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🌪️Severe Weather & Emergency Alert SystemBAND: VHF Public Safety / WeatherITU: VHF (Very High Frequency)

162.550 MHz NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio (KWO35)

Exact: 162,550 kHz (162.550 MHz)Demodulation: FMService: United States

NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) on 162.550 MHz is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from the nearest National Weather Service office.

162.550 MHz (FM)

162.550 MHz NOAA Weather

VHF Public Safety / Weather • VHF (Very High Frequency) • FM Mode

This is a VHF frequency, above the 30 MHz range of the public shortwave receivers Skywave DX uses, so there is no live audio for it here.
Technical Radio Frequency Profile
Modulation Standard
Frequency Modulation (Narrowband FM with SAME digital headers)
Channel Grid / Bandwidth
25 kHz Weather Channel Grid (Channel WX1)
Transmitter Power (Typical)
1,000 Watts (1 kW ERP)
Polarization
Vertical high-gain omnidirectional array
Signal Propagation Mode
Direct VHF tropospheric line-of-sight
Typical Broadcast Range
40 miles (65 km) radius coverage
Operational Protocol & Use Case

Broadcasts official National Weather Service warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day, alongside Emergency Alert System (EAS) alerts.

Listening & SDR Tuning Tips
  • Listen for the automated synthetic meteorologist voice detailing coastal wind, wave heights, and barometric pressure.
  • Transmits the 1050 Hz emergency warning alarm tone prior to severe tornado or flood alerts.

Frequently Asked Questions about 162.550 MHz

What is the voice used on NOAA Weather Radio?

The broadcast uses high-stability speech synthesis technology, featuring computer voices nicknamed "Paul" and "Donna" converting NWS weather text into audio.

What does SAME stand for on NOAA Weather Radio?

SAME stands for Specific Area Message Encoding, a digital header burst that automatically activates targeted emergency radios in specific affected counties.

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