STATE
OF WASHINGTON
EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM
Approved by the
Federal Communications Commission, March
3, 1997
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November 10, 2010
Present: Terry Spring-KWPX TV; Tom Sharp-Pierce County; Lowell Kiesow-KPLU; Phil Johnson-Central Puget Sound LECC; Jim Dalke-Dalke Broadcast Services; Ted Buehner-NWS Seattle; Clay Freinwald-CFTS; Don Miller-WSEM; Shad Burcham-King County OEM; Dick Pust-KGY; Roland Robinson-Bates technical College
Phone: Jill Kangas-Lewis County; Don White-KCPQ; Ruth Brownstein-KAOS; Andrew Kinner-Thurston County; Arthur Willets-Daystar Television Network; Elray Rassmusson-Comcast Spokane; Dave Holland-San Juan County; Kris McGowan-FCC
Clay Freinwald opened the meeting. Introductions were made and the minutes for the previous meeting were approved.
Once again, the EAS alert tones have been used in a commercial spot. This time it is for the movie Skyline. The tones are for a RMT in Pennsylvania with no EOM. See http://www.sbe.org/pub_sc.php#EAStones. False alerts are prohibited by the FCC.
11.45 Prohibition of false or deceptive EAS transmissions. No person may transmit or cause to transmit the EAS codes or Attention Signal, or a recording or simulation thereof, in any circumstance other than in an actual National, State or Local Area emergency or authorized test of the EAS. Broadcast station licensees should also refer to 73.1217 of this chapter.
More relevant rule citations are in the link above. According to FCC rules, stations are responsible for the content they air. They will be on the receiving end of enforcement action, not the advertisers.
The Society Of Broadcast Engineers has changed it’s focus. It is now emphasizing help for engineers to comply with regulations, as opposed to actively effecting policy. They have dissolved the EAS Committee and created the SBE EAS Education Committee. The SBE EAS remailer will continue, although Clay will not be the moderator.
Clay held an instructional EAS meeting at the joint Oregon Association Of Broadcasters/Washington State Association Of Broadcasters meeting at Skamania Lodge.
Many organizations have filed with the FCC for an extension of the 180 day rule for acquiring new EAS equipment. It should happen soon. The deadline will probably be extended until at least September 2011. The FCC has also been asked to extend the deadline until they have finished it’s own CAP equipment certification and revisions to Part 11 of the rules, which could take longer.
Don Miller of Washington State Emergency Management discussed the recent AMBER Alert. It was sent multiple times. The problem was with the older WSI CAP boxes. They were changing the time when they relayed the alert, so the downstream boxes were not seeing later alerts as duplicates. The boxes are being updated.
The Sage boxes will have an error message of “no audio logged” if they do not receive a WAV file as part of a CAP alert. This is normal and means that the internal voice synthesizer will provide the audio. Chelan County sent 2 RMT’s because they saw that message and thought they had done something wrong.
The SECC is an FCC sanctioned organization. It will not expand it’s activities beyond EAS.
The state is working on a common alerting system that can be used state-wide. This should work better and be cheaper than everybody using their own system. Because this is a “home rule” state, the state cannot force anybody to use it. The current budget crisis should help. The My States system is free for entities in the state to use, and very versatile. It has been well-tested. The bugs have been worked out or are being worked out. The more efficient the system, the sooner the alerts will get out to the public.
Don is giving an EAS presentation at the January SBE Meeting. Details will be on the remailer.
Sage is working on an update that will give CAP messages priority. This is to try and prevent a later, identical message from being relayed from the radio link with inferior audio quality.
The state has been filling in coverage holes in some areas in the state by distributing extra Sage CAP boxes.
Ted Buehner reported the 2011 NWS RMT date that includes the statewide earthquake drill and coastal tsunami warning communications test for Wash, Ore and Cal will be set for Wed Sep 21.
At the Washington State Association Of Broadcasters, Mark Allen reports that he will be at the National AMBER Conference will be held November 15-18 in Phoenix. He will be participating on a panel that will be discussing how CAP will impact AMBER alerts. Mark will be calling a meeting of the state AMBER Alert Advisory Committee to activate the new plan that was adopted by the Washington State Patrol based on legislation passed in 2009. This also includes the Endangered Missing Persons Plan which does not involve EAS. The AMBER plan for Adams County has been approved by Mark Allen and Don Miller.
Digital sub-channels must be able to receive and transmit EAS alerts. See Part 11.51c in the FCC rules. This is for both radio and TV.
The testing schedule for next year was discussed. The committee voted to do away with tests on Sunday. The draft schedule has been distributed on the remailer, but there will be some changes made in the final version.
At the FCC, there should be a job opening in the Seattle office soon. Check the FCC job site, https://jobs.mgsapps.monster.com/fcc/login.hms;jsessionid=M0B9KKT7ot36cUZpfmAR.110.
Elray expressed concern with the multiple alerts that plagued the Spokane area during the last RMT. We are still looking for a cable representative for Western Washington.
In the Central Puget Sound area, Phil Johnson reported that the LRN repeater is still being worked on.
In the technical area, Clay reports that the EAS reception problems at KVTI have been fixed. If a station’s EAS gear is out of service, it must be noted on the log. No further action is needed for 60 days. When the equipment is returned to service, that needs to be noted on the log, also. See Part 11.35 in the rules. Anyone who has one of the state Sage boxes need to take “All Of Washington” out of the RMT filter. Otherwise you could receive multiple RMT’s. Contact Don Miller for questions.
The EAS source reception problems at KCSY in Twisp have been fixed. They have received a state Sage box.
The Next meeting will be on January 12, 2011, at 9:30 AM at Camp Murray.
Terry Spring
Chief Engineer
KWPX TV/DT
ION Media Networks
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