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This is from the Las Vegas NWS site:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAS VEGAS NV
432 PM PDT TUE NOV 1 2011 /432 PM MST TUE NOV 1 2011/

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ON NOVEMBER 9TH AT APPROXIMATELY 11 AM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME...OR NOON MOUNTAIN
STANDARD TIME...THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY WILL
CONDUCT NATIONWIDE TEST OF THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM. IT WILL BE
HEARD ON THE RADIO AND SEEN ON LOCAL...CABLE AND SATELLITE TV.
HOWEVER IT WILL NOT BE HEARD ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

THE PURPOSE OF THE TEST IS TO ASSESS THE READINESS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM AND TO IDENTIFY IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL
MORE EFFECTIVELY SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES TO PRESERVE LIFE AND
PROPERTY. ALTHOUGH THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM IS FREQUENTLY USED
BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO
SEND WEATHER ALERTS AND OTHER EMERGENCIES...THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A
NATIONAL ACTIVATION OF THE SYSTEM. THE NATIONAL TEST MESSAGE WILL
LAST FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES AFTER WHICH REGULAR
PROGRAMMING WILL RESUME. THE NATIONAL TEST MAY LOOK LIKE
REGULAR...LOCAL EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM TESTS THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE
ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH...BUT THERE WILL BE SOME DIFFERENCES IN WHAT
VIEWERS WILL SEE AND HEAR. WHILE THE AUDIO MESSAGE WILL REPEAT
THAT THIS IS A TEST...THE TELEVISION...CABLE OR SATELLITE VIDEO
TEST MESSAGE SCROLL MAY NOT INDICATE THAT THIS IS A TEST MESSAGE.

THE NOAA WEATHER RADIO ROUTINE WEEKLY TEST THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE HELD
ON WEDNESDAY...NOVEMBER 9...WILL BE CANCELLED. REPEATING...NO
ROUTINE WEEKLY TEST WILL BE HELD THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 7TH.

AS FEDERAL...STATE...TRIBAL...AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PREPARE AND
EXAMINE THEIR CAPABILITIES...THIS EVENT SERVES AS A REMINDER THAT
EVERYONE SHOULD ESTABLISH AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS KIT AND
EMERGENCY PLAN FOR THEMSELVES...THEIR FAMILIES...COMMUNITIES...AND
BUSINESSES.

VISIT FEMA DOT GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATIONWIDE TEST OF
THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM.

First off, the ‘annoying buzz’ is a digital signal that tells the encoder at the station what kind of alert it is. Whether a test or an actual emergency, what kind of emergency, and who is activating the system. All that is contained in those three buzzes. For an actual emergency (and for this test), they then activate the Attention Signal, that wonderful slap-in-the-ears we older folks all remember from the old EBS.

Secondly...the test is for THREE minutes at 2 o’clock PM(1400 for those who understand) on the 9th. I have no idea where the heck Drudge is getting his info, but it’s wrong.

Finally...NOTHING IS GOING DOWN. NOTHING IS BEING SHUT OFF. The test is simply interrupting the normal programming, as it was designed to do. No phone systems are being turned off, no network signals will drop, no satellite feeds will go down. Understand: there is no reason for excessive paranoia due to this test.

NO, I don’t work for the government. NO, I’m most certainly NOT an Obama supporter. As a former broadcaster, I can see the benefits of testing the system to see if the darn thing works like it’s supposed to. That being said...is the timing suspect (i.e.; “a demonstration”)? Yes. They could’ve done it at a less conspicuous time.

All I’m saying is...there is nothing to be afraid of with this test.

(And if I’m wrong, you can look me up in the concentration camp later and say “I told you so”. :) )