Who here has a NOAA Weather Radio (such as one from Midland Radio Corporation) that alerts them during Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watches/Warnings and other events.
I have a tone alert one with an AM/FM brand that is set to alert me when warnings arise, and I have a crank one that I have in case I need to take shelter.
I have 3 ( Midland, crank, and a portable for chasing)
I missed the tornadoes Tuesday due to the dentist :-( :-(
My bedside clock radio is a Midland 300 AM/FM/NOAA SAME radio - I've programmed it to trigger alerts for only my local county to minimize the number of alerts I receive. I also have a portable Oregon Scientific WR-8000 that I take with me when I travel. Lastly, I have all 7 NOAA frequencies programmed into my mobile and portable scanners, and the two local NOAA frequencies programmed into my mobile VHF/UHF ham transceiver. Depending on where I am, I often find the ham radio (Alinco DJ635) receives NOAA broadcasts better than my mobile scanner (Whistler WS 1060) does.
Never had an opportunity to do any real storm chasing, but I usually monitor the local Skywarn net during severe weather in our area.
I purchased a Midland WR-120 in September 2013. I've seen it go off for severe thunderstorm warnings, tornado warnings, flood and flash flood warnings, winter storm warnings and advisories, wind advisories, and special marine warnings. I have it set to various locations within the Sterling, Virginia; State College, Pennsylvania; and Mount Holly, New Jersey zones.
NOAA weather radio is in the 162.400-575 Mhz range, and I happen to have a local station from Coachella with information for the Inland Empire region: Riverside, san Bernardino, Mojave desert, Blythe, and Imperial valley. Coachella also has one of 4 Spanish-language NOAA weather radio channels in the US. And the transmitter is located between old US route 99 (SR CA 111) and Thermal Airport, next to an AM/FM tower (970 AM & 93.7 FM).
Got a nearly 10-year-old Reecom R1630. I have it set to silent (blinking light/text-only) for watches and T-Storm warnings; no alert for winter-related storms (usually enough advanced warning not to need them); siren for Tornadoes. Woke me up once (sleeping-in on a day off)...scared the shit outta me when I realized what the alarm was (originally thought it was my alarm clock) and heard the winds outside followed shortly by the outdoor sirens. Had one Civil Emergency alert for a really bad winter storm back in 2008, which stranded many on I-39/90 south of Madison.
Have an older one, but as with DaBigE, mine is not a Midland. Don't have it set up because we don't exactly get much in the way of severe non-winter weather here (last time the local NWS office issued a tornado warning was 3 summers ago).
Quote from: ET21 on March 03, 2017, 11:12:50 AM
I have 3 ( Midland, crank, and a portable for chasing)
I missed the tornadoes Tuesday due to the dentist :-( :-(
It was pretty much dark by the time most of the bad weather struck, though. Would have been hard to document anything.
I have a crank weather radio. It comes in handy! The USB charging option is nice as well. It didn't get any use in 2016--But I was definitely using it 8/18/15 when a frickin funnel cloud split the sky apart OVER MY HEAD. Most terrifying experience of my life. This was the same tornadic storm that blew right over the National Weather Service office in Romeoville, where THEY had to take cover :-D
We have one at my workplace. I think it's supposed to be set up for just severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings/watches, but I do occasionally hear various marine related warnings for Lake Erie come across it.
I have one - Not a Midland. I'm in an area (or would it be the wireless networks in my house) that interferes with it at times.
The WFO doesn't have all of the watches/warnings active. Mostly it's Tornado, Severe Thunder and Flash Flood, but it often includes High Wind and Blizzard (both only warning) in its repertoire.
Quote from: roadman on March 03, 2017, 12:01:52 PM
My bedside clock radio is a Midland 300 AM/FM/NOAA SAME radio - I've programmed it to trigger alerts for only my local county to minimize the number of alerts I receive.
Same one I have, but it's not on my nightstand, it's over on the table on the other side of my room.
I've had a RadioShack 12-261 for a number of years. It goes off for severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings in my county - basically the settings that give the fewest alerts.
I've been in the vicinity of maybe 3-4 tornadoes in my life, but have never seen one in person.
I have a Midland WR120 that sits on my desk next to my computer. I also have Midland HH54VP that sits in my truck bed toolbox when I am not using it. I also have an old NOAA scanner in my glove box. along with a HAM radio mounted to the dashboard in my truck.
Quote from: paulthemapguy on March 05, 2017, 11:39:19 AM
Quote from: ET21 on March 03, 2017, 11:12:50 AM
I have 3 ( Midland, crank, and a portable for chasing)
I missed the tornadoes Tuesday due to the dentist :-( :-(
It was pretty much dark by the time most of the bad weather struck, though. Would have been hard to document anything.
I have a crank weather radio. It comes in handy! The USB charging option is nice as well. It didn't get any use in 2016--But I was definitely using it 8/18/15 when a frickin funnel cloud split the sky apart OVER MY HEAD. Most terrifying experience of my life. This was the same tornadic storm that blew right over the National Weather Service office in Romeoville, where THEY had to take cover :-D
I remember that and just watched video of it during a spotter re-certification class this week. They had to briefly transfer warning operations to NWS Lincoln.
I've had a Sangean CL 100 for quite a few yrs. AM/FM clock radio & weather radio. I have it set up so only tornado warnings are audible, we have way too many severe thunderstorms here to put up with an audibles for them, the thunder from a storm wakes me anyway. I have an ap from the local tv station that sends a verbal msg to my cell ph for other weather warnings.
I've had one for many years. I like to play it for a few minutes every morning to catch the local forecast. My NOAA Weather Radio station also gives "travelers' forecasts" for the weather in all of Arizona as well as Las Vegas, L.A. and San Diego. Aside from some of the summer monsoon thunderstorms (which can really go ape), we don't get a lot of severe weather in Phoenix.