How to Program Your WR120 Weather Radio - Video and Instructions – Midland

Programming your Midland WR120B weather radio involves a few key steps to ensure it alerts you for your specific location. Here's a step-by-step guide and a video below!

🔋 Before You Begin

Power Up:

Batteries: Install three fresh AA batteries in the compartment on the underside of the radio. These provide emergency power in case of an outage.
AC Adapter: Plug the AC adapter into a standard wall outlet and the other end into the DC jack on the back of the radio.
Antenna: Extend the antenna to its full length for the best possible reception.
ON/OFF Switch: Ensure the ON/OFF switch on the side of the radio is in the "ON" position. When you first power it on, "WELCOME" should be displayed.

🛠️ Programming Steps

1. Set Language

When "SET LANGUAGE" is displayed, press the SELECT button.
Use the UP or DOWN arrows to choose your preferred language (English, Español, Français).
Press SELECT to confirm your choice.

2. Set Location (Your County/Counties)

This is where you tell the radio which areas to alert you for.

When "SET LOCATION" is displayed, press SELECT.
You'll see options like SINGLE, MULTIPLE, or ANY. Use the UP or DOWN arrows to choose your desired location type:
- SINGLE (Recommended for most users): Select this if you only want alerts for your immediate county. Press SELECT.
- MULTIPLE: Choose this if you want to receive alerts for your county and up to 24 surrounding counties (they must be served by the same weather radio transmitter). Press SELECT.
- ANY: This setting will alert you for all S.A.M.E. codes transmitted by the selected channel. While it sounds comprehensive, it can lead to many "false alarms" for events far from your actual location. Use with caution. Press SELECT.

If you chose SINGLE or MULTIPLE:

"01 EMPTY" (or "SAME 01" for multiple) will be displayed. Press SELECT.
Choose Country: Use the UP or DOWN arrows to select "USA" or "CANADA" and press SELECT.
Choose State/Province: Scroll through the alphabetical list of states or provinces. When you find yours, press SELECT.
Choose County/Area: Scroll through the list of counties within your selected state/province. Find your specific county and press SELECT.

For MULTIPLE counties:

After selecting your first county, the radio will display "02 EMPTY" (or "SAME 02"). You can:
- Repeat the process to add more counties manually.
- Use the "NEARBY" option to quickly add adjacent counties.
- If the desired county isn't in the "NEARBY" list, navigate through Country > State/Province > County to add it manually.
Once you've programmed all desired counties, press the MENU button to exit the location setting.

3. Set Time

When "SET TIME" is displayed, press SELECT.
Use the LEFT or RIGHT arrows to move between the hour, minute, and AM/PM settings.
Use the UP or DOWN arrows to change the numbers and set AM/PM.
Press SELECT to confirm the time.

4. Set Channel

When "SET CHANNEL" is displayed, press SELECT.
Use the UP or DOWN arrows to tune to the clearest NOAA Weather Radio broadcast channel for your area.
You'll hear static and then the weather broadcast.

Tip: To find the specific frequency for your county, visit the National Weather Service website. This ensures you're tuned to the correct transmitter for your programmed county(ies).

Press SELECT to confirm the channel.

5. Adjust Volume

Use the VOLUME UP or VOLUME DOWN buttons to set your desired listening volume.

✅ Complete Setup

Press the SELECT button to complete the initial setup.
The radio will display "SAVING" and then "SETUP DONE."

🔔 Recommended Additional Setting: Alert Type

Alert Type (Voice/Tone/Display)

Your radio often defaults to a Tone alert, which sounds an alarm until you press a button. For hands-off operation, it's highly recommended to set the alert type to VOICE. This means the radio will sound a brief alert tone and then automatically broadcast the message.

To change this:

Press the MENU button.
Use the UP or DOWN arrows until "ALERT TYPE" is displayed.
Press SELECT.
Use the UP or DOWN arrows to choose VOICE (or TONE or DISPLAY if you prefer).
Press SELECT to confirm.
Press MENU to exit.

⚠️ Important Considerations

Weekly Tests

Your radio is designed to receive a weekly test.
If it goes for ten days without receiving a test, "CHECK RECEPTION" may scroll across the screen.
This indicates a potential issue with your signal.

Factory Reset

If you need to clear all settings and start fresh, perform a factory reset:

Remove one battery.
Unplug the power cord.
Press and hold the WEATHER/SNOOZE bar while you re-plug the power cord into the back of the radio.
Release the WEATHER/SNOOZE bar.
The radio will display "WR120-WELCOME-RESET-SET LANGUAGE", and you can begin programming again from the start.

To get the S.A.M.E. code in the U.S, call 1-888-697-7263 or go to the National Weather Service website.

To get the CLC in Canada, call 1-877-789-7733 or go to this website.

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