With regard to warning systems

One of the major problems for “over-the-air” alerting systems, has for many years been the authorization and authentication process. Starting back in the mid 1950s, with a system called Conelrad, U.S. Broadcast TV stations monitored other key radio stations, and/or, through telephone lines, in case an emergency was to be alerted and announced.

This system, updated several times, and renamed several times, continued into the late 1990s. It was, almost universally, unusable! No local, regional, or, in fact, even state authority, had access to, or permission to, activate the system!

Tornados came, hurricanes came, other natural disasters came, but the system was never activated in the U.S.

The new system, now in place in the U.S., is different. It allows local, regional, state, and national access to the system, and alerts, to National Weather radio systems, local and regional governments, and state systems.

The original concept, now reasonably works, at least as far as one can go technologically. If you have a VHF Wx receiver “on monitor” you should hear any emergency warnings, (if your local/regional areas have access to the system).

And U.S. cable TV systems now carry the automatic warnings, no matter what channel you are watching!(Although regular radio TVs will not turn on, at night, for instance, to give alarms). Many radios now have coverage for the NWS VHF weather radio systems, including many FRS/GMRS radios (UHF Family Radio Systems), battery operated radios, home Weather Radio systems, manufactured by many countries.

And of course, almost all VHF scanners, although many of those may not have automatic alert functions. And the Internet is now adding further options. If one is in a wireless area, and you are carrying a laptop, or, other portable digital unit that is connected to the Internet, one should, if an area system is in place, receive a warning either by audio, or in a text mode.

One options being explored, is BPL, or Broad Band Power Line high-speed connections, which could also connect portable units within reach. Also being addressed is HDTV signals, which could carry a digital signal along with the programing channels, to alert appropriate devices.

Roland Burgan
Former Michigan broadcaster
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