[EAS] Amber alerts

[Alan Kline]

That makes sense... I'll have to follow up when I get to work tomorrow, 
and find out where the CAE originated. I certainly think that they 
should have transmitted the 1050hz tone, to make the system (as you say) 
an "All Hazards" warning system.

After I sent my first post, my wife mentioned that there was no audio on 
the alert she heard--just data bursts. So that negated the warning as 
far as radio listeners were concerned--I'm sure most figured it was just 
another test. The CAE's I remember did have an audio message, so I'm 
wondering if something may not have been done correctly in this instance.

Thanks for your note...

ak

On 6/4/2013 8:13 PM, Lowell Kiesow wrote:
> It may depend upon whether NWS originated the CAE, or if they relayed from another source.  If they originated it, they can probably choose whether to send the 1050 Hz warning tone that wakes up weather radios.   Originating an alert uses different hardware in their system than relaying one.
>
> If they relayed the alert from another source, they would do that with a Sage, or some other EAS box, installed in their program chain.  The box may or may not have special firmware to allow it to send the 1050 Hz tone instead of the standard, two-tone attention signal.  Having an EAS box is not standard issue at NWS, so it would be done by special arrangement in cooperation with the SECC.
>
> I recently installed a blue Sage in the Seattle forecast office, to tie them into the state's CAP server.  It is running special firmware that does the 1050 Hz tone.  It works perfectly with weather radios and broadcaster's EAS units, and makes it truly an "all hazards" warning system.