Why don't you own a S.A.M.E radio?

Post by **KYgundude** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 10:48 pm

The ONLY answer I consider acceptable is "Actually I do own one". EVERYONE NEEDS TO!

So what is this SAME crap?
First we need to take a step back and learn about the technology SAME improves. It's all about NOAA Weather Radio(NWR). In it's simplest form, NWR is weather reports. /YAWN

I know, there's your phone, the weather channel, the TV, looking out the window etc but this goes much deeper than the weather. The next part of the puzzle here is called "All Hazards". NOAA sends out more than just weather alerts.... Earthquakes, volcanic activity, chemical releases, oil spills, child abductions, nuclear disasters, you name it. If it's a threat to human life "All Hazards" is there to inform you about it.

How does it inform me?
The radios have an alarm on them. They are perfectly silent (Unless you press the weather report button) until a hazard is transmitted at which time the radio "wakes up", sounds an alarm, turns on the radio and you hear the hazard announcement.

These radios have actually been around for quite a few years but in the last several (probably 10) years they have added SAME technology. Specific Area Message Encoding allows you to enter in your county's specific ID so your radio will only go off when the hazard is in your county (You may add additional counties at your discretion). This allows you to keep the radio silent unless it's something close.

So are they expensive?
Nope. Less than a P-Mag at current rates. You can even get the Midland WR100s at most Krogers....

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So let's put it all together....
For less than 40 dollars you can have a device that will alert you/wake you up to advise you of an emergency. A tornado is coming, get in the basement. A tanker truck accident is leaking ammonia into the air in your neighborhood. A rail car carrying spent nuclear fuel heading to Yucca mountain has derailed and been breached. It's amazing all the important things you can be the first to know about.

For under 40 dollars you can have this item to protect yourself and your families life. At that price, can you really afford not to have one?

Post by **86 slo-vo** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 11:15 pm

I've been looking at these for a while, but amazon is now on my no buy list.

Post by **Wyldman** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:14 am

Had one for years, used to keep one in my boat so I could keep up with unpredictable weather in E. Texas. The S.A.M.E. function I had not heard of, so now I guess would be the time to get a newer, upgraded model.

Thanks for posting this!

Post by **Niceguy** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 10:30 am

Thanks for the great info. I will be getting one of these as I live not close to anything and not in hearing range of a weather alert. Most radio stations don't really alert to my local area either.

Post by **KYgundude** » Sun Feb 03, 2013 1:16 pm

Where to find your SAME code:

Kentucky: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/CntyCov/nwrKY.htm
Indiana: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/CntyCov/nwrIN.htm
Everywhere else: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm#sametable

Post by **costellow** » Tue Feb 05, 2013 11:38 pm

I have 2 of these. They rock!

Post by **justang1997** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 9:53 pm

Just bought one at walgreens for $29 bux!!!

Post by **justang1997** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 9:55 pm

also the midland one you linked to on amazon is available at walgreens too for only $34

Post by **KYgundude** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:15 pm

justang1997 wrote:

Just bought one at walgreens for $29 bux!!!

WAY-2GO!!!

Post by **86 slo-vo** » Fri Feb 08, 2013 10:18 pm

justang1997 wrote:also the midland one you linked to on amazon is available at walgreens too for only $34

will have to check that out.

Post by **KYgundude** » Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:44 am

86 slo-vo wrote:
justang1997 wrote:also the midland one you linked to on amazon is available at walgreens too for only $34
will have to check that out.

Check Kroger and Walmart first. Might be closer to 30.

Post by **Kadnine** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:42 pm

Def on my buy list...

For about two years or so I've been working with an account on WeatherCall.com for storm/tornado warnings, and just bought that crank radio for 840 AM weather news in real-time. And a scanner for local emergency services monitoring and some VHF/UHF HAM monitoring. (Sold my shack rig and let my ham license expire when I joined the Corps and got a chance to play with the big radios.)

This seems like it would consolidate many needs into one package, which is nice, but I like to stay diversified. Feel more secure with redundant systems in place. Which is why I panicked a bit over D-cell battery storage last week. (Scanner doesn't get commercial band radio channels, and I don't hack stock electronic radios for legal reasons.)

All of which is to say, "Good lookin' out!" I'll add this to my collection as soon as I have the funds. Money's a little tight right now.

- Keith

Post by **Kadnine** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:03 am

Bought one! Wally World, $29. It's pretty slick.

- Keith

Post by **KYgundude** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 9:49 am

Kadnine wrote:Bought one! Wally World, $29. It's pretty slick.

- Keith

WAY-2-GO!

<Insert witty Tapatalk signature here>

fromkentucky · Post by **fromkentucky** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 3:11 pm

Sweet, added to Wish List.

Post by **Kadnine** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 4:10 pm

They're pretty flippin' awesome. And after the recent thunderstorms in LaGrange? On sale now at Wal-Mart, Kroger and Walgreens. A good investment.

- K

richief · Post by **richief** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 4:26 pm

Have a clock radio one for years, works fine plugged in, but for some reasons eats brand new batteries in a power outage.
I been meaning to research a good batt powered one. Can anyone reccomend based on experience?

Post by **KYgundude** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 4:41 pm

richief wrote:Have a clock radio one for years, works fine plugged in, but for some reasons eats brand new batteries in a power outage.
I been meaning to research a good batt powered one. Can anyone reccomend based on experience?

Kroger has a Midland wr100 or 150 with battery backup. They work great. They also have a battery powered handheld one that I own and is quite good.

Sent via Tapatalk on a tiny screened cell phone so piss off if you don't like my typos

Post by **Kadnine** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 5:38 pm

Mine's an Acu-Rite brand radio from Wal-Mart. Takes alkaline batts (common double A's) and has a plugged in stand which uses A/C power when set on the stand, but doesn't drain the batts. Soon as you pick it up tho, it switches over to D/C power for carrying on the go!

On the stand? No drainage.
Off the stand? AA battery powered.

Works great. Bought it in March and haven't had to replace any batteries yet!

- K

Post by **justang1997** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 6:41 pm

The one I posted is battery back up as well.

Post by **KYgundude** » Thu Jun 20, 2013 7:03 pm

It's great to see a response to this. It's really something you can't afford not to have!!!

Post by **justang1997** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:12 pm

SAME radio got a workout last night. First time I really used it since I got it. I hear it do its weekly test tuesdays at 6 but I was glad to actually see it pop on and work as designed.

Post by **KYgundude** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:16 pm

justang1997 wrote:SAME radio got a workout last night. First time I really used it since I got it. I hear it do its weekly test tuesdays at 6 but I was glad to actually see it pop on and work as designed.

Yeah it's pretty cool. Sometimes it can suck but it's worth it.

Post by **justang1997** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:25 pm

My girls always tell me when i get home if it went off and if it was a test or a storm. They always turn the tv down and stuff when it comes on. Pretty funny.

Post by **KYgundude** » Thu Jun 27, 2013 5:31 pm

justang1997 wrote:My girls always tell me when i get home if it went off and if it was a test or a storm. They always turn the tv down and stuff when it comes on. Pretty funny.

Yours actually sounds the alarm for the test? In Louisville it just lights the orange watch light.

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