[EAS] False Alert Sent - OFF LIST

[ray at electronicstheory.com]

Posted OFF LIST

Tom -
It occurred to me that the only defense, even if we KNEW that it was a false
message (which there is no way of telling) would be the 8 second delay
switch....which incidentally, legally must PRECEDE the EAS box in the chain...
because the EAS box is legally supposed to be the final piece of equipment in
the broadcast chain before the transmitter (no processing equipment is supposed
to follow it prior to transmission).

I know that is a fuzzy line in the digital realm, but back in the analog days
(and much of my EAS equipment is still analog), it was the requirement.

So even if you knew it was false, and pushed the 8 seconds delay button to bleep
it out - it wouldn't do anything... the EAS message would still go out.

Anyway - my main (and unwritten) purpose in even posting this to begin with was
to alert those folks "in the know" that in Hawaii - they are sending alerts as
tests, which is a no-no.  Perhaps by having certain other folks who also read
this thread, see this problem, they will let the authorities in Hawaii know that
this is a taboo practice.

Ray.

On February 12, 2014 at 2:15 PM Tom Taggart <tpt at sevenrangesradio.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 12 Feb 2014 10:15:28 -0600, Dave Kline wrote
> > S*%T Happens!
> > If you did accidentally air an unauthorized alert call your nearest FCC
> > office
> > and explain what happened. Maybe even call DC. Throw yourself on their mercy
> > and beg forgiveness. Follow up the calls with emails so you have a "paper"
> > trail.
> > Attach all written correspondence to the station log that contains an entry
> > explaining what happened. If it was an accidental activation then you
> > shouldn't get in too much hot water, if any at all. Own up to it, don't try
> > to
> > hide it or cover it up. If it was an honest mistake, then treat it like one.
>
> Bunk!
>
> If you are monitoring one of the assigned sources under the state plan, and
> that
> source--especially if it is the state emergency center--originates the wrong
> type of
> message, then there is no way that it is the station's fault.
>
> After all, if they send a "TOR" and it turns out to be a routine test--or even
> if they
> send a canned emergency warning message (through CAP as opposed to audio, for
> example)
> you and your decoder have no way of knowing what it is until it starts to air.
> Your
> only control and defense against such error is in the initial programming of
> the EAS
> decoder. For example, as discussed on the broadcast list, to exclude AMBER
> messages or
> put them on log only status. But if you exclude everything, what is the point
> of the
> system?
>
> The whole concept of EAS is the automatic relay of emergency messages.
>
> Now, you will want make note on your printed EAS log describing the incident,
> and any
> results of an investigation as to what went wrong. I print my EAS log monthly.
> This
> month one of the relay stations I monitor missed the RMT--their assigned
> off-air relay
> faded out, and the secondary state network feed was missed when the satellite
> receiver
> locked up. So I typed a note on the form cover sheet I use and saved it for
> this month's
> collection.
>
> But if the FCC then comes back jumping up and down then it is your turn to
> scream bloody
> murder, and threaten to just drop all emergency message relay besides the EAN
> & RMT (all
> you are required to do). Remember the attempt to fine that California relay
> station for
> one test that didn't have an EOM--they back off very quickly when the state
> emergency
> people and the radio trade journals jumped up and down.
>
> __________________________________________________________
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>
Ray Dall
Radio Frequency Engineer
Author: Electronics for Sound Engineers