My preferences of a good emergency radio are:
-digital station finder
-crank, USB, & battery power source
-FM/AM/NOAA
-battery life indicator
-alert capabilities
-ear bud jack for private listening
-battery capacity to charge a smart phone (at least 2000 mAh)
This radio has every on my ideal list. This Midland ER310 doesn’t technically have a memory settings feature. However, there is one button that switches quickly between NOAA, FM, and AM. As long as the battery doesn’t die, it will stay on the last station I was on in each of the three bands. For example, I can toggle between three set stations of my choosing as long as they are on the three different bands (NOAA 162.550, FM 101.1, AM 590). It took 6 hours to charge connecting the radio using a USB to my computer. It also takes 6 hours using the solar to charge. The radio and flashlight can be used at the same time which is nice.
All in all a great purchase.
I have poured over and over the descriptions & reviews for an addition to my emergency kit. I have had a Realistic DX-440 for many years, but wanted one with alternative power.(The DX-440 takes 6 D Cells + 2 AA cells)
I pulled the trigger on this one, and an very happy!
For me this size is just right. the buttons are spaced nicely apart, and large enough to easily operate. the display is readable, and backlit in 5 second/ after button pushed, always off, or always on. The battery gauge gauge blinks w/ charging either from cranking or solar power. An LED also indicates that the unit is charging.
The crank works easily, is not so small that it is like a hamster cage, but seems sturdy enough as long as it is not abused.
The solar panel charges even in suprisingly lower (Cloudy / sunset to dusk) levels.
The FM band came in very clear, and the sound quality is good. On AM, the reception is of a lower quality, but adequet for getting information and basic listening. The WX band came in clear with minor adjusting of the aerial on several of the frequencies. (7 Frequencies)
The aerial itself could be easily bent, but taking normal care should be fine.
The Flashlight is quite bright, even on the low setting. The blinking mode is a bit of a gimick, but OK. Dog whistle - an Icon shows up when the whistle is activated, I'll have to see if the neighbors dog goes nuts when I try it again!
The supplied cord does not fit my phone, but did fit my Kindle, and charged that device. Also wrapped neatly, the cord fits where the AA Batteries go.
The case is plastic, of course, but doew not fee chintzy. It's not waterproof, but stick it in a ziplock if you expect any water. The Handle on the end is a nice thought.
This is a compact-sized radio that can either be stowed somewhere and kept at the ready, or used regularly. Out of the box you receive a USB charging cord (no power adapter, though most of us have one for our phones/tablets/etc - even a microUSB phone charge cord will suffice), all typical paperwork, and the rechargeable battery is in its normal place (inside the battery compartment), but needs to be connected to the radio itself and charged fully. The rechargeable battery can charge via USB, crank, or via the solar panel on top of the unit. You can opt to use six "AA" batteries if you so choose. In a pinch, the radio offers the ability to charge a cell phone or tablet.
The included flashlight is plenty bright, and has a "low" (default), "high" and "SOS" setting, and of course there is the ultrasonic dog whistle, which I think is a little gimmicky, but if I'm trapped in a collapsed structure, I'd probably change my opinion when the K-9 SAR comes-a-barking. I live a little over 20 miles from most of the major AM/FM towers in town, and I can pull in all local FM with no problem and most AM stations. The WX frequency for my area (162.400) comes in nice and clear, and while the WX band has a total of seven NOAA "All Hazards" frequencies (check local WX office for your area's frequency), you cannot program S.A.M.E.codes to your specific county with this unit, so if you have the WX alert activated, the very loud alarm and flashing light will certainly get your attention, though the threat may not necessarily be in your backyard. The radio is somewhat ruggedized, but isn't water resistant. There are no station presets on the AM or FM band, just a direct tune with "seek" function.
This is one of the best hand crank radio out there
Pros: The price is very inexpensive
It comes with many features
Battery size is good
You got different ways to power the radio
Solar is an great addition
The house is solid. It sure will survive drops
Sound quality is good
Cons: Weight can be small problem if you wanna take it on a backpacking/hiking trip
Final thoughts:Just buy it.
