The Oregon Scientific WRB603 Weather Station with Public Alert Weather Radio combines a portable weather alert radio with a wireless weather forecast station. The Oregon Scientific WRB603 receives audio and text NOAA and environmental, EAS civil, and weather emergency radio broadcasts. The NOAA text messages can be displayed in English, Spanish, or French. This small, portable, splash-resistant radio can be programmed by county to give you only the alerts that pertain to you. Both the radio and the weather station have integral digital calendar clocks with dual daily snooze alarms. The clock in the WRB603 weather station is atomic, and it receives its time and calendar information from the remote sensor that also reports outdoor temperature and humidity. Now, more than ever, every family should have an emergency alert radio to provide the earliest possible warning of dangerous conditions in your area.

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NOAA Information. NOAA stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and EAS is the Emergency Alerting System. The WRB603 receives audio and digitally encoded (text) civil and weather emergency alert messages transmitted from the more than 900 NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) broadcast towers in the 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific Territories. The WRB603 receives all seven NOAA weather channels, and it uses Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.) technology to identify specific areas such as a county or a portion of a state.

Radio Displays and Audio. The radio that's part of the WRB603 has two main display modes, Clock and Radio Status, plus a Setting mode with sub-modes for alarms, clock and language, radio channel, and radio geographic location. During normal operation after setup, the unit remains in Clock mode until you turn the radio on. In Clock mode, you can press MENU to alternate between current time with weekday, a calendar display, alarm 1 time, and alarm 2 time.

To enter the Radio Status mode, you turn the power on. A single button selects not only radio On and Off but also Standby and Mute. With the radio On, you hear regularly repeated NOAA weather condition reports and forecasts except when these are interrupted by NOAA alert messages (advisories, watches, warnings, and the weekly test message). These NOAA alerts are preceded by a 100 dB audio alarm and a visible alert signal. With the radio in Standby, it switches to On only when alert messages are broadcast. With the radio in Mute, it is in Standby with the sound turned off. Thus, you can view but cannot hear alert messages. When the radio is Off, it does not respond to NOAA alert messages. Selecting Standby, Mute, or Off saves power. 

Radio Setup. To set up the radio and its integral clock, you first connect the preinstalled rechargeable battery pack. The radio then enters the sub-mode for clock setting and language selection. You can leave the Setting mode at any time by pressing EXIT. After setup, you can set a keypad lock so that programmed settings cannot be accidentally changed.

During setup of the radio's clock, you can select 12-hour or 24-hour time format, month/date or date/month calendar format, and language. The language you select is not only for the weekday but also for the NOAA text alert messages that are displayed in dot-matrix format when the audio alerts are broadcast.

For radio setup, you can specify up to nine locations to monitor. You can do this either by selecting NAME and entering the state and county, or by selecting FIPS and entering the six-digit S.A.M.E. code that identifies the state, county, and in some cases, the section of a county. Just so you know, FIPS stands for Federal Information Processing Standards, and FIPS codes are issued by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to ensure uniform identification of geographic entities through all federal government agencies. S.A.M.E. codes are generated by the FIPS system. The user manual explains S.A.M.E. codes and tells you how to obtain them by telephone and via the Internet. When entering a location by state and county, you can specify All instead of a county name, in which case the radio receives all NOAA alerts within its reception range of about 50 miles (64 km).

With the WRB603's radio, you can select any of the seven NOAA weather channels (frequencies), or you can option the radio to automatically tune to the strongest RF (radio frequency) signal available. A signal strength icon with signal loss reminder is displayed for the selected channel. The radio also allows you to select a Home or Travel mode. Selecting the Travel mode sets the location to county:All. As a result, not all the NOAA alerts you receive will be relevant, but a simple Travel mode setting means that you don't have to reprogram some or all of the nine set locations when you're traveling.

Additional Radio Information. The WRB603's radio can store up to eight NOAA alert messages for later display. This radio receives all NOAA events, and the user manual contains a complete National Events and Messages table. In it are listed the nature of activation and the message type for all NOAA alerts. Examples of nature of activation include Tornado Watch, Immediate Evacuation, and Child Abduction Emergency (known commonly as "Amber Alert"). Message type can be Advisory, Watch, or Warning (plus Statement when the nature of activation is Emergency Action Termination).

The radio's two daily alarms have different sounds so that you can tell one from another. Each alarm sounds for 1 minute (if not silenced earlier) and has an available 8-minute snooze function.

The radio's LCD panel has a backlight with 5-second auto-off for night viewing. On the left side of the radio is a jack for connection to an external speaker system (e.g., a public address system). On the back of the radio is a handy belt clip, and you can also attach a neck strap (not included) to the radio if desired.

Weather Station and Atomic Clock. The weather station and atomic clock portion of the WRB603 displays time and weather data in an LCD panel that is about 3-1/2 inches wide by 3 inches high and has a backlight with 5-second auto-off. During normal operation, the time display can be clock time with seconds, clock time with weekday, or calendar information. The time can be in 12-hour or 24-hour format, and the weekday abbreviation can be in English, French, or Spanish. The atomic clock has two daily alarms independent of those in the radio. Each sounds for 2 minutes (unless silenced earlier) and has an available 8-minute snooze function. The clock's auto-setting function can be disabled if you wish to set the clock manually.

The indoor temperature and relative humidity are displayed simultaneously with the outdoor (or other remote) temperature and humidity from up to 5 locations. You can also display the recorded minimum and maximum temperature and humidity readings since the last reset for indoors and for all remotes in use.

