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Eton FR250 Emergency Crank Radio Black | 
| Brand: Eton
Category: CE
This item is no longer available
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 18669
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Batteries: 3
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 2.5 x 6.5
MPN: FR250B
Model: FR250B
UPC: 750254800382
EAN: 0750254800382
ASIN: B000FTE462
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| Features:
| • | Emergency Hand-Crank Power Generator | | • | 7 shortwave bands, plus AM and FM bands; double-white LED flashlight and flashing red LED | | • | 3.5 mm cell phone charger output jack (includes other plugs); built-in siren for emergencies | | • | 4 power options; hand-crank generator, 3 AA batteries, AC adapter (not included), or NiMH battery pack | | • | 2.5-inch speaker and 3.5 mm headphone jack; 6.7 x 6.25 x 2.5 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty |
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| Editorial Reviews:
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.
Amazon.com Product Description
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 Eton 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.P bPower When You Need It/bbr At the heart of all of Eton's emergency radios, including the 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.P table align=right width=225 cellpadding=10 tr td img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/fr250-bk-3-sm-062906.jpg" border=1 align=topbrbrsmallibThe easy-to-read radio dial. View larger./b/i/small/td/tr tr td img src="http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/electronics/detail-page/fr250-bk-2-sm-062906.jpg" border=0 align=topbrbrsmallibThe hand crank recharges the integrated rechargeable battery./b/i/small/td/tr /table 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.) P bDesign and Controls/bbr 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. P 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.p bTuning and Bands/bbr The FR250 offers nine-band tuning -- AM, FM and 7 shortwave bands. As was the case with all of the Eton 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.P 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 Eton FR250 more than fits the bill.p bPros/bbr ul liCompact and lightweight; ideal for emergencies or travel liClearly laid out functions and controls liExcellent internal power generator; handy cell-phone charger /ul bCons/bbr ul liTuning dial could be better illuminated for darkened environments liShortwave reception inconsistent liShould include an AC adapter /ul br clear="all" bWhat's in the Box/bbr FR250 radio, cell phone charging adapters, and nylon carrying case.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 INCOMPLETE SHIPMENT November 29, 2008
R. URIBE
ORDERED WITH SAME MODEL IN BLACK AND ORANGE. RED MODEL DID NOT INCLUDE PLUGS FOR CELL PHONE CHARGER(!!!), WHICH IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE CHOSE THIS MODEL AS OPPOSED TO FR 200, FOR EXAMPLE.
Performs as advertised July 26, 2008
radio man (Arkansas, USA)
This unit performs as advertised and considering the dollar spent is a good investiment for anyone looking for an emergency crank radio. The sensitivity on the short wave bands is on the light side during daylight hours however increases considerably during night time hours. Good quality audio on all bands.
Tremendous sound for a small portable July 6, 2008
Kenneth G. Nielsen (Portland, OR USA)
I will try not to be a crank (my humor) but give this radio a good review for: 1.) best sound for music and voice for its size, 2.) variety of ways to power it, and even a hand crank to charge it up (takes 90 cranks to get it going for just a half hour,) two AA batteries or the NOT INCLUDED AC ADAPTER (don't forget to order it - its a rare type and 4.5v) and, 3.) fine tuning knob really helps bring in those hard to get stations. All in all I'm very pleased, it is my favorite portable radio. I wish it had plug-ins for an iPod or an iPhone, but it doesn't. Come on radio people - Please realize that lots of people have their music on mp3 players now, We need more mp3 plug-ins on our electronics we buy, especially portable products (HINT HINT.) br / br /If you just need a portable radio, this is a great one. All the other gadgets that come with it are worthless to say the least.
 Emergency Radio June 28, 2008
K. Pinkerton
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
First of all I believe that all portable products should include a AC adapter if the product runs on AC or DC. Period. I bought the radio to take along on camping trips and possible power outages at the house so after receiving the radio I decided to put it through the test by using the crank only to see how well the radio would perform in the event that batteries and electricity were not available. I was impressed in that the radio ran very well and very long (around 40 minutes or so) with only 3 minutes of cranking. The stations came in clear with or without batteries although the SW stations were annoying and hard to find. Unfortunately the radio stopped working after the first couple of weeks. I never took the radio outside, dunked it in water or banged it around so I'm at a loss for knowing what happened. I returned the radio to Amazon and am still awaiting a refund. I believe that this radio is able to do the job that I needed it to do and feel saddened that it went kapoot. If you expect room filling stereo sound buy yourself a stereo. Remember it's a portable. I intend to get another one and I would have rated it higher if it didn't die on me.
 Inexpensive and feature-filled May 14, 2008
Steven C. Eddy (orange, calif.)
After a 14-hour power outage several weeks ago, it was high time to finally set up a good emergency kit (actually, to update the one we had). We live in earthquake country. br / br /I have always wanted a crank radio, and this little guy fits the bill nicely. Love its compact size, siren and light. Haven't fully tested the reception, but I did get some strong AM stations with the crank. Didn't realize it came with a case...a nice surprise. br / br /As usual with Amazon and its suppliers, the radio was beautifully packed. Nice instruction booklet. If I were to quibble......it was hard getting the battery cover to fit properly after plugging in the rechargable battery. br / br /In all, who knows? This could be the best fifty bucks anybody ever spent.
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