All Hazards Weather Alert Radio

WR-100

Owners Manual

www.midlandradio.com

WR-100 Owners Manual
Quick Start Instructions:
Please see pg. 5 for important buttons and controls 1. Place 3 AAA alkaline batteries (not supplied) into the compartment on underside of radio. (Note: Batteries are important because they provide emergency power for the radio in case of a power outage.) 2. Plug the AC Adapter into a standard house outlet. Plug the other end of the adapter into the DC jack on the back of the radio. 3. Pull out antenna and extend to its full length above the weather radio. 4. Ensure the radios weather mode is on by clicking the switch on the right side of the radio to ON. 5. Program the Weather/Hazard Channel for your Area(A). Turn switch on side of radio to ON. (B). Press MENU. (C). Press UP arrow until CHANNEL is displayed. (D). Press SELECT. (E). Press UP arrow until you hear the broadcast of your station. (F). Press SELECT to save station selection. (G). Press MENU to close menu mode. To turn Weather/Hazard broadcast on again, press WEATHER/SNOOZE. 6. Press the WEATHER/SNOOZE button to turn on the weather radio. Then press the UP or DOWN volume button to select desired listening level. (Note: Turning the volume all the way down [where no bars show] puts the radio into silent mode.) You are now able to receive weather alerts for your area and surrounding areas. To narrow the alerts to just your county, see page 8 to program the S.A.M.E. code for your county into the radio.
W eather Channel Frequencies:
Preset Channels on the Weather Radio
Broadcast Frequency (MHz)

162.400

162.425

162.450

162.475 162.500 162.525 162.550
To get the S.A.M.E. code for your area, call 1-888-697-7263 or go to www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm
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Table of Contents:

Quick Start Instructions Weather Channel Frequencies Table of Contents Product Information WR-100 Features and Controls ICONS on the Display Accessory Jacks on Back of Radio Programming the Clock Programming the Sleep Alarm Programming Notes Button Press Beeps Start Over Getting the S.A.M.E. Codes The National Weather Service Toll-Free Number National Weather Service Website Midland Radio Corporation Website Programming Your S.A.M.E. County Code(s) Helpful Tip ANY S.A.M.E. County Code is Factory Default A Single S.A.M.E. County Code Multiple S.A.M.E. County Codes Choosing an Alert Type (DISPLAY, VOICE, or TONE) Reviewing Recent Alerts Test Signals Broadcast by NWS Troubleshooting Reception About NOAA, NWS, & S.A.M.E. County Codes S.A.M.E. County Code Record (chart) Specifications FCC Compliance Information One Year Limited Warranty Service Other Midland Products 18

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Product Information:
Thank you for choosing Midland! Your new WR-100 weather radio is the latest in weather and hazard alert monitoring technology, providing you with the information needed to keep you safe. Your WR-100 weather radio has a special receiver that tunes to the 24/7 broadcast issued by the National Weather Service. The combined All Hazards/Weather Alert broadcast network is the single, most immediate source for comprehensive weather and emergency information available to the public. This WR-100 weather radio has an innovative, automatic alert system. In the event of special warning broadcasts, the radio is automatically activated along with a loud tone, an LED indicator and an alert message on the LCD. Emergency weather bulletins include alerts about: tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, ice/snow storms, and other severe weather. Other emergencies might include: Amber alerts, hazardous explosions, fires, chemical spills, and other civil emergencies. In addition, the WR-100 weather radio has the S.A.M.E. Digital Weather/ Hazard Alert feature, providing you with constant monitoring of your local NWS broadcast. The S.A.M.E. decoding receiver allows you to hear only messages for the area(s) concerning you. You now have a choice as to what information will be brought to you. We encourage you to read this owners manual thoroughly before operating this radio. This manual is a valuable part of your new Midland weather radio. See the Quick Start Instructions section of this manual for the initial weather radio setup and programming. After this weather radio is programmed and operating properly, store the manual in a safe place.

