Before you get set to go boating, check the marine forecast.

Sure you can get weather on your smart phone, but what if you go to an area where there’s spotty cell service. Or your phone battery power is low. And will your cell phone issue alerts if you’re not paying attention? Twenty-four hours a day, this portable Public Alert Monitor receives and displays National Weather Services weather bulletins, alerts, watches, and forecasts, U.S. Emergency All Hazards bulletins, and local Emergency Alert System (EAS) bulletins and warnings. The automatic alert system triggers the radio speaker and audible-visual alert for instant awareness of conditions affecting life and property. Featuring advanced S.A.M.E (Specific Area Message Encoding) technology, the radio can be programmed to receive information specific to your geographic area. When traveling, boating, hiking or working outdoors, the WR601 will always keep you informed. Be sure to read all the instructions and to set the code for your local area. I went to the website listed in the manual and set mine for local NYC weather alerts. And read about the various modes BEFORE you go out into a lonely area where you need to know the weather! A good feature is the non-volatile memory function. It saves settings in the event of power loss. At home you can use it on the AC adapter – which is not a charge unit, but it will save battery life. This newest version is yellow. The older model is white. Suggested retail is $39.95, but I found it on Amazon for about $30. But I have NOT shopped at that website.

http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-WR601N-Weather-Wr601n/dp/B003S81Q04 

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