[EAS] [] Daisy Chain

[Adrienne Abbott]

Eric--
That is the advantage to CAP--something doesn't have to rise to the level of
EAS to get widespread distribution, even at the broadcast level. Things like
"Boil Water" orders, a missing senior who's off his meds or the search for a
possibly rabid dog can go out as emergency public information but not as an
EAS activation. 

For those who are worried about CAP replacing EAS, remember that not every
emergency deserves an EAS activation and situations like missing seniors or
kids are situations that need publicity but can quickly burn out the public
if EAS becomes the only way they get it on radio and TV. That could result
in audiences not listening to warnings like evacuation orders or
shelter-in-place advisories and that's not the result you want. For example,
look at the problems we have in areas with summer monsoon seasons when NWS
literally floods us with repeated EAS activations for thunderstorms, flash
flood and flood warnings...  

Adrienne Abbott
Nevada EAS Chair

-----Original Message-----
From: eas-bounces at radiolists.net [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On
Behalf Of Eric Adler

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The data requirements of CAP seem like a good set of requirements to also
generate an EAS message and messages for other distribution means.  Based on
what Adrienne and Darryl have said (and what I have seen at trade shows), it
seems the EM could presumably have their CAP generation software create an
EAS message, an XML entry for a CAP feed, a distribution message for WARN
(however those get generated...), and a number of other message types --
this doesn't mean that "CAP" is replacing "EAS" but it sounds like the "CAP
tools" are better than the "EAS tools" at generating EAS messages and can
make the EM's life easier.   

Eric

-----Original Message-----
Anyone else seeing the lines blurring here? I thought CAP was supposed to be
an add-on to the existing EAS system, but with the discussion here i'm
getting the distinct feeling that CAP is really (like we knew all along) a
replacement system.

It still scares the crap out of me having them all plugged into the
Internet... It's not difficult for people to get these boxes, reverse
engineer the protocol and set off an EAN from any other part of the world.
The EAS system at least requires being local to the LP station or PEP
station with a transmitter to trigger a fake alert.

Don't get me wrong, there were flaws in the EAS system (discovered much
later obviously) and CAP does plug a few of those holes, but just like
anything else, they create new holes to get into.

--
Alex Hartman