American Red Cross FR250 Emergency Radio

by Eton

Product Details

• Item Weight: 0.3 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000EIB03Y
• Item model number: ARCFR250W
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,253 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Etón Grundig American Red Cross FR250 is one of Etón's American Red Cross branded emergency radios. With a dependable hand-crank power generator that powers the unit's AM/FM/Shortwave radio, built-in LED flashlight, cell phone charger and emergency siren, the lightweight and portable Grundig FR250 is an excellent and economical choice for anyone in the market for a radio that can be relied on in emergencies or in environments where there are limited power sources.

FR250 FR300 FR350 FR400 Hand crank Cell phone charger Emergency lights Siren AC adapter included Water resistant Tuning AM/FM, SW AM/FM, TV-VHF, NOAA weather AM/FM, SW AM/FM, TV-VHF, NOAA weather Size (inches, WxDxH) 6.5 x 2.5 x 6 6.5 x 2.5 x 6 8.75 x 2.25 x 4.5 8.75 x 2.25 x 4.5 Weight 1 lb. 3 oz. 1 lb. 4 oz. 1 lb. 4 oz. 1 lb. 4 oz. Power Crank, 3 AA, NiMH battery, AC Crank, 3 AA, NiMH battery, AC Crank, 3 AA, NiMH battery, AC Crank, 3 AA, NiMH battery, AC

Other models in Etón's line of emergency radios that we tested include the Grundig FR200, an entry-level shortwave radio that also includes a flashing LED light; the Grundig FR300, which includes the emergency features of the FR250, but offers television and weather station tuning instead of shortwave; the Grundig FR 350, a water-resistant variation of the FR250; and the Grundig FR 400, a water-resistant variation of the FR300.

Power When You Need It
At the heart of all of Etón's emergency radios, including the Grundig FR250, is an internal generator that recharges the internal Ni-MH battery pack and powers the radio, siren, and light. Also, by plugging your cell phone into the jack on the back of the radio (the FR250 comes with several cell phone adapters), you can use the crank to power your phone. In our test, after draining our cell phone of power, we recharged it using the FR250 enough to make a few calls. The rate of cell phone recharging will vary greatly depending on the cell phone and the state of its battery, but the FR250 can provide your compatible phone with power in a pinch.

Important Note: Until this year, Etón provided a package of several different cell phone adapter tips with every radio. In 2007, Etón began instead including a coupon for a free adapter for whatever phone you have. So, the first thing you want to do when you get the radio is fill out the card with your cell phone's make and model and send it in to make sure you have your adapter.

According to the product manual, to achieve 40 to 60 minutes of uninterrupted power to the radio, you must turn the crank at a rate of two revolutions per second for 90 seconds. In our test, after our initial 90 seconds of rigorous cranking, the FR250 powered right up and was still going strong with radio reception after an hour. At the hour mark, we briefly turned the flashlight on, and that too was at full force, with no perceivable drain on radio reception. In fact, the FR250 was still going strong 75 minutes after we recharged the battery pack. The FR250 can also be powered via an AC adapter which, to our dismay, is not included, or from three AA batteries, also not included. The dynamo crank tucks itself nicely into the side of the radio and offers little resistance as you turn the handle. (Don't let the cranking requirements frighten you! While it's true that a full 90 seconds of turning the crank can be tiring and may not be for everyone, we were able to recharge the radio with less than a minute of cranking and achieved over 40 minutes of continuous power.)

Design and Controls
At slightly more than a pound in weight, and with dimensions of 6.5 x 6.00 x 2.5 inches (WxHxD), the FR250 is designed to be tucked neatly into its handy nylon carrying case and stored in an emergency box, or packed neatly for a camping trip. A white LED light is set on the front of the radio, just to the side of the analog tuner. The light is designed to help you down an unlit stairwell or enclosed hallway in a pinch, but it is not directed or strong enough to help you much in a pitch-black forest or other open area. The FR250 also includes a red flashing LED light that can be used as a distress signal. The radio and light can be operated simultaneously, though of course at the expense of power.

The large tuning knob and other controls make the FR250 a breeze to use. View larger.

The hand crank generator tucks neatly into the rear panel. View larger.

An emergency light is located next to the tuning dial. View larger.

The FR250 includes a handy strap on the top of the radio for easy carrying, and the tuning and volume knobs are set to the side. The mechanical controls are extremely visible and easy to use. The volume control is a bit difficult to finesse, while the tuning knob, which features a smaller concentric fine-tuning control knob, is much easier. An earphone jack is set into the back, and the telescoping antenna tucks neatly behind the handle strap. The radio's 2.5-inch speaker is set directly in front and offers reasonable audio quality and excellent volume for the radio's purpose. The tuner itself is self-illuminated, though in a darkened environment it is still difficult to pick out the bands.

