Sangean MMR-88: A Cranky Radio

It's cranky alright - and you really can crank some emergency power into this thing

I do like analogue technology - perhaps just because almost everything seems to be in the digital domain these days. The good old radio broadcasting is still alive and kicking in Sweden, even though the young folks barely seem to know what it is.

Even though the days of the old fashioned radio are probably numbered, there are situations where the age old tech beats its digital counterpart. Some of the plus points:

• Proven, robust tech
• Good coverage (in many countries)
• Inexpensive end user equipment
• No internet connection needed!

In case of a major emergency, analogue radio broadcast is still the straightforward way of reaching many people - completely separate from digital networks that can always be messed up by hostile actors, from anywhere on the globe.

The Sangean MMR-88  - Survivor(!) - is marketed as an emergency FM/AM radio and the tiny piece of kit definitely has features that underline this description: hand crank dynamo as an alternative power source and a solar panel being the foremost ones. Hey, I almost forgot - the radio has the bright yellow 'emergency kit' color as well! However, the color does not equal full protection from rain or rough handling; an unlucky drop from a moderate height to a hard surface would probably break the (non-rubberised) main plastic shell. Is this thing the Survivor? Not quite sure about that..

The radio has good reception and surprisingly good audio quality from the tiny speaker. The crank works as advertised for emergency power and the tiny solar panel seems to give the battery enough boost to keep it powering the radio for most of (preferably sunny) days. 

My main gripe - apart from the lack of good protection from the elements and the weird format of the replaceable battery - is the large on/off button, on top of the unit, for the built-in flashlight. It's great to have a flashlight but the big button will invariably be pressed accidentally when traveling! The result: no battery power when it's time to get the radio out of the bag or the innards of the kayak. This is a stupid design flaw and, obviously, I had to make an advanced modification of my own to correct the situation.

I have earlier put together a more detailed summary of this Sangean radio - you'll find the GoogleDoc here - and, for the most part, I like this tiny unit. Pretty Cool but there's definitely also room for improvement.

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