Kaito
$49.99 Price may change
17 videosjohn rardin
item came well, packed durable housing not quite went through all of its functions yet short wave radio picked up excellent still have to read the directions on the crank charging apparatus overall, I am pleased I needed a good emergency radio and that’s what this product is a good emergency radio
B. Bray
Really a great value for the money. So many
different functions. Very reliable and good sound. Works with AA batteries and can be powered with an AC adapter.
Taylor
I use this device as an emergency radio in a storm shelter during the frequent tornado events in Oklahoma. I store it there full time and it works so well off the crank I’ve never even felt the need to put batteries in it. It’s got lights, various emergency weather bands, and radio. That’s really the extent to which I use it but I’ve always been more aware of what’s going on outside my shelter any time I’ve used it.
Anand
1. It’s robust enough.
2. Works out of the box. Make sure you read the manual to connect the inbuilt battery.
3. Was able to get excellent audio quality from its speaker.
4. Volume control is separate from on and off switch.
5. There is no difference between solar and battery.
6. No NOAA stations picked up. I guess it’s a
Separate approach.
7. The solar charging panel works.
Melanie
I bought this after Hurricane Ian to be better prepared for the next hurricane season. Has good sound and gets a lot of stations. Love the solar option since during Ian had now power except generator for 2 weeks.
Aaron S. Graham
Great radio! I have not yet tested the battery life yet, but will do so soon. When I opened the radio, the unit was wrapped in bubble wrap in the box, but the Power selector switch on the lower right was broken. It still works, but sooner rather than later I'll have to find a way to repair it.
K. Vill
Power went out hours ago so got the chance to use this cutie. The radio works well with great reception, lights came in handy in the wee hours. Compact and adorable.
John Q.
I purchased this radio to receive communication in times when electricity and cellular service may be down or when camping outside of cell range. I recently was on a camping trip in an area where there was no cell service and tested the Kaito KA500 5-way Powered Solar radio for the first time.
I put in fresh batteries turned it on and extended the antenna only to have the antenna end knob detach from the antenna mast. I put it back in and turned on the radio and spent the better part of an hour searching for any news, NOAA weather or SW broadcasts . I received lots of noise, beeps and static. I then attached a 20 foot wire antenna extender and had similar results.
When I returned home I tested the radio again. I received many am/fm stations and NOAA weather broadcast. I could not get any SW stations on this radio.
I have concluded that this is a good radio to have for emergencies in city centers where broadcasts are strong. This radio is not suited for out of town.
box7755
The Kaito KA500 Voyager Emergency Radio is a great radio.
Sound Quality:
The sound quality is pretty good.
Volume Control:
The volume control is smooth and accurate and the radio can get loud.
Portability.
For a radio it is pretty portable but if you put it into a back pack it will take up a lot of space.
Overall, the radio is really nice.
claudia betancourt
We had lost our power for several hours and thought this "EMERGENCY" radio would do the trick but its a piece of JUNK. Don't waste your money $$! If there is one thing you want to make sure is in your Emergency Preparedness Kit, or your car’s glove compartment, or the pocket of a trusty backpack, it’s a trusty Emergency Radio.... and this is NOT the one. The MOST important component is SOUND to communicate and to listen for information when there is an emergency warnings like earthquakes, avalanches, chemical releases, public safety, 911 outages, and severe weather warnings.
We purchased this emergency radio in case of an emergency for our home. The selling point of this radio was its shortwave capability and the ability to hear local news/weather. We never had a reason to use it until the other day. We took it out of the package, turned it on and the sound was ridiculously low. In order to hear anything on this radio you have to rest the radio pressed to your ear. And, when you put the radio to your ear it sounds like a whisper. We thought it was low on charge so we put in new batteries and STILL VERY low sound.
We strongly do not recommend this product to anyone. Emergency radios need to be functional and this is a FAIL.
Peter543
The Little Guy has been a great Show-Off, with a number of surprising Features!
- light-weight, small
- powerful reception
- variety of Formats (I prefer FM, haven’t tried others)
- POWER: batteries, flip-up Solar array, Generator hand-crank
- Portable: throw it in a backpack, carry with its handle
Take a Look and Consider it!