Tuning and Bands
The FR250 offers nine-band tuning -- AM, FM and 7 shortwave bands. As was the case with all of the Etón emergency radios we tested, our AM reception was outstanding; we were quickly able to tune into every station we searched for. Reception for FM was also very good, though there was some extra fine-tuning on some of the stations. Our shortwave reception, however, was a mixed bag. We tested in the early and late evening, searching for signals in the more heavily populated SW3 and SW4. While we found several signals during our test, honing in on them took a bit of finesse with the fine-tuning knob. And when we did find them, there was static and background noise with most of the signals.

It became clear during our testing that the FR250 is an emergency radio, with several outstanding and potentially life-saving features, including shortwave reception. Its shortwave functionality, however, is not its primary selling point. However, its emergency siren and lighting, and particularly its self charging functionality, are. So if you're in the market for an economical emergency radio, the Grundig FR250 more than fits the bill.

Pros

• Compact and lightweight; ideal for emergencies or travel
• Clearly laid out functions and controls
• Excellent internal power generator; handy cell-phone charger

Cons

• Tuning dial could be better illuminated for darkened environments
• Shortwave reception inconsistent
• Should include an AC adapter

What's in the Box
FR250 radio, mail-in coupon for cell phone charging adapter, nylon carrying case, and American Red Cross pamphlet.

Product Description

Stay informed and prepared for emergencies with this self-powered 3-in-1 radio, flashlight and cell-phone charger -- no batteries required. The Hand-Crank Power Generator gives you unlimited power for AM/FM Radio, 7 international shortwave bands, built-in flashlight, and cell phone battery life when you need it most. So the FR250 is not only perfect for emergencies, but also for camping, hiking, or anywhere you need to stay in touch.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this radio, September 20, 2009

By 

Gus (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Red Cross FR250 Emergency Radio (Electronics)

I was given this radio as a gift, and had absolutely no expectations. I have owned it for almost two years and have never put a single battery in it, I have never plugged it in (it doesn't come with an A/C adapter) and it still runs well (though I can tell it's days are numbered since I need to crank it more to get the same radio time). It has the best reception of the four radios I have tried in my apartment, and all without any electricity. I live in Cincinnati and can pick up Cleveland stations (about 250 miles away) at night.

I have used it as a flashlight in emergency situations and the light is surprisingly effective for the size. The only problem with the light is it will dim after a minute of use. You have to crank it for a few seconds every 2 or 3 minutes to keep it bright.

The cell phone charger says that you have to crank it for about 15 minutes to get one minute of phone time. That's so awful that I never even bothered to turn in the card they give you to get the free adapter.

Overall I love this radio because it gets great reception and I don't have to use any electricity or waste batteries. It's very helpful in that during an emergency it does exactly what you need it to do and nothing more. I have recommended this radio to many people and will continue to do so.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Lots of bells and whistles but it needs a digital tuner and more quality., January 17, 2011

By 

Cabinetman "Cabinetman" (Northern CT) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: American Red Cross FR250 Emergency Radio (Electronics)

An emergency radio is a crucial part of anyone's emergency preparedness equipment. Without one you will be blind to what's happening when the power goes out. This radio has virtually all the features you'd want in an emergency radio. Google it and you'll find them all listed. I won't go into them here. But I did a lot of research and found that there simply are not many emergency radios available.....at any price.... that can do the whole job. This one comes close but lacks in quality. Yes, I kept it and will continue to use it but only until I can find a suitable replacement.

The quality is just not built into this unit that I had hoped for. Of course, for $49, I didn't expect a tank. However, while all of the features tend to work properly and as advertised, the tuner simply stinks. It's the typical mechanical knob that turns a string that pulls a needle/tuner component back and forth. In 70 degree weather that's fine although a bit heavy handed. In 35 degree weather, however, it stalls constantly. It's really frustrating. If this radio had offered a solid-state digital tuner, it would be almost perfect. But, I had to accept this throw-back type of tuner in order to also get all the "bands" that I was looking for. There are other radios out there that offer digital tuners but don't offer the emergency bands or the charging or multiple power options that this radio offers. So, I compromised my demands and accepted the cheap tuner. As mentioned, this will do for now but eventually I'll hopefully find a better replacement.

So, for under $50, this radio works as advertised but be aware of the fact that cold weather will affect the tuner (I've tested it here in New England over the winter) and you'll find yourself wanting a digital tuner, too.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Hand crank battery power failed, April 15, 2007

By 

Kate - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Red Cross FR250 Emergency Radio (Electronics)

I'm wondering if anyone else has really tested the hand crank power on this radio. I let the rechargeable battery run down completely (not intentionally, but a good test for emergency preparedness), and I found that after cranking for a full 90 seconds, the radio only worked for a couple minutes. I was very disappointed and returned it, since I felt that in an emergency, this would be more frustrating than helpful.