[EAS] IPAWS and NOAA

[Sean Donelan]

On Sun, 8 Jul 2018, Rich Parker wrote:
> Maybe I'm missing something here - but why bolt more lipstick on this
> pig of an EAS system - since for most of us, 99.99999% of our alerts
> come from NWS (not counting tests, but even those), why not change up
> things and design a proper system based upon the NWS polygon system.
> Then our 'location codes' in our EAS boxes could be the polygons, or
> groups of polygons for our particular areas of coverage.

Any broadcaster can buy a commercial weather wire system.  Many television 
stations with full-time meteorologists buy them. The weather wire systems 
get weather alerts faster, can track storm based alerts, generate nice 
maps and graphics, and integrate with many master control consoles for 
seemless program insertion.

Stations with full-time meteorologists on staff generally do not use EAS 
for any weather alerts. They use the commercial weather wire for all 
weather alerts. They might have a weather radio sitting on a window sill 
as a backup.

Commercial weather wire systems cost a lot more money than EAS boxes, 
and have monthly/annual subscription fees. EAS has always been a least 
cost possible system. EAS uses duct tape instead of paying for a better 
system.