We’ve featured Eton radios on The Gadgeteer before, and I’ve gotten to try two of them myself. They offer a lot of features for a low price, and the Eton American Red Cross FRX3 is no different. It’s Ni-MH battery charges with the included power adapter or from the built-in solar panel or the hand turbine crank. The AM, FM, and WB digital radio with display provide you with emergency news and weather information and the built-in USB charger keeps you in touch with the outside world by keeping your phone charged. There’s even a glow-in-the-dark indicator around the solar panel to help you find it in the dark. The Eton American Red Cross FRX3 is $60 at Eton.
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One thing that keeps cropping up in user reviews is the amount of cranking needed to keep the radio running, much less charge a phone. Can you comment on this?
@HildyJ This is a news item, so I haven’t had any hands-on experience with this particular model. It does take a lot of cranking to charge the battery or charge a phone, so it’s very nice when you have the solar panel to charge the battery, like this one has.