I need to replace my portable weather radio; I use it for car camping and at home, but need a smaller one for taking on overnight paddle trips. Any suggestions?
instead of just a weather radio…
get a handheld VHF radio. That way you get weather and two-way communication, too.
VHF’s
Don’t forget that marine VHF’s can only legally be used from the water. Communicating from one end of a campground to the other is a no-no.
Radio Shack has a nice little hand-held for about $40 as I recall.
Jim
Check out Oregon Scientific models
I have a O.S. weather radio that combines a base station with a handheld weather radio. Base displays indoor/outdoor temp and humidity, forecast, alarm and recharges radio. Model # is WRB308/WR108.
C. Crane Radio
http://www.ccrane.com/
Has a large selection of weather radios, wind-up radios and other electronics.
Couple of options…
1. A VHF marine hand held will give you both the ability to call for help and info when your cell coverage disappears, and they are optimized for the weather bands.
2. Get your Amateur Radio (ham radio)Technician license. Easy 35 question test. My little handheld 4 oz. radio receives everything from shortwave through VHF/UHF (weather bands are VHF)and allows me to transmit on uhf and vhf. Being inland (dallas), VHF marine is not of much use but with ham radio, I can and have made contact through many of the thousands of free repeater stations around the world. You can listen to and participate in actual weather spotter nets to get the real story. And its fun!
Go look in your
– Last Updated: Jun-14-07 9:00 AM EST –
Local Wal-Mart up by the front checkout battery display.
The now have an am/fm weather radio that uses batteries and has a hand crank backup for $15.
The VHF deal is fine if you are heading out sea kayaking, but it sounds like you do more car camping and paddles on rivers and/or lakes. Best communication device if you get into trouble in that situation is a good cell phone .
Been looking at…
this one recently. Picks up marine channels (in australia periodic weather forcasts are given on VHF bandwiths) at maybe a greater range than a handheld VHF will. The Katio KA 1102 SSB is compact,good price and has many features.
http://www.kaitousa.com/KA1102.htm
Net search theres lots around
I second the VHF for the weather
For years I used a little Radio Shack weather radio, and for years there were various places where I couldn’t get any reception.
Last year I bought a VHF, and in some of those same places I was amazed that I could not only get one, but several different channels of good clear reception.
I for one would not go back to a weather radio.
I guess if the cost is a concern, that is another story
Cheers,
jackL