Weatherband Radio for 97 OBW

[Victor Roberts]

In 1997 the weather radio came only with the Outback Limited
and the Limited came with only with automatic transmission.
So, I opted for the regular OBW and have lived all these
years without a weather band radio :-( Certainly many
people must have replaced their stock radios with upgraded
sound systems and there must be a number of original Subaru
weatherboard radios that fit the 97 OWB available - but I
can't find one. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
I would also be willing to buy an aftermarket radio if I
could find one with weather band.

 

[bigjim]

Why? I was happy when I pulled that radio and replaced it with Kenwood
head unit. I listened to the weather band total 3 times

 

[bigjim]

Why? I was happy when I pulled that radio and replaced it with Kenwood
head unit. I listened to the weather band total 3 times

 

[Gene]

for what it is worth: next time you are 500 miles from home...pop
into a Radio Shack store and ask for a demo. of a weather radio...if u
under stand, after listening for 5 min. what they are talking about,
then u need a weather radio...Last Dec. drove to Montana, turned the
radio on many times...thru Salt Lake, much info about the storms in
the region...but who knows the region they are driving thru ? Gene

 

[Victor Roberts]

for what it is worth: next time you are 500 miles from home...pop
into a Radio Shack store and ask for a demo. of a weather radio...if u
under stand, after listening for 5 min. what they are talking about,
then u need a weather radio...Last Dec. drove to Montana, turned the
radio on many times...thru Salt Lake, much info about the storms in
the region...but who knows the region they are driving thru ? Gene

I use my portable weather radio all the time while sailing
and sometimes while hiking. I do think I can understand the
information

 

[lkreh]

We listen to ours when camp in Michigan's U.P.

 

[Larry Weil]

I would also be willing to buy an aftermarket radio if I
could find one with weather band.

Any police scanner will pick up the weather band. Some have the channels
pre-programmed, others require that you program in the frequencies. Note
that using a scannew will require an antenna on the car for best (or any)
reception.

 

[Victor Roberts]

Any police scanner will pick up the weather band. Some have the channels
pre-programmed, others require that you program in the frequencies. Note
that using a scannew will require an antenna on the car for best (or any)
reception.

I could use any of my portable weather band radios, but
again the antenna is the issue. The advantage of having
weather band built into the main radio is that it will use
the same antenna.

 

[Larry Weil]

I could use any of my portable weather band radios, but
again the antenna is the issue. The advantage of having
weather band built into the main radio is that it will use
the same antenna.

But it might not work all that well. The amplifiers used with the in-glass
antennas are often bandwidth-limited to the AM and FM broadcast bands.

 

[Victor Roberts]

But it might not work all that well. The amplifiers used with the in-glass
antennas are often bandwidth-limited to the AM and FM broadcast bands.

The Forester X Premium I test drove had a in-glass antenna
and the radio seemed to have no problem with the weather
band. On the other hand, my 97 OBW has a standard
roof-mounted whip antenna.

 

[lkreh]

The weather band on my 99 OBW works fine even with the whip antenna
retracted.

 

[Larry Weil]

The Forester X Premium I test drove had a in-glass antenna
and the radio seemed to have no problem with the weather
band.

Obviously, if the car comes with a radio that gets weather band, they are
going to make sure it's antenna works in the 162 MHz range. If you are
putting in an aftermarket radio in a car who's antenna was not originally
designed for those frequencies, then there could be a problem.

That said, my original comments were really meant to apply to the in-glass
amplified antennas. The whip antennas are broad enough that there should
be no worry in getting the weather band.

Now, what we really would like is a car radio that gets TV audio.

 

[Victor Roberts]

Obviously, if the car comes with a radio that gets weather band, they are
going to make sure it's antenna works in the 162 MHz range. If you are
putting in an aftermarket radio in a car who's antenna was not originally
designed for those frequencies, then there could be a problem.

That said, my original comments were really meant to apply to the in-glass
amplified antennas. The whip antennas are broad enough that there should
be no worry in getting the weather band.

Now, what we really would like is a car radio that gets TV audio.

Those are available from a number of vendors - I have yet to
find a replacement with weather band.