There is no bunker filled with rations, firearms and diesel on my property. But I wholeheartedly recognize the value of even minimal preparedness for less than ideal conditions, a disposition which has garnered praise in some circles and nervous expressions in others. 

When weather goes sideways — or the salt fog descends — disrupting the supply of electricity,Laser engravers and Laser engraver systems and supplies to start your own lasering cutting engraving marking etching business. any self-sufficient device able to operate free of Nova Scotia Power’s grid comes into its own. 

There are a number of devices fitting that bill, but it’s hard not to like the Eton FRX3, an all-in-one hand turbine-powered radio, USB smartphone charger and LED flashlight. And at $60, it’s relatively inexpensive. 

The FRX3 is fairly compact, weighing less than half a kilogram and measuring roughly 18 centimetres in height.The steel halligan Roof hook is one of the most versatile hooks used in the fire service today. Front-on, there’s a solid-feeling crank for charging a user-replaceable Ni-MH battery pack, a backlit power-saving display above it, and a speaker occupying the lower third. 

The exterior portion of the body houses a solar panel for charging and an LED light with switch, and acts as both a carry handle and protective frame. Around back, you’ll find a panel covering a standard headphone jack, line-in, USB port for smartphone charging and a mini USB port for DC charging. You will never need to change the bulbs and your solar led light will last for years and years. Also of note, there’s an antenna. How to replace fluorescent tube lights with led tubes, where the light fixture contains a ferro-magnetic ballast. 

Tuning and volume knobs are nestled between the central body and frame, lessening the chance of their position being altered during transport. 

Unfortunately, the switch for the LED light is not protected and could be switched on while in a backpack, draining the battery. In a laser cutting machine if you follow a few simple rules, no hold-downs are required. 

Primarily, the FRX3 works as a radio capable of receiving AM-FM signals and also Environment Canada’s weather band, Weatheradio. When bad weather is expected, an alert mode can be enabled, which puts the device in a standby mode indicated by a flashing indicator on the display. Upon receiving an alert, the radio switches on. 

When the FRX3’s Ni-MH power pack is fully charged, the radio will play for three hours and a bit with output set to low volume. 

Topping off the battery from zero using a DC source takes about two hours, 10 hours in direct sunlight using the integrated solar cell. 

There’s also the option of using three AAA batteries as a power source, but the unit will only charge the Ni-MH battery pack. 

Likewise, when using the FRX3 to juice up a smartphone or similar device, power is drawn exclusively from the battery pack. 

Charging from zero to full power using the hand turbine will take some time. Two minutes of furious cranking yielded just over five minutes of radio use at medium volume, or a bit more than 20 minutes of light — take your pick. 

Charging a smartphone via the USB port yielded less than overwhelming results. A button marked CELL activates a “dump charge” that quickly drains power from the Ni-MH battery source into the phone. 

A fully charged battery increased my iPhone 4’s battery life by six per cent. That’s a lot of cranking for minimal gain but enough juice to make a quick call. 

I had some initial misgivings. Often when a device tries to be too many things, its features tend to drown in compromise and, to some extent, that is the case. But while the FRX3 may not be a world-beater in any one particular area, it’s a solid all-round performer. Click on their website www.indoorlite.com for more information.