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Old 03-21-2012, 07:27 PM   #1
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Weather Radio

As camping season approaches for those of us in Tornado Alley (or on the outskirts) it's time to prepare for the unexpected. One member here already lost a trailer in the recent tornado outbreak, fortunately no one was hurt.

I strongly recommend carrying a weather radio with SAME encoding in your camper and deploying it immediately after setting up camp. I suggest checking the NOAA coverage map [URL="http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/Maps/"[/URL] to locate the nearest transmitter to your campsite and then select that frequency on your radio. The reason for this is that in some areas it is possible to be able to tune in to several overlapping transmitters. For example, at Ludington, MI we received 3 different stations and one was in Wisconsin. Being unfamiliar with the area, I didn't know which of the 2 remaining Michigan stations was the correct one to use.

For this year, I have made a simple spreadsheet listing the campground name, transmitter city, call letters, and frequency for each of our destinations and will keep this list in the camper.

My radio is a Midland that I picked up from Cabelas for $39 and is cheap insurance in my book. Last Memorial Day weekend we broke camp a day early and high tailed it out just in time to avoid some straight line winds that swept through the CG we were at.
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Old 03-21-2012, 07:50 PM   #2
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This is great advice. I have one that you just put in the zip code where you are and it does the rest. You can listen to weather forecasts, or keep it in a standby mode, where it will sound an alarm if an alert is issued. A good peace of mind to have along.
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Old 03-21-2012, 08:04 PM   #3
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Great advice guys. I'm "the member" who lost my 365 BHS last month to the tornado. Very interested in purchasing a weather radio but never had one, nor do I have any idea what I need. Do these things only cut on when there's severe weather in the area?
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Old 03-21-2012, 09:18 PM   #4
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My 2 meter Yeasu FT-1802 gets all the weather bands. I also carry a FT-250R HT (Hand held) with all weather from NOAA including weather tone alert.
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Old 03-22-2012, 03:56 AM   #5
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Jrmay25, I have the Midland WR-120B in the camper. You have to select a local channel when you turn it on the first time in a new area. Maybe Ranger431 could chime in with his make/model as it sounds more plug and play. Anyway, once you select a channel to monitor you simply put it somewhere that you'll be able to hear it if it goes off. Because we camp to be outdoors, ours usually sits on the picnic table under the awning during the day. The radio is normally silent but you can push the button on top to listen to the forecast. Push it again when you have heard enough. If an alert is broadcast, the radio will sound a "siren" tone for several seconds followed by message from the NWS. After the message is complete the radio will return to silent mode. Aside from weather advisories, watches, and warnings, the unit will also receive about a gazillion other alerts ranging from civil unrest to boil water to nuclear disaster et al.

The SAME feature stands for Specific Area Message Encoding and is basically a filter that you set so that your radio will only go off when an alert is for a certain county(s).
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Old 03-22-2012, 06:25 AM   #6
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I keep a battery powered weather radio in my TT as well, I have a ship to shore radio with weather band in my boat. I want to make sure we know if a storm is on the way were ready for it.
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Old 03-22-2012, 06:56 AM   #7
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Clicky to NOAA site:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm
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Old 03-22-2012, 08:11 AM   #8
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I always keep ours on whether in the TT, Campground or at home. It comes on when there is an alert.

Only thing I don't like is having it come on for 'Flood Warnings' which happen alot in the spring in some Michigan areas.

Love it for the quick summer storms coming off the Great Lakes so an awning can be taken down before any problems.

I'll post our model when we get home. Was under $30 and already save alot in preventing damage.
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Old 03-22-2012, 09:08 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Ranger431 View Post
This is great advice. I have one that you just put in the zip code where you are and it does the rest. You can listen to weather forecasts, or keep it in a standby mode, where it will sound an alarm if an alert is issued. A good peace of mind to have along.
Ranger431 what brand is it and where did you get it?

Thanks
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Old 03-22-2012, 09:35 AM   #10
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I am actually on a non-RV vacation right now, not my favorite kind, but the in laws gave us their time share to use and the wife likes the beach, so here we are. When I get back I will grab the info of the radio for you guys.
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Old 03-22-2012, 09:38 AM   #11
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In addition to (or in lieu of) get a good weather app for your smart phone. The weather radio is great but only when you're around to hear it.
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Old 03-22-2012, 08:51 PM   #12
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Thanks for all the feedback. The Midland WR-120B looks like it fits the bill for what I would need and is pretty affordable. Sears has them for $30.50 each. 1 for the house and 1 for the camper. That's one for the camper once Jayco finishes it.....
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Old 03-22-2012, 09:45 PM   #13
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I did look and I'm using the Midland WR-100. You can get it at Amazon for $44 and Walmart for $30.

Best buy we ever did.
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Old 03-23-2012, 02:14 AM   #14
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I use these two-way Motorola Radios. They have all the US NOAA and Canadian weather bands, with alerts.

Great radios too...Lot's of uses while RV'ing. Fits in your pocket.



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Old 03-23-2012, 07:10 AM   #15
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In addition to (or in lieu of) get a good weather app for your smart phone. The weather radio is great but only when you're around to hear it.
Thats great your cell phone works everywhere is it a satellite phone? Most area's I stay I get limited cell coverage if any at all.
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Old 03-23-2012, 07:23 AM   #16
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We purchased a Midland WR-100. Pretty standard SAME programmable weather radio. We find that it gets left at home more than taken in the camper the last few years.
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Old 03-23-2012, 07:56 AM   #17
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Thats great your cell phone works everywhere is it a satellite phone? Most area's I stay I get limited cell coverage if any at all.
That's why my wife, my son, my daughter and myself are all hams.
We get into areas where there is no cell service at all but can hit 4 different repeaters and use auto patch if we need to make a phone call.

Personally, I hate cell phones. No skill involved in using one.
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Old 03-24-2012, 01:40 AM   #18
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I use these two-way Motorola Radios. They have all the US NOAA and Canadian weather bands, with alerts.

Great radios too...Lot's of uses while RV'ing. Fits in your pocket.



Amazon Link
We use these radios as well.

Great for shopping malls.. DW can shop at one end and I can head to the food court to check the scenery.

Great for backing into tight spots and connecting the hitch. I back up and the wife tells me where to go...
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Old 03-24-2012, 07:35 AM   #19
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We have a (name withheld due to memory loss) small weather/am/fm radio that goes with us on every camping trip. Its as basic as you can get, and has 7 pre-selected weather channels that are 'empty'...you just click from one channel to the next until it picks up a signal and you leave it there. As simple as it may be, its never failed to pick up a weather station broadcast.
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