Reminder: National EAS Today - Sep 28 @ 2:20pm EDT

[rkolsen 1679]

Just a quick note there will be a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 2:20pm today September 28. The test will be for all TV, radio, cable and satellite systems (including SiriusXM) in the United States. The test will last one minute and have audio transmitted in English or Spanish - the stations can choose which feed to receive.

 

In case of widespread severe weather or other "significant events" the test will be cancelled and rescheduled for October 5.

 

The Wireless Emergency Alerts sent to cell phones will not be included in this test.

 

Hopefully there will be significant improvements in the system from the last test in 2012. Where some stations didn't receive the signal at all or the audio was incomprehensible.

 

I'm curious if the stations will throw up a graphic in lieu of programming while the test is in progress (while the crawl is on screen) or other form of warning. I haven't heard any warnings from WBAL or WJZ locally. I'm recording MSNBC (which last time gave a warning), WBAL, WJZ and WMAR to see how they handle it.

[Eat News 4738]

Just a quick note there will be a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at 2:20pm today September 28. The test will be for all TV, radio, cable and satellite systems (including SiriusXM) in the United States. The test will last one minute and have audio transmitted in English or Spanish - the stations can choose which feed to receive.

 

If there is a real emergency, do we have to tell the Facebook people also?

They just complicate stuff.

[rah6448 21]

There it was, and it was the first fully successful national Emergency Alert System test, at least here at my house in the LA area! The November 9th test's audio didn't make it through on KCBS last year (although the crawl did show up), but on today's test, the audio was clear as a bell. I was watching CBS 2 and listening to KFI-AM simultaneously at the time of the test. What's interesting is that a county document (possibly outdated) had KFI as a PEP (Primary Entry Point) station, but KCBS was first of the stations I was monitoring, giving me the idea that it was either KNX or KFWB. There was a state document ( found at: eas.radiolists.net/info/CA.pdf - see page 6 ) that had the former as a PEP station... So whenever there's another national test, I take it that's the station that should be monitored. Otherwise, notwithstanding the aforementioned confusion, both stations relayed the test alert in perfectly clear fashion!

[Eat News 4738]

There it was, and it was the first fully successful national Emergency Alert System test, at least here at my house in the LA area! The November 9th test's audio didn't make it through on KCBS last year (although the crawl did show up), but on today's test, the audio was clear as a bell. I was watching CBS 2 and listening to KFI-AM simultaneously at the time of the test. What's interesting is that a county document (possibly outdated) had KFI as a PEP (Primary Entry Point) station, but KCBS was first of the stations I was monitoring, giving me the idea that it was either KNX or KFWB. There was a state document ( found at: eas.radiolists.net/info/CA.pdf - see page 6 ) that had the former as a PEP station... So whenever there's another national test, I take it that's the station that should be monitored. Otherwise, notwithstanding the aforementioned confusion, both stations relayed the test alert in perfectly clear fashion!

 

KFI runs a 50 second delay pretty much 24/7. Do you know if they came out of the delay for the test? I would think they didn't unless the EAS encoder automatically knocks out the Eventide delays.

 

Yup....:50 second delay!

[rah6448 21]

KFI runs a 50 second delay pretty much 24/7. Do you know if they came out of the delay for the test? I would think they didn't unless the EAS encoder automatically knocks out the Eventide delays.

 

Yup....:50 second delay!

Well, I took a video of the test as it transpired, and that allowed me to timestamp when certain things got started and ended. The test on TV started 2 minutes, 17 seconds in, and the test from the radio started at 3 minutes, 15 in. That would make a difference of 58.2 seconds between the initiation of the test on TV and on the radio, so the delay was there plus some extra time. I based the start and end times on the start of the SAME headers, and the end of the three end of message (EOM) bursts.

It is important to note that, based on the start time of the test on TV, the test was 1 minute and 21 seconds late at 11:21:21AM. I think there might have been a similar delay in KCBS' source of transmission to what happened on the radio end of this test event, but I am not exactly sure. However, this one still went off better than the November 2011 test for the reason I mentioned in the previous post!

[Eat News 4738]

Well, I took a video of the test as it transpired, and that allowed me to timestamp when certain things got started and ended. The test on TV started 2 minutes, 17 seconds in, and the test from the radio started at 3 minutes, 15 in. That would make a difference of 58.2 seconds between the initiation of the test on TV and on the radio, so the delay was there plus some extra time. I based the start and end times on the start of the SAME headers, and the end of the three end of message (EOM) bursts.

