[78-L] testing

[Michael Biel]

From: "David Lennick

 >>This is just a test. Had this been a real alert you would have
 >> been instructed to tune your radio to your emergency station
 >> (do they still have those?).

Bob Rice wrote:
 > Oh yeah! Sure do!PBS, and other FM stations are FOREVER breaking in 
withthat annoying tone and the above.


Actually, no, they don't have emergency stations like Conelrad anymore 
that you would have to tune to.  You stay tuned to the station you are 
on.  And it's not just PBS and FM stations that make the announcements, 
it is every radio and TV station in the U.S.  Although they can opt out 
of the Emergency Action Notification system, they still have to have the 
monitoring equipment and sign off the air if they do not air them. The 
tests you hear are required weekly and monthly tests of how the system 
works from each station monitoring two other specific key stations in 
the state.  Every station airs two tests a week (one from each station 
they monitor) and a monthly statewide test.  Coincidentally, our 
university station just aired the monthly in the past half hour.


 > Ya wonder how it would sound had there had been a REAL emergency, 
though? Bob


I hear the actual emergency announcements all the time, every time there 
is severe weather in the area.  Heavy storm warnings, flash flood 
warnings, tornado warnings and watches, etc.  Usually they are repeats 
of the NOAA Weather Radio warnings yo hear if you use a weather radio 
monitor.  In our part of the country some of the TV stations have more 
advanced equipment than NOAA and can track storms down to the city block. 

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com