed, barometric pressure, and moon phase at a single glance.
Effortless Setup & Maintenance: Set up your weather station quickly with intuitive controls and straightforward installation instructions, and benefit from smooth operation with minimal maintenance requirements.
7-in-1 Accurate Outdoor Sensor: The WF-100SE is equipped with a highly accurate outdoor sensor with upgraded rain collector, thermo-hygrometer radiation shield, and a solar panel that precisely measures weather conditions in your area. The system offers an impressive communication range of up to 330ft.
Sync with WeatherCloud & Wunderground: Stay updated with these platforms’ latest weather updates and forecasts via Wi-Fi. Access real-time data and make informed decisions wherever you are.
24-48h Weather Forecast: Rely on the WF-100SE’s accurate sensors to provide reliable 24-48 hour weather forecasts. Whether it’s sunny, cloudy, rainy, or snowy, get prepared for any weather condition that lies ahead. Plan your activities in advance.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Since photos often do more justice to something than just mere words, I have taken images of my display screen, as well as screen captures of my unit as it appears on the Internet. As you can see from the display unit, the image is bright, easily readable, and contains a lot of information in itself. In addition to the wind, rain, indoor/outdoor temperature, I also like that the unit displays the UV and solar radiation levels, and even the moon phase, as I like to take the telescope out now and again when the moon is not too full and obscuring things.

Clear, easily readable display with large print for these old eyes!

Where the unit really shines as far as information goes, is what can be displayed over the Internet. As can be seen in the images below, there is a lot more information available online, including Day/Week/Month totals and averages. These can be viewed as graphs or as a table.

Weather Underground Display of Information

Basic Information similar to the Display Unit

Weather history can be viewed by Day/Week/Month, a really nice feature to look for trends.

Visual graph of weather history requested

This is a partial Table View of the weather History

Setup and Internet Connection

Setup was remarkably easy, and connection to the Internet was simple. Setting up the station on the Weather Underground and Weathercloud was just a matter of entering some basic information. Between the two sites I prefer the display of the Weather Underground, but that’s just me. Both worked fine.

I have ben testing the unit for several months now and it has performed flawlessly. I have compared my readings with nearby stations and they essentially agree, with slight variations as you might expect.

For those curious about the station working with APRS on the aprs.fi site, there is a process for setting up the station so that it can appear on the Google maps site for APRS, but I have not done that yet.

Conclusions

I am very pleased with the performance of this weather station, and find it’s features comparable to other well-known brands. The current price is $179, again, pretty much in line with (or less than) other established stations, and if you sign up for their email list you will get various coupon offers throughout the year which should save you some money.

Anyone familiar with my typical reviews knows I normally try to list pros and cons, but honestly, I can think of no cons I have encountered with this unit. If you have specific features you are looking for that are not mentioned or displayed here, I would encourage you to contact Radioddity with your questions, as I have found their customer service to be quite helpful.

Update One Day Later:

I had a bit of a storm pass through this morning with some heavy wind gusts which knocked down my Weather Station. It was on a PVC pipe clamped into a tripod, no stakes, so blowing over was my fault. (Fixing that today!)

Good news is that falling from a height of 8 feet or so, no damage to the unit, everything working fine. Whew!!

Purchasing the WF-100SE ($15 Discount)

If you purchase the WF-100SE weather station via our affiliate link, you will receive a $15 discount and Radioddity will send a small commission to the SWLing Post. Click here to make your purchase (simple search for WF-100SE).

Robert Gulley, K4PKM, is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post.

Spread the radio love

A review of the Radioddity RADDY RF320

19 Replies

(Almost) All-in-One in a Box

By Robert Gulley K4PKM

The RADDY RF320 is a rather attractive, if not slightly curious-looking radio, which breaks from the more recent offerings from Raddy and other small portable radios. Compact, but not pocket-sized, the radio comes in at roughly 3-3/4” x 4-1/2” almost square (not counting the tuning dial on the side, the slightly raised antenna on top, or the light on the side).

