Radio Shack 7-Channel Weatheradio User manual

Cat. No. 12-249
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before usin
g
this equipment.
7-Channel Weatheradio
with NWR-SAME
Severe-Weather Alert
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This symbol is intended to alert you to the presence of
uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product’s en-
closure that might be of sufficient magnitude to consti-
tute a risk of electric shock. Do not open the product’s
case.
This symbol is intended to inform you that important op-
erating and maintenance instructions are included in
the literature accompanying this product.
The graphical symbols with supplemental markings are on the bot-
tom of the unit.
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.
DO NOT OPEN.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICE-
ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVIC-
ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of
fire or shock hazard, do not ex-
pose this product to rain or mois-
ture.
CAUTION !
!
©1997, 1998 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
RadioShack and Weatheradio are registered trademarks
used by Tandy Corporation.
X-10 is a registered trademark of X-10 (USA) Inc.
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FEATURES
In 1994, the National Oceanic and Aerospace Admin-
istration (NOAA) began broadcasting coded emer-
gency weather signals that identify the specific
geographic area (such as a county) affected by an
emergency. Until that time, such specific emergency
weather information was sent in other ways (over
land wire, for example) to other communication out-
lets (such as radio stations), then broadcast to the
public on AM or FM radio frequencies or on TV.
NOAA transmits the coded weather emergency sig-
nals using a technique called Specific Area Message
Encoding, or SAME. Your RadioShack 7-Channel
Weatheradiowith NWR-SAME (National Weather
Radio-SAME) Severe-Weather Alert is specially de-
signed to receive these SAME transmissions.
The Weatheradio’s SAME technology circuitry lets
you program it with up to 15 predefined state/county
codes and receive emergency weather alert broad-
casts that notify you of weather warnings, watches,
statements — about 30 different types — for only
those areas. You can set the Weatheradio to sound
an alert when it receives a SAME emergency signal,
and you can adjust the alert volume.
The Weatheradio also comes preprogrammed with
the seven NOAA broadcast frequencies, so you can
select the channel that is broadcast in your area and
listen to general weather information 24 hours a day.
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The Weatheradio’s features include:
Alert Function — lets you set the Weatheradio to
sound an alert when it receives a weather emergency
broadcast from NOAA.
SAME Operation — lets you program up to 15 differ-
ent FIPS (Federal Information Processing System)
codes into the Weatheradio’s memory. Each FIPS
code identifies a specific geographic area (defined by
the NWS), so your Weatheradio sounds an alert
when a weather emergency is declared in only those
locations. This helps you track the weather conditions
in and around your area.
8-Character Liquid Crystal Display — clearly dis-
plays as digital characters items such as channel
numbers and alert status descriptions (TORNADO
WARNING, FLOOD WATCH, and so on).
Alert Status Indicators — different-colored indica-
tors let you determine at a glance the type of alert re-
ceived (red is for a warning, yellow is for a watch, and
green is for a statement).
7 Channels — let you select the frequency for your
local NOAA weather broadcasts.
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Adjustable Display Backlight — makes the display
easy to read in low light situations. You can set the
light to turn on for about 10 seconds when you press
a key, or remain on until you turn it off.
Alert Volume Control — lets you adjust the volume
of the alert so you will be sure to hear it.
External Alert Terminals — let you connect an ex-
ternal controller system (such as a Plug ’n Power or
X-10system) to the Weatheradio and set that sys-
tem to indicate an alert based on signals received by
the Weatheradio. This is useful for ensuring you can
hear or see the alert in a location (such as the ga-
rage) that might be some distance from where you in-
stalled the Weatheradio.
External Antenna Connector — lets you connect an
optional external antenna to the Weatheradio to im-
prove reception (in remote areas, for example).
We recommend you record your Weatheradio’s serial
number here. The number is on the bottom of the ra-
dio.
