Weather Band on the RV Radio

MarkCinCLT · 10-31-2008, 03:22 PM

Odd question: do the weather bands broadcast continuously? Last year, our radio picked up the weather band. Seemed it was just a computer voice on a loop. Now, we don't get any weather band signal. Doesn't matter where we drive. All other functions of the RV Radio work just fine.

MarkCinCLT · 10-31-2008, 03:22 PM

Odd question: do the weather bands broadcast continuously? Last year, our radio picked up the weather band. Seemed it was just a computer voice on a loop. Now, we don't get any weather band signal. Doesn't matter where we drive. All other functions of the RV Radio work just fine.

SargeW · 10-31-2008, 04:14 PM

Weather bands are broadcasted continuously by stations around the country on various different channels. Usually by scanning the WB channels, the strongest will lock on. If you are getting no signal, the WB section of your radio may be not working. Try contacting the manufacturer and ask if the WB section is repairable.

Sarge

Dave from MN · 11-01-2008, 05:36 AM

I wouldn't be to fast to blame your radio. I have found that their signal is on & off wherever I have been. Really bad this year!

Fakrwee · 11-01-2008, 04:02 PM

We went from Ca. to the East coast this year and reception was spotty at best. We did pick up some reception in a couple of states but in general it was none or garbled.

When we did pick it up it was a recorded loop.

Tom

hamguy · 11-02-2008, 09:25 AM

We travelled extensively this summer. Never once did we not have weather radio. And BTW, they are all recorded loops ASAIK.

BryanL · 11-02-2008, 09:51 AM

See the NOAA Coverage Maps and you can see where the 'dead spots' are. (Nevada has a lot of them!)

Anyone looking at weather radios should also be familiar with NWR Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) as that is a way to use the alert features on some radios.

The content on these stations are updated periodically by local NWS offices. The trend has been from recorded tape loops to computer generated voice readings. I see that the Reno office is now providing weather briefings via internet - slideshows using Flash.

If you are in an area subject to severe weather events such as tornadoes, then a SAME receiver with good controls for alerts can be valuable.