GP-4L Shortwave Digital Radio

The GPL4 is a very small multi-band radio. It features AM, FM and 2 bands of Shortwave (SW) reception.

The radio has a digital display that shows the time when the radio is off or the selected radio station in digital mode when the radio is on, you can also program an alarm that will turn on the radio at the specified time so it works as an alarm clock or travel clock.

There is also a small LED at the top that can be used as a flashlight if you need some light at night or in an emergency.
The station is selected with a knob on the side and displayed in the small LCD display, a red led turns on when the reception is clear, another knob controls the volume.

The internal speaker is ok but you can also use headphones and then FM can be listened in stereo mode. The antenna is telescopic and works in the reception of both FM and SW bands, for AM the internal ferrite antenna does the job.

The dimensions are 3.4" X 2.55" X .83" and the total weight without the batteris is 85 grams. Small enough for a shirt pocket. The radio can use two AA batteries or be plugged to a 3.5v powersource (not included). The runtime is about 150 hours for the radio and about 70 hours for the flashlight (mutually exclusive).

It is a very small radio with nice features and good reception, there is also an optional larger antenna for improved SW reception if needed. The construction quality and performance are really good from our tests.

You can get it from CountyComm for $25.

Sony Emergency Radio ICF-B01

This is a little emergency radio by Sony, it has both AM and FM frequencies and a LED light as well.

The radio can take either 2 AAA batteries or be powered by a crank mechanism, pull the lever give it a few cranks and the radio will be self-powered without needing batteries.

With AAA batteries you can get 50 hours of AM radio, 40 hours of FM radio or 30 hours of the flashlight.

With the built-in generator you can get 60 minutes of AM radio, 40 minutes of FM or 15 minutes of the flashlight, then you have to crank it again to generate more power.

It is small enough to be carried in a kit without taking a lot of space. The drawbacks are not having weather stations or shortwave reception. In areas where tornados, hurricanes and other natural disasters are common batteries can be very hard to get and a radio to know what is going on is always needed. We really liked that a very reputable brand like Sony has a crank activated emergency radio, it makes sense to keep one in your kits for emergencies or long hikes without needing a stock of batteries. It is also good for camping if you have reception of AM or FM bands you can keep updated on major events or enjoy some music.

You can read more or order for $40 from Sony.