Isle Royale Forums

Does anyone have any experience with whether or not you can get a decent signal on the island with a portable weather radio? We took our first trip to IR in early September. I did not take my portable weather radio to the island, as when we were at the Grand Portage Lodge, I was not able to pick up a signal from there. The radio never fails to pick up a signal here at home. I just wondered what experience others have had, as I would like to have it along, but not to have it not work. Thanks so much,
Ernest T.

I tend to pack a small, simple one. Depending on where you are on the Isle, you'll get various signals, and often need to play around with radio position to get a signal without too much static.

Sometimes you'll need to get yourself up on a ridge, as well, (Hatchet comes to mind) to get out of the basin you're in. I've picked up signals from three places, I can recall: MN North Shore (useful to try to determine 'what might be coming', has a marine/Superior Forecast for the area); MI U.P. (On a certain interval includes an Isle Royale forecast, if memory serves) and Canada. (Remember it's in Celsius, or you'll be thinking it's much colder weather forecast! )
There are a few camps that I think reception wasn't available; McCargoe Cove I seem to recall being tough, and perhaps Chickenbone. This is with my little radio, of course, and antenna is everything..

So, as long as it's not too much weight, I'd bring it. I tend to listen to it every evening to try to plot out what the following day's plan should be... Knowing if we're expecting thunder (I can hike in the rain, but I'll stay off the ridge during lightning, thank you) or if waiting out a morning shower will provide for a dry, pleasant afternoon on the trail.

I used to carry mine, but quit bringing it because reception was so unreliable. As Tom says being up high helps but I'm usually paddling. The 2 U.S. transmitters you may get are in Grand Marais and Copper Harbor. The coverage map for MI only shows a sliver of I.R. but shows at least some of south shore covered. I have gotten the Grand Marais signal on the north shore, like once. It all depends on the radio, your location, etc, etc.

On one trip I had a friend's VHF radio with weather channels. That was much more reliable, probably because of power and antenna. But even on Birch Island and Belle Isle I was holding it above my head at times in just the right position to get reception. In that area the Canadian signals were most reliable so being able to do metric conversions, at least roughly, is good .

Last September I met some folks in Rock Harbor who had a very small multiband radio. They couldn't get anything on the weather band, but got multiple FM and I think AM stations at various points around RH and the Greenstone.

If you understand French, your chance of understanding a weather forecast from nearby Canada improve. Being able to convert Celsius to Fahrnheit helps, too (F = C * 9/5 + 32).

LeftOvers wrote:Last September I met some folks in Rock Harbor who had a very small multiband radio. They couldn't get anything on the weather band, but got multiple FM and I think AM stations at various points around RH and the Greenstone.

If you understand French, your chance of understanding a weather forecast from nearby Canada improve. Being able to convert Celsius to Fahrnheit helps, too (F = C * 9/5 + 32).

I don't know no French, but am REEEAALL good at Pig Latin! That must be that new fangled math.....when did they start using letters?

I've also brought a marine weather radio before. I was on the Minong and was able to get signal. However, as others have pointed out, it's either from Grand Marais or Copper, and as far as I'm concerned, isn't very useful.

If you really want to listen to the NOAA broadcasts, find your way to a campsite with a dock. If there are boats there, they'll have a better radio and a better antenna.

I was at McCargoe Cove three weeks ago and some boaters were asking ME if I knew the (marine!) forecast.

I carried a 2.5 oz AM/FM/SW1/SW2 radio this time and found I could get Thunder Bay CBC (FM) forecasts in McCargoe Cove, Rock Harbor and Malone Bay (didn't go elsewhere). The forecasts were for Thunder Bay and Southern Canada (north shore of Lake Superior and west to Quetico) and gave a good guide for what happened on IR - overcast, thunderstorms, cold night, warm night, etc.

And it was English.

I usually have a VHF on IR when paddling. If hiking, I have a small Sony AM-FM WX radio, but the reception for WX is poor.
I bought a C Crane CC radio and have tried the WX band at home. It does a good job at pulling in the WX band.

http://www.rei.com/product/862113/c-cra ... cket-radio

I always bring a small AM/FM WB radio to the Island. It goes in and out but most of the time I can pick up reports from Copper Harbor and Thunder Bay.