Page 2 | Anyone planning on buying a wind up FM radio?

Kepler22B · 2026-10-23T07:33:18+00:00

As part of the Be Ready campaign [[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwd094x57p32o https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwd094x57p32o]] households are advised to have basic supplies in, in case of any disruption. Which brings us inline to quite a few other countries. Most is pretty normal and easy to get or we have in already. Except for a wind up FM radio. I don’t have one of those. But I do love a gadget. Anyone have a wind up radio or planning on buying one?

Nolongera · Yesterday 09:38

Don't, for any extended period of time they are shite. Yes we have tried.

Get a small 2x AA battery radio and 4 decent batteries, this will keep you going for ages.

WhisperingAngelisnotbad · Yesterday 09:39

Actually, oatibix make a very nice easy porridge substitute that doesn't need heat. Good for camping, we found.

Meteorite87 · Yesterday 09:39

@Hyroplate wrote "Yes, I'm going for supply chains disrupted, but still have power, so keeping good stocks of things that keep but need the freezer or cooking. Things we'll use over time anyway

Then a seperate plan of things that would keep us alive, even if the meals aren't inspiring. Mostly tinned beans, tinned fish, tinned and dried fruit, porridge (overnight oats if necessary) and evaporated milk.

I'm not buying anything we don't use ordinarily."

That's as far as my crisis planning goes. If things are awkward, fine. Uncomfortable for a short time? OK.

Much beyond that would be challenging.

Constantrunner · Yesterday 09:40

@Hyroplate I am in my sixties and live in a city. We did not keep a stocked larder a generation ago in case of power cuts. In fact my grans generation did not do weekly shops and shopped for food most days. Rurally was different.

This requirement is new. I will do it, but I am not going to be gas lighted about it.

Hyroplate · Yesterday 09:44

Constantrunner · Yesterday 09:40

@Hyroplate I am in my sixties and live in a city. We did not keep a stocked larder a generation ago in case of power cuts. In fact my grans generation did not do weekly shops and shopped for food most days. Rurally was different.

This requirement is new. I will do it, but I am not going to be gas lighted about it.

My parents shopped (and shop) regularly for fresh food but there was always a well stocked cupboard of staples. My mum had no issues in lockdown, loads of loo roll under the spare bed 😆

I think a lot of it came from a fear of not being able to shop. If money was short or health meant you couldn't get out. Also there were actually shortages in the 70s, and their parents (and them as children) had lived through rationing.

Both my Grandmothers, and my Mum, would be able put a good meal on the table for unexpected guests from what they had in.

notimagain · Yesterday 09:46

If you're being serious about this you need a radio with more than just the FM (VHF) bands..on top you need at least AM (the old medium and long wave) and maybe even short wave.(SW).

Reason being FM is pretty short range, whereas AM and certainly SW gives coverage from more (or much more) distant stations.

OttersOnAPlane · Yesterday 09:49

We've a single ring camping stove we could use if we needed to cook anything (or boil water for tea).

We have a couple of good torches and plenty of food and water. I renew all prescriptions as soon as I can so we tend to have at least 10 days of prescription meds in at any time.

I bought extra water because I know damned well that if the family with young children next door didn't have any I'd share ours. They are so lovely but a bit scatty and I couldn't see them go short.
So we now have our supply plus extra to share as needed.

Dolphinnoises · Yesterday 09:52

JurgenKloppsTeeth · Yesterday 08:56

The cognitive dissonance must be strong in this government. “Prep for emergencies that will become more frequent due to climate change!” vs “Yes we have just gone back on our promise and approved more drilling for gas in the North Sea!”

Or… the chances Putin will interfere with our gas supply is strong, so become self-sufficient, and in the mean time stock up to be personally resilient?

Pootles34 · Yesterday 09:53

In terms of the three day food and drink, you could have some items that aren't traditional 'meals' as such - I could survive on crackers and peanut butter with chocolate and fruit cake to bolster me 😋and those items will never be wasted in our household.

Cuiriossir · Yesterday 09:54

Had one in my go bag for ages

Hyroplate · Yesterday 09:54

Cuiriossir · Yesterday 09:54

Had one in my go bag for ages

Where are you going with your go bag?

Original poster

Kepler22B · Yesterday 09:55

Constantrunner · Yesterday 09:19

I didn't think it was doomsday. But I am in my sixties and where I live power cuts have for decades never been for more than a few hours and very rare. So three days worth of food and water is very different

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We should have had this in place the whole time. Look at the big grid outage in Spain last year. Nothing sinister just a problem that quickly amplified through the network.

Something like that could happen here. We have good infrastructure not perfect infrastructure.

Do you remember the petrol crisis a couple of decades ago where lorry drivers blockaded the refineries. Took out food deliveries.

