Good value and great fun.
Pros:
Generator, low price, decent reception and sound, good battery life. One-year warranty longer than most.
Cons:
None, considering the low price.
The Bottom Line:
Great for when the power fails, but good for everyday use too.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I bought the Grundig FR 200 primarily for emergency use, since frequent severe weather in my area sometimes leaves us without power. With its hand-cranked generator, I would no longer have to worry about batteries or AC.
After trying the radio out however, its been in use regularly. Battery life from three alkaline batteries is long, and the generator and included rechargeable batteries have worked better than even Grundig claims. (I used it solely this way for the first couple of months.)
Reception is a pleasant surprise, too. For forty bucks, I didn't expect a lot, but the FR 200 is pretty sensitive and I've been able to tune in all my favorite FM stations (some of them distant and usually difficult) without much trouble. If adjacent-channel interference is a problem, tweaking the analog fine-tuning dial and retracting the antenna slightly help greatly.
Shortwave performance might not be top-drawer, but again it's much better than I expected. I also have a Sangean SG 622 and a Grundig YB 300 PE, but the FR 200 works as well or better than either of them, and its sound quality is better. Eleven shortwave bands are crammed into just two tuning scales, but with a bit of practice and judicious use of the fine-tuning knob, I've gotten pretty good results. There is a bit of drift, true with most analog receivers, but I haven't found it excessive.
All in all, I like the Grundig FR 200 a lot. It's handy for emergency or everyday use, and doesn't cost a lot.
