First Alert Public Alert Radio with S.A.M.E Reviews

• Paid for itself in the first two days of use

  
  By AGCMMPA9Y1118 on 2007-06-05
  This radio arrived (and was set up) two days before very heavy thunderstorms with hail and high winds hit my area. It was early evening and the weather looked sunny and clear outside, when this thing goes off for no apparent reason. I thought it was a mistake or false alarm, but when I turned on the cable weather channel the radar showed a huge thunder storm rapidly forming in the West and moving my way. It's very late in the Spring season right now for a storm like this and I wasn't expecting any harsh weather. I had time to get the cars under cover, find the cat & put her inside and bring in the outdoor furniture cushions before the storm hit. In our neighborhood, we lost some big limbs a few trees and some cars were damaged by hail. Fortunately, I had no damage.
  
  The instructions are not very complicated and the set-up was much, much easier than that required for a VCR or TIVO. It has battery back-up in case the power goes off and doesn't take up a lot of space on the night stand or dresser. Also, you can program which alerts you want to hear and limit the alerts to those applicable to only the County you live in. This really cuts down on unnecessary alarms. For example, though we are in an area that can have flash floods, I don't need this warning because I don't go out in heavy rain or flooding anyway. A warning about a storm only is sufficient. I think I might get this radio as a gift for some elderly friends and relatives of mine. It's a good and very unobtrusive watchdog.
  
  

• Nothing More, Nothing Less

  
  By A3K7OBEQ9JJ4JI on 2007-07-22
  This little unit is easy to set up and has the SAME functionality which is important to me since I didn't want to hear warnings for places that weren't near to me. Other units I looked at had extra options like AM/FM radio but I didn't need those features. I just wanted something that would wake me up if a tornado was coming my way. This will warn you of many other things and you can set what you want to be notified about. Follow the instructions, it's pretty easy. It also will take rechargeable NiMH or Ni-Cad batteries and keep them charged. Or, you can switch it to accept Alkaline. The battery backup is important to have. Great unit, no complaints.
  
  

• Very Well Designed

  
  By A3FBXZA5H33K1Z on 2008-03-03
  This radio can be programmed not to sound alerts which are unimportant to me. For example, I don't want to hear flash flood warnings as I am not in an area prone to flooding. Basically, what I really want are tornado warnings when issued for three specific counties in Tennessee and one county in Kentucky. This radio can do that. (There are some alerts which cannot be blocked, but these are rare, for example a chemical hazard warning.)
  
  The radio is fairly easy to program. It took me about 30 minutes to get everything the way I wanted it. It runs on AC power and has backup power provided by 4 AA batteries (not included). Overall, I rate this as a very effective, well-designed product, and I have just purchased some additional units for friends.
  
  

• Really Like this First Alert

  
  By A109CKVBCFVA4I on 2008-04-19
  We really like this First Alert Weather Radio. We bought a Midland first, but couldn't get a signal no matter where we put it. We had a First Alert for years that was great and lasted several years, but we bought the Midland because at the time we couldn't find another First Alert. After the Midland mistake we searched and found this First Alert Public Alert Radio. We get a good signal and receive all of the alerts and warnings that we need. We live in North Texas and need a reliable weather radio for the scary Spring weather. I recommend this First Alert!
  
  

• Works fine!

  
  By A2C9ID43SYAN9N on 2007-12-18
  I bought this to replace an older weather radio we had. The sensitivity is great, we live in a hilly region and it picked up two stations fine. It seems to be working well.
  
  
• Weather Alert Radio
  By AISMS8JSKYJWF on 2008-04-27
  Product was easy to set up, fortunately have not had a test of it's emergency alerts. Only thing is LED light on panel is pretty bright...if you need a nightlight in a bedroom it would provide one. Wish they had a way to turn that off. But, well made product.
  
