[EAS] CAP EAS Logging Question

[David Turnmire]

Yes, this is a manufacturer specific issue.  If you look directly at the 
XML file that CAP delivers (which at least some of the decoders make 
easy to do), you can see it uses FIPS codes.  In fact, the standard 
itself can use polygons to describe an affected area more precisely, but 
that doesn't translate into the EAS world well.  CAP of course is 
inherently different from our RF sources in that the RF sources are 
inherently geographically constrained.  I'm not going to hear a Florida 
broadcast station or SRN on my Idaho receiver.

I just have experience with two types of CAP servers... IPAWS and the 
MyStatesUSA server used by some jurisdictions.  I haven't paid attention 
to how how IPAWS may "pre-screen" which XML files end up on my box, but 
in the case of MyStateUSA, we have a username/password that essentially 
results in their server only providing alerts that involve Idaho (and a 
handful of other counties in bordering states).  What comes next is the 
manufacturer specific part.  In the case of my DASDEC, I can chose which 
counties end up in my logs... and as a separate step... which counties 
get forwarded.

I know at least two other decoders that provide this two step filtering 
process.  IMHO, for reasons some of you have already mentioned, it is 
critical that we have the ability to pre-filter what gets to the logs we 
use for routine use and compliance with FCC requirements.  For those 
people monitoring this list who work for manufacturers that do NOT 
provide this... you are destined to have unhappy customers until you 
update your product to fix that issue. It is a relatively small 
annoyance now, but the more successful IPAWS... and other CAP servers... 
becomes, the bigger problem this excess logging will be.

And no... I'm not aware of any legal reason to dictate that I log stuff 
irrelevant to my local public.  How is this different than whether I 
"filter" out certain alerts by not having an RF receiver tuned to a 
particular source?  Or a higher gain antenna on a higher tower so I can 
pick up irrelevant alerts from two states away?  We have always 
"filtered" our reception of alerts in one form or another.  CAP just 
increases the quantity of irrelevant alerts that of practical necessity 
we "filter" out.   The logs serve to document whether our equipment is 
working, whether we have complied with our legal requirements to monitor 
two RF sources and IPAWS, whether we have received and generated the 
required tests, and whether we are complying with our Local and State 
Plans.

I'm not an attorney, but I'd be very much surprised if you can find an 
FCC inspector trying to fine an Idaho station for not logging a Florida 
RWT because theoretically I could receive such a CAP alert from IPAWS 
(or where ever).  Or vice versa.  Indeed, i would argue that such excess 
logging is "against the public interest" because it substantially 
increases the chance we miss important stuff amongst all the clutter.  
In short, we have enough complications in our lives without going out of 
our way to dream up trouble for ourselves.  Long live filtering!

Dave