The National Weather Service in Peachtree City now provides programming for 16 transmitters on seven frequencies across North and Central Georgia. However, Georgia's NOAA Weather Radio Network (for the entire state) consists of more than 2 dozen transmitters scattered from near the Florida border to the mountains in extreme north Georgia.

Broadcasts of weather information - including warnings - can be heard 24 hours a day in practically every community in the state. In fact, some communities can hear weather broadcasts from more than one radio station. This can be advantageous. Or it can lead to problems. For this reason it is important to know enough about the broadcast system to make a choice of transmitter that will give you the most protection.

Each transmitter emits an alert tone when warnings or other important weather messages are broadcast for the first time. However, no transmitter sends out the alert tones for all counties. Each tower sends the tones to a designated set of counties known as the "official service area" for that tower. The official service area is determined by a tower's ability to get a signal of sufficient strength into each county. If you want to be alerted, you will need to be sure you are tuned to a transmitter that has your county in its official service area. This is easy to do. Go to the network map and pass your cursor over, or click on, any broadcast tower. Information for programming special receivers using "SAME" technology is included with that map.

For non-weather emergencies, NWS activates the system at the request of local and/or state officials. The NWS does not initiate the contact or the message. Local or state officials provide text information about the non-weather hazard directly to the local NWS offices. NWS offices set up agreements to speed the process, since minutes make a difference. In most areas, the local or state Office of Emergency Management or Preparedness, civil defense, police or mayor/commissioner sets up linkages to send messages on systems such as the EAS and NWR. Non-weather emergency messages include:

• technological accidents (e.g., chemical release, oil spill, nuclear power plant emergencies, maritime accidents, train derailments)
• Amber (Child abduction) alerts
• terrorist attacks

SPECIAL NOTICE ! There are 3 pairs of transmitters that broadcast identical information - including the SAME alert tones. The pairings are: Chatsworth and Taylor's Ridge Buchanan and LaGrange Brasstown Bald and Blue Ridge If you are in the official service area of one of these towers, be aware that you may be able to receive good quality audio and the correct SAME alert tones from the other paired tower's frequency despite being outside that tower's "official service area".

Frequently Asked Questions about NOAA Weather Radio

• What is NOAA Weather Radio?
  
  
• When are test tones sent?
  

  We test the alarm feature weekly on Wednesdays between 11 AM and NOON. However, if there is any chance of severe or hazardous weather on that day, the weekly test is cancelled. We call this the Routine Weekly Test (RWT)

• Why doesn't my receiver make an "audible" alarm during the weekly test (RWT)?
  
  
• How does the "SAME" system work?
  
  
• What receiver models do you recommend?
  
  
• Where can I get more information about the radio receivers?
  
  
• What are the codes needed for programming SAME receivers?

  The "SAME" technology allows you to block out weather alerts that you don't want to hear...like those issued for counties far from where you live or work. Older (non-SAME) NWR receivers without the SAME capability sound alerts for emergencies anywhere within the coverage area of the NWR transmitter.