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Showing posts with label weather alert radio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather alert radio. Show all posts
1/07/2012
7/10/2011
Midland WR-100 WeatherAlert All-Hazard Weather Radio Review
Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I'm posting this review in the listings for two supposedly different radios, because Amazon's descriptions are totally mixed up.
First, the Product Details section for the WR-100 says the model number is "MDLWEATHER." Yet, on the bottom of my radio, the model number is clearly WR-100. And the Product Description for the W-100 model references the WR-100B, not the WR-100.
Second, the WR-100C Product Details section lists the model number as WR-100, not WR-100C, and the Product Description references the WR-100, not the WR-100C.
Either Midland gave Amazon screwed-up product information, or Amazon screwed up what they were given. (Not to mention the radios look identical to me.) The only WR model Amazon lists for Midland that DOESN't seem to be screwed up is the WR-100B. Regardless, I don't know which radio is supposed to be which, and that's why I'm giving both the same review. And here it is:
I had no complaints with the radio itself ... while it worked. We bought it in April 2008 for the short period we lived in Kansas, and once I figured out how to program it, everything was good. For two years we used it, even after leaving Kansas. As far as I know, we didn't miss any alerts during that time. But two weeks ago, we had the first tornado-producing storms blow through central Illinois, and we didn't get one peep out of the radio ... not even an alarm telling us it wasn't receiving. When I tried changing the channels for the NOAA broadcasts, all I got was a piercing squeal on every channel -- no reception whatsoever. So that evening, Friday, April 23, I emailed NOAA and Midland at the same time, to find out (a) if NOAA was having trouble with their broadcasts and (b) to find out whether Midland could shed any light. I didn't expect to hear back from either of them until the following Monday, and I was right; NOAA got back to me Monday morning: no problems with their broadcast, so it had to be the radio.
To the date of this review, Midland has not responded to my email. I had to telephone them that Wednesday to get an answer out of them. After 20+ minutes on hold, I finally got a live person and described the problem. It took the "customer service" rep less than two minutes to tell me I had to buy a new radio because the audio chip in the old one was fried. No "sorry about the inconvenience," no "when did you buy it," nothing. Didn't even try to sell me another Midland radio! Wow, that's some confidence in your product, eh? And by the way, I didn't mention to him that I'd also sent an email, so why have they still not responded to it? Not quite the worst customer service I've ever received, but pretty dang bad. If you're not going to answer emails, why put the address on your site?
As for the quality of the radio, wouldn't you expect ANY radio you bought to last more than two years? I don't know what the standard lifetime of a weather alert radio is, but to me, two years seems a little short for something that only gets used when a weather or civil alert is issued. Not the best indicator of quality, IMO. If someone has more details on alert radio life expectancy, I'd be interested in reading it.
A couple more details you might find useful:
I swapped emails with the NOAA rep several times. One of the things I found out is that my atomic clock, which has an outside receiver, doesn't affect alert radios. It was one of the things I thought about when we first noticed the problem with the radio. So if you're concerned about that, don't be.
Lastly, I asked the NOAA rep what alert radio he would purchase if he were buying one for himself. Let's just say that Midland was not on his personal short list, even though they are on the NOAA "approved" manufacturers list. 'nuff said. I bought a First Alert and a Reecom -- one for the bedroom and one for the rest of the house.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Midland WR-100 WeatherAlert All-Hazard Weather Radio
Product Description:
Stay up to date on all the latest weather, hazard, and civil emergency information with the Midland WR-100B monitor. Capable of receiving seven National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA) channels--each of which receives emergency advisories on tornadoes, floods, severe thunderstorms, civil danger warnings, and more--the WR-100B is a must for people who live in high-risk weather areas, such as the Southeast or Midwest. Plus, the seven NOAA channels offer coverage for roughly 93 percent of the U.S., so most people are well covered regardless of where they live.
Want to read more honest consumer review about Midland WR-100 WeatherAlert All-Hazard Weather Radio now ?
6/30/2011
2/18/2011
Midland XT511 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Emergency Crank Radio Review
Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have to think that there is tremendous quality control variability with this radio based on the wildly different reviews.
