[EAS] EAS Logging

[Dale Lamm]

Branched this to a new topic.

A few comments on EAS message logging as it applies to Sage ENDEC
3644.....

If you keep paper logs, be sure to print the unit's internal stored list
of EAS messages every week or so. The internal buffer will eventually
fill up and old messages are discarded. Not sure what the stored message
limit is, it might be dependent on the size of the messages rather than
an absolute message count.

The ENDEC appears to support direct-attached printers (serial and USB).
We do not use this method at our LP station, but I'm sure it appeals to
a few other users.

Better method (IMO) is to store EAS messages on a computer. Do this one
of two ways. Configure the 3644 to e-mail EAS traffic to an account with
lots of storage. Each message results in one e-mail and an MP3 audio
file if you have chosen this option. Or, configure the 3644 to FTP the
messages to an account on a computer with a lot of free storage. Each
EAS message results in one small TXT file being FTP'd to the target
computer and an MP3 audio file if you have chosen this option.

We have selected both e-mail and FTP at this location. The e-mail is so
I can see EAS traffic on my smartphone. The FTP repository is our
"official" log of EAS activations, etc. Once a week, I look at the
ENDEC's pretty web-based log and make a notation in the station log
based on what was seen. Once a year we spin the received FTP files off
to DVD and file it.

[snip]

I print out my Sage logs once a month. In June, a rainy month here in
the east, the log ran to 18 pages.  Two of my stations share a decoder,
and the filters in the Sage are set to monitor traffic for 12 counties.
Yet I'll get NWS warnings for counties outside this area.  (they're
logged, but ignored).  Must be a quirk in the Sage.

[end]