Required weekly test repeats over and over

[polyglot2]

I realize the importance and need for the Required Weekly Emergency Broadcast Station test and I do not object to it.

However, the problem that I am having is that late at night at around 2:00 am (usually on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday nights), the Emergency test will start and go off every 5 minutes for HOURS AND HOURS. Usually I am watching a recorded program at the time, but even if I switch to broadcast TV, the tests keep coming. I have tried everything - pausing, turning off the box, unplugging, but nothing seems to help. It is very annoying because I have to keep rewinding whatever show I am watching every 5 minutes.

Is there something I can do about this? Is there something that is preventing the test from completing and the system just keeps repeating it over and over?

Many thanks for any help you can provide.

[stevenl]

What market are you in ?

[polyglot2]

I am in Tampa. Hillsbourough County.

[stevenl]

Someone else was complaining about a similar issue over there. I think it was skotty? I am not sure what he did though. I think he was saying it would come on at night and be really loud or something..

I am in orlando so cant help you much sorry.

[bctampa]

This thread has been viewed 50 times at the time of my post.
There are others who are PO !
I too experienced Brighthouse's EAS monthly alert last night for well over an hour.
It began just before 2am.
I called BH and was on hold for over 20 minutes - quite lovely as the EAS also came over the BH VOIP.
The service rep [was told I'm sure] claimed that the FCC was to blame; "Someone must have fallen asleep on the switch".
I phoned WFLA [local NBC - here in Tampa]
The person at the news desk said that there was no EAS coming over the set in the newsroom.
The Florida Association of Broadcasters has posted the EAS schedule for 2008, and as you can see the regular monthly test isn't scheduled until the 22nd.
[link]

EAS: RMT Schedule / Florida Association of Broadcasters

This situation isn't the first time that BH has run the EAS for extended periods.

Wikipedia has an entry on EAS.
It mentions that the "relay box" must have a means of printing a hard copy record of any FCC alerts.

Does anyone have any experience in dealing with such a situation?

[jcarrera]

...I called BH and was on hold for over 20 minutes - quite lovely as the EAS also came over the BH VOIP...

What! If you have BH VOIP the EAS breaks in on your call? It rings your phone? Or what?

[bctampa]

The EAS doesn't ring the BH VOIP, but cuts into the system while using it.
The alert disrupted my call to customer service and "overode" the advertising spew one receives while waiting for the next available representative.

I would guess that the "interruption" would occur on any phone usage [other than to BH]

[polyglot2]

That is a lie because it has been doing this for several months.

The service rep [was told I'm sure] claimed that the FCC was to blame; "Someone must have fallen asleep on the switch".

[Scroll]

I've been on DBS & OTA for years now and forgot all about those worthless EBS messages. If the Russians are gonna bomb us there's nowhere to run - especially in Pinellas county.

These days a weather radio is more practical for storm related information, especially since you don't have to get startled out of your sleep just to learn it's raining in Tallahassee with the increased locality frequencies.

And the fact that I cannot recall the last time I actually heard an EBS is testimony to it's worthlessness.

I have been thinking of switching to their cable service just so I can get the 2 Mbps upload speeds for my internet. OMG I hope they don't interrupt programming for every Amber alert too!