Serial Number:
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CONTENTS
Preparation ...................................................................... 7
Connecting Power ..................................................... 7
Connecting AC Power ....................................... 8
Installing a Back-Up Battery .............................. 9
Using the Antenna ................................................... 11
Connecting an External Antenna .................... 11
Getting Started .............................................................. 12
Understanding the FIPS Code ................................ 12
Obtaining Your Area’s FIPS Code(s) ............... 13
Programming the Weatheradio ............................... 14
Using the Weatheradio’s “All
Signals” Code ................................................. 19
Choosing a Location and Mounting
the Weatheradio .............................................. 20
Operation ....................................................................... 22
Listening to the Weather Broadcast ........................ 23
Using the Alert Function .......................................... 24
Setting the Alert Volume .................................. 25
Checking/Changing the Alert Pattern .............. 25
When a Weather Alert Occurs ........................ 27
NWS Weather Alert Descriptions .................... 28
Reviewing Overlapping Alerts ......................... 32
When a Test or Demo Alert Occurs ................. 33
Locking Out Undefined (New or Commercial)
Weather Descriptions ...................................... 34
Special Features ............................................................ 37
Using Continuous Backlight .................................... 37
Connecting the Weatheradio to an
External System ...................................................... 38
Troubleshooting ............................................................ 40
Care ................................................................................ 44
The FCC Wants You to Know .................................. 46
Specifications ................................................................ 47
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PREPARATION
CONNECTING POWER
Your Weatheradio uses standard AC power for nor-
mal operation. For back-up power (when AC power
fails or is temporarily disconnected), your Weathera-
dio requires a 9V battery (not supplied). For the best
performance and longest life, we recommend an al-
kaline battery, such as RadioShack Cat. No. 23-553.
Notes:
• A fresh back-up battery will power the Weathera-
dio for up to 1 hour with the weather broadcast
turned on (see “Listening to the Weather Broad-
cast” on Page 23) or up to 8 hours in alert
standby mode (see “Using the Alert Function” on
Page 24). For normal use, however, we recom-
mend you always connect the Weatheradio to
AC power.
• If you disconnect the Weatheradio from AC
power and you will not be using the Weatheradio
for several days, remove the back-up battery. A
battery can leak chemicals that damage your
Weatheradio’s electronic parts.
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Connecting AC Power
1. If the Weatheradio is on, turn VOLUME to the
right until it clicks to turn the Weatheradio off.
2. Plug the Weatheradio’s power cord into a stan-
dard AC outlet.
Caution: Your Weatheradio’s power cord has a
polarized plug (one blade is wider than the
other). If you have difficulty inserting the plug into
the outlet, do not force it! Turn the plug over and
try again.
OFF
VOLUME
MAX
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Installing a Back-Up Battery
Cautions:
• Use only a fresh battery of the required size and
recommended type.
• We recommend you
not use a rechargeable bat-
tery.
1. If the Weatheradio is on, turn VOLUME to the
right until it clicks to turn the Weatheradio off.
2. Press in the tab on the battery compartment
cover and lift the cover up to remove it.
3. Snap a battery onto the battery terminals inside
the compartment, then put the battery in the
compartment.
4. Replace the cover.
Tab
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When REPLACE (then) BATTERY appears, replace
the battery.
Note: REPLACE BATTERY also appears if no bat-
tery is installed and the Weatheradio is turned on and
connected to AC power.
Caution: Never leave a dead or weak battery in the
Weatheradio. Dispose of an old battery promptly and
properly; do not bury or burn it.
STATEMENT WATCH WARNING
ALERT LEVEL
STATEMENT WATCH WARNING
ALERT LEVEL
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USING THE ANTENNA
For the best reception at all times,
lift up the Weatheradio’s built-in
telescoping antenna so it is verti-
cal, then fully extend it.
Connecting an External Antenna
To improve reception (in remote areas, for example),
you can connect an external antenna using an adapt-
er cable (RadioShack Unlimited Cat. No. 11806437,
not supplied) with a phono plug to the Weatheradio’s
EXT ANT jack. Your local RadioShack store sells a
wide variety of antennas.
To connect an external antenna to the Weatheradio,
connect one end of the adapter cable to EXT ANT on
the Weatheradio and connect the other end to the
phono plug on the antenna. Then lower the Weath-
eradio’s telescoping antenna.
