Lightweight Radio [Archive]

Footslogger

11-03-2003, 13:32

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

11-03-2003, 18:02

The Weasel

11-03-2003, 18:19

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

c.coyle

11-03-2003, 18:52

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

11-03-2003, 19:19

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

11-03-2003, 19:27

i am considering buying a grundig at campmor.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=38763&prmenbr=226

thyroid

11-03-2003, 20:10

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

11-03-2003, 20:22

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

11-03-2003, 22:24

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

rainmaker

11-03-2003, 23:30

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

Uncle Wayne

11-04-2003, 03:56

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

11-04-2003, 08:31

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

11-04-2003, 09:37

with drawn

The Weasel

11-04-2003, 09:49

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

11-04-2003, 16:25

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

11-04-2003, 18:08

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

MedicineMan

11-05-2003, 03:20

We decided to get Ham Radio liscences for the safety factor...could be me or someone we meet that needs help summoned. So I carry a Kenwood TH-F6A....it is a tri-bander via ham frequencies, does TV,typical FM and AM radio, aircraft, shortwave, SSB, and the list goes on....it weighs around 10oz. and is military rated for waterproofness....some may consider it an extravagance but it can get a distress call out often when cell phones cannot, plus Amateur Radio is a good thing for the community and the country, a little study and a few exams are all that is required and in the process you may meet some interesting folks...ham isnt for everyone but it is cool generating QSO's while on the trail.....what you learn is a lot like learning to swim, it may save your life or someone elses.

thyroid

11-05-2003, 04:22

I've been thinking about going for an Ameture license for a while, but there are very few Elmers where I live, and the last few workshops have had conflicting times.. If I get licensed before Mar 1st, I may just indeed bring a small handy-talkie like an Icom..

rainmaker

11-05-2003, 17:47

Dudes, Are you guys just trying to drive the anti cellphone crowd over the edge ? Seriously though, I'm giving some thought to getting a technical liscense so I can use the new Ham radios. They have a multitude of uses and you don't have to know code. As a kayaker and a sailor, I already have a Marine VHF, but understand its limits.

MedicineMan

11-05-2003, 22:42

Rainmaker go for it! I was thinking of a no code tech liscence but decided to study Morse and see how I could do on the exam...I downloaded a Morse trainer and used it for a month and surprisingly passed the 5 word/min test... we also paddle a lot and carry the Garmin Marine VHF....now concerning the cell phone-i usually carry the Ham and La Aqua Na carries a cell phone,,,,that way more bases are covered.

steve hiker

11-06-2003, 16:53

I sincerely hope that people only use radios with headphones and at very low volume. The very last thing I want to hear in the backwoods is some retarded "C-RAP" thumping out of a radio/CD player.

gravityman

11-06-2003, 19:36

Come on... I was NEVER disturbed by a radio out on the trail.

Speakers are too heavy to carry, except for Aswah. He carried a full setup :)

Be real. A 2 oz MP3 doesn't "thump"

Gesh.

That last thing that I want to do is read some "C-RAP" on the internet.

MedicineMan

11-06-2003, 23:10

Talk Radio! Please tell us you listen to Art Bell and believe in large greys! Or maybe its Savage you listen too??

Percival

11-07-2003, 00:21

I listen to Art Bell and he told me the greys are bio-robots and real small, like about 4 feet. The larger aliens are white nordics who control the greys and run the show.

gravityman

11-07-2003, 11:41

That is very interesting use! It will work great for that, as conversations you can really undersample and still hear clearly, so you will be able to put A LOT of talk on there!

