Product Description

Self-Powered AM/FM/NOAA Weather Radio with Flashlight, Solar Power, and Cell Phone Charger

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #843 in Consumer Electronics
• Size: Handheld
• Color: Red
• Brand: Eton
• Model: ARCFR160R
• Dimensions: 2.50" h x 5.25" w x 1.75" l, .60 pounds

Features

• AM (520-1710 KHz) & FM (87-108MHz) NOAA weatherband – all 7 channels Built-in 3 white LED light source Powered by solar or dynamo both of which charge internal Ni-MH battery
• USB cell phone charger (USB cable not included) 3.5 mm headphone input Dimensions: 5.25” x 2.5” x 1.75” and 133 x 63.5 x 44.45 mm (W x H x D) Weight: 8.5 oz. and 241 g
• Accessories: owner’s manual, warranty card Specifications subject to change

From the Manufacturer

American Red Cross MICROLINK FR160 by Etón – Be Red Cross Ready

Etón Corporation makes some of the most highly regarded emergency radios in the industry. Our radios can operate without batteries. Turn the crank to power them up, or in the case of the Etón MICROLINK, harness the power of the sun. Listen to AM or FM radio for important updates, use the built-in flashlight to find your way around in the dark. You can also charge up your cell phone so that you can get in touch with loved ones.

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Sleek and portable American Red Cross MICROLINK FR160

Radios for Everyday Preparedness

The American Red Cross MICROLINK FR160 by Etón does more than keep you connected. This new spin on an Etón classic incorporates our award winning design and standard feature sets into a sleek easy to use package. It is a multifunctional, ultra-compact companion ready for any preparedness kit.

When emergencies or outdoor adventures take you off the grid, you need a device that can fill multiple needs. The American Red Cross MICROLINK FR160 is so compact that you can easily store in a safety kit or toss in your rucksack and take anywhere. It has a high-quality AM/FM tuner, providing you with news, entertainment and public service announcements. Not only that, but it also integrates a NOAA Weather Band receiver that brings you weather forecasts, alerts and other emergency messages--information vital during severe weather conditions.

At only 5.25 inches, the MICROLINK FR160 literally fits in the palm of your hand. It also includes a powerful solar panel, which gives you the freedom to explore without the hassle of batteries or adapters. If that wasn’t enough, we also added a full sized USB port to easily charge any small electrical device such as an mp3 player or cell phone. You’ll always know what’s going on, thanks to the AM, FM and NOAA Weather Band tuners. With the additional flashlight and cell phone charger, you can’t go wrong with the MICROLINK as it is one versatile little device.

No one likes to think about disaster, but being prepared can make chances of surviving one much greater. Included with the purchase of this product is an American Red Cross preparedness guide as well as a donation to the American Red Cross.

Self-powered and multifunctional to give you what you need...         when you need it.

Features

	Solar/Hand Crank Generate energy to power this sleek unit by simply setting it under the sun or with a few turns of the hand crank. Free yourself and ease your mind with self-powered radio broadcasts anytime anywhere.
	AM/FM/NOAA Weather Band Easy tuning to any band whether it’s AM (520-1710 KHz), FM (87-108 MHz) or NOAA weather band. This keeps the listener tuned in to weather forecasts, alerts and other emergency messages—information vital during severe weather conditions.
	USB phone charger charge virtually any phone or small electrical device with this added feature.
	Flashlight 3 built in LEDs to light your way through the dark.
The technology featured in the MICROLINK ensures that you will have everything you need in any situation. With its solar panel, hand crank, AM/FM/NOAA weather bands and flashlight, this ultra portable unit is perfect for your car or home and a necessity for any emergency. So don’t be left in the dark. Be prepared with the American Red Cross MICROLINK by Etón.

Designed with your safety in mind.

Rugged Design and Reliable Power Sources

The Etón MICROLINK FR160 is rugged for outdoor use, and is more than ready to go with no plugs or wires needed. Clever case design protects the analog controls from damage, while rubber gaskets and plugs help keep moisture out of the unit.

Having a device that sports multiple modes of communication means nothing if there is no way to power it. Etón has designed the MICROLINK FR160 with that thought in mind, and it can be powered in several ways. The built-in rechargeable battery pack can be charged from the integrated dynamo hand crank, or from an optional USB adapter. An array of water resistant, shatterproof, high performance glass encapsulated amorphous solar cells can also run the MICROLINK FR160. They are efficient enough to power the unit under direct sunlight. These multiple power supplies can also be used to recharge cell phones via USB charging cable (not included).

