EAS monitor questions

[Lazy J]

With the new CAP EAS units coming, I'm wanting to get my EAS setups nice and bullet-proof. My first question is this:

I am wanting a dummy-proof weather radio. I usually use a uniden scanner, but certain people tend to turn knobs without asking. So, I was looking at this unit http://www.hobbytron.com/R-FR-146.html currently only $29.99 as a kit. My thought was I could use trim pots without external knobs and "set it and forget it". Of course, add an external power supply.

The other question, we receiver our monthly tests from the local PBS station. We have cable and we use a VCR to get the audio. I don't like this setup because the audio level is too low and not adjustable, so I have to add a DA. And, it's a big bulky waste of space. Any suggestions on a small, dummy-proof, "set it and forget it" receiver for TV/Cable audio?

 

[rew]

I don't know if I would trust that type of receiver. I would worry about it drifting off frequency. I have not used one of them and they may be OK.
I use an old crystal controlled scanner and have it stuck in the back of the rack where it isn't easy for anyone to get to.
I also use a VCR to get public TV. I had a rackmount DA to boost the level but to save space I ordered a line amp from RadioLabs. I stuck it to the back of the VCR. Both have been in service for several years with no problems.
Robert

 

[Bengalsfan]

You can't use just a plain ole Radio Shack weather receiver?

 

[boiseengineer]

Hamtronics has crystal http://www.hamtronics.com/r100.htm
and synthesized receivers http://www.hamtronics.com/r303.htm

Use one of their UHF receivers to get NOAA's 416 MHz link to their 162.550 transmitter.
If 162.550 is off (and it has been several times due to lightning strikes) we still get alerts!

 

[Chuck]

You can't use just a plain ole Radio Shack weather receiver?

Most of the new ones with SAME technology shut off the NWS audio and emit an alert tone instead. Perhaps you can program them to not do this, but in the default mode, it silences the alert, which means your EAS decoder never hears it. A real bummer...

On the other hand, an older scanner/weather radio works just fine.

 

[Lazy J]

Hamtronics has crystal http://www.hamtronics.com/r100.htm
and synthesized receivers http://www.hamtronics.com/r303.htm

Use one of their UHF receivers to get NOAA's 416 MHz link to their 162.550 transmitter.
If 162.550 is off (and it has been several times due to lightning strikes) we still get alerts!

Those are nice, but at that price, I would just buy a Dayton and be done with it. I'm looking for cheap, reliable, with VERY FEW possible adjustments. These are for my contract stations, so I'm not there to police the equipment. Every few months I get a call that something has been moved or changed and now it isn't working. I'm thinking I want to try this kit and just use internal trim pots. Then I can set the frequency and volume and nobody can change anything.

So nobody has tried these receivers before??

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

If your getting big-bird via a cable system feed, you might look around for a rack-mounted tuner demod that's a left-over from a cable system head-end. They are ebay. The nice part is they retain their settings after a power outage.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cadco-375-Demodulator-/390115319863?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ad4af6037

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Videotek-DM-154...509?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb650ae9d

 

[RadioMan203]

If your getting big-bird via a cable system feed, you might look around for a rack-mounted tuner demod that's a left-over from a cable system head-end. They are ebay. The nice part is they retain their settings after a power outage.

Just keep in mind many cable systems has turned off their analog transmissions so you'll need a QAM demod instead. I have a TV head end at one of my facilities that turned to do-do after the local cable company flipped to all digital.

 

[grich]

Can you get the PBS station OTA? Use a ATSC set-top box. $60.

I've hacked Midland weather radios before with good luck, but where I've been able to start from scratch, I've just done the Dayton thing, too. Never had a station of mine monitor a TV station for EAS.

 

[Lazy J]

Can you get the PBS station OTA? Use a ATSC set-top box. $60.

We used to be able to get it OTA, but with the switch to digital, it isn't a reliable signal. So we switched to cable. Plus, the set top converter box would only output audio at -10db, so I still had to use a DA to bump it up.