[EAS] Monthly(s)

[Dale Lamm]

Sounds like you might be a broadcaster with a large number of
transmitters spread over several EAS operational areas. I'm lucky I only
need to study one state operational plan. That single plan says that
stations should relay RMT's from the LP1 or LP2, nothing about RMT's
from the sheriff, state EMA, or even FEMA. Our plan says that weekly
testing is at the discretion of local governmental agencies. LP stations
have the responsibility to relay RMT's from other LP's outside their
local operational area just two times a year during special statewide
tests.

If an RMT arrived here with DHS or FEMA or local government as the
originator, my response would be to log the message (it's only a test,
right?) and investigate why it was sent.

Part 11.61(a)(4) EAS test substitution rules are different for the RWT
versus the RMT. To allow an EAS activation to substitute for a scheduled
RMT, the activation must have included the attention tone and a message.
I don't think the EAS unit can sort this out reliably. At least in Ohio,
RMT's are scheduled by the SECC's operational plan, not randomized.

[snip]

The EAS box filters out multiple weekly's, but it tends to pass on
multiple monthly's unless they are "duplicates" - which are defined by
the generating station and the time stamp.  If they are a couple of days
apart, or sent from a different source - they are not considered
duplicates, so they are forwarded.

There is a checkbox in our units to "Automatically Manage Random Weekly
Test removal upon airing of qualified alerts", but no such checkbox to
block monthly's if another one has already run.  

[end]