Weather transmitter

now operational

for New Ulm, area

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The voice of the National Weather Service recently became available to New Ulm and the surrounding 40-mile area when a National Weather Radio transmitter was added to an existing tower near the Department of Natural Resources Office south of town.

Computerized voices will inform people with NOAA weather radios of National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts and other information 24 hours a day.

First, a digital burst of information called Specific Area Message Encoding, will be heard. A 10-second broadcast of the 1050 Hertz warning alarm tone will then sound.

Next, the voice message is broadcast, describing the hazard, area affected (usually by county) and the valid time period of the dangerous weather situation.

Messages always alerted on a NWR Transmitter are tornado, severe thunderstorm, flash flood and hurricane warnings and watches and national emergencies.

High wind, winter storm and river flood warnings, flash flood watches and local, non-weather emergencies are broadcast if they apply to the transmitter's coverage area.

NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts warning and post-event information on other types of natural (earthquakes and volcanic activity) and technological (chemical releases and oil spills).

Brown County Civil Defense Director Jane Starz hopes all citizens will get weather radios. They are available at most electronic stores and the Brown County REA.

NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts can be found in the public service band at seven frequencies (MHz): 162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525 and 162.550. The local station band is 162.525.

The hearing and visually-impaired can receive weather warnings by connecting weather radios with alarm tones to other kinds of attention-getting devices like strobe lights, pagers, bed-shakers, personal computers and text printers.

"The point is that people should have them in their homes because you don't always hear sirens inside your home," Starz said. "I only hear them inside my home if the windows are open. Sirens usually won't wake you from sleep but these radios will."

Starz said the computerized voice will wake people up.

"It's loud and obnoxious, which is what it is supposed to be, but it's a good thing to have," Starz said.

The Brown County REA helped bring the transmitter on line.

Funding for the project was received from townships and cities.

All homes and business places are encouraged to have weather radios, the REA advises.

Former National Weather Service Director Dr. Elbert W. Friday, Jr. echoed the advice.

"Our goal is to have a NOAA Weather Radio in very home, just like a smoke detector, and in all schools, hospitals and other public gathering places like churches, nursing homes, restaurants, grocery stores, recreation centers, office buildings, sports facilities, theaters, bus and train stations, airports and other places," Friday said.

NWS hopes to expand the reach of weather radio broadcasts to 95 percent of the U.S. population with the help of innovative partnerships with the private sector and state and local governments.

For more information, visit www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr

Some ham radio operators also act as volunteer Skywarn spotters, providing crucial "ground truth" that verifies local conditions that weather forecasters can't see below the radar horizon.