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Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio

Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio

Item # 777509
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This item is currently sold out or unavailable online.

For your reference, this page contains historical product information.

Tune in to radio broadcasts, charge your cell phone or MP3 player and light your path with the crank- and solar-powered FR500 Solarlink radio from Eton.

  • Offers full-time power via built-in solar panel on top or hand crank on face; can even be used without batteries on hand-crank power alone
  • Charger breathes life into most brands of cell phone batteries and MP3 players
  • Internal rechargeable NiMH battery pack stores power generated from solar panel, hand crank or AC adapter, sold separately
  • In addition to solar power, hand-crank power, rechargeable battery power and optional AC power, unit can also be powered from 3 AA batteries, sold separately
  • Tunes in all 7 NOAA weather radio channels and features an ''Alert'' function to keep you abreast of significant weather changes
  • Also picks up AM, FM and shortwave (6000-12100 KHz)
  • Telescoping antenna picks up FM, NOAA and shortwave reception; internal antenna receives AM reception
  • Tuning knob and digital display offer smooth dialing to zero in on finicky signals; full-range monophonic front speaker delivers clear sound reproduction
  • 5 LED lights (4 white, 1 red) on side provide emergency lighting and feature a flash mode for use as an emergency beacon
  • Emergency siren provides audible distress call
  • 12-hour digital clock has alarm, snooze and sleep timer
  • Jacks for headphones, cell phone/MP3 charger and DC-in have rubber gaskets to help seal out moisture
  • Includes owner's manual, USB charging cord and mail-in card for cell phone adapter piece

Imported.

Item 777509

Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio Specs

Specification

Description

Weight1.9 pounds
Dimensions8.5 x 7.75 x 2.5 inches

Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews
Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio
 
1.0

(based on 4 reviews)

Reviewed by 4 customers

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Dec

6

2008

(18 of 18 customers found this review helpful)

 
1.0

you'd be lucky to have this work for you

By Coelacanth

from New Mexico

About Me Casual User

Pros

  • Looks spiffy

Cons

  • Junk

Best Uses

  • Portable Devices

Comments about Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio:

We bought this radio to use the next time we're snowed in for a week, but it's light enough that you could easily take it camping. It looks good and is supposed to do several things for you including charging your phones and playing FM, shortwave, and weather radio bands.

We pulled the radio from its box and read the manual. The manual states that charging the battery from the dynamo would take so long it would not be practical, so we put the radio in a sunny south facing window. Our UV index is 7 here in the fall and our solar lantern charges easily even sitting in indirect light, so we figured the window should be sufficient. (And our old Freeplay solar radio does great in the window.)

Though the manual states that you should be able to play the radio at a low volume while it is charging, we found this not to be the case. After several sunny hours, the radio still hadn't charged, so we left it there in the window for a week. By then it had charged enough to play the radio and we were able play the radio at a moderate volume for about 1.5 hours. We could pick up several FM stations and one weather band station, but had no shortwave coverage.

Then we tried charging it again. After three weeks, it had charged enough to turn on the light for a little while, but not enough to play the radio. And the plastic on the front edge of the radio had started to get gummy from sitting in the sun so long. We never got to test whether the radio could charge cell phones.

So in short, this radio is junk. The knobs were wobbly from the start and it seems not well put together. And, does it seem like a good idea to put the collector for a solar device the handle?

  • Gift:
  • No
  • Primary use:
  • Personal

Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

(18 of 18 customers found this review helpful)

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Jan

29

2009

(2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

 
1.0

Total junk

By r2d3

from Boulder, CO

About Me Casual/ Recreational

Site Member

Pros

    Cons

    • Multiple problems

    Best Uses

    • Useless

    Comments about Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio:

    Solar charger and hand crank very inefficient. Most knobs and controls have a loose, cheap feel to them. Difficult to tell if selector knobs are on the correct function. Selector knob for radio bands never would access FM or AM bands. Glad we did not have a real emergency and have to depend on this device. A great concept that was very poorly executed. An embarrassment for REI to sell this bad of a product. Where's the quality control?

    • Gift:
    • No

    Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

    (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

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    Dec

    28

    2008

    (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

     
    1.0

    Not too impressed

    By Gilli78

    from st. louis, MO

    About Me Casual User

    Site Member

    Pros

      Cons

        Best Uses

          Comments about Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio:

          Got radio for Christmas, read instructions and couldn't get it to work. Not very user friendly or useful. Too long to charge and doesn't stay charged long.

          • Gift:
          • Yes
          • Primary use:
          • Personal

          Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

          (2 of 2 customers found this review helpful)

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          Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

          Feb

          1

          2009

          (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

           
          1.0

          Don't Buy it.

          By Rebel1043

          from Knoxville TN

          About Me Casual/ Recreational

          Pros

          • Lightweight

          Cons

            Best Uses

              Comments about Eton FR500 Solarlink Radio:

              Got the radio for Christmas. It looks sturdy but knobs are flimsy. Radio reception is poor and solar panel does not charge worth a flip. It's junk. Don't waste your money.

              • Gift:
              • Yes

              Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend

              (1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

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              Please let us know what kind of issue this is:

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