Weather radio driving me crazy. HELP!

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

162.400 KXI58 is best for you 162.450 WXK24 is second best. But try them all because though they all cover your area, they are beyond the horizon and the antenna may be long term solution after you get the interference sorted.

 

[SheWhoLaughs]

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I've got all those programmed in.

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I am not saying its the BRAIDWOOD NUCLEAR STATION,,, BUT.. You would expect the NWS coverage to be pretty spiffy where you are located.....View attachment 156327

I can shoot an arrow at that nuke plant from my back yard practically. The last tornado went 1/4 mile to the north right past them. Took alot of their trees and destroyed the cemetery..(where my husband is) but the plant was undamaged.

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Interesting, guess things changed. My manual for the WR120 gives a number to call for tech support.


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The Wr120ez manual only lists the number to arrange repair.



So you had a radio, that just stopped working. Then got a new one and it wont receive. They send a replacement and same result, no reception.

First, as outlined in the support section, contact the broadcast center nearest you to confirm they are transmitting.







Do as I did when my scanner would not receive my local trunked system. Put fresh battery in the unit and shut off each breaker in your house. If you all of a sudden get reception, then start figuring out what exactly is on that circuit.

In my case it turned out to be the baby monitor. If it was on, scanner would not receive.

I'm going to try this tomorrow. Although I haven't changed much in the way of electronics since the old radio. Breaker by breaker is a good idea. Thanks. And BTW. The Midland tech support phone number you just get a recorded message telling you to go to the website and do everything by email. A big pain in the you know what.

Of, the link on your profile goes to Texas. And i sensed an accent. Never mind...

Ha! funny. I fixed it now.

 

[dave3825]

I'm going to try your suggestion tomorrow with shutting off the main power. It's dark right now....and I have to move a bookcase to get at the breakers.

If it's easier, just take the units outside and try on battery power.

Also, you said the antenna is on 100 foot wire? Is it coax and if so, what kind? Rg something?

Breaker by breaker is a good idea.

Just remember to disconnect the power cord from the radio and set the volume up high enough so you can hear if it goes from static to voice from where you are at the breakers. Or, call your home phone from cell phone, and leave home phone near radio and listen to cell phone at the breaker panel.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

If it's easier, just take the units outside and try on battery power.

Also, you said the antenna is on 100 foot wire? Is it coax and if so, what kind? Rg something?

She is turning off the breakers to find noise in the house. Good point on the 100 feet of cable.

 

[captaincab]

Did you try eBay looking for a used model of your old one that you know would work?

 

[rabbit108]

I currently have a Midland 120EZ weather radio. Brand new...that I cannot get it to work...... Or what weather radio would you recommend I purchase to be able to get alerts. I'm a 72 yr. old woman whose 93 yr. old mother lives with me. We away to re smack dab in the middle of Tornado alley. In the last 10 years, we have had 3 tornados go through our area within 3 miles and the last one whizzed past us 1/2 mile away. The town we live in is rural, population 600, and has a lot of mobile homes....so I think we are ripe for the pickin' one of these days. I'm on guard all the time with bad weather, but I need a reliable alert radio for the middle of the night. BTW, the NOAA stations surrounding me are 22 miles, 38 miles and 44 miles away. It just baffles me why the old one used to work, and not these. vvvAppreciate any help or suggestions. Christa

Hello, Christa. There an inexpensive way to check the reception of NOAA stations with an RTL-SDR.COM dongle.
Buy RTL-SDR Dongles (RTL2832U)

RTL-SDR Blog V3 R860 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO SMA Software Defined Radio (Dongle Only) (Black)


The V3 comes in black now, as does the V4.

My local NWS with my old V3 and SDRSharp software version 1919 looks like this:



And here is a video. (I use VLC Media Player)
Download and play now:
2024-02-12 20-00-25NOAA_NWS.mp4

Download now; play later:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lbiy..._NWS.mp4?rlkey=qyz4xsacloubofzo39188klpq&dl=1

I live in a retirement facility and the noise level is so high from electronic equipment RFI that I'm often not able to receive the the NWS station. But I do have a way to receive and measure the noise level with an SDRPlay RSP1A SDR when I'm in doubt.

 

[tvengr]

Do you still have the old radio? If it just quit receiving, the programming may still be present in the radio. Does the display still work? There is a cloning port jack on the rear for copying the programming from one radio to another. Here are instructions: Clone Midland Radio WR120B

 

[FKimble]

Check with your county emergency office. They may have a phone app that does the same basically as the weather radio. We also came have our "home" phone called in event of bad weather.

Frank