How to Set NOAA Weather Radio Codes for Many Popular Models

Filed Under: Weather Radios,Weather Safety

Trying to figure out how to program a weather radio and a bit frustrated? We’ll explain how to set NOAA Weather Radio codes for all the weather radios we promote here on The Weather Station Experts, as well as other popular models, so read on! You’ve come to the right place.

Weather radios are a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest weather information during severe weather. While our phones and weather apps have gotten much better at notifying us of weather alerts, they’re not always timely. That’s why we recommend weather radios to anyone who lives in areas prone to severe weather, and we wrote this post on how to program a weather radio.

They’re not the most user-friendly, we’ll admit — so we figured this would be useful if you’ve just bought a weather radio yourself. Keep in mind this only applies to weather radios with SAME technology. Standard alert weather radios cannot be programmed to filter out alerts that aren’t relevant. So let’s get started.

How to Set NOAA Weather Radio Codes on Midland Radios

Midland’s radios are mostly extremely easy to program, as nationwide SAME codes are already stored. However, some require manual programming. Navigate through the following menus:

  • WR100: Menu >> S.A.M.E. Set >> Single, Multiple, or Any >> Follow steps below
  • WR120: Menu >> Set Location >> Single or Multiple, or Any >> Follow steps below
  • WR300, WR400: Menu >> County Codes >> Single, Multiple, or All >> Follow prompts on screen

The video below might also help, although it’s based on a discontinued model. However, the company’s steps on how to program a weather radio aren’t too much different in more modern Midland weather radios.

WR 100 Instructional Video

How to Set NOAA Weather Radio Codes on eton radios

Some of Eton’s newer weather radios now offer SAME capability, so here’s how to program a weather radio from that company. We will add new models as they’re released.

  • eton FRX5/FRX5BT: Menu >> Press WB button >> Single, Multiple, or All >> USA or Canada >> follow prompts

How to program a weather radio: step by step

  1. Locate Your User Manual Online In Case You Get Stuck.

    While the steps here will show you how to program a weather radio from most brands, there are some minor differences. You don’t need to find your user manual; we have links to the bestselling models below.

    Midland WR100 User Manual

    Midland WR120 User Manual

    Midland WR300 User Manual

    Midland WR400 User Manual

    Eton FRX5 User Manual

  2. Find The Strongest Available Frequency.

    Turn on your weather radio, and choose the station with the clearest signal and the least static. Leave the weather radio on this frequency for the best results.

  3. Turn on your weather radio, and choose the station with the clearest signal and the least static. Leave the weather radio on this frequency for the best results.

    Visit the NWS’ NOAA Weather Radio page on SAME codes to find your code. Click your state, then scroll through the list to find your county. Ensure that the frequency you’ve chosen serves SAME-encoded alerts for your county. Most radios can handle multiple SAME codes if you’d like to listen for more than one county. Write these down.

  4. Enter Your SAME Codes Into Your Weather Radio.

    Typically, this is found within the “Menu” option. Scroll to a “SAME” or similar option and press the select or enter key. Follow the prompts to enter your codes and press the select/enter key to save it. You might be asked if you’d like to enter single or multiple codes, choose single if you’d only like to be alerted to warnings for one code or multiple for several codes (typically up to 6).

Weather radio programming tips

  • If you live on the edge of a county, consider adding the next closest county to you. This will give you an advanced warning of potential incoming storms.
  • While weather radio is available to almost all Americans, there are areas where the signal will not be strong enough to properly read the static bursts that deliver SAME-encoded information. Your weather radio will not activate properly. Consider an external antenna. NOAA has a website where you can view coverage maps. Be sure to click the transmitter on the maps closest to you for more detailed propagation information.

Most weather radios can store multiple alerts even if you aren’t present to hear them. The type of alert is displayed on the screen and will automatically disappear when the warning expires.

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All content on The Weather Station Experts is written by or reviewed by humans before it is posted to our website. Our contributors and editors include degreed meteorologists and scientists, all committed to providing our readers with the highest-quality content. If you spot an error, please let us know.

About the Author

Ed Oswald

Ed Oswald has nearly two decades of experience in technology and science journalism, and specializes in weather stations and smart home technology. He's written for Digital Trends, PC World, and TechHive. His work has also appeared in the New York Times. When he isn't writing about gadgets, he enjoys chasing severe weather and winter storms.
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