Radio for touring ..?

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Georgem123

Active Member
hi all

has anyone ever toured with a wind up/solar panel/dynamo radio on their bike while touring?

i thought it would be cool to have it strapped to the rear rack whilst pedalling through rural France

anyone have any advice knowledge?
do wind up radios last if you wind them up regularly?
 
Brains

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
Why ?
They are big and heavy and a wind up radio was designed to last for half a football match in time before it needs rewinding

For many years until the invention of global TV and the internet I always took a short-wave radio with me, they are brilliant, small and light and you can put bigger speakers on them - too this day I still twiddle the knobs and pick up Radio Iran, Radio Japan and other exotic stations just for old times sake.
Mine still lives in a tupperware box designed for butter, it's been all over the world, never failed to work and kept me in touch

I see they still have a value
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUPER-VIN...LDBAND-RADIO-RECEIVED-ICF-SW100-/221415807224
 
Bodhbh

Bodhbh

Guru
In general those wind up radios are rubbish - and break in no time...at least the ones you pick up in Millets and whatnot. I went thru 2 and gave up on them.

I got sick of bad reception, so for a while I had one of those 'world radios' that'll pickup FM/MW/SW/LW, have an aeral that extends to nearly 6ft and a detachable wire aeral you can hang up like a washing line. I liked it alot - the reception was amazing and the sound was great too - but it was a power hog (4xAAs) and quite a brick weightwise. It got damp in the end tho curtesy of the waterproofing going on my inner groundsheet and packed up.

(/edit looking at Brains's link, looks like mine was either a larger model in the same series, or just an older and larger version of the same one. I recognise the Wave Handbook ;) )

If I take one now, it's just afag packet sized no brand thing that prolly cost less than a fiver. It's pretty crappy, sound and receptionwise, but I can't be bothered anymore and the batteries have never need replacing. I don't think it's worth bothering with solar/windup/dynamo for radios in general - they are just too damp power efficient - and there's always places to pickup or recharge batteries.
 
snorri

snorri

Legendary Member
Location
East coast, up a bit.
I have a Roberts R 986 FM/MW mini radio, the single AAA battery lasts for the duration of a tour even if I fall asleep and leave it on overnight. It's just not worth the bother of attaching a solar charger to the bike.
 
Glow worm

Glow worm

Legendary Member
Location
Near Newmarket
I wouldn't bother with a cumbersome wind up radio on a bike. The Roberts R9924 is a superb little portable radio. Only 4.5x2.5 inches. It sits nicely on my handlebars (with a bungee strap). It has long wave as well, so you can hear R4 (and RTE) well into Central Europe (and certainly most of France north of a line Lyons- Bordeaux) if that's your thing.

It's amazingly sensitive on MW too (for example I get Radio Kent here clearly on it. Not that I want to of course). You'll get all the nationals (5 Live, Absolute and Radio Cockney as far south as Paris daytime, and further at night). FM is OK. It uses two AA batteries that last for ages.

It's now sadly unavailable on Amazon but you can still get these sets elsewhere. Amazon now recommends the newer Sports 923 set instead. Don't whatever you buy this radio - it's terrible. Very poor sensitivity and long wave is hopeless. Complete waste of cash.
 
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Dogtrousers

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
A lot of mobile phones have built in FM receivers these days. So if you want to catch up on the latest news then that's an option.

Alternatively, a cheap AM radio which runs off a couple of (possibly rechargeable) AAs can get UK AM transmissions in Northern France. A stylish handlebar or top tube mount, which will be the envy of your friends, could easily be constructed from duc[k|t] tape.

You could recharge both from a dynohub possibly. Maybe.
 
vernon

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
Georgem123 said:
hi all

has anyone ever toured with a wind up/solar panel/dynamo radio on their bike while touring?

i thought it would be cool to have it strapped to the rear rack whilst pedalling through rural France
Click to expand...

Coolness is no substitute for simplicity. A simple AM/FM battery powered radio is a cheaper, lighter, simpler, reliable and more practical solution. I have a battery radio that's around ten years old and delivers the goods without fuss.
 
Brains

Brains

Legendary Member
Location
Greenwich
KneesUp said:
You should get a Sony SRF-39 - a favourite amongst American prisoners because it is tough, it runs for 40 hours on a single AA battery and has very good reception, which is ideal if you are behind thick walls I guess. You'd need an external speaker though.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...o-an-instant-classic-behind-bars-9068042.html
Click to expand...
Great radios, however almost impossible to get outside the USA, and you really don't want the chance to be able to buy one at 15 buck within the USA, as it would mean you ain't goin' no place
 
OP
OP
G

Georgem123

Active Member
vernon said:
Coolness is no substitute for simplicity. A simple AM/FM battery powered radio is a cheaper, lighter, simpler, reliable and more practical solution. I have a battery radio that's around ten years old and delivers the goods without fuss.
Click to expand...
but would it last 30 days?

i thought a solar/wind up would last 30 days as it doesnt require batteries
 
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