Is a dedicated weather radio worth it?
Posted by VviFMCgY@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 72 comments
I have quite a few HT's that I can tune in, however I never use them for weather
Is something like the Midland - WR120B - NOAA Emergency Weather Alert Radio worth it?
I live in Houston TX
Agitated_Basket7778@reddit
Yes.
One dedicated radio to receive WX radio lets you leave it on ALL THE TIME!.
If you try to use a single radio for multiple functions (dispatch, operations/tactical, etc) and Weather, you will likely miss important weather broadcasts.
Also, list price on those Midland WR-120's is like $40 to $50. Very cheap but effective insurance.
Intrepid_Advice4411@reddit
You live in Houston. Tornados? Cold snaps? Hurricanes? You need a weather radio. Take the time to program it for your area and what alerts you want. I had to turn flash flood alerts off. We live in a county with a river that goes over it's banks several times a year, but we live no where near the flood zone. Got tired of that waking up up at 3am. Lol!
Keep it plugged in and keep the back up batteries in it for power outages.
Chicagogally@reddit
This comment seems a little sad right now given what’s happened
Jonathan_Levi@reddit
JustinJFoxbody@reddit
Yes, in my old truck I have one on my CB radio so I’ll always have one near me, as well as my phone, and one in my home. I need to eventually add a cb radio to my new daily driver
Eredani@reddit
Yes
FlashyImprovement5@reddit
A radio yes. It doesn't have to be a weather radio.
If you have ever sent long term without power, a radio can really fill the silence.
And you didn't want to be using your phone for entertainment and running the battery down.
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
I will most likely never lose power or internet, so entertainment is no problem
Pyode@reddit
What universe do you live in and how do I get there?
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
The universe where you prepare for those events?
You're living in it! Just plan accordingly
Pyode@reddit
Planning accordingly is having backup batteries for your lights and basic things for when the power goes out and books or downloaded movies for when the Internet does.
But you said these things won't go out at all for you which doesn't make sense.
MAYBE if you are full off grid with your own independent power generation (something only very few people can pull off) but even that isn't impervious.
But Internet is always going to be reliant on an external grid by definition, so that one makes NO sense to me. Even Starlink can have outages.
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
For power
I honestly cannot see a sitation where I don't have power for my devices
For Internet
So, I can't really think of a way I'd lose internet either
Anon0118999881@reddit
Well you're definitely living life large lol. I don't have that kind of money in apartment living, but finally got UPS's for my systems. When the lights went out after a hurricane, comcast also went down about 20 minutes after. Then cell towers about 10 minutes after. Calls did not work, data did not work, texts did not work, this is on Tmo 5G, though I ended up changing APN settings temporarily to 2G and suddenly I could send texts again. Supposedly this is a limited time thing though as the idiots are getting approval to shut off old systems despite them being more reliable in these kinds of situations.
The starlink is a nice touch, provided that you can get data access through the storm layer or once it passes.
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
T-Mobile cut a deal here in Houston to remove generators from some sites while adding backup battery to ALL sites, saying it would be better.
Sure, its better when the power is out for only a few hours
Don't hold you're breath it will be better, I would jump ship. Verizon was up and reliable the entire time
Anon0118999881@reddit
Sounds about right. Not sure if it was a mix of things getting overloaded or just shit technology in general, but in the suburbs the cell towers all but go down in an extended outage like that once the time gets past T+4 hour wise.
Pyode@reddit
So you can loose power. You just have good backups. Backups that will eventually run out if you are without grid power for long enough depending on how you ration your usage, which it sounds like you don't intend to do because you are talking about running electrical entertainment devices.
The way you originally phrased it sounded like you wouldn't lose power at all.
I don't claim to be an expert on how the Internet works, but I would guess all of these services eventually rely on some common connections that can go out in a large enough natural disaster. Even Starlink needs to transmit to a ground station that patches into the greater "Internet".
