[EAS] [BC] What's the point of LP-1s anymore?

[Bill Ruck]

I've been lurking on this thread but . . . he's getting up on his 
soap box again.

The whole concept of LP-1 is historically based on the days when 
transmitter sites were manned and the plan was to change frequency to 
keep the Rooskies from using broadcast stations from homing on them.

Those days have not existed for 30, maybe 40 years.

Today there enough LP-1 stations that are totally automated enough of 
the time to make any plan requiring operator action to be dysfunctional.

Today's San Francisco Chronicle front page headline is "Saving lives 
in aftermath" subtitle "Wireless alerts: FCC finally orders biggest 
carriers to upgrade system".  WEA is not a bad idea but it assumes 
that cell systems function.  The carriers have fought any suggestion 
about site hardening.  So when the power goes out or the backhaul 
fails your cell phone is too small to use as a paperweight.

That article is not on the Chomicle website yet but I will look 
tomorrow and forward the URL.

Reverse 911 systems have their own set of problems and as the "Bell 
System" decays the days of reliable copper wire to homes are numbered.

Bottom line is when the "100 year event" happens there are not too 
many ways to alert the public.  Public safety needs easy and fast 
ways to get the word out and IMHO CAP is the answer.  But there are 
no resources available for training first responders to use that 
system.  Part 73 broadcasting is a good way to do disseminate these 
warnings.  No infrastructure required between the broadcast 
transmitter and the home receiver.  And there are crank powered 
receivers that don't even need batteries.

Bill Ruck
Curmudgeon
San Francisco