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WR- 100 Features and Controls:
Menu Warning Light-Red Watch LightOrange Advisory LightYellow Weather Radio On/Off Switch Volume Up/ Down Weather/Snooze Button

Select

Programming Buttons
ICONS on the Display: The following icons appear on the weather radio display to indicate radio functions that are active:
Menu Indicator Low Battery Indicator Weather Radio On Indicator Warning Tone Alert Voice Alert Clock Alarm

Volume Level Bars

Alphanumeric
Accessory Jacks on Back of Unit
Programming Cable Port Antenna Jack DC Plug Jack

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Programming The Clock:
(A). (B). (C). (D). Press MENU to open menu options. Press UP arrow to scroll through menu until you see TIME Press SELECT (hour option will begin flashing) Press UP arrow until current hour is displayed. (Note: AM/PM changes as you scroll through the hours). (E). Press RIGHT arrow to save current hour and advance to minute settings. (F). Program the minutes the same way. (G). Press SELECT to store the current time. Press MENU to exit menu mode.
Programming The Sleep Alarm:
(A). Press MENU to open menu options. (B). Press UP arrow to scroll through menu until you see ALARM, then press SELECT. (C). Press UP arrow to display ON. Press SELECT (This activates the alarm time options. You will see the alarm hour begin flashing.) (D). Press UP arrow until the hour you want is displayed. (Note: AM/PM changes as you scroll through the hours). (E). Press RIGHT arrow to save alarm hour and advance to alarm minutes. Program minutes the same way. (F). Press SELECT to save the alarm time. (The display will show ON and the alarm icon will be displayed. (G). Press MENU to exit menu mode. To temporarily silence the sleep alarm, press the weather/snooze button. This will advance the alarm time by 9 minutes. To silence the alarm for the remainder of the day, press the MENU button.

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Programming Notes: Button Press Beeps- For silent programming, turn the weather radio off before programming the WR-100 weather radio. Start Over- If you want to start over while programming, press the MENU button continuously until it backs out of programming mode. If no program buttons are pressed for about one minute the weather radio will exit the menu mode.

Getting the S.A.M.E. County Codes:
A. First, determine the counties you are interested in. Then do one of the following three steps to get the codes: 1. The National Weather Service Toll-Free Number provides S.A.M.E. County Codes at: 1-888-NWS-S.A.M.E or (1-888-697-7263) This is what to expect when you call the NWS number. When you call the NWS toll-free number, automated instructions will guide you to the S.A.M.E. County Code(s) you need. The number will be six digits long. You will hear, Welcome to the National Weather Service. You have reached the Specific Area Message Encoding Program Service. If you select touch-tone to make your entries, you will be prompted to enter the name of your state using the telephone keypad. Next you will be prompted to enter your county name. Then you will hear, Your geographic code is xxxxxx. (This is your S.A.M.E. County Code.) Be sure to write it down for future reference. The system will then give you the option to enter another combination: This enables you to get additional S.A.M.E. Codes for surrounding counties. 2. The Internet Web Site of National Weather Servicewww.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm. This is what to expect when you go to the website. The link above takes you directly to the list of states. Click on (your state). Find your county, and record the S.A.M.E. # (the S.A.M.E. County Code) that is listed to the right of your county, and for any other counties in which you are interested.

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3. Go to the Midland Radio Corporation website at www.midlandradio.com Click on the weather radio link at the top of the page. At the top of the weather radio page will be the link to the NWS list of states and corresponding county codes. Click on the link. Click on your state and a list of counties and codes will be listed. Locate your county and then find your code.
Programming S.A.M.E. Codes into the WR-100:
Helpful Tip: The S.A.M.E. code is created using the following method: The first digit is the subcounty code-currently 0 in most areas. The second two digits represent the state code. The last three digits represent the county code. ANY S.A.M.E. County Codes is the Default Factory Setting: Your WR100 weather radio comes preprogrammed to receive NWS weather and hazard alert transmissions for all S.A.M.E. county codes within range. If this is what you want, leave the radio set to ANY. A Single S.A.M.E. County Code: Press MENU button to open menu options. Press the UP arrow to scroll through menu options until S.A.M.E. SET is displayed, then press SELECT button. Press the UP arrow to scroll through: SINGLE, MULTIPLE, or ANY. Display SINGLE, then press SELECT. S.A.M.E.01 will be displayed. (Note if you are programming a single S.A.M.E. County Code, only the 01 setting will be used.) Press SELECT. Using the UP arrow, find the first digit of your S.A.M.E. County Code. Press the RIGHT arrow to save the digit and automatically advance to the next digit. Program all digits of your S.A.M.E. County Code in the same way. Press SELECT to store your S.A.M.E. County Code. Press MENU to close the programming menu.

