Weather Radio vs Phone App

NH_camper · 02-07-2018, 12:01 PM

I've been shopping for a new weather radio but got to wondering if maybe National Weather Service's phone app is just as good? Cell service can be spotty, especially out west, but I've also been in lots of places where I couldn't pick up a weather station. I think their range is 25-30 miles. Does anyone on here rely just on their phone for weather notifications?

sirrealone · 02-07-2018, 12:09 PM

I've got a wind up weather radio that we've never used. We normally use the apps, but figure why not have a just-in-case, you know, just in case.

**Mustang65** · 02-07-2018, 12:17 PM

We have a Weather Radio, but unfortunately most of the nights we were camping in Oklahoma, Nebraska.... where there were a lot of tornadoes, it did not work. A few of those spots did not have cell service either. Have not pulled the radio out since. Use the local OTA Tv stations when available.

I am not sure as to where the darn thing is any more. It was also a hand-crank type. Maybe should have invested in a quality model.

Don
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wags999 · 02-07-2018, 12:20 PM

I carry a Midland NOAA radio and have found very few places it would not work, even those areas with no cell service I was able to get weather forecasts. No harm in having both. I think I paid less than $20. You can put it in alert mode and it will only come on when bad weather is heading your way.

Good Luck...

Jagiven · 02-07-2018, 12:40 PM

I use all of the above. My portable weatherproof weather radio works every where I have been including up in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. It does have an external antenna that I can attached if needed. I do not think I have ever needed it.

The Apps work if I have cell coverage, and give me instant updates.

My HTT's radio also has a weather radio built into it. I did not know it was even there for the first year or so. The reception is not as good as my handheld.

**Mustang65** · 02-07-2018, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagiven

I use all of the above. My portable weatherproof weather radio works every where I have been including up in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. It does have an external antenna that I can attached if needed. I do not think I have every used it.

If you would not mind, could you give me the mfr/model of the hand held one you use. Sounds like a good one. After reading this thread, I was thinking that I need to dump the one I have and get a reliable one.

Thanks
Don
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Jagiven · 02-07-2018, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang65

If you would not mind, could you give me the mfr/model of the hand held one you use. Sounds like a good one. After reading this thread, I was thinking that I need to dump the one I have and get a reliable one.

Thanks
Don
My Registry

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I will have to look this weekend, if I forget, send me a PM. I can tell you this, I have had it for over 25+ years. I can not think of a time it did not receive a signal. It is small, the size of a deck of cards.

Jagiven · 02-09-2018, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mustang65

If you would not mind, could you give me the mfr/model of the hand held one you use. Sounds like a good one. After reading this thread, I was thinking that I need to dump the one I have and get a reliable one.

Thanks
Don
My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

Weather One. I suspect I bought this around 1990. It has been a really good unit. I plugged in the wire antenna so you can see it. The internal antenna telescopes, and stores inside the box. I did a quick google search and did not locate it or the company. which was out of Portland Oregon

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**Mustang65** · 02-13-2018, 06:47 AM

Thanks Jagiven, I was unable to locate the Weather One model, so I will look over the reviews for the new models and see what I find. Will let you know what I come up with.

Thanks for the reminder.

Don

My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

**norty1** · 02-13-2018, 07:25 AM

We carried a Midland NOAA weather radio back before IPhone, Now it's home and we use the weather apps on the phone.

Works for us.

WinnieView · 02-13-2018, 07:53 AM

We use whichever one is working, phone app preferred.

RichR · 02-13-2018, 08:07 AM

We have a Midland WR-300 that works very well. It operates on AC and built-in batteries. It also has AM/FM radio. It takes a bit to get frequencies programmed but once set up it does a good job.

Here is a website that sells a number of radios:WeatherYourWay store

A search for any of these on Amazon should bring up some good reviews.

DonaandDon · 02-13-2018, 09:18 AM

Depends on the cell service. I have Cellular one and do not get cell service out of towns a lot. The DW has one of those smarty phones from Verizon and we do rely on it.

2nOZ · 02-13-2018, 01:15 PM

We have a weather radio in our FW as part of the Furrion system. We also have a short wave radio with the weather band. We mostly rely on our cell phones. We have the "my radar", "AccuWeather", and "NOAA" apps. With location turned on for these apps, it gives us any watches or warnings for our particular location.

01tundra · 02-14-2018, 01:46 PM

I use the Weather Underground and Storm Radar apps on my iphone and we also keep a Midland HH50B handheld weather radio in the TT.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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