Your 5G is going to be nearly unusable in a disaster when every person in the area immediately starts using it simultaneously when their power goes out and their wifi dies.
It sounds like you have a great setup and I'm honestly jealous. But I would never say you can't lose power or Internet.
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
Absolute worst case situation everything is down, no gas, no nothing, I still have over 18kw of PV. So unless the sun goes away, I will have power
There is enough redundancy and mix of connections here that I most likely will not lose internet. Starlink does require ground stations, however the ground station I connect to would not also impact a hurricane hitting Houston, and Starlink can hop to a different ground station now, so not much of a concern
Incorrect. A homeless person broke into an AT&T cabinet about 12 hours before Hurricane Beryl made landfall, and cut a bunch of fiber. So the outage was not the cause of Beryl, but it took a week to fix because of all the destruction.
I ran with Verizon 5G as my primary WAN for the entire week, and it was perfectly fine. We were watching YouTube and working from home every day, with zero issues
T-Mobile on the other hand, is useless
Pyode@reddit
I hope you're right.
Pyode@reddit
A) I didn't downvote you.
B) I did respond. It's not like I went a day without responding. It was 20 fucking minutes.
Get a grip.
FlashyImprovement5@reddit
Most places have brown outs. You never know when those will happen
leicanthrope@reddit
I live in one of the ten largest metro areas in the US, and our power grid has seizures every time a moderate storm blows through. (It's one of the most forested cities, and it's quite fond of above ground power lines.)
Pbandsadness@reddit
Our power used to go out every time a bird took a shit three states away. The power grid here is very unstable. In the first year here, our power went out more times than in 10 years at my previous residence. It has improved a bit recently. Idk what the power company is doing, but I'll take it.
leicanthrope@reddit
I might just steal that line...
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
Me too, so I planned accordingly
We are in /r/preppers right? Or am I missing something
leicanthrope@reddit
"I will most likely never lose power or internet" read to me like you were especially confident in your area's power grid, and weren't worried about it.
Rogerdodger1946@reddit
No weather where they are located, apparently.
Beebjank@reddit
FWIW I have a Baofeng GT-3WP that I haven't charged in maybe 2 years. I turned it on the other day to listen to my local weather broadcast for a good bit without any issues.
PrepMates@reddit
Definitely worth it. I opt for a crank powered ones. Compact, no need for spare batteries.
funnysasquatch@reddit
These days - you only need a radio for backup.
We had a tornado last week.
Just on my phone I was alerted by 3 separate weather apps, iPhone alerts and reverse 911.
It would make sense to have a radio because if you have complete grid failure such as what happened in Portugal, there's a reasonable chance that radio stations will be how you get news.
Anon0118999881@reddit
Definitely good for backup. For reference I also live in Houston TX like OP. EAS alerts have been hit and miss and IIRC I don't think we have reverse 911 here, or at least I haven't seen it used yet personally.
I have the hand crank one from Midland and it came in handy during the extended power outages from last year's hurricane. Here when the power goes out, the internet and cell phone data usually go out with it too, making looking anything up useless. That FM function and tuning into the local NPR station was the sole lifeline to the outside world that I had for about half a day.
PrisonerV@reddit
Exactly, and I get the alerts on my phone before the sirens even sound.
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
Alerts where I live are hit or miss. Last year we had tornados in the county twice with only warnings from NOAA. Once this year the text and phone warnings were 15 minutes late. Seems like NOAA has there shit together and local forecasters don't. And it's a decent size city population over 1 million.
PrisonerV@reddit
IF alerts were hit or miss in my area, I'd definitely get have a weather radio. As it is though, I think anyone with a smart phone around my area is kinda wasting their time with one.
I've been looking at a small portable AM/FM/SW/WB radio just for emergencies but never quite pull the trigger as I just don't see the need.
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
I just have mine set to go off for tornado warnings, but for all watches and warnings an orange or red light blinks. Good to have for a backup in case cell/internet is out. I only paid about $30 for a used one on Ebay. I also have weather programmed on my Baofengs, but I like having the extra audio warning. We just had a F3 tornado this year pretty close, and several more in the county during other storms.
