[KYHAM] New Alert Codes for NOAA

Ron Dodson [email protected]
Thu, 11 Mar 2004 10:34:25 -0500


NWS Implementing New NOAA Weather Radio Warning Event Codes on 
June 30, 2004

Beginning June 30, 2004, NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) Specific Area 
Message Encoding/Emergency Alert System (SAME/EAS) event warning 
codes will be available nationally for a variety of non-weather 
events.

The new codes will allow NWR users to program desired alert 
messages on subjects ranging from child abduction emergencies, 
local area emergencies, fire warnings, and hazardous material 
warnings, to radiological or nuclear power plant warnings, 
shelter-in-place warnings, or volcano warnings.

The NWS is currently upgrading existing warning-generation 
software and weather radio formatters to handle the new codes. 
The NWS Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services (OCWWS) 
issued a Service Change Notice regarding this on March
5, 2004.

NWR is the primary means for NWS alerts to Activate the Emergency 
Alert System. EAS event codes are equivalent to SAME codes used 
by SAME-capable NWR receivers to allow listeners to program 
desired alert messages. Local or state civil authorities prepare 
the non-weather related EAS messages, which may be relayed by the 
NWS over NOAA Weather Radio and the EAS at the request of the 
message issuer. The NWS does not initiate non-weather related EAS 
messages.

The event code changes were dictated by the Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC), which makes the rules concerning 
EAS, in a Report and Order amending the EAS rules on February 26, 
2002. The NWS waited to implement the new EAS event and SAME 
codes and marine location codes primarily to allow EAS equipment 
manufacturers time to upgrade their products to accommodate the 
new codes, and to allow broadcasters time to upgrade their EAS 
equipment, according to Herb White, NWS Headquarters
Dissemination Services Manager, OCWWS.

If new event codes cannot be added to existing NWR receivers, the 
codes may be displayed as unknown warning or similar message when 
they are transmitted over NOAA Weather Radio. White said owners 
of such non-upgradable radios who wish to receive the new codes 
would have to purchase a newer model radio receiver.

Owners should check the documentation that came with their 
receiver, or contact the manufacturer (via telephone or Internet) 
to see if the new event codes are already programmed into the 
receiver, or if they can be added in manually.

The Consumer Electronics Association, an industry group 
representing designers, developers, and manufacturers of consumer 
electronics equipment, recently developed a new voluntary 
standard, which defines minimum performance criteria for consumer 
electronics products designed to receive digital alert signals 
broadcast by NOAA Weather Radio and Environment Canada's 
Weatheradio� Network. The performance criteria
include the ability to receive and properly decode all the new 
EAS event codes.

A range of compliant products will soon be available to the 
American public. Consumers looking to either upgrade their 
current NOAA Weather Radio receiver or to purchase a new one 
should look for them later this spring. Look for the Consumer 
Electronics Association's new Public Alert
designation that will appear on devices carrying public safety 
alerts broadcast over the all-hazard NOAA Weather Radio system 
and the Environment Canada Weatheradio� Network.

We recommend customers program their desired new SAME/EAS event 
codes before June 30, 2004, so the change will be transparent on 
the effective date, White said.

A complete list of the current and new EAS/SAME codes to be 
implemented on June 30, 2004, is available online at
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/eas_codes.htm.

Additional information on the emergency alert system is available
online at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/nws_eas.htm and
http://www.fcc.gov/eb/eas/.