I wanted to condition the Lithium Ion battery so I left the light on to drain it. The battery kept the light lit for 1.5 days. NOAA emergency broadcast alert loud and gets your attention, we had one issued locally and it was so loud I shot right out of my chair. Radio reception was good and clear.
Feature Product
- MULTIPLE POWER SOURCES - The ER310 features 3 sustainable power sources to recharge your radio: Solar Panel, Hand Crank, & Rechargeable 2600 mAh Battery. SOLAR PANEL - Simply recharge the internal lithium ion battery with direct sunlight. HAND CRANK - Recharge the radio during a power outage or anytime away from a power source. RECHARGEABLE 2600 mAh BATTERY - The rechargeable & replaceable long life battery provides up to 32 hours of radio operation. The ER310 can also be powered by 6 "AA" Batteries (Not Included) as a backup power solution.
- EMERGENCY FLASHLIGHT - The SOS FLASHLIGHT BEACON flashes Morse code in an emergency scenario and the Bright CREE LED (130 Lumens) can be used to signal for help. Select the Low brightness setting to conserve battery life or the High brightness setting for maximum illumination.
- NOAA WEATHER SCAN + ALERT - NOAA Weather Scan will automatically scan through 7 available weather (WX) band channels and locks onto the strongest weather channel to alert you of severe weather updates. NOAA Weather Alert will sound an alarm indicating that there is a risk of severe weather in your area. AM/FM radio is also available.
- CHARGE EXTERNAL DEVICES - Quickly charge your portable devices (cell phones, tablets, etc.) using the USB charging cable (included).
- ULTRASONIC DOG WHISTLE - Use the dog whistle to assist search and rescue teams in locating individuals during an emergency situation.
Description
The Midland ER310 E+Ready Emergency Crank Radio can help you be prepared for all types of emergency threats, including: tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, fires and earthquakes. The ER310 is equipped with weather alerts and information directly from the National Weather Service, extended battery life (up to 32 hours of normal use), a flashlight with SOS strobe, and multiple power sources including solar panel, rechargeable battery and hand crank. The hand crank power source is perfect for a short charge to get a cell phone call made. This radio can also operate with a battery backup power option (requires 6 “AA” batteries - not included). The package includes the ER310 Radio, 2600 mAh rechargeable battery, micro USB charging cable, quick start guide, and an owner’s manual. This radio is recommended by the Department of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness. It’s also an ideal radio for camping, the beach, athletic events. park and everyday use. The ER310 has a 1-Year Warranty.
I almost returned this because the Lithium battery wouldn't charge. I opened the compartment in which you can insert 6 AA batteries to find that the Lithium battery was not plugged in. I just hadn't thought about checking this because I have never bought any device that didn't have the battery connected. Once connected, it charged and everything works well. I searched and read many reviews before I bought this, so I am thankful that it all works! It's a great all-in-one device.
I purchased this radio to provide news and weather reports during a power outage. With most radios, you might expect them to be powered just by batteries. Not so much with this radio. It can use FIVE possible power sources: a rechargeable battery, standard batteries, solar power, a hand crank, and standard AC power. Such flexibility during a power outage is pretty amazing.
The radio itself is very easy to operate. The buttons are large. The LCD panel is easy to read and has a backlight so you can read the panel in the dark. You get AM, FM, and weather channels as well as a WXAlert feature that I'm still learning about. It has a standard radio antenna that you can extend.
There is a flashlight and a dog whistle feature! That dog whistle can be used when search dogs are looking for you in the event of a building collapse, buried under snow, etc.
Finally, this radio can provide power for a mobile device (phone, tablet, etc.) in a pinch. I'm
The bright red color makes this radio easy to locate.
I'm very happy with this radio and would recommend it to friends and family.
We purchased this radio for use in our RV as we travel across country. Considered other units with S.A.M.E. code technology, but considering that we wouldn't always know the correct county codes to use during our travels, we decide on a radio with the standard warning alert function. It simply was hard to justify the additional cost for something we probably would not use.
