[BC] Re: EAS box placement

[Mark Croom]

Here's where I've been scratching my head over the content of this thread.

Is there some place in the rules that require the STATION to be able to
ORIGINATE an alert message?

None of my stations have (or will) originate an alert. We pass them on when
received from the appropriate external authority. At no time will the
Sheriff, Mayor, or Police Chief come in and request that I

One of my satellite stations is basically self-contained at the transmitter
site, receiving only audio from the main studio. At the transmitter site we
have one of Jim Gorman's EAS boxes, and some radios for receiving tests and
alerts by monitoring the correct assignments as though we had a studio at
that location. The EAS box is always in automatic mode. I don't even have
the Manual/Automatic mode switch remoted--why bother as it never is supposed
to change?

I can originate an RWT by calling the remote control and putting in the
appropriate command channel, or I can just the press front panel button when
I'm at the transmitter site.

I am still the designated Chief Operator of this station, and I visit the
site weekly to make sure the EAS stuff ran OK the previous week, and
generally while I'm there I also run the RWT. I keep up the station log in
that context as well.

I'm really missing something if this unattended operation (despite its main
studio in the next state) is required to do more than this for EAS. Perhaps
the problem here is related to the station log, and I'm missing some
requirement that those be at the main studio. I've been operating under the
presumption that it doesn't matter so long as they are maintained,
accessible, for two years.

If I'm doing this wrong I'd love to see the rule citations to support the
position, before I "assume the position" and take my lumps for doing it
incorrectly after asking for the money to fix it.

Mark
MN

On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 1:25 PM, Darryl Parker <dparker at tftinc.com> wrote:

> CFR11.51
> "(o) Either manual or automatic operation of EAS equipment may be used
> by EAS Participants that use remote control. If manual operation is
> used, an EAS decoder must be located at the remote control location and
> it must directly monitor the signals of the two assigned EAS sources. If
> direct monitoring of the assigned EAS sources is not possible at the
> remote location, automatic operation is required. If automatic operation
> is used, the remote control location may be used to override the
> transmission of an EAS alert. EAS Participants may change back and forth
> between automatic and manual operation."
>
> Regards,
> Darryl E. Parker
> TFT, Inc.
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
>  From: Dana Puopolo
>
> The Pennsylvania Assoc. of Broadcasters' self inspection guy REFUSED to
> certify a client station of mine unless their EAS equipment was
> physically located at their main studio. We had put it in Boston which
> is manned 24/7 and used Barix Boxes to send the LP1, LP2 and NOAA audio
> to it from tuners located at the main studio. We were able to send and
> recieve EAS tests fine-including monthlys-and had a year's proof of
> this. Nonetheless, he said NO and as a result the licensee spent
> THOUSANDS of dollars coming up with an alternate plan.
>