Oregon Scientific WR103N Weather & Emergency Alert Monitor User Manual

Introduction

Thank you for selecting the compact Weather & Emergency Alert Monitor (WR103N) from Oregon Scientific™. The WR103N is a multi-function device that operates on the same radio frequencies used by the National Weather Radio (NWR). With an Early Alert system, users are alerted to weather and other environmental dangers. Ideal for back-packers or individuals who spend extended periods of time in remote locations; this device is also equipped with a digital clock, and daily alarm.

The WR103N is designed for individuals and organizations that require dependable early warnings of environmental dangers. This is the first portable take anywhere weather radio that operates on batteries or AC power. A low battery-warning icon alerts users that batteries are low and need replacing. The WR103N is small, lightweight and constructed of durable materials. With a reception range up to 50 miles (64km), the WR103N is ideal for use in remote outdoor areas or where there are large concentrations of people such as schools or hospitals.

The 2-line liquid crystal display (LCD) is easy to read. Switching from 1 display mode to another is a 1-step procedure, and the electro-luminescent (EL) backlight ensures that nighttime warnings can be seen in low light levels.

About the National Weather Radio System

The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency within the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that operates a nationwide network of radio stations known as the NOAA Weather Radio (NWR). The NWR radio system broadcasts warning information for all types of hazards both natural and technological. Working in conjunction with the Emergency Alert System (EAS), NWR is an all-in-one hazards radio network and is considered to be the single source of all comprehensive weather and emergency information.

A nationwide network, the NWR consists of more than 800 stations in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and U.S. Pacific Territories. Broadcasts are designed to meet local needs. Routine programming is repeated every few minutes and consists of local forecast, regional conditions and marine forecasts. Additional information, including river stages and climatic data, is also provided. During emergencies, these routine broadcasts are interrupted to report specific warnings, watches or other critical information.

Key Features

Front

Diagram Description: The front of the WR103N device shows: 1. LCD screen, 2. MODE button, 3. CHANNEL button, 4. Indicator LED (Red/Green), 5. COUNTY button, 6. Speaker grille. The LCD displays NOAA status, time, and message indicators.

• 1. LCD: Liquid Crystal Display.
• 2. MODE BUTTON: Switches between clock, calendar, and alarms (1 and 2). Enables clock, calendar, and alarm setting.
• 3. CHANNEL BUTTON: Enable / Exit channel-setting mode.
• 4. INDICATOR: Red / green LED indicates radio (on / off) and alert status.
• 5. COUNTY BUTTON: Enables county mode. Changes county settings (0-6).
• 6. RADIO SPEAKER: Adjustable voice-speaker volume.

Back

Diagram Description: The back of the WR103N device shows: 1. Battery Compartment Latch, 2. Battery Compartment.

• 1. BATTERY COMPARTMENT LATCH: Releases the battery compartment.
• 2. BATTERY COMPARTMENT: Houses 3 UM-3 or "AA" size 1.5V alkaline batteries.

Top

Diagram Description: The top of the WR103N device shows: 1. SP JACK, 2. NOAA BUTTON, 3. ANTENNA.

• 1. SP JACK: Line out jack for optional external speakers.
• 2. NOAA BUTTON: Switches between NOAA (on / standby [⏻] / mute [?] and off [?]) modes. Direct access to NOAA-on mode from NOAA-mute mode during SAME message alerts.
• 3. ANTENNA: Receives radio signals.

Left / Right

Diagram Description: The left and right sides of the WR103N device. Left side: 1. UP VOLUME BUTTON, 2. DOWN VOLUME BUTTON. Right side: 3. ANTENNA, 4. SNOOZE BUTTON, 5. AC/DC POWER PORT.