The weather forecast is continuously displayed as one of five icons: Sunny, Partly Cloudy, Cloudy, Rainy, or Snowy. The forecast is for the next 12 to 24 hours and covers a 19- to 31-mile (30 to 50 km) radius. Forecast accuracy is 70 to 75 percent.

A Special Remote. The WRB603 comes with a unique 5-channel remote that contains not only a thermo-hygro sensor but also the atomic clock receiver for the weather station. The remote receives time synchronization signals from the U.S. atomic clock in Colorado (radio station WWVB, 60 kHz) and transmits this information, plus temperature and humidity data, to the weather station via 433 MHz radio waves. As a result, the weather station's clock maintains the same accuracy as the atomic clock. Please be aware  that the RTGR328NA remote cannot function as an atomic clock receiver for any Oregon Scientific time and weather instruments that preceded it.

The RTGR328NA remote has its own 2-line LCD panel for local viewing. The top line displays the time and a time-signal reception icon. The bottom line displays the selected channel number for the remote and automatically alternates between temperature and humidity. Although the WRB603 weather station can operate with up to five remotes, only one can be a remote that receives time synchronization radio signals, and that's the RTGR328NA that comes with the station. The additional remotes are other models that must be purchased separately. When using multiple remotes, be sure to select a different channel number for each.

Optional Remotes. The optional remotes (without time signal reception capability) that work with the WRB603 are as follows:

• THGR228N (3-channel sensor).
• THGR268 (3-channel sensor). This is a temperature and humidity sensor with its own display.
• THGR328N (5-channel sensor).
• THR228N (3-channel sensor).
• THR268 (3-channel sensor). This is a temperature-only sensor with its own display.
• THC268 (3-channel sensor). This is a temperature-only sensor with a probe on a 10-foot (3-meter) wire and its own display.

Powering. The ac adapter included with the WRB603 powers the weather station and its integral recharging cradle for the radio. The radio's Ni-MH battery pack recharges when the radio is in the cradle and the station is powered up. You can use three AA alkaline batteries in the radio instead of the rechargeable battery pack, but if you do this, don't put the radio in the recharging cradle unless power to the cradle is disconnected. The RTGR328NA remote is powered by two AA alkaline batteries, but if below-freezing temperatures are expected for an extended period, lithium batteries should be used instead.

Radio Features:

• Monitors U.S. Emergency All Hazards and Emergency Alert System (EAS) weather bulletins, warnings, and forecasts.
• Receives all National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) reports, which provide emergency alerts on tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, floods, evacuations, civil dangers, and more.
• Digital quartz clock calendar automatically synchronizes with NOAA time broadcast.
• Flexible programming--select Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.) broadcasts in up to 9 different areas or ALL counties.
• Available keypad lock function to prevent accidental changing of programmed settings.
• Manual or automatic channel selection.
• Three levels of alerts: Advisory, Watch, and Warning.
• Broadcasts audible messages at any of 7 volume levels.
• Audible messages are preceded by 100 dB alarm.
• Displays text messages in dot matrix format in English, French, or Spanish.
• Can store up to 8 messages for later display.
• Signal strength icon with signal loss reminder.
• Clock in radio has two daily alarms, each with available 8-minute snooze.
• Message reception modes for both home and travel use.
• Includes rechargeable Ni-MH (nickel metal hydride) battery pack and belt clip.
• Can use three AA (1.5V) alkaline batteries in place of Ni-MH battery pack.

Weather Station, Atomic Clock, and Charging Cradle Features:

• Clock synchronizes to 60 kHz WWVB radio time signal from U.S. atomic clock in Colorado.
• Included thermo-hygro remote receives WWVB signal and transmits time, temperature, and humidity data to weather station
• Automatic time adjustment (including daylight saving time changes) and date adjustment occurs after signal reception.
• An icon indicates the status of the connection between the weather station and the remote sensor and also the status of atomic clock signal reception.
• Time accuracy when clock is free-running (not synchronized to U.S. atomic clock) is +/-0.5 second per day.
• Time is displayed as hh:mm:ss, either in 12-hour format with AM or PM or in 24-hour format.
• Weekday abbreviation in English, French, or Spanish can be displayed as an alternative to seconds.
• Calendar display can be mm:dd:yyyy or dd:mm:yyyy.
• Clock in weather station has two daily alarms (independent of clock and alarms in radio). Each sounds for 2 minutes unless turned off earlier. If an alarm sounds for 2 minutes, it turns off automatically and sounds again 8 minutes later.
• Weather station simultaneously displays indoor temperature and humidity plus outdoor temperature and humidity from selected remote channel.
• Comes complete with one RTGR328NA remote thermo-hygro sensor and time signal receiver--add up to 4 additional thermo and/or thermo-hygro sensors (optional; not included) to monitor up to 5 remote locations, indoors or out.
• RTGR328NA remote sensor shows time as hour and minutes, temperature in °F or °C, and relative humidity in percent. Temperature and humidity are displayed in alternating format.
• Maximum transmission range of RTGR328NA with WRB603 weather station is 98 feet (30 meters).
• Weather station memory stores maximum and minimum temperature and humidity readings (indoor and from all remotes in use) for pushbutton display.
• Five weather forecast icons indicate Clear, Partly Cloudy, Cloudy, Rainy, or Snowy.
• Weather forecast is for 12 to 24 hours in the future. It covers an 19- to 30-mile (30- to 50-km) radius and is 70 to 75 percent accurate.

Additional Features:

• Low-battery icons appear on radio, weather station, and remote when replacement is needed.
• Included ac adapter powers the weather station, including the integral radio charging cradle.
• Weather station is designed for free-standing use on a horizontal surface.
• Remote can be free-standing or wall-mounted.

Specifications: