[EAS] 'improving' EAS

[Dale Lamm]

In 2011 a test using a national EAN message was sent to all.

We're an LP-1 station. One of our downstream stations did not relay the test, although they monitored multiple OTA sources.

The cause was found to be their decoder was misconfigured. For this class of message, the station's allowable originator was set to "Emergency Action Network". It should have also included "Primary Entry Point", which was the EAN's originator.

So, live code testing revealed a situation that would have blocked an EAN through this particular station, which has a large footprint and good ratings.

Our county EMA and Sheriff do not originate many EAS messages other than RWTs. In the past ten years, possibly two non-test messages have been sent. If memory serves, they were both TOE due to failures of 911 equipment at telephone company CO's. Note that AMBER alerts come from another agency. Two messages in ten years is not enough activity to maintain proficiency. As the LP-1 which is the injection point for local messages (via radio and/or telephone link), we could certainly disconnect our EAS equipment from the air chain long enough to observe a live test from the local EMA. However, that would do nothing to verify device programming at all the entities further downstream (we have over 75). I can't see any other way to verify the entire relay chain other than a live test.

Dale Lamm CE
WHBC AM-FM