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WR606
Desktop Emergency Weather
Station
USER MANUAL
EN
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for selecting the Desktop Emergency Weather
Station (WR606). This device operates on the same
radio frequencies used by the National Weather Radio
(NWR) and can send you NOAA alert messages to warn
you about weather and other environmental dangers.
This weather station is constructed of durable materials
and has a reception range of up to 50 miles (64 km). It
is also equipped with weather information display, digital
clock and daily alarm.
Keep this manual handy as you use your new product.
It contains practical step-by-step instructions, as well
as technical specifications and warnings you should
know.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL WEATHER RADIO SYSTEM
The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency
within the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administra-
tion (NOAA) that operates a nationwide network of radio
stations known as the NOAA Weather Radio (NWR).
The NWR radio system broadcasts warning information
for all types of hazards, both natural and technological.
Working in conjunction with the Emergency Alert System
(EAS), NWR is an all-in-one hazards radio network and is
considered to be the single source of all comprehensive
weather and emergency information.
A nationwide network, the NWR consists of more than
900 stations in 50 states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin
Islands and US Pacific Territories. Broadcasts are
designed to meet local needs. Routine programming is
repeated every few minutes and consists of local fore-
cast, regional conditions and marine forecasts.
Additional information, including river stages and climatic
data, is also provided. During emergencies, these routine
broadcasts are interrupted to report specific warnings.
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS ASSOC. (CEA)
This product complies with the Consumer Electronics
Association (CEA) testing standards.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
FRONT VIEW
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1. Remote outdoor sensor reception icon
2. Barometric pressure
3. Outdoor temperature and humidity
4. Weather forecast
5. Indoor temperature and humidity
6. Alarm icon
7. Radio channel
8. Clock / Alarm / Calendar / NOAA alert messages /
Setting options display
9. MENU: Press to switch between clock, calendar,
alarm 1 and 2 displays; press and hold to enter
setting mode; confirm setting value
10. EXIT: Press to exit any setting mode or return to
clock display
11. / : Increase / decrease settings; increase /
decrease volume; enable / disable alarm 1 or 2
12. SNOOZE / LIGHT: Press to activate 8-minute
snooze or backlight for 5 seconds; press and hold
to disable snooze function
13. Antenna
14. External antenna jack
15. External speaker jack
16. AC / DC adaptor jack
BACK VIEW
1 2 3 4 5 6
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8
1. NOAA: Press to switch between NOAA On /
Standby / Mute / Off modes; press and hold to turn
On / Off NOAA display
2. MSG: Press to switch between NOAA alert mes
-
sages; press and hold to activate / deactivate keypad
lock
3. MEM: Press to switch between the current, maximum
and minimum temperature or humidity reading; press
and hold to clear all maximum / minimum records
4. CH: Press to switch between temperature and hu-
midity display; press and hold to enable auto-scan
of remote outdoor sensor channels
5. PRESSURE: Press to select the barometric pressure
unit (mb and inHg); press and hold to set the altitude
compensation range for barometric reading
6. : Press to adjust the altitude when setting the
altitude compensation range
7. RESET: Press to reset the unit to default value
8.
°C / °F: Switch to select the temperature unit
GETTING STARTED - MAIN UNIT
ADAPTOR AND BATTERIES
You must use the AC/DC adaptor as the main source of
power supply. Make sure the adaptor is not obstructed
and the adaptor socket is easily accessible to the unit.
Batteries serve as back-up only. Use 3 pieces of AA
(UM-3) 1.5V batteries. Insert batteries before first use,
matching the polarity. Press RESET after each battery
change.
LOCATION MEANING
in outdoor
temperature area
Remote outdoor sensor
batteries low
in NOAA area
Main unit batteries low
TURN THE NOAA RADIO ON / OFF
To turn the NOAA radio ON / OFF, press and hold
NOAA.
When the unit is first connected or reset, it will imme-
diately enter the clock / language setting mode (see
Change Settings section). It is advisable to set your
preferred language English (E), French (F) or
Spanish
(S) at this time, so you can read the NOAA
alert
messages.
DISPLAY MODES
There are 2 display modes:
1. Clock mode
To switch between the clock mode displays, press
MENU.
2. Radio status mode
To switch between the radio status mode displays,
press NOAA.
NOTE Leaving the unit in NOAA ON mode will consume
substantially more power. To save power, set the unit
to NOAA Standby when you are not listening to radio
broadcasts.
CHANGE SETTINGS
To change clock, alarm, channel and location settings:
1. Press and hold MENU for 2 seconds to enter
setting mode.
2. Press or to scroll through the setting
options (Set Alarm / Set Clock / Set Channel / Set
Location) and press MENU to select the desired
one.
one.
3. Use or to change a setting, then press
MENU to confirm and move onto the next one.
4. Press EXIT to leave the setting mode at any time.
NOTE To reach a number quickly, press and hold
or .
RECEPTION SIGNAL STATUS
To check the status of the reception signal, look at the
reception icon on the display.
