Re: AM radio law opposed by tech and auto industries is close to passing

On 5/4/2024 1:29 PM, Carlos E.R. wrote:

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.

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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.
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But, it is large-ish.
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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!

 That's a bad design, that the battery of such a thing can not be replaced "easily".

I suspect it is a rechargeable cell that the designers thought
would "never" need to be replaced.
The fact that it works *despite* the state of the cell suggests
SOME forethought was put into the design.  The mechanism being
able to release enough mechanical energy to the generator over
such a long period of time without relying on the instantaneous
energy created by hand-cranking a generator and storing it *in*
that cell.
(This is how many "emergency flashlights" work -- and FAIL
to work, over time; relying on the cell to remain functional!)