On Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:36:31 -0500, Crackles McFarly
wrote:

On the SAME weather radio it sends a loud tone to alert to a
warning/watch. When the tone is heard you press a button to hear the
alert.

Question: Since everyone pushes the button at different times,
immediately to 10 seconds later, how does the radio remember or store
the alert message?
It doesn't, however the button leaves the radio on long enough to
ensure that a complete cycle of the NOAA broadcast will be heard.
So if tune in on the tail end, the radio will remain 'on' long enough
to repeat the first part of the message for you.

Or is this a function of the local transmitter?