Handheld Midland 74-250C All Hazard Weather Radio with Weather Alert and S.A.M.E.

The Handheld Midland 74-250C All Hazard Weather Radio with Weather Alert and S.A.M.E. provides you with constant monitoring of your local National Weather Service broadcast for messages warning you of hazardous conditions such as tornados, hurricanes, toxic warnings, civil emergencies, earthquakes, thunderstorms, and 47 other hazards. Warnings may be programmed to provide audible or visual alarms, or both.  The programmable NWR/SAME decoding allows you to hear only alerts and messages concerning the area concerning you (up to 9 defined areas). You now have a choice as to what information will be brought to you. No more will you be interrupted to hear of a problem many miles away that will not affect you. The Midland 74-250 also has a built in thermometer (C or F) with freeze alert, 12/24 hour clock, and dual alarm clock functions.

The Midland 74-250 NWR/SAME Weather / All Hazard Monitor is the latest advance in Weather monitoring technology providing you with the information you need for your greatest safety from the effects of weather and other external hazards.

VHF Weather Monitor with seven different National Weather Service channels in the 162 MHz FM band - Provides 24-hour-a-day National Weather Service information from seven different channels for maximum reception possible (in areas where available) Alert monitor system receives NWR/SAME codes transmitted by National Weather Service stations warning of dangerous weather conditions and other general hazards. The SAME codes designate which counties or parts of counties are affected by the individual message. When the alert feature is activated, the receiver remains in a standby mode. As SAME coded messages are received, the receiver automatically activates to warn you of dangerous weather conditions.

• High Performance Receiver - Receives weather broadcasts up to 50 miles from transmitter.

• Dot-Matrix LCD display for viewing alert type and monitor status.

• Clock displays time and date and has 2 alarms and snooze functions.

• Powered from two AA batteries (optional).

• Flexible Antenna - Provides maximum range reception-up to 50 miles.

• Fully Variable Digital Volume Control - Adjusts audio output.

• Compact, Ultra Modern Styling - Small enough to take along.

• Earphone Jack - Allows private listening or remote speaker location.

• Charge jack- allows for charging Ni-Cd or Ni- Mh batteries (optional).

For more information, see the 74-250C instruction manual.

About NOAA, NWS, & S.A.M.E. County Codes

In 1994, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began broadcasting coded emergency signals that identify the specific geographic area (such as a county) affected by an emergency. Until that time such specific emergency weather information was sent in other ways to broadcast stations and others then relayed to the public.

NOAA transmits the coded weather emergency signals using a technique called SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding). The Midland 74-250 7-channel weather/ all hazards monitor is designed to receive these SAME transmissions. Your Midland 74-250 can be programmed with up to 9 predefined county / channels that will define which notices broadcast by your local NOAA weather station will cause the radio to alert you. Warnings, watches and statements of weather and other area emergencies, about 40 different types. Also included in the SAME message is the amount of time for which the message is effective. The 74-250 will continue to display the alert until its time expires. In the upper left of the display will be the time the alert was received.

You don't need to wait for the 74-250 to give you an alert. Just find the NWR station broadcasting to your area from the 7 available channels. You can listen at any time, day or night to the latest weather information from the National Weather Service.

The NWR divides the United States and territories by state and county (or parish) and assigns a six digit code number called a FIPS (Federal Information Processing System) code or also known as a NWR/SAME county code. The first digit identifies subdivision. The next two identify the state or territory, and the last three identify the county. For example the code for Clay county Missouri is 029047. The"047" indicates the county, the "29" indicates the state, and the "0" indicates the subdivision of the county. In this case and most cases the code will have a zero for the first digit, indicating that no subdivision is in use. The NWS plans to introduce subdivisions of some counties in the future, assigning digits 1 through 9 to the parts resulting in codes like 529047.

The FIPS codes can be found by calling the NWS toll free number, 1-888-NWS-SAME (1-888-697-7263). Automated instructions will guide you to the numbers you need.

The FIPS codes and much more information can be found by way of the Internet at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr

Note: You might want to obtain the codes for other counties close to you or those you might frequently travel through. The counties still must be within the coverage area of your NWS broadcast. This is what to expect when you call the NWS number. You will be prompted to enter your state.

We suggest spelling the entire state to expedite the process. Next you will be prompted to enter the county. Again spell the entire county. We suggest you locate several counties surrounding you especially the county in the direction most of the storms will be coming from. When you have entered the county, the system will ask you to confirm what you entered is correct. Be ready to write the number. The system tells you the number fairly quick but you have the option to have it read back to you so you can get the whole number. Remember the number will be six digits long usually beginning with a zero.