Operations
Known as the Voice of NOAA's National Weather Service, NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) is provided as a public service by the NOAA. As of mid-2009, NWR has more than 1000 transmitters serving 95% of the United States' population, covering all 50 U.S. states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and Saipan. NWR requires a special radio receiver or scanner capable of receiving the signal.
The radio service transmits weather warnings and forecasts 24 hours a day. In addition to weather information, NWR works in cooperation with the FCC's Emergency Alert System, providing comprehensive weather and emergency information. In conjunction with federal, state, and local emergency managers and other public officials, NWR also broadcasts warning and post-event information for all types of hazards, including natural (such as earthquakes or avalanches), environmental (such as chemical releases or oil spills), and public safety (such as AMBER alerts or 911 Telephone outages).
Many television stations which have the capability (both commercial and public) will also air their local feed of NWR on their second audio program channel if they aren't carrying a program which features either a Spanish language translation or a Descriptive Video Service track for the visually impaired. Some digital subchannels which carry weather information may also have NWR airing in the background, while regular television stations carry the audio during times they are off-the-air and transmitting a test pattern, in lieu of a reference tone. Most cable systems and some television stations also simulcast a local NOAA Weather Radio station's programming when the Emergency Alert System is activated in the event of a severe weather or civil defense emergency, normally with the issuance of a tornado warning or tornado emergency, especially in tornado-prone areas of the country.
Most stations broadcast on a special VHF frequency band at 162 MHz, which has seven FM channels reserved to weather radio broadcasts. The original frequency was 162.550, with 162.400 and 162.475 being added later. In recent years, the proliferation of stations meant to make sure everyone has access to warnings has pushed that number to seven, now including the "intermediate" channels of 162.425, 162.450, 162.500, and 162.525 MHz. These channels (often numbered in that order) are receivable on special weather radio receivers, available online and at most retail stores, are also found on most marine VHF radio transceivers, amateur radios, and digital scanners. These "weather radios" are available for prices ranging from US$20 and up. In addition, many consumer electronics, such as two-way radios and CB radios, are now being sold with the ability to receive weather radio broadcasts. With the American digital television transition making most existing portable televisions obsolete and unusable and the current infant and development stage of mobile digital television, along with the need to provide a public service to their viewers and encourage the use of the system, many American television station weather operations cooperate with radio manufacturers and local retail outlets to offer weather radios at discounted pricing to viewers (especially in active tornado areas), where the service is often marketed as an essential warning device on par with a smoke detector for home fires.
There are two different channel numbering systems used by various weather radio manufacturers. The first is the chronological sequence that the radio frequencies were allocated to the service: 1=162.550, 2=162.400, 3=162.475, 4=162.425, 5=162.450, 6=162.500, 7=162.525. The second is in simple increasing radio frequency sequence: 1=162.400, 2=162.425, 3=162.450, 4=162.475, 5=162.500, 6=162.525, 7=162.550. In addition, it may be possible to receive weather broadcasts on more than one of the seven channels at a given location. The NWS suggests that users determine which frequency (as opposed to channel) is intended for their specific location so that they are assured of receiving correct information.
NOAA also provides secondary weather information, usually limited to storm warnings on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, to WWV and WWVH, the United States' national time signal broadcaster.
Read more about this topic: NOAA Weather Radio
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