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Multiple S.A.M.E. County Codes: Press MENU button to open menu options. Press the UP arrow to scroll through menu options until S.A.M.E. SET is displayed, then press SELECT button. Press the UP arrow to scroll through: SINGLE, MULTIPLE, or ANY. Display MULTIPLE as explained, then press SELECT. S.A.M.E.01 will be displayed, indicating you will be programming your first S.A.M.E. County Code at weather radio menu location 01. After programming your first S.A.M.E. County Code, press SELECT then the UP arrow to advance to S.A.M.E. 02. Program all of your S.A.M.E. County Codes in the same way as above. When finished entering all your codes, press MENU to close the programming menu.
Choosing an Alert Type (DISPLAY, VOICE, OR T ONE):
1. Press MENU button to open menu options. 2. Press UP arrow to scroll through menu options until ALT TYPE (Alert Type) is displayed, then press SELECT button. 3. Press UP arrow to scroll through the following (3) alert types: DISPLAY, VOICE, or TONE. 4. Press SELECT to choose the Alert Type you want. 5. Press MENU to exit menu programming mode.

Alert Type

DISPLAY
Description of Tone Pattern
When the DISPLAY alert type is chosen, only a text alert will scroll on the display. There will be no audible alarm. When the VOICE alert type is chosen, the alert will sound for 8 seconds, then you will hear the voice of the weather broadcast for 5 When the TONE alert type is chosen, the alert tone will sound for 5 minutes, or until you press any button except the WEATHER/SNOOZE button which toggles to the voice weather broadcast.

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Reviewing Recent Alerts:
The weather radio can store up to 10 different Weather/Hazard alerts (with overlapping effective times) in its memory. If the weather radio receives a new alert while any previous alert is still in effect, it automatically displays the new alert. You can review all alerts still in effect by pressing the UP arrow to scroll through the weather radios active alert memory. A double beep indicates the end of the list. NO MESSAGE will be displayed if no alerts are active.
Test Signals Broadcast by NWS:
All National Weather Service stations periodically transmit test signals. You can find out when your local NWS station broadcasts test signals by calling the NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office (listed under Weather in the Federal Government section of the telephone book.) During the weekly test signal, the local NWS station will give a list of counties covered by their transmitter. The NWS test signal allows everyone with weather radio receivers to verify the operation of their equipment. The following test signals may be sent by the NWS during testing: required weekly test, required monthly test, system demo, and national periodic test. During a test, the yellow advisory LED will light up and the Weekly Test or Monthly Test message will be visible on the display. The radio will not sound an audible alert tone to avoid giving the impression of an actual alarm. The visual response to the test is confirmation that your radio is working properly. Please note: If your advisory light is on and continues to stay on, the radio will reset this function within 6 hours.

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Troubleshooting:

Problem Suggestion

Make sure the AC Power Adapter is securely plugged into both DC jack on back of weather radio and into wall outlet. Make sure batteries are installed in case AC power fails. Check VOLUME control to ensure volume is turned up to an audible level. Ensure that telescoping antenna is up and fully extended. If you are using an external antenna, ensure that it is connected properly. No weather broadcast when you press WEATHER/ SNOOZE button Ensure that the radio is set to the NWS weather channel in use in your area. Contact NWS to ensure they are presently broadcasting. If in a metal structure, make sure you are close to a window. If in a weak signal area, you will need an external antenna. Check to see that you have programmed in the correct S.A.M.E. County Code(s). Check with the NWS that the tower is broadcasting.

