Wind-up radios are the kind of device that every survival savvy prepper should have whether you plan to bug out or bug in. They can be used in a range of emergency situations, from a power outage to something far more serious.

This is because the power is generated for them manually, which means you will not have to rely on another power source such as mains power.

In this article we will explore the pros of the traditional hand crank radio, as well as the more recent solar radio, how it can be a source of power, when you would need to use one, and finally, what the benefits of having one in the first place are.

Pros Of A Wind-Up Radio

The hand crank radios are the more traditional form of the wind-up radio, where the user can generate power by turning the crank by hand. This creates electricity via the dynamo to give it enough power to be useable. There are a number of pros when selecting a hand crank radio.

Hand crank wind-up radios are far more reliable that other methods of listening to the radio for announcements, such as through mobile phones or the internet, as they are not as affected by the weather or signals. 

They have multipurpose uses, and as well as allowing you to tune into important radio announcements, some wind-up radios are also equipped with lights and USB ports which mean that they can be used as a power source for light and for charging other devices.

Most wind-up radios also have a solar charger too. Solar powered radios with a hand crank have the same pros as listed above, as well as the added feature that you do not need to expend your own energy on winding it up to generate power.

This is a useful benefit for preppers, as if you need to use a radio in a survival setting in the first place, then it is likely that your energy would be best suited to other tasks, such as shelter building and keeping others safe from harm.

However, a downside to the solar radio is that is requires a supply of solar power to charge. Depending on where you are in the United Kingdom, this may prove to be challenging at different points of the year, however solar radios usually come with a dynamo you can charge up by hand too. 

As well as this, a SHTF emergency like a volcanic eruption has the potential to involve an event that blocks out the sun, making charging more difficult.

As a result of this, a lot of preppers like to opt for a wind-up radio that is a combination of a hand crack and solar powered. This gives them the ability to charge the device when the weather permits, and have a reliable back-up method for when it does not.

An added benefit of the wind-up radio is the addition of a USB charging port. This means that as well as providing access to the radio, preppers will be able to charge other useful devices through it. This saves the need for carrying large generators around or finding other sources of power on the move. 

When You Would Use One

Wind-up radios are used for emergency purposes. These could be due to severe weather, natural disaster, power outage or a nuclear attack.

No matter the details of the SHTF reason, they will provide the user with a way to find out what is happening in the wider United Kingdom, which in turn will make it possible to keep in the loop of an ever-evolving survival setting.

Due to their transportability, it may well be worth trying to use a wind-up radio prior to an emergency taking place. You can use it as a normal radio when carrying out your household tasks or gardening. 

They are a useful tool for taking hiking or camping and will give you time to find out how to operate it, which in turn will give you time to consider the role it is going to play in your survival journey when the time comes. They’re quite cheap too so you can buy a couple for SHTF, and are great for bug in or bug out situations. 

Benefits Of Wind-Up Radios For Preppers

Now that we know a little bit more about what wind up radios are and what features the different types offer, it is possible to consider the relevance of this to UK preppers.

Perhaps the main benefit would be that preppers will be able to find out what is happening in the wider world. If a severe emergency does take place, then modern conveniences like mobile phone networks and the internet are likely to go down.

This will leave a lot of people feeling very isolated, especially if they are wondering what is going on. This would be useful information, especially if you are bugging out and so constantly on the move.

As well as providing you with a way to find out what is happening whilst you move, it also means that you can hear which locations to avoid, and if they are on your route, you can adjust your plans accordingly.

Preppers who opt for this path will feel a sense of security in knowing that they are not walking into a dangerous or hostile area.

Second to this, they provide a supply of energy that can be continuing topped up for the lifetime of the radio. This is a useful way to provide a charge to electrical devices such as a light or phone, particularly when you are bugging out and so not relying on a fixed place energy source. 

Britain can be a very dark place in the winter months, so having a way to recharge a light source when on the move is an invaluable benefit so you don’t need to carry batteries around. 

Finally, wind up radios are useful to preppers who are bugging out as they are typically lightweight and compact. This means that you will be able to take your source of communication and energy source with you without it taking up too much space in your bug out bag.

Summary

In short, wind-up radios are an essential tool for preppers who want to know what is going on during an emergency disaster, but do not want to rely on a static source of power.

They will aid their survival by keeping them in the know, giving them a supply of power that can be used to help further their path to safety with a torch.