American Red Cross MICROLINK FR160 Emergency Radio by Etón (review)

[OutdoorNTx]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[nifepartie]

Do you think the flashlight is strong enough to kill a Mogwai?

[winnipegdiver]

I have two ETON radios this one and the Scorpion and like them both very much

I nor my 10 yr old son have any trouble using the buttons or knobs on the FR160 for what it is it's a great little radio

[kol12345100]

Am_FM_WB selection is not intuitive as 2 selection buttons is not ok. The tuner selection is difficult too, dialing in stations takes softly tapping the button . I'm keeping it, but not worth the price. 

[Hrcoprco]

You are one of those guys that complains about everything. Sorry but you don't diserve that radio. You'll probably brake it on purpose and than say that it has bad quality.

[neotoy]

@Hrcoprco WTH? It's still in one piece, still working fine. It's a critical review, so what? I don't bend over backwards to lick corporate jackboot like most of the wankers here on youtube. Where did that attitude come from bro? You on the Etón payroll or something?

[Wikipunani]

@Hrcoprco Anything with the American Red Cross moniker associated with it MUST set the bar higher than other products.

For instance, I see no shock absorption measures on the outside of the unit, and the photovoltaic strip is enemic. The speaker holes aren't shielded in any way from water spray and neither are the majority of other ways water might enter the unit.

My advice, American Red Cross?

Reroll.

[Hrcoprco]

@Wikipunani

I think that isn't the case with etons products. It stamps red cross on its radios and flashlamps for marketing purposes and red cross agreed because they get 50cents for each radio or flashlight sold. Red Cross doesnt control the quality of etons products.

I ordered this radio and eton scorpion which was damaged when I received it and microlink holds up preaty good. Problem is battery life, which is guarantied 5 years and you have to crank the radio every 3 months by instructions.

[gcollin75]

How long would it take to use the solar panel to charge a ipod/ how long would it take the crank to do said task.

[HecterPlasmic]

This has no bearing on your excellent review but whatever happened to build quality? It's a survival radio isn't it? It doesn't look like it would survive a day at the beach never mind a hurricane.

[neotoy]

@HecterPlasmic Yeah no kidding, although to give eton a little credit the most important parts are durable enough (at least by today's standards). I've taken it to many different locations and dropped it several times, at least twice on a hard metal edge from a distance of 0.5 meters, it's dinged up pretty bad but nothing has broken.. yet.

[mytuber81]

I like the fact that he took it apart to see how well its was built, this is what makes companies build better products.

[METALMAN4Wii]

Just wondering does the radio on yours die in 10 minutes after it being in the window charging all day because mine does that...?

[neotoy]

@METALMAN4Wii Yes, once the battery is drained for the first time you will notice a dramatic shortening of operational time, whether you crank it or just leave it in the sun. Obviously the solar panel is very small so you can't really expect it to charge the radio for more than a few minutes.. unless you left it in the sun for weeks.

[METALMAN4Wii]

@neotoy I just love how Eton lies and saids 3-5 hours after being charged in the window 8 hours. also I noticed the battery is very similar to a cordless phone one so maybe it can be fully charged. if it's put into a phone and left to charge on the cradle/base for a couple hours....?

[neotoy]

@METALMAN4Wii I doubt they had an electrical engineer run tests. It's pretty standard procedure for corporations to use theoretical upper limits when outlining a product's capabilities. Things just don't work like that in the real world. Can't really call it lying, just a lack of due diligence.

As you surmised the battery pack is generic, and could be easily charged in a compatible phone.

[METALMAN4Wii]

@neotoy Really they just messaged me back on the American Redcross FR350 saying yup it lasts 3-5 hours it's like they trained a parrot to say the same BS over and over again ? either way I guess I could just crank in for 2 minutes straight to keep getting another 10 minutes out of it....!

[markklilly]

@neotoy or lying to get you to buy there product

[markklilly]

@neotoy or lying to get you to buy there product, how ever you want to look at it

[FL1PN0S1S]

is there any difference between this red fr160 and the fr160b which come in other colors? i'm hoping it's not just the american red cross designation vs other color options. or is it??? btw, thanks for the review, well done!

