NOAA Weather Alert

[KJ5GZR]

I was reading a forum about a false weather alert, and I remembered that two of my radios have a weather alert as well, so here I am.
Could anyone explain to me what the weather alert function on the Icom IC-7100 & the AnyTone 878UVII+ does and how it works?

 

[AK9R]

On most amateur radios with "weather alert", the feature opens the squelch when the radio is tuned to a NOAA station and that station transmits the 1050 Hz alert tone.

 

[KJ5GZR]

So if I were to turn the squelch knob to the max on my Icom ,it would bypass that squelch when an alert went out?

 

[AK9R]

So if I were to turn the squelch knob to the max on my Icom ,it would bypass that squelch when an alert went out?

Interesting question. If the squelch control sets the RF level that signals have to exceed in order to be heard, then its possible that you could turn the squelch up so high that you'll never hear it. Also, if the radio has what is sometimes called "S-meter squelch", the signal would have exceed a certain level on the S meter to be heard.

 

[KJ5GZR]

Ok, that makes sense. I'm going to look into this a little more. Thanks!
Been loving radioreference so far!

 

[AK9R]

BTW, I checked the Icom IC-7100 manual for the Weather Alert function and I think I should change my answer. It appears that when Weather Alert is enabled on the IC-7100, the radio periodically checks the selected weather channel for the 1050 Hz alert tone. So, you could have the radio sitting on your favorite memory channel or the VFO and still be alerted in a "dual watch" sort of operation.

I'll point out that these basic weather alert functions have one major problem in that the function will activate whenever the NOAA station alerts whether the alert is for your county or not. The NOAA station for my area covers 14-15 counties. If all I do is monitor for the 1050 Hz alert tone, I'll hear about weather in counties that are somewhat distant from me. That's why SAME decoders are so useful, but I'm not aware of any radio made for the amateur radio market that has a SAME decoder.

 

[KJ5GZR]

BTW, I checked the Icom IC-7100 manual for the Weather Alert function and I think I should change my answer. It appears that when Weather Alert is enabled on the IC-7100, the radio periodically checks the selected weather channel for the 1050 Hz alert tone. So, you could have the radio sitting on your favorite memory channel or the VFO and still be alerted in a "dual watch" sort of operation.
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I'll point out that these basic weather alert functions have one major problem in that the function will activate whenever the NOAA station alerts whether the alert is for your county or not. The NOAA station for my area covers 14-15 counties. If all I do is monitor for the 1050 Hz alert tone, I'll hear about weather in counties that are somewhat distant from me. That's why SAME decoders are so useful, but I'm not aware of any radio made for the amateur radio market that has a SAME decoder.

I live in Texas, and the NOAA station I listen to seems to only cover Texas, so I may not have that issue. It won't be running much, but may be useful in the future, because it's my go-box radio. Im sure my AnyTone manual will tell me something brief about its alert function.
Thank you!

 

[NeFire242]

If used on the 578 it takes up the sub band entirely so if you want to continue to dual watch that's out because the wx alert will tie it up, and all it will do is a little tone upon an something being issued, it won't unmute or kick open the audio automatically. Guessing the 878 will behave the same way.

Its almost easier to put a channel in with the two tone decode of 1050Hz and scan that channel for something to come out.