By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM
The syllables coming via the headphones had been unknown to me. Clearly it was a language, however not one which I knew. So I logged it: 2/18/24, 1101Z, 1660 kHz, unknown language, orchestral music. (I later discovered it was a Korean language station from New Jersey.) Then I moved on down the band.
Subsequent cease: 1650 kHz, male voice French. Then: 1630 kHz, pop music, adopted by “Arabic sounding music” on 1610 kHz, and so forth down the medium wave band. It was a pre-dawn morning, and I’ve had an excessive amount of enjoyable, creeping alongside in 1 kHz increments utilizing the two.5 kHz bandwidth, turning the radio back and forth in my hand, making an attempt to tease out distant stations, and hoping to listen to my first transatlantic DX.
In my lap was a radio that very a lot resembles a brick, however a really elegant designer brick. Within the phrases of the instruction handbook: “The CCRadio Photo voltaic is probably going the primary emergency radio that doesn’t appear like one.” The parents at CCrane despatched me one for overview with out cost.
The CCRadio SolarBT measures 6 inches broad by 3 inches excessive by 2.5 inches deep and weighs only a bit over a pound with batteries put in. A lot of the SolarBT’s case is white polymer, however the backside, high, and sides are lined with a grey rubberized “pores and skin.” The top impact is a solidly constructed unit that’s nice to view, straightforward to deal with, and received’t readily slide off a slippery floor.
The CCradio SolarBT can obtain AM (MW) band from 520 to 1710 kHz, FM from 87.5 to 108 MHz (76-108 MHz in expanded mode), and seven NOAA Climate Radio channels from 162.400 MHz to 162.550 MHz. As well as, the SolarBT has a wealth of different attention-grabbing capabilities, and we’ll get to these in only a bit.
Clearly, the CCrane people are severe about this radio’s emergency capabilities. There are 5 other ways of powering the SolarBT: (1) an 18650 Li-ion 3.7 volt rechargeable battery which offers round 50 hours of taking part in time (the handbook advises totally charging the inner battery earlier than use), (2) 3 AA batteries (not included, however good for about 40 hours of taking part in time. The handbook warns: don’t use Lithium batteries), (3) a 110 mA photo voltaic panel (park the radio is a sunny window to maintain it trickle charged), (4) a wind-up dynamo generator (300-500 mA at about two rotations per second. 90 seconds of winding will energy the radio for 8-13 minutes or will cost your cellphone sufficient to make a number of fast calls), or (5) a 5-volt DC, 1000 mA micro USB cable or non-obligatory AC adapter.
On the left of the entrance panel, you’ll discover a 2-inch, 3-watt speaker. To the fitting of that’s an LCD panel which serves as info central for the SolarBT. The show’s backlight will keep illuminated for about 10 seconds after every button press; you may set the sunshine to remain on repeatedly if the SolarBT is plugged into steady energy. To the fitting of the show are a few up and down tuning buttons. Press rapidly to advance to the subsequent tuning increment. Press and maintain to robotically tune to the subsequent robust station. Maintain repeatedly to cycle via your entire band.
Under the show are 5 reminiscence station buttons which have some further features we’ll get to shortly. To the fitting of the reminiscence buttons is the amount knob.
The highest of the radio is dominated by a photo voltaic panel that, if uncovered to direct daylight for 8 hours will present 10 to 14 hours of taking part in time at medium quantity. Surrounding the photo voltaic panel are 4 buttons: one for energy, one for the flashlight, one for altering radio bands, and one for BlueTooth features. On the excessive again fringe of the highest is a fold-out telescoping antenna for FM and climate band reception. Contained in the case is 10-centimeter a ferrite bar antenna for AM reception (by comparability the ferrite bar inside a CCrane Skywave is 7 centimeters).
CCrane’s consideration to element is obvious: the button for the flashlight glows at midnight (very helpful should you awake to seek out the facility is out), and the instruction handbook could be very informative and well-written. Actually, it’s been my expertise that CCrane delivers constantly delivers the best-written person manuals within the radio enterprise. Nicely achieved!
On the left facet of the case is the LED flashlight. On the fitting facet is a gentle rubber hatch that gives entry to a jack for auxiliary enter, a radio energy/charging jack, a swap for choosing between the three AA batteries or the 18650 rechargeable battery, an earphone jack, and a typical USB port that can be utilized to cost your cellphone.
On the again of the SolarBT is the fold-out crank for the dynamo generator and a hatch for accessing the three AA batteries and the 18650 rechargeable battery. That’s it.
Even handed urgent of the reminiscence buttons offers entry to the clock and alarm features, to deciding on 9 or 10 kHz AM band tuning steps, to designate clock or frequency whereas listening to the radio, to pick 1 kHz working steps on the AM band, and to decide on amongst 3 completely different bandwidths for the AM band: 6 kHz, 4 kHz, or 2.5 kHz. The handbook will inform you how.
Sure, you say, however how does it carry out? Backside line: simply nice.
The SolarBT could also be small, however, for my part, it punches above its weight and offers glorious sensitivity for its measurement on the AM, FM, and climate bands. You would possibly purchase it as an emergency radio, however my guess is that you’ll quickly uncover the enjoyment of DXing with it.
I might be remiss if I didn’t add the next. Usually, I “play radio” utilizing headphones to assist compensate for a listening to deficit. Recently, nevertheless, I’ve been listening to the NOAA Climate Radio on the CCRadio SolarBT via the speaker, and I’ve discovered that the sound coming via the speaker could be very pleasing certainly.
A ultimate observe: I didn’t take a look at any of the Bluetooth connectivity as a result of at current I don’t personal any devices that may join via Bluetooth.
Backside line: I preferred the CCRadio SolarBT an important deal and might fortunately advocate it. You would possibly purchase it as your emergency radio, however don’t be shocked if you end up utilizing it for normal listening or for DXing distant stations.
Click on right here to take a look at the CC Radio Photo voltaic BT at C.Crane.
