14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-How to program your weather radio

How to program your weather radio

You bought one of the official Oregon Scientific weather radios you've heard about on 14 News, now it's time to program it!

THERE ARE 3 THINGS TO SET ON THE RADIO: SAME CODES, NOAA CHANNEL, AND TIME/DATE

SAME Codes

These radios allow you to program up to six different county codes. Only program those counties that you want to receive warnings for. The National Weather Service suggests you program the county you live in, as well as a few counties to your west. That way, you'll get a heads-up when a severe storm is heading in your direction. For Example: If you live in Vanderburgh County -- you might want to program Posey County.

The codes you're programming into these radios are called "SAME codes". Every county in the nation has its own SAME code. Here are the SAME county codes for the 14NEWS viewing area:

Indiana
Daviess: 018027
Dubois: 018037
Gibson: 018051
Knox: 018083
Pike: 018125
Perry: 018123
Posey: 018129
Spencer: 018147
Vanderburgh: 018163
Warrick: 018173

Kentucky
Crittenden: 021055
Daviess: 021059
Hancock: 021091
Henderson: 021101
Hopkins: 021107
McLean: 021149
Muhlenberg: 021177
Ohio: 021183
Union: 021225
Webster: 021233

 Illinois
Edwards: 017047
Gallatin: 017059
Hamilton: 017065
Saline: 017165
Wabash: 017185
Wayne: 017191
White: 017193

For a list of all the SAME county codes here and across the nation, you can visit the NOAA Weather Radio website: www.weather.gov

Now that you have the codes, and know which ones you want to program into your weather radio, here's how to do it.

• 1) Press the 'COUNTY' button on the front of the weather radio two times
• 2) Now press and hold the 'COUNTY' button again for 3 seconds until the number blinks
• 3) You will input each number...one at a time...starting with the first one. Since it's a 0 and that number is already showing up, hit 'COUNTY to go to the next number.
• 4) The next number should be blinking. Use the UP and DOWN arrow buttons on the left side of the weather radio to choose your next number. For Vanderburgh County (018163) the next number would be a 1. So hit the UP button until the number 1 is showing, and then hit the COUNTY button.
• 5) The next number should be blinking...do the same thing....and use the UP arrow button to get to your next digit. For Vanderburgh County, it should be 8. Once the desired digit is showing, hit the COUNTY button again.
• 6) Continue selecting your numbers, and hitting the COUNTY button once each correct digit is selected.
• 7) When finished, hit COUNTY to set the first SAME Code.

2nd County Code: Follow the same directions above, except press the COUNTY button 3 times before holding it down for 2 seconds.

3rd County Code: Press the COUNTY button 4 times before holding it down for 2 seconds.

4th County Code: Press the COUNTY button 5 times before holding it down for 2 seconds.

5th County Code: Press the COUNTY button 6 times before holding it down for 2 seconds.

6th County Code: Press the COUNTY button 7 times before holding it down for 2 seconds.

NOAA Channel

This is how to set the NOAA channel for your area so you can here local specific warning information from the voice of the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

• 1) Press the ‘NOAA' button on the top of the radio until you here static noise.
• 2) Press and hold the Channel button on the front of the radio for 3 seconds until the small channel number starts to blink on your screen.
• 3) Use the UP arrow button on the side of the radio to advance the number until you hear a voice.
• 4) Once you hear the voice, press and hold the Channel button again
• 5) Your NOAA channel is set. Most of the 14NEWS viewing area will be on 7. You can scan again to change to the right channel if you are traveling out of the Tri-State area.

Time and Date

Finally, you need to set your time and date. This will not affect the warning system, but it is good to have this set anyway.

• 1) Press and hold the ‘MODE' button on the front of the radio for 3 seconds until you see "12hr" blinking on the screen.
• 2) Press the ‘MODE' button again to set the time. Use the UP and DOWN arrows on the side of the radio to set the hour, then press the Mode button again to set the minute with the arrows.
• 3) Press the ‘MODE' button each time you want to advance in this menu to set the year, month and day...one at a time...while they are blinking and use the UP and DOWN arrows to change the number.
• 4) The last option that will blink is the "E" and that is for English. Press the ‘MODE' button again to set the Time and Date in English.

Once you've got all the codes entered and you have set the NOAA channel and time/date, there is one VERY IMPORTANT thing to do before you are ready.  Press the ‘NOAA' button on the top of the radio a couple of times until your hear the EAS voice.

Then, press that same ‘NOAA' button once more. The voice will go away and you will see a small circular standby icon on the screen next to the NOAA icon. Your radio is now in standby mode and ready to blast warnings when danger is approaching.

You need to keep the radio in this mode. The other NOAA modes turn the warnings off and will not deliver the warnings you need.

Now, plug the radio into a wall outlet when at home to avoid using the battery back-up. Put your weather radio in a place where you can easily hear it when warnings are issued. It will only sound when a warning is issued for a county that you entered into your weather radio. Once the warnings sound, go to a TV to get detailed storm tracking from the 14 First Alert weather team and 14NEWS.

If you've lost your instructions, you can visit the Oregon Scientific website: Emergency Portable Weather Radio