[EAS] EAS Ignorance

[Sean Donelan]

On Thu, 1 Sep 2016, Adrienne Abbott wrote:
> Many Low Power stations are automated, with no staff available to read the
> RMT message when the test is sent. Is it enough for the station to schedule
> a spot with the pre-recorded test script for the same hour as the RMT? Or
> must the RMT be a "live read"? Must they even follow the FCC's
> daytime/nighttime month pattern?

As I keep saying, it depends on the intent and goals for the system.

The goal isn't testing for the sake of testing.  What are the white house 
statement of requirements?  What are FEMA's requirements?  What are state 
and local EMAs requriements?

The FCC rules should be based on those requirements.  Not the other way 
around.

If the station is always staffed during operating hours, as might have 
been the assumption for low-powered stations, then one set of rules might 
make sense. If the station is unstaffed during operating hours, then a 
different set of rules might make sense. Again, depending on the intent
and goals of FEMA and state and local EMAs.

The EAS Operating Handbook might have been a good vehicle to informally 
clarify things without needing more rules, but CSRIC decided to go in a 
different direction.