Weather Radio News

Updates

2009-07-01T11:12:00.004-05:00

New station on the air:

Grand Marais, Michigan

WZ2515, 162.425 MHz, 100 W, NWS Marquette

Coming soon:

Munising, Michigan

WZ2514, 162.475 MHz, 100 W, NWS Marquette

Minor under-the-hood updates have also been made on WeatherRadio.info. The "sort by call sign" search option has been discontinued for the time being due to loss of support for the feature; I am investigating options for re-enabling it.

Fayetteville, NC changes

2009-05-19T11:00:00.002-05:00

One week from today, or on May 26th, the existing Fort Bragg, NC and Lumber Bridge, NC transmitters will be turned off and a new station will sign on from Saint Pauls, NC. The call sign and frequency for Saint Pauls will be inherited from the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg station -- WXL50, 162.475 MHz. The new signal will broadcast at 1000 watts.

Potsdam/Parishville, NY

2009-05-08T12:23:00.002-05:00

This one's been quite a while in the making...

KPS508 is now on the air from White Hill near Parishville, NY -- serving the Potsdam and Massena areas in upstate New York. Broadcast frequency is 162.525 MHz and programming originates from the NWS in Burlington, VT.

New Transmitter in Wytheville, VA

2009-05-02T15:36:00.001-05:00

WZ2500 has begun broadcasting on 162.450 MHz effective April 30th, and is currently in a 30-day test period. The broadcast program originates from the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg, VA.

2009-04-01T21:46:00.004-05:00

No new weather radio transmitters are expected in fiscal year 2009. Funding for network improvements this year will go to replacements of aging existing sites.

At this time, the following sites are on the list for fiscal year 2010:
Stevenson, AL
Koko Head, HI (replaces Hawaii Kai transmitter; serves Honolulu)
Maui (island), HI (unsure if this replaces or supplements the Haleakala transmitter)
Muncie, IN
Great Bend, KS
Ft. Stockton, TX

note: despite the date, this post is for real

Big Sur temporary broadcast

2009-01-16T10:40:00.003-06:00

The National Weather Service in Monterey, CA has temporary authorization to operate an 80-watt NWR transmitter on 162.475 MHz from Post Ranch Hill near Big Sur, CA. The station is operational as "Big Sur Burn Area Temporary NWR" (no call sign) and is authorized to transmit from 1/7/09 to 4/30/09.

The transmitter does fill in a coverage gap along the central California coast, but apparently will not be a permanent solution so this station will not be added to the WeatherRadio.info database at this time. When a permanent transmitter is installed, it will be added.

New station in California

2008-11-26T15:20:00.002-06:00

Santa Rosa, CA -- WZ2504, 162.475 MHz, NWS Monterey

Transmitter site is on Sonoma Mountain, just west of Jack London State Park near Glen Ellen, CA.

Two new stations

2008-11-18T10:36:00.001-06:00

Great Bend, KS -- KPS511, 162.500 MHz, 1000(?) W, NWS Wichita

Frankfort, KY -- WZ2523, 162.500 MHz, 300 W, NWS Louisville

2008-10-31T16:41:00.002-05:00

Relocation:

WWF34 (serving the Kalamazoo, MI area) has been relocated from Oshtemo, MI to Plainwell, MI.

Morgan City,LA

2008-10-08T17:12:00.001-05:00

From the NWS New Orleans website:

The NOAA Weather Radio transmitter located in Morgan City, Louisiana, was destroyed during Hurricane Gustav on Labor Day weekend. A temporary tower, operating at a lower height and power, has been put into place. We hope to have the permanent tower repaired and fully operational by the end of December 2008.

Florida transmitter relocation

2008-10-08T08:22:00.002-05:00

Station WWH20, serving parts of the Florida Panhandle, has been moved from Bethlehem to Westville.

Old coverage map

New coverage map

Updates from Idaho and Washington

2008-10-06T15:46:00.002-05:00

New station in Sun Valley, ID! WZ2520, 162.450 MHz, 100 W, NWS Pocatello, ID.

In addition, it appears that the Goldendale, WA station may be off the air. The station no longer appears on the NWS coverage map page for Washington. Nearby stations appear to still serve the area well, with a possible exception being the area along the Columbia River south of Goldendale.

More new stations

2008-09-23T15:47:00.001-05:00

Silver City, NM...WZ2-516 on 162.450 MHZ at 1,000
Tonopah, NV...WZ2-519, 162.400 MHZ, 300 watts

News from Alaska, New Mexico, Texas, and Virginia

2008-09-09T12:04:00.003-05:00

The Nenana, AK station is on the air! KPS504 broadcasts on 162.400 MHz from a transmitter in, or just north of, Nenana. Programming originates from the NWS in Fairbanks. Furthermore, the NWS-Alaska Region states that this is the 1,000th station in the NOAA All-Hazards radio network.

