Etón American Red Cross ARCFR160WXR Microlink Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power and Cell Phone Charger (Red)

by Eton

• AM (520-1710 KHz) & FM (87-108MHz) NOAA weatherband & 8211
• USB cell phone charger (USB cable not included) 3.5 mm headphone input Dimensions: 5.25& 8221
• Accessories: owner& 8217;s manual, warranty card Specifications subject to change

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1.8 x 5.2 x 2.5 inches ; 8.5 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001QTXKCE
• Item model number: ARCFR160WXR
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (450 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,370 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #25 in Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Radios > Shortwave Radios
  • #32 in Electronics > Portable Audio & Video > Radios
• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 1, 2009

Product Description

Color: Red (American Red Cross) | Size: Handheld

From the Manufacturer

American Red Cross MICROLINKFR160

Always be prepared wherever you are with the MICROLINKFR160 emergency preparedness radio. Get all the convenience and functionality that you need on the go in a compact, portable design. The analog tuner receives AM/FM radio and NOAA weatherband with weather alerts based on your location. You will never lose power with the two power sources that allow you to charge your emergency radio anywhere at any time. Instantly charge your USB device after cranking, to get power from the USB dump charge feature! With this multi-featured emergency radio you will never go unprepared!

Analog tuning and NOAA radio

No matter where you are, the MICROLINKFR160 lets you listen to your favorite music, news, and radio shows while also keeping you safe with up-to-date weather forecasting. This high quality emergency preparedness radio features an analog tuner with AM and FM band and NOAA weatherband that provides all seven channels. It gives you infirmity that you can rely on!

Power wherever and whenever you need it

The MICROLINKFR160 is innovative in design! It can be powered from two different sources including the dynamo/hand crank and solar power! With different power options, you will never be without power, and you experience the unfailing reliability that you expect for the American Red Cross.

Compatible with your USB devices and media players

This emergency preparedness radio is extremely versatile and user friendly! Not only does it charge itself from two different power sources, but also it is compatible with your USB devices. This special USB dump charge feature instantly charges your USB device after cranking, to get power when you need it most. Plus it has a 3.5 mm headphone jack so you can enjoy music from your portable devices.

Convenience and portability at your hands

The compact design of the MICROLINKFR160 is lightweight and portable. It is perfect to take camping with you or even to keep in your home or car for emergencies! Plus it includes 3 built-in white LED light source.

Features:

• AM (520-1710 KHz) and FM (87-108MHz)
• NOAA weatherband – all 7 channels
• Built-in 3 white LED light source
• Powered by solar or dynamo both of which charge internal Ni-MH battery
• USB cell phone charger (USB cable not included)
• 3.5 mm headphone output
• Accessories: owner's manual, warranty card

Product Description

Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power, and Cell Phone Charger

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

764 of 775 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Solar Powered Radio For The Price....No Battery Option September 2, 2009

By Ambergris TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Color Name:Red (American Red Cross)|Size Name:Handheld

Weather radios are sort of a hobby of mine. There is just about no place I can go on my property that there isn't one within reach somewhere. Six different brands are represented presently by what I own, including a more expensive Eton that is not my best radio. This small, (and I mean small) new line from Eton is a whole new animal to be sure. Its controls and design are very user friendly. And the reception on all channels, including the weather, is very loud and clear. Its true that the dial numbers for the AM FM are very small as some other reviewers have mentioned and can make it hard to tune accurately. But that is something common, as well as for me expected in a radio so small. What sets this unit apart from all the others I own in my opinion is its price and solar power. It is without a doubt the cheapest weather radio I have come across that is solar powered. Big, small, or otherwise. Even though one has been able to buy solar powered calculators at discount stores for less than $10 for years now, for some reason the weather radio industry has treated solar power as something still high tech and to be appreciated only in their most expensive units. My only other solar powered radio cost me over $60. The only possible down side that I should mention about this radio is that it does not take batteries. It would have been nice if they included that option. But they didn't and its either the solar power or crank. This could be a very big negative for some folks who would feel comfortable knowing they could just stick some batteries in it if all else fails. Although 90% of the time the solar power is all you should ever need, if you will routinely keep this in a rather dark place, or happen to be lost out in the savage wilderness someplace with this radio in a continuous cloud cover, be ready to do a whole heap of crankin'. All in all, its finally nice to see a very reasonably priced unit that is solar powered and of a very quality build and design as well. I highly recommend the Eton for a portable unit that can be taken anywhere easily, powered effortlessly, and gives quality performance all in one package....

275 of 279 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly surprised with the battery life November 29, 2009

By Mark Wagner

Color Name:Red (American Red Cross)|Size Name:Handheld

This radio is an excellent radio for the price. No, it is not a top-end emergency radio, but it should work rather well for anyone looking for a basic AM/FM/Weather radio with both a solar and hand-crank charging option. I purchased mine about a year ago and used it only occasionally for the first few months. Then I placed it on a shelf with limited light and there it sat for about six to eight months. About six weeks ago I dusted it off and it actually worked for about an hour or so with no hand-crank charging. Later that day I sat it in the front window where it would get plenty of direct sun light. A couple days later I picked it up from the window and have been using it a few hours each day since; some of those days it was used for more than six hours in the basement. I have not needed to crank it at all, but did crank charge it for about one minute total just while playing with it - for the record. Since then, I have been keeping it on the shelf out in the open where it is exposed to normal room daylight, no direct sunlight. The charging light does not light up in this setting, and I would not expect it to. I have occasionally taken it out on the front porch to sit a listen where there is direct sunlight, but only for about an hour or so each week. I really like the idea of not having to buy batteries, and the convenience of knowing I always have a charged radio.

The flashlight is minimal, but I would not expect more from an LED light source. I have my 6-D-Cell Mag light if I need a powerful (luxury) light source.

Tuning the radio is a bit sensitive and can be difficult to fine tune. I would consider this to be a SIGNIFICANT problem for an elderly person or anyone without the use of fine motor skills in their hands; but for me it is a minor hassle I am willing and able to deal with. I have considered getting the Eaton FR600 for its digital tuner. The reviews for that model suggest the battery life is pretty bad, so I have decided to wait for an improved model. For now, my FR160 is just fine. I would consider giving this 5-stars if the fine-tuning was much easier.

The USB charge does work, but know that it will not charge an iPhone 3Gs. This is more a problem/restriction of the iPhone 3Gs (a widely discussed complaint across the Internet for many-many generic charging devices) and is not because of the radio. Charging my old Samsung phone was not a problem.

The weather bands do pick up a signal, but to be absolutely honest, I have not used it much to provide any real opinion.

The hand-crank charger feels solid enough (I wouldn't abuse it) and tucks away securely when not used. I have found the manual crank-charger will provide about 25-30 minutes of radio time (at about 1/4 to 1/3 volume) for every minute of crank-charging. I average about 2 cranks per second or about 120 rotation per minute. Now I just count to 120 or so instead of watching the clock. This play-time per craink-time yeild has been very acceptable for me. After two minutes of crank-charging my hand does begins to tire a little, but just a little. If I leave the radio in a place with good direct sunlight when not using it, changing via the crank is never even needed.

In short, it works for what I want - a radio that that can be charged by sunlight or by hand-crank when absolutely necessary. If you want the construction and feature-set of a $100+ radio - buy a $100+ radio. But, for $30 (or less), I am pleased with the FR160.

141 of 145 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Emergency Radio! September 4, 2009

By William L. Drevo, Jr.

Color Name:Red (American Red Cross)| Size Name:Handheld|Amazon Verified Purchase

The reasons this Eton-manufactured emergency radio is the ideal emergency radio are: 1) small, compact size, 2) shock-absorbing case, 3) sensitive AM/FM/NOAA Weather tuner picks up weak signals, 4) handy 3-LED flashlight on left-hand end of the radio's case, 5) Earphone jack under dust cover on the right-hand side of the case, 6) USB port under same dust cover on the right-hand side of the case, 7) All radio bands will run 4-5 hours at low volume on full charge of the internal NiMH battery, 8) Solar panel on top of the radio's case is strong enough to power the radio indefinitely (as long as the solar panel is 'seeing' daylight), 9) the internal NiMH can be re-charged via the solar panel during daylight hours, an external transformer or the hand-cranked dynamo. You get all of these features for the low price of $30, plus free 'Super Saver' shipping from Amazon.Com. You can pay a lot more for an emergency radio and get a whole lot less!