I recently purchased an Oregon Scientic WR 103 and was very disappointed. When the first storm that came through after purchase, I was excited to see it work. It got the NWS alert signal, turned itself on, and broadcast the alert. OK its working just fine, I thought. Then came the first nearby lightning strike. Instantly the radio lost all power and memory, including the NOAA channel and county codes. No other appliances in my home were affected. I called Oregon Scientific; customer service said that it was defective and should be replaced.
I received a replacement a few days later. I programmed the new one and used if for ten minutes. In the first ten minutes the Oregon Scientific radio lost all memory three times. I don’t want to have to depend on this usit in a storm. This one went back too.
Have you any experience with similar products that did work as advertised? Do you have a portable (suitable for paddling with) NOAA radio that you are pleased with?
Thanks
VHF
You could hit two birds with one stone if you get a VHF with weather and alert functions built in, like the Icom M1V or M88.
Absolutely
Marine VHFs also provide much better weather station reception than The O.S. weather radios. Their base station radios is OK, but the handheld is basically useless. You're better off to put the $50-$60 toward a decent submersible VHF. Then you've got not only an excellent weather radio, but also a means of communicating with other vessels or contacting help if necessary.
our friend does lakes and slow
rivers so a vhf might be overkill or not so useful.
perhaps the midland one fron here might be a better value. Oregon sci radios are cheap and not so good.
I’d buy the midland one fron llbean or anyone else with a similar attitude towards replacing defective stuff, if the vhf was to expensive for me.
I Also Vote VHF
Any specific brand model
Thanks for the info.
I’d consider getting a VHF marine radio, if the weather function was really superior. I don’t really need the VHF part though. Are these capable of the alert mode that the dedicated weather radios have? Any specific brands or models recommended? Do you need an FCC license to operate?
As noted, all of my paddling is done in lakes and quite rivers.
Thank you.
The radio is superior
Either of the icom radios that nystrom mentions will be waterproof which is nice on a kayak. My marine vhf gets much better reception than my oregon sci older generation weather radio.
What about this
Isn’t it true that it is illegal to transmit on a vhf radio on any waters other than very large bodies of water like the ocean or a bay? He could only use it as a reciever.
Marine VHF is usless inland
on streams,rivers,and lakes, no one is listening. I have a friend who says even on Lake Erie his VHF handheld is little or no use.
There are plenty of weather radios out there but for my use I bought a two pack of "Hello Moto" (Motorola) Talkabout FRS/GMRS NOAA weather radios that kill two birds with one stone. They recieve all NOAA weather channels and weather alerts and can also transmit to whoever you are boating with up to 12 miles line of sight at high power. And can be used in conjunction with anyone who has a FRS 22 channel radio. They are not waterproof but neather is the Oregon Scientific. You do not need a licence if you stay on FRS only stations (Low power) which is still good for 3 miles on open water so you can talk to members of your group. http://support.radioshack.com/support_tutorials/communications/cfq-rdio04A.htm
You can pick up 2 cheaper models of these radios for as little as http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=frs+gmrs+weather+radios&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=ff&oi=froogler.
If you’re not going to use it…
…for communication, there are probably better choices. I’ve seen good quality FM radios with weather channels, but I don’t know whether they’re better than the OS weather radios.
I’ve got a Jensen
FM radio with weather band.
But when I try to tune in the weather band, I seem to just get the strongest FM station i nhte area bleeding over.
It’s useful only as a garage/workshop radio.
NO fcc requirement and illegal
to use on non navigable waters. (whatever that is). Absolutely legan on navibalbe rivers and useful to call the lock operators.
To use in canada you should have I license unless you are just a visitor. learn protocols anyway, worth while.