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  • It's National Hurricane Preparedness Week - Get Ready!

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    This week - May 27th through June 2nd - is National Hurricane Preparedness Week. With the coincidental arrival of Tropical Storm Beryl, we've already had a taste of what this 2012 hurricane season could be like. Beryl was not even a category one hurricane, yet this storm packed a considerable punch with wind and rain, causing power outages and cancelling Memorial Day events along the Florida and Georgia coasts.

    Tropical Storm Beryl is said to be the most powerful tropical storm in recorded history to hit the Atlantic coast of the US outside of hurricane season, which officially begins today, June 1. But it wasn't the first cyclone to jump the starting date. Tropical Storm Alberto, which formed off the coast of South Carolina, claimed that spot in mid May.

    The National Weather Service advises everyone to be prepared for hurricane season this week. Develop an emergency plan of action and/or evacuation in case of an emergency. Prepare an emergency disaster kit with basic provisions, including:

    Collecting everything you need to build an emergency kit can be time consuming and even a bit daunting, especially if you are someone who is always busy or on the go. For those who want to be prepared but don't have the time or patience to go on a scavenger hunt for emergency supplies, you can get one already prepared for you. Buy Two Way Radios now carries a complete line of emergency and survival kits, from the Basic Necessities Emergency Kit to the Four Person Survivor Kit.

    Of course, our specialty is radios. For the NWS Emergency Preparedness List posted above, we recommend the Midland ER102 Emergency Crank Radio or the Midland XT511 Base Camp Two Way / Emergency Crank Radio. The XT511 is also an FRS/GMRS two way radio, which could come in handy if land line or cell phone communications are out.

    For a complete overview of these and other emergency/weather radios, read the Weather Radio Buyer's Guide. To help you choose the best weather radio for your situation, check out our Emergency Weather Radio Comparison Guide.

    So far we've had two storms in one month, before the hurricane season has even begun. Is this just an anomaly, or a shadow of things to come? Does it really matter? The National Weather Service advises us all to get ready, always be ready, because you just never know until the next storm comes.

    For more information on emergency weather radios, listen to The Two Way Radio Show Episode 13 - Emergency and Weather Radios.

  • Emergency Weather Radio Comparison Guide

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    Hurricane Season is just around the corner and the National Weather Service has advised us all to be prepared. According to the NWS, one important item to have on your emergency preparedness list is an emergency weather radio.

    But which weather radio is right for you? There are a lot of radios available with a lot of features and options. Every radio may not be right for everyone or every situation. What is the best weather radio for your family or business? Which one should you choose?

    Not to worry. Buy Two Way Radios created the 2012 Emergency Weather Radio Comparison Guide to help you find the radio you need.

    This comparison chart includes all the current models we offer as an authorized Midland dealer, from the compact, easy to carry Midland HH50 Pocket Weather Alert Radio to the full-featured Midland XT511 Base Camp Two Way/Emergency Crank Radio, considered by some as the "swiss army knife" of emergency radios. The radios and their features are organized into a simple chart so you can compare them all easily.

    The Emergency Weather Radio Comparison Guide 2012 is FREE for download and ready when you need it.

    Here is a quick overview of some key features included with these weather radios.

    Emergency
    Weather Radios
    Weather
    Channels
    Weather/
    Hazard Alerts
    SAME Clock AM/FM
    Radio
    Backup
    Power
    Midland HH50
    Midland HH54VP SAME
    Midland HH54VP2 SAME
    Midland WR-120
    Midland WR-300
    Midland ER102
    Midland XT511

    For more information about choosing an emergency weather radio, listen to The Two Way Radio Show Episode 13 - Emergency and Weather Radios.

  • Weather Radio Buyer's Guide

    With all of the unpredictable weather we have been experiencing lately, particularly the destructive tornados from last week, we have been receiving an uptick in interest in our weather radios. We thought it might be helpful to put together a quick guide to make it a little easier for those shopping for their first weather radio.

    What Is A Weather Radio?
    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a federal agency that, among other things, is tasked with monitoring the weather (through the National Weather Service). NOAA has transmitting stations spread throughout the United States that constantly broadcast the current weather conditions for the surrounding area. Each station transmits a message on one of seven VHF frequencies (162.400, 162.425, 162.450, 162.475, 162.500, 162.525, and 162.550). A looped recording is constantly played over these frequencies describing the current weather.

    A basic weather radio allows you to tune into these frequencies and instantly hear a weather report at any time. Very simple models are super easy to use, only requiring that you choose your local channel and press a button to start listening. Choosing a channel is often as simple as scrolling through stations 1-7 and listening for the one that is the clearest, but NOAA has a page on their web site that will allow you to find the station that is designated for your area.

    While a basic weather radio can be useful, a more advanced radio is really recommended.