  
• So far, so good
  By A2U6BIIZTBXBL8 on 2007-06-23
  I had been looking at the Midland model 300. But after a whopper t-storm rolled through the other night, I high-tailed it over to Circuit City for a browse. They only had this F.A. model, and it was hideously overpriced (CC is competitive on some products, not close on others...go figure). So I bought it. Set-up was easy. Haven't had any alerts yet. Will return for a revised review after the next storm hits.
  
  
• works well, great price
  By A36PSHMIG6T6TW on 2008-03-10
  I purchased this weather alert radio after the tornados that hit Kentucky several weeks ago. I wanted a radio that let me set which alerts you want it to notify you about and which counties you want to monitor. This is really helpful so it's not going off all the time. The only thing I don't like about it is the LED light that is always lit - it's bright enough that we can't keep it in the bedroom so we put it in the hallway outside the room and it actually works as a nice night light.
  
  
• so far so good
  By A1MEVBD79PNUI7 on 2007-12-03
  Would be five stars except we haven't had any bad weather to test the alarm. Come to think of it, we haven't had any weather at all in Piedmont NC.
  
  Fairly easy to program. No need to hire rocket scientist.
  
  
• THIS THING WORKS GREAT!
  By A3LV79Y5L2DW9D on 2008-04-07
  Nice weather radio. It is not the most attractive design but it does the job. It is adjustable to your local weather bands and public alert systems. I think I would recommend this to a family member. I feel safer with this in my house.
  
  
• Best investment I've made for peace of mind
  By A2RKEDLAKM3BS on 2008-05-16
  While living in the Midwest for many years, I was never nervous about severe weather: there were warning sirens, pretty predictable weather patterns and comprehensive news coverage. Unfortunately, I have learned that where I live now (Chapel Hill, NC) has neither warning sirens (!) nor predictable weather patterns (but does have good weather coverage if you know to turn it on). After learning about a tornado warning in the northern part of the county only because a coworker happened to have the weather report up on her computer, I started researching weather radios. I settled on this one for its programmable features and based upon the other reviews (and the cost, though I actually paid a little more than what they're advertising now, but this is more than worth it). Last week, it really got a workout with the massive storms that came through, including the tornadoes in Greensboro. Once again, I can take comfort knowing that something will wake me up when there is nasty weather coming through, as it doesn't seem like they'll be installing sirens any time soon (which baffles me, considering this is the same metro area that shuts down at even the slightest whisper of the word "snow" during the winter months, so you'd think the weather paranoia would be a year-round phenomenon).
  This radio was easy to set up; the instruction manual looks intimidating, but really, just follow the steps and you'll find that the set-up and basic use is very intuitive. Even the lowest volume setting for the alert and radio is enough to wake me and I can hear it clearly from the other end of the apartment (and even if it wakes the neighbors, I argue that a weather radio is a bit different than a barking dog or booming subwoofer). I don't use the alarm feature and while the beeping noise when you press the buttons is a little excessive, you can turn the beep off. I have it programmed for my county and the three or four surrounding counties and it is quite easy to select which alerts you want to receive and which you don't.
  Overall, I highly recommend this (or honestly, any other reliable) weather radio. Even if you live in an area with sirens, you don't always hear them depending on where in town you live in relation to where the sirens are located and especially when you factor in variables like air conditioning, televisions, radios, dishwashers and other noisy everyday items that may prevent you from hearing them. Best of luck in your search and stay safe.
  
  
• Battery Problem
  By A2SWIFC1Z088T4 on 2008-06-01
  Great unit except....placed new alkaline batteries in it with switch set to alkaline. Unit has been plugged in with no power outages. Found today that batteries are all dead. Apparently this will use the battery power for some reason even when it is plugged in.
  