No power

No sound
The radio is not responding properly to NWS weather alert broadcasts
For Technical Support Contact: Midland Radio Corporation 5900 Parretta Drive Kansas City, Missouri 64120 Phone: (816) 241-8500 Fax: (816) 241-5713 E-mail: mail@midlandradio.com Website: www.midlandradio.com

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Reception:
The National Weather Service operates a system of weather and hazard alert broadcasts covering a large area of the United States. Currently, only a few areas are not covered. Typical broadcasts are within reception distance of 25-50 miles of the weather station. Your WR-100 weather radio can receive broadcasts from up to 50 miles from the weather station depending on your location and conditions of weather, terrain, etc. If you find reception is not good in your area, try different locations in your home or office to find a spot of improved reception. Placement near a window usually improves reception. If a weather broadcast cannot be heard on any of the 7 channels, contact you local NWS office and verify the closest station is on air. Also verify the channel frequencies the station is broadcasting. If your NWS is transmitting and you are not receiving the broadcasts, you may need an external antenna. Please visit our website at www.midlandradio.com to view our suggested antenna, the 18259W VHF Through-Glass Antenna.This antenna improves reception when applied to a window. Please note: Metal structures are more difficult to receive reception in, because metal interferes with the signal. If you live in a metal structure, you may need an external antenna.

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About NOAA, NWS, & S.A.M.E. County Codes:
In 1994, NOAA began broadcasting coded emergency signals that identify the specific geographic area (such as the county within a state) that is affected by an emergency. Until that time such specific emergency weather information was not available directly to the public. NOAA transmits the coded emergency signals using a technique called Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.) The WR100 weather radio is designed to receive these S.A.M.E. county code transmissions. The National Weather service divides the United States by state and county (or parish) and assigns a six digit code number called a FIPS (Federal Information Processing System) code, also known as a S.A.M.E. county code. You can program the weather radio with up to 25 S.A.M.E. county codes. The weather radio allows you to receive broadcast alerts for either your own county, or for up to 25 counties. This will eliminate any alerts that are not within your area of interest. When you program your S.A.M.E. county code(s) into the WR-100 weather radio, you eliminate any alerts that are not within those counties. Warnings, watches and statements of weather and other area emergencies, about 50 different types, will activate the weather radio for only your programmed specific area. The S.A.M.E. message the NWS sends contains information pertaining to the period for which the alert is valid. NWS can set the active time of the alert from 15 minutes up to 6 hours. When the designated time has passed, the weather radio display message and light will automatically reset to their normal appearance.

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S.A.M.E. County Code Record:
Use this space to keep a record of the S.A.M.E. county codes that you program into your WR-100 Weather Radio.

County Name

S.A.M.E. County Code

NWS Channel

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Specifications:

Specifications are nominal and subject to change.

General

Frequency Range
Number of WX Channels Input Voltage Dimensions 20 dB Quieting Sensitivity FIPS County code Sensitivity at5kHz Dev Channel Selectivity Speaker Impedance Speaker Output at10%THD
(162.40, 162.425, 162.45, 162.475, 162.50, 162.525, 162.55MHz)
7 9-14 Volts DC (51/2 x 2 x 6 in.) 0.5 uV 0.5uV 25kHz, 60dB 8 ohms 200 mW max.
FCC Compliance Information:
MIDLAND (NOAA) Weather Radio Model WR-100, S.A.M.E. Digital Weather/Hazard Alert Radio. This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference; (2) This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation.