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Award-Winning Designs

Etón Corporation’s line of independent, self-powered radios have won numerous awards and recognitions. We are committed to progressive product development and stellar design technologies. Some of the awards Etón has been honored with are:

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Peace of Mind

No one likes to think about disaster. But planning for one can make it easier for you and your family to get through it all. We have a preparedness guide endorsed by the American Red Cross, which can be downloaded at www.etoncorp.com/American_Red_Cross. As an added bonus, when you buy an American Red Cross by Etón product, a portion of your purchase goes to help rebuild communities that have been hit by natural disasters. Etón emergency communications devices are an important addition to any emergency kit. And, with our donations to help communities where disaster has struck, this is a purchase you can feel good about.

	American Red Cross MICROLINK FR160 by Etón A self-powered AM/FM, NOAA weather radio with flashlight, solar power and cell phone charger
	American Red Cross SOLARLINK FR360 Etón A self-powered digital AM/FM, NOAA weather radio with flashlight, solar power and cell phone charger
	American Red Cross SOLARLINK FR600 Etón A self-powered digital AM/FM/SW, NOAA, S.A.M.E. weather radio with flashlight, solar power and cell phone charger
	American Red Cross VOICELINK FR1000 Etón A self-powered AM/FM, NOAA weather radio with GMRS walkie-talkie function, flashlight, siren and cell phone charger

Comparison Chart - Etón Family

	SOLARLINK			MICROLINK		VOICELINK	CLASSIC
Features	FR600	FR500	FR360	FR160	FR150	FR1000	FR250	FR300
AM
FM
NOAA Weather
S.A.M.E.
Shortwave
GMRS
Digital Tuner
Crank Power
Solar Powered
Cell Phone Charger
LED Flashlight
Flashing Beacon
Emergency Siren
Alarm Clock
USB Compatible

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Technical Specifications

Dimensions: 2.5 x 5.25 x 1.75in and 13.3 x 6.3 x 4.4cm (W x H x D)

Weight: 8.5oz

Accessories: owner's manual, warranty card

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Customer Reviews

Small, crankable and solar powered!
First thing that should be mentioned is that this full-featured emergency radio is amazingly small. Reading its approximate dimensions of 5" wide x 2-3/8" high x 1-13/16" deep can be misleading, so imagine it placed on its side on top of a dollar bill: it's actually smaller than US paper currency, and that's just one of the things that make this small radio so appealing!

You can charge the FR150 in less than two minutes using its hand crank. You can also place it in sunlight (even on an overcast day, as I found out) and its built-in solar panel handily powers the radio and recharges its battery pack.

The radio's tuner pulls in both AM and FM stations, and with surprisingly clear reception. It receives all seven NOAA bands using a separate slide selector, so you can monitor changing weather conditions, along with tuning in to the FCC and EAS public alert systems.

It has a flashlight with three LEDs on the its side, providing surprisingly bright illumination, and for comparison it's about on the same level as my Garrity Power Lite 3 LED Crank Light. This is also brighter than some of the predecessors from Eton.

If you're looking for audio attributes on the level of Bose, JBL or Polk Audio speakers, this radio isn't for you... but the sound quality of this small radio is quite remarkable. Listened to a favorite "smooth jazz" station for awhile, switched to classical then to '80s rock, and was quite pleased all around.

A number of places list this radio as having the option of an optional AC adapter, but couldn't find anything definitive on this, so made email contact with Eton's Customer Support. Received a reply within hours, where they stated that at this time, they do not have AC adapters available for the FR150 Microlink or the FR500 Solarlink, but are expecting these items to be available in about 60 days. The support rep suggested:

1. Charge by using the USB port on the computer (this requires a cable that converts USB to mini-USB, available at your local electronics retailer). I did this with the same USB cable used for my digital camera.

2. Solar power: leave the FR150 Microlink in direct sunlight for about 6 hours.

3. Use the Dynamo Hand Crank of the side of your radio (crank time: 2 minutes = radio play time: 20-30 minutes).

Should also note that there is a registration card with the instructions inside the box, and you can mail the card in for a free cell phone adapter tip. I found it faster to do the same thing online with Eton.

This is one of those products that is reasonable enough to want to have more than one for household and family emergencies. And speaking of emergencies, there's a simple but straightforward American Red Cross disaster preparedness tips booklet that's well worth the read.

Must admit to liking Eton's emergency radio products. Part of this is due to happy prior ownership of a Eton FR400 Hand Crank Radio and Power Generator, which has proven itself. Should also say that this little radio, which is smaller and more practical than I originally thought, has quickly become a favorite. It's about 60% of the size of its predecessor, and small enough to fit in a jacket pocket for those outdoor excursions. It's also available in white if you prefer:
American Red Cross FR150 Microlink Solar-Powered, Self-Powered AM/FM/Weatherband Portable Radio with Flashlight and Cell Phone Charger (White)

This one's a 5-star choice, without a doubt.

UPDATE: Already received the free cell phone adapter tip from Eton, just days after registering the ARC FR150 Microlink. Plugged the tip into the cord that came with the phone, then plugged the phone in and started cranking... and the phone indicated that it's being charged as I crank!