• 1. UP ▲ VOLUME BUTTON: Increase settings in any setting mode. Increases volume. Turns selected daily alarm (1 or 2) on / off. Scrolls upward to select county code (0-6).
• 2. DOWN ▼ VOLUME BUTTON: Decrease settings in any setting mode. Decreases volume. Turns selected daily alarm (1 or 2) on / off. Scrolls downward to select county code (6-0).
• 4. SNOOZE BUTTON: Enables the snooze function when alarm sounds. Momentarily activates backlight.
• 5. AC/DC POWER PORT: AC/DC power jack for connecting unit to external power source.

7.5V AC / DC ADAPTER

Diagram Description: Shows the AC/DC adapter plugged into a wall outlet and connected to the WR103N's power port.

Carrying Holder

Diagram Description: Illustrates the carrying holder, which can be mounted on a wall or attached to a belt for easy portability.

Cradle

Diagram Description: Shows the WR103N weather radio housed in its cradle for convenient placement.

LCD

Diagram Description: The LCD screen displays various information. Labels point to: 1. Voice radio status indicator (e.g., [NOAA]), 2. Radio frequency channel, 3. Time / date / alarm displays, 4. Warning message indicators ([WARNING], [WATCH], [STATEMENT], [TEST]), 5. Low battery warning icon, 6. Alarm (1 and 2) icons [⏰].

Getting Started

Please note that the WR103N does not have an on / off switch, and that the LCD will light up once the batteries are inserted. To conserve power, the radio can be set to NOAA standby [⏻], NOAA mute [?], or NOAA off [?] modes instead of NOAA on.

NOTE: Leaving the radio in NOAA on mode will consume substantially more power. To save power, it is recommended that the WR103N be on NOAA standby when the user is not listening to radio broadcasts.

Installing the Batteries

The WR103N uses 3 UM-3 or "AA" size 1.5V alkaline batteries. Replace the batteries within 25 seconds to prevent all settings from being lost.

Diagram Description: Shows three AA batteries being inserted into the WR103N's battery compartment.

NOTE: Please dispose of used batteries properly to prevent harm to the environment.

Different Display Modes

The LCD displays different types of information depending upon the display mode. Display modes can be subdivided into 2 basic categories:

1. Clock-Display Mode: Relates to functions of time and date, shows current time, date or alarm time and status for either alarm.
2. Radio-Status Mode: Displays information specific to the early-warning functions of the radio.

To alternate between various time / date displays: Press MODE to advance the second line through the time, date and alarm displays.

NOTE: Each press will advance the display sequentially.

Diagram Description: Shows example displays for "Current time" and "Alarm 1", and "Current date" and "Alarm 2".

To alternate between various radio-status displays: Press NOAA button to scroll through the NOAA mode options (on, standby [⏻], mute [?], or off [?]). The NOAA mode is displayed on the top line of the LCD.

Diagram Description: Shows the four NOAA status options: NOAA OFF, NOAA ON, NOAA Standby [⏻], NOAA Mute [?].

Early Warning Alert System

The early warning system uses radio signals to alert the user to environmental dangers. A built-in radio receiver will respond to 7 specified signal channels. To use the early warning function, select 1 of 4 options to determine the activity status of the radio receiver.

Radio-status options are:

• Radio ON [NOAA]: The radio is ON and voice messages can be heard continuously.
• Radio Standby [⏻]: The radio is in Standby and will switch to the ON position when an alert signal is received.
• Radio Mute [?]: The radio is in Standby and the LED will flash red to indicate that the unit has received an alert signal. Voice messages cannot be heard until the unit is switched to the ON position.
• Radio OFF [?]: The radio is turned OFF and the unit will not respond to alert signals.

To select radio settings: Press NOAA to alternate between various radio status settings. Each press will advance the setting by 1 unit.

To listen to an alert signal from the radio mute position: Press NOAA until the unit enters the radio on position and adjust the volume level if necessary.

