#Miniradio fronts portable#

You’ll find a wide range of features to consider. A pocket radio with shortwave capabilities means you can listen to broadcasts from other countries or even other continents.īestReviews Pocket radio features to consider By contrast, AM signals only extend up to 100 miles or so from the broadcast center, while FM signals are even shorter, reaching up to 30 or 40 miles from where they originate. Shortwave: These frequencies bounce off a layer of charged atoms (ions) in the atmosphere, and depending on the angle of the waves can travel thousands of miles. If you camp, boat, or live in an area with frequent severe weather, it’s worth spending extra for a pocket radio with NOAA bands. If you want to be able to hear weather reports – including emergency broadcasts – you need a radio that includes the NOAA weather bands. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Weather stations use a different frequency than the regular FM band on your radio. Most talk radio stations are on the AM dial. While AM signals travel much farther than FM signals, they have poorer sound quality. Amplitude, simply put, is the size of a sound wave. FM is standard on pretty much every pocket radio.Īmplitude modulation (AM): AM uses changes in amplitude to transmit signals. While FM signals don’t travel as far as AM signals, they do have better sound quality, which is why the vast majority of radio stations that play music are on the FM dial. On the most basic level, frequency is the speed of a sound wave’s vibration. There are four major types of radio waves you’ll encounter when shopping for your pocket radio: FM, AM, NOAA, and shortwave.įrequency modulation (FM): FM uses changes in sound-wave frequency to transmit signals. The radio’s speaker converts these waves into mechanical vibrations, which in turn create the sound waves that travel to your ears and then to your brain, where the sound waves are translated into music, speech, or some other recognizable sound. The sound you hear coming out of your radio is produced by radio waves, a type of electromagnetic wave.

They’re also useful in emergency situations when you might not have electricity to power your television or other news-gathering devices. Since they’re small, pocket radios are excellent for the beach, hiking, camping, or other outdoor activities. A pocket radio is a handy way to listen to music or talk radio inside or outside your home or when out of range of streaming music services.

#Miniradio fronts portable#

What is a pocket radio?Ī pocket radio, as the name suggests, is a portable radio that is often – although not always – small enough to fit in a pocket. A pocket radio lets you enjoy music or your favorite radio talk shows while on the go, camping, or even relaxing in your backyard.