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Old 05-27-2013, 10:41 PM
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Diesel911 Diesel911 is online now
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Long Beach,CA
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Back in 1986 one of My relatives bought be a Freeplay Plus Solar and hand cranked Radio (you wind something like a clock Spring inside.)
I have never seen them but somewhere inside there is Batteries.
The switch has SW1, SW2 (short wave?), AM and FM on it.
It has a 3 led light on it.

It sits near a Window that the sun shows through and maybe 4 times a Year I crank it to wind the Spring for charging.

I only listen to it maybe 4 times a Year and My Wife a little more.

The sound quality is not great but I am amazed that it still works at all. In theory the Batteries should have been shot long ago.

I don't know how it would far with continuous use and if the Batteries were depleted from too long of use and I while I have the Instructions I have not read them since 1986 and I don't remember any of the Details.

Back then it was likely completely a US made item and I think it was something like $80 back then; less if you bought more than one at the same time.

You can use a 6 Volt power supply on it. It could be since 1986 they moved up to 12 Volts; but I don't know that.

Hand Held might not be a good description of it but this is the only one I have had experience with.
Perhaps with new technology they new ones are better.

I am not sure about other Colors but I remember that they also sold a Clear Plastic one.
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Hand/Solar powered radio recomendations.-freeplay-plus-radio.jpg  
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