Message Codes Used by the NWR

When the NWR airs urgent warnings, a digital code known as Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) is included as part of the message. This coding system contains specific information including the localized geographical area affected and the expiration time of the message. The WR103N retrieves and interprets SAME code messages and alerts the user. When SAME codes for a specific region have been entered into the unit, the unit alerts the user to relevant warning information for the specified region. Once alerted, a voice broadcast can be heard. At the end of the broadcast message, the listener will hear a brief end-of-message static burst.

In Standby mode, the unit will retrieve messages from a specific location and then the voice radio will automatically activate so that voice message can be heard. Several minutes after the message is completed, the unit will automatically deactivate the voice radio and revert to Standby mode.

Finding Local NWR Channels and County Codes

Successful operation of the WR103N requires that the user obtain appropriate NWR radio channels and SAME codes for a specific county or region.

To contact the NWS by telephone:

1. Phone 1-888-NWR-SAME (1-888-697-7263).
2. Follow prompts through a simple voice menu.

To Obtain NWS Radio Channels and SAME Codes on the Internet:

1. Locate www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm
2. Click the State for which information is needed.

For example, clicking on "Montana" will give a list of information relevant to the State of Montana including the names of counties, SAME codes, NWR transmitter locations, the frequency of the transmitter, the strength of the signal in WATTS, and any remarks as applicable.

Example of the first 10 county radio channels and SAME codes for Montana:

NOTE: Many counties have been subdivided into as many as 9 smaller subsections. The numbers 1 to 9 in the far left column of the SAME code identifies specific subsections of a county. If a county has not been subdivided, the first digit of the county code will be zero.

About Radio Channels

The NWR radio channels work in the same way as a regular radio channel. All of the NWR transmission stations operate on 1 of 7 frequencies.

The WR103N labels each frequency as a channel (A-G). Once the radio frequency for a region has been selected, the WR103N will receive voice and code information from that station. The radio channel information is located on the upper left hand corner of the LCD.

To change to radio channel:

1. In any of the time displays, press and hold CHANNEL for 2 seconds.
2. Press ▲ or ▼ to switch between various channels.
3. When the appropriate channel has been selected, press MODE to confirm and return to the Clock-Display mode.

Programming "SAME" County Codes

SAME county codes are required to receive weather and environmental information, and need to be entered into the WR103N. Up to 6 specific SAME codes can be entered into 6 display fields.

NOTE: The system can only alert the user to weather or warning information after SAME county-code information has been entered and enabled.

When the county code display is first entered, the user will see a display field providing the option of selecting all (ALL) or none [----] of the county codes. Selecting ALL will set the unit so all of the warnings and weather messages from a specified channel can be received. If none [----] is selected the unit will receive warning or weather information only from the specific regions that have been specified with respective county codes.

NOTE: It is recommended to select a SAME code field between (1-6) and then enter a specific code for that field. Selecting ALL will result in the unit giving warnings for regions that are not relevant to the user. These regions are quite large and can encompass about 5,000 square miles (13 sq km).

6 display fields permit up to 6 county codes to be entered. The user can select less than 6 codes by leaving the unused display fields empty.

Description of Specific Area Message Encoding Codes

A SAME code is broken into 6 fields of numbers.

Diagram Description: A visual representation of a SAME code broken down into fields: "3" (Code for Cochise County), "04" (Code for Arizona), "003" (Code for northeast sub-section of Cochise County), resulting in "County code for Cochise County, Arizona".

State-county coding:

The 3 digits on the far right refer to the state county coding. Each county within a state will have an independent 3-digit code.

NOTE: To receive all of the alerts for a given state, insert 000 into the county section.

State codes:

Moving towards the left, the next 2 digits are for state coding. Each of the 50 U.S. states has their own 2-digit code.

County sub-section code:

The last digit on the extreme left is the county sub-section. A county may be subdivided into nine sub-sections; each number between (1-9) represents a specific county sub-section.

NOTE: If the county sub-section code is stated as 0, then that county is not sub-divided and all alerts for that county will be received. To receive all of the alerts for a given county, insert 0 into the county sub-section.

