[BC] The real answer for EAS

[Chuck Lakaytis]

In our rural areas there are two main sources of EAS.  One is our Alaska 
Rural Communications Service (ARCS).  This is a system of 228 low power 
television transmitters serving villages.  The other is the NWS.  NWS 
has proven very reliable.  And we watch our ARCS service like a hawk to 
make sure it works.  This includes having volunteers in the villages 
watch the monthly tests and call us if anything is amiss.

I think that all the rural public safety offices that have access to NWS 
radio have a simple receiver at the dispatch position, set to alarm 
mode.  Simple, but effective.

And as a last ditch measure during a real emergency some of  the state 
trooper posts use the telephone book.  Not taking a chance that either 
ARCS or NWS has worked, they actually will try and call Adak, for 
example, and start going through the telephone book for the  community.



Warren Shulz wrote:
> RDS requires a stable backbone for distribution.  FM Alerts sells that
> as a new alert and warning  product. But when you look behind the
> curtain it is not survivable or very robust.
>
> Actually the best and paid for product is NOAA weather radio.  With some
> improvements it could be the nation's alert channel.  Already in place
> it has some 1,000 transmitters.  If NWS moved to linking via satellite
> and harden the transmitter locations weather radio would be the wireless
> solution for alerts and warnings.  Best part it is already paid for and
> for the most part in place and linked to every broadcaster
> radio/TV/Cable system.  It gets rid of the daisy chain and has been
> extensively tested 1,000's of times. Even consumers can buy into the
> channel at any Wal*Mart store.  DHS sent 180,000 NOAA radios to every
> K-12 school in CONUS.  Maybe they figured it out already!  
>
> After DTV transition TV is a dead end for follow up alerts.  Once the
> power goes down its going to be difficult to power up your 600-watt 50
> inch plasma TV.  Haven't seen much in portable DTV.  Just a simple area
> blackout knocks down the DSL internet service.
>
> Warren Shulz
> IL SECC
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net
> [mailto:broadcast-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Barry Mishkind
> Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 10:46 AM
> To: Broadcasters' Mailing List
> Subject: [BC] The real answer for EAS
>
>
>          I don't remember exactly when it was available,
>          but the solution for this has been around for
>          over 20 years in Europe. When there is a
>          local emergency, the local signal will capture
>          every radio for the announcement and then
>          return it to the program it was listening to.
>
>          Can you image how many of the problems
>          that exist in the current EAS system would
>          go away (INCLUDING testing) if one simple
>          change were made? Proven technology.
>
>          It's called RDS.
>
> At 05:36 AM 10/9/2009, Mike McCarthy wrote:
>   
>> While I agree that stations {{{should}}} relay call to action messages
>> (Tornado, Flash FLood, and Tsumami, Evacuation), there is a point of
>> diminishing returns and/or excessive congestion. Our stations only
>>     
> relay
>   
>> TOR and FFR for the county in which the CoL is located and select
>>     
> adjacent
>   
>> counties. But for the really wide coverage stations, it doesn't make
>>     
> sense
>   
>> except for their home county and may first adjacent counties.
>>     
>
> - - -
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>
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>
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-- 
Chuck Lakaytis
Director of Engineering
Alaska Public Broadcasting, Inc.
135 Cordova Street
Anchorage, Ak 99501
office   907-277-6300
fax      907-277-6350
cell     907-301-4339