Weatheradio Canada
Encyclopedia
Weatheradio Canada, in French Radiométéo Canada, is a Canadian
radio network that broadcasts weather
information. Owned and operated by Environment Canada
's Meteorological Service of Canada
division, the network transmits in both official languages (English
and French
) from 199 sites across Canada.
In most locations, the service broadcasts on a special VHF frequency audible only on special Weatheradio receivers, although in some locations — primarily national
and provincial park
s and remote communities — a transmitter operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
transmits the service on a conventional AM or FM frequency.
As of August 2007, most of these AM and FM transmitters are unlicensed by the CRTC under a special license exemption granted to low-power
non-commercial
broadcasters. The service does not, however, have transmitters serving every populated region of the country.
The frequencies used for Weatheradio are the same frequencies used for its American counterpart, NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
, and weather radios designed for use in one country are compatible for use in the other. Since 2007, the service has been using Specific Area Message Encoding
(SAME) technology.
Weather information is broadcast using a synthesized voice. The technology employed to produce the voice is the StarCaster text-to-speech system, which uses concatenative synthesis.
Weatheradio has indicated that in the future it also plans to add other emergency information, such as natural disaster
s, technological accidents, AMBER alert
s and terrorist attacks, to its broadcasts.
For the most part the technology and VHF-FM bandplan are the same. Canada has not made any innovations to the transmission standard, as the technology was designed for US use and as such has evolved into having many features.
When needed, an emergency alert is sent using Specific Area Message Encoding
data bursts followed by a 1050 Hz audio tone, for severe thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes, and other public emergencies.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
radio network that broadcasts weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
information. Owned and operated by Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Environment Canada , legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment Canada (EC) (French: Environnement Canada), legally incorporated as the Department of the Environment under the Department of the Environment Act Environment...
's Meteorological Service of Canada
Meteorological Service of Canada
The Meteorological Service of Canada , also known as "The Canadian Weather Service", is a division of Environment Canada, which primarily provides public meteorological information and weather forecasts and warnings of severe weather and other environmental hazards...
division, the network transmits in both official languages (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) from 199 sites across Canada.
In most locations, the service broadcasts on a special VHF frequency audible only on special Weatheradio receivers, although in some locations — primarily national
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
and provincial park
Provincial park
A provincial park is a park under the management of a provincial or territorial government in Canada.While provincial parks are not the same as national parks, their workings are very similar...
s and remote communities — a transmitter operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
transmits the service on a conventional AM or FM frequency.
As of August 2007, most of these AM and FM transmitters are unlicensed by the CRTC under a special license exemption granted to low-power
Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...
non-commercial
Non-commercial
Non-commercial refers to an activity or entity that does not in some sense involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis...
broadcasters. The service does not, however, have transmitters serving every populated region of the country.
The frequencies used for Weatheradio are the same frequencies used for its American counterpart, NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards is a network of radio stations broadcasting continuous weather information directly from a nearby National Weather Service office. It is operated by the NWS, an agency of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the United States Department of...
, and weather radios designed for use in one country are compatible for use in the other. Since 2007, the service has been using Specific Area Message Encoding
Specific Area Message Encoding
Specific Area Message Encoding or SAME is the protocol used to encode the Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Radio's SAME Public Warning System in the U.S...
(SAME) technology.
Weather information is broadcast using a synthesized voice. The technology employed to produce the voice is the StarCaster text-to-speech system, which uses concatenative synthesis.
Weatheradio has indicated that in the future it also plans to add other emergency information, such as natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
s, technological accidents, AMBER alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
s and terrorist attacks, to its broadcasts.
History
Canada implemented its weather radio service at a later date than the US did.For the most part the technology and VHF-FM bandplan are the same. Canada has not made any innovations to the transmission standard, as the technology was designed for US use and as such has evolved into having many features.
Frequencies
Weatheradio Canada signals are transmitted using FM, with a bandwidth of 25 kHz. The service uses these frequencies:- 162.400 MHz
- 162.425 MHz
- 162.450 MHz
- 162.475 MHz
- 162.500 MHz
- 162.525 MHz
- 162.550 MHz
When needed, an emergency alert is sent using Specific Area Message Encoding
Specific Area Message Encoding
Specific Area Message Encoding or SAME is the protocol used to encode the Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Radio's SAME Public Warning System in the U.S...
data bursts followed by a 1050 Hz audio tone, for severe thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes, and other public emergencies.
External links
- Weatheradio Canada
- Full list of Weatherradio Canada stations
- Weatheradio transmitter directory
- Weatheradio - Transmitter Lists By Province (streema.com)
- Weatheradio - Transmitter lists (including AM and FM transmitters)
- DXinfocentre.com's list of Weatheradio transmitters
- Weatheradio Canada Station XLM538 (Winnipeg MB) - Live streaming audio
- Weatheradio Canada Station XMJ316 (Collingwood ON) - Live streaming audio