Does what it's designed to do...compact, self-contained
I received one for Christmas this year, and I'm favorably impressed. It's small enough to fit in a field jacket pocket, yet retains functionality. I went on a lot of disaster recovery teams, so I'm always looking out for good, compact field gear. One aspect that never changes is smaller is better, all other factors equal. Another point is replaceability. If it goes in the field, there's a fair chance it won't come home with you. Low cost and ease of replacement is a major plus with gear selection. Well worth the money if all the features function properly.

Being a recalcitrant engineer, I took it apart and tested the power components.

Radio
Works nicely. I come from the old AM radio & sideband days, so I'm not picky about sound quality. The AM & FM tuner movement needs gear reduction, badly. While tuning, I always overshoot the station, and tune over it back & forth until I get a feel for the station's location. This amount of knob movement is barely perceptible. Also, the tuning scale is analog and short. That means it gives an approximate idea of where you're tuning, not a direct input like today's digital tuning displays. A plus is the radio has a tuner pilot lamp, alerting you that you're parked right on the station. NOTE: like most consumer AM radios today, the AM radio uses an internal ferrite rod antenna, so it won't work as well inside cars and metal structures. AM radios "fade" more than FM radios due to the longer wavelength, so make sure the radio's in a clear open spot for best AM radio reception. The external stalk antenna is for broadcast FM (88-108 MHz) and possibly weather radio (162 MHz). This should be fully extended, and temporarily adding a few feet of scrap wire might improve it more if need be.

Power management
To simulate a dead or inoperative battery, I removed the battery and tried to operate the radio. The generator easily powers the radio with plenty of power left over, almost overpowered (this is *not* a problem). The generator has a large power surplus relative to the radio, it continued to play until I almost stopped cranking. It seems like the generator was almost loafing around, like it didn't even see the radio. Sort of analogous to taking an eighteen wheel tractor-trailer to the store to buy milk and bread for the weekend. Even cranking *very* slowly was enough to completely power the radio direct off the generator. Again, a plus for the generator. The explanation for this became apparent when I tested the generator.

Generator
The generator is power in, power out format. It does not store mechanical energy, so unlike the Bayliss generator models (AKA "Freeplay") when you stop cranking, it stops producing power. Power output jack is a standard 3/32" monaural jack (meaning not stereo, AKA "mono"), and since we replace cell phones often I didn't bother ordering the cell phone adapter Eton offers. Another factor is cell phone networks. Some networks have battery backup in their cell sites, others have dedicated generator sets. Cell site batteries typically last 4-8 hours and generators run out of fuel in about a day. In a major disaster, by day 2 the cell phone will be a moot point, and you'll be wishing you hadn't thrown that old citizens band transceiver out about 15 years ago. This is exactly what happened when we were in New Orleans, Aug-Sept 2005.

I made my own power adapter with a radio shack 3/32" mono plug, wire and a couple of alligator clips. With this, I can power or charge anything that runs off of low voltage.

Another plus I discovered is the generator is self-rectifying. This means it produces the same polarity irrespective of the direction we crank the handle. This prevents us from accidently reverse-charging batteries when we think we're charging them. Reverse charging nickel metal hydride batteries often destroys them. I was blown away by the generator performance, and I'm amazed no one else commented on this. I didn't believe the initial readings at first, so I used another meter. For those of you familiar with the load line concept, my example produced about 5.25 volts open circuit and 500 milliamps (one half ampere) shorted. NOTE: I do *not* recommend cranking the generator shorted for any length of time! The theoretical peak power point is somewhere around 690 milliwatts at 2.6v @ 0.26 amps. It will make short work of charging batteries with terminals voltages under 3-4 volts. I made a quick Excel chart of the load curve, email me at richardavis2000@yahoo.com if you're interested in a copy.

Solar Cell
The solar cell is best suited for trickle charging the battery, with an emphasis on the term "trickle". The cell requires ideal conditions to power the radio. In direct sunlight exposure (about noontime, 40 degrees latitude, mid-January) it will power the radio but output isn't adequate if it's behind glass. Behind glass, the solar cell output hovers right on the lower limit of the radio minimum operating voltage. This means if your battery wears out, you'll be using the generator indoors or the solar cell outdoors in *full* sunlight. The radio case has a clear panel over the solar cell, apparently to protect it, yet allows sunlight in. This is a drawback from my experiences with solar cells. When sunlight passes through a transparent medium, it loses some energy as the medium acts as a filter. In this application, the solar cell can't afford to have its output attenuated. In the future I will look into replacing this with a hinged cover. To use the cell, the cover is opened giving the cell better exposure to sunlight. On the plus side, the cell charges even if not in direct sunlight, and it has an LED to report current flow. Nice touch. I would have preferred a bigger solar cell, as the existing cell barely has enough power to run the radio by itself in direct sunlight.

