Analysis of NOAA Weather Radio alert tones (SAME) -- decoded and analyzed

Here we present an explanation of the NOAA Weather Radio alert tones and what they contain.
Tim Vasquez (former Air Force meteorologist) breaks down what's going on across the United States and shows forecasting tips and tricks. I'll give this a shot as a series and see where it goes... if you like it please like, share, and subscribe and I'll keep cranking them out.

[@cutiehatemachine]

I used to be really scared of the SAME header (the sound, as well as the implications, but obviously you’re meant to be alarmed in the latter case!) but seeing it explained like this actually makes me very fascinated with how it works and therefore removes the mystery behind it. That, and the fact people keep referring to it as a duck elsewhere, haha. This is so cool and I’m so happy I’m not immediately upset by the sound anymore. The messaging is there to protect and inform us, after all.

[@bentheswitchsportsfan06]

"Duck" 😂😂😂

[@u80x14]

i want you

[@HapliodHandler]

I had no idea those tones were a data stream. I always assumed they were supposed to sound scary.

[@ForecastLab]

LOL, good point... I guess it all works out.

[@heyitseyevan]

@@ForecastLabwhen i was younger i always thought that the times the end message sound plays was an indicator of how severe the emergency was, now I just know that my car radio just turned off variably

[@ElevatorWasher5000]

@@heyitseyevanthose tones just tell the radio station to go back on the air and same with TVs

[@oswald-the-lucky-rabbit]

that's the second purpose of the tone. 2 birds, one stone am i right?

[@P_RO_]

Interesting overview and explanation. Every home in the US needs a SAME-enabled weather radio along with their smoke detectors. Should be mandatory.

[@newyorkgaming5283]

I don’t know about it being mandatory, but people should definitely have one.

[@kreuner11]

the same-enabled weather radio is called a tv and phone

[@RoonyEAS]

power outages:@@kreuner11

[@ElevatorWasher5000]

I didn’t used to have a smoke detector but I had a NOAA weather radio…

[@RavingPegasus]

I've been searching for the anatomy and a decoded eas tone broadcast. Now I found it. Thanks for making this!

[@klevinaters4681]

Also I love how NWS/EAS has a code for a zombie outbreak... lol

[@chriscollamore5471]

They don't. It's a joke. You can read all codes here: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_Area_Message_Encoding

[@ShockValue500]

The CDW event code is for a Civil Danger Warning which is broadcast whenever a major threat to the public exists.

[@squirleyspitmonkey3926]

Just means "civil danger warning" which would be warning issued in that event.

[@julianvanevera8638]

@@ShockValue500 i just realized, CDW can also stand for Contagious Disease Warning

[@FN32DXer]

@@julianvanevera8638 Nope, it’s a Civil Danger Warning.

[@sethrice9939]

Woah I had no idea. I should have, it’s like dialup or noaa satcom downlinks. I just always assumed it was an audio recording playing based on the SAME code that filtered out the areas you don’t want to hear about. There is so much more! That’s so freakin cool!

[@daftoptimist]

It’s just like a dial-up modem handshake - it may sound random and off-putting, but it’s just the sound of computers talking to one another.

[@mman454]

Thanks for the informative video!

[@thecrankybunny]

I've been able to pick out what the incoming weather alert on my local weather radio is going to be based on the length of the first three bursts alone, with little error (tornado and I think flash flood warnings are about the same to my ears in length). This is a great explanation for everyone to understand why the alert sounds the way it does, thanks!!

[@crypto.7562]

the length is the same no matter what warning it is, the only thing that would change the length of the bursts are the locations the alert is for, all weather events are three letters long.

[@Leadbraw]

awesome

[@tyjuarez]

imagine living in the middle of kansas and a tsunami warning shows up

[@treenelson4063]

cool thanks for the info

[@MJT777X]

Although eerie enough, this is quite interesting It's like a decoding or something

[@Wababungus]

its crazy how all those random noises can be decoded. How does the software get those letters and numbers from the sound? Does each frequency correspond to a letter/ number?

[@ForecastLab]

I can't recall which type of modulation the system uses, but if you search around for audio, modem, and modulation there should be some info. This is the same technology as a slow speed modem.