[neotoy]

@FL1PN0S1S Sorry don't know, but your guess is probably correct.

[neotoy]

@zappboot Thanks. And funny you should ask about the DS, I was just about to build an adapter so that I could charge my DS lite with it. I'll let you know how well it works once I've tested it thoroughly.

[piquat1]

Manual? You got a manual? Lucky you! Picked up one from Cabela's and I got no manual.

[METALMAN4Wii]

They have a digital one but it's twice as big and twice the price I just ordered the one you have for $30 off amazon...!

[PopsGG]

Great review, thanks for posting. You suffer from mono-tone-voice like I do, but it was still easy to listen to. I ended up buying this after watching your video.

[Skylad14]

when you mesure the voltage or watt. of the solar panel can you plz post?

[Skylad14]

does this have a severe weather alert alarm?

[neotoy]

@Skylad14 No idea what you mean. It is just a very basic radio, that is all.

[Skylad14]

@neotoy oh its just that the larger model FR600 has a severe weather alarm so when a warning is being broad casted it turns the radio on.

[AnimalCrossingCool4]

@Skylad14 Yes according to amazon.com.

[urkingod]

1) Can this be used over seas (out side of USA?)

2) Is it weather (water) proof ?

3) Does it come with a carrying pouch ?

[neotoy]

@urkingod No to all.

[markgangsta2]

@neotoy

I have this and i live in the UK and it works perfectly.

[neotoy]

@markgangsta2 I think he was referring to the WB (weather bands) which are to my knowledge not broadcast internationally.

[hflat1]

@neotoy Of course it can be used over seas.

[markgangsta2]

@urkingod

I have this and i live in the UK and it works perfectly.

[AnimalCrossingCool4]

@urkingod

The information is from amazon.com...

1. Not known. amazon does not note it.

2. Yes.

3. No.

[Wutangspam]

I also got one of these three weeks ago. For reference, I cranked it for 4:30 and got 2 hours 26 minutes of radio with the volume up reasonably loud. Torch is ample. I can though, charge my Blackberry Bold with this but it is hard going.I think thast it is more a serious emergency option more than anything else.Not a "charge your phone fully via cranking everyday" thing.I use this at home.Just for he radio really but I'd happily take it on a cycle tour with me with total confidence.

[KristaMachine]

I purchased one 3 weeks back and while I like it. It doesn't charge any of the 4 cell phones I have from Verizon. It will charge my Ipod though. It not a matter of the USB cable I suspect it results from Verizon locking down their phones as I get the message on my phones 'Unauthorized Charger'. Just thought I would warn Verizon customers who might want this device.

[Jthechosenone]

bought it

[SmokeRingsPipeDreams]

Thank you for a GREAT review!

[neotoy]

@SmokeRingsPipeDreams My Pleasure!

[Bouckacker]

i agree that the fake screws and paint job is a big dissapointment butt its not that crappy for the price FOR THE PRICE

[pulpulak]

does that radio have a sort waves ?

[neotoy]

@pulpulak WTF is "sort waves"?? If you mean "short wave" then no.

[michaelayotte]

I posted this question on the eton link, I'll post it here as well.

The manual mentions that you can use an AC adapter/charger (and presumably a car adapter as well); but I do not see a jack for plugging in an AC adapter? Are you supposed to use the USB port for that?

[neotoy]

@michaelayotte Yeah, you would need a USB to 'whatever' adapter since there is no alternative output. The other port is just a headphone jack.

[michaelayotte]

I suspect that you are right that using a digital tuner would have been cheaper, but my understanding is that digital tuners consume more energy than a passive analog tuner. In fact I am curious why they included the weather band LED since it is sucking up some juice as well.

[neotoy]

@michaelayotte I hadn't though of that. The LED setup they used certainly could use some refinement. I do know that LEDs consume more power than LCDs.. which is probably what I would have gone with had I designed the radio.

[jntroisi]

Is it about as loud as the FR500?

[neotoy]

@jntroisi Sorry, couldn't say since I don't own an FR500. I'd say it can reach at least 50 decibels on a full charge. But you'd be lucky to get 5 minutes of battery life at that volume.