EXT ANT
OPERATE
PROGRAM
MODE ALARM OUT
+–
EXT ANT
OPERATE
PROGRAM
MODE ALARM OUT
+–
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GETTING STARTED
UNDERSTANDING THE FIPS
CODE
The NWS divides the United States by state and
county (or parish, where applicable), then assigns a
6-digit “FIPS” (Federal Information Processing Sys-
tem) code to identify each county/parish for the pur-
pose of broadcasting weather conditions. For
example, the code for Tarrant County, Texas, is
048439.
The first digit in a FIPS
code identifies the coun-
ty subdivision, the next
two digits identify the
state, and the last three
digits identify the county
itself. For example:
Note: Most FIPS codes begin with 0, which means
that FIPS code represents an entire county. The
NWS, however, eventually plans to subdivide some
large counties. When that happens, each subdivision
will be assigned a digit from 1–9, resulting in codes
such as 148439, 248439, and so on.
Your Weatheradio is preset to receive all SAME alert
signals broadcast within about a 50-mile radius of
where you installed it. To receive SAME alerts and
broadcasts about weather occurring only in particular
counties within that area, you can program up to 15
048439
State
County Subdivision
County
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FIPS codes into the Weatheradio’s memory. That
way, for example, you can avoid an alert that applies
to an area within that 50-mile radius but not in your
county.
Obtaining Your Area’s FIPS Code(s)
To obtain the FIPS code for the location where you in-
stalled the Weatheradio, contact your local Ra-
dioShack store or call the NWS toll free at:
1-888-NWR-SAME
(1-888-697-7263)
If you call the NWS, follow the instructions you hear.
Note: If you are close to a county/parish line(s), you
might want to obtain the codes for any other counties/
parishes you are close to.
Hint: Since you can program up to 15 FIPS codes
into the Weatheradio’s memory, you might want to
obtain the codes for other local areas that you travel
through to work (as long as those areas are within a
50 mile radius of your location and within an area cov-
ered by your local NWS broadcast station). That way,
you can program those codes into the Weatheradio
and receive broadcasts covering those locations, too.
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PROGRAMMING THE
WEATHERADIO
Note: Some of the Weatheradio’s keys (such as 0–9)
are located under the cover on top of the Weathera-
dio. Lift the cover to access the keys.
The first time you use your Weatheradio, it is auto-
matically set to:
• Use the NOAA weather broadcast frequency
162.400 MHz (Channel 1)
• Receive all SAME alert signals broadcast within
a 50-mile radius of where you installed it
Your Weatheradio is preprogrammed with the seven
national NOAA broadcast frequencies (Channels 1–
7). Depending on your location, you might need to se-
lect a different channel.
To select a different broadcast frequency (if neces-
sary) and store or change FIPS codes in the Weath-
eradio’s memory (to narrow the area in which you
receive SAME alerts), follow these steps.
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1. To turn on the Weatheradio, turn VOLUME to the
left until it clicks. Then set SINGLE/MULTIPLE (on
the bottom of the radio) to SINGLE if you are
entering only one FIPS code or to MULTIPLE if
you are entering more than one.
2. Set PROGRAM/OPERATE to PROGRAM. The
Weatheradio displays the last selected weather
broadcast channel and frequency number.
3. Press WEATHER to turn on the weather broad-
cast (if necessary), then turn VOLUME to adjust
the volume so you can hear the broadcast as you
make your selection.
EXT ANT
OPERATE
PROGRAM
MODE ALARM OUT
+–
OFF
VOLUME
MAX
OFF WEATHER ALERT
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Note: If you do not press a key for about 45 sec-
onds during Steps 4–8, the Weatheradio exits
the programming mode, and saves only those
changes stored before the last keypress. To con-
tinue, set PROGRAM/OPERATE back to OPERATE,
then start over at Step 2.
4. Press a number key
(1–7) to listen to the
broadcast on that
channel. The Weath-
eradio displays the
selected channel and
its corresponding fre-
quency.
