Daytimers/ Staffing

[w9wi]

I wonder... is it possible nobody (at the Commission) expects any part of these changes to actually see adoption?

I'm surprised I've not seen any discussion of the way this came out simultaneously with the cross-ownership proposal. (which is just as far out in right field, as far as consumer advocate groups are concerned, as the staffing requirements are in left field, as far as broadcasters are concerned) I don't believe the timing is a coincidence.

Here's my theory:
Republican Commissioners are tired of industry lobbyists begging them to relax cross-ownership regulations.
Democratic Commissioners are tired of consumer advocates begging them to impose public-service requirements.

Offer both sides everything they want, knowing full well neither set of proposals stands any chance of adoption anywhere near as-is. When neither side gets anywhere near what they want, the Commissioners say "we tried".
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Personally, I think most of the EAS is pretty much useless anyway. Stations should be required to monitor some source of emergency information and to log weekly tests, but there should be no requirement to transmit *anything* except an EAN or EAT. (unless you're a LP - but the LP function should be shifted to the Weather Service 162MHz stations)

I really don't get the point of non-LP stations carrying the data signals; nobody has any equipment that will receive them! I guess the designers of the system figured radios and TVs would be equipped with EAS decoders; that obviously didn't happen. Really, again the NOAA Weather Radio system is the right place to do this. They *want* to transmit the data signals and all the weather alerts - they're the ones who should be feeding automated receivers.

 

[Chuck]

. They *want* to transmit the data signals and all the weather alerts - they're the ones who should be feeding automated receivers.

From one Ham to another, VHF actually works and there is a system in place via NWS. That is entirely too simple....

 

[TomT]

It appears that what we will soon be required to have is brand new EAS equipment that will take a data stream from a variety of sources (including an internet feed). When activated, the equipment will voice the text message embedded in an alert, using the magical "common alerting protocol, or CAP."

Now, this could probably be done with an ordinary PC using a moderate cost audio card, and some software to control external switching (such as the Measurement computing relay boards used by some automation systems, or some of the serial/USB driven Broadcast Tools devices), but that would be too simple. We will undoubtedly have to have type approved equipment sold at an exorbitant price. And we will have to have it in place within 180 days once Homeland Insecurity decides on the protocols.

Supposedly to simplify messaging by allowing the emergency management folks to type their message into a computer and hit send. Of course, the internet is the first thing to go out, even in a simple power failure. And it will be exactly two months after all this junk is deployed before some kid in Estonia figures out how to hack into the system & send obscene messages over several hundred US stations.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

Haha! You're right on that one!

CAP is crap folks. Why don't they just fund a state call center where local EMs can call or radio to a central clearing house (maybe at the state EOCs?) where a body sits 24/7 trained on how to send out the message RIGHT. It's not the equipment that's at fault. It's the lack of someone to send out the message that's at fault. That my friends is the fault of Homeland InSecurity for not organizing and funding just such a place in each state instead of messing with the broadcasters.