  
• Happy with this radio so far!
  By A2RHDDF508OOOD on 2008-06-28
  I purchased this radio after doing research on other weather radios. I first purchased a GPX weather X radio (at Wal-mart) which I returned for a refund due to absolutely NO reception--AM/FM or weather. Did some research online to find a radio that seemed reliable and had good ratings. The Midland was a possibility, but I don't need another AM/FM radio and a few people mentioned that it was difficult to program, so I decided to go with the First Alert. The First Alert manual is easy to follow and the radio was a cinch to program. The radio is completely customizable from what kind of siren (2 choices) for alerts you want to what type of alert or emergency you want to be notified. The reception was very good. Having the S.A.M.E. technology to program what counties you want to receive alerts for is an excellent feature. Plus, the First Alert radio meets the certified "Public Alert" standards for a weather radio. If interested in more information about these standards, see [...]. I might also mention that no sooner did I have the radio set up, the siren went off to alert me of a thunderstorm watch in the area, so needless to say, it worked! I've only had the radio for about 3 days now and am happy with it's performance so far. I'm hoping there won't be an issues with it in the future--only time will tell. All in all a good radio for a good price.
  
  
• added peace of mind
  By A1O0Q7FYS1IH5B on 2008-05-19
  This product is a nice addition to helping our family be prepared in the event of a weather incident. I am pleased with it performance thus far.
  
  
• Buy This Weather Radio!!!! It is great.
  By A11T2DJYCNERMG on 2008-05-30
  We just bought this radio with SAME to replace an older radio that we first unwisely replaced with a GPX. This radio is designed well, is solidly built, and works well. Plus you can program in your own county and tell it which alerts you want sirens to go off for, and which ones you don't. An excellent value. This is the one you want, if the $40 range is do-able on your budget!
  
  
• First Alert
  By A2AW0ASXHXSCP7 on 2008-07-08
  Works like a champ. The alarm goes off - with ample volume - and lets you know what's happening. The directions on how to set it up are pretty straight forward, once you kind of understand the whole concept of the NOAA alarms. You can set-up for several counties in the local area and then 4 different alarms you want to be notified. Some alarms are automatically set - as for hurricane, tornado, etc. They work great, and I'm getting another one for camping and a third for my place of work.
  
  
• Weather Radio
  By A2IWKUC8X8K3NJ on 2008-07-09
  Was easy to set up, and when we have had local weather conditions, it has always alerted us to the watches and the warnings. Very easy to hear throughout the entire house. Plugged in our county code, and the only alerts we get are the ones we need.
  
  Would have been nice to have a larger display, but not a big deal.
  
  
  
  
• Nice Weather Radio
  By A27FD0KKH1TE4O on 2008-07-11
  We decided to get a weather radio after we slept through a tornado warning. I like that you can program the radio to sound alerts for only things we are concerened about. The other nice thing is that you can choose what counties you want to get alerts for. The radio only took about 20 minutes to program. We have had it go off a couple of times and it works well. We think it was a good purchase.
  
  
• Perfect for the job
  By A1WX5HCHJ2JQFS on 2008-08-01
  This is a great weather/alert radio. The directions were clear and easy to follow. It does everything the Midland WR-100B radio does, plus much more for only a few dollars extra.
  
  On this radio you can delete watches that you do not need or wish to hear. Another big plus is that the volume can be changed. This is a biggy if you are going to place it beside your bed. It has individual lights for watches, warnings, and advisories if you should miss an alert while you are out. It has a big enough screen that missed messages can be read easily.
  
  I also own the Midland WR-100B radio, which is a dependable, but very basic radio. The First Alert seems to have more quality built in and is easier to use. This radio would be my first choice.
  
  
• good radio right price
  By A2J811I8ALGPIG on 2008-07-07
  The radio was just what I was looking for, easy to use and able to set up just the alerts & area's I wanted.
  
  
• Public Alert Radio
  By AL6VLOEXYM7G1 on 2008-07-12
  Product performs as expected, however, there has been no severe weather conditions to fully test it's performance.
  
