DISH Fails EAS Test? No Perhaps the EAS Test Fails DISH!

[whatchel1]

The test wasn't a huge success as they originally hoped it to be. Lots of distorted or no audio and lots of cases of no relay or detection. EAS still has a long way to go to be redundant for alerting with all the pit falls that can happen. I caught the test on Dish at about 2:11 I think on Animal Planet and all that happened was a crawl at the top of the screen advising the start and then the finish of the test. No other interruption in pgm audio or video. I hope the FCC doen;t go wild with their cash registers and NALS from this event.

I don't think they can on this. There was just too many problems in too many places.

 

[The Fat Man]

Good time to test something. Most of us were at work. This should be forced locally only, and by provider. For satellite, some how applying it to spotbeams. Most events that require the use of the EAS happen in specific locations. Does it make sense to cut off HBO because of an event like Katrina? No! But somehow interrupt my service through the spotbeam would make sense. What's our Federal Government anticipating, civil war or Judgement Day? National services don't need to be interrupted, only local ones, and all providers.

 

[Ghpr13]

Today's first-ever national test of the television and radio emergency warning system went off at 1 p.m., but with a few glitches.
Initial reports indicated the test ran appropriately on most, but not all, radio and TV stations.
Media reports indicate DirecTV subscribers heard the Lady Gaga song "Paparazzi" while the test was in progress. It's unclear whether that was intentional.
Terrence Dupuis, an engineer at St. Louis NPR affiliate KWMU, said his station had its own problem."Our programming was interrupted, but the audio message was very distorted," Dupuis said.The message was fed from National Public Radio in Washington.The warning varied by station.An audio message was supposed to say, "This is a test." Some television stations included the text "Emergency Action Notification has been issued," but not all were able to have the audio message that the notification was only a test.Some stations showed a notification screen, while others showed a scroll over their normal programing with information about a warning.Some 911 answering centers, including the one run by the St. Louis County police, had extra call-takers on duty to handle a possible surge in inquiries. Police here said they saw no increase in calls resulting from the test.The Emergency Alert System is intended to warn of national crises, such as earthquakes or terrorist attacks.

Well I am hearing from DISH the alert never went off on DISH because they never got the Emergency Alert Signal. Seems as though the entire EAS system uses relays and when one goes out the other systems down the line don't repeat the signal. That's why the EAS didn't go off on DISH.

You can read more about what happened at Emergency Alert System to Be Tested Across the Country's TVs and Radios - NYTimes.com

Actually thinking back DIRECTV kind of cheated a bit on their EAS broadcast, as they switched to a slate about 30 seconds before the actual EAS went off. If it worked like it was supposed to the alert was to kick in when the alert went off. So they kind of jumped the gun there a few moments early. In addition DIRECTV never seemed to have got the audio, instead they played Lady Gaga... so almost looks like they never got the audio feed as well.

W/O the correct audio it was also a fail. Just got word from my former SBE local out of Seattle that the test was considered an outright failure. They recorded the audio of the test and it was awful. Not only was it distorted but it was locking up and freezing too. Causing it to sound like it was stuttering on the words. It was kinda funny to listen to. Title of the email was "Best Train wreck ever". Here is the audio from the test that was heard in many places on the W. Coast. http://dl.dropbox.com/u/15067584/20111109 NAT EAS AUDIO.mp3

Well, doesn't this give us all a warm, fuzzy feeling...

Ghpr13

 

[cave1376]

What's our Federal Government anticipating, civil war or Judgement Day?

Maybe December 21, 2012?

 

[Ghpr13]

If it's Judgement day...don't think EAS will help much...

Ghpr13

 

[navychop]

Maybe as a heads up that you've got just a little bit more time to squeeze in another sin or two? Perhaps one you've been thinking about for a long time?

 

[radio]

If it's Judgement day...don't think EAS will help much..

AND NEITHER WILL THE NEW SYSTEM!!!

Going our on a limb here, but I got what I thought was a very corporate sounding and "political" e-mail from my state broadcaster's association about this nationwide test.