[@LegoWormNoah101]

@@ForecastLab Frequency Shift Keying

[@aetd106]

It's called audio frequency shift keying - basically one frequency/tone represents a mark/1 and another represents a space/0. When you combine those 1s and 0s you make binary numbers which, correctly decoded, relate to letters and numbers. E.g. in ASCII, an A (capital A) is represented by the number 65 (or 41 in hexadecimal - 100 0001 in binary). Each character is made up of 8 sequential bits, giving values of 0-255, but only 0-127 are used in ASCII so you just add a leading 0. It's very similar to the way modems used to work and why they made weird noises - it's digital data represented as sounds to be transported over an audio medium and decoded back into data at the other end.

[@crypto.7562]

a one is encoded at 2083.3 hz and a 0 is encoded at 1562.5 hz they are 1.92 ms apart.

[@ItsMePhiliph]

I wonder how was this tones designed, who made the decisions that would make data streams to make tones like that? I wanna research that but I don't know how to or where to ask lol. I'm a music producer and sound design geek, and that's why I find it curious!

[@Galactipod]

1:06 *8-25 second

[@cptduckbeard1469]

What program was used for this? and what other programs do u use for radio stuff?

[@user-wk3ce3yj2u]

(Eas comes on) The National Weather Service in Honolulu Hawaii and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center have issued a Typhoon Warning for in Hawaii: Olahu Island, Molokai Island, Maui Island A confirmed dangerous typhoon is on track to strike these Hawaiian islands. Take cover now. This typhoon has confirmed 100 to 150 per hour winds, with unconfirmed reports of 175 to 200 or higher. Damaging hail and flooding rain is also approaching. Contact the National Weather Service or Joint Typhoon Warning Center or tune into your NOAA Weather Radio for more details. (EOM)

[@KidCrazer14]

What is this software? Just curious.

[@Thevectornine]

how does the same decoding work

[@Orc-icide]

It's kind of an emotional experience to find out that the different noises I hear, are some of the most important messages that one can send, within a few seconds... This is from an engineering lens, where everything you make is going to fail horribly in 5000 ways before it succeeds...

[@tredI9100]

holy dingus, that is alot of data

[@Spherey]

what software is this and where can i download it

[@otroclinker]

SeaTTY

[@nicholasmedovich6729]

What’s the hz tone for the slowed EAS SAME

[@ForecastLab]

Looks like Wikipedia has some info: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_Area_Message_Encoding#Format_of_digital_parts

[@RyanColgan1125]

What software is being used to analyze the SAME code?

[@RyanColgan1125]

To Be Announced link for more info?

[@otroclinker]

SeaTTY

[@vending_sodas5]

What software werer you using to decode that?

[@ForecastLab]

To be honest I don't recall, that was put together years ago. It was probably some sort of RTTY decoder.

[@SGANIMATIONS92]

H A P P Y F I L E it was jungler on nextbot theme

[@ISL28587]

what software did you use to decode this?

[@ForecastLab]

I honestly don't recall, this was done many years ago.

[@georgiawx]

seatty

[@vorlitra6879]

hm I thought it was usually to get your attention easier but I guess not

[@entechcore]

The attention tone is to get your attention.

[@Predz-xh5oj]

Woah, really?

[@Devo57]

@@Predz-xh5oj haha

[@SoothingSounds-kq6yg]

Zombie virus?! Well, I don't like the sound of that! Sounds Sirius!

[@fitybux4664]

1:30 "Regional outbreak of a zombie virus"? A joke, right? ZOMBIE virus??? LOL.

[@squirleyspitmonkey3926]

This seriously creeps me the fuck out

[@agoogleuser7738]

These tones aren't used in NWR. These tones can only be heard in SAGE Endec equipment.

[@Wolf_IT]

I'm guessing you're referring to the attention tone? This is true, NWS uses 1050hz. Even so, SAGE Endec equipment is not even close to the only equipment that uses the 853+960hz tones. You've got older TFT equipment (though they're gone now), Trilithic equipment (which was responsible for the black screen EAS messages you typically saw on TV, though that screen seems to be getting more rare now a days, at least on Comcast) and probably others that I don't know of.

[@missywiley3140]

Where's the annoying beeeeeeeeeeep?