ICON DESCRIPTION
Current selected channel signal is strong
Current selected channel signal is weak
No NOAA alert message has been
received for 10 days. Current selected
channel signal is weak
No NOAA alert message has been
received for 10 days. Current selected
channel signal is strong
NOTE When the unit is set to NOAA ON, Standby or
Mute, it will continually search for NOAA signal.
GETTING STARTED - REMOTE OUTDOOR SENSOR
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1. LED status indicator
2. Wall mount hole
3. Battery compartment
4.
RESET hole
5.
CHANNEL switch
The remote outdoor sensor can collect data from up
to 3 channels.
To set up the remote outdoor sensor:
1. Open the battery compartment and insert batteries,
matching the polarity.
2. Select a channel then press RESET
.
3. Close the battery door.
4. Place the remote outdoor sensor within 30 m (98 ft)
from the main unit.
NOTE Use alkaline batteries for longer usage and
consumer grade lithium batteries in temperatures
below freezing.
SENSOR DATA TRANSMISSION
To search for a remote outdoor sensor
:
Press MEM + CH.
The remote outdoor sensor reception icon will show the
following status:
ICON DESCRIPTION
Main unit is searching for sensor(s).
A channel has been found.
The sensor cannot be found.
TIP The transmission range may vary depending on
many factors. You may need to experiment with various
locations to get the best results.
NOAA ALERT MESSAGES
When the NWR airs urgent warnings, a digital code
known as Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME) is
included as part of the message. This coding system
contains specific information including the localized
geographical area affected and the expiration time of
the message. The WR606 retrieves and interprets SAME
code messages and alerts the user. When SAME codes
for a specific region have been entered into the unit, the
unit alerts the user to relevant warning information for
the specified region. Once alerted, a voice broadcast
can be heard.
FIND LOCAL CHANNELS AND SAME CODES
The codes are subject to change. Therefore, to ensure
successful operation you must obtain the most ap
-
propriate, up-to-date NWR radio channels and SAME
codes for a specific county or region, from the contact
details listed below.
To contact the NWS by telephone:
1. Phone 1-888-NWR-SAME (1-888-697-7263).
2. Follow prompts through a simple voice menu.
To obtain NWS radio channels and SAME codes on
the internet:
1. Locate www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/indexnw.htm
2. Click the State for which information is needed.
For example, clicking on “Montana” will give a list of
information relevant to the State of Montana including
the names of counties, SAME codes, NWR transmitter
locations, the frequency of the transmitter, the strength of
the signal in WATTS, and any remarks as applicable.
Example of the first 10 county radio channels and SAME
codes for Montana.
COUNTY
SAME#
NWR
TRANSMIT-
TER
FREQ.
MHZ
CALL
WATTS
RE-
MARKS
Beaverhead 030001
Butte, MT
162.550
WXL79
100
Beaverhead 030001 Dillon, MT
162.475
WNG638
150
Big Hom
030003
Billings, MT
162.550
WXL27
300
Blaine
030005
Havre, MT
162.400
WXL53
300
Blaine
030005
Billingd, MT
162.475
WWG85
100
Broadwater
030007
Helena, MT
162.400
WXK66
1000
Carbon
030009
Billings, MT
162.550
WXL27
300
Carter
030011 Baker, MT
162.550
WXK57
300
N
Cascade
030013 Great
Falls MT
162.550
WXJ43
300
Chouteau
030015 Miles
Hill, MT
162.500
WWG84
300
NOTE Many counties have been subdivided into as
many as 9 smaller subsections. The numbers 1-9 in the
far left column of the SAME code identifies specific sub-
sections of a county. If a county has not been subdivided,
the first digit of the SAME code will be 0.
ABOUT RADIO CHANNELS
The NWR radio channels work in the same way as a
regular radio channel. All of the NWR transmission sta
-
tions operate on 1 of 7 frequencies.
CHANNEL CORRESPONDING RADIO
FREQUENCY
1 162.400 MHz
2 162.425 MHz
3 162.450 MHz
4 162.475 MHz
5 162.500 MHz
6 162.525 MHz
7 162.550 MHz
A
Auto – the unit will tune to the
strongest RF signal available
The unit labels each frequency as a channel (1-7 or
Auto). Once the radio frequency for a region has been
selected the unit will receive voice and code information
from that station.
The channel number in use can be viewed on the top
left-hand corner of the LCD.
SET THE RADIO CHANNEL
To change the radio channel, navigate to “Set Channel”
setting mode and select the desired Channel, as shown
in the Change Settings section.
SET THE LOCATION
You need to set the location so that you can receive
weather and environmental information for an area that
is relevant to you.
You can choose the location by either the state and
county name, or FIPS code. Up to 9 locations (1-9)
can be stored.
NOTE If you do not set a location, the unit will use the
default setting “CO:All” for all counties.
To set the location:
1. Navigate to “Set Location” setting mode as shown
in the Change Settings section.
2. Select where you want to store the location e.g.
C1.
3. Select the 6-digit number e.g. “000000”. (“----“
means the location is disabled.)
