Weather Alert?

[alamo5000]

I am scheduled for my technician test this saturday. Hopefully I do well.

That being said, I think I will do fine, hence I am window shopping for various radios.

I see one, a Kenwood TM-V71A as a potential contender...I am asking about that radio in specific but I am also asking about HAM radios in general.

It says on the advertisement that it has 'Weather Alert'. What does this mean specifically?

I see other radios that do not have this 'function' listed...part of the reason for me wanting to be a HAM is due to occassional extreme weather....if I chose that radio listed above, how does that function work? I was under the impression that most HAM radios could listen in to the weather and all that sorts of stuff.

Is the Kenwood system special? As you can tell I am brand new at all of this.

 

[K9WG]

The weather alert feature scans the NOAA frequencies and if it detect the 1050hz tone alerts you to hazardous weather.

Some of the newer scanning receivers have the SAME alert system where you can specify the type of alert and specific counties

Hope this helps.

73 de Rich - K9WG

 

[ranger821]

I have a V71A and really like it. Be aware of the sound from the radio is LOUD if you have the radio volume turned up a little. I am hard of hearing but when it went off the first time, it scared the you know what out of me , the wife, and my 2 little dogs about went crazy. You will love the V71A.

 

[alamo5000]

So, the radio I mentioned above will scan the spectrum until it hears the tone associated with extreme weather.

Now, with other radios... lets say the new Yaesu 350AR for example (another potential one on my list)...how does one listen for extreme weather with that model (or any other model) that doesn't have the advertised function mentioned above?

 

[redshift]

Scan 162.400 - 162.550. You'll find the station in your area with the best signal, then listen. You'll have to be listening to hear the message -- the radio won't alert for you if it isn't scanning for that tone. That's why it's nice to have the WX alert function -- you don't have to listen to the same recorded message over and over again -- the radio will only open the squelch for you when it detects that alert tone.