AARoads Forum

Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: 02 Park Ave on September 23, 2014, 05:57:04 PM

Title: NOAA Weather Radio
Post by: 02 Park Ave on September 23, 2014, 05:57:04 PM
Do any motorcar manufacturers offer an NOAA weather radio in their venhicles?

I had heard that MB did at one time.
Title: Re: NOAA Weather Radio
Post by: SteveG1988 on September 23, 2014, 06:33:57 PM
Freightliner does
Title: Re: NOAA Weather Radio
Post by: briantroutman on September 23, 2014, 06:58:23 PM
The only passenger cars I can recall seeing with the NOAA Weather Radio bands are certain late '90s through mid 2000s Subarus. Out of all the rental cars I've had and family and friends cars I've ridden in, not a single other one had that feature. And apparently, no current Subarus offer the feature.

You could get an aftermarket head unit that offers weather bands, such as this one: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_522JHD1630/Jensen-Heavy-Duty-JHD1630B.html

And another alternative would be to get a small battery operated weather radio and carry it in the car with you. That solution wouldn't be as convenient, reception probably wouldn't be as good, and you wouldn't get the audio through the car's speakers, but it would be better than nothing.
Title: Re: NOAA Weather Radio
Post by: oscar on September 23, 2014, 07:28:33 PM
My old 1996 BMW had weather radio integrated with AM/FM and the rest of the stereo system.  That was unusual, and I liked it.
Title: Re: NOAA Weather Radio
Post by: Scott5114 on September 24, 2014, 04:13:09 PM
It would be nice to have, but around here, most of the stations interrupt regular programming with a simulcast of the local television weather coverage if weather is severe enough to warrant it. That makes it less necessary than it would otherwise be.
Title: Re: NOAA Weather Radio
Post by: roadman on September 24, 2014, 08:56:37 PM
An inexpensive portable scanner with WX function attached to the simple "wire on suction cups" antenna that fits on the inside of the windshield would do nicely as well (with few exceptions, portable weather radios don't have a connection for an external antenna).  Haven't yet gotten around to putting a permanent scanner in my current car, so I used this setup during my recent trip to Central Pennsylvania.  Worked quite well.

Like weather radios, most scanners nowadays have the SAME feature, so you don't have to listen to the frequency unless there's severe weather.
Title: Re: NOAA Weather Radio
Post by: cpzilliacus on October 01, 2014, 11:43:46 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on September 24, 2014, 04:13:09 PM
It would be nice to have, but around here, most of the stations interrupt regular programming with a simulcast of the local television weather coverage if weather is severe enough to warrant it. That makes it less necessary than it would otherwise be.

All-news radio stations will usually transmit severe weather warnings and watches, and most of them give weather every 10 minutes anyway.