Sa.Ma.Ga
The internal battery wasn't holding overnight so I put in 3 AA alkaline batteries because the area was expecting a storm. I set the radio to WB Alert and overnight the batteries were dead or close enough so that the radio just gasps noise and will not work. Nowhere in the manual does it state what size the internal battery is. Other reviews state 600mah to 2000mah. I have a different brand weather radio as a backup with a 2000mah internal battery that lasts several days. So, either the rechargeable battery holds a tiny charge or it is defective. Not to mention that THREE AA batteries are not enough to sustain it on WB Alert OVERNIGHT. So does it have an electrical issue?! When I called their customer service a few days ago regarding the internal battery, I got a tech specialist who I had to prompt for a solution. I had to suggest a battery replacement which thinking back he probably didn't think would work which is why he didn't suggest it. I ended up paying for a $10 battery that is still in the mail when I should have just called it quits.
***Since it is easy to find a WATERPROOF radio with a *5000mah* internal battery for $20 LESS, you don't need this one. ***
---
I doubt I would purchase this version of Kaito's radio again. Choose a version other than KA500. I threw away the box so I'm stuck. I'm glad I bought two radios from two different brands as back ups for each other. The other radio cost twice as much but I like it better. These are this radio's faults: 1) The manual references an IN OUT switch (number 23 in the manual) on the Input and Output Functions Dock (number 18 in the manual) but there is no such thing. The switch is actually labeled OFF ON on the radio. I'm not planning on charging my phone or anything from this unit so I'm not going to worry about it. 2) I inevitably lose manuals but I cannot find a digital copy of the manual that came with my radio. I have found other versions that look nothing like my 5.5" by 8" version. I have looked everywhere, especially Kaito's website which does have other radio manuals. 3) I cannot take out the included green plastic-coated rechargeable battery. It seems to be glued in. I hope I can replace it when it becomes necessary. 4) The antenna does not swivel around. It only opens or closes (goes up or down).
Josh
Initial thoughts. This radio has alot of options and things todo. Maybe a little of master of none syndrome. I've tested all the functionality I could think of and it seems to meet expectations. I even picked up the outlet and the antenna extender(which does seem to make a difference).
Actually picked this up because we just went through the dercho in Iowa. I was without power for over a week. Unfortunately my first radio order got damaged in shipment but I eventually got it in.
I dont think it would of withstood the dercho on this table. We had some pretty big wind gusts and I did loose a tree outside of this wall where I lost alot of items that were hanging on it. The base of this radio doesn't seem study. I think it would of dropped in the storm and at least cracked the plastic screen. The overall product gives me a plastic feel. I did notice the back lamp/solar ray panel doesnt stay shut or flush with the back of the radio. The front station charts look closer on the right then on the left. When SoS is going the tunning light flickers with it. Other functionality didnt seem to cause that. The sound and clarity was unaffected from switching to the different modes. I actually got really good signal. 2 weather station channels. The battery was already charged and I gave it the min cranks. It worked just as well with the outlet power.
It just felt a little flimsy. It would for sure work in a pinch as a disaster radio as a handout for an area. Buttons and knobs just make me feel like I didnt want to turn it to fast. I'd prefer if the backlight was always on.
I could see paying $20 for it but $50 is up there. Hopefully I dont lose power again but if I do I have another light than just my phone.
HowToByLou
A picture is said to be worth a thousand words. Well then this video review speaks for itself! Wish I had this when I was a kid. If you're into no screen time then this radio is for you. Kids had asked: how do you pause it ?- unlike the i-pod ya have to actually shut it off.
Amazing radio with so many handy plan B features. When the apocalypse happens - charge your spare light and not your phone because no one will be there to take your call -
Radio Days are back again..........
Jill Ann Campoy
Great emergency radio. Solar, AC, DC, Crank,
Has a rechargeable battery pack (easily replaceable), and only 1 minute of cranking to charge and also takes 3 AA Batteries. AC cord and Antenna extension are inexpensive and a great addition to your KAITO EMERGENCY RADIO.
