I'm thinking about buying a severe weather radio. One that you turn on when the weather looks serious. Mostly for when we are sleeping. So I want one that only alarms if something is serious. Anyone have one and are you happy with it?

Thanks
Rodney

We have the Midland radios at work, I am responsible for 6 peoples safety at work so when the weather gets bad I head to the Lab where the radio is located. When a warning or watch is posted via NOAA it sounds automatically. Not only does it sound but it also scrolls the alert via text on the front screen. At home I have a few apps on my phone that is connected to some form of data in several ways. They lit up the sirens for a close tornado last night and if I was not standing on the front porch I would have not heard them. Technology is great but I personally think if you live in a area that can be devastated by weather a barometer is your best friend.

Get a ham radio.

there's an app for that but do research!

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 05-21-2013).]

Here's a few that RadioShack has





Midland® All-Hazard SAME Weather Alert RadioModel: WR120 | Catalog #: 12-979




RadioShack® SAME Weather RadioModel: 1200991 | Catalog #: 12-991



Oregon Scientific Desktop NOAA Weather Alert RadioModel: WR608 | Catalog #: 20-582

i know there are more than a few choices. I want one that only makes a warning if something is serious. If it warns for any little thing we will never use it. Mostly we would use it when we sleep. If it does not alarm for every little thing I could probably leave it on all the time. In theory around here it should only alarm a few times a year for serious weather conditions.

I can buy one. I was hoping someone had one they liked so I don't have to try a few to find one I like.

Thanks
Rodney

quote Originally posted by Rodney: I was hoping someone had one they liked so I don't have to try a few to find one I like. Thanks Rodney

All the radios I listed, and most of the true weather radios monitor the seven channels that NOAA uses. The radio selects the closest signal, waits for the alert signal, then sounds an alarm, begins speaking on what the alert is for.

All the the true weather radios have a button you can hit to hear the currect weather, which is updated hourly in normal situations. Durning an emergency, it's updated as needed.

The best type of radio to have are the ones with S.A.M.E. technology, they allow you to select the county , or counties that you want to be alerted to. It also lets you select the level of warning you want to be alerted to.

I will tell you, radios that are combo units, with AM/FM radios, "most of them" do not receive the alert signal, they only let you hear the weather when selected. It is a good idea to have a seperate portable AM/FM radio.

[This message has been edited by CoolBlue87GT (edited 05-21-2013).]

quote Originally posted by Rodney: I'm thinking about buying a severe weather radio. One that you turn on when the weather looks serious. Mostly for when we are sleeping. So I want one that only alarms if something is serious. Anyone have one and are you happy with it? Thanks Rodney

I used one of these for the Moore storms.

http://www.discountsafetyge...zkp7cCFYU5Qgod0kYA0w

I think I got it for $20 on woot. You can also charge your cellular device.

quote Originally posted by Rodney: I want one that only makes a warning if something is serious. If it warns for any little thing we will never use it. Mostly we would use it when we sleep. If it does not alarm for every little thing I could probably leave it on all the time. In theory around here it should only alarm a few times a year for serious weather conditions.

The Midland weather radios are decent quality and cost about $40. Around here places like grocery stores often sell them at a promotional discount during the spring storm season. Midland has been selling weather-related radios under that brand name for more than 50 years. All the weather radios I've seen have provision for a small battery to keep them working for more than an hour during a power failure; they use very little power in standby mode.

You program your radio with the numeric FIPS (Federal Information processing Standard) state/county code(s) for one or more counties near where you live, and the radio will alarm only when a watch or warning is issued that affects one of your counties. About the only weather events that alarm automatically are fast-moving events that affect human health and safety:

Tornado Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Tornado Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Flash Flood Warning
(other rare but potentially life-threatening events, e.g. Hurricane Warning, Tsunami Warning, etc.)

It may occasionally alarm for slower-moving events that still could be life threatening:

Flood Warning
Winter Storm Warnings (Blizzard Warning, Ice Storm Warning, etc.)
Non-Precipitation Warnings (High Wind Warning, Extreme Heat or Cold, etc.)

In addition, there are two weekly tests that trigger an alarm. These tests are always conducted on the same day each week, usually at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. local time.

Some radios even allow you to choose which weather events will trigger an alarm and which to ignore, but I recommend that you just stick with the defaults unless your local NWS office is trigger happy with respect to some events that you prefer not to be alarmed. See SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) and my First Alert Weather Warning Systems web site for more information.

[This message has been edited by Marvin McInnis (edited 05-21-2013).]

I have the midland pictured above. I am happy with it. It will go off multiple times during a strong storm as they update the path and strength of the storm. Last night the same storms came through that went through OK, I had to silence the radio 3 times. first two times were for strong thunderstorms and the third for flash floods. I would rather have to silence it alot then to be caught off gaurd. Due to our house being out in the sticks, we do not have the greatest internet or cell phones. My wife can turn it on at any time to get the weather or be alerted if something is coming through and she has been to busy with the baby to realize. Best $30 I have spent in a while.

Possibley this...
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.h...ng+radio+alarm&rt=nc