Lightweight Radio

[c.coyle]

I'm looking for the smallest, lightest weight AM/FM/Weather Radio I can find. Water resistance would be a plus. Any suggestions?

[Hikerhead]

Go check out what Radio Shack has to offer. They have a couple of really small/light models that you might be interested in.

[ganj]

Definitely agree with Hikerhead. The sizes of AM/FM radios they have at Radioshack are amazing. Used one for the last 900 miles of the trail.

[SGT Rock]

I bought a Sony AM/FM SR-88 that weighs 3.3 ounces with headphones and a single AA Lithium battery if you take off the stupid arm strap. It got stations pretty good in the Nantahalas and I have it here listening to BBC.

[Footslogger]

Carried one from Radio Shack the entire thru this year. I got the little blue "weatherproof" model. Super light and runs on a single AA battery (which lasted the entire hike). It has a clip on the back that fastens easily on the sternum strap of your pack.

[bretb]

I use the Icom ICQ7A - It is a handheld Amateur VHF/UHF transciever. If you aren't a ham the xmit isn't important but the reciever is - The radio will cover FM broadcast, Aircraft, Public Safety, VHF and UHF television audio, Weather, Military Air, yada yada yada, (30 - 1300MHZ cellular blocked). With a software modification it also recieves shortwave broadcasts (AM). The radio is powered by 2 AA batteries and weighs 6.5 ounces with batteries. The Icom R2 is the reciever only version (but costs more). You can get info all over the internet on it if you are interested.

Bret

[The Weasel]

Few carry one. It weighs something, and you're mostly too tired after cooking to listen at dinner time.

[c.coyle]

Originally posted by The Weasel
Few carry one. It weighs something, and you're mostly too tired after cooking to listen at dinner time.

Let me be straightforward: I carry one. So do those who replied to my question. I wasn't looking for a weightless radio, but at least now I'll never waste my time looking for one in the future. I'm rarely tired after dinnertime, and that's not when I listen. I generally listen as I'm drifting off to sleep, except when I'm agonizing over up vs. down.

[Hikerhead]

I don't know if anyone has done a survey on who carries a radio but my guess would 40 or 50% do. I could be wrong but who cares.

Who's too tired to listen to the radio? Mine only has earphones so no way am I going to disturb anyone. I enjoy listening to it before the ZZZ's come calling.

If you want to carry a radio, carry it. Hike your own hike.

[cabalot]

i am considering buying a grundig at campmor.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commer...63&prmenbr=226

[thyroid]

The Grundig Mini World PE 100 that Cabalot has linked to is actually a very fun little radio. It's my most used SW receiver because it's so small and easy to use. Simple good ole fashion analog tuning let's you really zero in on weak signals. The price seems to have come down on these to $30 in the last year.

[Hikerhead]

Looks like a nice little radio. I think mine from Radio Shack weighs 3oz but with only am/fm/stereo. I'll have to look into this radio.

You still might want to consider head phones/ear buds. Radio Shack has one pair that has a low/high off/on volumn controll built into the cord. A biker there swore by them and insisted I buy them. I didn't but I might go back. The ear buds are nice to wear around your neck while hiking, you can still hear the radio (very softly) but also hear what's going on around you.

[thyroid]

Oh, definitely use ear-phones, just out of respect for others-- and it will reduce battery usage..

[rainmaker]

We carry a small Radio Shack that gives us AM, FM, TV and Weather. Wouldn't leave home without it.

[Uncle Wayne]

Originally posted by The Weasel
Few carry one. It weighs something, and you're mostly too tired after cooking to listen at dinner time.

Have to disagree that few carry one. On our recent section hike thru the Smokies we saw several hikers with radios or at least with ear buds / cords dangling from their ears. I've always carried one. At Tri Corner knob shelter, a SOBO had a SW radio, maybe the one mentioned by cabalot and thyroid, and was able to pick up the weather forecast and radio stations from the shelter.
Too tired to listen? Never had that problem. I don't sleep but 3 or 4 hours before waking up, a problem caused by 20+ years working third shift, so the radio helps to pass the time while I'm waiting on the sunrise. I've hiked on the AT in GA, TN, NC, VA, WV, and never have failed picking up some kind of station with my little FM sony radio.

[Skeemer]

I started out with the Aiwa 2 oz from Sharper Image. Cost $75 I liked listening in the tent or shelters at night before falling asleep. However the single AAA battery only lasted a about 30 hours and after getting soaked in a down pour it quit working all together. Went to Wal-mart and picked up a nice little Sony that weighed about 3 ounces for a lot less $.

I really liked howling along with Warren Zevon (Werewolves of London)...of course when no one else was around. Was estatic singing along with Beer For My Horses. If you've ever heard me sing you would have radios outlawed on the Trail!

[alpine]

with drawn

[The Weasel]

Wayne --- Well, times may change, and some may think its not all for the better. Still, my experience is that far fewer thru hikers carry one, much as Alpine just noted, but thanks for your non-snarky observations.

The Weasel

[prozac]

Not something I would entertain taking on a thru hike but I've upgraded to a cd player for my 1 to 2 week section hikes. At 6.6 oz plus external battery case and batteries it is definately not the lightest but its features more than offset the extra oz's for me personally. While hiking in the Mid-Atlantic states I carried a 2 oz radio and was more than happy with it as it gave me good enough reception for the weather,NPR and music. As I progressed into New England and points further south of HF the lack of reception and musical choices ( only country and western ) made me look for alternatives. Finally bought an Iriver MP3 CD player at Best Buy for 110$. Had all the critical features I was looking for and as an added bonus has an external remote which lets me bury the cd unit in my pack and keep it safe from the elements. Has AM/FM, runs on AA's and not an internal battery and plays MP3's which lets me download and burn roughly 200 songs on a single cd. Have cut my pack weight over 20 lbs over the last couple of years but this is one luxury I am more then willing to hump. Its not for everybody but if your looking for stored music with AM/FM its a good little unit. PROZAC

[gravityman]

This is an MP3 player with an FM radio. Only 2 oz, and two AAA. You can add on memory with SD cards. Currently have 200+ songs on ours using the new encoding they introduced (MP3 pro). Batteries only last 8 hours listening to MP3s. Great for hiking and backpacking. Haven't used it for longer than a three day trip yet...

Gravity Man