[EAS] NWS Status as an EAS Monitoring Source

[Dave Kline]

Thanks Rod,

That's some interesting bit of information. Glad you popped in with that.

If I may indulge you in my original question...

The FCC says we have 60 days before we need to report EAS equipment problems (kind of generalizing here.)
The consensus seems to be that as far as the FCC is concerned, NWS is optional for monitoring.
And being a frequent reader of our state plan, I know that NWS is a mandatory monitoring assignment  for all stations in the state. And given that currently we don't rely on NWS as a source of national alerts, but that if a state plan still requires NWS monitoring, then the FCC expects to see stations monitoring NWS. Pretty cut and dry.

My question all along, given the facts stated above, is: If I am having trouble receiving NWS, what reporting obligations do I have to the FCC if those issues extend beyond 60 days. Is it the same as if we couldn't monitor our SP/SR or had problems getting our PEP feed from NPR? Is it something we only need to report to the SECC? Or is there no reporting required for NWS?
This all assumes that the failures to receive the RWT's are noted in the station log, and that the station is making a good faith effort to remedy the situation.

I'd like to know your opinion Rod. And if you can back it up with some regulatory or legal precedence, all the better. I need some hard quotable information that I can use to beat someone over the head with (figuratively of course).

You should also know that delays in correcting the problem are not technical. It also has nothing to do with whether we should or should not relay NWS weather alerts. I think you are well aware that my station is very much in favor of passing along life saving alerts to our audience. I'll leave it at that for now. But we can discuss off-list if you wish.

Also I need to come clean on an erroneous statement. I originally noted that the ABIP inspector who I was talking with said that the opinion he received on NWS being optional, came from a practicing FCC attorney. The type a station would hire for legal work. He has since corrected me on that. The information came from an attorney at the FCC.

I've inquired of the inspector as to his source in hopes that I can get something directly from the person he got it from. Of course I've been busy lately bugging the commish about other stuff. They may be getting tired of hearing from me. So if I can get conclusive answers without further pestering the folks in D.C. all the better.

Dave

On Sat, Aug 21, 2021 at 10:40 AM Rod Zeigler rzeigler at krvn.com wrote:
Dave, et. al,
Yes, there has been a change with NWS, but it was with NWS itself and
nothing else. NWS now has the capability to receive and forward
non-weather alerts from other alerting authorities. This is something
NWS has been working on for a number of years and it just went online
this Late Winter/Spring. Depending on what SLT alerting authorities and
their local NWO's work out, NWS can become a viable optional source for
SLT alerts.
Your SECC is a good source for information on these matters.

--
R. V. Zeigler, Dir. of Eng.
Nebraska Rural Radio Assn.
KRVN AM & FM  KAMI
Chairman, Ne. SECC
www.krvn.com

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Dave Kline - Solder Jockey
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