Forgot to tell you about the cellphone charger, flashlight and reading light as well as as an SOS signal. It fits nicely in your backpack or camping equipment. The NOAA WEATHER ALERT works great. The AM/FM and Short Wave bands are easy to tune. The charging crank seems to be sturdy. Instructions are easy to read and understand.
jp
I bought this radio because of nostalgia of the dial and trying to sync in the stations. 3 days later the power went out. my kids were going crazy not having their gadgets (phones, pads, computers, etc). I, on the other hand, was enjoying my jazz.... :) Now the technical:
Antenna: 12 inches long
Radio Signal Qual (AM/FM): i get what i normally get in my car, and some (in both bands)
SW: this is my first time doing SW and was impressed with the clarity with which i can listen to Cuban and Venezuelan radio stations (from FL).
NOAA Stations: Is the normal 162.(400...550) frequency giving information and advisories.
The radio works in 4 Power Modes:
a. Off
b. Batt - which is for your stantard AA batteries (if you put them in)
c. Solar Crank / DC - this is for the rechargeable battery (can be recharged with solar, crank, adapter, or usb)
d. NOAA Alear - i would call this sleep mode, just waking up when there is something to be heard from NOAA
The radio has 5 Bands with their respective dial ranges:
a. AM - 530-1710Khz
b. FM - 87-108MHz
c. SW1 - 3.2-10Mhz
d. SW2 - 10-22.0Mhz
e. Weather - this must be set for either active listening or the NOAA Alert
The radio has the 7 Weather Bands numbered (1-7) :: corresponding to the 162.400 ... in 0.025 increments until 162.550.
The radio has an option to turn the usb into an active charging port for other devices while you crank. Basically you can crank charge your phones, etc.
3 Lights:
a. Flashlight (side)
b. Flat Light on the opposite side of the solar cells
c. SOS Red Light
Note: The first 2 lights are LED, not sure about the red light. These are controlled by the grey slider button at the top under the holding strap.
In general, the radio seems to be of solid plastic construction, and feels resistant to a high wear & tear.
very satisfied with the purchase & the extended warranty due to registration.
Clifford R. Mills
This is probably the best weather radio I have found, you can charge it multiple ways. You can insert the optional three AA batteries, or draw power from the three rechargeable NICAD batteries that are rechargeable by the built in Solar Panel, or Use The Handcrank. Or use the optional AC adapter. It has seven weather bands, AM/FM, and two shortwave channels sounds is very good. You can set the switch to NOAA alert and it goes into silent mode and the charging light flashes green intermittently and will automatically come Alert you whenever there is a storm alert in your area And for me it comes in handy as we live in Central Florida and we get hurricanes, and more importantly alerts to Tornadoes at Night. And in the past we have lost power and this will come in handy.
Ryan
Have bought a few of the smaller versions of these emergency hand crank radios and got rid of them because they had one major flaw; they didn't have a power off mode! The clock would always be on so when I wanted to use the radio it was dead, had to crank it..
The power options are great, although the solar panel is more of a novelty, I think. Sitting it directly in the sun is just gonna destroy the plastic, but the rechargeable battery it comes with is working, really like that it also can take AA's, and can take my phone charger, mini USB. Good sound for a little thing, gets the job done at least. Video is at about 75% volume. Will add later, trouble loading.
Perfect for working in the garage, camping. Knobs feel solid, picking up clear FM channels without the antenna extended.
Thumbs up so far
Terri PhD
With a big snow storm threatening, and living in an area with power outages thought it was time to invest in a weather radio. This one is so much more in a compact package. First, it has multiple power sources - including crank, solar, rechargeable batteries (using micro USB port) and will use AA batteries. It has a USB output port so it will charge phones. Plus it has reading light, flashlight, and red flashing light. The lights aren’t bright enough to light up a room but it is handier than using up your phone battery or feeling around for a flashlight. (If your looking for a roomful of light that can charged with solar power, try the LuminAID PackLite 2-in-1 SuperCharger.) The radio has 4 bands, weather, FM/AM, shortwave 1 and shortwave 2. You have a choice of 7 weather bands, in case you have problems tuning in a local weather station. It uses a unified bar tuner for all the bands, so no digital numbers for the stations so it helps to know the radio frequencies for the local stations, otherwise you can explore the radio waves and find a station you want. Volume is a small dial on the side below the tuner dial. Only complaint so far is the size and labels on the band and power knobs. Its easy to overshoot the desired selections and it’s tough to read the labels - that might be a issue with contrast color and font selection. Not a huge problem. If you’re looking for a versatile, compact weather radio, then this is a great choice.