It is important to note that, based on the start time of the test on TV, the test was 1 minute and 21 seconds late at 11:21:21AM. I think there might have been a similar delay in KCBS' source of transmission to what happened on the radio end of this test event, but I am not exactly sure. However, this one still went off better than the November 2011 test for the reason I mentioned in the previous post!

 

Heck there could be multiple delays by the time it gets to LA. Just about every piece of digital TV gear adds delay...and if the original "event" happened on the east coast.......

 

BTW

You can listen to KFI without the delay in the LA basin on 450.725 MHZ FM narrow. You get to hear all the bad words and producer ques.

[WFTV Channel 9 80]

The test was successful on WFLA, my cable provider, and WPCV 97 Country. WPCV had about a minute delay though. I got them recorded to be put on YouTube.

[SFTV 484]

KGO wasn't ready. KNTV kept cutting in and out with "This Is A Test" full screen graphic.

 

Both stations had crawls

[TriangleTriadMediaNews 267]

I was working at the time and couldn't change the channel, but WUSA's test went off without a hitch on FIOS, however the main FIOS test never happened. We did however get our weekly test around 3:30 this morning through FIOS.

[news89 467]

I was at work when it went happened. I did set my dvr remotely for 2 channels. WJW was about 1 min late, WTAM AM 1100 must be the primary. LotteryBall5, aka WEWS was about 2 mins late. Both stations had crawls. Our weekly test on cable is on Tuesdays.

[rkolsen 1679]

For some reason the Comcast EAS message here was in Spanish. It was only on screen for 20 seconds. When it disappeared only WBAL aired a crawl/tone/slide. I didn't see anything from WJZ or WMAR - I set my TiVo to record till 2:25 and nothing. I don't think there would be that much of a delay here.

[mrschimpf 2065]

I was traveling in Chicago today so I got to hear the radio version; WGN took it as the master station, no issues and clear audio (and a MUCH better voice than the 2010 guy; the host after the show had a Barry White comment about him)...but then as it propagated down the line delays of 30 seconds to two minutes and some audio degradation. I also recorded a few Milwaukee stations to see how that went that I'll be able to see when I get some wi-fi range.

[bhratbrat 423]

Miami did not run the test yesterday as most stations were covering the Jose Fernandez funeral.

[LoadStar 363]

My understanding was that it wasn't optional; all EAS participants were expected to relay the national periodic test message, and file a series of reports with the FCC (one before, one after).

[bhratbrat 423]

My understanding was that it wasn't optional; all EAS participants were expected to relay the national periodic test message, and file a series of reports with the FCC (one before, one after).

 

In case of widespread severe weather or other "significant events" the test will be cancelled and rescheduled for October 5.

 

Yesterday was the funeral procession of Jose Fernandez and I know all the major stations were covering that all day yesterday since Jose had a major impact. They will probably do it at the reschedule date of the 5th of October.

[rkolsen 1679]

Yesterday was the funeral procession of Jose Fernandez and I know all the major stations were covering that all day yesterday since Jose had a major impact. They will probably do it at the reschedule date of the 5th of October.

 

The October 5th reschedule date would have been decided upon by the FCC. The test was to see how well the message would go through the system and ALL stations. If the stations did not receive the signal and carried on that's one thing but it was not optional and you cannot opt out of it.

[Eat News 4738]

KBEX conducted the required EBS / Conelrad test with sister station WPGC.

Per our waiver, our test was conducted in analog.

 

[bhratbrat 423]

The October 5th reschedule date would have been decided upon by the FCC. The test was to see how well the message would go through the system and ALL stations. If the stations did not receive the signal and carried on that's one thing but it was not optional and you cannot opt out of it.

 

Perfectly understnadable. I just know that they didn't have the full screen thing either going on.

[Weeters 1812]

I think this test was conducted like a normal test (unlike the last one, which was conducted like it was "real", thus the media campaign that surrounded it). All tests are "mandatory" but there are exceptions for when they need to air for non-PEP stations which can delay tests (as long as they log when it was received iirc) Nobody expects stations to preempt something important just to make sure the EAS works. That's why normal tests seem to conveniently fall during commercial blocks at night...

[rkolsen 1679]

I think this test was conducted like a normal test (unlike the last one, which was conducted like it was "real", thus the media campaign that surrounded it). All tests are "mandatory" but there are exceptions for when they need to air for non-PEP stations which can delay tests (as long as they log when it was received iirc) Nobody expects stations to preempt something important just to make sure the EAS works. That's why normal tests seem to conveniently fall during commercial blocks at night...

