[EAS] Immediate impact of hallway comments by staffers

[Sean Donelan]

On Wed, 28 Sep 2016, Dave Turnmire wrote:
> Slightly off topic, but one of the side effects of the updated SAGE
> software was to apparently break our state's system for favoring CAP
> alerts over our backup RF based State Relay Network.  We had configured
> a one minute delay on the SRN to give people time to get the CAP alert.
> If for whatever reason they didn't get the CAP alert (Internet issues,
> whatever), then after that short delay, they'd still get the SRN
> version.  But... with the new SAGE software, NPT (in addition to EAN),
> must now be sent "immediately"...  a number of LPs received... and
> aired... the SRN version first.  And the audio was much nicer on the CAP
> version....

Yes, based apparently on a comment by a FCC staffer some manufacturers 
removed the "Manual Mode" option (i.e. "Immediate/Automatic" relay) for 
both EAN and NPT event codes. I understand why some manufacturers made 
the change based on the FCC staffer's comments, and documented it in 
their release notes. But I was annoyed how the FCC did it without 
conducting a formal rulemaking or even public announcement of the FCC's 
interpretation.

I also think its impact and affect was more complicated across the 
wide-range of EAS participants than assumed by the staffer, as shown by 
the expense and complexity some manufacturers reported making the change.

I wrote a letter to the FCC about it.  Other folks are free to also tell 
the FCC their opinions.

https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filing/10912288581921