GMRS setup guides NOAA weather radios on the NWS list
NOAA weather radios on the NWS approved list: 5 current models compared from maker documents
The NWS list has 18 manufacturers, and many of the listed models are no longer sold. We kept only models still sold on the maker's own site, with maker documents we could read. Five Midland models qualify so far, and they differ most on whether their documents show SAME county filtering.
How this page works: a radio is included only if (1) its model appears on the NWS list of radios approved to use the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards logo (weather.gov, checked 2026-10-21) and (2) the maker currently sells it and publishes a spec sheet or owner's manual we could read. Midland documents are cited by name; per Midland's terms we link only midlandusa.com. Nothing has been hands-on tested.
The short version
- For a bedside or home alarm: the Midland WR120 ($54.99) or WR400 ($109.99). They’re the only two here whose documents show SAME county filtering and “Public Alert Certified.” Both have battery backup, an external antenna jack and an external alert jack, the features NWS describes (what NWS says to look for). The WR400 adds AM/FM, a dual alarm clock and a USB output. Full breakdown: WR120 vs WR400.
- Smallest and cheapest: the Midland ER10VP ($34.99). It runs on 3 AA batteries (included) and has AM/FM and a flashlight. Its manual describes a siren-and-flashlight alert but doesn’t mention SAME, so expect alerts for every warning on the station you tune to.
- For power outages: the Midland ER50 ($64.99). It has an internal 2600 mAh Li-ion battery that charges by micro-USB, hand crank or solar, and a USB output for a phone. Read this before relying on it: the manual says it “will not receive weather alerts when the unit is charging an external device.” SAME isn’t mentioned.
- Weather on a GMRS two-way radio: the Midland GXT1000 ($49.99 single, $99.99 2-pack). It has a 10-channel NOAA weather scan and weather alert. It’s a GMRS transmitter, so you need an FCC license to transmit (how to get one). SAME isn’t mentioned, and we haven’t verified its FCC grant yet. For GMRS radios we have verified, see the GMRS weather table.
All five, side by side
| Radio | On NWS logo list? | SAME county filtering | How it alerts | Power | Antenna / alert jacks | Extras | Warranty | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland WR120 Desktop SAME alert receiver (weather only) | Yes, model WR120 NWS listchecked 2026-10-21 | Yes – S.A.M.E. Digital Technology Midland WR120 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | Three selectable warning systems: 90 dB siren, flashing LED or voice alert Midland WR120 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | AC adapter (included); battery backup 3 × AA (not included) Midland WR120 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | Yes – external antenna jack Midland WR120 owner's manual (WR120DSP, dated 1-4-2024)checked 2026-10-21 Yes – external alert jack (for external alert devices) Midland WR120 owner's manual (WR120DSP, dated 1-4-2024)checked 2026-10-21 | None listed Midland WR120 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 Time & alarm clock Midland WR120 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | Conflicting in the manual: table of contents says "One-Year Limited Warranty"; the warranty text says three years and refers to "any Midland GMRS transceiver" Midland WR120 owner's manual (WR120DSP, dated 1-4-2024)checked 2026-10-21 | $54.99 (maker site) Midland WR120 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Midland WR400 Desktop SAME alert receiver with AM/FM and alarm clock | Yes, model WR400 NWS listchecked 2026-10-21 | Yes – S.A.M.E. Digital Technology Midland WR400 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | User-selectable warning system: 85 dB siren, voice alert or visual LED flasher Midland WR400 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | AC adapter (included); battery backup 4 × AA (not included) Midland WR400 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | Yes – external antenna connector Midland WR400 owner's manual (dated 11-03-25)checked 2026-10-21 Yes – external alert jack; also a headphone jack Midland WR400 owner's manual (dated 11-03-25)checked 2026-10-21 | AM/FM radio with 4 preset buttons Midland WR400 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 Dual alarm clock (AM/FM, weather or buzzer); continuous backlight option Midland WR400 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | 1 year ("within One Year following the initial consumer purchase"); accessories 90 days Midland WR400 owner's manual (dated 11-03-25)checked 2026-10-21 | $109.99 (maker site) Midland WR400 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Midland ER10VP Compact portable alert radio, AM/FM/weather, flashlight | Yes, model ER10VP NWS listchecked 2026-10-21 | Not