  
• Buy this one
  By A1F5XRJ58OHRLF on 2008-07-27
  Let's get to the point. What you want in a weather radio is for it to work when it's supposed to and be easy to set up. This one does that. I have programmed a Midland WR-300 for my In-Laws, and it was a long winded pain. They still can't figure out how to use it. I own an Oregon Scientific WR-103... an equal P.I.T.A. to set up, and you can't shut off the weekly test siren, which is an irritant to us day sleepers. You also can't mute the frigging beeps each time a button is pressed. Surely someone can come up with a more pleasant tone for this purpose.
  Anyway, the First Alert is really easy to set up, and much more intuitive to use. I can mute the weekly test siren, and still the radio will notify me through the display if recent tests have failed. I can mute the irritating button beeps, and easily select which alerts I want to hear. This radio also holds your settings even without power, so you never have to reprogram after the first time. It has battery power in the event of power loss, and it will even charge the on board batteries when plugged in, alkaline or NiMH. You will appreciate that feature if you've ever had a radio that lost it's settings during a power outage.
  What makes this radio deal even sweeter is that it's almost half the price here than it is at the Shack. Buy this one!
  
  
• Works as promised
  By A3M6RV70UVKPXV on 2008-08-01
  We have been using this product for over a month. It has worked exactly as promised so far. We set it so that non life threatening warnings have the audible alarm blocked. We have never gotten an audible alarm under those circumstances. No tornado warnings have been issued by NOAA for our area since we got the unit to test the auible alarm in a real life emergency situation.
  
  One word of advice, do not block the audible test signals, They are programed at the factory not to sound. We blocked them and then got a message 10 days later that the unit has not received any watches, warnings or test signals There is a 10 day no signal alert that comes on automatically. Once we let the test signals through, there have been no such message and no audible alarm during the test.
  
  I found this unit very easy to program, my husband did not. We are considering getting another unit to use when one of us travels since some areas we may travel to are more rural and may not have local sirens. Another nice feature is that we disconnected the unit for a week with no back up battery and all of our settings for alarms remained the same when we plugged the unit back in. The only thing we had to do is set the correct date.
  
  Added note August 4: We've just experienced our first real tornado warning today. The weather radio sounded the alert about one minute before the local sirens sounded. The unit is on the main floor of my house. We heard the alarm well on the first floor, but not on the second floor. I had the alarm volume set at level 3, so I have turned it up now. Otherwise I may purchase another unit for the second floor. Definitely worth the investment.
  
  
• Gives peace of mind, easy to use.
  By A3W10H7EYY0EIC on 2008-08-01
  A few weeks ago I ordered this NOAA weather radio with SAME. Getting a NOAA radio was recommended by a local TV Meteorologist. A few minutes ago, it went off with it's first alert.
  
  Set-up of the radio was quick. I had looked up the county codes and frequencies on the NOAA website before the radio arrived. Really simple and only took a few minutes. With this particular radio I was able to turn off alerts for stuff I didn't want to bother me like flash flood alerts. (Flash flood alerts are pretty common this year in my area, but not really a concern in my neighborhood.) It also has battery backup, and you can put rechargable batteries in it and it will keep them charged. Handy.
  
  There have been alerts for other counties recently, but not us. The radio did its job and didn't alert me to those warnings.
  
  An alert was issued for a severe thunderstorm watch for this and surrounding counties a few minutes ago. Apparently immediately, the radio sounded a siren for 10 seconds then started playing the broadcast alert. Also, an LED showing the severity (warning/watch/advisory) is blinking and continues to blink for the duration of the alert. A message describing the alert also scrolls across the screen. I noticed a message on the TV after the radio alerted. I wouldn't have noticed the TV alert as it was only on for background noise. I don't actively watch TV during the day, or much at all really. I mostly use the DVR or movie channels if I'm watching. That's how I missed the alerts for a local tornado last time. I was clueless until the citywide airhorns went off. That was scary as I wasn't prepared.
  
  So, I'm very happy with my choice. Oh, also love that I can listen to the weather at any time by hitting the "listen" button. That tunes into the frequency of the NOAA weather channel and broadcasts current weather conditions and forecasts.
  
