Baygen Freeplay Radio Out of Business

KC0YBG · Jul 18, 2006

It amazes me how people have a device that just needs a simple repair job and they just throw it away without any thought to at least try. Good to know that people like you take the time to make the attempt.

NF0A · Jul 18, 2006

[b said:

Quote[/b] (kb9wgv @ July 09 2006,09:36)]Greetings Fellow Shortwave Listeners, some years ago, after listening to repeated commericials on Art Bell's late night talk show, Coast To Coast. I purchased the Baygen Freeplay Wind-up Radio.

I got plenty of good service from the Freeplay, and mine even came with an LED light that plugged into the back of the radio. As simple as it may have been, I fell in love with my Freeplay after experiencing a couple of serious power outages, due to severe weather.

A couple of weeks ago, I went to wind up my free play, and as I let the crank go, the radios crank spun wildly and the crank assembly screamed as if it was going to explode. My Freeplay was most definetly malfunctioning, and was not getting any power to the radio. On the back of the Baygen Freeplay, there is a very clear message stamped into the plastic of the rear cover, which clearly states; "Warning, this radio should only be opened by an authorized repair dealer"!

So with that information, I contacted the dealer from where I had purchased the radio, which was CCrane Company. They advised me that Baygen had gone out of business and the original Freeplay was no longer supported. In fact the Freeplay name is still out there under the name of Freeplay Plus, but the parts are no longer compatible.

At this point, I figured the trash was the next stop for my old Freeplay. I literally had my hand on it, and I was heading for the trash, when I thought...oh what the heck, I'll open it and take a look, maybe it's something that I can fix.

Well sure enough, after opening the radio. I found that a simple drive belt, probably worth two cents, had slipped of a drive wheel. I reset the belt, closed the radio, and presto!The radio worked.

So I got thinking, perhaps I could start up a support center on the web for old Freeplay Radios, so...I did!

If anyone is interested in reading up on their Freeplay, you can visit my section, on the Northern Illinois Radio Portal at

NIRP

I contacted CCrane, and they are sending me a users manual, and I should be able to post a schematic for the Freeplay soon.

I'm also interested in obtaining broken Freeplays for spare parts that I can store for folks who may need them. If anyone would like to donate older freeplay radios that are beyond repair, contact me off board.

Gene
KB9WGV
Click to expand...

That is very good and glad you are doing this.
Good fortune and have fun!

WA4GCH · Jul 21, 2006

REPAIR A RADIO ?

What a intresting idea ........

KC6TGS · Jul 22, 2006

Hi QRZ,

Baygen changed their name to Freeplay many years ago. Freeplay is boldly dedicated to making the finest wind-up radios manufactured today. The original idea was tremendous and now has had many good competitors. Freeplay is now branching into other areas such as their well Weza foot powered generator.

I am sorry for the misinformation about Baygen relayed by one of my crew. The correct information has now been distributed. Thanks to everyone for straitening it out

Thanks,
Bob Crane
C. Crane Company

K7IWW · Jul 22, 2006

Juat a word of caution:

Use extreme care when opening up Freeplay device cases. If the spring is tensioned and flies loose, a very, VERY nasty laceration can result.

Way to go starting a support site for older Freeplay devices. I own a number of Freeplay devices and love 'em.

73,

Kevin WA7VTD

WN9ZWC · Jul 28, 2006

[b said:

Quote[/b] (KC6TGS @ July 21 2006,17:09)]Hi QRZ,

Baygen changed their name to Freeplay many years ago. Freeplay is boldly dedicated to making the finest wind-up radios manufactured today. The original idea was tremendous and now has had many good competitors. Freeplay is now branching into other areas such as their well Weza foot powered generator.

I am sorry for the misinformation about Baygen relayed by one of my crew. The correct information has now been distributed. Thanks to everyone for straitening it out

Thanks,
Bob Crane
C. Crane Company
Click to expand...

Bob,
Thanks for contributing to the conversation. As I said in my first post, the company still exists under Freeplay. What I was told that the older original Byagen Freeplays radios were no longer supported due to Baygen going out of business. My intensions were to put some information out there to assist other Baygen owners with repairs and other technical information about the radio.

W8NSI · Aug 4, 2006

My FreePlay radio (no label anywhere on it saying BayGen) looks like thos pictured elsewhere here but mine only covers AM and FM. It does have the solar cell on it.

My FreePlay was bought in 1999 as my gesture toward preparedness for the Y2K madness when the world was supposed to grind to a halt. It didn't and I still love my crankup radio.Someone mentioned how it seemed to slow down while unwinding. Mine does too. It doesn't seem to have any affect on the playability of the radio.

73 de w8nsi jim

testar · Oct 30, 2010

Testar Freeplay

thanks for the advice! Freeplay fixed - as member said put belt drive back on!
Grateful Uk London

Baygen Freeplay Radio Out of Business

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