[EAS] New 2021 EAS Operating Handbook

[Dave Kline]

Thanks for pointing out these errors Gary.

Fortunately the 8-25 seconds matter should be self correcting. Anyone operating EAS equipment at a radio station, who is given the range of choices would, I think, would opt to make the attention tone as short as is allowed by law. Most anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of EAS will be aware of this. Those operating to the contrary hurt no one but themselves. But yes these discrepancies, as insignificant as they might be, are still frustrating. The commish has never been one to cut our meat for us. I say learn to use a fork and knife for yourself or go hungry.

In all honesty, I am guilty of not giving much thought to the EAT as of late. Hmmm... how do the cool kids terminate an EAN these days? Duck farts at the end of the Presidenti... uh excuse me, National Alert? In, out, done and done? We don't need no stinking EAT? :-)

On Wed, Jun 23, 2021 at 5:45 PM Gary Timm <gteas at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>#1) The FCC has issued a new 2021 EAS Operating Handbook.
>It must be posted at your facility normal duty positions or EAS equipment locations, per FCC rules.  Download it at:
>https://www.fcc.gov/general/eas-test-reporting-system#eas-operating-handbook

>#2) After downloading, you must complete check-boxes and fill-in-the-blank procedure lines that apply to your facility before you post the Handbook.  As you do that, you may notice two instances where the EAS Attention Signal is incorrectly described as "8-25 seconds", rather than the correct "8 seconds" it was changed to in 2012.  Unfortunately, in 2012 the FCC changed 11.32(a)(9)(iv) to read "a time period of 8 seconds", but neglected to change 11.31(c) where it still reads today "8-25 seconds".  The previous 2017 version of the EAS Operating Handbook was written by a CSRIC V Working Group, and about 90% of what we wrote still survives in this year's version.  In 2016, we authored the Attention Signal as "8 seconds", but before publishing it the FCC incorrectly "corrected" it to "8-25 seconds".  In this 2021 version, the FCC corrected two occurrences of the "8-25" to "8 seconds", but missed the two others which are still incorrect in the 2021 version.

>FYI, in addition to this incorrect "8-25 seconds" still being in current rules, in 2012 the FCC also eliminated most references to the "EAT" Code, but missed one of those that is still in the current rules as well.  After including these and other errors in my filed Comments as well as in-person meetings, it appears as Sean has said in the past that the FCC just is not interested in correcting glaring years-long errors in its rules.

>Gar Timm
>WI SECC

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Dave Kline - Solder Jockey
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