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Comment by asgeirn | Hacker News Reader

This switch-off is not without controversy:

- The initial requirement was for at least of 50% of radio listening to be DAB before January 1st, 2015. This requirement was changed in 2011 to "digital listening", including streaming radio over Internet and DVB-T in the statistic. The actual percentage for listening over DAB is not published individually.

- 25% of new cars sold do not support DAB. Cars in Norway have an average lifespan of 10.5 years.

- The majority of road tunnels do not support DAB, and will not support DAB before the FM network is switched off.

This last point means using radio to contact drivers in case of emergency won't be possible at all, because:

1. The 20% of cars using DAB will not be able to receive anything while inside the tunnel.

2. The 80% of cars not using DAB won't have their radio switched on, as there is no reception.

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My problem with this argument is that the FM frequenzy changes inside tunnels in Norway. There is probably a reason for it, but it means that you will have to change to a different frequenzy to continue listening to the same station. In most cases, you will have to read the sign infront of the tunnel to know the frequenzy for that tunnel. In practice, it means you live without radio for the few minutes you are in the tunnel.

I think all these issues will be shadowed by the development of mobile networks. You will plug in your phone, listen to spotify and the navigation will tell you about traffic and accidents.

There was a similar raise of concern in Germany, when the insurances bought the emergency system of the autobahn, which resulted as a non-issue, because shortly after everyone had a cellphone.

But what if there is a natural disaster like a Tsunami (not in Norway of course..) or a storm, or what if Norway is attacked by Sweden. Would a mobile network work in those situations, or would radio be better?

Maybe not, but I'm not sure, if FM would work in that scenario. Google says, that there are two emergency broadcasting systems in Norway:

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_defense_siren#Norway

> https://www.worlddab.org/country-information/norway/history/...

There is also an app for that ^^: http://www.umsalert.com/about

Mobile phones can receive special emergency broadcast messages (for the US see http://www.fcc.gov/guides/wireless-emergency-alerts-wea ). Probably a more effective way of attracting people's attention as well, since we all have a compulsive desire to check our phones the second they vibrate.

Radio is worthless in an emergency unless there's:

- Someone in the booth. 24/7. No downtime. No autopilot. No sign-offs. No bathroom breaks without someone to cover. No excuses. If the weather gets bad, have at least two shifts in the station. Bring cots.

This has already been a problem: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minot_train_derailment

- A way to get information to the radio station when every other method of communication is down. Satellite is not an option, because Earth stations can be disabled by severe wind or heavy snowfall. Point-to-point microwave is killed by heavy precipitation (rain fade, boys and girls) or widespread blackouts. Blackouts also kill Internet links. That isn't even considering man-made disasters.

- Repeated, serious testing of this stuff, before it's too late, with real consequences for people who fail. And, yes, in this context, having a good reason is failure. Having a good excuse is failure. "Lessons learned" is always, always, always don't fail.

- And, finally, a guarantee that people will hear the message when it goes out, not when their brother's friend's wife's accountant's CPA tells them, and most certainly not over social media. If SMS is more effective than FM in this role, FM has failed at the task.

That's the bare minimum to be taken seriously as an emergency alarm and disaster broadcast medium.

While I take your points, see my other reply, it sounds like the Minot train derailment is being used for anti-radio consolidation propaganda as opposed to a real and useful object lesson about the role of AM and FM consumer radio. The critical details per the Wikipedia article are that the Emergency Alert System was not activated by any of the authorities who could do it, which didn't include the radio stations themselves, and who's listening to the radio at 2:30 am for putative local announcers to do their thing?

I think you're overly focused on immediate emergency announcements, where you should not depend on normal consumer AM and FM radio, vs. in the US systems like sirens and NOAA radios with their alarm system. Local consumer radio is much more useful for follow on information, once people are alerted and desire to find out more information.

> I think you're overly focused on immediate emergency announcements, where you should not depend on normal consumer AM and FM radio

Except this is precisely the claim I was responding to: The idea that consumer AM/FM radio should be preserved for precisely that kind of prompt emergency announcement functionality, and to maintain communications after other communications methods have been knocked out in a severe emergency.

The Minot Train Derailment was a disaster for multiple reasons, as disasters often are, but my point stands: The FM station was unmanned, because it was part of a national network and broadcasting a satellite feed, and the local authorities falsely assumed there was someone there who could break into the programming to deliver an emergency message. The fact the sirens also didn't go off is somewhat beside the point I'm making.

Norway causes tsunamis rather than suffering from them: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsunamis_affecting_the_British...

To my last point: The FM transmitters inside road tunnels have the ability to interrupt the transmission for emergency announcements. This capability will effectively be lost.

You cannot be guaranteed mobile phone reception inside the tunnel. Coverage is typically done using a leaky feeder, relying on base stations on either end of the tunnel.

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