Mister_Penetrator wrote:I have a couple of questions about the electronic Alertonic siren.
1. Was it the first electronic air raid siren ever made in the US?
2. Did it come out before or after the electronic Whelen sirens?
3. Could you talk through it?
4. When did production begin and end?
5. Any pros or cons between the Alertonic and the Whelens?
The city of Tullahoma installed a system of 6 ACA Alertronic 6000 R sirens for tornado warnings in 1985. They were very good sirens and had a fairly decent range and could be heard over 2 miles from the siren. The Alertronic's did have voice capabilities as well. In 1999 we replaced all 6 Alertronic sirens with 7 Whelen Vortex R-4 units, and I have to say Whelens are a lot louder and more effective the the Alertronics and can be heard over 3 miles from the siren. The ACA alertronics had an attention getting tone, because it was higher pitch than the Whelens now, and it was dual tone and sounded almost like a Hurricane. Our Whelens have been in place for 8 years this month and we have had no problems from them yet, the speaker drivers in whelens are very durable. I only remember hearing the Alertronics 4 times when they served the city. Twice during the tornado outbreak of April 16, 1998 and then again when they tested them. we currently activate the Whelens in 3 minute alert intervals during tornado warnings, and a 3 minute test on the 2nd Saturday of every month.