Weatheradio receivers can be purchased from retailers who specialize in electronics, through selected mail order catalogs, and often from marine equipment suppliers. They come in many sizes with a variety of functions, including an alert feature.
An alert-capable Weatheradio can be preset to beep, flash or switch to broadcast mode when Environment Canada issues a severe weather warning. Some CB radios, scanners, and shortwave radios are able to receiver Weatheradio broadcasts as well but may not have the alert feature. To make use of the latest digital coding technology, a more sophisticated Weatheradio is required. A receiver with Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) capability can be programmed to alert for only specific types of events in the immediate region.
When choosing a Weatheradio receiver, consider what features are important. For example, not all receivers have the alert option; some older models receive only the original 3 frequencies rather than the current 7; and not all units can be battery-operated. In addition only the new programmable receivers have the added capability of being set to activate for only certain types of warnings for a smaller geographic area.
Different models vary in receiver sensitivity and immunity to signal overload and interference. As a result, performance may vary among different units at the same location, particularly on the fringe of the normal reception range.
Weatheradio receivers can be purchased at many retail stores that sell electronic merchandise. These receivers can also be purchased through selected mail order catalogs and are often sold by boat and marine accessory businesses. Prices vary from $30 to $300, depending on the model. Many, but not all, receivers have the tone alert feature.
A recent development has been the introduction of "Family Radio Service" electronic products. These are basically limited range walkie-talkie radios, but some models also have the capacity to receive Weatheradio signals.
Environment Canada does not endorse any particular make or model of receiver. Environment Canada encourages the use of Weatheradio models that have the tone alert feature. The following is a partial list of Weatheradio retailers and manufacturers. Manufacturers who wish to add their company's information to this page may e-mail weatheradio@ec.gc.ca
| Supplier | Location | Available models |
|---|---|---|
| The Source by Circuit City | 279 Bayview Drive Barrie, ON., L4M 4W5 Phone: 705-728-1617 Fax: 705-728-1218 Web: http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/default.aspx |
Various Models |
| RADIOWORLD | 4335 Steeles Avenue West Phone: (416) 667-1000 |
various models |
| DURHAM Radio Sales | 1380 Hopkins - Unit 10 - Whitby Phone: (905) 665-5466 Fax: 905-665-5460 Web: http://www.durhamradio.com |
various models |
| CANADIAN TIRE | Many retail outlets located across Canada | FRS walkie-talkie model only |
| WALMART Canada | Many retail outlets located across Canada | FRS walkie-talkie model only |
| La Maison de l'Astronomie P.L. inc. | 8074 St-Hubert Montreal, Quebec, H2R 2P3
Phone: (514) 279-0063 Fax: (514) 279-9628 |
Oregon Scientific |
| Morsport Inc. | 100 Ironside Cres. #8 Scarborough, ON M1X1M9
Phone: 416-335-8200 Fax: 416-335-8201 email: donm@morsport.com |
Midland |
| Sima Products Corp. | 140 Pennsylvania Ave. Bldg #5 Oakmont PA 15239
Phone: 1-800-345-7462 email: timm@simacorp.com Web: http://www.simacorp.com |
First Alert |
| ZerrComm Communication | Box 187, Martensville SK, Canada
Phone: (306) 382-5398 Fax: (306) 382-5461 email: zerrcomm@yourlink.ca Web: http://www.yourlink.ca/~zerrcomm |
Various brands and models of radios |
| Efston Science Inc. | 3350 Dufferin St., Toronto ON M6A 3A4 Phone: 1-888-777-5255 Fax: 1-888 681-1079 email: info@e-sci.com Web: http://www.escience.ca |
Reecom Electronics Oregon Scientific |
The Green LaneTM,
Environment Canada's World Wide Web Site.