FCC Proposes Enhancements to Wireless Emergency Alerts

WASHINGTON, November 19, 2015 – The Federal Communications Commission today
proposed rules to strengthen Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), a system that delivers critical
warnings and information to Americans on their wireless phones. The proposals are intended to
promote the wider use and effectiveness of this lifesaving service, especially for state and local
authorities to convey important information to their communities.

https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-enhancements-wireless-emergency-alerts

 

Throughout the evolutionary changes of this kind of service they should have kept the moniker CONELRAD !

 

If they could provide an XML or syndicated text push system, we could relay it from internet to amateur radio HF/VHF/UHF data texting networks, such as APRS and ALE.

 

While they are at it, maybe they can force Samsung and Google to get the operating system not to crash everytime a reverse 911/notification comes in. And to randomly turn the volume down so you can't hear the ringer. No, wait, onward, more rules, features and bugs, leave the old ones.

 

My wife and I both have Motorola phones running Android - that's never happened to us.

Steve
KV6O

 

The government should investigate why on broadcast EAS tests (at least in our area) the audio is so terribly distorted to the point of it being unusable. Arizona had a monthly statewide test last week. About all you could hear were echoes, dropouts on the alert tones, and incredibly poor voice. The only way you could even tell something was going on was the extended digital bursts at the start of the test. You know the system was being activated, but after last Friday in Paris, you had some question about WHY.
John/N7IQV

 

Not to derail the thread-- it happened after the last 2 firmware/updates. Well, not the last 1 but the one before that. I had high hopes the subequent one would fix it, so I applied it, no luck. May have to do with the encrypted ones.

On John's comments. Let your broadcaster know, I assume that is why they run the tests. Here they solved the problem by running them at 2-3 am. They do work though.

 

My concern with wireless (cell phones) is that the notifications go out to the area the cell phone is located. We moved 1000 miles and kept our cell phone numbers for convenience. (old ones 805, so. calif instead of 360, western wash.) I don't think I get any amber alerts, although I am signed up for them. They need to issue these messages dependent on both where your home is and where your cell phone is currently located.

 

Turned this junk off ever since.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/tech/mobile/amber-alert-phone-messages/

And that's just the way it is...

 

The alerts are location based alerts - why would you need them if you're 1000 miles away? Conversely, if I am in the Midwest and a tornado warning is issued - I'd like to receive that if I am in danger!

Steve
KV6O

 

They do, at least sometimes, in some places. I landed at the Phoenix airport a few months ago, to change planes there. There was quite a bit of lighting flashing all around during our approach. After the plane landed, as everyone was turning on their cell phones on the taxiway, a whole bunch of phones, including mine, started beeping with the emergency alert about the severe weather we had just flown through. It was comforting to know that authorities were on top of the situation. BTW, I am not from Phoenix, haven't spent much time there during the past decade, and am not signed up for any sort of alerts from there.

During my layover, I turned on my handheld and listened to weather radio, ATIS, and air traffic control for my entertainment. And I watched lightning.

 

I turn my phone off when I go to bed, because I am tired of the phone receiving Amber Alerts at 3 a.m. If there is a weather related emergency, my SAME radio will go off and if the weather is REALLY local, my personal weather station willl sound an alarm. I get the phone service to serve ME, not to provide yet another conduit for the hand of government to reach out and touch me at all hours.

 

This idea has been around for many years. If you are not familiar with how IPAWS emergency messages are formatted and broadcast try this free online FEMA course (you need to sign up as a student):

http://training.fema.gov/is/searchis.aspx?search=IPAWS

This is a topic which all of us can contribute. Good responses!

 

The morning after I received a 3am amber alert, I learned how to disable most of those d*mn alerts.

I got one the day before yesterday while visiting Memphis. It arrived about 2 hours later.

There's plenty of room for improvement in the system.

 

The Amber alerts can be disabled separately from emergency alerts, at least on my iPhone. I leave the emergency alert enabled. It's never gone off thankfully. ( The chances of me being able to assist in an Amber alert are virtually zero owing to location and travel habits. )

While we're on such subjects, don't forget to verify/sign up for reverse 911 on your cell phone, especially if you ditched the landline.