A county can be subdivided as follows:

Diagram Description: A diagram illustrating a county divided into 9 numbered sections (1-9).

To select to receive all warnings or only warnings from specified localities:

1. Press COUNTY to enter the county-code display from any clock display mode.
2. Press ▲ or ▼ to switch between receiving all (ALL) warnings or only warnings from specified local areas [----].

NOTE: If (1-6) [----] (specified local area) is selected, local county codes need to be programmed into the unit.

To enter the appropriate county code:

1. Press COUNTY to enter the county-code display from clock-display mode.
2. Press COUNTY to bypass the county-code field 0 and advance to county code field 1.
3. To enter the county-code in this field, press and hold COUNTY for 2 seconds. The extreme left county-code digit will flash.
4. To enter the first county-code digit, press ▲ or ▼.

Remember: This part of the code subdivides a county into localized sub-sections. If the county code has not been subdivided into smaller sub-sections, select (0) in the far left column.

5. Enter the remaining 5 digits by following the same process. Press COUNTY followed by ▲ or ▼.

6. When finished, press COUNTY to advance to the next county-code field, or wait 9 seconds to automatically return to clock-display mode.

Radio Volume

Before you can set the volume, the radio needs to be in NOAA on mode.

To set the radio volume:

1. In Clock-Display Mode, with the radio set to NOAA on, press ▲ or ▼ to adjust the volume.
2. With the volume setting displayed, press ▲ or ▼ to change the volume, maximum volume is 7, no sound is 1.

Clock and Calendar

The Clock-Display mode is the unit's default display mode. When in another display mode it will automatically return to the Clock-Display after 9 seconds.

Setting the clock and calendar is sequential. Any part of the setting sequence can be bypassed by pressing MODE. Once changes are made and the setting mode has been exited, the day-of-the-week will automatically be determined. Days of the week are viewable in 3 languages: English, French and Spanish.

How to Set the Time and Date

You can choose between 12 / 24-hour clock or month / day, day / month display format.

Diagram Description: Shows the LCD displaying time and date settings, including "33199" and "PM".

NOTE: At any stage of the setting sequence, if no entry is made after 9 seconds, the unit will automatically exit the Clock-Setting mode and return to the Clock-Display mode.

To set the time:

1. In Clock-Display mode, press and hold MODE for 2 seconds.
2. Select either the 12 / 24-hour format. Press ▲ or ▼ to switch between the 2 formats.
3. Make selection then press MODE to save and advance to the next step.
4. To enter the hour digits, press ▲ or ▼ until the hour digits have been selected.

NOTE: Pressing and holding ▲ or ▼ will advance digits in rapid sequence.

5. When the hour has been selected, press MODE to save and to advance to the minute setting mode. Press ▲ or ▼ to make the minutes selection.
6. Press MODE to save the minutes selection and advance to setting the day-of-the-week language. Press ▲ or ▼ to make the language selection in English, French or Spanish.
7. When the weekday language has been selected, press MODE to save and advance to setting the year. Press ▲ or ▼ to select the year.
8. Press MODE to save the selected year and advance to setting the month. Press ▲ or ▼ to select the month.
9. When the month has been selected, press MODE to save and to advance to select the day of the month. Press ▲ or ▼ to select the day of the month. When the day of the month has been selected, press MODE to save and to advance to select the display option of day-month (D/M) format or month-day(M/D) format. Press ▲ or ▼ to switch between these 2 display options.
10. Press MODE or wait 9 seconds to exit the Clock-Setting Mode and return to the time display.

How to Set the Alarms

The WR103N has 2 alarms (alarm 1 and alarm 2). They can be used together or independently. The Alarm icons [⏰] are only displayed when alarm 1 or alarm 2 are active. No icon(s) indicate that the alarm(s) have not been set.

Diagram Description: Shows the LCD displaying time and alarm icons [⏰].

