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Emergency Alert System

(April 2007)

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JP
Joe Public
Reg Shaw posted:
StuartPlymouth posted:


I know when I worked for MOD every establishment had a confidential file marked as "War Plan" which gave precise instructions for that particular location. It had to checked and upated about twice a year IIRC and more often when the security status was raised. Later it was renamed simply "Contingency Plan" and included alot of extra information about what to do during strikes and periods of civil unrest, not just when half the population had been vapourised!


Have you heard of the Official Secrets Act?

RATS: Radio Alert Transmission System


Yes I've heard of it (actually been signed into it).
I dont think any secrets have been given away.
I would expect something like this to exist anyway regardless of having more than a passing interest in the OSA.
AN
Ant
This thread reminds me of that mock nuclear attack thread we had in the Mock Designs forum a few years back.

What a morbid thread that was. Is it still around?
JV
James Vertigan Founding member
Steve in Pudsey posted:

RATS is similar to IRN's obit alarm (except it actually worked when the QM died!) and is apparently encoded into the 198kHz RW LW service.


IRN's Obit alarm is known as the Major Story alarm these days, and was last activated on 7th July, as far as I'm aware.
RS
Reg Shaw
Joe Public posted:


Yes I've heard of it (actually been signed into it).
I dont think any secrets have been given away.
I would expect something like this to exist anyway regardless of having more than a passing interest in the OSA.


Well I don't think the MoD would be happy about people knowing how often they updated their contingency plans for one.
NH
Nick Harvey Founding member
What a complete and utter load of old claptrap is being talked in this thread.

We all know exactly how the major alert system works in this country.

Somebody at News 24 puts a black tie on and all the members of TV Forum tell all their friends.
OV
Orry Verducci
deejay posted:
Regardless of what systems the broadcasters and the government have in place, there is a feature for listeners built into the RDS system which classifies programming as "Alert" (as opposed to Music, Speech, News etc. It;s part of the PTY feature.). AFAIK it's never been used, unless it was activated for the recent Royal Deaths... anyone know?

I don't think it's ever been used. There's no point to it really, as it quite simply changes the programme type, it doesn't work in the same way as the Travel Announcement flag.

The RDS for all the BBC stations is controlled from London (which is why all BBC stations, local and national goto backup ID's when there is a problem with the system). This does mean EON data can be sent out to switch all EON enabled radios on a BBC station to one specific BBC station if required. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if all BBC stations can be switched to a single audio feed on demand. Commercial radio is more difficult, as there are no systems on the masts to override the signal as each station has it's own equipment.
IS
Inspector Sands
Orry Verducci posted:
deejay posted:
Regardless of what systems the broadcasters and the government have in place, there is a feature for listeners built into the RDS system which classifies programming as "Alert" (as opposed to Music, Speech, News etc. It;s part of the PTY feature.). AFAIK it's never been used, unless it was activated for the recent Royal Deaths... anyone know?

I don't think it's ever been used. There's no point to it really, as it quite simply changes the programme type, it doesn't work in the same way as the Travel Announcement flag



I'm not so sure, I remember hearing a story about a pirate station that was TXing the alert flag because they discovered that when a radio found an alert flag it would lock onto the frequncey and not let you change stations
PC
p_c_u_k
Some background info (including some reaction to the arcane way the BBC handle royal deaths) available here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,2763,535766,00.html

Incidentally, in retrospect the part about someone getting the tone wrong for some inexplicable reason and being relegated to paperclip supplies, in hindsight, seems extremely perceptive, given the fate of Peter Sissons...
SP
Steve in Pudsey
James Vertigan posted:

IRN's Obit alarm is known as the Major Story alarm these days, and was last activated on 7th July, as far as I'm aware.


Given that it didn't work when there was an obit I guess maintaining that name would have been a bit of a problem!
CR
City Road
p_c_u_k posted:
Some background info (including some reaction to the arcane way the BBC handle royal deaths) available here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/monarchy/story/0,2763,535766,00.html

Incidentally, in retrospect the part about someone getting the tone wrong for some inexplicable reason and being relegated to paperclip supplies, in hindsight, seems extremely perceptive, given the fate of Peter Sissons...


Interesting article, thanks for that. Cool
ST
Stuart
Reg Shaw posted:
StuartPlymouth posted:

I know when I worked for MOD every establishment had a confidential file marked as "War Plan" which gave precise instructions for that particular location. It had to checked and upated about twice a year IIRC and more often when the security status was raised. Later it was renamed simply "Contingency Plan" and included alot of extra information about what to do during strikes and periods of civil unrest, not just when half the population had been vapourised!

Have you heard of the Official Secrets Act?

Yes, of course! I didn't tell you what was in the file though, not that it was very interesting anyway! Laughing

Joe Public posted:
Well I don't think the MoD would be happy about people knowing how often they updated their contingency plans for one.

Under the Freedom of Information Act they would probably have to tell you how often anyway!
:-(
A former member
Did this actullu happen During 9/11???
or teh london bomings???

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