320
Item nr.


Freeplay FPR2 Human Powered Radio

The famous development project by Trevor Baylis.
Data for Freeplay FPR2
ProductionSouth Africa, 1998.
BandsMW, FM.
CabinetPlastic (transparant).
PowerClockwork, ext., or Solar.

The Design

Free playing radios were supposed to be the solution for informing Africa about the dangers of AIDS. They have a handle on the back, and winding it for fifty turns allows the radio to play approximately 45 minutes. The radio can also be solar powered, and there is a jack for feeding 3 to 12 Volts from an external source. Interestingly, the energy from the winding is not stored in a battery, like in many modern devices, but mechanically in a spring. This makes the radio last longer of course, because batteries go defective after a few years.
It is very nice to look at the slowly rotating wheels inside when the radio plays. Somehow the voltage in the filter capacitor is fed back to the rotation mechanism.
It apperars to me that the cabinet is the shortest lasting part. It is of hardened plastic, I think it will easily crack, which ends the life of the radio. It is dangerous to open the radio because of the spring has enough power to hurt you seriously.
Obtained2/2010 from Elwin van Gestel; SN is A381935.
Condition10.
DisposedSold 3/2015.
Sound samplePLAY SOUND   Crack it up, and have fun!

This Object

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Part of Gerard's Radio Corner.
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