Aurora1717@reddit
I agree you should still have one for backup. We went through a tornado outbreak in 2019 that took out the closest cell phone tower. We lost cell reception and mobile data until they brought in towers on trucks the next day.
Icy-Cookie-8078@reddit
For the price just get a uv5r and then you have regular fm. Weather and ability to transmit. (If you have a loicence) chill ham bros.
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
I have UV82s with NOAA programmed and usually keep one with me. But I got a stand alone weather radio because I want audio alerts for tornado warnings.
LukaEntropySurvival@reddit
Yes, we like the Kaito brand. I have the KA700 which has a bunch of bells and whistles. Solar / USB charging options, auto activation when weather alerts come in, MP3 player / bluetooth speaker, USB power bank for phone charger. It's pretty awesome.
GADominant1981@reddit
Yes. One at home one for car
PNWoutdoors@reddit
I have GMRS radios with NOAA channels, they work fine. I wouldn't buy something that's only a weather radio.
Rogerdodger1946@reddit
Does your GMRS radio have the alert function and is it on all the time?
PNWoutdoors@reddit
I'm not sure it has the alert function but I doubt it, and no it's not on all the time, that is a nice feature to have.
I just tend to listen to mine for a while in the morning and before bed to understand if there is any risk of anything in the coming day. If the skies turn dark and it looks like the weather will change I'll turn them on and just leave them running so I can listen to what's going on.
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
A weather radio can sound a an alarm and wake you up in the middle of the night, for all sorts of things, there's like 100 emergency codes. You can turn the alarm on or off for any of them.
Aurora1717@reddit
Absolutely. In 2019 the area I lived in was hit by a large outbreak of tornadoes. I had an EF3 go through my backyard and neighborhood. The city apparently couldn't afford to upgrade the tornado sirens at some point so they had just been dismantled and never replaced. One of the tornadoes also hit the nearest cell tower knocking out cell phone reception and mobile data until they brought in mobile towers on trucks the next day.
This essentially left anybody without a weather radio blind to the current conditions. You couldn't hear the outdoor sirens unless you were close enough to the military base because they maintain their own system.
That weather radio kept us informed the entire night because it was operational by battery. The first tornado hit after I had gone to bed, The warning from the radio woke us up.
McRibs2024@reddit
I think they are. Especially after reading about those impacted from Helene.
Personally I have it in a few options right now-
Yaesu ft60r - still working on license but I do listen and bounce around emergency frequencies at night when I have time
I bought a sangean mmr 88 used on eBay- but it was a knock off. Not the end of the world for 20 bucks so that one the kids play with
I’m aiming to get the mmr 99 or midland wr330 soonish as my actual portable em radio for camping and whatnot.
I also just ordered to swap over my time only nightstand clock to a sangean cl 100. I really wanted the SAME option for more local alerts and warnings.
I also enjoy cruising eBay for electronics to snipe a good deal. The cl 100 was 40 bucks with shipping.
AlphaDisconnect@reddit
Is a vhf radio that can hit weather better though. Get the ham cert. Find a local group and get on their repeater. Now you have weather radio and emergency coms.
nakedonmygoat@reddit
In Houston? Heck yes! When Ike blew through in 2008, my husband and I sat in the hallway, listening to the radio stations drop off the air one by one, first FM, then AM. No announcement, they were just suddenly gone. It was eerie. A falling tree had taken out our internet, many satellite towers toppled or were overloaded, and eventually that radio was our only source of information about important things like which bayous had topped their banks, and which areas were experiencing hurricane-spawned tornadoes. Even our own eyes were no help. I've been through three direct-hit hurricanes and the bastards always seem to come at night.
