{"id":28561,"date":"2017-09-30T06:00:49","date_gmt":"2017-09-30T10:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=28561"},"modified":"2017-09-29T08:55:28","modified_gmt":"2017-09-29T12:55:28","slug":"guest-post-hans-reviews-the-freeplay-lifeline-and-unity-self-powered-radios","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/09\/guest-post-hans-reviews-the-freeplay-lifeline-and-unity-self-powered-radios\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: Hans reviews the Freeplay Lifeline and Unity self-powered radios"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Hans Johnson, who shares the following guest post:<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Irma-induced Radio Reviews<\/h2>\n

by Hans Johnson<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The primary disaster we face here in Naples, Florida, is hurricanes. \u00a0Naples had been spared for over a decade until Irma. \u00a0So while I had prepared, I had not needed my supplies or equipment for quite some time. \u00a0This included the radios.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I went into Irma with two Freeplay<\/i> solar and windup radios, a Unity<\/i> and a Lifeline<\/i>. \u00a0I got these radios probably over a decade ago. \u00a0As part of some work I was doing with VT Communications (now Babcock), I was involved with a radio project called Sudan Radio Service<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Both of these radios were being given to listeners as part of this project. \u00a0I wanted to have a better understanding of what they faced. \u00a0I had some conversations with Freeplay<\/i> in London, explaining who I was and why I wanted these radios. \u00a0During a visit, I was able to purchase both sets with the proviso that I not sell them.<\/p>\n

I checked them both out at that time with my focus being on shortwave as that is how Sudan Radio Service<\/i> was then transmitted. \u00a0They were ok at picking out the strongest stations but that’s about it. \u00a0I never really needed or wanted to use the radios day to day. \u00a0And then Irma struck.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We left Naples on Saturday when we received a mandatory evacuation notice. \u00a0The storm struck on Sunday and we returned on Monday.<\/p>\n

We were spared. \u00a0Many lost everything. \u00a0Some lost their lives. \u00a0We had a lot of trees down and some roof damage, but nothing substantial. \u00a0But we had no power. \u00a0Water had to be boiled. \u00a0Sewage was backing up in places because the lift stations had no power. \u00a0The stop lights were out (this was a real danger, many did not treat them as four-way stops and just blew through them. \u00a0But you never knew who it would be.) \u00a0A curfew was in place. \u00a0The cell phone system was in really bad shape. \u00a0I could not call or text my brother across town, let alone get access to the Internet via cell.<\/p>\n

This link will give you an idea of what we came back to. \u00a0I am the guy sawing wood at 1:47. \u00a0(Lesson learned, have two chainsaws in case yours blows a gas line):<\/p>\n

http:\/\/abc7ny.com\/weather\/watch-josh-einiger-reports-from-naples-florida\/2391120\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n