[sbe-eas] The Next National EAS test is coming

[Aaron Read]

All PRSS affiliates were given a heads-up last week, via the
ContentDepot messaging system and via NPR Studio (the new replacement
for NPRstations.org) that this test was coming via the Squawk Channel,
and that it was specifically in prep for the upcoming NPT later this
year.

I intentionally programmed my Sage 3644 at WNPN in Newport/Providence
RI (all times are EDT) to forward it, because I wanted to see how it
worked.   Mostly seemed "okay".  My Sage recorded an audio message
that had seven seconds of silence, then seems like it was upcutting
the end of a word...perhaps "system"...then it continued with "if this
had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed
the alert tone.  This concludes this test."  Followed by five more
seconds of silence.

07/26/23 20:20:34
Required Weekly Test, Matched filter NPR-SIRIUSXM, Received on Monitor
6. Automatic Relay. EOM received 07/26/23 20:20:57.
A Primary Entry Point System has issued a Required Weekly Test for all
of the United States beginning at 8:20 pm Wed Jul 26 and ending at
8:50 pm Wed Jul 26 (NPR 1)
ZCZC-PEP-RWT-000000+0030-2080020-NPR 1 -

07/26/23 20:20:40
Required Weekly Test, Sent from header NPR-SIRIUSXM.
A Primary Entry Point System has issued a Required Weekly Test for all
of the United States beginning at 8:20 pm Wed Jul 26 and ending at
8:50 pm Wed Jul 26 (RIPR)
ZCZC-PEP-RWT-000000+0030-2080020-RIPR  -

If memory serves, the regular RWT's on Squawk have no audio at all;
just opening tones, the alert tone, then the three EOM tones.
Certainly the usual 1315 ET RWT that Squawk sends out every Wednesday
had no audio in it.  Just three seconds of silence.

- Aaron

On Thu, Jul 27, 2023 at 1:29 PM Ken Evans <ken_evans at wmdt.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> There was a RWT test last night on the NPR Squawk Channel sent by FEMA.  I think it was only intended to be received at NPR stations and recorded on their EAS boxes.  But at least one station sent it out as an RWT.
>
> Gary Timm provided the following information.  So, we now know that it was sent out by FEMA.
>
> A PEP RWT was transmitted by the FEMA EAS unit located at PEP Station WTMJ transmitter site.
> That unit utilizes the "L-Code/STN-ID" "WTMJ 1", seen in the decoded message below.
> It was sent yesterday at 20:19 CDT (8:19 PM CDT), and carried the audio message:
> (about 4 seconds silence, followed by) This station is testing the Emergency Alert System. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the alert tone. This concludes this test. (followed by about 4 seconds of silence).
>
> So this message apparently interrupted programming on at least this PEP station, and was sent directly to FEMA's EAS unit located at that transmitter site. Thus distribution was wider that just the NPR Squawk channel.
>
> Here is the printout:
> 07/26/23 20:20:16 Required Weekly Test, Matched filter OTHERS, Received on Monitor 2. Timed Ignore. EOM received 07/26/23 20:20:38.
> A Primary Entry Point System has issued a Required Weekly Test for all of the United States beginning at 8:19 pm Wed Jul 26 and ending at 8:49 pm Wed Jul 26 (WTMJ 1)
>
> I am wondering how many other NPR stations received the alert?    I was thinking that it looks like they are getting ready for another National test.  Although nothing has been received about that yet.
>
> And today in TV Technology's newsletter they included a Radio World article link on that very subject.
>
> https://www.tvtechnology.com/news/fema-plans-the-next-national-eas-test
>
> So, I guess that FEMA will be having another national test later this year.
>
> Regards,
>
> Ken Evans
>
>
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-- 
------------------------------------------
Aaron Read
readaaron at friedbagels.com
www.friedbagels.com
"Engineering: it's like math but LOUDER!"