[EAS] National Test Length

[Harold Price]

The EAN test has been reduced to 30 seconds. There is much grumbling 
about the fact that a unique aspect of the EAN is that it can last 
longer than two minutes, and the Nov 9 test was supposed to show 
this, but now it won't. It doesn't make the current test worthless, however.

There have been several reasons to do the test.  The list below does 
not necessarily reflect the FCC or FEMA stated reasons.  This is just me.

1) The EAS system is supposed to be ready to send an EAN at any time. 
It has never been tested in that way.  It is reasonable to do 
so.  Conelrad had tests (that involved some stations shutting down 
for 1/2 hour, and others changing frequencies).  EBS had tests, 
including one infamous live test: listen to 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu4r79l8P8I, a very professional job 
by the announcer, IMHO, with one excusable break about 5:00 into the 
recording.  It is reasonable to do a full up test of EAS/EAN.

2) Test the connectivity from the EAN source all the way out to the 
end of the relay tree.  Illuminate the holes, limitations, and short 
comings, and start the process of improvement.

3) Raise awareness of the EAN in the broadcast community.  Give 
everyone some education on the differences between a normal RMT and 
the EAN.  Force some updates to old handbooks, get a best practices 
manual done.  There is nothing like a high profile deadline to focus 
everyone's attention.

4) Get broadcasters to think about how to recover from a partial EAN.

5) Use the peer pressure of missing this big event to get stations 
that haven't looked at their EAS equipment since 1997 to dust off 
equipment and training.

5) Test the longer than two-minute aspects.  Out of all of the above, 
this is the only item that can (and has been) tested in the 
lab.  While I regret the loss of this field data, accepting that loss 
is far better than canceling the entire test.

Even though the change was mandated from way up high, the FCC staff 
that works with EAS directly got the word out quickly, working the 
phones and sending emails, as well as using their normal public 
disclosure tools.  They updated the handbook quickly. Kudos for that.

Ramblings for a Friday.
Harold