 

Not sure if this matters but my message said it originated from the "National PEP" and FEMA. I also should have listened a bit longer after the test concluded WBAL left the graphic up for 20 seconds and had some audio from the radio discussing the debate.

 

It turns out WMAR had a brief crawl (white text on lime green background) that started a few seconds before the Comcast message popped up but was gone when it returned to normal programming. WJZ had no crawl but audio only.

[LoadStar 363]

I think this test was conducted like a normal test (unlike the last one, which was conducted like it was "real", thus the media campaign that surrounded it). All tests are "mandatory" but there are exceptions for when they need to air for non-PEP stations which can delay tests (as long as they log when it was received iirc) Nobody expects stations to preempt something important just to make sure the EAS works. That's why normal tests seem to conveniently fall during commercial blocks at night...

The only difference between this test and the last nationwide test was how it was coded. The last test was a live-code test - as in, it coded the test to be a EAN (Emergency Action Notification), the same code that would be used in the event of a national disaster that would trigger a real EAS activation. This test was coded to be a NPT, National Periodic Test, which is a fairly new code. Both were intiated from a National Entry Point and relayed across the entire EAS system. Both tests *should* have been automatically relayed by the EAS equipment at the station.

 

There are a variety of tests of EAS equipment. First, the station is responsible for doing weekly tests of their own equipment. These weekly tests occur "at least once a week at random days and times" according to the FCC rules. They can, however, manually initiate them during a commercial break, like you describe.

 

Monthly tests are initiated outside the station, and have to be relayed within 60 minutes of receipt from the local or state primary source. This gives the station some flexibility to shift the alert into a commercial break as well.

 

Finally, the National Periodic Tests are fairly new, and the rules simply state that all EAS participants "will then be required to relay that EAS message." There isn't the leeway in that rule to reschedule as there is with weekly and monthly tests.

 

(EAS responsibilities are in FCC part 11; the specific section for EAS testing is 47 CFR 11.61.)

[Eat News 4738]

The only difference between this test and the last nationwide test was how it was coded. The last test was a live-code test - as in, it coded the test to be a EAN (Emergency Action Notification), the same code that would be used in the event of a national disaster that would trigger a real EAS activation. This test was coded to be a NPT, National Periodic Test, which is a fairly new code. Both were intiated from a National Entry Point and relayed across the entire EAS system. Both tests *should* have been automatically relayed by the EAS equipment at the station.

(EAS responsibilities are in FCC part 11; the specific section for EAS testing is 47 CFR 11.61.)

 

So is it safe to assume that one button was pushed in D.C. that triggers the entire domino effect?

Who triggers the national alert?

Who or where is the N.E.P. ?

[rkolsen 1679]

So is it safe to assume that one button was pushed in D.C. that triggers the entire domino effect?

Who triggers the national alert?

Who or where is the N.E.P. ?

 

Like back in 2005 when someone pressed a button telling Connecticut residents to evacuate?

 

EAS is part of iPAWs the integrated public alert and warning system which is operated by FEMA.

[ChesapeakeTV 310]

This test was indeed conducted differently. The 2011 test was coded to send as a full-blown Emergency Action Notification, which is what the real deal would use (the term goes back to the old days of the EBS in the 60's). This year's test was coded as a National Periodic Test, which is treated a bit differently. Both tests were fed into the Primary Entry Point network of radio stations (which also goes back to the 60's - mostly clear channel stations originally, now there are many others too), which started the daisy chain relay of rebroadcasting down to each individual station and cable system.

 

Some of the problems from the 2011 test were due to a misinterpretation of FCC regulations that led to some manufacturers designing their equipment to not rebroadcast EANs shorter than 75 seconds. Others were due to a malfunction at the national level that created audio feedback in the message. This test was mostly meant to check if those and other issues were remedied. It was absolutely not optional in any way, shape or form, though in some areas only the PEP actually aired the test.

 

A full report on the results is planned to be released in 2017 or 2018 after the FCC and FEMA inspect and evaluate each PEP station.

 

The Wikipedia entry on the EAS is very informative on how things work.

[Eat News 4738]

Like back in 2005 when someone pressed a button telling Connecticut residents to evacuate?

 

It would have been even funnier if they were told to evacuate to New Jersey.

 

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