The unit is a little bigger than we wanted but the overall design, ease of use, and multiple power sources and functions more than make up for any short coming.
Glad the digital display has 3 backlight options; OFF, ON, or on for 5 seconds. Helps eliminate any unnecessary light in our RV when we're trying to sleep yet makes radio easy to operate in the dark, when needed.
PROS--
Very rugged case and antenna design
Easy to operate
Good reception
Good size 2600 mAh rechargeable (and replaceable) lithium-ion battery that works great for charging our cell phones.
CONS--
No S.A.M.E. Code Technology -- Knew this when purchasing the unit so it's not really a CON. Included this comment in the review for those who are considering this radio. If you want S.A.M.E. code capability, this is not the radio for you.
Small AA/Li-ion Switch -- Midland must expect users to operate the unit on the rechargeable lithium-ion battery more than anything else. The switch used to switch the radio between the internal AA batteries and the lithium-ion battery (AA/Li-ion) is so small you almost have to use a pen to operate the switch.
Tight Battery Fit -- very tight fit for the lithium-ion battery connector and the battery in the small compartment, but it works!
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT WISH LIST--
Radio station preset
Ability to rechargeable lithium-ion battery from solar while operating on AA batteries. Maybe someone can correct me, but it doesn't appear that you can operate the unit on the AA batteries and charge the lithium-ion battery at the same time.
Larger (AA/Li-ion) switch.
The Midland ER-310 is a quality product. Recommend this for anyone looking for a solid radio with basic warning capabilities, good reception, good sound quality, ease of operation, and multiple power sources and with easy recharging.
UPDATE - this update has nothing to do with the reliability of the product. The radio continues to operate perfectly. Great addition to the RV. The update is a rant about Amazon's pricing policies. Less than 36 hours after we purchased the radio the price dropped by almost $13. Amazon would not refund the difference or even offer an Amazon gift card. Keep in mind, the radio was purchased from Amazon LLC and distributed by Amazon. No other company involved, so a refund would have been simple and effective. We've been loyal customers since 1999 and Amazon Prime; made no difference. Just a terrible policy by Amazon!
Better construction and materials than I expected. Significant thought went into the design of this radio. Most of these kinds of radios are made as cheaply as possible and break after a couple uses. This radio will not fall apart. The electronics inside may be junk and only time will tell the tale in that department. Tested all features of this radio and everything worked. The speaker was actually impressive; I could LISTEN to this radio under non-bunker conditions quite happily. Controls are not fussy. It's easy to use without any instructions. Crank seems pretty solid and not likely to snap off in your hands. The dual-battery mode means you won't be stuck with a hard-to-find battery type as your only way of powering the radio (uses AA batteries). The chief weakness of this radio is the metal telescoping antenna. It works fine, but these antennas have always been fragile and prone to breakage. You'd have to open up the radio to replace it. Not something I want to worry about in an emergency. Overall, one could do a lot worse. No regrets with purchase.
Just got this unit and so far it seems to work pretty good. However it is pretty weak on the AM reception but FM and Weather Alert channels work well. Ultrsonic dog siren seemed to get my dogs attention, or it could have been the cold pizza I was having for breakfast, guess we won't know for sure until the SHTF! Flashlight works; 3 modes, low, high & SOS. Crank is super easy to turn and locks away securely. Oh, there's a sticker on the solar panel that says something like "Plug in Li-ion battery before using the radio". But the instructions & Quick Start Guide say to plug in the radio to a USB outlet before using the radio.....well for the life of me I couldn't get the radio to work unless it was plugged in. And when it was plugged in the red led 'charging' light came on indicating it was charging but the battery icon indicated a full charge. However if I unplugged it the radio would not turn on?!? Sooo, I called Midland and a very nice lady walked me thru opening the battery door and, yep, plugging in the Li-Ion battery! ugh. She said usually they put a note on the solar panel to do this. My silence must have been deafening cause she laughed and said, "Don't worry, it happens all the time...."
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