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The Web's Community & Resource for Fire, Rescue, EMS & Safety |
This page is provided to allow you access the wealth of weather information on the local Central Florida area, and other areas available on the Internet.
To select specific weather products of interest, click on the links below to get current weather data (text only) from the Internet Weather Information Network (IWIN).
National Weather Service Radio (NOAA)
The National Weather Service (NWS) maintains a network of VHF radio sites which broadcast current weather information, forecasts, warnings/wathces, & climatic data 24 hours a day.
In the Gulf Coast & Central Florida area these sites are:
162.550 KHB32 Tampa162.400 WWG59 Venice
162.500 WXK83A Sebring
162.475 KIH63 Orlando
Alert Test Performed: WED 1115/WEEKLY
During watches/warnings & other severe weather the NWS will broadcast a special tone to activate special weather alert receivers. These radios give a visual and/or audible alarm to indicate an emergency.
The NWS is in the process of upgrading the Weather Alert Radio system to a new digital alert format (WRSAME) which will allow for only effected areas alert receivers to be activated versus the current all or none approach.
WR-SAME is AVAILABLE in the Tampa area servered by all NWS radio sites fed from the TPA forecast office. You will need a WR-SAME radio receiver to decode these alerts. Radio Shack has just such a radio, Model #120-0249 for $80.
Information on how the WR-SAME system operates can be found on the WR-SAME Hompage. This page also provides access to FIPS/SAME codes for the entire US. It also lists which transmitter is sending SAME codes for your area.
You will also need a SAME/FIPS code to select the area to be alerted for alarms.
The table below summarizes the FIPS/SAME codes for the Central Florida Area:
| NOAA NWS FIPS/SAME Codes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| County | FIPS Code | County | FIPS Code |
| Charlotte | 012015 | Lee | 012071 |
| Collier | 012021 | Manatee | 012081 |
| DeSoto | 012027 | Pasco | 012101 |
| Hardee | 012049 | Pinellas | 012103 |
| Hernando | 012053 | Polk | 012105 |
| Hillsborough | 012057 | Sarasota | 012115 |
A good weather alert radio is a MUST HAVE in FL! Below are several choices:
Sources of these include Radio Shack, mail order from some of the suppliers on the Scanner Links Page for Midland & Maxon, or check out Thunder Eagle's Weather Radio. They offer some of the most advanced weather alert radios on the market today.
EMWIN
In co-operaion with the FL National Guard, St. Petersburg Times, and NOAA, the St. Pete. Times makes available the Emergency Managers Weather Information Network (EMWIN).
What is EMWIN? Basically EMWIN rebroadcasts local weaher information in text form that can be displayed on a PC using software like WeatherNode.
More details can be found on the NOAA EMWIN site
The EMWIN stream is broadcast from a the St. Pete. Times building on 139.2125MHz at 1200 baud.
What can you get on EMWIN?
- You get ALERTS & WARNING as SOON as they are sent out, faster than the local media, The Weather Channel, and sometimes even before the alert on the local NWR station is activated!
What do you need to receive the EMWIN signal?
- Scanner which can TUNE to 139.2125 MHZ FM (NOTE: Some scanners may round this off to 139.210 or 139.215 thats FINE, you WILL STILL RECEIVE the data signal.
- Scanner with LINE OR SPEAKER OUT
- EMWIN 1200 Baud Demodulator
- IBM PC Compatible Pentium 166MHz or better w/COM Port
- EMWIN Software
Where to get the demodulator?
Tampa Scanner suggests that you get a TigerTronics NWX12 cost is $69.95 plus $8.00 for UPS Ground Shipping.Where to get EMWIN Software
WeatherNode was the program that started the whole EMWIN process on the PC, and NOW is available as FREEWARE (NOTE: NO FURTHER DEVELOPMENT is expected on this product. NOAA has purhcased the software and may in the future develop it.)You can dowanload WeatherNode from the EMWIN Houston Site which is now home to the WeatherNode program. (NOTE: Many sites including the SPTimes & others reference Xenocode & Skywalker Systems. None of these is currently offer products for EMWIN usesrs. Xenocode went out of business several years ago. Skywalker has halted satelite systems (NOT the same as what you will be using) sales till the new format for the weather satelites is set and has removed their site till then. This new format for the satelite will NOT affect those using local rebroadcasts like that from the SP Times.
Specifically download: WeatherNode
Newer software has been developed, InterWarn is in ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT, but is not freeware. Cost is $39.95. Also WXMesg is available for $35.00 which is also in ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT.
Where to get help with setting up your EMWIN station
Check into the EMWIN Users group on Yahoo! Groupsor
Check into the EMWIN group on Yahoo! Groups
or
Check into the WxMesg group on Yahoo! Groups
Weather Links
National Weather ServiceInternet Weather Information (IWIN) Server
NetCast Weather Data Server
National SkyWarn Service
Locutus WetSock - Weather info in your Win'95 System Tray. Audible alarms for warnings!
IGS WinWeather - Display weather data for selcted cites.
WeatherVane- Get local wx conditions & forecast via Internet.
Weather Update - Get full weather information for your area & state via Internet
SkyWalker Data - Receive the NWS Weather wire on your computer via satellite
I am always interested in other "cool" weather sites & software. I am currently seeking software which operates similar to WetSock/WinWeather/Avenger which will get current wether data on a regular basis via IWIN and forward this to an alpha numeric pager. Software must pass current weather AND all warnings/watches to the pager, not weather or warnings. Know of software which can do this? Email me, please, I will gladly provide a link to your page here.
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