Remember: From the Clock-Display mode, press MODE to enter Calendar-Display and then again to set Alarm 1. Press MODE once more to set Alarm 2.

Setting the Alarm:

1. With the clock displayed, press MODE until alarm (1 or 2) display is entered.

NOTE: The last set time of the alarm will be displayed. If you have not set the alarm before, or if the alarm has been disabled, the time will be displayed as [----].

2. Press and hold MODE for 2 seconds.

Remember: At any stage of the setting sequence, if no entry is made after 9 seconds, the unit will automatically return to the Clock-Display mode.

3. To enter the hour, press ▲ or ▼ until the desired hour has been selected.

Remember: Pressing and holding ▲ or ▼ will advance digits in rapid sequence.

4. When the desired hour is reached, press MODE to advance select minutes. Press ▲ or ▼ to change values.
5. After selecting the minutes, press MODE or wait 9 seconds to exit Alarm-Setting Mode and return to Clock-Display mode. The alarm ON icon [⏰] for the chosen alarm, will be shown to indicate that the alarm is set and will sound at the set time.

When an alarm goes off, it will sound for 1 minute, the EL backlight will activate. Alarms 1 and 2 are identified by different sounds: Alarm 1 has 2 short bursts of sound followed by a pause which then repeats. Alarm 2 has 4 short bursts of sound followed by a pause, which then repeats. Unless disabled, the alarms will sound for a total of 1 minute before automatically turning off.

Disabling an Alarm

When disabled, the respective alarm icon will not be displayed. A disabled alarm display is indicated by blanks [----].

To disable alarm (1 or 2):

Press MODE to enter alarm-1 or alarm-2 display followed by ▲ or ▼.

NOTE: When an alarm is activated, the alarm time will be displayed in the alarm display. In the Clock-Display mode, the respective alarm-on icon [⏰] will appear indicating that alarm1, 2 (or both) is set.

Enabling an Alarm

When disabled, the respective alarm icon will not be displayed. The display will show blanks [----].

To enable alarm (1 or 2):

Press MODE to enter alarm 1 or alarm 2 display followed by ▲ or ▼. The respective alarm-on icon [⏰] will appear and the [----] alarm time will be replaced with the alarm time set.

How to Stop an Alarm

An alarm can be disabled but remain set so that it will activate at the same time the following day.

To stop an alarm:

When the alarm sound is activating, press any button (except (Snooze)). The alarm will be stopped and will activate again at the same time the next day.

Snooze

When either alarm 1 or 2 sounds, pressing (Snooze) will stop the alarm for 8 minutes before it sounds again.

Backlight

The EL back light casts a blue light evenly across the LCD making information easy to read in low light conditions. To activate the backlight, press (Snooze) / Backlight.

Emergency Alert System (EAS)

The Emergency Alert System (EAS) uses the latest technology to allow local authorities to broadcast important emergency information to specific areas. The Emergency Alert system was originally designed as a communications link between the President and the general public during times of emergency. The EAS communication link is instant and can target the State, National, and Local Area levels. The EAS and NWS share the same digital signal used on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Radio (NWR). Ultimately, the purpose of EAS is to deliver emergency alert information to those who need it.

NOTE: This product is equipped to receive all required NOAA and newly added EAS events.

To receive EAS events, make sure your WR103N radio is working properly. Please refer to the "SAME Messages" section for information about how to receive "Test" messages. When an EAS event is sent by the NWS, any 1 of the following messages will be displayed on your radio: "WARNING", "WATCH", or "STATEMENT." Please refer to the list of the National Events and Messages below:

National Codes:

State and Local Codes:

For more information about the Emergency Alert System and event codes, please visit: www.fcc.gov/eb/eas/ or www.nws.noaa.gov/os/eas_codes.htm.

