[EAS] Fallout Over False Alert Continues

[Gunnison, Rex]

First an apology if I'm "beating the proverbial dead horse" but I've just joined the list.
Even though I 've scanned back there are some things I see addressed and others I don't so here is my comment:

1)      People are always going to find a way to foul up anything, even the best equipment has its limits

2)      Different brands of equipment behave differently (Even when the FCC "type accepted" EAS equipment there were variances...now I don't know if they are even running basic qualification tests)

a.       Some equipment interpreted the EAN as an old alert (2013 ) and expired it

b.      Some equipment ignored it as invalid

c.       Some equipment sent it as valid

d.      Some equipment is holding on to it and plans to send it on Nov 9th if we don't cancel it!!!!! (I've seen a few)

3)      The only thing that prevented this from going out in many more areas was "Strict time" enforcement for all alerts, even the EAN.

So, as far as I can see, for now we should take two specific steps.

1)      Check every EAS unit we can to make sure it's time is correct and that it does NOT have the alert pending. (If it does then cancel it) This "might" keep us from having another round of conversations on this event after Nov 9th.

2)      Ask the FCC to reconsider "Time enforcement". I would suggest something along the lines of " If it's more than 60 minutes either way it's invalid and should not be forwarded" I say this because, with today's technology, originating equipment should always be time synced within a few seconds and any truly critical alert should be able to propagate nationwide in seconds. If you want to assume the worst case, the alert should at least be held for manual review if it's outside the 60 minute time window.

Rex Gunnison
Vice Chair
Sacramento/Sierra LECC