I'm a radio geek and have been collecting radios for the last 40 years.When I saw the ad for this Midland I just had to have it.I thought it would be a perfect addition for my camping adventures.The radio seems to be totally loaded with just about anything you would need.It has a GRMS/FRS 2-way radio, an AM/FM radio, a weather radio, a clock with alarm and even a 3 LED flashlight.Add to this the fact that it runs on both alkaline and a wind-up rechargeable battery!Wow.
Sadly, none of the functions work very well.Both the AM and FM reception are very subpar.AM reception could only receive the strongest stations and they bled over adjacent frequencies.Many stations that I could pick up on a cheap pocket radio could not be picked up on this radio.FM was worse, only picking up a couple of very powerful local stations.
Weather band worked, but only barely.I was able to pick up many more channels on a little Grundig/Eton wind-up.
FRS/GRMS radio functions were similarly mediocre to poor.
Cranking was more awkward than on other emergency radios that I have used including those by Freeplay and Grundig.
On a positive note, the LED flashlight is nice and the clock/alarm is also a nice feature. You also get a lot of accessories, including an external mic, both car and AC chargers and a carrying strap.
Overall, I was disappointed by this radio.The fact that others like it suggests to me that there may be a lot of variability between radios.However, in general, I would pass on this radio.There are many inexpensive GRMS/FRS radios that would do a better job.If you are looking for a good emergency broadcast band radio check out those made by Freeplay or Grundig/Eton.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Midland XT511 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Emergency Crank Radio
Product Description:
The Midland XT511 Dynamo 22-Channel GMRS Emergency Crank Radio with NOAA All Hazard Weather Alert and AM/FM represents the state-of-the-art in high-tech engineering, for a compact package that is big in both performance and sound. Skillfully constructed with the finest components, the Midland GXT850 is built with all solid-state circuitry mounted on a rugged, printed circuit board to provide you with reliable and trouble-free performance for years to come.
The Midland XT511 radio provides you with seven GMRS/FRS, seven FRS (Family Radio Service) and seven GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) channels, for a total of 22 UHF channels. Additionally, the XT511 comes with 121 privacy codes to lessen interference or eaves-dropping, as well as all 10 NOAA weather channels and a NOAA weather alert function. This powerful radio has an easy-to-read backlit LCD display that shows status information at a glance even in difficult lighting, and is operated by large easy-to-use dials and buttons on the front, providing quick access to important features and push-button communication. More than just an emergency radio, however, this unit provides you with an AM/FM radio for entertainment, a clock with an alarm clock function, and a three-LED flashlight for illuminating your way at night.
The XT511 radio is full of convenient features such as five separate call alerts that identify incoming calls from your group, and a e-VOX function with three selectable sensitivity levels for voice-activated, hands-free operation. This radio also features a channel scan for locating active channels, and a keypad lock so you don't accidentally change your settings. This unit provides both High and Low power settings so you can choose to maximize transmission distance or save your power. The XT511 also acts as a base station for big outings by providing you with a built-in charger that allows you to charge other Midland radios, so you are never without the power to communicate in the wild.
Midland's XT511 radio is constructed to be water resistant, so it can be used in most any environment, and has a dynamo power crank to recharge its batteries without access to electricity. This radio runs on a Midland rechargeable NiMH battery pack that can be recharged while in the radio, or can be powered by alkaline batteries in an emergency, with a battery source switch to change between the two. The XT511 comes with external jacks for a speaker/microphone/headset option, and a USB cable to charge your cell phone as well. The Midland XT511 pack comes with the radio, as well as a rechargeable NiMH battery pack, an AC wall power adapter, a DC power adapter, an accessory microphone. This radio comes in a stylish black and silver color scheme, and is backed by a manufacturer's three-year warranty.
What's in the Box
XT511 radio with dynamo power crank, rechargeable battery pack, AC wall power adapter, DC power adapter, accessory microphone, user's guide and warranty information.
Want to read more honest consumer review about Midland XT511 22-Channel FRS/GMRS Two-Way Emergency Crank Radio now ?
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