The radio can receive AIR, FM, VHF, MW(AM), SW, and Weather Band signals. (For those interested in the U.S. Aircraft Band, this model does feature AM modulation, so civil aircraft can be monitored). While the radio does have AM SWL bands, there is no SSB reception. SW bands run from 90m thru 13m, with tuning in 5kHz single steps and scan mode.

This is the IOS version of the Bluetooth App. Clean layout, keyboard frequency entry and radio control

There are four tuning methods if the user includes the Apple or Android app which feature direct keyboard entry in addition to the three modes found on the radio. As a rather cool feature, the QR scan codes are imprinted on the back of the radio for both IOS and Android apps, so if you are out and about you can easily download the app to your phone or tablet. A nice touch! No having to type an esoteric web address or search for the app. (I tried both codes and they worked just fine.)

In addition to the usual tuning methods, the RF320 has what they refer to as “fine tuning knobs” on the side and front of the radio, with the knob on the side a continuous tuning within a band mode. The knob on the front is something, well, a bit unusual. While it is a fine-tuning knob, it is designed to manually tune in search mode. A little explanation is in order.

Most radios which feature a search mode, this one included, allows the user to long-press a directional button or rotate a tuning dial a given distance to activate a search mode. When the typical radio finds a station, it may stop momentarily or completely, depending on the design. The search modes in this radio all do the latter- they stop completely. However, unlike most radios, this radio features three different methods of searching. The up/down arrows can be pressed for a second or two to start a search, or the tuning knob on the side can be rotated some distance quickly, and a search will begin. The third method is the tuning knob on the front. By manually turning the knob the radio will attempt to find the next signal within the current band or sub-band without stepping through each 5kHz frequency (of course it is doing this internally, but it is not really obvious visually).

For example, when in FM mode, this tuning method will jump to the next usable station. In SW mode, in a given sub-band (13m, 90m etc.), this knob will jump to what it senses as the next usable signal, rather than scanning every 5 kHz as done in the other modes. This allows for a very quick check of a given band (or sub-band).

As with any search mode on a radio like this, there will be false positives. Life is not fair – static crashes and birdies and digital signals can all fool a radio’s search mode.

Changing lights, Bass Boost, and QR Codes for Downloading Android or IOS Apps

The radio features excellent sound for its size, with a rather large front-facing 5W speaker, and a bass port on the back. I can crank the volume louder than I would ever want in a room and the audio remains clear.

Reception on all the bands is quite acceptable, keeping up with typical portables its size, and even ones with longer antennas and larger ferrite bars for AM reception. This is not a Panasonic RF-2200 or a GE Superadio, but for what it is designed to do, it does quite well.

The radio also has an abundance of memories, allowing you to save up to 995 stations, including 199 each for AIR, FM, VHF, MW, and SW.

Like some of the other radios from RADDY, this one has Bluetooth connectivity to Android or IOS for the App functionality, and takes a TF memory card to allow for playing music, podcasts etc., as well as having a flashlight and S.O.S. capability. There is a headphone jack and Aux. jack, as well as a USB-C charging port for the replaceable 18650 2000mAh battery (whoo-hoo!). Sleep mode, timer, wake to music and six sound effects are added features.

Lights, lights, and more lights. ‘Nuff said! (See images)

Pros and Cons

Pros: Good audio, AM receive for aircraft band, good sensitivity, multiple ways to tune, excellent App connectivity on my iPhone with direct frequency entry, good form factor, unit seems solid, replaceable battery, 18-month warranty(!), carry strap, aux. input to allow the radio to act as a speaker, included wire antenna and charging cable.

Cons: Telescoping antenna a bit frail, side tuning knob feels a bit wobbly (but I experienced no problems), back colored lights seem unnecessary (nit-picking and just a personal opinion, YMMV), EQ effects seem weak as only a few seem to make much of a difference (and not needed in my opinion, since the standard audio is quite good), no SSB (not a problem for me but will be a deal-breaker for some), and typical for this type of radio soft muting while tuning.

