The invaluable Larry Wilkins offers some useful and important info on the upcoming Aug. 7 EAS National Periodic Test in his latest Monday Morning Coffee and Technical Notes. Because we couldn’t do a better job, here’s Larry text.
In preparation for the National EAS Test (NPT) scheduled for Aug. 7, the Alabama Emergency Communications Committee is requesting that all broadcast and cable operations double check the two required monitor sources on the station EAS decoder. States should refer to their State EAS Plan for monitor assignments. Ensure that both the sources you are monitoring are listed on the database. If for technical reasons you are not able to monitor one or both sources, please notify the SECC in your state, so an alternate source can be assigned.
[Read: Next Nationwide Emergency Test Set for August 2019]
This is very important since the NPT will be fed via the Primary Entry Point (PEP) network this year. It will not be fed via the IPAWS network as in past years. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is testing the PEP network as a backup to the IPAWS network, to ensure that delivery of a National Alert can be distributed effectively should the national internet system become unavailable during an emergency. FEMA will originate the test at 2:20 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on Wednesday, Aug. 7.
While checking the two required sources, verify that the audio is clean and at the proper audio level.
EAS participants are also reminded of the FCC requirement to update the information on Form One of the EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS). This must be completed before July 3. The online site is available at fcc.gov, click on ETRS under the licensees and database tab. Filers must use their registered FCC user name that is associated with the FCC Registration Numbers (FRNs) for which they will file.
Thanks, Larry! (If you aren’t receiving Larry’s weekly Monday Morning Coffee and Technical Notes enewsletter, you’re missing a font of useful broadcast engineering information. Contact Larry to get on the distribution list.)
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