Why is my NOAA weather radio beeping? This blog article will explain why the NOAA weather radio beeps and how to reset it.
Keep reading to learn more!
Every week, NOAA will send out a test alert. Every few minutes, your radio will make a loud beeping sound. You know that a test signal was successfully sent to your radio when you see this.
Why is My NOAA Weather Radio Beeping?
Several NOAA Weather Radio listeners have recently reported hearing excessive audible beeps from their radios.
Every seven days, the NOAA weather radio is required to get a weekly test from the National Weather Service.
After 10 days without a test, the radio will start beeping loudly every ten minutes.
Every Wednesday between 11 a.m. and noon local time, NOAA Weather Radio testing is done. If severe weather threatens at this time, the test may be postponed.
NOAA radios that have not had a weekly test in the last ten days are now beeping once every 10 minutes.
The radio will be reset during the next weekly test or watch/warning. If you can’t wait that long, unhook the radio from the wall, flip it over, and remove one of the batteries.
Replace the battery and reconnect the radio.
This does not affect the radio settings since the SAME county code, and all other information is saved on a flash memory chip.
How to Reset NOAA Weather Radio
If you purchase an NOAA weather radio, you must carefully configure and program it to get the weather alerts you want and avoid receiving those you do not.
You will be guided through every step of an NOAA weather radio setup in this section, including how to set it up properly.
Here are the detailed step-by-step instructions for resetting an NOAA weather radio.
Step #1. Installing AA Batteries in the Back of Your Radio
Installing AA batteries in the radio’s rear is the first thing you must do. You must always leave your radio plugged in since it has a wall socket.
The batteries are a backup power source in case of a power outage during a storm.
Maintaining new batteries in your radio is crucial, much like your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector.
To keep them fresh, it’s recommended to replace them twice a year when the time changes.
Step #2. Ensure the Side Switch is Turned ON
Next, confirm that the side switch is turned to the ON position.
This controls how your radio gets data from the National Weather Service and is NOT a power switch.
Your radio will never function if this is set to OFF.
To prevent you (or any curious children roaming around the home) from accidentally flipping the switch to OFF, I suggest turning it ON and covering it with a piece of tape.
Step #3. Go to the Menu
To begin the setup, go to MENU.
If you are resetting the radio after it has lost power or if you get lost during the first configuration, press the MENU button to get there.
Scroll through the menu items by using the up and down arrows.
You do not need to do the following procedures in any specific sequence; follow the instructions provided by the radio:
To Set An Alert Type:
Press the SELECT button. You may choose TONE, VOICE, or DISPLAY.
I suggest the VOICE option since the radio will show the alarm on the screen and read it to you out loud, allowing you to listen to all the information you need.
To confirm your selection, press SELECT.
To Set A Location:
There are two possible outcomes depending on the age of your radio. We’ll begin with the NEW radios.
If these instructions don’t make sense in light of what you’re seeing, go on to the following bullet point for older radios.
1. The New Model
Press SELECT and a menu will appear with three options: SINGLE, ANY, and MULTIPLE. This is where you will specify the county(s) you wish to get notifications.
Select using the up and down arrows
Choose the desired choice using the up and down arrows, then click SELECT.
If you wish to narrow your search to the United States, press SELECT to confirm, and you’ll get a list of all the states and territories.
Find your state using the up and down arrows, then click SELECT. Find your county by scrolling up and down and clicking SELECT.
Follow these steps again to include up to 25 counties if you’re using the MULTIPLE options rather than the SINGLE one.
Select SINGLE and choose the county where you reside
Select SINGLE and select your home county. Many of the people program radios to warn all of the counties that surround their own.
This will give you notifications for storms that will never touch you, causing warning fatigue you will begin to ignore the radio, even when it is vital and intended for you.
2. The OLD Model
The new radios employ the same technology as the old ones, but they are designed to be easier to configure and operate.
To program an older radio, follow the same steps; you only need one extra piece of information: your SAME code.
- You’ll choose your state, then scroll down the list to locate your county.
- Select the SAME code in your county for the transmitter nearest you (if more than one choice is available).
- To choose SINGLE or MULTIPLE, follow the same procedures as a new radio.
- When you SELECT your favorite choice, you will use the up and down arrows between the numbers 0-9 and the left and right arrows to navigate through all six digits.
- Input the SAME code for your location and, when finished, hit SELECT to save your work.
Step #4. Set Language
If you’d want to switch the language, press SELECT to bring up the menu.
Step #5. Set The Alarm
This function provides an alarm clock; thus, Don’t select this menu choice unless you want to use it as an alarm clock regularly.
Step #6. Set Time
Press SELECT to bring up the screen where you may change the time.
Set the hour using the up and down arrows, the left and right arrows to navigate between the minutes, and the up and down arrows to independently set the tens and single digits.
Step #6. Set Events
This option lets you choose the kind of notifications you wish to receive. There are four options: ALL OFF, ALL ON, ALL DEFAULT, and EDIT EVENTS.
I recommend keeping it on ALL DEFAULT at first.
Suppose you receive too many warnings that you don’t need and are inclined to switch off the radio, don’t. Choose the EDIT EVENTS option and hit SELECT.
You will then list all available radio alerts.
Press SELECT to discover whether that option is enabled or disabled. Toggle between ON and OFF using the up and down arrows if you need to adjust the setting for that alert.
To confirm your selection and return to the list of all notifications, press SELECT.
When you’re done selecting your choices, hit MENU to return to the main menu.
Step #7. Button Beeps
This feature allows you to turn off the radio’s sound when you press a button.
Press SELECT, then use the up and down arrows to toggle between OFF and ON, then press SELECT to save your selection.
Step #8. Set A Backlight
This feature has three settings: ON, OFF, and NORM.
ON will always illuminate the screen backlight, OFF will never illuminate the screen backlight, and NORM will illuminate the screen backlight while you actively use the radio and switch it off when you stop pushing keys.
Step #9. Select A Channel
- The FREQUENCY is the number you must match on your NOAA weather radio; therefore, write it down or keep this page open while programming.
- Return to your weather radio and click SELECT to access the station selection menu.
- The sequence of numbers on the right side of the screen should correspond to the FREQUENCY value from the NOAA website.
- Scroll through the channels by using the up and down arrows. When you’ve located the proper set of digits, listen to the broadcast to ensure it’s clear.
- If the sound is muffled, but the numbers are correct, lift the antenna on the back of the radio and adjust the location to pick up a better signal.
- You may have to roam around your house to check if you can obtain a stronger signal elsewhere.
- Press SELECT to save your work when you have a good signal and are on the proper channel. During an emergency, this is the tower from which your radio receives broadcasts.
Step #10. Set An Alert Test
This should be your last step when configuring or resetting your radio. When you push the SELECT button, you will hear the radio’s sound when it gets an alert.
This confirms that your radio is getting data and functioning correctly. When you’ve confirmed that the sound is operating properly, hit the huge WEATHER/SNOOZE button to turn it off.
Final Verdict
Why is my NOAA weather radio beeping?
Every week, NOAA will send out a test alert. Every few minutes, your radio will make a loud beeping sound.
You know that a test signal was successfully sent to your radio when you see this.
Turning off the radio will mute the alert. Your signal strength may be poor if you don’t receive a weekly test beep.
Change or relocate the radio’s frequency. Customize radio alerts. If given the choice, many in our area won’t heed to tsunami warnings.
Always use warnings. Sea-level tsunamis may produce mountain congestion.
Thanks for reading!