If you'd rather rely only on your phone, I certainly acknowledge that our systems are more robust than in 2008, but imagine a scenario where you have zero bars and the storm is nowhere near finished. If you can afford one without compromising your other prep, a weather radio is a smart purchase.
stevenmeyerjr@reddit
I like the red Midland emergency radio with flashlight and a crank just in case.
Provia100F@reddit
Yes, Jesus I try to tell everyone that it's just as important to have in their home as a fire extinguisher
JustinBoots1976@reddit
Yes, they are cheap insurance. I live in an area that is prone to severe storms and my weather radio will wake me from a dead sleep or alert me if I am not bear my phone. We keep one in the living room and one in our bedroom. Yes I have apps and our area has the WEA alerts, but 2 is 1.
Just-Me3@reddit
No, trump DOGE nuked NOAA
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
As far as I know there are no immediate plans to limit alerting, unless you can point my in the direction of something that says otherwise
Paranormal_Lemon@reddit
Weather radios use something like a 100 possible codes for various disasters so useful for more than just weather emergencies. Everyone should have one. Most also have AM and FM too.
livestrong2109@reddit
Well NOAA and the NWS have been gutted and it's already resulted in deaths. I don't think a weather radio is a bad investment but make sure it can also play your local news station. I also can't stress owning a barometer. That thing has warned me more often than not that it's going to be a wild evening.
WhereDidAllTheSnowGo@reddit
Yes
Get SAME and configure for your area and lifestyle
Leave it plugged in where you can hear it say & night
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
Thanks, any objections to this?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00176T9OY?smid=A33O82Y9CWW4GL&psc=1
Rogerdodger1946@reddit
It's the one that is at the office where I work.
biobennett@reddit
That's what we have, one on each level of our home (US Midwest)
WhereDidAllTheSnowGo@reddit
Looks like the one that’s been in my hall working well for years
Rogerdodger1946@reddit
We live in rural Illinois and have a weather radio with the alert function. We gave them to our kids, too. It's always on. The office where I work has one. It's just smart.
Girafferage@reddit
Sign up for the red cross alerts on your phone and make sure you have a few handhelds like you mentioned for NOAA so you can tune in once you know something is happening.
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
I have the FEMA app, its quite good as you can turn off alerts you don't want
Though, how long it will be maintained now, I don't know
Girafferage@reddit
Exactly why I mentioned the red cross alerts. It alerted people during the tornadoes when FEMA could not due to funding cuts that ironically directly impacted that.
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
The FEMA app hasn't had any issues that I know of, when did it fail?
Girafferage@reddit
Maybe it wasn't the app as much as the physical sirens potentially (linked to another thread below), but still... The app is part of the funding cuts and I prefer to have more than one source to alert me if something critical is actually coming
https://www.reddit.com/r/Kentucky/comments/1kqamyr/there_are_various_reports_of_tornado_sirens_not/
Pleasant_Airport_33@reddit
I bought one this year and had no idea that it would go off like 12 hours before the storm. So at 4 am it goes off blinking and flashing and alarming. Needless to say the alerts are turned off. But I keep it in the basement on the off chance I need it.
PrisonerV@reddit
If you get the right weather radio (Midlands WR120), you can have it go off just for certain alerts, so I had mine programmed to just go off for tornado warnings and turned the volume all the way up.
https://youtu.be/lI8GZaSsToc
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
Good info, thanks. Yeah, that would be annoying
VegaStyles@reddit
Always. Weather can turn to shit at any moment.
xxmadshark33xx@reddit
Yes. I live in tornado country and my weather radio regularly alerts 5-10 minutes before my phone. Those few minutes are a godsend when you have to wrangle pets or small children.
smsff2@reddit
Not really. I have a weather radio. However, with the advent of Google Public Alerts, the number of use cases for NOAA weather radios has become quite limited. It might still be useful in the event of an EMP. But if you already have access to similar functionality, frankly, I don’t see any reason to own an additional device.
VviFMCgY@reddit (OP)
Thanks, kind of what I thought
The main threats we get here in Houston are Hurricanes, and they don't really sneak up on you