[EAS] FEMA to do webinar on results of national EAS test

[Mike McCarthy]

We engineering folks would not have needed to do so much heavy lifting 
had FEMA decided to do the test with the legacy system intact some time 
ago. This would have eliminated a great deal of anxiety about installing 
all the new CAP compliant stuff and making sure everything is perfect 
with little time to completely vet the systems following the previous 
Sept. 30 deadline. Well...that's all in the past now and we can only 
look ahead.

I would argue a 2nd test with a very short lead time be performed to see 
whether the easily repaired or corrected issues identified in the last 
test were successful in avoiding a repeat of the as-defined distribution 
problems. Waiting a longer time for a 2nd test will invite a greater 
range of potential error points as stations yet to convert make the 
transition to CAP. Re-test while the public is already aware of the 
testing process and take advantage of all the press to date about the 
test and what to expect. Lest the public forgets and then the cry wolf 
syndrome creeps into the picture when the whole publicity machine cranks 
again.

Should the FCC/FEMA decide to not schedule a short fuse test say by the 
end of January, they should instead schedule a post-transition test 
after the elections.FEMA needs to leave a few months for stations and 
headends to shake out the CAP gear with a few RMT's so as to achieve the 
highest probability of success for the following test or the real deal. 
It might also allow the NWS to be brought into the fold if that is 
already a work in progress.

Food for thought....

MM

On 11/18/2011 3:35 PM, Ed Czarnecki wrote:
> I concur with Jeff.  This EAN event was a "diagnostic," as FCC staff have
> stressed numerous times.  A wide range of things have been discovered that
> will require examination at many levels - operational, technical, regulatory
> ....  A nominal portion of the message was relayed, as the message included
> both text and audio elements.
>
> Yes there were a lot of issues, but even the "negatives" can be good things
> - they point to places where we can fix the system.  I'd much rather be
> where we are now, than be in the dark without such a test.
>
> Broadcast and cable engineers did a lot of heavy lifting to prepare for this
> test.  Equipment manufacturers all managed a very heavy load of support
> requests in the ramp up to the event.  The government made a big call by
> even doing this test - the potential political risks were not insignificant.
>
> Edward Czarnecki, Ph.D.
> Senior Director - Strategy, Development&  Regulatory Affairs  |  Monroe
> Electronics Inc.  |  Digital Alert Systems
> email ed.czarnecki at monroe-electronics.com | www.monroe-electronics.com
> | www.digitalalertsystems.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: eas-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On
> Behalf Of Smith, Jeff
>
> 80% is the number that the FCC has been able to pull from all the initial
> reports submitted by stations...radio, TV and cable. It is not a number
> pulled out of the air.
>
> Yes there were issues with the test and in some places the test did not run.
> That was the point of this test. To discover the known and unknown flaws in
> a system that has NEVER been tested.
>
> It is real easy to be critics and point out the negatives...but let's look
> at the positives here.
>
> For the first time in the history of CONELRAD, EBS and EAS a National
> Activation was tested. It showed what worked and what did not work. It did
> exactly what it was supposed to.
> FEMA, FCC, NASBA, SBE and many other agencies and organizations worked very
> hard to educated broadcasters and the public about the test. It showed what
> needs to be done to beef up the system and what technical limitations are
> really out there.
>
> Yes, there were plenty of issues to complain and bitch about....but there is
> MUCH more POSITIVE to be taken from this test!
>
> Jeff Smith CSRE CBNT
>
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