Keep in mind that we posted our audio and results on this site, and it was heard by at least one board member. Most of the Great Lakes got the same mucked-up double triggered test and audio. My state's broadcasting association however praised the test, saying, " was generally a successful test for Michigan radio, TV, cable and satellite providers" and, it went on to say, quoting an MAB official, "some of the issues experienced across the nation will disappear once all stations, NOAA, FEMA and local emergency managers, begin utilizing the common alerting protocol (CAP) and digital EAS equipment. Full adoption of the new CAP system is required by June 2012."

Now, I don't mean to be doom and gloom where political press release writers are concerned, but what you just read is right off the stable floor. The new EAS cap system, STILL has a daisy chain of "over the air" station to station STANDARD EAS communications as I quote here in bold from radiomagonline.com) and stated on other credible EAS information sites

Does this mean the "duck quacks" (the EAS SAME tones stations use now) will change or go away?
Nothing changes with what stations must send. Even EAS isn't changing...yet. In fact, it is expected that the current EAS system will not be changed, but a separate, CAP-capable data distribution system will be added to EAS plans.

The note from my state Broadcasters' closed with this:
To the residents of Michigan this should be a comfort. You will receive emergency communications in a number of different formats to assure that everyone is informed in times of emergency.

Perhaps this belongs in another thread, but...keep in mind...the new "CAP" system stated by officials to solve this problem is INTERNET based. Now, do you want your city's safety and emergency information routed through the public internet? (a must-have-power "along the line" system) for emergencies? What went down during East coast hurricanes? The 'net at a local level. What goes down next when cell towers have no power? The 'net on your phones. The 'net is a luxury of modern communications, not a backbone for emergencies, in this broadcaster's opinion.

Broadcasters have been fighting this new CAP concept since it was brought up, and as consumers and listeners/viewers, you should be too! Its another government mandate, its unfunded to broadcasters so we'll dig into our pockets to meet a government order to buy equipment....its unproven as a system, and it's unfair to try to impress the public with facts that cannot prove themselves. Research CAP! You'll see the holes in our government's "system" we'll all be working under as broadcasters, and as citizens! It may be worthy of your asking your Congress why they're allowing this!

Perhaps the government would do better to mandate generators at broadcast facilities and staff to BE THERE during emergencies. Oh, sorry. That's too old fashioned. Maybe they should just stay out of it and let capitalism back into broadcasting, via less mergers, creating competition among stations, which in turn, should spur more excellence, more employment of experienced personnel, and less complacency and automation.


My soapbox just got removed. Back to your regularly scheduled thread.

 

[CJPC]

What's our Federal Government anticipating, civil war or Judgement Day? National services don't need to be interrupted, only local ones, and all providers.

Actually, yes - well more specifically, a full nuclear exchange. Of course, depending on where you are, giving a take cover warning may not do you any good (wouldn't do me much good). But, if your out of big cities - it would be very, very helpful. Unless of course, your out in silo valley, then good luck.

 

[whatchel1]

Good time to test something. Most of us were at work. This should be forced locally only, and by provider. For satellite, some how applying it to spotbeams. Most events that require the use of the EAS happen in specific locations. Does it make sense to cut off HBO because of an event like Katrina? No! But somehow interrupt my service through the spotbeam would make sense. What's our Federal Government anticipating, civil war or Judgement Day? National services don't need to be interrupted, only local ones, and all providers.

Sat won't penetrate thru the clouds of a hurricane.

 

[dare2be]

If it's Judgement day...don't think EAS will help much...

Ghpr13

Certainly not, as nothing will happen.

 

[The Fat Man]

A full nuclear exchange will result and a pretty bright light, then our deep fried back sides prior to any EAS alert. And yes, true about the hurricane clouds.

 

[whatchel1]

With the test working so well I really want to see how this guy is going to do it. Computer hacker reveals plan to occupy airwaves | abc7news.com BTW I've worked at several stations that have automation and of those only 1 didn't have a night op. It was a PBS station run by a school.