What is the best radio for Weather Band/Radio reception. I don't care how big or small it is but don't reccomend something that is $1,500. Would like a radio that runs off batteries but I want the best reception possible. Don't care if it's a dedicated weather radio, scanner, cb radio etc. I would love to do some DXing and would like something I could use in a deeply rural area.
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Best Radio for Weather Band Dxing
- Thread starter Carltheradioguy
- Start date
Carl, I’ve never DXed with a dedicated weather radio or external antenna, so I couldn’t tell you which one is best. However, I’ve had very good results with my little CC Skywave. When there are good tropo conditions, I can sometimes log stations in the 250-mile range.
During one particularly great March tropo event a couple of years ago, I briefly caught an Alabama station 660 miles away on the Skywave.
Weather band reception on my CC-2E is about the same, but it’s a lot easier to move the Skywave around to null/peak signals.
During one particularly great March tropo event a couple of years ago, I briefly caught an Alabama station 660 miles away on the Skywave.
Weather band reception on my CC-2E is about the same, but it’s a lot easier to move the Skywave around to null/peak signals.
The Sangean CL‑100 is the most sensitive weather radio I've ever had, I imagine it's a champ on a good external antenna.
Also as long as you don't transmit (unless you're licensed) then most 2 meter ham radios are pretty good receivers to DX the weather robots
Also as long as you don't transmit (unless you're licensed) then most 2 meter ham radios are pretty good receivers to DX the weather robots
I second that! I Used to have one few years back and i regret selling it
Why don't you find an old Bearcat 210XL or similar, a tabletop scanner? It will tune in the 162 mhz frequencies and any *analog* police/fire/school buses/etc. that are still operating. These radios will obviously not get trunked scanner communications, but NOAA is not trunked of course.
Get a nice long CB antenna and it should work fine. I have a Radio Shack PRO-51 portable scanner, from the early-mid 1990s. I just replaced the 6" rubber duckie with a 25" whip and I'm getting much better reception of WWF56 on 162.450, out of Richland 70 miles away; along with a weak smidge of (I think) WXL95 in Oregon on 162.400. I don't think it's WXN21 in Cle Elum. Some enhancement might help.
Get a nice long CB antenna and it should work fine. I have a Radio Shack PRO-51 portable scanner, from the early-mid 1990s. I just replaced the 6" rubber duckie with a 25" whip and I'm getting much better reception of WWF56 on 162.450, out of Richland 70 miles away; along with a weak smidge of (I think) WXL95 in Oregon on 162.400. I don't think it's WXN21 in Cle Elum. Some enhancement might help.
I had a similar scanner to the pro 51 and i added a telescopic whip to it and wasn't impressed at all with the inconsistent reception.
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