[EAS] Humans

[Bill Ruck]

My one and a half cent worth . . .

"Broadcasting" covers a large and relatively undefined population of 
people ranging from a town (Class A FM or Class IV AM) to most of a 
state (Class C FM or Class I Clear Channel AM) or more.  The actual 
useful broadcast coverage area does not follow city boundaries, 
county boundaries, state boundaries, or NWS polygons.

So if you want to send a message to EVERYBODY broadcasting may be the 
better tool.

Keep in mind that we are stuck with a historical mind set from the 
time when the Rooskies were going to nuke us.  The bad result of that 
would have been a large area.

On the other hand if you want to send a message to a small and well 
defined group of people broadcasting may be the WRONG tool.

WEA may be a better tool for the message sent to a small and well 
defined group of people.  May not have enough resolution to meet New 
York's a block at a time requirement.

EAS Rules allow an operational area to be split into nine parts which 
may make sense in a square area that has reasonably even distribution 
of population.  But there is no useful or practical way to split the 
San Francisco Bay Counties operational area into nine even 
parts.  Even if that was possible events, especially weather, do not 
honor any boundary.  Mother Nature does what she wants.

I do agree with the concept that a smart computer programmer should 
be able to translate NWS polygons into useful geographic information 
that could be broadcast to the whole area that would make sense to 
the listeners.  That's something that should be explored.  Joe 
Sixpack can not understand polygons.  He may not know the name of the 
next county.

A friend of mine used to say "You can lead a horse to water but 
sometimes you have to drown the f*cker".

Bill Ruck
Curmudgeon
San Francisco