[EAS] Should the RWT EAS Code be abolished?

[Tom Bosscher]

Let's split this into two levels:

     National. FEMA now has made NPR a PEP. Great Start. However, please 
look at my state, and at the upper peninsula. There are many areas where 
a NPR signal is not practical to monitor.
     Solution? Have FEMA install PEP equipment at Dish and Direct TV. 
Put the endec in series with a music channel (so that audio is always 
there), and Dish/Direct agree to make this channel open. Now, anywhere 
in the US, any LP1/LP2 can have a FEMA input with no audio degradation 
beyond the PEP equipment.
Then, once a week, FEMA conducts a RMT for one state. Takes a year to 
roll around. Twice a year, they do a nation wide RMT. Keeps FEMA in the 
loop to know how to run levels. If your local system can pass the RMT, a 
EAN should work..

The the other level is local/regional. CAP will help some of this. But, 
let's just get this over with. Any state that does not have the 
Comlabs/Emnet system or equivalent should get one. The Michigan Assoc of 
Broadcasters got a grant for  all lp1/lp2's and most dispatch centers 
with the equipment. KU band and Internet linking. There is the redundancy.

     At our stations, we look at all what is going on, and we have 
decided to equip the stations for two modes: Attended and unattended. 
When are are there, we will take all the information and put it on the 
air, AS WE DETERMINE FIT!. We do NOT air Amber Alerts off the EAS. We 
want it to sound better than that. Tornado's? The EAS box goes on 
standby and we use the printouts. And we do the talking.
    At our cost, we are going to monitor the state relay (WKAR in 
Lansing) and we are paying for our own Comlabs/Emnet box, $ 3,000. Why? 
Because our listeners deserve it.

    Unattended? We have set the TOR's for zero delay. Sounds ugly, but 
the information is on the air. Any alert we get via the Michigan Emnet 
system will be sent to five cell phones. We now have Iphones and the 
Tieline adapters are in route. We will then control and talk from home, 
or the beach. Why? Because our listeners deserve it.

     Many broadcasters seem to not to want to differentiate between the 
obnoxious EAS tones and the desire for the information. We want the 
information, which is why we are paying for it ourselves.

    Let the consolidated globs stay on voice tracking. We have people to 
notify.

     We've figured out where we are going, and we will be there very 
quickly.

     Tom Bosscher CU Radio, Grand Rapids, MI