An emergency crank radio is the best device to have in any emergency situation. Such situations can be natural disasters, extreme weather conditions, man-made disasters, riots, fires, getting lost and so on. Having a radio at such times is extremely important as you can get frequent weather updates, warnings and alerts about impending disasters in your area and also news of rescue operations. Eton Corporation specializes in manufacturing emergency crank radios and one of their most popular model is the Eton FR250.

So how does an emergency crank radio differ from any other radio? The main feature is a cranking mechanism which enables you to power the radio whenever you want without using any batteries or other power sources. You need to just turn the handle rapidly in a winding motion and the rechargeable battery inside the radio starts getting charged. This hand cranking mechanism will also power all the other built-in devices along with the radio. The Eton FR250 emergency crank radio has an in-built flashlight, an emergency siren, and a cell phone charger. This is an excellent bunch of devices to have, to be prepared for any emergency situation. The radio is capable of recieving AM, FM and short wave reception.

The cranking handle of the Eton FR250 emergency crank radio is connected to a small generator inside which produces the electricity required for charging the Ni-MH battery pack inside. The cranking handle is conveniently placed at the side of the radio so that it can be turned without any obstructions. To achieve a charge of more than an hour you need to turn the handle only for about one and a half minutes at the rate of two full revolutions per second. The charge remains constant through out the designated time and all the built-in devices will work at full power. Of course if you are using the flashlight and the radio together the charge will last for a much lesser time. But the best part is, you need not worry as you can always recharge the batteries within a few minutes of cranking. The Eton FR250 can also be powered by three AA cells or through an AC adapter which has to be bought separately.

The Eton FR250 has a compact design with dimensions of 6.5 inches width, 6 inches height and 2.5 inches in depth. You can easily store this radio in an emergency box or carry it in its nylon case, with a handy strap. The radio has an analog tuning panel on the front and next to it is a LED light which can be used as a small power flashlight. You cannot much direct the beam of the flashlight and it can be used mainly to lighten up a path in an enclosed surrounding. All the knobs are easily visible and the volume and tuning knobs are set on the side of the radio. The radio is capable of receiving seven of the shortwave channels apart from FM and AM. Overall the Eton FR250 is an excellent radio to have in emergency situations.