Jennifer Hildreth
We haven't had to use this in an emergency yet, thankfully, but it seems to be a reliable, all-in-one device for our family. Charges quickly, and we had good luck using the wall outlet, the solar panels, and the hand-crank. (Solar charging was very slow on this gray January day.) We also were able to draw power from a power bank we already own. The output to my iphone and ipad worked great. Flashlight and SOS signal are strong, and radio sound quality was good. The manufacturer packed a lot of functions into one small unit.
Craw4d
This little lifesaver seems to be packed with great features. For me as an off shore boater the pre-tuned NOAA weather channels is #1. This brings comfort when you are miles from help. The AM, FM, and shortwave channels are all analog tuning and seems to bring those channels in cleanly too. the single 2 1/4 inch speaker is decent but only medium loud. Corded earbuds were included in the box; nice. Forget about dead batteries, you can always hand crank if you need to. You can even crank charge the internal Li battery and then juice your phone with the outgoing USB port (selector switch in photo). The last perk I found and love is an LED reading light on the backside of the solar charging panel. I just had to take a picture of that too. Very cool. I hope this lasts a long time. It looks sturdy enough.
Mike P.
We got this for our earthquake go-bag. Nice features: You can power it from a wall plug, regular batteries, via USB link to computer, a solar panel or the rechargeable battery. We love that it will work and recharge without ANY power source around. You could be in a cave underground and this will give you light (not sure about radio, because well let's face it ... you're in a CAVE). But LIGHT ... you really need that. True, it's not a spotlight ... but the reading lamp is excellent, especially if you need to sit down and read a map. VERY IMPORTANT: You can keep your mobile phone powered up with the Kaito by USB link. That to me is huge, since when you've got to run ... you are definitely taking your phone with you ... but if the mobilephone battery conks out after a day or two, you're on a raft in the ocean with no gas. But the Kaito gives you confidence your phone will still work one, two, three or 300 days after the disaster. And this is cool: You can run the Kaito Voyager off an external battery, and when THAT battery conks, you can use the Voyager to RECHARGE the same external battery! Excellent! It's like some cool yin-yang symbiosis. About the quality: We like that this is NOT a cheap design ... the feel is solid and tight. NICE that there's a tight-fitting rubber cap to cover the usb, ac adaptor and headphone jacks. Can't believe some of these radios have no strap, but the Kaito does ... that's good, because what if it can't fit in the backpack? You can TIE it to the backpack using the strap. This is our first "disaster" radio, but on the whole we really like the quality design and features and would recommend it to others. P.S. We'll add a 5th star and more comments after we survive the earthquake.
Shannodd
At first there looks like a lot of gadgets to learn on this very compact Regular Light/ Emergency Light/ Phone Charger/ AM/FM NOAA Weather/ SW 1 and 2 emergency radio. But the instructions were very easy to read and explained everything very simply in easy terms. My favorite feature is that there are so many ways to charge it. Living in Florida for 30+ years, and having no power for a week, this gadget is more than necessary to have. I haven't tried out the 380 degree rotating solar panel yet, but the crank works well with the rechargable Ni-MH battery pack, the USB charges the Ni-MH batteries from my computer just fine, the 3 AA batteries work fine and USB charging works. You can also power it by using an AC adapter, which isn't included. The antenna is strong and pulled in every local station clearly without going to a window. Found 2 local weather channels with no problem. The design is compact and easily stored. I haven't tried to charge my phone yet, but am sure it will work fine as everything else I have tried has. I don't think you can go wrong with this emergency radio. Love it and love the yellow color.
richard walker
I bought this Kaito as a backup.
I have an older model Kaito KA500 as well.
Some differences I've noticed between my New Kaito and Older Kaito.
The newer model doesn't have the same frequency settings as the older model.
Both radios pick up different radio stations, when placed side by side.
The Faceplate fell off, I just super glued it back on. The volume on high isn't as loud as my older model Kaito.
