Emergency Weather Radio ?

[Bobb.25]

Does anyone RV with an emergency weather radio, and do you have any recommendations. I've been told that you need to reset them to each new county that you travel through ? Sounds like a PITA.
Bob

[Rick Long]

I have emergency weather stations on my CB radio

[Izzyblueye]

Getting hit with an unexpected storm is a PITA.

[Skipper 05MA]

A number of various units out there. While we have one on the CB, it does not have an alert system. While you have to reset according to your county, it is worth the effort. General alert units will give you any alert "for anything" within the tower's broadcast area....in other workds a lot of alerts that may not apply to your location.

[ljr]

I have one with the S.A.M.E code settings. That's the county by county thing. Not a huge hassle. I go to web page, get the code(s) I want and enter them on the radio. takes perhaps a minute or two. That cuts down on alerts I don't care about but I can set it to get everything.

It also lets me select what kind of alerts I want. For example, whether I want Amber alerts for lost kids.

I wouldn't be without it.

[Dunner]

I have the weather band on my CB too. Take seconds to find the strongest signal, which is usually for the area you are in.

[wa8yxm]

There are many very good Weather-All Hazard alert radios with SAME technology out there, The one I use is a Midland "Pocket size".

I recommend any such radio that has the ability to use an outside full size antenna since the better the antenna the better the reception. The one I have has a built in antenna and thus lmited range.. However since all my VHF radios have 162.55 give or take a bit programmed into memories 30 thorough 33 or 35 .. I can still use the big antennas outside.

[njs42]

Lots of permeations of the same theme----CB's have them auto select---dedicated ones are small----read how they work most are easy---simple---fairly effective---and like most other stuff you get what you pay for--but even a spiffy one is not very expensive. If you think you need one don't leave home without it.

[PyrateSilly]

We have the CB with several weather stations on it. And also Both phones with weather apps on them. If we are really worried then out comes the computers and depending on what might be coming (ie snow, ice, hurricane etc) it could be weather.com or NOAA.gov that we check. NOAA.gov is where all the other weather stations get most of their info anyway for major things like hurricanes so we go straight to the source for that stuff.

[okmunky]

The Jensen car radio that came in my moho has a weather band. I assume that it picks up a local broadcast as there is no way to adjust stations in WB mode.

[ernieh]

I have ones from Radio Shack in my MH and stick house. They were around $30.

You must have one that gives you an alert to be safe at night. Just being able to tune the channel is not enough.

When you get to your destination, just search for the channel (there are only seven of them) that comes in best. I wouldn't be without one.

[John Hilley]

Several iPhone and Android apps send alerts to your smart phone.

[jzick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ljr I have one with the S.A.M.E code settings. That's the county by county thing. Not a huge hassle. I go to web page, get the code(s) I want and enter them on the radio. takes perhaps a minute or two. That cuts down on alerts I don't care about but I can set it to get everything. It also lets me select what kind of alerts I want. For example, whether I want Amber alerts for lost kids. I wouldn't be without it.

This kind of radio works ok if you are parked in one place and can learn what county you are in. The problem with them is that they are set by county and meaningful alerts can be many miles away or in neighboring counties with storms headed your direction. Our winter home, for instance, is 60 miles from the farthest boundary. If you are trying to sleep on a stormy night it can get difficult with storms within 30 to 50 miles causing a warning to be issued. After a season of cowering in fear and doing without sleep, we decided that we would turn the darn thing off, check the radar before we go to bed, and then take our chances. We have 2 radios for the motorhome and 2 for the stick and brick. None have been turned on for four years.

[wa8yxm]

Regarding I-Phone and Android apps.

I used to work for the police.. And as a Ham Radio operator I would tune into skywarn frequencies on my personal radio.. I'd be sitting there and hear a warning go out that a tornado was spotted. I know for a fact that within one minute NOAA was notified and within a minute after that if you had a Weather Alert radio in the area YOU were notified.. And 30 minutes later as a police dispatcher.... I was notified (NOTE time is variable on that last) .

Your phone apps are like my police teletype.. It can take time for the host to get the alert, get off it's... g.maximus, and go type it into the alret system. NOTHIGN is faster than the Weather Alert radio save the spotter network.