We were driving across southern Wisconsin several years ago when the sky suddenly went black and wild. Wind shredded the trees, scattering branches and debris through the air, and it seemed as if all the birds in the region were fleeing at once, going in the same direction as fast as they could fly. The scene before us was something we had never experienced before, but it looked like a Hollywood special effect created for a disaster film. The clouds were whirling in an eerie tumbling dance across the heavens, to the rhythm of a fierce war between the demons of thunder and lightning.  

“This doesn’t look good,” Becky said. “We better turn on the radio and listen for a weather report.”

The local radio stations were broadcasting nothing but music and talk shows, so we were left to our own devices to figure out what to do next. Then the hail came. It hit the windshield like a sheet of bullets, threatening to shatter the glass. It sounded as if someone were hammering on the vehicle with metal tools. Visibility dropped to zero. It was time to get off the highway while we could still do it in one piece.

The next day, we heard that a tornado had passed nearby.  

Thank goodness those days are gone. Oh, not that tornados have gone out of business — but we are now no longer without a means to stay informed about what the weather is doing. Technology has brought us a whole new level of safety, insofar as weather is concerned. Today there is NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) coverage for the whole country, delivering 24-hour a day real-time reports of what is happening no matter where you are traveling. Seven VHF (very high frequency) channels have been designated for these important public service broadcasts. The frequencies are (in MHz):

162.400  
162.425
162.450
162.475
162.500
162.525
162.550

No matter where you travel in the country, you can tune to at least one of these channels so you can stay in touch with weather broadcasts. Special VHF receivers that are designated solely for these NWR frequencies are now very affordable, making it possible for everyone to stay continually informed about the weather and other potentially hazardous conditions.

More Than Just the Weather

NOAA stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which makes them sound like just a weather-related organization. But they consist of an assemblage of more than 940 transmitters covering all 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Territories. And they issue reports and warnings that are about more than just bad weather. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts will alert you to all types of hazards, be it flooding, earthquake, hurricane, tsunami, avalanche, tornado, chemical spill, heavy snowfall, or whatever else mankind or Mother Nature can come up with. These broadcasts also include public safety messages such as Amber Alerts and 911 telephone outages.

In a very real sense, the NWR All Hazards radio network is the best single source for comprehensive weather and emergency information. Working in conjunction with federal, state and local emergency management organizations, the NWR service broadcasts not only advanced warnings but also post-event information, so you can keep up with the progress of things following an incident.  

To find out more about the NWR system, we contacted Terry Click at NOAA and asked him to explain some of the things about the system that we need to know in order to make best use of it. 

Q Terry, what is the best way for RV owners who are traveling to receive the NWR broadcasts?

A While traveling, RV owners can listen to the weather radio by using the radio on battery power. Most units have a battery as backup power using common household batteries and will operate during power failures or when commercial power is not readily available. Many units are manufactured to operate on commercial power and battery backup. This should allow for listening while traveling.  

It is also important to check weather forecasts at weather.gov to get an idea of future weather conditions you might encounter. When severe weather threatens, pay particular attention to the county you are in as the National Weather Service issues warnings and other hazard alerts based upon county boundaries.

Q What are some specific radio features that buyers should look for when shopping for a radio? And how much should people expect to pay for a radio they can take with them in their RV? 

A A NOAA all Hazards radio costs between $20 and $70. Some of the features that should be included are:

• Specific Area Message Encoder (SAME), a feature that allows you to specify the particular area for which you wish to receive alerts.

• Selectable alerting of events: While SAME allows you to specify a particular area of interest, some receivers allow you to turn off the alarm for certain events which might not be important to you. For example, if you live in a coastal county, but not right at the beach, you might not care about Coastal Flood Warnings.

• External antenna jack: While most receivers come with a whip antenna which can usually be extended out from the unit, depending on your location you may need an external antenna to get a good reception. 

• Battery backup: Since power outages often occur during storms, having a receiver with battery backup can be crucial. We cannot recommend one brand of receiver over another, but we do suggest that you look for receivers which carry the Public Alert logo. The Public Alert Standard (CEA-2009) was developed by the Consumer Electronics Association in conjunction with the National Weather Service. Devices which carrying the Public Alert logo meet certain technical standards and come with all the features mentioned above.

Q As travelers move from one area to another, what do they have to do to keep up with changes in broadcast frequency, and how do they know which frequencies to select? 

A When possible, we recommend that a pre-trip visit to the National Weather Service web page at www.weather.gov/nwr to locate the frequency for the transmitter that serves the area in which they travel. If a visit to the web site is not possible, there are only seven frequencies that serve the U.S. and Canada these frequencies range from 162.40 to 162.55 MHz. Most weather radios manufactured are able to receive each of the seven frequencies. Where possible, it is always a good idea to program your weather radio so that your radio will alert you to warnings issued for your location. The county code needed for this process can be located at weather.gov/nwr or by calling (888) NWR-SAME (888) 697-7263) for a voice menu.

Q For those who like to travel north of the border, do the broadcasts cover Canada?  

A Weather radio is available in Canada using the same frequencies as those in the United States. For more information about Canadian broadcasts, visit Environment Canada’s website at www.msc.ec.gc.ca/msb/weatheradio/index_e.cfm.

Q Is there anything else you would like to add?

A NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. NWR broadcasts National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other hazard information 24 hours a day. Using NWR broadcasts you can get current conditions, forecasts, and any warnings approximately every five minutes.  

A Few Portable Weather Radio Options

Here are just a few of the many portable weather radios available to RVers.

• Oregon Scientific (www.weather.gov/nwr) offers their Model WR103NX for $59.95. NOTE: Crutchfield (www.crutchfield.com) sells this radio for $39.99. This is a small handheld that can be carried in a pocket, operating on three AA batteries, or plugged into a 110-volt AC outlet with the included adaptor.  The radio features Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME), allowing the user to select the geographic areas of interest (typically a county or portion of a county). There are two alarms to alert the user.

• Radio Shack (www.radioshack.com) offers several models of portable weather radios, beginning at about $20 and ranging upward from there. One of the nice things about Radio Shack is that there are “bricks and mortar” stores where you can check out the equipment and ask questions before you buy. Or, you have the option of buying online.