Weatheradio with Alert
(120-0251) Features Faxback Doc. # 57507
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or shock hazard, do not expose this
product to rain or moisture.
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover or
back. No user-serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to
qualified personnel.
Graphical symbols with supplemental markings are located on the bottom of
the product.
FCC Declaration Of Conformity
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Product: Weatheradio with Alert
Model: 12-251
Responsible Party: RadioShack
100 Throckmorton
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
Phone: 817-415-3200
The FCC Wants You To Know
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a
Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and
used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference
to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference
to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures;
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
Consult your local RadioShack store or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.
If you cannot eliminate the interference, the FCC requires that you stop
using your Weatheradio.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by RadioShack may cause
interference and void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
Features
Your RadioShack Weatheradio with Alert is the next generation of weather
alert technology. Your Weatheradio uses SAME (Specific Area Message
Encoding) circuitry to provide more complete information about weather
conditions in your immediate area, letting you avoid hearing alerts for
geographical areas that do not interest you.
Your Weatheradio's features include:
SAME Operation - lets you program as many as two different
geographical codes into the Weatheradio's
memory, so the Weatheradio sounds an alert
only when a weather emergency is declared in
any of those locations.
Audible Alert - the Weatheradio sounds a built-in siren when
it detects emergency weather situations.
7 Weather Channels - lets you select the frequency for your local
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) weather broadcasts.
Selectable Alert Function - lets you set the Weatheradio so it sounds an
alert then automatically sounds the
accompanying NOAA broadcast when it receives a
weather emergency broadcast. You can also set
the Weatheradio so it sounds only the alert,
letting you manually tune the NOAA broadcast.
Alert Indicator Lights - the Weatheradio's display clearly shows
whether a received alert is a statement, a
watch, a warning, or an emergency.
Battery Backup - the Weatheradio uses a 9-volt battery (not
supplied) for backup power if AC power fails
or is temporarily disconnected.
Alert Volume Control - lets you adjust the volume of the siren so you
will be sure to hear it.
We recommend you record your Weatheradio's serial number here. The number
is on the bottom of the radio.
Serial Number: ________________________
How Your Radio Works
Traditional weather radios simply receive NOAA's weather broadcast
(usually within a 50-mile radius) then sound an alarm if any emergency
code was transmitted along with the broadcast. This means that people who
live outside an affected area are often alerted even when their area is
not affected, causing many of them to ignore potentially real weather
warnings that can save lives.
In 1994, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric administration (NOAA) began
broadcasting coded signals called FIPS (Federal Information Processing
System) codes along with their standard weather broadcasts from stations
in your area. These codes identify the type of emergency and the specific
geographic area (such as a county) affected by the emergency. Your
Weatheradio receives, interprets, and displays information about the codes
so you can determine if the emergency might affect your area. Only SAME
compatible weather radios (such as this Weatheradio) are able to take
advantage of this new technology.
Each FIPS code identifies a specific geographic area (defined by the
National Weather Service), so your Weatheradio sounds an alert only when a
weather emergency is declared in that area. This helps you more
efficiently track the weather conditions in and around your area.
When A Weather Alert Occurs
When the Weatheradio receives a weather alert:
It sounds the built-in siren.
An indicator on the front of the Weatheradio lights.
WARNING: The NWS uses sophisticated weather models to determine an alert's
effective time. However, the end of an alert does not necessarily
mean that the related weather emergency is over.
Understanding FIPS Codes
For the purpose of broadcasting weather information, the NWS has divided
the United States into regions by state and county (or parish, where
applicable) then assigned a 6-digit FIPS code to identify each county or
parish. For example the code for Tarrant County, Texas, is 048439.
The first digit in a FIPS code identifies the county subdivision, the next
two digits identify the state, and the last three digits identify the
county or parish.
Note: Most FIPS codes begin with 0, which means the code represents an
entire county. The NWS, however, plans to eventually subdivide
some large counties. When that happens, each subdivision will be
assigned a digit from 1-9, resulting in codes such as 148439, and
so on.
Your Weatheradio can 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 two FIPS codes into the Weatheradio's memory.
For example, this lets you avoid hearing an alert that applies to an area
within a 50-mile radius but not necessarily to your county or parish.
Obtaining Your Area's FIPS Code(s)
To obtain the FIPS code for the location where you installed your
Weatheradio, contact your local RadioShack 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 or parish line, you might want to
obtain the codes for the nearby counties or parishes.
Hint: Since you can program up to two FIPS codes into the Weatheradio's
memory, you might want to obtain the code for another local area
that you frequently travel through (as long as both areas are
within a 50 mile radius of your location and within an area covered
by your local NWS broadcast station). That way, you can program
the code into the Weatheradio and receive broadcasts covering that
location, too.
(BR EB 11/11/99)
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