Raynic Weather Radio 5000 Solar Hand Crank Emergency Radio 5 Ways Powered AM/FM/SW/NOAA Weather Alert Portable Radio with Flashlight, Reading Lamp (Yellow)

The choice of power options makes this radio a good choice. Living geographically between Philadelphia and Allentown, the radio picks up both weather stations with no problem. Sensitivity is more than adequate on AM and FM, and short wave is OK, but tuning short wave can be a long process. Flashlight is a handy plus, and the price was reasonable. Sound is good, considering the relatively small speaker.

I own a lot of radios, and have owned a lot of 'emergency' type radios. I would say I'm well acquainted with modern radios. I really like this radio. First, what this is and what this isn't. It's an AM/FM/SW/WX radio made for emergency, camping or backpacking type use. It's not your AM DX or SW base station. That said, this is a radio that if you only could have one, this wouldn't be a bad choice, just not the best choice. The build quality on this is pretty good. It's about the size of a red brick. The plastic case is thick and should withstand dropping onto a hard surface. I'll let you test that out though. The buttons are nice and responsive. The handle is very basic but it's strong and adjustable. I've read and seen complaints about the handle covering the solar panel. It's not a big deal, it easily pulls to the side. Not really an issue at all. The whip antenna is about 14" long. The lights are bright. One side has a rubber cover for jacks, with 3 buttons for lights and the emergency siren. The rubber cover stays in place fine, and the 2 USB and headphone ports are solid. The 3 buttons for the 2 lights and emergency siren are solid. Some reviews I've read mention how the emergency button is not protected and can be set off on accident. No, not really. It is unprotected, but does require a long button press to activate. Also, if the radio is locked, the buttons don't function anyway. It's really easy to use. There is no memory, but you do get a decent scan by pressing and holding the tune buttons. I don't think anyone would have any problems using this radio. No instructions required for the most part. Foregoing high end features allows this to be easily controlled by the buttons without having to know codes or shifts to get something done. Which is good, because I received no instructions with this radio. Tuning is great. Very responsive on AM/FM and I was able to picrk up 2 WX stations in the area. I'm not in a good area for SW, but attaching a long wire to the antenna helps. There are no antenna inputs, so a wire antenna is really the only option for SW, but usually that's all that's needed. Carry some wire with you or one of those roll up portable SW antennas. The display is very easy to read and has a nice backlighting to it. This was one of the reasons I went for this radio. The display is a standard size but the whole display is mainly used for frequencies. This is important if you rely on reading glasses and don't have them. The hand crank is solid, I've had ones that feel like you're going to break them. The solar panel is competent. Here's the thing about them: You're likely never going to have to use them, but if you do, they're going to work well enough. What I've done is charged the internal Li-ion battery and stored 3 AAA batteries in the battery compartment (taped ends and upside down so as not to discharge) in case they're needed. I'm not concerned about the solar panel or crank, they're there in case there are no other options and they will work. I will likely recharge this using a solar powered 30000 mAh battery pack in an emergency. Overall, it's a good little radio. It's built well, it's inexpensive, and it's probably going to work. The buttons and screen are big enough for the elderly to use no problem. Same with kids. I wouldn't hesitate to take this as a travel radio, it should pack well. Easy to attach to a pack if you're hiking. It's in that sweet spot of quality, function, and price.

Very clear reception on both the FM RADIO AN NOAA Weather channel with the antenna up. Put ear plugs in when you test the emergency sound; it is very loud, which is a good thing if seeking help. I purchased the yellow color as I thought it would be easiest to spot if dropped in the grass/weeds. I purchased and inserted the batteries right away so I am prepared. I also charged it as I didn’t know how full the charge was. Great small size, light weight seems sturdy even though it is plastic. Mine doesn’t quite sit flat on a flat surface due to ever so slightly bottom seam not flush. This is not a deal breaker for me. The one I purchased for my daughter sits perfectly flush/flat on a surface. I haven’t used mine yet because I bought it strictly for Weather Emergencies. I’m hoping my daughter will remember to bring hers on camping trips. I think it’s perfect for camping, hiking or other extender outdoor activity.

Great product with an abundance of options. Customer support is excellent! I highly recommend this Raynic weather radio. I had an issue in which I lost the charge on my internal battery which in turn drained the charge on the AAA Batteries. I believe this happened because I had pushed the on button for the Reading Light after I closed the light cover & turned of the power with the Power Button. There is no way of telling at this point if the Reading Light is on unless you raise the Reading Light Cover. No big deal but it would be wise to raise the light cover after turning off the power to be sure the light is not on. Bob

i live in the boondsocks and the power goes out quite often.. this radio is a freaking blessing ehen that happens wonderful that the chinese can make such an awesome radio at such a great pricepoint