Repeat this step until
you find the channel
broadcasting in your
area.
Note: If you receive a NOAA broadcast on more
than one channel, the one with the best reception
might not be the one broadcasting information for
your location. Contact your local RadioShack
store or NWS office to find out which frequency
NOAA is using to broadcast from the station
nearest your location, then select that channel.
Channel Frequency
(MHz)
1 162.400
2 162.425
3 162.450
4 162.475
5 162.500
6 162.525
7 162.550
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5. Press YES three times. The Weatheradio dis-
plays the FIPS code stored in the first memory
position.
6. To change the code in the first memory position,
press YES so ------ appears.
To add or change a code in a different position,
repeatedly press NO until you see the first
unused memory position or the code you want to
change, then press YES so ------ appears.
7. Use the number keys (0–9) to enter the 6-digit
FIPS code you want to store.
Notes:
• If you make a mistake while entering the code,
press NO to clear all digits (so ------ reap-
pears), then enter the correct digits.
STATEMENT WATCH WARNING
ALERT LEVEL
OFF
VOLUME
MAX
4
7 8
56
9
NO
0
YES
OFF WEATHER ALERT
STATEMENT WATCH WARNING
ALERT LEVEL
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• To reset the Weatheradio to receive all SAME
signals within a 50-mile radius, simply enter
the code 99 in the first memory position. See
“Using the Weatheradio’s ‘All Signals’ Code”
on Page 19.
• For easy reference, write down each FIPS
code you store in memory on the label located
beneath the Weatheradio’s keypad cover.
8. Press YES to store the code in the Weatheradio’s
memory.
If you set SINGLE/MULTIPLE to MULTIPLE, the
code (if any) stored in the next memory position
appears on the display. Repeat Steps 4–6 for
each code (up to 15) you want to change or add.
When you press YES to store a code in the last
(15th) memory position, the code you stored in
the first position reappears.
If you set SINGLE/MULTIPLE to SINGLE, the dis-
play does not change.
9. When you finish, set PROGRAM/OPERATE to
OPERATE. The current alert status appears (see
“Using the Alert Function” on Page 24).
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Important: The fact that you get clear reception of a
weather broadcast signal does
not guarantee that an
emergency alert broadcast will trigger your Weathera-
dio’s alert function. Be sure you choose the proper lo-
cation for the Weatheradio (see “Choosing a Location
and Mounting the Weatheradio” on Page 20) and reg-
ularly check the Weatheradio to be sure it is operating
properly (see “When a Test or Demo Alert Occurs” on
Page 33).
Using the Weatheradio’s “All Signals”
Code
This Weatheradio is preset to use a default “all sig-
nals” code of 99, which lets it receive all SAME broad-
casts within a 50-mile radius. (This code is unique to
your Weatheradio — it is
not a FIPS code.)
The first time you program the Weatheradio, you re-
place the “all signals” code (in the first memory posi-
tion) with a specific NWS FIPS code. To reset the
Weatheradio to use the “all signals” code again, sim-
ply follow Steps 1, 2, and 5–9 in “Programming the
Weatheradio” on Page 14, and store 99 in the first
memory position in Step 6.
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CHOOSING A LOCATION AND
MOUNTING THE WEATHERADIO
You can set your Weatheradio on any flat surface
(such as a shelf or counter top), or you can mount it
on a wall using the supplied mounting bracket and
two screws (not supplied) with heads that fit the key-
hole slots on the mounting bracket.
For your Weatheradio to be effective, however, be
sure you place the Weatheradio where:
• It can receive alert signals (see “When a Test or
Demo Alert Occurs” on Page 33)
• You can hear its alert tone (see “Setting the Alert
Volume” on Page 25)
Note: You can also connect the Weatheradio to an
external module interface, then set the interface to in-
dicate an alert (sound a buzzer or flash a light, for ex-
ample) on a connected appliance when the
Weatheradio receives an emergency alert broadcast.
See “Connecting the Weatheradio to an External Sys-
tem” on Page 38.
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