It doesn't come with a D/C wall charger. I highly recommend purchasing one.
Kaito sells an antenna extender, purchased separately is a great boost for reception.
My older Kaito is green,
On FM the Range is from 88Mhz to 108Mhz.
Marked on the Radio 88MHZ, 92MHz, 95MHZ, 98MHz. I just listed the ones different from my new Kaito.
On SW1 the Range is from 3.2MHz, 4.0MHz up to 8MHz
On SW2 the Range is from 9MHz to 22MHz.
On the Power Knob:
One difference on this Radio is the Battery and D/C switch selection are on the same setting:
OFF, BATT/DC, SOLAR, NOAA
My new Kaito is yellow.
On FM the Range is from 87Mhz to 108MHz. Marked on the Radio 87MHz, 90MHz, 95MHz, 98MHz
On SW1 the Range is from 3.2Mhz, 5.0MHz up to 10Mhz
On SW2 the Range is from 10Mhz to 22MHz
On the Power Knob:
One difference on this Radio is the Solar and D/C switch selection is on the same setting:
OFF, BATT, SOLAR/D/C, NOAA
Despite some minor changes, overall as a backup radio for emergencies, it's a great radio.
G-Man
I have to say, when this radio arrived I was initially excited. Having gone through Irma, and scrambling to find a radio that was battery operated, I was determined to be better prepared for the next time. I saw this radio, and was intrigued. Five-way power, *including* solar?? Shut up and take my money!
Well, the reality was like being slapped in the face with a big wet fish. The delivery arrived on time, so it had that going for it. But a sharp curve is coming up, and the disappoints are just around the bend! (Yes, I typed disappoints)
Unpacking:
Unpacking it revealed a bright yellow radio in bubble wrap. Also in the box, was a smaller box containing a set of cheap ear phones, and micro USB cable. (Wall wart sold separately.) For $50 (okay, $49.99), I would expect a wall plug if the unit is capable. But alas, there were none to be found. (Again, sold separately.)
The Top:
The top of the unit has a sliding switch to control which light is on in the unit. The reading light, SOS light, or the dial/side flash light. The SOS light is a misnomer, as it actually does not flash an SOS, but continuously flashes a red light on the right side of the unit. While it isn’t that bright, it just might help your rescuers find you in the dark. YMMV, but I wouldn’t depend on it unless I had to. If you need that functionality, actually purchase a rescue beacon. Your life (and rescuers) will thank you.
The Front:
On the front of the unit you’ll find the name of the product, the speaker output, radio tuning dial, and three rotary switches. The left switch controls which NOAA weather band to tune in to for weather broadcasts, the middle one controls which radio band to tune in to (FM, AM, SW, Weather), and right controls which source to draw power from (Battery, Solar/Crank DC, and NOAA Alert). The power switch does not properly line up with the text on the front, so you can’t tell which source you are using unless you count the clicks as you turn the dial. The tuning display is mounted crooked, which lead me to search for other quality control issues. I was greatly rewarded for my search. The tuning dial is equipped with a light so you can see what you’re tuning into. It can be switched off and on, to help conserve your battery power. Sliding the top switch all the way to the right turned on the dial light, and an LED on the right side of the unit. While the dial was adequately illuminated, the light on the side is dim, and generally a waste of battery power. You can see the light **through** the case of the radio, which leads me to believe that the case itself is thin and flimsy. This is disturbing in a product you may come to depend on in an emergency. I’m already getting goose bumps thinking of what other shortcuts have been taken in the manufacture of this device.
The Right Side:
The right side of the unit has the LED flash light on the top, the radio tuning knob in the middle, and on the bottom, the volume control knob. When looking directly at the right side of the unit, the volume control binds when turned all the way to the left, but becomes easier to turn as you turn it to the right. The tuning knob is a little hard to turn. While this will help prevent you losing your station if you have to move the radio, it gave me concern about something breaking as I am tuning the radio.
The Left Side:
On the left side is the hand crank for the dynamo. You unfold it from the radio body, and turn (or crank) it to charge the battery. This gives you the ability to use it without any AC power. The hand crank seems “flimsy”, for lack of a better word. You definitely want to go slow and easy on this, as it seems to be held in place by two plastic pins where the handle meets the dynamo. Breaking these pins or breaking the crank will ensure that you spend more time than you thought you would charging the radio.