Conclusion

This is a good, solid radio with lots of options in terms of modes and bands, as well as extras which make it an almost all-in-one radio. This is a radio one could take to the beach or a park, or use in an office or on the coffee table or night stand. It is small, portable, packed with features, and controllable from your phone or tablet. At a price well under $100 ($71.99 special price from Radioddity at the time of publication), this may well be the radio you have been looking for to fill that portable niche!

Note: Using this link to purchase the Raddy RF320 will include a $15 discount for you and a small commission to the SWLing Post.

Spread the radio love

The new Sangean MMR-99 series emergency radio

25 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mangosman, who writes:

Thomas,

I saw the Radio World review of the Sangean MMR-99 (page 16).

As I usually do I go to the source which in this case is the Sangean website to find

- Sangean MMR-99 FCC AM/FM and in the USA version Weather radio band.
- Sangean MMR-99 which is the UK version which is AM in the MF band for 9/10 kHz channel spacing No Low Frequency (LW) band.
- Sangean MMR-99 DAB which is interesting because it is typically DAB+/FM no AM or Weather Band.

Your posters around the world may wish to review this radio which is available on line and in retailers.

Thank you for the tip! Impressive that MMR-99 is IP55 rated and ruggedized. I like the fact they’ve also made regional variants of this radio even including DAB.

The US version of the Sangean MMR-99 is available on Amazon.com (affiliate link) for $89.76 shipped.

Spread the radio love

Hawaii: FEMA unveils new emergency-hardened broadcast studio

7 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Benn Kobb, who shares the following news:

FEMA & KHKA Unveil New Emergency Broadcast Facilities to Improve
Emergency Broadcast Capabilities

KHKA, Honolulu, HI

https://www.espnhonolulu.com/2023/05/24/fema-khka-unveil-new-emergency-broadcast-facilities-to-improve-emergency-broadcast-capabilities/

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and KHKA, CBS 1500,
unveiled Hawaii’s first Primary Entry Point (PEP) emergency broadcast
facility today. The KHKA facility, located at Kahauiki Village, joins
FEMA’s National Public Warning System (NPWS), which provides critical
information to the public before, during, and after emergency incidents
and disasters.

The NPWS emergency broadcast facility, part of the Integrated Public
Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), includes improved operational
capabilities for up to two months, expanded broadcast capacity,
emergency power generation, and other resilient protective measures for
all types of hazardous events, increasing KHKA’s ability to continue
broadcasting during emergencies.

In the event of a disaster, trained staff can operate the emergency
facilities for several weeks to keep KHKA on air to broadcast messages
from the local, state, and federal governments, as well as community
organizations.

– – –

FEMA Unveils Disaster-Resistant Broadcast Studio in Hawaii
KHNL-TV Honolulu, HI

https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/05/25/fema-unveils-disaster-resistant-broadcast-studio-hawaii/

As the official start of hurricane season approaches on June 1, federal
and local emergency officials introduced a critical tool Wednesday to
keep the public informed in the event of a disaster.
FEMA unveiled a brand new emergency broadcast radio studio that sits on
the grounds of Kahauiki village near Keehi Lagoon.

The facility features a full media setup designed to keep transmitting
communications through any type of threat.
“Everything from tsunamis to earthquakes to tornadoes to hurricanes,”
said FEMA national public warning system manager Manny Centeno.

– – –

Prepared for Anything: Hawaii’s Emergency Broadcast Studio
KHON-TV Honolulu, HI

https://www.khon2.com/local-news/prepared-for-anything-hawaiis-emergency-broadcast-studio/

A new facility on Oahu is already relaying information to help recovery
efforts in Guam, even though Hawaii is almost 4,000 miles away.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency gave a tour of their new
emergency broadcast studio on Wednesday, May 24; but the hope is that
locals never need to use it.

The footprint of the studio itself is small, but it is quite a tank. It
is engineered to keep broadcasting before, during and after natural
emergencies like hurricanes and tsunamis. The station is even made to
withstand man-made catastrophes.

“This thing is designed to protect against high-altitude electromagnetic
pulse, EMP. So, this is EMP protected. it is also chemical, biological,
radiological and nuclear protected,” said FEMA National Public Warning
System project manager Manny Centeno.

Spread the radio love