AM/FM Radio is a safety issue

[cadblu]

No worries! Tell us more about some good radios.

For example I’d like something that can receive AM, FM & WB minimum, SW and/or CB for trucker traffic chatter would be nice but I really don’t know if truckers even use CB anymore. Are there any mobile units that can do this?

I highly recommend this low cost mobile quad band radio, QB-25 which I bought direct from Radioddity. However, Slate’s non-metallic panels would be problematic for mag mount antennas.

Here is an excellent video on its capabilities:

Gadget Talk

 

[Trace26]

I think it would be nice if Slate had the antenna already integrated. Such as in the windshield.

 

[KevinRS]

When there used to be a store in every town that had that kind of thing, it was easy to go in and compare antennas. I know there are CB and shortwave whip antennas made for no ground plane, that adhered to the glass, with a matching piece with the antenna cable that adhered to the inside of the glass. That kind of antenna should work, either on glass or on a plastic panel.
In fact that makes me think the integrated in the glass type could probably be replicated invisibly, with a wire adhered to the inside of a plastic panel.
Of course discussion here has gotten to quad band and more, going to take a specialized antenna to cover all the bands or multiple antennas.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Of course discussion here has gotten to quad band and more, going to take a specialized antenna to cover all the bands or multiple antennas.

Is a specialized antenna required for reception? I thought that was only needed for transmitting to avoid standing waves.
Edit: never mind, I keep looking at this for reception only.

 

[SparkYellow]

Thanks! 😊

And also thanks for the earlier rec, which I remembered today:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=TIDRADIO+TD-H3

I guess I'll get into the weeds on radios for a bit. While we're waiting to hear more about the Slate. 😉

I actually am glad that there are ways to call for help that didn't use to exist.

The H3 looks serious! I can't handle that many buttons. 😂

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Not to be overly contrarian to the OP, but if the SHTF, unless I'm bunking with David (sodamo) in HI on his self-sufficient farm, I'm not counting on Slate as my bug-out vehicle...wrong use case.

 

[sodamo]

Not to be overly contrarian to the OP, but if the SHTF, unless I'm bunking with David (sodamo) in HI on his self-sufficient farm, I'm not counting on Slate as my bug-out vehicle...wrong use case.

Funny thing or little old farts group (non preppers) have actually had related discussions, who grows what, hunts, offgrid, owns and drives a hybrid or ev. Decided we can survive rather well as long as we febd off the city folk you will not get to us after their gas is gone.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Funny thing or little old farts group (non preppers) have actually had related discussions, who grows what, hunts, offgrid, owns and drives a hybrid or ev. Decided we can survive rather well as long as we febd off the city folk you will not get to us after their gas is gone.

Yeah...I had my Y2K moments. Unbeknownst to my 2 closest neighbors at the top of a mountain in AL, we had ALL prepped for what was a big NOTHING...I only figured it out when my next door neighbor was shooting full auto .223 next morning to celebrate New Year's Day, 2000! Only THEN did we talk about it and realized that between us, we could have lived 6 months based on what we'd stored, nevermind what we could "plant, procure and protect"!

Full transparency, I bought an almost analog Nissan Frontier King Cab to hedge my bets...it was a great little truck!

 

[metroshot]

Not to be overly contrarian to the OP, but if the SHTF, unless I'm bunking with David (sodamo) in HI on his self-sufficient farm, I'm not counting on Slate as my bug-out vehicle...wrong use case.

Remember, when the electrical grid goes down, so does the fuel pumps for gas stations.

At least with my EV, I can recharge from solar to EcoFlow battery to 240VAC and still power my car...

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Remember, when the electrical grid goes down, so does the fuel pumps for gas stations.

At least with my EV, I can recharge from solar to EcoFlow battery to 240VAC and still power my car...

Roger that. For those who are solar-deficient (gets dark in those decommissioned silo bunkers in KS or wherever - https://www.kctv5.com/video/2025/09/05/hidden-hills-inside-cold-war-era-missile-silo-up-sale-kansas/), would be harder to have such a tell (panels) to do the work.

 

[sodamo]

Remember, when the electrical grid goes down, so does the fuel pumps for gas stations.

At least with my EV, I can recharge from solar to EcoFlow battery to 240VAC and still power my car...

Living totally off grid and EV, gas not an issue.