§  11.61   Tests of EAS procedures.

   (a) EAS Participants shall conduct tests at regular intervals, as
   specified in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section. Additional
   tests may be performed anytime. EAS activations and special tests may
   be performed in lieu of required tests as specified in paragraph (a)(4)
   of this section. All tests will conform with the procedures in the EAS
   Operating Handbook.

   (1) Required Monthly Tests of the EAS header codes, Attention Signal,
   Test Script and EOM code.

   (i) Tests in odd numbered months shall occur between 8:30 a.m. and
   local sunset. Tests in even numbered months shall occur between local
   sunset and 8:30 a.m. They will originate from Local or State Primary
   sources. The time and script content will be developed by State
   Emergency Communications Committees in cooperation with affected EAS
   Participants. Script content may be in the primary language of the EAS
   Participant. These monthly tests must be transmitted within 60 minutes
   of receipt by EAS Participants in an EAS Local Area or State. Analog
   and digital class D non-commercial educational FM and analog and
   digital LPTV stations are required to transmit only the test script.

   (ii) Effective May 31, 2007, DBS providers must comply with this
   section by monitoring a state or local primary source to participate in
   testing. Tests should be performed on 10% of all channels monthly
   (excluding local-into-local channels for which the monthly transmission
   tests are passed through by the DBS provider), with channels tested
   varying from month to month, so that over the course of a given year,
   100% of all channels are tested.

   (2) Required Weekly Tests:

   (i) EAS Header Codes and EOM Codes:

   (A) Analog and digital AM, FM, and TV broadcast stations must conduct
   tests of the EAS header and EOM codes at least once a week at random
   days and times. Effective December 31, 2006, DAB stations must conduct
   these tests on all audio streams. Effective December 31, 2006, DTV
   stations must conduct these tests on all program streams.

   (B) Analog cable systems and digital cable systems with 5,000 or more
   subscribers per headend and wireless cable systems with 5,000 or more
   subscribers must conduct tests of the EAS Header and EOM Codes at least
   once a week at random days and times on all programmed channels.

   (C) Analog cable systems and digital cable systems serving fewer than
   5,000 subscribers per headend and wireless cable systems with fewer
   than 5,000 subscribers must conduct tests of the EAS Header and EOM
   Codes at least once a week at random days and times on at least one
   programmed channel.

   (D) SDARS providers must conduct tests of the EAS Header and EOM codes
   at least once a week at random days and times on all channels.

   (ii) DBS providers, analog and digital class D non-commercial
   educational FM stations, and analog and digital LPTV stations are not
   required to transmit this test but must log receipt, as specified in
   § § 11.35(a) and 11.54(b)(13).

   (iii) The EAS weekly test is not required during the week that a
   monthly test is conducted.

   (iv) EAS Participants are not required to transmit a video message when
   transmitting the required weekly test.

   (3) Periodic National Tests . National Primary (NP) sources shall
   participate in tests as appropriate. The FCC may request a report of
   these tests.

   (4) EAS activations and special tests . The EAS may be activated for
   emergencies or special tests at the State or Local Area level by an EAS
   Participant instead of the monthly or weekly tests required by this
   section. To substitute for a monthly test, activation must include
   transmission of the EAS header codes, Attention Signal, emergency
   message and EOM code and comply with the visual message requirements in
   § 11.51. To substitute for the weekly test of the EAS header codes and
   EOM codes in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, activation must
   include transmission of the EAS header and EOM codes. Analog and
   digital television broadcast stations, analog cable systems, digital
   cable systems, wireless cable systems, and DBS providers shall comply
   with the aural and visual message requirements in § 11.51. Special EAS
   tests at the State and Local Area levels may be conducted on daily
   basis following procedures in State and Local Area EAS plans.

   (b) Entries shall be made in EAS Participant records, as specified in
   § § 11.35(a) and 11.54(b)(13).

   [ 70 FR 71038 , Nov. 25, 2005]
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