We are first time visitors to the BWCAW. Is it a good idea to take a weather radio along? If so, the are a couple of radios on the market with up to a 30 mile reception. Will this radio work on Fourtown lake?
Thanks for your help.

It certainly can't hurt if it will get reception. On our trip to Boot last week I borrowed a GPS unit from a friend that has a NOAA weather radio feature built into it and I used it every night before going to bed. It's spendy, but it was nice to have along. As for the traditional weather radios, according to NOAA's website they have a broadcast tower in Ely which would certainly be less than 30 miles to Fourtown.

Garmin Rino
NOAA stations in MN

I've used this one in the BW and it worked fine.
Midland Pocket Weather Alert Radio

I have the same one as jeriatric and used it last fall on Boot Lake right next door to Fourtown with no problems.

I have brought weather radios and had some reception on the East side of the BWCA. I tuned into a station from Grand Marais. I have also brought a 10 foot piece of wire to enhance the antenna reception. On the west side you might as well bring a small radio with headphones and tune into WELY. Great reception on Lake Four last week.

I've been using the Eton self-powered weather radio. It has been awesome. Helped me many times when it came time to what day I'll be portaging out.

Eton weather radio.

you should have no problem picking up NOAA,we use 2-way radios with built in NOAA and have no problem picking up the signal in the southern end of Quetico.

We just returned from a trip and used a weather radio every afternoon and evening to see what was instore for the next few days. We were mostly in Quetico and it worked until we got to the far northern areas of Keats Lake and Sturgeon Lake. Not a problem on any of the boundary line lakes such as Carp, Saganaga, Lac La Croix, Crooked, Basswood. Also got decent reception as far north as Kawnipi. We just had the handheld NOAA radio. We found it well worth the ounces we had to sacrifice to have it with us.

I lean toward the weather alert radio as a necessity, both at home and when out in the field.

When size & weight are an issue, my favorite weather radio is the one Jeriatric linked to. An amazingly competent radio.

When size & weight are NOT an issue, my favorite weather radio is this one:

Oregon Scientific WR601

Its controls are easy to remember over time, and I actually have used the alarms quite a bit when camping and wanting to wake up early (fishing, getting out and about early, and such).