Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 9-2. Grundig Satellite 750 desktop broadband receiver.
Photo courtesy of Grundig/Eton Corp
Scanners and NOAA Weather Radios
A scanner is a radio receiver (it cannot transmit) that allows you to scan multiple frequencies at
one time for two-way radio activity. These devices are commonly known as “police scanners”
in that most people use the devices to listen to police radio communications, although fire de-
partment monitoring is almost of equal interest, and scanners can also be used to monitor the
two-way radios of taxis, mall security, commercial aircraft, ambulances, and so much more.
The importance of scanners really comes into play when there is a crisis going on. By listening
to a scanner, you can hear the latest updates directly from the emergency personnel involved
with the local/regional issues in “real time,” meaning you get to hear what is happening at the
precise time that it is actually occurring, not having to wait for local news to be filtered through
the media to be released at a later time as a news broadcast with sketchy information at best.
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) weather radios are special-
purpose radios designed to receive detailed local weather alerts, weather forecast information,
and emergency alerts. Most newer NOAA radios are designed with the option to sound a loud
warning tone and provide important basic visual information on their display each time an
emergency alert is issued for your area. For instance, they may alert people to an approaching
tornado, a bio-terrorism alert, or an approaching blizzard. You can pick up a basic NOAA radio
for very little money, but a better option may be to pick up one of the multipurpose scanners
