I choose not to describe the EAS System in technical detail due to National Security.
I helped build the systems: complete from antenna installations to final outputs and alarms.
I know the system in detail.
But what I choose to show are my logs. I arguably have the best looking logs in broadcasting.
I alone designed the logs with color and clarity. I have taken a small thermal stripchart
printout, which was difficult to read,
and transformed it into a standard 8.5x11 clear paper printout.
I also had EAS
alerts recorded electronically on a dedicated hard drive for reference by any one in the
company on their workstations.
In addition, I had an extra entry recorded on Operation Logs of each EAS alert. This entry
was brief and did not go into detail. But did give additional recording that an alert came in.
My system of MCU's had each a specific task. I used an old computer to simulate an EAS unit.
Computers are free and easy to obtain at a broadcast station, and work well to simulate a MCU unit.
Besides additional paper printing the EAS unit injected "plain text" into my Control NET.
Other logging systems then had access to it: notably Operating Logs.
One of two computer screens: One for KHSL-TV and one for KNVN-TV.
I developed the way the screens were laid out; and all from simple ASCII characters.
This is evident at the bottom of the screen. My trademark when in ASCII: "curved" cylinders.
I put the literal transmission text inside the cyan brackets that you see.
I then added interpretations (in green), that was garnished from key words found in the literal quote.
A lot could be done with this digested information: For example, major towns were found in lookup tables of "Counties".
And was reorganized, then displayed separately.
My liberties were legal, as long as the literal transmission was also there. ...and unaltered.
In development, the choice of colors and screen organization constantly changed at my whim.
In addition, many other computer screens, including those not dedicated to EAS
would temporarily flash a preformed screen for one second.
It displayed that an EAS message was comming in, and quickly flashed back to its normal task.
I developed all that.
I developed the EAS system for my stations. And I officially had responsibility over the EAS systems.
I include the EAS system as part of my control system because,
indeed, it actually was one small part of my system.