Food might not apply so much to you but I do know some, young free and single, who only buy the food they will eat that day. If there was any disruption they would find it hard.

OP posts:

marmitegirl01 · Yesterday 09:55

ElephantElephantElephant · Yesterday 08:59

Wind up radios are great if you can’t get batteries but for most people in the UK a battery radio and good stock of batteries will be better.

Thank you I was going to ask if battery powered was enough.

tomorrowfollowstoday · Yesterday 09:57

JurgenKloppsTeeth · Yesterday 08:56

The cognitive dissonance must be strong in this government. “Prep for emergencies that will become more frequent due to climate change!” vs “Yes we have just gone back on our promise and approved more drilling for gas in the North Sea!”

Yes quite.

Original poster

Kepler22B · Yesterday 10:00

Pootles34 · Yesterday 09:53

In terms of the three day food and drink, you could have some items that aren't traditional 'meals' as such - I could survive on crackers and peanut butter with chocolate and fruit cake to bolster me 😋and those items will never be wasted in our household.

Good shout on fruit cake - that never goes off and is calorie dense. Goes with apples, cheese, chocolate so very versatile.

OP posts:

tomorrowfollowstoday · Yesterday 10:01

Constantrunner · Yesterday 09:19

I didn't think it was doomsday. But I am in my sixties and where I live power cuts have for decades never been for more than a few hours and very rare. So three days worth of food and water is very different

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The more things are run online, the greater the risk of cyber attack rather than just a physical issue. Harder to fix.

OttersOnAPlane · Yesterday 10:01

JurgenKloppsTeeth · Yesterday 08:56

The cognitive dissonance must be strong in this government. “Prep for emergencies that will become more frequent due to climate change!” vs “Yes we have just gone back on our promise and approved more drilling for gas in the North Sea!”

Isn't it "don't be dependent on fuel from a hostile nation"?

I agree about fossil fuels on the whole, but there's more than one issue at play.

tomorrowfollowstoday · Yesterday 10:03

OttersOnAPlane · Yesterday 10:01

Isn't it "don't be dependent on fuel from a hostile nation"?

I agree about fossil fuels on the whole, but there's more than one issue at play.

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It doesn't work like that, it's not a closed loop.

HowLateItWasHowLate · Yesterday 10:05

No. I used to prep - and then I realised that imagined worries were getting in the way of actually living life - so I decided to not give a fuck.

Hyroplate · Yesterday 10:06

tomorrowfollowstoday · Yesterday 10:03

It doesn't work like that, it's not a closed loop.

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Can you explain what you mean? ATM we're shipping in gas by boat. If we produce it ourselves we don't need to.

Question Time was interesting last night. Labour and Conservatives didn't even try to "fight" over this issue. They had some differences over the detail, but were generally in agreement, which was scary in itself. It's a big enough threat that they'll work together!

Gall10 · Yesterday 10:10

I’m certainly not going to believe all this nonsense about stocking up….but I’ve shaken hands with Trevor Baylis, the inventor of the wind up radio! Lovely chap!

Original poster

Kepler22B · Yesterday 10:11

Hyroplate · Yesterday 10:06

Can you explain what you mean? ATM we're shipping in gas by boat. If we produce it ourselves we don't need to.

Question Time was interesting last night. Labour and Conservatives didn't even try to "fight" over this issue. They had some differences over the detail, but were generally in agreement, which was scary in itself. It's a big enough threat that they'll work together!

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We won’t be producing enough but even reducing the need to import gas is a good thing at the moment.

We need to be putting pressure on the government to secure the UK energy needs - update the national grid as a priority to get those wind farms built and connected. Build or upgrade our nuclear power stations. Solar on every new roof.

We can not keep relying on natural gas for multiple reasons.

OP posts:

tomorrowfollowstoday · Yesterday 10:12

Hyroplate · Yesterday 10:06

Can you explain what you mean? ATM we're shipping in gas by boat. If we produce it ourselves we don't need to.

Question Time was interesting last night. Labour and Conservatives didn't even try to "fight" over this issue. They had some differences over the detail, but were generally in agreement, which was scary in itself. It's a big enough threat that they'll work together!

Show quote history

It's a small amount, we will still have to buy in loads.
It's symbolic for political reasons (mainly to do with jobs) but doesn't significantly reduce exposure to outside shocks or supply issues.

BerryTwister · Yesterday 10:15

I had one years ago. Absolute rubbish. Only got a few minutes playing time, and had to wind it up almost constantly.

MrsPapillon · Yesterday 10:15

I got this one. It’s got a torch and you can charge your phone from it. 13 quid! I’ve also got a battery radio so the wind up one really is for emergencies.
amzn.eu/d/0i1ryBL7

Anyone planning on buying a wind up FM radio?

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