In this letter to the editor, the author responds to the article “Sage Alerting Presents Software-Based EAS to the FCC.” Radio World welcomes letters to the editor on this or any story. Email [email protected].
Beware the millennials and Gen Z’ers who believe everything runs on ones and zeros.
Of course, the core functions of Sage and DASDEC equipment are software-based. However, in order for the system to work, it requires monitoring of external analog audio sources from FM tuners, NOAA weather radio and satellite feeds — or soon to be dedicated internet “receivers.”
In many small stations, then, once emergency traffic is detected, the EAS alert needs to be inserted into analog program streams ahead of audio processors, STL transmitters or codecs, all on the way to the transmitter.
That’s a pretty blue box shown in the article, but who will design and connect the analog interface?
Small station groups may only have a local contract engineer who comes in only when needed to “put the fires out.”
The bigger groups?
Too many stations for their engineering staff to keep track of.
— Tom Taggart, Seven Ranges Radio, Parkersburg, W.Va.
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