We are NPR freaks, and really need it. It's not quite talk radio, but it is close. So we understand the desire. I would have prefered and AM/FM as well, but NPR is usually FM anyway...

enjoy,

Gravity Man

Mountain climber

11-10-2003, 11:40

sdoownek

11-11-2003, 01:00

Don't forget about the Panasonic SD-SV80. It's less than an ounce, runs for 70 hours on one AAA battery, and supports 512mb SD memory cards.

gravityman

11-11-2003, 11:49

It's RCA's lyra RD1080. Cost is $130. Great player. The fact that you can play MP3pro songs really makes it worth it. File size is 1/2 as large and sounds just as good. The FM stereo was an important point for me too... Best one that I've seen out there. It can essentially take any size SD card (I think they sell them as big as 1G, but it will take you FOREVER to scroll through the songs. It only has linear scrolling, no subfolders. We find the 256MB cards are about as big as you want to go. But you can just get multiple ones and swap them back and forth).

Just wondering what the brand and price of this unit is. I might be interested in this one.
Regards
Nountain Climber

Skyline

11-11-2003, 12:14

[QUOTE=Uncle Wayne]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.

Um, methinks you had an encounter with FBI agents who, uh, are STILL out there wondering around the Smokies looking for Eric Rudolph...

gravityman

11-11-2003, 16:17

They caught Erik dumpster diving sometime this spring...

[QUOTE=Uncle Wayne]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.

Um, methinks you had an encounter with FBI agents who, uh, are STILL out there wondering around the Smokies looking for Eric Rudolph...

MileMonster

12-01-2003, 23:45

The smallest am/fm/weather/tv radio I've been able to find I saw in Target the other day. It is made by Virgin - Virgin Pulse AM/FM Stereo Tuner with Weather and TV Band - VP03. See if this link works:

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-2/qid=1070336453/ref=sr_1_2/601-3692775-6471366?asin=B0000A4XRC

It says 1 lb here, but that's not right. Reviews I've read about the radio say it sucks, though, and eats batteries.

http://www.1-electronics-store.com/radios/Virgin-Pulse-AMFM-B0000A4XRC.html

MileMonster

12-02-2003, 14:04

So what type of range does the ham radio, say that kenwood model, have? From the trail would it be better than cellular service? Can it be used for communication or just as a safety device? For example, if I had the Kenwood on the trail and my wife had a radio here at home, would we be able to talk to one another?

Mountain climber

12-02-2003, 17:40

It's RCA's lyra RD1080. Cost is $130. Great player. The fact that you can play MP3pro songs really makes it worth it. File size is 1/2 as large and sounds just as good. The FM stereo was an important point for me too... Best one that I've seen out there. It can essentially take any size SD card (I think they sell them as big as 1G, but it will take you FOREVER to scroll through the songs. It only has linear scrolling, no subfolders. We find the 256MB cards are about as big as you want to go. But you can just get multiple ones and swap them back and forth).

I pick up one of these MP3 players 3 weeks ago and have loaded the first 2 CD of a Hiking book (4 hours worth) and I listen to it when I am board in camp or tune the radio to get weather. Thanks for the suggestion. :jump
I will buy some more memory and I will then be able to add the entire book to the unit or perhaps just put some more music on it,

Regards
Gary

gravityman

12-02-2003, 18:27

I pick up one of these MP3 players 3 weeks ago and have loaded the first 2 CD of a Hiking book (4 hours worth) and I listen to it when I am board in camp or tune the radio to get weather. Thanks for the suggestion. :jump
I will buy some more memory and I will then be able to add the entire book to the unit or perhaps just put some more music on it,

Regards
Gary

Glad you are enjoying it! There is a user group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LYRA_RD1080/messages) that can help you with an issues you have. Make sure you are using MP3pro to encode your music, as it will give you a lot more room. Also make sure you have the latest version of the firmware. Look through the files section of the user group to answer questions on how to do all that...

Gravity Man

highway

12-02-2003, 19:01

I use a Sony Walkman SRF-M80V which weighs 4.3 ounces with ear buds & battery and without the wierd arm band. I threw it away and just clip the small radio to my shorts or put it in my pocket. It has AM, FM & weather band, clock, timer & 25 preset stations for you.