The Back:
On the back is the battery door. Opening the battery door revealed a battery pack in its own compartment, with a connector on the end. You connect this into the provided jack to provide power to the radio. The battery pack is 600 maH 3.6v and is NiMH. Also in this compartment is room to install three AA batteries. The battery door is permanently attached to the radio, so you don’t have to worry about losing it. Above the compartment is the fold out solar panel. This is to charge the battery when you don’t want to use the crank. Even the manual states that using the solar panel to charge the battery will charge it slowly. This was my WTF moment. It’s like they added the solar panel just so they can say that it’s equipped with such, but don’t actually expect you to use it. On the other side of the fold out solar panel are located the reading lights. These may be good for a quick look, but there are better options in regard to illumination. To the right of the compartment is a “protective” rubber flap. Under this flap, you’ll find the earphone jack, a micro USB jack (great for charging from an external battery pack, like you would an Android phone), the AC power supply jack (adapter sold separately), and the USB jack. There is also a micro switch to turn on/off power to the USB jack. The USB jack is not reinforced by the surrounding case of the radio, so this can be moved from side to side, up and down. This seems like a great oversight, as anyone with gorilla hands (even non-gorilla hands, just takes more effort) can seriously damage this from normal use. You’re counting on how securely it is attached to the circuit board underneath (Didn’t open the unit, some things are like sausage. You’re better off not knowing how they’re made). There’s a reason why there are no pictures of what’s behind the flap. Now you know.
TLDR
The designers of this radio did not make this overly complicated. There is quite a lot of functionality built into this. The design and placement of things seems to be very well thought out. A quick overview of the radio manual will tell you everything you need to know to operate it affectively.
The execution of the design is another matter. If I paid $20 for this, I would accept it. Truth be told, I would expect it. The radio is very cheaply constructed. You do **not** want to depend on this in an emergency. Things will be going on around you, and your adrenalin will be pumping. The last thing you need is a device you have to treat with kid gloves for fear of breaking it, and making it inoperable.
KMC Artworks
WOW! I'm really impressed!! I got this today in the mail, and although it was a little smaller than I thought it would be... but I'm thrilled it was! I was able to take it right out of the box, wind it up (not for very long either) and immediately pop on the weather radio & LEDs. Great clarity even though it was storming here pretty bad. Last year during Hurricane Matthew we had lost power for about a week... we lost darn near everything on the first floor of the house... but WISHED WE WOULD'VE HAD ONE OF THESE SOONER!! The time to prepare isn't AFTER a storm, it's BEFORE! The fact we won't have to solely rely on single use batteries and can just "wind it up" is fantastic! Slap my arse and call me McDonalds because IM LOVIN IT!!
Desert Lamb
Update: It has been nearly 4 years since I purchased 2 of these radios. One I use a handful of times a year and the other one a couple of times a week. They both work just as good as the day I received them. Of course one has more wear and tear than latter, but the performance is just as good. I did not think they were going to last this long.
I ordered a radio and it arrived on time and the quality exceeded my expectations. The radio arrived in perfect conditions and it comes with a 24” USB cable. The radio dimensions are 7 3\4 inches in length, 5.5” height and 2” in width. The radio comes with a collapsible antenna measuring 14.5” when fully extended. The radio comes with a rubber covered nylon strap on top for easy carry and it is very comfortable to hold. All the knobs feel firm and durable. All my radio functions work as advertized. I completely drained the battery and solar charged it for 4 hours and it provided 3+ hours of radio charge. The reading, flashlight and SOS lights work very well considering their size.
Cell Phone Charging
The included USB cable fits perfectly my Samsung Galaxy S6 and can be very slowly charged by the radio. Let me emphasize VERY SLOWLY cell phone charging. While charging my cell phone I had trouble picking up radio stations. I don’t know if it is designed that way or if the cell phone charging was impeding the radio to pick-up reception. I would not recommend relying on the radio to charge your cell phone.
Crank Power
After letting the battery drained, I cranked the radio for 3 minutes and that was enough to re-charge the battery for 22 minutes of radio.
