How
Y
our W
eat
heradio
W
o
rks
3
HOW YOUR
WEATHERADIO
WORKS
Traditional weather radios simply
receive the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
weather broadcast, and then sound an
alarm if an emergency code is
transmitted along with the broadcast.
This means that people outside an
affected area are often alerted even
though their area is not affected,
causing some to ignore weather
warnings that apply to their area.
In 1994, NOAA began broadcasting
signals called FIPS (Federal
Information Processing System) codes
along with their standard weather
broadcasts. These codes identify the
type of emergency and the specific
geographic area (such as a county)
affected by the emergency. Your
Weatheradio receives, interprets, and
displays FIPS code information so you
can determine if the emergency affects
your area. Only SAME-compatible
weather radios are able to take
advantage of this technology.
Each FIPS code identifies a specific
geographic area defined by the
CONTENTS
How Your
Weatheradio Works .......... 3
Weather Alerts .............. 4
Locking Out Undefined
Weather Descriptions ... 4
Understanding
FIPS Codes .................. 5
Obtaining Your Area’s
FIPS Code(s) ................ 6
Preparation ....................... 6
Connecting to AC Power 7
Installing the Backup
Battery .......................... 7
Using the Antenna ........ 8
Connecting an
External Antenna .......... 9
Choosing a Location .... 9
Connecting to an
External System ......... 10
Testing the
Weatheradio ............... 10
Programming ................. 11
Channel Setup ............ 12
Alert Type Setup ......... 13
Missed Alert Reminder 14
Signal Loss Reminder 15
Response Location ..... 15
Tone Defeat ................ 18
Operation ........................ 21
Setting the Clock
and Alarm ................... 22
Listening to a Weather
Broadcast ................... 24
Using the Alert ........... 24
Setting Alert Tone Level 24
Viewing Multiple Alerts 25
Troubleshooting ............. 27
The FCC Wants
You To Know .................. 28
Specifications ................ 29
NWS Alert Descriptions .. 30
