While I don't personally own one, I've heard very good things about the Kaito KA1102 radio.
Shortwave radio with side Band, SSB Radio, Kaito KA1102
It's a few more dollars (a quick google search showed one place selling them for $69.00 us) than some of the do all, hand crank, flashlight, siren, compass, etc radios out there, but personally, I've already got a few good flashlights and a compass. If it's purpose is to be a radio, it should do that job well.
What sets the Kaito KA1102 apart from most portables is the ability to receive SSB (single side band) stations, along with the usual AM / FM & shortwave broadcast stations. If there is a broader event than city / county VHF range, such as a statewide, regional, or national event, an excellent source of info and updates are going to be available on the HF ham bands. You'll need the ability to receive SSB to understand the transmissions.
As KC5FM said, the first line of info should be local VHF sources, that still stands. Everyone wants to know what might affect me first, and that's what VHF does. But, if you want the ability to reach out further, and are considering a radio with short wave capabilities, why not go the extra $20 - $30 and get one that does that well. While there is some entertainment value to the short wave broadcast stations, while you're sitting around the fireplace, they are still going to be doing their agenda format. Useful info will be rare. However, buried among all those shortwave bands, are ham bands. Those are the folks like you and me. They will be passing info and traffic from city to city and state to state. For a few more bucks, why not be able to tap into that radio network and get some real time info?
The Kaito KA 1102 also has a connection for an external, random length wire antenna. That's a plus. That's going to beat the pants off of any built in whip antenna. The radio is sensitive, meaning it has the ability to receive a weaker signal and not just the big gun broadcast stations. It's also selective, which means it does a decent job of separating signals and makes it easier to pick one out of the pile, if other stations are close by.
Here's a link to a review of the radio, done by hams that are pretty darned picky about the performance of their gear. There's very very few $70, portable receivers out there that will cut the mustard with these guys. This one gets a lot of 5/5 ratings (5 out of a possible 5 stars or thumbs ups).
Kaito KA1102 Product Reviews
Hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving
Doug
