[sbe-eas] Interesting inquiry on our station website

Wed May 29 16:03:39 EDT 2024

This guy hit up our Las Vegas PBS station for their RWT schedule earlier this month. We couldn’t think of a good reason to share that information with him so the response from the station was that they followed the FCC Part 11 rules. However, I did a little digging and found that the email belongs to a “Chris Downing” of Petroskey, MI, on Facebook. He’s a “Facilities housekeeper” at Odawa Casino, a tribal casino in Petoskey owned by the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians. He hasn’t posted anything on Facebook since 2019. 

I did find the message to be just a little creepy. His request for information was posted to the Las Vegas PBS station email contact at 10:23 PM our time on May 3, which was 12:23 AM in Michigan. I had visions of someone hunched over a keyboard in a dark basement in the upper Midwest with nothing else to do a 12:23 in the morning but send requests for email information to a PBS station—Whiskey Tango Foxtrot??? My first thought was “Is this guy trying to hack the EAS system?”. I can’t think of a legitimate reason why anyone who is not a broadcaster would want to know when a PBS station halfway across the country is running their RWTs. He’s been busy since then contacting other stations. Someone should call him and ask him directly why he wants this info…his phone number is (231) 445-1275. 

Adrienne

Adrienne Abbott, W6BCY

Nevada EAS Chair

"Radio burps, it cries, it needs to be fed all the time, it requires constant attention, but we love it." Jim Aaron WGLN 

From: sbe-eas On Behalf Of Ken Evans
Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2024 12:00 PM
To: SBE EAS Exchange - a mail list for discussion about the Emergency Alert System and other emergency communication issues. <sbe-eas at sbe.org>
Subject: Re: [sbe-eas] Interesting inquiry on our station website

I would not reply.  I have had a GM who got the request and replied that with we follow all FCC EAS rules, tests are sent of random days and times.  She got a request for an EAS Log.   I said no.  

First the person does not identify themself.  Second the request does not explain why it is needed.  So, their setup is suspicious from the start.

Replying to them, or sending them a log is, "Not a good idea."

Why not?  Sending out one would be very bad.  It could breach all EAS security that you have.  So do not do it. 

The people we are required to provide EAS information to will be sure to identify themselves and state why they want to see the report. 

Remember, the FCC requires us to maintain EAS security.  

  _____  

From: sbe-eas <sbe-eas-bounces at sbe.org <mailto:sbe-eas-bounces at sbe.org> > on behalf of Mike Murrell <engineermike at mindspring.com <mailto:engineermike at mindspring.com> >
Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2024 12:28 PM
To: SBE EAS Exchange - a mail list for discussion about the Emergency Alert System and other emergency communication issues. <sbe-eas at sbe.org <mailto:sbe-eas at sbe.org> >
Subject: Re: [sbe-eas] Interesting inquiry on our station website 

If you’re inclined to reply simply say you follow the rules put forth by the FCC and leave it at that.  

They’re likely fishing 

Have a good day 

Mike Murrell 

Director of Engineering TAB

Chairman SECC TN. 

865-603-1778

On May 29, 2024, at 11:55 AM, Jerod Getz <Jerod.Getz at vtntv.com <mailto:Jerod.Getz at vtntv.com> > wrote:

We had a question submitted on our station website from a Christopher Downing cdowning371 at gmail.com <mailto:cdowning371 at gmail.com>  asking if we have a schedule for weekly tests of the emergency alert system. Our IT manager traced them to Michigan and we are located in Arkansas. Our Manager says it smells fishy and is not inclined to send any information. Anyone else see strange requests like this?

Jerod Getz

Assistant Chief Engineer, MCO Supervisor

VTN® Your Arkansas Christian Connection

KVTN-DT Little Rock | KVTH-DT Hot Springs | KVTJ-DT Jonesboro/Memphis 

Victory Television Network®

 <http://www.vtntv.com/> www.vtntv.com   <https://www.facebook.com/VTNYourArkansasChristianConnection/> Facebook   <https://twitter.com/VTNTV> Twitter 

Phone: 501-223-2525 Fax: 501-225-6039  <mailto:Jerod.getz at vtntv.com> Jerod.getz at vtntv.com

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