New Weather Alert Products

[Michael Nie]

Greetings to the WARN mailing list (and a few other select recipients).
 
Immediately after the tornado that struck the Blue Ash area, WARN began
receiving inquiries about different warning devices that are available for
personal or commercial use.  Quite frankly, the choices were rather
limited.  The choices were the old style weather radios that alert for an
entire metropolitan area covering many counties, or one of the new SAME
programmable weather radios.  Let's face it, one particular electronics
store pretty much had the market cornered.  We heard about a few products
under development.  We strongly feel that NOAA Weather Radio is the best
way to receive severe weather information without sitting in front of the
television 24 hours a day.  (My wife says I have come close to that
before!)
 
Well, I'm happy to say we have now learned of the release of a few new
products.  Each, in its own way, is interesting.  If nothing else, they
give everyone a choice and may create some competition in the market.
------------------
First, there is a portable programmable SAME weather radio manufactured by
Oregon Scientific.  The Model WR102 is a small, battery-operated weather
radio that, like other SAME models, allows you to choose individual
counties for which you wish to receive alerts.  You can see this radio at
http://www.oregonscientific.com/wr102.html.  Oregon Scientific also makes
other models of weather radios.
------------------
Next, we received a few requests for information about radios suitable for
commercial use, specifically warning entire facilities by using a public
address system and the ability to turn on warning lights, etc.  Well,
there is progress on this front, too.  The WX-1000 from Computer
Automation Technology is primarily designed to interface to a radio
repeater system for amateur radio, public safety, or business.  But, the
design of this unit is configurable enough to make it very suitable for
many other applications, like the commercial warning application mentioned
above.  You can see the WX-1000 at http://www.catauto.com/wx1000.html.  It
is also featured in the November issue of CQ VHF magazine, with a decent
technical review.
------------------
Finally, there is the Emergency Alert Sentinel from ASi.  This one is
completely different.  This radio is useful in areas that may not have
sufficient radio signal from a NOAA Weather Radio transmitter.  These
radios monitor a broadcast radio station (AM/FM) and alert you to an
emergency condition.  I don't think you can pick counties, but in a low
NWR signal area this may be just the ticket for personal warning.  You can
view this radio at http://www.netins.net/showcase/asi/.
------------------
Disclaimer:
 
Neither the Weather Amateur Radio Network or the National Weather Service
(Or I) endorse any particular product or its performance or suitability
for any task.  We (WARN) just wanted to pass this information on.  In
light of the number of inquiries received, there seems to be significant
interest in the subject.
 
Mike Nie
Public Information Officer
Weather Amateur Radio Network
mnie at fuse.net
http://www.warn.org
 
 
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