[EAS] IPAWS and NOAA

[Ed Czarnecki]

Mike:

This is something we had proposed to the FCC in comments a few years back,
as well as a contribution to an FCC CSRIC report.  If the EAS message
contained the equivalent CAP message ID.  However, we did not propose
modifying the header (for reasons the FCC itself just noted in its latest
order on EAS a few weeks ago) - modifying the EAS header will create major
complications for many, many tens of thousands of weather radios currently
in the market.  We proposed placing the message ID value as a burst within
the audio segment of the message, right after the header is completed.  Same
net effect, but without messing with the EAS/SAME headers.

Simple and effective ideas, but several complications:  

- making sure that EAS messages are encoded properly at the source, when CAP
messages are simultaneously created.  This might need to remain an optional
feature - if adopted - because not every system might be able to adopt such
a solution right away.

- which is a segway to a bigger challenge - adopting this technique would
mean NOAA would need to make changes to some of its internal systems.  And
that appears to be a significant hurdle to overcome.  In essence, NOAA/NWR
can't adopt solutions like this, for the same reasons they are stymied in
addressing other root problems.  That's not a criticism of NOAA - it's an
acknowledgment of budgetary, technical and operational challenges within
their organization.

- and then, of course, there is the "not invented here" syndrome, which
often seems to be a barrier to innovation, even if it's a modest band-aid
fix.

- and so on ...

Back to Dave's question, there are several groups taking a look at this very
issue from different angles, including the FCC's CSRIC and the FEMA NAC
(IPAWS Subcommittee).  

-----Original Message-----
From: EAS [mailto:eas-bounces at radiolists.net] On Behalf Of Mike McCarthy

One possible way around this duplication avoidance matter is to create a
serialized message code embedded within the header that downstream relay
partners could use to screen out duplicate messages. Something as simple
as a two character alpha-numeric code would be embedded as part of the
header. The decoder would compare that code to any messages received in
the past, say, 4 hours. If the serial code matches, it would either relay