[Skywarn] SAME, EAS receivers?

[Kevin Heyboer]

The model I mentioned, the Midland 120EZ, has standard programming that
causes only the text alert and light to turn on for the required weekly
test.  It can be programmed to also audio alert for required tests, but that
is optional.  It can even be programmed to alert you if the NWS radio signal
fails, but that is also optional.  

The NWS normally tests NOAA Weather Radio between 11 am and 12 noon on
Wednesday, unless actual severe weather threatens, in which case the test is
postponed to the next good weather day.

The 120EZ is called that because you can program state and county without
having to look up the SAME state and county code.  It comes pre-programmed
where you just pick the name of your state and your county or choice of
counties.

Older models that activate to the 1050 Hz audio tone, and are not SAME
receivers, will alert for ALL of the selected watches and warnings in the
entire NOAA transmitter range, thus increasing the likelihood of late
night/early morning warnings that do not directly affect the listener.

For those that are not aware, the NOAA Weather Radio System is the entry
point for ALL Emergency Alert System broadcasts.  Your local WSFO receives
any EAS message that is not locally generated from Silver Springs, MD (AFOS
HEADER KWBC), tones it out, which activates the commercial grade EAS
receiver at the local EAS radio station, from which the local television
stations and cable systems receive the alert.  I know this because my son is
a senior program engineer for Comcast Cable, responsible for all internet
and telecast routing for the Metro Houston Texas area.

Also, for those people on the list who want a hard copy of the bulletin, an
audible alert, the ability to send automatic e-mails, text alerts, pager
alerts, and even receive on up to 50 computers, I recommend the Weather
Messenger suite of products at www.weathermessenger.com.  You can download
the software and try it for free for 30 days.  It only costs $55 for a
license.  Weather Messenger taps into the internet EMWIN stream, or
NOAAPORT, or can download via TCP/IP directly from the National Weather
Service.  The only draw back is that if your internet goes down, so does
this product unless you have an EMWIN satellite radio receiver, and they are
QUITE pricey.  This product is great for SKYWARN Net Control operators as it
continually receives and updates all the NWS and METAR bulletins, forecasts,
and even images in real time.  Warnings and Watches are pushed to the front
of the data stream.  I sometimes receive the bulletin on my computer a few
seconds BEFORE my NOAA Weather Radio activates.  BTW, this program suite is
for Windows based computers, I am not sure there is a MAC version.

Kevin Heyboer KD4UYR
AEC Cherokee County NCARES
Southwest Carolina SKYWARN Net Manager
http://www.cherokee-ares.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Skywarn [mailto:skywarn-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KD7JYK
DM09
Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 12:34 PM
To: skywarn at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Skywarn] SAME, EAS receivers?

: First and foremost, you need to purchase a NOAA All-Hazards SAME encoded
: weather radio.

How are these NOAA SAME alert receivers?

I have two "EAS", Emergency Alert Sentinel" receivers for alerts from local 
radio stations which test randomly around four in  the morning.  After the 
family getting blasted out of bed at 0400 a couple of times they've been 
relegated to the scrap pile.

Are the SAME receivers prone to these useless and alarming tests that most 
likely result in them getting tossed?  The alerts are great.  All the false 
alerts, "tests" aren't.

Kurt 

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