But I use it only for exercise because I can't imagine using it on a hike. For me that would be like choosing to listen to rap over the beautiful symphony of nature or perhaps going to a world-class restaurant and ordering a cheeseburger and fries. But, if some want to choose that direction it's their choice, I guess.

But it's not mine. I prefer to be more attuned to my surroundings and listen to what is going on around me rather than even listen to the golden oldies which i like so much. Just my opinion :D

DudeMan

12-05-2003, 19:50

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

Hello Bret,
Could you please explain the software mod for this radio? Is it a share/free ware program and if so, where can I get it?

I have found another program that I am able to use my YAESU FT50R programming cable to use on my ICQ7A.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Greg

The Old Fhart

12-07-2003, 11:32

I've carried a FM radio/MP3 player for a few years and they are gaining much more acceptance on the trail. You will occasionally hear the usual complaints about violating the wilderness, etc., but those same people are always the first to ask you for a weather report or some sports score! They are probably the same hikers who don't carry maps or watches but always ask to see yours. I not only had tons of music but also talking books including Bryson reading "A Walk in the Woods". No matter how bad things seemed I could always listen to that and realize I wasn't doing so bad after all. The player I had used 2 AA batteries so replacement batteries were easy to find and the compact flash (CF) memory cards it used were also used in my computer (11 oz) that I used for my journal as well as having the entire A.T. databook available instantly. In choosing a player/radio you should think about the battery type/ memory cards used and how available replacements will be in small towns along the trail.
The hikers who usually complain about you bring high tech into the wilderness are also the ones with the latest Gore-Tex suits, carbon-fiber poles, and siliconized nylon tents or tarps. I always have to smile because they feel their high tech is ok but yours is not. HYOH

Doctari

12-07-2003, 14:05

I have had several mini radios.
The first one I got at an airport gift shop, it was slightly larger than a wrist watch, and even had a small clock in it. I seem to remember it only getting AM.
My last one was bought at Big lots, it was also the size of a large wrist watch, and played only FM.
Either one weighs only about 1 Oz. The controls are: a 3 position switch for volume (low, med, high) a "scan" button and a "reset' button for choosing the channel.

I have lost both of these radios, and don't really care, I didn't use them when I carried them so , , , ,

Hint, if you get one, I suggest not getting the one with the watch feature, it didn't keep very good time and used the same battery as the radio, therby causing the battery to run down quicker. They both used a watch battery.

Doctari.

LBJ

12-07-2003, 16:28

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

I use the Grundig AM/FM/SW from Radio Shack($30). It has analog tuning and picks up stations in out-of-the-way places better than any other mini radio that I have tried. I am going to take it on my '04 thru hike.

Dozer

12-08-2003, 09:45

C. Coyle--Try the Sangean DT-300VW. Solid reception, low weight, all NOAA weather freqs are preset, tiny, earphones, can switch on a mono speaker if you like. Cost is about $65-70. I use it for NOAA weather checks--great performance. Bet if you were inclined you could strip out the speaker to reduce the weight by about an ounce.

veteran

12-08-2003, 23:38

I found this radio at Wal-Mart.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.gsp?product_id=2004753&cat=3996&type=19&dept=14503&path=0%3A14503%3A111442%3A111445

Philips Self-Powered AM/FM Radio
$19.88
Availability: Usually takes 2 to 3 business days to process before shipping.
No batteries needed! One minute of cranking powers it for 30 minutes. Especially useful in emergencies or on extended camping trips.

Manufacturer Philips

Key Features and Description

Built-in high-efficiency power generator
LED indicates maximum charge rate
Dial light
Telescoping antenna
Can also be powered by optional batteries

Ridge

06-15-2006, 17:24

Sony SRF-M37V TV/WEATHER/FM/AM WALKMAN digital clock/tuner

1 AAA battery

weight 5 oz has low battery indicator/ presets/ setting lock (keeps from accidental turn on or channel change when on) The 1 Battery lasts a long time.
uses earphones or mini speaker(purchased separately)

Tuff Unit