I would definitely recommend the Voyager Kaito KA500L.
T. Gilliam
I purchased two Kaito Voyager emergency radios for $50 each. One was given as a gift and I kept the second for myself. I kept my radio stored in the box and just opened it today. I turned the tuning dial and heard a crack. The frequency marker would not move. The radio is now unusable and that is really sad because I loved the appearance and supposed functionality. I am including photos of the QC sticker (what a joke!) and the broken tuner bar. I contacted Kaito by phone and the representative was not interested in replacing the product. I have written customer service and will update developments here.
UPDATE: The good news is that I received a prompt response from the Kaito email contact. The bad news is that I received an unprofessional and condescending response which I will share here. Botton Line; Completley check out your product immediately and know that purchasing from this company can be a crap shoot!
On 11/30/16, george<[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Tifani,
I am afraid that your item is out of warranty. This is an electronics
product. You can't just store it in somewhere in years without any touch and
expect to use it like a new one when you need it. Normally, you have to test
it periodically to at least keep the built-in battery alive. I would say our
warranty won't cover it because of the user error. If you have any question,
please feel free to contact our service team at 909-628-6088.
Sorry about that and thanks for your understanding.
Mark
I've used the Kaito KA500 for years and I consider it the Swiss Army knife of portable radios. In addition to the AM/FM/Weather bands, the radio has a portable light and USB charging port to keep your phone charged; if you have an Android phone, you may need a USB-C to USB-A adapter. Most importantly, you have multiple ways to power the radio. The radio comes with a Ni-MH rechargeable battery pack and it can be charged with the hand crank, solar panel, or optional AC/DC adapter or USB mini port. You can also power the radio with optional AA batteries (3), optional AC/DC adapter, or the solar panel assuming you have sunlight to point the panel at. I'd recommend regularly charging the Ni-MH battery pack and perhaps having a spare pack plus extra AA batteries. I don't really see the necessity of getting the optional AC adapter unless you plan to use it as home radio - it's certainly not HiFi audio and you can use the USB mini-port to charge the battery. It's primarily an emergency device for when you have an extended power outage due to a natural disaster or perhaps useful for a primitive camping trip. Definitely recommended to be part of your home emergency kit.
Bruce
I've had this radio for about a week. I wanted to test the hand-cranking feature. I cranked it pretty hard for 2 minutes, 300 turns. It ran for 22 minutes before the "battery low" light came on. After the battery low light came on, it continued to be audible for another 40 minutes, for a total of 1 hour on a charge. At the end, the radio was very quiet, but I could still hear it. I was using the external speaker; it may have lasted even longer had I been using the ear buds. I was rather impressed. Of course the battery performance is sure to go down with use.
The reading light looks like it would be barely adequate to read by. The flashlight is like the coin size led lights that are worn on key chains. Since it has the reading light, with 5 LEDs, the flashlight really seems useless, although it does have the flashing red mode, which is kind of cool.
I was quite impressed with the sound and general performance. I was able to bring in some SW stations and receive a lot of AM stations. I don't really listen to FM. The weather band works well. One of the reviews mentions an auxillary antenna that helps short wave reception. My radio doesn't have any such feature.
I did try the solar cells in bright sunlight and it seemed to work.
I bought a similar radio from Radio Shack about 8 years ago, a Grundig FR200, and I used the hand crank a lot. It did seem to wear, and stopped turning smoothly, but it still works. I suspect this radio will be the same. The crank seems to squeak when its being turned hard, and I wonder if a shot of WD40 would help.
I listen to the radio quite a bit, and this is the radio I'm using now. I have NiCad batteries in it. I'm sure they'll work for many hours before needing recharging. Its pretty unlikely that a set of 3 AA batteries will go dead before an emergency has resolved itself, but I like the crank and solar cells anyway.
I'm a Ham radio operator, and this radio is not real high quality. But for the price, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it is made. The tuning knob is smooth; the speaker is only 2 inches but seems bigger. None of the cell phone charging plugs works in my cell phone, so I won't be using that feature. I doubt if it would work very well for that purpose, given how hard it is to charge the tiny internal battery.
All in all, a nice little radio!
$49.99
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