Weather Radio

How many folks has a weather radio they take camping. The storm today made me think about getting one for our camper. Not sure which brand is the best or reasonable. Any thoughts are welcome

I am looking at this one from Target

Viatek Quad LED Flashlight with AM/FM Weather Band Radio

Features

* Hand-Crank Flashlight Radio
* Plastic
* Includes Hand-Crank Flashlight
* 4 Super Bright LEDs, LED Bulb
* Dynamo Crank
* Features Hand Crank, High-Beam Light Mode, Low-Beam Light Mode
* Includes Integrated Weather Band with Stand-by
* Weatherproof
* Dimensions: 6x2.25x2 "

Dar - before we starting camping at the ocean, we purchased a Coby brand AM/FM weather band radio at Radio Shack for about $25. It has come in VERY handy several times here at the beach. 2 years ago, we were awakened at 3 am one morning with a Tornado WARNING. Everybody around hit the bath house - we pounded on the neighbor's TT and woke them (they didn't have one). A tornado touched down about 2 miles from the campground, but we didn't sustain any damage. Several campers had awnings broken, bent, but no major damage.

I don't travel without it and I always check to see what county we are residing in and what counties are around us. They are useless if you don't know where you are. I also check to see where the storm shelters are in the campgrounds (usually the bath houses).

Ours is electric with a battery backup. I had ours with us when we were at Smoky Bear and it was giving all the tornado watches, etc. in all the surrounding counties on Saturday night.

I always camp with a weather radio too..I got mine at wallyworld, its a elect/battery operated one..I have to remember though to take out the batteries or the weather button gets pushed down when I store it and drains the batteries...I was considering one time a crank weather radio and did some consumer research on them, but its been a while and I cant recall which brand they said held up..I know a few on them had major problems with the crank handles breaking.Some even had chargers for your cellphone.Here at the house when bad storms hit I turn on my police scanner...and also scan the ham bands,you get imediate local information as to damage that way.Let is know what you decided on Dar.

Kim

I had thought of getting a weather radio, but I would rather have a scanner. That way I could get more use out of it, instead of just hearing weather alerts.

A police scanner is good to have but if you are camping you would have to know which frequency to program in for the area, such as sheriff, unless you scan the bands and try and figure out what emergency dept your listening to by their location,in which case if your camping in a unfamiliar area you wouldnt know.

Kim

I lived by a "police radio" for 25 years and have NO DESIRE at all to listen to them EVER again!!! A weather radio is as close as I will get to being "TIED" to a radio again!

merrykalia wrote:I lived by a "police radio" for 25 years and have NO DESIRE at all to listen to them EVER again!!! A weather radio is as close as I will get to being "TIED" to a radio again!

10-4

The reason I like a scanner is that I can listen to railroad freq. to tell what trains are coming when I go railfaning.