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One Year Limited Warranty:
MIDLAND Radio Corporation will repair or replace, at its option without charge, your WR-100 weather radio which fails due to a defect in material or workmanship within one year following the initial consumer purchase. This warranty does not include any antennas, which may be a part of or included with the warranted product, or the cost of labor for removal or re-installation of the product in a vehicle or other mounting. Performance of any obligation under this warranty may be obtained by returning the warranted product, freight prepaid, along with a copy of the original sales receipt to Midland Radio Corporation at the address provided below. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights, which vary, from state to state. Note: The above warranty applies only to merchandise purchased in the United States of America or any of the territories or possessions thereof, or from a U.S. Military exchange. For warranty coverage on merchandise purchased elsewhere ask your dealer.
Midland Radio Corporation Warranty Service Department 5900 Parretta Drive Kansas City, Missouri 64120 Phone: (816) 241-8500 Fax: (816) 241-5713 E-mail: mail@midlandradio.com Website:www.midlandradio.com

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Service:
If your MIDLAND Weather Radio fails to operate properly, check the Troubleshooting section in this manual before returning it for service. If necessary, return as follows: 1. Pack the unit in its original box and packing. Then pack the original box in a suitable shipping carton. Caution: Improper packing may result in damage during shipment. Include the following: a. full description of any problems b. money order for $7.50 to cover shipping and handling (this may not be required in some states) c. daytime telephone number, name & address For warranty service include a photocopy of the bill of sale from an authorized dealer or other proof of purchase showing the date of sale. You do not need to return accessory items (AC/DC Adapter, batteries, Owners Guide) unless they might be directly related to the problem. A flat rate of $45.00 will apply to repairs not covered by warranty or units that are over one year old. Send only cashiers check, money order or Master Card or Visa card number.

Midland Radio Corporation 5900 Parretta Drive Kansas City, Missouri 64120 Phone: (816) 241-8500 Fax: (816) 241-5713 E-mail: mail@midlandradio.com Website:www.midlandradio.com

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Come see Our Other Midland Products at www.midlandradio.com

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Midland WR-100 NOAA Weather Radio EasyStart Guide for Schools
This Midland WR-100 NOAA Weather Radio will alert you to weather and civil emergencies in your schools local area. You will need to program your weather radio to receive information for your specific school. This radio comes with a manufacturers manual, which should be saved along with this EasyStart Guide. If for some reason this EasyStart Guide for Schools is all you have, here are some simple reminders to allow you to operate your NOAA Weather Radio/All Hazards. Batteries
The Midland WR-100 takes 3 AA batteries. Do NOT use rechargeable batteries. Install the batteries and plug the radio into a wall outlet and connect the cord to the back of the radio at the port labeled DC JACK. Batteries will serve as backup power.
General information for setup
Here is some basic information on how to navigate the controls on the WR-100. 1. Press the MENU key 2. Use the UP arrow until you get to the menu you want; menu choices are: a. TIME (This is the current time; you will see this displayed on the LCD screen under normal operating conditions.) b. ALARM (This is the alarm clock which you can choose to set or not to set; it will not affect any weather or emergency alert function.) c. CHANNEL (You must select a single best channel, usually channel 1 or channel 7.) d. SAME SET (You must program in one or more six digit numbers identifying your schools specific area; this will allow only those warnings which apply to your area to be received.) e. ALT TYPE Sets the ALERT TYPE for the radio when an alert occurs (DISPLAY, TONE, or VOICE). NOTE: If you want to control the release of information (such as an AMBER Alert) and minimize rumors among students and other visitors who may overhear broadcasts, it is suggested you program the TONE Alert Type. In this mode, the Alert tones will sound for five minutes. However, after hearing the Alert

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tone, you can read the warning in the LCD display and turn off the Alert tone by pressing any button except the WEATHER/SNOOZE button which toggles to voice weather broadcast. f. LIGHT (Your options are BLT ON and BLT NORMAL. BLT is short for backlight; the normal setting save energy by turning on the backlight only after you push a button.)

