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Weather-AM Radio

M

mlcptc

Guest
It's disappointing that AM radio is your only real source for active weather warnings.

I lived in Northern VA for five years and WTOP (all news AM for years) picked up an FM signal (they kept their AM signal as well) and those of us in fringe areas could pick up weather statements and warnings in any weather situation.

Right now in PTC, the AM signal for all the weather news from WSB and WGST is nothing but static.
 
> It's disappointing that AM radio is your only real source
> for active weather warnings.
>
> I lived in Northern VA for five years and WTOP (all news AM
> for years) picked up an FM signal (they kept their AM signal
> as well) and those of us in fringe areas could pick up
> weather statements and warnings in any weather situation.
>
> Right now in PTC, the AM signal for all the weather news
> from WSB and WGST is nothing but static.
>

It's surprising that you get nothing but static from WSB (not-so surprising for GST....ksssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh <-- static noise!).

I would think that if people all over the south east (essentially) can hear WSB (even at night) that you would be able to pick it up in PTC. Wierd. <P ID="signature">______________
Don't sweat the petty stuff, and don't pet the sweaty stuff.</P>
 
> > It's disappointing that AM radio is your only real source
> > for active weather warnings.
> >
> > I lived in Northern VA for five years and WTOP (all news
> AM
> > for years) picked up an FM signal (they kept their AM
> signal
> > as well) and those of us in fringe areas could pick up
> > weather statements and warnings in any weather situation.
> >
> > Right now in PTC, the AM signal for all the weather news
> > from WSB and WGST is nothing but static.
> >
>
> It's surprising that you get nothing but static from WSB
> (not-so surprising for GST....ksssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh
>

How about getting a weather radio? Radio Shack has a nice one for a cheap price.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.a...y_name=CTLG_007_009_005_000&product_id=12-260
 
> > It's disappointing that AM radio is your only real source
> > for active weather warnings.
> >
> > I lived in Northern VA for five years and WTOP (all news
> AM
> > for years) picked up an FM signal (they kept their AM
> signal
> > as well) and those of us in fringe areas could pick up
> > weather statements and warnings in any weather situation.
> >
> > Right now in PTC, the AM signal for all the weather news
> > from WSB and WGST is nothing but static.
> >
>
> It's surprising that you get nothing but static from WSB
> (not-so surprising for GST....ksssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh
>

I just got back from Alpharetta in the middle of a huge thunderstorm there, and 750 was unlistenable almost with the continual crackling of static from the lightning as well.<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
 
NOAA Weather Radio and an AM radio weather experiment

> How about getting a weather radio? Radio Shack has a nice
> one for a cheap price.
>
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&catego> ry%5Fname=CTLG%5F007%5F009%5F005%5F000&product%5Fid=12%2D260
>
I have a Radio Shack scanner that has the NOAA WX band. The FM signal is always clear and very reliable while AM is often chewed up during thunderstorms by lightning interference. It's a great tool to have. The WX broadcasts run around the clock and are consistantly updated so you always have the latest information and you never have to wait for a weather report.

As far as AM radio, it makes for a great lightning detector. My car radio and GE Superadio II can detect lightning over 50 miles away. I found this out by looking at my local weather radar and listnening a the same time. When thunderstorms were just over 50 miles away, the crackles from the lightning were soft. When lightning was close, say a few miles away, the crackles were loud and very sharp. This also makes for useful tool if you don't have a portable NOAA Weather Radio and are away from home out camping, hiking, fishing, or at the beach. However I would not suggest using a Long Range or DX radio for this task as it may give you a false sense that lightning is close by when it's actually far away. Experiment using a small portable or walkman. Just turn the dial to where the there is no station to be heard and listen.<P ID="signature">______________
Moe: (Sees a microphone in a radio studio) Ooh, a microphonie!

Curly: Or a phoney at the mike!

Moe: Quiet numbskulls I'm broadcastin'!

From The Three Stooges episode "Micro-Phoneys"</P>
 
I've got a weather radio, and it works well for warnings, which I appreciate while I sleep at 3 AM and a tornado warning is issued. Other than the computer generated NWS statements, you get no other live commentary from a meteorologist.

I'm not saying Kirk Melisch (sp?) is the best weatherman out there, but at least if you decipher between the lightning cracks he does do live discussion on the situation. And also it is interesting to hear them field calls from listeners and reporters on actual storm conditions.

Maybe I'm picky, but when WTOP went to an FM signal it was always nice to know you could get weather news or any other breaking news on a clear signal, even if you were in the middle of the storm.

Thanks for letting a newbie vent.
 
> > It's disappointing that AM radio is your only real source
> > for active weather warnings.
> >
> > I lived in Northern VA for five years and WTOP (all news
> AM
> > for years) picked up an FM signal (they kept their AM
> signal
> > as well) and those of us in fringe areas could pick up
> > weather statements and warnings in any weather situation.
> >
> > Right now in PTC, the AM signal for all the weather news
> > from WSB and WGST is nothing but static.
> >
>
> It's surprising that you get nothing but static from WSB
> (not-so surprising for GST....ksssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh
>


WSB comes in quite well in teh Midwest at night.

Unfortunately for the AMs in Atlanta, the ground in the area is quite poor. It does not allow for a good ground wave, and sends a lot of signal at an upper angle. Hense the reason that it can be recieved far away. Technically there is not much that can be done.
 
Shameless Self-Motivating Plug...

For the original poster in PTC, might I suggest... well... us ;D

Magic 98.1 -- we're usually in with severe weather coverage for Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Harris, Heard, Meriwether, and Troup; including longform coverage for tornado warnings.
 
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