Parrothead Jeff

I mentioned these in my post about my new emergency and shortwave radio, so I figured I’d show you all what I was talking about there.

I was getting ready to move to Vegas from San Diego and one possibility that kept coming up for the move was for my girlfriend and I to drive separate vehicles across the desert to carry more stuff. I had visions of one of us having some sort of problem while out of cell phone range and not being able to contact the other one. We’re also planning on going camping, so these seemed like a natural choice with their long range, weather band (WX) and WX alert capabilities, and (at the time) low cost.

Back when I got these, Radio Shack had a coupon on their website which reduced the price for a pair of these to only $20, so the decision to get a pair was really easy. I debated buying a charger and rechargable batteries to go with them, but in the end I decided against it. The rechargable batteries would have cost another $30 and the charger would have been another $10. I didn’t forsee using these on a daily basis and alkaline batteries last a lot longer than rechargables, so the extra money didn’t seem worth it. Besides, an extra eight AAA batteries are easy to carry if I’m going to be away from home for a while. Looking back, I don’t regret my decision to forego rechargable batteries for my uses.

These radios are truly a great value for the money. They have so many features that it’s tough to list them all. The list starts with 22 channels and 38 quiet codes, so finding a combination that allows for clear, uninterrupted communications is almost certain. As I mentioned before, they also include NOAA weather band reception with an alert feature so you know when there’s severe weather or other important events in your area. They’re splash and shock resistant, so you don’t have to worry as much in the rain or if you drop one. Other notable features include VOX (voice or sound activation), a headset/mic jack, a backlit display, high/low power transmit settings, and many other features normally found on more expensive units.

Radio Shack also includes a couple of exclusive features on these. One is a loud emergency alarm to draw attention. I think it’s a great idea, especially if you get lost and have to signal searchers.

I couldn’t be happier with my purchase. These radios do a better job than I expected and at a price even I could afford!

Note: I just found out that these are no longer available on Radio Shack’s web site, but you might still find them in the stores.