Uniden Wx100 Vhf Scanner Owners Manual
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WX100 7 CHANNEL WEATHER RADIO Reference Guide wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page ii
Precautions Before you read anything else, please observe the following: The installation, possession, or use of this radio in a motor vehicle may be prohibited, regulated, or require a permit in certain states, cities, and/or local jurisdiction. Your local law enforcement officials should be able to provide this information regarding the laws in your community. Changes or modifications to this product not expressly approved by Uniden, or operation of this product in any way other than as detailed by this Reference Guide, could void your authority to operate this product. UnidenDOES NOTrepresent this unit to be waterproof. To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, DO NOTexpose this unit to rain or moisture. wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page iii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1About Your Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 About Weather Alert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 About FIPS Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Obtaining Your Area’s FIPS Code(s) . . . . . 4 Taking Proper Care of Your Radio . . . . . . 5 Unpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Installing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Mounting on the Wall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Using External Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Controls & Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Initial Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Clock Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Weather Channel Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 FIPS Code Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Alert Type Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Alarm Time Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Backlight Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Using the Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Helpful Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 User Shortcut Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Testing the Weather Alert Radio . . . . . . . 22 Testing the Alert Siren and Indicators . . . 23 Troubleshooting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 One-Year Extended Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Getting Started Operation Initial Settings Troubleshooting Specifications wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page iv
1 About Your Radio Traditional weather radios receive NOAA’s weather broadcast (usually within a 50-mile radius) then sound an alarm of any emergency code which was transmitted along with the broadcast. This means that people who live outside an affected area are often alerted even when their area is not affected, causing many of them to ignore potentially real weather warnings that can save lives. In 1994, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began broadcasting coded signals called FIPS (Federal Information Processing System) codes along with their standard weather broadcasts from stations in your area. These codes identify an emergency and the specific geographic area (such as a county) affected by the emergency. The WX100 was developed with the S.A.M.E. (Specific Area Message Encoding) technology. This allows your radio to receive, interpret, and display the information about the codes so you can determine if the emergency might affect your area. Only S.A.M.E. compatible weather radios are able to take advantage of this new technology. Each FIPS code identifies a specific geographic area (defined by the National Weather Service), so your radio sounds an alert only when a weather emergency is declared in those locations. This helps you more efficiently track the weather conditions in and around your area. Your new radio is equipped with the following features: PLL Control 7 Preprogrammed Weather ChannelsProgrammable Weather Alert with S.A.M.E. TechnologyLiquid Crystal Display for Alert DescriptionAlert Type IndicatorsBroadcast Volume ControlAlarm ClockBacklight DisplayExternal Antenna ConnectorExternal Speaker ConnectorExternal Alert System Terminals INTRODUCTION wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page 1
2 About Weather Alert When the WX100 receives a weather alert: • It sounds an alert siren. • A description of the alert appears. • An indicator on the front of the radio lights. The alert descriptions your radio can display are based on a list of specific weather alert types published by the NWS. For a list of all the alert descriptions that your radio can display, see NWS Weather Alert Event Code Descriptions on Page 20 - 21. Caution:The NWS uses sophisticated weather models to determine an alert’s effective time. However, the end of an alert does not necessarily mean that the related weather emergency is over. If the radio receives more than one weather alert at the same time, it displays information about each alert. wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page 2
3 About FIPS Codes For the purpose of broadcasting weather information, the NWS has divided the United States into regions by state and county (or parish, where applicable) then assigned a 6-digit FIPS code to identify each county or parish. For example, the code for Tarrant County, Texas, is 048439. The first digit in a FIPS code identifies the county subdivision, the next two digits identify the state, and the last three digits identify the county or parish. Your radio can receive all S.A.M.E. alert signals broadcasted within about a 50-mile radius of where you installed it. To receive S.A.M.E. alerts and broadcasts about weather occurring only in particular counties within that area, you can program up to 20 FIPS codes into the radio’s memory. For example, this lets you avoid hearing an alert that applies to an area within a 50-mile radius but not necessarily to your county or parish. Most FIPS codes begin with 0, which means that FIPS code represents an entire county. The NWS, however, eventually plans to subdivide some large counties. When that happens, each subdivision will be assigned a digit from 1-9, resulting in codes such as 148439, 248439, and so on. wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page 3
4 Obtaining Your Area’s FIPS Code(s) To obtain the FIPS code for the location where you installed your radio, contact the NWS toll free at 1-888-NWR-SAME (1-888-697-7263). Visit their website: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm If you call the NWS, follow the instructions you hear. Hint:Since you can program up to 20 FIPS codes into the radio’s memory, you might want to obtain the codes for other local areas (as long as those areas are within a 50 mile radius of your local NWS broadcast station). That way, you can program those codes into the radio and receive broadcasts covering those locations, too. If you are close to a county or parish line, you might want to obtain the codes for the nearby counties or parishes. wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page 4
5 Taking Proper Care of Your RadioDo not use the radio in high-moisture environments such as the kitchen or bathroom. Avoid placing the unit in direct sunlight, near heating elements, or vents. Do not plug the radio into an outlet controlled by a wall switch as prolonged periods without power causes the clock to reset. Unpacking Carefully check the contents against this list: WX Radio WX100 with built-in telescopic antennaAC Adapter (Model AD-100W)Wall Mount Adaptor with ScrewsThis Reference Guide and other printed material If any items are missing or damaged, contact the Uniden Parts Department at (800) 554-3988. Hours are from 7:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday, Central Time. We may also be reached at www.uniden.com. Complete and mail your Registration Form immediately.Read this Reference Guide thoroughly before operating the radio. wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page 5
6 Installing the Battery Before using your WX100 for the first time, be sure to install a 9V Alkaline battery (not included). It provides backup power when the AC power fails or is temporarily disconnected. Typical backup power will last for up to 8 hours if the radio is in standby and the batteries are fresh. If the radio is on and you are listening to the broadcast, the backup power will only last for about an hour. 1. Make sure the volume control is set to off. 2. Open the battery compartment cover on the bottom of the WX100, and snap the battery onto the battery terminals. 3. Put the battery into the compartment, and replace the cover. GETTING STARTED Replace the battery with a new one whenever “BATT LOW” appears on the LCD with alert beeps. Use only the type of battery specified, 9V Alkaline Battery (6LR61). wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page 6
7 Mounting on the Wall The WX100 can be mounted on a wall using the wall mount adapter. 1. Insert two mounting screws into the wall with their appropriate anchoring device 3 inches apart. Allow about 2/16 of an inch between the wall and screwheads for mounting the WX100. 2. Snap the wall mount adapter into the notches on the bottom of the radio. 3. Insert the small plug of the AC adapter cord into the jack on the back of the radio marked USE AD-100W ONLY. 4. Plug the AC adapter into any standard 120V AC wall outlet. Do not plug into an outlet controlled by a switch. It could cause clock reset. 5. Place the cord inside the molded channel cord holder. 6. Align the mounting slots on the adapter with the screws on the wall. Push in and down until the WX100 is firmly seated. 7. Extend the antenna to it full height. wx100.qxd 7/26/00 11:47 AM Page 7