    Proactive Alerts
    More advanced weather radios take things a step further, proactively alerting you when an emergency or dangerous weather situation occurs. When an emergency arises, a special tone is transmitted by the NOAA stations. Many weather radios can constantly monitor for these tones and turn themselves on when the tone is heard. This is critical, as it allows your weather radio to now alert you proactively to an emergency.

    One drawback of the weather radios that proactively alert is that a NOAA transmitting station covers a very large area, and you may find yourself being alerted to events that do not necessarily apply to your city or county. If this happens enough, you may find yourself paying less attention to the radio when it sounds an alert. The most advanced weather radios support "Specific Area Message Encoding," or SAME, which solves this problem. Weather radios using SAME technology allow you to enter a code that will focus the alerts on roughly a zip code sized area, ensuring that only warnings in your designated area will be alerted to you.

    Who Needs A Weather Radio?
    As a retailer, it is a little cliché to say that everyone needs our product. In the case of a weather radio, however, I offer no apologies. Year after year we see news stories about people who die in emergencies in which they just didn't have time to get to safety. Weather radios save lives year after year by waking people in the middle of the night or providing enough warning time for them to get to shelter. This is a product that sells for a range of $20-$60 that could make the all the difference in the world when an emergency occurs, so there is really no reason not to have one.

    Fortunately, it seems like weather radios are catching on in a big way. Local news channels have gotten the word out about the importance of having one and we see many businesses purchasing them to help keep their employees safe. Weather radios are also in use by almost all of the schools in the nation now, with the Midland WR-120 being the most popular model.

    What Is The Best Weather Radio?
    As with most products, the best weather radio really depends upon how you plan to use it and even how much you want to spend. Here I'll outline a few of our best sellers and give the pros and cons of each.

    Midland WR-120 Weather Radio - The Midland WR-120 is possibly the most popular weather radio in the world. It is a full featured desktop weather radio, supporting SAME technology and even allowing for the connection of (optional) external accessories such as a strobe light or antenna.

    Midland WR-400 Weather Radio - More advanced than the WR-120, the WR-400 also includes features such as an AM/FM radio, alarm clock, selectable alert settings, and color coded alert lights.

    Midland ER310 Emergency Hand Crank Weather Radio with Flashlight - This is a full featured portable combo weather radio and flashlight with multiple power options, AM/FM radio, SOS signaling in Morse Code, a built-in USB charging port and even a dog whistle to alert rescue animals. The ER210 is the base model.

    Midland XT-511 Emergency Crank Radio - This is more of an all-around emergency device than simply a weather radio. It can be powered by AC, DC, battery, or by crank. It has a flashlight, AM/FM radio, weather radio, GMRS two way radio and USB port. It would be nice to have during a power outage or on a camping trip. Does not support SAME.

    Midland HH50B Weather Radio - This is a very small and inexpensive hand held All Hazards Alert radio. Does not support SAME.

    Weather Radio Accessories
    Midland 18-STR Strobe Light - This accessory is made to go with your Midland Weather Radios. This strobe light will plug directly into many weather radio models, giving you a visual alert in case of an alert. This would be great if you had a family member with hearing problems or simply wanted to keep the volume on your weather radio at a minimum.

    Midland 18-259W Weather Antenna - This antenna is will help if you are in an area or in a building where it is difficult to receive a strong signal. Great for cars, vans, homes, boats, RVs, and is specially designed to use for steel buildings and manufactured homes with metallic siding or construction.

    Whether you live in a region with unpredictable weather or you just want to be prepared in an emergency situation, we here at www.BuyTwoWayRadios.com have the tools to keep you and your loved ones safe and prepared. If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to contact our sales staff at 1-800-584-1445!

  • We now carry emergency preparedness kits!

    814.jpgAn earthquake, tornado, or other disaster can strike suddenly at any time and any place, with little or no warning. When such an event occurs, will you be ready? If not, now you can be, with an Emergency Zone Emergency Preparedness or Survival Kit.

    We now offer a selection of emergency kits, from the basic one person Necessities Kit to the Survival Kit for a family of four. The basic kits include the essential items necessary to help you make it through a disaster or emergency situation with such basic necessities as a flashlight, matches, poncho, thermal blanket and first aid kit. The higher end survival kits contain additional supplies and tools needed for more intense situations, such as N95 masks, cooking tools and even a tent! Each kit also includes food and water rations to sustain you during extended emergencies. These rations are approved by the US Coast Guard.

    Stuck on the road? There's an Automobile Emergency Kit for that. Caught in a hurricane? The Severe Weather Emergency Kit will come in quite handy. No matter which you choose, these kits are an important part of any disaster plan. But don't forget the radios. Combine these emergency kits with set of GMRS two way radios and/or emergency weather radios for a complete emergency preparedness solution.

    Whether at home, on the road, caught in a storm or adrift at sea, our emergency kits can help you be prepared for the unexpected and can help provide peace of mind. These pre-prepared kits, combined with our two way radios, are a quick and easy way to be ready for disaster and help you and your loved ones survive a serious situation.

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