mentioned in the owner's manual or spec sheet; alerts are a siren plus flashing flashlight Midland ER10 owner's manual (dated 10-7-2025)checked 2026-10-21 | Audible siren and flashing flashlight; press any button to cancel Midland ER10 owner's manual (dated 10-7-2025)checked 2026-10-21 | 3 × AA alkaline (Midland batteries included) Midland ER10VP spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | None listed (telescopic antenna) Midland ER10 owner's manual (dated 10-7-2025)checked 2026-10-21 None listed; 3.5 mm headphone jack Midland ER10 owner's manual (dated 10-7-2025)checked 2026-10-21 | LED flashlight hi/lo + SOS strobe; wrist lanyard Midland ER10VP spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | 1 year; accessories 90 days Midland ER10 owner's manual (dated 10-7-2025)checked 2026-10-21 | $34.99 (maker site) Midland ER10VP product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Midland ER50 Hand-crank/solar emergency radio, AM/FM/weather, flashlight, phone charging | Yes, model ER50 NWS listchecked 2026-10-21 | Not mentioned in the owner's manual or spec sheet; alerts are a siren plus flashing flashlight Midland ER50 owner's manualchecked 2026-10-21 | Audible siren and flashing flashlight, then switches to the tuned weather station. Receives alerts while powered off if alerts are on. Does NOT receive alerts while charging an external device Midland ER50 owner's manualchecked 2026-10-21 | Internal 3.7 V 2600 mAh Li-ion (18650); charges by micro-USB, hand crank or solar panel. Does not support alkaline batteries Midland ER50 owner's manualchecked 2026-10-21 | None listed (telescopic antenna) Midland ER50 owner's manualchecked 2026-10-21 None listed; headphone jack Midland ER50 owner's manualchecked 2026-10-21 | Flashlight low/high + SOS Morse beacon; backlight on/5 s/off Midland ER50 owner's manualchecked 2026-10-21 | 1 year; accessories 90 days Midland ER50 owner's manualchecked 2026-10-21 | $64.99 (maker site) Midland ER50 product pagechecked 2026-10-21 |
| Midland GXT1000 GMRS two-way handheld with NOAA weather scan and alert | Yes, model GXT1000 NWS listchecked 2026-10-21 | Not mentioned in the owner's manual or spec sheet Midland GXT1000 owner's manual (dated 11-5-25)checked 2026-10-21 | NOAA Weather Alert (alert tone from NOAA stations); vibrate alert for calls Midland GXT1000 owner's manual (dated 11-5-25)checked 2026-10-21 | NiMH rechargeable pack or 4 × AA; HI/MED/LO transmit power Midland GXT1000 owner's manual (dated 11-5-25)checked 2026-10-21 | Not listed Midland GXT1000VP4 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 Not applicable; headset jack for two-way use Midland GXT1000 owner's manual (dated 11-5-25)checked 2026-10-21 | JIS4 waterproof (splash); FCC GMRS license required Midland GXT1000VP4 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | 3 years Midland GXT1000VP4 spec sheetchecked 2026-10-21 | $49.99 single (GXT1000AZ); $99.99 2-pack (GXT1000VP4) Midland GXT1000 product page (GXT1000AZ, single radio)checked 2026-10-21 |
What the table means
SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) is what lets a receiver alarm only for the counties you program. Without it, a radio sounds for every alert on its station, and one transmitter can cover many counties. NWS describes SAME as a required feature for the Public Alert™ standard (NWS). “Not mentioned in the owner’s manual or spec sheet” means just that. We’d change it the moment Midland documents otherwise.
Being on the NWS list means the manufacturer received NWS approval to use the NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards logo for that model. NWS itself notes that the same makers “may produce other models which have not been approved.” Midland also sells ER210, ER310 and ER40 emergency radios, but those model numbers aren’t on the list, so they aren’t on this page.
Range claims: the ER10 and ER50 manuals say they “can receive broadcasts up to 50 miles from the weather station depending on your location and conditions.” That’s a maker claim. Reception depends on your nearest transmitter. Check yours on the NWS station listing and county coverage pages. To program SAME, NWS says to get your county’s 6-digit code online or by calling 1-888-NWR-SAME (Using NWR SAME).
Listed makers we haven’t covered yet
The NWS list also names Cobra (Cedar Electronics), Kaito, Motorola Solutions (including Talkabout T-series two-way radios), Sangean, First Alert/Jensen (Spectra), Oregon Scientific, Sharper Image and several others. We’ll add a model only when we can cite the maker’s current page or manual. When we checked on 2026-10-21:
- the Sangean CL-100 and Kaito KA500 product pages returned “not found”;
- we couldn’t find the Cobra CWR200 for sale from Cobra.
The full NWS list is transcribed on our weather radio hub.
Related: NOAA weather radios & GMRS radios with weather alerts · Midland WR120 vs WR400 · Best GMRS radios for hiking