[EAS] NPT via PEP to the whole state?

[Barry Mishkind]

At 03:58 PM 8/31/2019, Sean Donelan wrote:
>On Fri, 30 Aug 2019, Barry Mishkind wrote:
>>A question has come up.  How many states have checked to know if the NPT (or an RMT) actually percolated though the entire state? In other words, did the daisy chain - or what's left of it - work?
>
>Alabama SECC collects EAS performance data automatically from its LP stations.

        Thanks, Sean.  I know Michigan, at least, used to have the
        EMNet system and could tell immediately if any stations
        did not get a test. 

        Others need to do it "manually" .. but all should do so, no?

>>1. Does the more recent LP1/LP2 setup tend to "break" more easily than a plan that links stations with more useful signals?  
>
>The entire system plan could use an updated, modern analysis.  It's not 1960 anymore. Without reducing system survivability, whats the appropriate mix of satellite, AM, FM, microwave, wireline, etc.

        No question there needs to be updating. Some signals
        which "covered" a market, no longer do, for a number
        of reasons. Furthermore, a lot of stations no longer have
        aux transmitters nor generators. I remember clearly
        being told of the policy at one 50 kW site: "If the power 
        goes out, the ****s will wait."

>FEMA has no money, so probably won't happen.

        It is less the FEMA than broadcasters who
        really are no longer interested in EAS,
        for many of the reasons we discuss periodically. 

>>2. Would the PEP be improved by having an immediate relay to at least one FM station? (The storms that disrupted the NPT due to reception issues might be mitigated with one or more FM's in the chain?)
>
>A few years ago, I went through the published state plans and a majority if local EAS operational areas had switched to using FM stations as their Local Primary.  Of course, nearly all PEP stations are AM.  I believe there are 3 PEP stations on FM.

        That is good, but in MD and FL, among other
        places the PEP apparently didn't get a signal out
        that was "readable," correct? *If* the signal
        had been passed to an FM (the problem is 
        likely lack of co-location), those states would
        have had a more successful test. 

        Just a thought, with a Cat 5 hurricane coming
        up alongside FL.