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SAME Standby Mode
The National Weather Service precedes each weather alert with a digitally en-
coded SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) signal, then a 1050 Hz tone.
The SAME signal includes a FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard)
area code, and an event code that corresponds with the type of alert being
sent. You can configure your scanner to operate in SAME Standby mode, where
it monitors a selected weather radio station for SAME alerts for areas you specify.
You can program your scanner with up to 10 FIPS codes for the areas you
desire. The National Weather Service maintains a current list of FIPS codes at
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/.
To configure your scanner for SAME Standby mode, follow these steps:
1. Press
WX
until you identify the weather station with the strongest signal for
your location.
2. Press
FUNC
, and then
PGM
to access the FIPS code entry table.
3. Use the or keys to select the desired FIPS code storage location.
4. Use the numeric keys to enter the desired FIPS code, and then press
ENT
to store the code. Press
TEXT
to label the code entry with an alphanumeric
text table if desired. Repeat this process for all the FIPS codes that you wish
to store.
5. Press
L/OUT
to lock out or enable specific FIPS entries.
6. Press
WX
to exit the FIPS code entry table.
Notes:
• Press
WX
then a number key to quickly review stored FIPS codes. Press
L/
OUT
to toggle lockout status.
• Your scanner can also detect the 1050 Hz weather alert tone when a weather
channel is set as the priority channel and weather priority operation is en-
abled. (see “Priority”). In this mode all alerts are received. FIPS settings are
ignored.
• The scanner sounds an alert or beep when it receives the SAME code. If you
do not stop the alert (or beep) for five minutes, the alert stops and the scan-
ner beeps every ten seconds. If the scanner receives a new message after
five minutes, it sounds the alert or beep. To stop the sound and ready the
scanner to receive a new alert signal before the five minute time out, press
any key except .
• In the SAME mode, if you do not enter the FIPS code, the scanner displays
ALL Codes. In this setting, the scanner receives all alert/warning messages
for receivable areas.
7. Press
FUNC
, and then
WX
to initiate SAME standby. The scanner will moni-
tor the selected weather radio station for alerts with FIPS codes that match
the codes you entered in the FIPS entry table.