SAME MESSAGES

The WR103N receives SAME warning messages in 3 classifications depending upon the level of emergency: Warning, Watch and Statement. In addition to these 3 classifications, there is another type of message - Test. The purpose of this NWR service is to assist you in verifying that your WR103N NOAA weather radio is set-up and working properly. Each week the National Weather Service Office will broadcast a test message in SAME format. To receive the Test message, your WR103N needs to be in NOAA-on, NOAA-standby [⏻], or NOAA-mute [?] mode with a county code and NWR channel selected and programmed into the radio. If your WR103N is properly set, a flashing "Test" icon will be displayed on the LCD when a Test message is received. The "Test" icon will continue to flash for over an hour after the Test message is received.

NOAA Weather Radio stations broadcast the Test Message every Wednesday between 10:00AM and Noon, local time. (Test messages may also be sent on other days and times when there is a threat of severe weather in the listening area or for other reasons).

Corresponding with the "Test" icon, the following broadcast will be made immediately after sounding the Test alarm:

"This is the National Weather Service Office in ... (city) .... The preceding signal was a test of the Weather Radio Station ... (call sign) ... public warning system. During potentially dangerous weather situations, specially built receivers can be automatically activated by this signal to warn of the impending hazard. Tests of this signal and receivers' performance are normally conducted by the National Weather Service at ... (time) ... each Wednesday. If there is a threat of severe weather, the test will be postponed to the next good-weather day. Reception of this broadcast, and especially the warning alarm, will vary at any given location. This variability, normally more noticeable at greater distances from the transmitter, can occur even though you are using a good quality receiver in good working order. To provide the most consistent and dependable warning service possible, the warning alarm will be activated for hazardous watches and warnings for the following counties .... (list of counties)..."

When more than 1 state is involved, the names of the states will always preceed the names of the counties in that state.

If the Test is cancelled due to the threat of severe weather, the Test broadcast schedule will resume with the next available good-weather day.

If you have any questions regarding alarm tests or to verify if a test was conducted, contact the programming office of your local NOAA Weather Radio station.

Care and Maintenance

When handled properly, this unit is engineered to give years of satisfactory service.

To properly maintain this product:

1. The unit is splash proof but do not immerse it in water. If the unit comes in contact with water, dry it with a soft lint-free cloth.
2. Do not clean the unit with abrasive or corrosive materials. Abrasive cleaning agents may scratch the plastic parts and corrode the electronic circuit.
3. Do not subject the unit to excessive force, shock, dust, temperature, or humidity. Such treatment may result in malfunction, a shorter electronic life span, damaged batteries, or distorted parts.
4. Do not tamper with the unit's internal components. Doing so will terminate the unit's warranty and may cause damage. The unit contains no user-serviceable parts.
5. Only use new batteries as specified in this instruction manual. Do not mix new and old batteries as the old batteries may leak corrosive or hazardous fluids.

Specifications

Radio Functions

Time Functions

General Specifications

Caution

• The content of this manual is subject to change without notice.
• Due to printing limitations, the display shown in this manual may differ from the actual product display.
• The contents of this manual may not be reproduced without the permission of the manufacturer.

About Oregon Scientific

Visit our website (www.oregonscientific.com) to learn more about Oregon Scientific products such as digital cameras; MP3 players; children's electronic learning products and games; projection clocks; health and fitness gear; weather stations; and digital and conference phones. The website also includes contact information for our Customer Care department in case you need to reach us, as well as frequently asked questions and customer downloads.

We hope you will find all the information you need on our website, however if you're in the US and would like to contact the Oregon Scientific Customer Care department directly, please visit:

www2.oregonscientific.com/service/support

OR

Call 1-800-853-8883.

For international inquiries, please visit: www2.oregonscientific.com/about/international

FCC Statement

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

WARNING: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation.

This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio / TV technician for help.

Declaration of Conformity

The following information is not to be used as contact for support or sales. Please call our customer service number (listed on our website at www.oregonscientific.com), or on the warranty card for this product) for all inquiries instead.

We

declare that the product

is in conformity with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.