at 1:02 is when the alert came, kmkt kmad kqdr kjim nor even wbap had the alert audio on kjim there were tones but no audio, same kmkt kmad kqdr no alert tones or audio (on my cable system) in my neck of the woods, what did you hear in your neck of the woods?
See No EAS, Hear No EAS, Speak No EAS
“what did you hear in your neck of the woods?”
According to the better half, all that was heard was me snoring the afternoon away! 😉
I asked her how good the audio quality was. She said it was fantastic, best thing she had ever heard!
RFB
DX Snoring
I DXed that snoring all the way in Missouri.
WBAP AM PEP
WBAP told in their newscast about the failed eas test? ill copy it and paste it on here
Arlington (WBAP) – For 52 seconds Wednesday afternoon, the Federal Emergency Management Agency controlled the broadcast of every radio and television station across the country. In north Texas, that broadcast was dead air.
The process was part of the first nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, which is used to warn the public of civil emergencies and natural disasters, such as severe weather.
The FCC and FEMA are “currently collecting data about the results,” according to a statement sent to WBAP from FEMA’s Rachel Racusen.
“This initial test was the first time we have tested the reach and scope of this technology and what additional improvements that should be made to the system as we move forward,” the statement reads.
Other parts of the country received an audio statement during the test. FEMA’s statement does not address why the audio message failed to reach stations in north Texas but the agency says it may need weeks to figure out exactly what went wrong.
“I’ll take the criticism,” says FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. “I apologize for the disruptions that people went through, but we need to test things to find out what works and what doesn’t work or we’re never going to know the answers to fix this system and make sure it’s ready when we need it.”
The test started at 1 p.m. Central time and was scheduled to last for 30 seconds.
“It’s another tool that emergency management can utilize in the event there is a need to alert the public,” Irish Hancock, the administrator of Arlington’s office of emergency management, said during an interview before the test. “It’s never been tested, so FEMA is trying to ensure the process does work.”
(Copyright 2011 WBAP 24/7 News. All rights reserved)
Alan Scaia, WBAP 24/7 News
Results
I think they could have had better results if they simply originated everything on the current media network systems (abc/cbs/nbc/fox/clear channel etc) as the originating sources to distribute the audio and test tones and headers.
Why not use what is already there and is a known working system of large scale delivery of program content.
Oh wait…its not sophisticated enough or expensive enough.
Well the test DID prove another thing….large scale controllable dead air from one spot.
RFB
Creepy and Wierd
There is just something very strange about the way this whole test scenario was done. The fact that it had so many fail points in this age of advanced technology is yet another odd fact about it.
And airport x-rays won’t cause cancer.
Non sequitur? Not to me.
EDITOR IS BACK:
I thought about it some more and now I can tie it all together and explain why everything that’s happening is peculiar together with the half-assed EAN test. There’s no interest in helping the foreclosed, the homeless, the unemployed, the medically needy and there’s especially no interest in “redressing the grievances of protesters,” yet there is a feeble attempt to be able to warn people in case of the unknown.
Over Loaded Tree
The fact that it had so many fail points in this age of advanced technology is yet another odd fact about it. There’s no interest in helping the foreclosed, the homeless, the unemployed, the medically needy and there’s especially no interest in “redressing the grievances of protesters,” yet there is a feeble attempt to be able to warn people in case of the unknown.”
Well the system itself on the state and local levels in all aspect isn’t really fail-proof to begin with anyway, so what other outcome is to be expected when the switch is flipped to the nationwide mode?
I think my concept of using the existing network delivery system which delivers all this wonderful high definition video with high definition audio, and with incredible ratio of reliability to activate this “one shot disrupts all” system if they really want just such a system to actually work.
Triggering the “flip over” is a simple matter of putting in a decoder looking at the program network’s satellite or microwave delivery system that listens for a cue to “flip the switch” to national mode and everything goes to the “default” emergency feed.
Hmm….
But see careers are made out of projects in government. And it is not uncommon to overload the Christmas tree with too many neat little decorations called “ideas” and “proposals” to end up creating an overtaken plumbing system where the drain is easily stopped up.
RFB
Keystone Capers
Flipped on the radio this morning during local news which reported, “The 9-1-1 Emergency Call Center had extra people on hand yesterday for the expected flood of phone calls following the National EAS Test, but what they weren’t prepared for was…silence. They had no calls at all.”
God awmighty.
Are we extras in an old silent film with bureaucrats tripping over curbs and walking into park benches?
Silence Is Golden
“The 9-1-1 Emergency Call Center had extra people on hand yesterday for the expected flood of phone calls following the National EAS Test, but what they weren’t prepared for was…silence. They had no calls at all.”
Silence eh…well that makes me feel a lot better. Silence all around. Silence during the test, silence by program interruption, and silence at the 9-1-1 call center.
Maybe this is all some sort of subliminal message project to keep people silent.
Well…its one way of guaranteeing a no-panic environment even if there was an emergency.
“Don’t worry…its only a test so stay silent!”.
Trust me big brother, I am not worried one bit…never was prior to your fancy failure, nor will I be after it.
RFB
Chuckled
Carl, i Laughed out loud at your description of the “half-assed EAS Test” i have to agree with you on that i think the test was a fail and done half-assed”
EAN Test Wikipedia
i read about the EAS page on wikipedia about the test and it said it was a complete failure, ill copy & paste it here
from wikipedia
On November 9, 2011, the first National EAS Test was conducted. Many people that were listening to TV or radio reported barely hearing the audio, not seeing the video, hearing overlapping audio, or not seeing the test at all. The test has been labeled as a “complete failure”.
Other Side Of The Flip Switch
from wikipedia…
On November 9, 2011, the first National EAS Test was conducted. Many people that were listening to TV or radio reported barely hearing the audio, not seeing the video, hearing overlapping audio, or not seeing the test at all. The test has been labeled as a “complete failure”.
Well in defense of over-bloated pork barrel wasteful binge and purge loot the vaults and out the back door types, at least their hearts were racing with excitement and nervousness in anticipation of that final second just before the “BIG SILENCE” test.
Now..where are all these praising people that were just here the day before this botched up test hmmm???
Hiding out to protect them ego’s perhaps? In shame perhaps?
Well do not be ashamed. There is one redeeming success of the test that cannot be denied.
The triggering of switching over on the large scale.
And of course with everything new (even though EAS is NOT new), the application of the system to perform such a wide area function with said system that is not entirely fool proof and fail proof, should have raised question by someone prior to committing the entire nation that it would not work unless all conceivable potential failure of said system are examined and clearly understood.
This is what I mean by putting all your faith into a system, or ruling body of radio spectrum and government and pieces of equipment that for the last 16 years has not proven itself to be completely reliable.
Has a lesson been learned here? Maybe…maybe not. But when it comes to everyone’s well being and safety, is the population that gullible to just toss out the window common sense? Not even touching the so called “smart” ones with that question as it probably would not be logical.
RFB
WBAP EAS Test On Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mYi7VFTJVc&feature=related
I think we have already said this here, but
If the emergency is bad enough, we won’t need a
radio or TV to know about it – OR we will never know
about because we will be… How do I put it – wherever
you go or don’t go after you die – depending on your
belief system.
In the case of the storm that a bunch of us here dealt
with a couple of weeks ago – well – the system fell
apart so fast I couldn’t believe it.
Best Wishes,
Bruce, DOGRADIO STUDIO 2
Belief System
This is a test of the belief system.
Life is just a test.
That’s actually what some religions teach.