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From: John Larkin <jjSNIPlarkin@highNONOlandtechnology.com>
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: AM radio law opposed by tech and auto industries is close to passing
Date: Sat, 04 May 2024 04:40:27 -0700
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On Sat, 4 May 2024 03:33:50 -0700, Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid>
wrote:

>On 5/4/2024 3:23 AM, Carlos E.R. wrote:
>> On 2024-05-02 21:34, Don Y wrote:
>>> You can legislate requirements for broadcasters (as a condition of
>>> granting them use of the air waves) mandating they "conduct periodic
>>> tests of (an) emergency broadcast capability".  But, you are ultimately
>>> reliant on them to maintain that capability, despite any pressure on
>>> profits, etc.
>>>
>>> We routinely lose TV reception due to outages on the mountain (where
>>> most of the transmitters are located).  Imagine the consequences of
>>> an earthquake or wildfire in areas where transmitters (or repeaters)
>>> are located.  Or, hurricane, tornado, flood, etc.
>>>
>>> Not everyone owns a cell phone -- or keeps it ON for the convenience
>>> of CALLERS!  The same can be said of all broadcast media (do I have
>>> to keep a radio/TV ON 24/7/365 "just in case"?
>> 
>> The cell network is very vulnerable to disasters, you can not rely on it.
>
>Especially if the disaster is "local" to the folks you want to inform.
>
>>> AM radio can be leveraged for wide area coverage without requiring
>>> lots of other technology to keep it operational.  And, the receivers
>>> can run for long periods of time on batteries (that are likely
>>> stale) or clock-spring mechanisms (emergency radios).
>> 
>> I have seen radios with a hand spun dynamo.
>
>I have one with a clockwork mechanism -- wind up a large spring and
>it drives a small "generator" as it unwinds.  It takes about 5 minutes
>to unwind completely so it's a relatively low "winding" duty cycle.
>
>But, it is large-ish.
>
>It also has solar cells and a small, internal battery (which is toast;
>but, attempting to disassemble it to replace the battery would likely
>result in a mess of gears and torsion spring parts!)  As the spring mechanism
>will run the radio despite the bad battery, it seems a safer plan to just
>tolerate the bad battery!
>
>> I saw some electronic magazine publishing one such radio made using the motor 
>> from a floppy drive (if memory serves) as generator.
>
>

A lithium battery is a more sensible idea for an emergency AM radio. 

People keep inventing silly micropower energy-harvesting things, when
a Tadiran battery will last your lifetime.

Or just keep a bunch of AA batteries in your fridge.