Originally Posted By: IzzyJG99
You also need to realize that when broadcast TV goes over to digital so do weather radios. So your weather alert radios will have to be either modified with a DigitalHD antenna or purchase a whole new unit.


I believe the source of confusion is because of 2 unrelated things happening at the same time:

1) Certain VHF and UHF frequency users must convert their equipment to 12.5Khz bandwidth by January 1, 2013. New licenses for the old 25Khz systems will no longer be accepted past January 1, 2011. The NOAA Weather Radio is specifically exempted, there will be no need to replace receivers. Also, it is now the "NOAA All-Hazards Radio", and thus is a very important component of the public safety warning system. Upgrading it's equipment will be about as difficult as replacing our aging air traffic control system.

2) Digital TV conversion, resulting in portable radios (not NOAA Weather Radios) being unable to receive the digital audio portion of Digital TV. NOAA Weather Radio operates on 10 designated frequencies, that are exempt from narrowbanding, and will continue to operate in analog mode.


Edited by ki4buc (03/17/08 11:39 AM)
Edit Reason: corrected small, but important spelling mistake