[EAS] PEP & KCBS

[Sean Donelan]

On Tue, 31 Aug 2021, p_johnson58 at msn.com wrote:
 Just curious.  I'm sure FEMA (and/or the FCC) have several criteria for
 selecting PEP stations.  Anyone know what they are?  And why KCBS was
 selected, rather than KNBR or KGO?

There is the official criteria and the unofficial criteria.

Unofficial

1. which stations volunteered to be a PEP in the 1980s?

this is sometimes the primary and only reason, as the saying goes beggers 
can't be choosers. but in the 1980s, AM radio stations made lots of money 
and being "the PEP station" in a region added some prestige for the 
station owners.

2. transmitter located in a "low risk area" (according to Cold War risks)

preferred radio towers were near but outside of large cities. but if no 
suitable stations outside the city volunteers, pick among the stations 
which volunteer.

3. covers a large population area

preferred Class A clear-channel (24 hour, 50kW) stations; generally only 
one PEP station in an area but some regions have overlapping PEP stations. 
If the Class A clear-channel station didn't volunteer, then pick among 
the other stations which volunteer in a region.

4. in the 2000s, the PEP (now called NPWS) program expanded to attempt to 
cover about 90% of the population including territories

added new PEP/NPWS stations, including AM/FM and satellite sources, to 
fill in gaps.  again, stations needed to volunteer.

PEP/NPWS stations change infrequently over time, but they do change.  Some 
stations stop volunteering, and other stations are found to replace them. 
FEMA's budget also fluctuates. GAO reports found FEMA didn't always 
maintain or refurbish its equipment at stations.