SAN ANTONIO – In an era where connectivity is crucial, NOAA weather radios stand out as a vital tool for safety, providing round-the-clock alerts and updates from the National Weather Service (NWS), even in the most remote areas.
The main purpose of NOAA weather radios is to relay warnings, watches or advisories from the NWS.
They also give 24-hour radio reports from the NWS.
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NOAA weather radios can function when plugged in, powered by batteries, or even through hand-cranking or solar energy.
NWS meteorologists call this an added layer of protection for you and your family.
They are regarded as a dependable source in areas lacking cell reception because they operate on line-of-sight signals, utilizing antennas to receive radio transmissions.
The signal is pretty reliable. If you go to this NWS website, it shows the map of where that signal reaches for every county, even in some of the most remote areas.
You can get them for $40 from Academy, you can also get them on Amazon for as cheap as $28.
How they work:
- Set up your location. Some have locations already built in, like the Midland NOAA Weather Alert Radio purchased from Academy. You can set the city and state that you want to connect with.
- You can also manually put in your SAME location code number. For example, Bexar County’s is 048029. You can find your county number on the NWS website.
- You can also manually put in your county’s frequency number, which is similar to a radio station. Bexar County’s frequency is 162.550, also found on the NWS website.
- You can test your radio every Wednesday between 10-11 a.m., when NWS tests signals.
- Make sure your antenna is out and facing up.
QUICK WEATHER LINKS
- Download FREE KSAT Weather Authority App: Up-to-date forecast information and livestreams from trusted local meteorologists.
- KSAT Connect: Share your weather photos.
