- Emergency radio with water resistant housing.
- Endorsed by the American Red Cross.
- Hand crank can be used to recharge the built-in battery.
- Tunes AM/FM, seven NOAA weather alert channels, and TV channels 2-13.
- Features emergency lights, plus a flashing beacon mode; cell phone charger.
Product Description
-------------------
Improved technology, functionality and versatility, the
FR400 is ideal for emergencies. The FR400 provides you with a
water resistant radio, LED lights, and cell phone charger when
you need it most. Using the Hand-Crank Power Generator, charge
the internal rechargeable Ni-MH battery pack in times of need.
With NOAA weather channels and TV-VHF channels, you have easy
access to weather forecasts and can listen to TV shows while away
from the set.
.com
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The Etón Grundig American Red Cross FR400 is one of
Etón's American Red Cross branded, weather-resistant emergency
radios. With a dependable hand-crank power generator that powers
the unit's AM/FM/TV/Weather radio, built-in LED flashlight, cell
phone charger and emergency siren -- all surrounded by a sturdy,
weather-resistant casing -- the lightweight and portable Grundig
FR400 is an excellent 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.
The FR400 is small and portable enough to go wherever life takes
you.
Housed within its weather-resistant body, the Etón FR400 includes
a two white-LED light source, and a flashing red-LED light
source, as well as an emergency siren so that you can not only
find what you are looking for, but others can easily find you. As
an added convenience, this unit features a 3.5-millimeter
earphone jack, a fine-tuning control knob super-imposed on the
main tuning control knob for achieving the maximum in station
clarity, and a built-in cell-phone charger with a 3.5-millimeter
output jack and multiple adapter tips for charging select models
of Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson phones. This Etón
FR400 weighs only 1.5 pounds, and measures 8.6 x 4.5 x 2 inches
(W x H x D).
Other models in Etón's line of emergency radios that we tested
include the Grundig FR200 ( /dp/B000083CUA ), an entry-level
shortwave radio that also includes a flashing LED light; the
Grundig FR250 ( /dp/B000EIB03Y ), a shortwave radio that also
includes a flashing LED light, cell phone charger and siren; the
Grundig FR 300 ( /dp/B000EDIKVO ), which includes the emergency
features of the FR250, but offers television and weather station
tuning instead of shortwave; and the Grundig FR 350 (
/dp/B000EIDLWC ), a water-resistant variation of the FR250.
While the FR400 shares the same features and performance of the
FR300, its sturdy, weather-resistant casing and design
modifications give it a distinct edge in emergency situations
that's well worth the extra cost.
( ( http://cp..com/contrib/action/marketplace )FR250 (
/dp/B000EIB03Y )
FR300 ( /dp/B000EDIKVO )
FR350 ( /dp/B000EIDLWC )
FR400 ( /dp/B000EIBVKG ) 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, A Tuning and Bands
The FR400 receives FM radio via a built-in telescoping antenna,
AM via an internal ferrite bar, all seven NOAA weather channels
plus an Alert function, and even picks up TV1, TV2, and VHF
channels 2-13, so you can listen to your favorite television
programs without a TV. 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. Because weather broadcasts
are based on VHF, line-of- channels, and because we are
slightly out of range of the nearest weather transmitter in our
region, we were not able to test the radio's weather reception.
Television reception, happily, was quite another story. Though
some stations took some finessing of the tuner before we were
able to hone in on a strong signal, most of the reception was
loud and clear. Power When You Need It
At the heart of all of Etón's emergency radios, including the
FR400, 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,
you can use the crank to power your phone.
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.
In our test, after draining our cell phone of power, we recharged
it using the FR400 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 FR400 can provide your
compatible phone with power in a pinch.
The Etón FR400 is extremely versatile, and can be powered by up
to four different sources, including: the included AC adapter,
three AA batteries (not included), the built-in rechargeable
Ni-MH battery which can be recharged from the AC adapter or by
hand, and the dynamo hand crank which not only can recharge the
built-in battery but provides power even when no battery is
installed.
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 FR400
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. 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 1.5 pounds, and with dimensions of 4.5 x 8.75 x 2.25 inches
(HxWxD), the FR400 is made to be tucked neatly into its handy
nylon carrying case, ready to be stored in emergency box, or
packed neatly for a camping trip. A white LED light is set on the
side of the radio, just above the tuning knob, allowing you to
use the FR400 like a flashlight. A red flashing emergency light
is also included. This placement is an improvement over the
designs of the FR200, FR250 and FR350, all of which place the
emergency light on the radio's face. But similar to those radios,
the light on the FR400 is only designed to help you down an unlit
stairwell or enclosed hallway in a pinch, and is not directed or
strong enough to help you much in a pitch-black forest or other
open area. The radio and light can be operated simultaneously,
though of course at the expense of power.
The large band selection knob and other controls make the FR400
a breeze to use.
The rear connections are protected by rubber seals.
On the left, the hand crank, on the right, a flashlight, and
tuning and volume knobs.The mechanical controls of the FR400 are
extremely visible and easy to use. The volume control is fairly
easy to finesse, and the tuning knob, which features a smaller
concentric fine-tuning control knob, offers much greater control.
A sealed 3.5 mm earphone jack is set into the back, and the
telescoping antenna tucks neatly behind the handle strap, 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 somewhat difficult to pick out
the bands.
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
What's in the Box
FR400 radio, card for free cell phone charging adapter, nylon
carrying case
