This month, we’ll have a casual, social lunch meeting with no agenda. Join us Saturday, July 18, 12:00 noon PT at McGregor’s Grill, 10475 San Diego Mission Rd, San Diego, CA 92108. This is a no-host lunch (you pay for your own food and drinks).
SiriusXM Discontinuing Weekly EAS Tests
According to the Washington, DC EAS mailing list, SiriusXM has discontinued its Regular Weekly EAS Test (RWT). The SiriusXM free promotional “barker” channel 01 has been a satellite-based Primary Entry Point (PEP) for remote radio transmission sites that may have difficulty receiving broadcast PEP stations. PEPs relay national emergency messages and NPT tests. According to William Fawcett of Virginia, SiriusXM will continue to broadcast Regular Monthly Tests that should be logged by the same remote radio stations that may have few options for relaying national tests, though only the NPTs are required to be logged. Fawcett says that Satellite Digital Audio Radio Services (SDARS) are specifically exempted from transmitting RWTs.
Online Meeting – Paul Kriegler of Telos on Best Processing Practices
Paul Kriegler says there haven’t been radios, in the traditional sense, on the dashboard for well over a decade. New developments like DTS Autostage have changed the game for streaming as well as FM—on the automotive dash. Find out how to best process your FM over-the-air signal and stream to sound their best on today’s new digital dashboards. You’ll also hear from team Omnia on where we are with the OmniaXII.
Join us via Zoom on May 19th at 11:30 AM PT. This meeting organized by SBE Chapter 47, Los Angeles.
About Paul
Paul Kriegler gained experience as OM, GM, and PD in markets large and small. He joined Telos Alliance in 2017 working with Frank Foti and Team Omnia to make AM FM HD and streaming audio sound better, while sharing good engineering practice and advice along the way.
FCC Plans FM Radio Auction
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has officially announced plans to conduct an auction for FM radio construction permits beginning in February 2027. Designated as Auction 114, the event is designed to expand opportunities for new voices in the media industry and ensure that broadcast spectrum is utilized effectively.
The upcoming auction will offer a total of 132 construction permits in the FM broadcast service. Notably, nearly 100 of these permits have never been offered to the public, marking a significant milestone in radio spectrum availability. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated that the auction is a key component of the agency’s strategy to strengthen competition in the radio marketplace while modernizing outdated regulations.
More details on the FCC website.
San Diego County EAS Plan Updated
After nearly three years of editing, revisions, and delays, an updated San Diego County EAS Plan has been formally submitted to and signed by the California EAS Committee State (SECC) Chair, Richard Rudman. He will include the plan in the state set to be submitted to the FCC.
San Diego County EAS participants should download, review, and save a copy of the new plan. The SBE Chapter 36 newsletter and EAS newsletter have each issued a link to the new plan. If you are managing one or more EAS participating stations in San Diego County and have not received a newsletter with this link, you should sign up for at least the EAS newsletter here. Request a modified EAS Plan at the bottom of the page here. A public link to the EAS Plan is never published.
Revisions include:
- Deletion of information about the VHF backchannel that hasn’t been in use for years.
- Deletion of information about telephone messaging that is insecure and no longer in use.
- Addition of LP2 stations KPBS-FM and KRAM (FM). KLSD (AM) remains an LP2 station.
- Addition of information about Primary Entry Point (PEP) stations and their sources for national emergencies.
- Improvements to language and clarity.
Participants can change their listening assignments to include the new LP2 stations, but otherwise should not need to make any changes. Specifically, if a station you manage technically is currently receiving KOGO and either KLSD or KPBS successfully, you will not need to make any changes to your system. If you have been receiving a substitute station because you can’t receive KLSD, you should adjust your system to receive and relay KPBS as your LP2 station. In Borrego Springs, KRAM is now your LP2 station. If you can’t receive at least two stations, contact the EAS administrator for assistance. A substitute can be granted with a letter of permission.
While adding an NWS weather station or Primary Entry Point (PEP) station to your EAS system is okay, it is not required (unless you are managing an LP1 and/or LP2 station).