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

[Michelle Bradley]

I like this idea.  I feel if we had an open-source EAS consortium, we 
could potentially get a blanket MOU for IPAWS or that we would need 
IPAWS to go through a "provider" of some kind.

I do feel for right now, any stations who wants to run open source EAS 
should individually request waivers instead of us getting a blanket 
waiver.  If the FCC feels down the road that a different process needs 
to take place, they can suggest it.

REC would be very supportive of joining into any open-source EAS 
consortium.

=m


On 10/21/2016 6:45 PM, Karl Koscher via grc 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 3:36 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.
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> This is the Stubblefield mailing list.
>>> To post, send an email to: Stubblefield at lists.prometheusradio.org
>>> For list options or to unsubscribe, please visit:
>>> http://lists.prometheusradio.org/listinfo.cgi/stubblefield-p
>>> rometheusradio.org
>>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
> grc mailing list
> grc at maillist.peak.org
> http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc