West Marine VHF580 manual Using Fips codes for weather alerts

Using FIPS codes for weather alerts

The US National Weather Service established 6-digit Federal Information Processing System (FIPS) codes to issue weather alerts in specific areas. You can choose which areas you want to hear alerts for by entering these FIPS codes in your radio. This can prevent you from being bothered by events that are far from where you are boating. The radio only sounds the alert tone if an incoming FIPS code matches one of the areas you selected.

xx For more information about how the NWS uses FIPS codes, see the NWS website: www. nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwsfipschg.htm.

xx To see an index of FIPS codes by state, see the website of the

xx National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): www.itl.nist. gov/fipspubs/co- codes/states.htm.

xx For information on the Canadian implementation of FIPS codes, called Canadian Location Codes, see the website of the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC): http://www.msc. ec.gc.ca/msb/weatheradio/transmitter/index_e.cfm

##NOTE: If you travel outside the areas you have entered into your radio, you may not hear alerts that affect your new location. Be sure to enter the FIPS codes of all the areas you plan to travel to during this trip.

Follow the steps below to edit the list of FIPS codes. You can store up to 30 different FIPS codes in your radio.

Press and hold -

Setup

Use the up and down arrows
		FIPS Code	16
to adjust each of the six
	digits in turn.	00000
FIPS Codes

[New]

Back[CLR] Forward[ENT]

1.Display the normal menu and choose the Setup sub-menu.

2.Select FIPS Codes. The screen displays any previously-entered FIPS codes.

3.To add a new FIPS code, select New.

4.Use CHANNEL UP and CHANNEL DOWN to change the first of the six digits; CHANNEL UP increases the number and CHANNEL DOWN decreases it.

5.When the first digit is correct, press ENT-1W/25W. The cursor moves to the next digit. Enter the remaining five digits of the FIPS code in the same way. If you make a mistake while entering a digit, press CLR-SCANto erase the wrong number and moved the cursor to the left digit.

6.When the sixth digit is correct, press ENT-1W/25W. The radio displays the new FIPS code and asks you to confirm. To save this code, select Yes; to cancel this code, select No. The radio returns to the list of FIPS codes.

7.To change an existing FIPS code, select the code you want to change.

8.To delete the FIPS code, select Delete. To edit the code, select Edit, then use CHANNEL UP and CHANNEL DOWN buttons to change each of the six digits.

9.When you are satisfied with the list of FIPS codes, select Exit to close the menu screen.

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