Also just added to the official NWS coverage maps:

Dickens, TX -- WX2507, 162.500 MHz

South Boston, VA -- KJY86, 162.450 MHz

Further news -- this taken from the NWS Albuquerque website:

"New transmitters are coming to New Mexico! A new transmitter is expected to be installed in the Tucumcari area during the fall of 2008. When this occurs, the Clovis transmitter will be moved south toward Portales. These two transmitters will fill in some coverage gaps across the eastern plains of New Mexico. Both transmitters will be programmed by the National Weather Service in Albuquerque. Another new transmitter is expected to be installed near Silver City later this year. This transmitter will be programmed by the National Weather Service in Santa Teresa."

New station in Virginia

2008-07-29T18:01:00.001-05:00

South Boston, VA / KJY86 / 162.450 MHz / 1000 W / NWS Blacksburg, VA

30-day testing phase begins today.

A couple of updates from Kansas

2008-06-29T17:22:00.003-05:00

Station WZ2511 has been on the air in Sharon, KS for a few weeks. WZ2511 operates on 162.400 MHz from the K-DOT tower 5 miles south-southeast of Nashville, KS. Effective radiated power is 1000 watts and programming originates from the NWS in Wichita.

In addition, the expansion site previously listed as "La Cygne, KS" will instead be located a couple miles southeast of Parker, KS, on a K-DOT tower. This station is expected on the air by fall 2008.

Randle, WA

2008-04-22T20:43:00.002-05:00

A new NOAA All-Hazards radio station is on the air in western Washington. WZ2502 broadcasts from a tower on Bennett Road in the valley east of Randle, WA at 162.425 MHz (100 watts). Due to the low tower site, coverage is limited to Randle and the valley to the east/northeast. Programming originates from the NWS office in Seattle.

Crystal Falls, MI

2008-04-17T21:52:00.002-05:00

The NOAA All-Hazards radio station in Crystal Falls, MI is on the air!

KJY76 broadcasts at 162.475 MHz from a transmitter near Crystal Falls, with an effective radiated power of 1000 watts. Programming originates from the NWS office in Marquette.

Another transmitter in the western Upper Peninsula is still to come, located near Marenisco.

New Stations

2008-03-17T15:35:00.001-05:00

Copper Harbor, MI -- WZ2513, 162.500 MHz, 100 W, NWS Marquette

Dickens, TX -- WZ2507, 162.500, 1000 W, NWS Lubbock

Toledo, OH frequency change

2008-02-19T12:24:00.003-06:00

The Toledo, OH weather radio frequency will be changed from 162.550 MHz to 162.500 MHz effective March 3, 2008. Power will be increased from 100 W to 300 W, increasing the coverage area and resolving interference issues with the nearby Detroit/Southfield transmitter, which also broadcasts on 162.550 MHz.

Updates on planned stations

2008-02-14T15:14:00.002-06:00

Great Bend, KS -- within the next year

Hutchinson, KS -- low-power; unknown schedule

LaCygne, KS -- should be on the air by September.

Accomack County, VA -- funded (RUS grant) -- expected on the air later this year

Also, upgrades will be made at the Wichita, KS site -- new cabling, new transmitter, and new antenna 300 feet higher (on the same tower).

New station in Tennessee

2008-01-31T11:47:00.000-06:00

Serving parts of south-central Tennessee, including the Clifton area:
WZ2506, 162.500 MHz, 1000 W

The broadcast originates from the NWS office in Old Hickory, TN (Nashville) and transmits from Cypress Inn, TN.

Relocation

2008-01-29T10:36:00.000-06:00

The Savannah, GA transmitter has been relocated across the state line to Hardeeville, SC. This move increases the overall coverage area of the station (KEC85). The new coverage pattern is slightly to the northeast compared to the old; however, the Jesup, GA transmitter provides a strong signal to the parts of southeastern Georgia which will now be in the KEC85 fringe area. KEC85 now gets a stronger signal to Beaufort, SC; also covered by station WXJ23 (162.475 MHz) transmitting from nearby Green Pond.

New Stations

2008-01-28T21:11:00.000-06:00

Dillon, CO:

WNG-737, 162.400 MHz, 300 W

Transmitting from a tower near the Eisenhower Tunnel.

Programming originates from the NWS office in Boulder, CO.

Reedsport, OR:

WZ2509, 162.525 MHZ, 100 W

Programming source: NWS Medford, OR (?)

Guadalupe Peak, TX:

WZ2503, 162.525 MHz, 1000 W

NWS Midland, TX (??)

Corrections:

Washington, GA: 300 W (was listed as 1000 W)

Salmon, ID: 100 W (was listed as 300 W)
Spencerport, NY: 162.525 MHz (was listed as 162.450 MHz)
Yakima (Spanish), WA: 100 W (was listed as 300 W)

Michigan UP Updates

2008-01-25T13:40:00.000-06:00

The NWS in Marquette, MI will be adding a 100 W transmitter on 162.500 MHz in Copper Harbor in the near future.

Call sign info for two other Upper Peninsula transmitters:
Crystal Falls — KJY76 (162.475 MHz)
Marenisco — WNG683 (162.550 MHz)