[EAS] Uses for your old EAS unit

[Dale Lamm]

So now you've installed a fancy new CAP-compliant EAS unit in your
facility. What to do with the unit you've just removed from service?

Here are some ideas... Please add your own and re-post. Put your name on
your idea if you wish. If any of these suggestions are illegal, please
flag the idea and re-post, but cite the violated Rule.

1. Keep the old one as a backup. Sure, it's not CAP compliant, but it
will handle weather alerts, which are far more likely than an EAN.
[Dale]

2. Use the old one as a test stimulus generator to try out alert codes
you've just added to your main EAS unit. Be sure the program circuit is
bypassed around the main unit before you issue that TOR warning! [Dale]

3. Use the old one as a training tool for jocks. If you've upgraded from
Sage 1822 to 3644, this is especially relevant as the menus are mostly
identical. [Dale]

4. Put the old one at the chief's house so he/she can double-check what
your station is doing. [Dale]

5. Use the old one to spy on other stations in the market to make sure
they are relaying alerts from your LP-1 station. [Dale]

6. Put the old one in series with the new one at a different location
(the transmitter?). Attach one or two very important monitoring inputs.
Now you've got two chances to relay an important alert. [Dale]

7. Sell/donate it to a message originator, such as the local EMA or city
government. In my state, they were not required to update to CAP
compliant units and are still running Sage 1822's. [Dale]

8. Use the old one as an "input expander" if you are already using all
six monitoring inputs on the new unit. Wire the two in series. Be sure
one of the units is handling CAP alerts. [Dale]

9. Give it to the President of your SBE chapter. He/she can use it to
call meetings to order. Absolutely nothing makes a roomful of broadcast
engineers shut up and pay attention any better than hearing an EAS
header. [Dale]

Dale Lamm
WHBC-FM LP-1