Battery
The battery is a 3.6v rechargeable nickel hydride (NiMH) battery, an obvious weakness. At least it's a nickel hydride battery, making it resistant to forming a memory from partial discharges. They appear to be roughly 2/3 the height of regular AAA batteries, and sealed in green shrink-wrap. As another reviewer pointed out it would have been a nice addition to have a AAA battery solution as an alternative. The battery appears to be available from battery supply houses, a google search for 3.6v NiMH battery 3x1 2/3aaa turned up numerous online sources. This radio is very similar to the Freeplay Companion, so it may be possible to use the Freeplay Companion USB wall charger when purchased separately (about $12). It appears the radio charges externally through the USB port, even if from an AC source. So, it should charge equally well from a computer.

It charges easily through a USB cable, I bought a cheap self-retracting USB cable at the local dollar store that serves this purpose with a very small footprint. Obviously this implies a powered computer will be frequently available, which would be unlikely in a severe disaster. This hints that the person that designed this probably hasn't been through a long-term outage a la Katrina style. For chronic outages, we have a few large output solar cells that produce 10-15 watts each. The best measure is having a propane, gasoline or diesel standby generator and lots of fuel.

Notes, Observations, Miscellany:
* If you're planning on using this radio in a serious disaster environment, make sure the battery is in good shape, and replace the battery when the performance drops off. Don't wait until it goes dead. This means you'll need to inspect your emergency gear regularly, which you should be doing anyway.

* Have several different types of radios, since they'll have different features that will extend your operating capabilities. This will also give you redundancy in case one radio drops offline. Same with other critical gear (flashlights, power, fire starting, what have you). Remember, if it's critical, it should also be redundant.

* Remember, this radio only receives. You can't call for help with it. To call out without cell phone or landline telephone service, you'll need a radio transceiver. The two most common examples of this are family radio service (FRS) and citizens band (CB).

* If you're in a mobile deployment team, this radio will require packaging in a hard sided waterproof container with protective padding. It won't take much in the way of rough handling.

Good:
* Multiple power sources reduces dependency on external power
* Small footprint, light, very portable.
* Flashlight works well. Light emitting diode lamps will last much longer than incandescent lamps
* Generator provides plenty of power, self-rectifying and uses an industry-standard connector
* Radio works well on all bands as advertised.

Bad:
* Small tuner knob requires patience. Easy to overshoot station during tuning. One half turn of the tuning knob spans the entire tuning range!
* AM station drifts...a lot. It requires frequent retuning.
* Too finely finished. My radio will get quite a few field scuffs.
* Solar cell has mediocre performance, and a transparent cover that attenuates already marginal performance
* A lot of water entry points that could have been prevented in the design phase.
* No means of accepting common consumer batteries (size AAA, AA, etc).
* USB charging port is nice, but unrealistic for chronic outages.

Improvements I'd like to see:
* Extended AM frequency range, into shortwave and single sideband. See my review on the Sony ICF-SW07 for more info on this type of radio.
* Gear reduction or other step-down on the tuning dial
* Digital LCD frequency display.
* Switch the location of the solar cell and the crank handle. This would put the crank handle on the top, allowing the user to crank with the radio standing upright on a table. It would also allow a larger solar cell on the side, or better yet a detachable solar cell that snaps on & off with lead wires. And a larger solar cell, substantially higher output cell, or better yet, both.
* Hinged protective cover over solar cell if left in it's present location (on top of the radio).
* Commercial battery option, even if the battery holder is external. Maybe I'll make one...hmmm.
* Bayliss generator option (wind-up clockwork style)
* Better water resistance. Making the case from clear plastic would eliminate the need for a separate cover over the solar cell. Using a ceramic piezoelectric speaker element glued to the inside of the case would make the case a functional speaker without the need for speaker holes. These two modifications would reduce several water entry points.

Extremely Dissapointed
We purchased this emergency radio/flashlight a week before Hurricane Ike hit us in Houston. We tested it as soon as we got it and were able to receive 3 FM stations, 2 AM radio stations and the weather band. The flashlight worked well. We could not locate a cell phone charging cable for the unit, rendering that function null. When Ike hit Friday night, the weather band went to 100% static, and only one FM station was clear enough to understand. The flashlight still worked fine. By Saturday morning we could get no radio signals at all no matter how much we cranked. In contrast, our four battery-operated radios picked up several stations. But, we really didn't want to use up the batteries - the very reason we purchased the hand crank in the first place. The flashlight switch stopped operating Saturday night, remaining stuck on low beam with no way to turn it off. This morning we were fortunate to find a commercial building with a generator, A/C and wi-fi - hence the ability to write this review. The only reason it gets one star is because the flashlight broke in the ON position. Otherwise, it was extremely disappointing. I certainly will never buy another Eton product.