  I super highly recommend this radio, or any radio for that matter. It really provides a sense of security.
  
  
• Great Product
  By A1G051ATWV4KJL on 2008-09-05
  Using instructions programming is easy. You can select not only counties to receive alerts for, but also select only the alerts you are concerned about.
  
  
• Really, really programmable
  By AKP1XRYZWOWIN on 2008-09-05
  This thing is fantastic. Our old weather alarm only let you program in "SAME" designations (just warnings for your county would go off). That was fine and good, but the darn thing went off all the time (we live in the Midwest, with lots of thunderstorms and rain). We needed a weather alarm because the outdoor tornado sirens are so quiet, I don't think they'd wake us up. On the other hand, I don't need to be woken up all night long every time they issue a flash flood warning (I'm not in my car, and we live on a hill, flash floods don't produce the kind of danger we need to be torn out of our beds at 3 am for).
  
  Anyway, this one allows you to turn off EVERYTHING except tornado warning sirens. It is fantasic. We've been able to finally sleep all the way through the night, even if there are severe storms.
  
  
• Ahh...Sleep
  By AUFUZ9QWZZ6XS on 2008-09-26
  We bought this product for the programmable alerts. And, on that it delivers. I live on high ground in my county, so I don't need to be awakened in the middle of the night for a flood watch. I also don't want to be awakened for a T-Storm watch. This thing lets you set the alerts that sound the alarm-tone. If you have disabled an alarm it still receives the alert, presents a yellow (watch) or red (warning) light, and displays alert text on the console. If you wake up in the middle of the night you can still see the flashing red light of a warning message and get up and read it. It won't let you disable the alarm for tornado warnings, but that makes sense. The console has a light so the textual warning message can be read easily at night. You also can set the volume of the alarm-tone on this model.
  
  The reason I removed a star from the rating is that the console isn't as informative as our old model. If you get an alarm for a T-Storm warning our old one would show the time remaining on the warning (e.g., 2Hr30Min). This new one doesn't appear to do that. I've been thru the manual (and pushed all the buttons) and if it does it... I can't seem to figure out how to get it to do that. Yeah sure, the red light remains on throughout the warning... but it would be nice to know how much time is left. So, you are left with pushing the radio button and listening to the weather service radio to hear them tell you the duration of the watch or warning. Or, as we have done, you might want to keep your old alert radio that does this and turn the alarm-tone completely off and use it to show the duration of the alerts.
  
  
  
• Works very well
  By A2U79KX3XSLHME on 2008-06-02
  We've had the radio for a month or so. There have been several watches and warnings, and what I like about this radio is that it has lights indicating an advisory, a watch and a warning. So, you can look at it from across the room and still know what's going on. After the initial siren sounds, one of the lights stays lit. It changes and a new alarm sounds if the advisory/watch/warning changes and the light turns off once it has been lifted. The radio is easy to program. Also, it will hold your SAME code even if the batteries are removed or die (you'll have to reset the other information, though). We haven't had the battery trouble a previous reviewer mentioned.
  
  
• Great Radio, Recommended.
  By A3EX4SECXFUTF3 on 2008-06-10
  I looked at several radios prior to this radio, I looked at the midland because of it's high amount of ratings, however I was looking for strictly a weather radio, I have other radios available if I need to hear an AM/FM radio. This unit is basic and to the point, it is a weather radio with an added alarm function, and I found it easy to setup. The first day I had it I received a severe thunderstorm warning and it worked exactly as expected. Also, this radio has the ability to choose which events you receive alerts for. Great radio. Great value.
  
  
• Superb Device
  By A28OVMZJ5NDTRM on 2008-06-20
  We are very pleased with this radio from First Alert -- it proved its value the first day I set it up when the radio's alert was the only thing which prevented my wife from driving into the middle of a very severe thunderstorm. Great reception, fairly easy to program, reliable (at least for the few months we've had it).
  
  

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