Makeshift Radio
| Makeshift Radio | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Class | Communications |
| Weight | 1.5 |
| Uses | about 143 |
| Power | Battery |
| Type | Radio |
| Portable | Yes |
| Channels | 88 to 108 MHz |
| Volume Range | 10 tiles |
| Research | Make Makeshift Radio |
| Crafting Skill | Electrical: 1 |
| Crafting | See How to Craft |
| Location | Crafted |
| Spawn ID | /additem Base.RadioMakeShift
|
| Crafting XP | 10 XP (Electrical) |
The Makeshift Radio is a home-built portable radio put together from salvaged electronic parts. It picks up broadcasts on the common FM band.
It is for survivors who want news and music but have not found a store-bought set. Radio stations carry music and news reports, so a working receiver keeps a base informed. Its main strength is that it can be built early, since the recipe asks for only the first level of Electrical. Its main cost is a fresh supply of batteries.
The radio is crafted rather than looted. The recipe has to be learned before it can be made. The Electrician is the best occupation for communications. It starts with the most Electrical skill. The Engineer also starts with some Electrical skill.
Using
The radio is equipped to operate it, as the in-game tooltip says. Once on, it tunes the band from 88 to 108 MHz. That is the same range as the ValuTech Radio and the Premium Technologies Radio. Its sound carries about ten tiles around the set.
The Make Makeshift Radio recipe takes two Scrap Electronics, an Amplifier, a Light Bulb, a Radio Receiver and an Electrical Wire. It also needs two pieces of aluminum. A screwdriver is needed and kept. The recipe asks for Electrical level 1.
Compared with store radios, the makeshift set holds its own. It drains a battery at the same slow rate as the ValuTech Radio. The Premium Technologies Radio drains a little faster but carries its sound further, about fifteen tiles. For listening alone, the makeshift set does the same job.
The "Research Craft" option on the radio teaches Make Makeshift Radio. Studying one set is enough to learn how to build more.
Upkeep
The radio runs on a battery and drains it only while it is switched on. A full battery lasts a long time at this set's slow drain rate. Turning the radio off between broadcasts saves power.
A worn-out radio still has value. The Dismantle Electronic Device recipe breaks it down with a screwdriver into Scrap Electronics.
Research
The Research Craft option in the inventory menu studies the Makeshift Radio and teaches the recipes below.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Make Makeshift Radio | Makeshift Radio | 
|
/additem Base.RadioMakeShift
|
How to Craft Makeshift Radio
Each recipe that makes the Makeshift Radio is listed with its materials and the tools it keeps.
Make Makeshift Radio
The Make Makeshift Radio recipe makes the Makeshift Radio. It needs Electrical level 1. The recipe has to be learned first.
| Name | Image | Amount | Kept | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrap Electronics | 
|
2x | No | /additem Base.ElectronicsScrap
|
| Amplifier | 
|
1x | No | /additem Base.Amplifier
|
| Light Bulb | 
|
1x | No | /additem Base.LightBulb
|
| Radio Receiver | 
|
1x | No | /additem Base.RadioReceiver
|
| Electrical Wire | 
|
1x | No | /additem Base.ElectricWire
|
| Aluminum Foil | 
|
2x | No | /additem Base.Aluminum
|
| Screwdriver | 
|
1x | Yes | /additem Base.Screwdriver
|
Used in Crafting
These recipes take the Makeshift Radio as an ingredient or a part.
| Recipe | Output | Image | Station | Skill | Spawn ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dismantle Electronic Device | Scrap Electronics |
|
- | Electrical: 0 | /additem Base.ElectronicsScrap
|
Notes
- The radio must be equipped to operate it.
- Its battery use matches the ValuTech Radio, one of the slowest drains among radios.
- The radio plays out loud, so its sound reaches anyone within about ten tiles.
- Researching the radio teaches the recipe to build more.
- Dismantling it with a screwdriver returns Scrap Electronics.
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All Communications