4. Select “Name” or “FIPS”.
• If you select “Name” you can select first the State
and then the County of your chosen location, then
press EXIT. (If you wish to receive State-wide NOAA
messages, press EXIT once you have selected the
State.)
• If you select “FIPS” you need to enter the 6-digit
SAME code of your chosen location and then press
EXIT (see Find Local Channels and SAME Codes
section for how to obtain a SAME code).
NOTE If at step 2 you select “C0:All” you will receive
all warnings within the unit’s reception range. This may
result in giving you information for regions that are not
relevant. The regions can be as large as 5,000 square
miles (13 sq km). If you select “CO:----” you will disable
the ALL option and will only receive warnings from
specified local areas.
NOTE Once the location name is selected, the cor
-
responding FIPS code will be set into the memory.You
cannot convert the code back to the location name.(FIPS
is the Federal Information Processing System number
assigned to each State, or open waters in or around the
US. The SAME code comprises of numbers generated
by the FIPS system.)
ACTIVATE / DEACTIVATE LOCATION
You can activate / deactivate 1, some, or all of your
stored locations.
When a location is activated, the 6-digit SAME code can
be viewed in your stored locations display.
When a location is deactivated, “----” can be viewed in
your stored locations display.
To switch between activated or deactivated loca-
tion status:
1. Navigate to “Set Location” setting mode as shown
in the Change Settings section.
2. Select a stored location e.g. C4 and press MENU.
Then when “000000” or “----” is blinking, press
or
to activate or deactivate it and press EXIT to
confirm the setting.
SAME CODE – WHAT EACH DIGIT MEANS
A SAME code is broken into 3 sets of numbers.The
example below is the code for the northeast sub-section
of Cochise County.
3 04 003
Code for Cochise County
Code for Arizona
Code for northeast sub-section of
Cochise County
State-county code:
The 3 digits on the right are for state county coding. Each
county within a state has an independent 3-digit code.
NOTE To receive all of the alerts for a given state, insert
000 into the county section.
State code:
Moving towards the left, the next 2 digits are for state
coding. Each of the 50 U.S. States has their own 2-
digit code.
County sub-section code:
The last digit on the left is for county sub-section cod
-
ing. A county may be subdivided into nine sub-sections;
each number between (1-9) represents a specific county
sub-section.
NOTE If the county sub-section code is stated as 0,
then that county is not sub-divided and all alerts for that
county will be received. To receive all of the alerts for a
given county, insert 0 into the county sub-section.
A county can be subdivided as follows:
1 Northwest
2 North Central
3 Northeast
4 West Central
5 Central
6 East Central
7 Southwest
8 South Central
9 Southeast
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
RECEIVING NOAA ALERT MESSAGES
To receive NOAA alert message, press
NOAA to set
the unit to one of the following options:
•
ON [ ]: The unit is ON and voice messages
can be heard continuously.
• Standby [ ]: The unit is in Standby and will switch
to ON when NOAA alert message is received.
• Mute [ ]: The unit is in Standby with the sound
turned OFF. NOAA alert messages can be viewed but
not heard. Switch the unit ON to hear messages.
•
OFF: The unit is turned OFF and will not respond to
NOAA alert messages.
Turning the unit off by setting it to Standby, Mute or OFF
will help to save power.
RECEPTION TEST
The fact that you can get clear voice reception does
not guarantee that an emergency alert will trigger your
unit’s alert tone. To test actual reception, your unit must
receive a test or emergency alert signal broadcast. The
National Weather Service (NWS) broadcasts a test alert
every week on Wednesday between 11AM and 12PM
(noon). To find out the specific test schedule in your area,
contact your local National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) or National Weather Service
(NWR) office. These offices are usually listed in the
telephone book under “US Government”.
REMEMBER For your system to be effective, you
must place the unit in a location where it can receive
an emergency alert signal, you can hear its siren, and
see its flashing indicator lights.
RECEPTION PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
Forests, deserts, and hills / mountains tend to greatly
reduce reception. Reception in cities may be reduced
due to steel and concrete, while higher elevations will
enhance the signal. Reception can vary from room
to room. Moving even a few feet can enhance signal
reception.
RECOMMENDATION Place your weather station near
a window, away from other electronic equipment, and
on an upper level of your house.
INTERPRETING NOAA ALERT MESSAGES
This product is equipped to receive all required NOAA
and Emergency Alert System (EAS) events. When an
EAS event is sent by the NWS, any 1 of the following
NOAA alert messages will scroll across your weather
station display: “WARNING”, “WATCH”, or “ADVISORY”.
The unit can store up to 8 NOAA alert messages.
Additionally, to help you check that your unit is set-up
and working properly, your local NOAA will release a
Test NOAA message every Wednesday between 10am
and noon, local time. To receive the Test message make
sure that your unit is set to NOAA ON, NOAA Standby
or NOAA Mute mode, that a Channel has been selected
and a SAME code programmed in. If you have any
questions regarding alarm tests or to verify if a test was
WR606 EN UM R2.indd 1 5/27/08 3:02:35 PM