Setting the Time

When you first connect the WR-100 to power, you will need to set basic information. Details for setting up this information are in both the manual which accompanied this radio and online at: http://publicalert-radio.nws.noaa.gov/proginfo.htm To set the time: 1. Press the MENU key 2. Press the UP arrow key until TIME appears on the LCD display 3. Press SELECT key 4. Press the UP arrow key until current time is displayed (note AM/PM on right) 5. Press the RIGHT arrow key to save hour and advance to minutes (increments of 10) 6. Press the UP arrow key until current minute is displayed 7. Press the RIGHT arrow key to save the minute 8. Press SELECT key to store the current time 9. Press MENU until menu is closed and current time is displayed

Setting your Channel

When you program the Weather/Hazard channel, you may hear weather and hazard alerts on more than one channel. This means that you are receiving broadcast from more than one National Weather Service station in your schools area. Simply choose the one that sounds clearest. To set your NOAA Weather Channel: 1. Turn the radio on using the switch on the right side 2. Press the MENU key 3. Press the UP arrow key until CHANNEL appears on the LCD display 4. Press the SELECT key

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5. Press the arrow UP key to choose the channel with the best reception. (Because youve turned on the WEATHER RADIO switch located on the right hand side of the WR-100, you will be able to hear each Channel as you scroll through.) 6. Press the MENU key TWICE to save the best Channel for your school and to exit the menu mode
Finding and setting the SAME Geographic code
The WX-167 can accept more than one Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) geographic location code; this radio has the SAME code numbers already in it. Your NOAA Weather Radio will receive all the messages sent from the NWR transmission tower, which has a range of around 30 to 40 miles. Setting your radio to the specific county your school is in will eliminate messages meant for your surrounding areas. To find your SAME code: 1. Go to the website http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr 2. Click on Station Listings on the left hand side of the page 3. Click on County by county coverage in the middle of the page 4. Click on your state 5. Scroll down the page to find your COUNTY/CITY AREA 6. Decide if your schools impact area includes only one or more than one SAME area(s) 7. You should write down the six digit number(s) from the SAME column so you dont forget them You can also call 1-888-697-7263 to get the SAME code number/s. A more thorough explanation of SAME codes is available in the owners manual. To set your SAME Code: 1. Press the MENU key 2. Press the UP arrow key until SAME SET is displayed 3. Press the SELECT key 4. Press the UP arrow key until SINGLE is displayed 5. Press the SELECT key; you will see SAME 01 6. Press the SELECT key again 7. One of the digits of the six digit number will be displayed

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8. Press the UP arrow key until the number reads correctly 9. Press the RIGHT arrow key to go to the next number in the sequence 10. Repeat with the UP and RIGHT arrow keys until the appropriate number is displayed 11. Push the MENU key four (4) times until you get the current time display You have now set the SAME Geographical LOCATION for your school. If you wish to receive alerts for other areas, such as an adjacent county where some of your students live, start again with step number 1 above. When you get to step number 4, however, choose MULTIPLE instead of SINGLE. Then, 1. Press the SELECT key 2. Press the UP arrow key to get to SAME 02 3. Press the SELECT key 4. Set the second location code by following steps 7 through 11 above

Testing your reception

You have now set the most important features of the WR-100, and it is now important to make sure your reception is proper. To test reception: 1. Look for the word NOAA on the display (this will tell you whether the radio is turned on) 2. Push the WEATHER/SNOOZE key (you should hear a current weather report) 3. Push the WEATHER/SNOOZE key again to silence the radio NOTE: You should receive periodic warning tests every Wednesday between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon.

Improving your reception

Reception problems can be improved by changing the radio's position:
Move the radio away from metal cabinets Move the radio higher and closer to windows
Reception can also be improved by using an external antenna available from the manufacturer and local electronic or science stores. Often a simple, flat T-shaped dipole antenna similar to the type used for stereo receivers is sufficient. For more information, see "Methods to Improve Reception of Weather Radio Broadcasts" online at

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http://public-alert-radio.nws.noaa.gov/antenna.html.

More information

Detailed instructions can be found in your Midland WR-100 Users Manual or on the Public-Alert-Radio web site at http://public-alertradio.nws.noaa.gov/instructions.htm.

NOTES:

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