battery radio

Ok, 20 years ago, my then wife's sister gave her a used GE radio that worked on 9v of C-cell batteries only the batteries had corroded in the case. Ok, I opened it and soldered an old lamp cord to terminals and connected it to a worn out 12v car battery that no longer held enough charge for starting a car (showed around 10 volt). Lived in UP and didnt have electric at time.

Well turns out this radio not only liked the old car battery (went months of daily use on such without charging) but was very sensitive to distant stations plus got weather and tv. It will even tolerate a fresh 12volt car battery out of car albeit with bit more static since it wasnt designed for 12volt. When I moved here could plug it in and just connect to battery during power outages.

It unfortunately anymore is hard to tune although if you are very patient it will still work. I have been looking around for a replacement. It seems to be very unusual in using 9volt. Most use 4.5 or 6 volt setup. Also most cheap radios dont have anywhere near the sensitivity it had. I have kind of resigned myself to having to spend upto $50 for replacement unless I get lucky. I just find cheap boom box crap at thrift stores. These were made to play tapes and cds loudly, not pull in distant stations.

Any suggestions. Would like to have weather band. TV was nice to get emergency weather also. Sometimes more upto date than weather radio. I really hate giving up ability to run it directly off old car battery forever (saved a fortune in buying alkalines) but if I have to I have to. Dont need tape or cd player.

I did find mention of a $49 Sony ICF-S79V shower radio now discontinued (but still available) because apparently people now not only need a radio in shower, but a cd player also (people are weird). One review at amazon was by a lady in boonies who said it may be sold as a shower radio but she bought it because it got good reception in her very rural area. No ac and its 3 C cells so 4.5 volt. Said good battery life.

Also ran across a Sony ICF-M350V that seems also to be discontinued that got good reviews. Think it uses 4 AA batteries so 6V system. Also suppose to be good battery life.

 

$165 ....OUCH!, probably not for me. I am really looking for another marvel like the old GE and hopefully well under $50. It wasnt an expensive radio but worked well. Sure it was under $20 new even if that was quarter century ago.

 

I've heard its different at pawn shops in other areas, but here I've yet to see any real bargain. I can buy some things new cheaper than some of pawnshop prices. Doesnt leave any negotiating room when they are just looking for suckers to fleece on either end of their buisiness. I know the second hand/ thrift shops and only stuff I ever see is the boom box crap and the occasional clock radio with battery backup. I plugged some of them in but they dont have any sensitivity, can just get local pop/country stations with any clarity.

Ebay is fine, but cant play with the radio before buying it. Would have to go by model recommendation. And the one CC radio they had was about price of a new one after several bids. Apparently they have a following. Also most radios on ebay seem to be walkman clones, not what I want. So back to my original question. Can anybody recommend from personal experience a good performing cheap table size battery radio? Or are they all junk unless you pay more than what a new tv costs? Brand and model number please?

 

Ok, interesting. The grundig YB400 has weatherband but no tv. Still thats a high quality radio. Too many $ new for how I'd use it. However going to watch them on ebay next few weeks. Used in good condition they may be down in $50 to $60 range. Grundig FR200 is really interesting but no weather or tv band and being sold as an emergency radio, i dont quite understand that. Price is right though and built in generator is kinda neat.

Also been looking and that Sony shower radio gets nothing but praise from a lot of users so its still an option. And I found a $20 GE 72946 weatherband/tv radio probably simular to what I have except its not 9 volt anymore. Found 3 reviews and they said good reception and tuning in a very cheap radio that works with some limitations compared to higher dollar radios. Amazon is only place that carried it and its discontinued.

 

But the weather band is the big thing I want and tv band would be nice also for emergency weather updates. I rarely use radio except in times of severe weather or when my electric is off. Antenna broke off on my little pickup a year ago and I still havent bothered to fix it, just never use radio. Also car radios will run a good car battery down within a day or two so arent practical as emergency radio.

 

Thanks comfortablynumb. I just been trying different ebay search and came up with info-mate plus lot others. (The info-mate seems more interested in selling their various power options rather than reception quality so leaves me thinking....) Even found regular police scanner will pickup tv and weather band and will run on 12v. And believe it or not I even found a radio identical to one I have only in maybe better shape. The seller was one of those more interested in protecting themselves and extracting big handling fee (try $15 for small one pound radio) than in decribing the actual radio.

So I am confusing myself. Getting to point that unless I could have all radios I am interested in here in front of me to try, its sort of guess and by golly. Of course all sellers are going to say the radio they are selling is wonderful. Some, especially discontinued models, are next to impossible to find a consumer review on. I was looking for reviews on one particular small police scanner selling on ebay this morning. (went cheap) Still being sold many places and not one review could I find so figured something wrong.

Ok, right now I figure the Grundig YB400 is good because of recommendation from users here with no advantage in pumping up its reputation and also its from a reputable company specializing in quality radios. I figure that Sony shower radio is good quality because of all the positive consumer feedback I found on internet. And that one old GE identical to what I have is probably ok, but $15 shipping/handling fee ontop of bid price on a cheap one pound radio makes me not trust the seller.

I am finding no impartial feedback on other stuff saying hey I bought this radio, it was cheap and gets great reception. Doesnt count when its just the seller saying this. There are a lot of cheap mediocre radios out there. I'd just as soon not waste my money. I want cheap with some quality.

 

I looked at radio called freeplay on ebay, dont remember it being ccrane. I dont understand an emergency radio being set up with SW and not weather or tv. At that point in time I most likely am going to be most concerned whats going on in my own community, not whats happening in Moscow or London. Like the other radios with generator, it seemed most concerned in selling alternate power sources not in emphasizing how well stations tune in and how well it locks in the station without lot drift to neighboring station on the band. I already have an LED flashlight. Think I can live without one built into my radio.

So here is your chance. How well does your freeplay pull in stations and not let neighboring stations on the band interfer? Is sound crisp and clear or does it sound muddy? Does it have someway to attach an external antennna?