[grc] [Stubblefield] Public-Domain EAS station cost?

[Karl Koscher]

We have thought about doing this. We're only streaming on the web right
now, but we have constructed a EAS system that seems to work well and is
integrated into our audio chain. We have been successfully relaying alerts
and tests for about two years. The source code is available at
https://github.com/UWave/uwave-eas, but would probably take some tweaking
to work for other stations. In particular, almost all of our audio chain is
in software (with JACK) and thus it simply shuffles around JACK connections
to play an alert.

The big thing missing right now is the ability to relay alerts from CAP
feeds. For whatever reason, DHS requires a signed MOU to get access to the
IPAWS feed. We have not pursued this (or a waiver from the FCC to use our
own EAS system) because there's still some uncertainty about us getting on
the air.

On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 3:36 PM, Karl Koscher <supersat at cs.washington.edu>
wrote:

> We have thought about doing this. We're only streaming on the web right
> now, but we have constructed a EAS system that seems to work well and is
> integrated into our audio chain. We have been successfully relaying alerts
> and tests for about two years. The source code is available at
> https://github.com/UWave/uwave-eas, but would probably take some tweaking
> to work for other stations. In particular, almost all of our audio chain is
> in software (with JACK) and thus it simply shuffles around JACK connections
> to play an alert.
>
> The big thing missing right now is the ability to relay alerts from CAP
> feeds. For whatever reason, DHS requires a signed MOU to get access to the
> IPAWS feed. We have not pursued this (or a waiver from the FCC to use our
> own EAS system) because there's still some uncertainty about us getting on
> the air.
>
> On Fri, Oct 21, 2016 at 3:24 PM, Paul Bame <bame at riverrock.org> wrote:
>
>> I believe Al Davis pitched this idea a while back, and I have some
>> questions as I began to research it myself.
>>
>> Specifically I'm wondering how much it would cost stations? My working
>> hypothesis is that a station which constructed its own EAS unit (from
>> open-source plans) could apply for a waiver under 47 CFR 11.34(e) which
>> would cost them no money according to 1.1116(c). The waiver would
>> logically be developed by the open-source developers and provided as
>> part of the package.
>>
>> Does this seem feasible, or even correct?
>>
>> ---
>>
>> 47 CFR 11.34(e) Waiver requests of the Certification requirements
>> for EAS Encoders or EAS Decoders which are constructed for use by an
>> EAS Participant, but are not offered for sale will be considered on an
>> individual basis in accordance with part 1, subpart G, of this chapter.
>>
>> Subpart G is all about fees for applying for FCC certification and so
>> forth, however 1.1116(c) then exempts "Applicants, permittees or
>> licensees of noncommercial educational (NCE) broadcast stations in the
>> FM or TV services, as well as AM applicants, permittees or licensees
>> operating in accordance with §73.503 of this chapter."
>>
>>                         -p
>>
>> P.S. This does not provide an obvious way to $upport the developers.
>> Perhaps a "suggested donation" might work, but that seems like it
>> might be crossing the line with respect to the intent of 11.34(e).
>>
>> P.P.S. The linux minimodem command handles reception and generation of
>> the EAS data bursts. Sox(1) produces the attention tone. A Raspberry
>> Pi or other low-cost Linux computer plus a couple of cheap USB audio
>> dongles, controlling a light and a switch and a web interface, seems
>> like it should be plenty to pull this off. The requirements in 47 CFR 11
>> would require a bit of thought to produce something elegant, usable,
>> yet compliant. Another way to slice it is to write it as an android app
>> to be used on discarded cell phones.
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>
>