Question: Oregon Scientific Weather Radios

[Saul Trabal]

Does anyone here own an Oregon Scientific Weather Radio?

If so-how are they? Are they reliable? Durable?

Thanks.

 

[Jeff Wear]

Do you have a specific kind in mind? Oregon Scientific manufactures a number a NOAA Wx Radios.

 

[Saul Trabal]

Do you have a specific kind in mind? Oregon Scientific manufactures a number a NOAA Wx Radios.

I'm looking at this one in particular:

http://www.oregoninstruments.com/product.a...03&cat=5&scat=1

BTW-I've owned weather radios since I was a kid-my first was the old blue Radio Shack weather radio which I got for my birthday in 1976.

 

[Jeff Wear]

I have an older version of the handheld Oregon Scientific All Hazards NOAA Wx Radio - it is similar to this one and has many of the same features (and a similar antenna). The version I have has trouble clearly picking up broadcasts beyond 30-40 miles from the transmitter, and keeping the radio on standby mode for too long dramatically shortens the life of the batteries. I don't know if this will be the case with the newer version but it might be something to watch out for.

 

[Court Hubbard]

i am also thinking of getting one of those. was wondering myself how they are.

 

[Ben Prusia]

I own a Midland Weather Radio in the car, one thing you need to shop for when getting a Weather Radio of any brand, especially if you are bringing one with you on a chase, is get one with an external antenna capability!

With the external antenna on my car, I can pick up Wx stations almost 100 miles away, and will do a great deal, especially if you happen to be in an area thats on edges of Wx Radio coverage.

 

[Joel Wright]

I still own a Realistic weatheradio from the late 80's. Still works perfectly.

 

[Saul Trabal]

I still own a Realistic weatheradio from the late 80's. Still works perfectly.

Which one is it? Is it the portable, dark-gray model that comes with the alarm?

I really miss my first weather radio. :cry: I think this was Radio Shack's first portable weather radio. It was blue, and it had a tuner. The really cool thing about the tuner was that you could also listen in to things like marine police as well as other types of broadcasts.

Damn...I wish I could find one of those. But that radio is 30 years old. The only place I could find that would probably be on Ebay. :?

 

[Scott A. Kampas]

I've had 2 NWRs from OS, the model you mentioned and an older one. Both had reception problems. Both antenna actually failed eventually. They seem to certainly not put much effort into antenna design, something that is crucial. I also had significant problems with battery life with the newer model (mine was yellow).

Scott

 

[Joel Wright]

I still own a Realistic weatheradio from the late 80's. Still works perfectly.

Which one is it? Is it the portable, dark-gray model that comes with the alarm?

It's actually brown with three buttons. It has three buttons; test, weather, and alert. It's electric.

I also still have my Realistic portable battery weatheradio that's cubed shaped with one big button on top you push to listen. The volume and tuner wheels are on the bottom. I had this one a few years before the other one. The reception could be so bad on this one at times I would have to move around the house in different areas to even hear the broadcast half the time. And that was with a 162.55MHz tower about 12 miles away lol.


BTW, I really miss the good old fashioned human broadcasts. Even though they weren't as timely, I just liked them better.

 

[Mike Hardiman]

I used to have the yellow Oregon Scientific weather radio that is identical to the one the original poster is thinking of getting.

I noticed it has interferrence problems within the car... I'd much better reception if I held it behind my head while in the driver's seat, but couldn't leave it in the dash cupholder and expect to hear anything.

Also it suffers from very poor design. In order to change channels you have to press and hold one button until it changes from "volume" to "channel" mode, then change the channel with the arrow buttons. This was very annoying since I'd always forget this, and end up putting the volume up or down rather than the channel.

I wouldn't reccommend it at that price. If you could get one for 10 bucks, then it might be worth it.

 

[Saul Trabal]

Thanks for the responses.

Maybe I'll just stick to Radio Shack's weather radios; I've owned them for years. I've been satisfied with them, for the most part.

8)

 

[Saul Trabal]

BTW, I really miss the good old fashioned human broadcasts. Even though they weren't as timely, I just liked them better.

Same here. :cry: