This is where the SAME programming comes in handy and when you try it out, you will understand why it is so amazing. However, if you are discovering that you are not receiving alerts that you should, you could be doing something wrong. First off, you must ensure that you have entered the appropriate codes for your specific city or county. To access them, you need to reference the database of NOAA (which can be accessed online by anyone). As simple as it sounds, this could be the only problem you are having.
But, if you still are having issues then ensure that the Alert switch is turned to the on position. Again, a simple mistake but a common one. Finally, if this fails, it could simply be your reception is poor and if so, reference the other question that addressed this issue.