national broadcast testing

not sure if this is in the right forum- but everyone knows they used to do a national broadcasting test once a month. recently i have noticed it happens everyday and it says now "this is a monthly test of the civil emergency test system" why did they change this and what the hell does it mean? and why do i see it everyday when it is supposed to be monthly?

It's weekly now here in NM. I thought the same thing as you, OP that it was a monthly. I don't know if they said "weekly" or "monthly" this last time. Next time I'll listen closer. I also don't remember that it used to be able to "unmute" your tv, but it can apparently do that now too - mine was muted and the damn thing came on while we were eating. scared the bejeezus out of us.

Good questions.

With all the reservist recalls, troops movements, vaccine programs, training exercises and UFO sightings... One has to wonder what is up.

reply to post by bigfoot1212


hmmmmm, Now that you have mentioned it I do notice the have the test almost every other day on TV. It also says a monthly test.

I have a question, have they actually ever used it ?

I have noticed it alot more on the radio as well. I work in a construction type setting so I usually listen to the local radio stations, and I have noticed that they have been testing the emergency broadcasting system quite often. It seems like I hear it atleast once a day on any given radio station. I guess that I never paid attention until it was mentioned by the OP.

reply to post by drock905


Where I live they call it the Emergency Alert System. And yes, they use it. So when you hear the tone you have to actually LOOK and LISTEN and not assume it's just a test.

They use it, among other things, for severe storm warnings, flash flood alerts, and Amber alerts (which is when a child has been reported missing).

I heard one of these on the radio a couple days ago with nothing after it, no indication that it was a test, no emergency reported, just back to the music. I think they're trying to annoy us with it so much that we turn it down and don't listen every time it happens, and in the event of a real emergency, many of us will be left in the dark.

reply to post by gopher mines


it brings to mind on word "Conditioning".

I wonder what they have planned.

here in tucson, you can hear them sound the Air Raid sirens at least once a week, but there is no announcement that its just a test, so I wouldnt know either way if it was the real thing or not. Maybe the real ones would be louder or something.

I've noticed the increase in these "tests" over the last year, and here in nevada, when i hear them, they say this has been a weekly test of the emergency broadcast system....(saw one last night), i always remember monthly tests, now they are weekly?????????

ive also hear many on radio, with no announcement of a test, then right back to music with no mentio of the test at all.

i understand it is for emergency(my friend in nebraska would get them often if a chance of a tornado) but why did they change the name of it and do it everyday now? i live in pa not many natural distasters around except for a blizzard. makes one wonder......

I live in Idaho. I see it evertime I watch the T.V. and they usually do it on the radio around 3 or 4 a.m. every night. I hate when it comes on. I get all nervous and scared for some reason. There is also one of those signs that are above big highways. "It says monthly testing practice. Click it or ticket." It always made me wonder what is behind it. I try not to look at it because I am afraid something might be behind it. Thats just a feeling I have but maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Any one know if there is some sort of UK equivalent for these tests?

I have never heard or seen anything like those here, I seem to remember something about on local radio station in each area carries the warning - but that dosen't seem like a complete way to get a warning out.

Here in Oklahoma we have them frequently during the spring for tornados. Just last week however, I was up late, about 2 or 3a doing some procrastinating homework, and they were 'testing' about every 15 - 20 minutes. I was like wtf????

reply to post by SpaDe_


I listen to the radio alot.
For the past couple of months I've noticed something very strange.
Sometimes I will turn the sound completely down but the radio will still be on.
Almost everyday my husband myself and our grandson hear this loud beeping sound like Morris Code.
It will be loud even with the radio turn all the way down.
It will be 5-6 loud beeps.
Yesterday I know we heard this at least 6-7 times.
I've never heard anything like this before.
Is it some kind of signal?
What is it?
Has anyone else heard it?


[edit on 20-11-2008 by MagicaRose]

reply to post by bigfoot1212


Thank you for this post i was toying with the same. Mine used to be monthly, now it says "required weekly test" But they have been doing them daily. When at work i have the same A.M. station on all day everyday. I noticed on the last one (scared the cr#p out of me) They actually broke in and i could here background talking for about 3 seconds. Had that can they hear us feel to it. i.e. que the mic see if we actually break in.

To go with that i leave at about 5:30 each night and each night hear a community service notice of something like"do you have enough water and dry food to last you at least 3 days?" "Remember the food in your fridge will be no good" Although this bothers me less as in my parts we are hitting the stormy time of year and alot of people got caught with there pants down a couple years ago.

thanks for all of the replies. this now bring up another question- after everyone has said what time they have the testing why is it when most people are asleep or working? i only noticed this today because i haven't gotten any jobs in the past week and everyday at 10 am they do this but only on certain tv stations. now if i was working( i do construction) how would i ever know if there was some kind of emergency? and when i am sleeping tv is off and no radio. why don't they do the testing at a time when most people would most likely be home- telemarketers have sure as hell figured that one out.

I've heard them actually use the emergency system during a AMBER alert (child abduction). When I lived in Colorado. The long code beeping sounds like a time sync, or along those lines. I'm not sure just guessing.

The National Weather service performs a required monthly test every first Wednesday at 11am. Alert radios go off with the test announcement and sirens are set off. TV and radio stations are required to perform both operational testing and general testing for alerts a few additional times per month.

Homeland Security has dumped $100 of millions into emergency broadcasting across the nation. The first warning of any national emergency will come across the NWS alert system and a couple of other alert systems for specific agencies. Why the NWS alert system, every county emergency management command center has this type of radio already in place. Not to mention the millions of people who also own this type of radios that automatically come on when an alert tone is broadcast.

You will hear weather alerts, civil defense alerts, and amber alerts on this system.

wow, thanks for the great information hinky, I didn't know that... and knowing is half the battle