Features
The Oregon Scientific WR103 is designed as a portable all-hazards/weather radio that receives NOAA weather forecasts and various hazard alerts. This includes everything from earthquakes to blizzards to chemical spills. This model comes with a cradle for use in home or office. The cradle has four small rubber feet on the bottom to protect it (and whatever it's on) from marring or scratching. An AC adapter is included in the package and allows the unit to be powered from any electrical outlet. The cord from the adapter is just over 5 feet in length, which is generous enough to allow for flexible placement. This adapter plugs into the unit itself, not the cradle. Otherwise, three AA batteries keeps the WR103 portable. The included removable plastic belt clip (carrying holder) wraps securely around the unit and does a nice job of keep it on my pack or pants. Also included is a nylon cord wrist strap which provides a bit more security, should the unit slip from your hands. Finally, a 17-page user manual and warranty card (good for one year) are also included in the package.
This model receives information from up to seven NOAA channels. It is equipped with Specific Area Message Encoding (S.A.M.E.) technology, which allows the user to program in a county (or a part of a county) that they wish to hear hazards alerts from. In other words, when the unit is in standby mode, it won't go off in the middle of the night to alert you about a tornado three counties away moving in the opposite direction. This effectively reduces the "crying wolf" problem of previous all-hazards radios. Other features include a very large LCD display with time, day, calendar date, and two alarms with a snooze option. An "indiglo" style electro-luminescent blue backlight keeps everything visible at night with just the press of a button. Speaking of buttons, all of them are rubberized and located on the top, top sides, and top front of the unit. The speaker is located in the lower center of the unit and a short (about 1 inch) antenna protrudes from the top left. If the speaker isn't loud enough, a port on the top of the unit allows for connection of an external speaker.
The color of the cradle is silver and it has a chromed look to it. The receiver has the same color on the front panel, and dark gray on the sides. It appears to be made almost entirely from plastic, which seems to be of better than average quality. Although Oregon Scientific doesn't advertise it as such on the packaging, this model appears to offer
some water-resistance; all of the buttons are rubberized, the battery compartment has a rubber o-ring type seal, and the speaker port and power port have rubber covers. Please keep in mind that it is certainly not water-proof. Oregon Scientific's website does indicate that this model is "shock and splash-resistant."
Specifications
According to the manufacturer:
- Monitors U.S. Emergency All Hazards and Emergency Alert System (EAS) weather bulletins, warnings, and forecasts
- Receives all Public Alert warnings, and National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA) reports
- Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) for broadcasts in up to 6 different counties
- Digital PLL Tuning for all 7 NOAA channels
- Emergency alert standby mode with 3 levels of alert: advisory, watch, warning
- 100-decibel alarm with visual alert
- 12-hour clock with dual-crescendo alarm, 8-minute snooze and Month/Date/Day display
- Shock and splash-resistant design
- LCD with backlight
- Actual size: 2.75" x 1.25" x 5.25"
Performance
Display
The large LCD display on this model is impressive. It is easy to read from different angles, the numbers are oversized, and it provides an uncluttered layout of information. Usually, time, day, and channel are displayed. Pressing the mode button on the front panel once displays month day and year, followed by two alarm modes (handy when camping). A large snooze button on the side shuts off the alarm for 8 minutes (also handy when camping). Thankfully, the unit automatically switches back to time mode after a few seconds of any of the other modes; you don't need to press the mode button again (sometimes it's the little things that count). The blue backlight is easily bright enough to allow you to read all of the information on the display, but not so bright that it leaves you with night blindness. To activate it, just press the snooze button.
Audio
For a handheld unit, the WR103 has an amazing volume range. The lowest setting is quiet enough so as to not disturb anyone around you, while the loudest setting can clearly be heard across several rooms in my apartment. Adjusting the volume is very easy - on the side of the unit, one button adjust up and the other down. Both of these buttons are perfectly located on my index and middle fingers when held in my right hand. Audio quality is good as well and is better than I expected from such a small speaker.
Reception
Compared to an earlier Oregon Scientific portable weather radio, the reception on this model is good. According to the instruction manual, it has a range of about 40 miles from a NOAA transmitter. So far, I've had sufficient reception both in the city and hiking in the Rockies. There is occasional static as with any radio receiver, but a quick repositioning of the unit usually improves its reception. However, there are locations in the U.S. that still do not receive NOAA broadcasts at all, so it's a good idea to check for coverage before purchasing a receiver.
There are several options for receiving alerts (watches, warnings, statements). Most obviously, if the unit is turned on for listening to forecasts, the forecasts will be interrupted with the alert information. Otherwise, the unit can be placed in one of two standby modes. An audible alarm can be sounded (in Radio Standby mode), or an LED light on the top front panel will flash red (in Radio Mute mode). The audible alarm is sufficiently loud to wake me out of a dead sleep when the unit is on my bedside table. The flashing LED light on the other hand is small enough that I usually don't notice it unless I'm looking right at it - I wish Oregon Scientific had made it even slightly larger or brighter.
Battery life is good, but not great. I use rechargeable NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries, which provide a lot of power for extended use, but tend to lose a lot of their charge fairly quickly in storage. Alkaline batteries provide less power for extended use, but don't lose their charge in storage, except after years. In standby mode, any type of battery can last for weeks. The more you use the speaker, the more quickly you'll drain your batteries. When the batteries do start to get low, a low-battery indicators appears on the right side of the LCD display.
Programming and Instruction Manual
The included instruction manual is clearly written and easy enough for anyone to follow. With the addition of S.A.M.E. technology, you can't just turn this model on and expect it to work perfectly. First, you need to select a channel for your area, as you would need to without the S.A.M.E. feature. This is easily accomplished by pressing the channel button in the center of the front panel. Entering the S.A.M.E. codes for your area requires a bit more work, but still only took me a couple minutes. Pressing the county button allows you to select "ALL", which basically turns off the S.A.M.E. feature, or one of six counties. To program in your county code, you first need to get the code from either NOAA's web site or a 1-888 phone number, both of which are provided in the instruction manual. Once you've entered the code (or codes) for your area, you can put the unit in standby mode and sleep through the night, knowing you'll only be awakened by information for your county (or part of a county for some areas).
Oregon Scientific also provides a 1-800 number and a website in the instructional manual for customer support. Although I haven't used this service, it's nice to know that it's there.
Conclusions and An Important Note
For about $30 online, you will not find a better portable weather radio. This is a well-built unit with good ergonomics, fairly intuitive operation, and a great set of features. Compared to Oregon Scientific's earlier attempts at a portable all hazards radio, this is a significant improvement in reliability, durability, and ergonomics. If you don't need the cradle and AC power adapter, consider the
Oregon Scientific WR102, which is the same receiver but without the indoor accessories.
In my opinion, as an earth scientist who studies natural hazards, all-hazards radios are invaluable. They've saved countless lives by providing early warnings of natural hazards. It is my experience that all-hazards radios usually receive information before it is broadcast on television or AM/FM radio. In tornado alley or anywhere else where hazards can strike at night, this radio can save your life simply by waking you up. The NOAA alert system is your taxpayer dollars at work - take advantage of it. If you don't by this model, buy another one, but get one.
