Emergency Broadcast System (partially lost Emergency Warning System; 1963-1997)

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A video slide that was used to announce an EBS test on KEYC-TV in Mankato, Minnesota.

Status: Partially Lost

The Emergency Broadcast System (aka Emergency Action Notification System or EBS for short) was an emergency warning system used in the United States from 1963 in which replaced the CONELRAD up until 1997 when it was replaced by the Emergency Alert System. However, as the EBS was replaced by the EAS, recordings of EBS Tests & Warnings have become obscure and very hard to find.

EBS Broadcasts

EBS Stress Test (1963-1976)

During the early days of the EBS, stations would turn their transmitters on and off and transmit a 1000 Hz tone for 15 seconds and announce the test message. This became known as the EBS Stress Test by broadcasters due to the repeat nature of turning their transmitters on and off and the high chance for the equipment to malfunction. [1]

Recovery

On August 27th, 2020, a YouTuber named Ellis Feaster uploaded a KDKA 1020AM Radio Air Check featuring an EBS Stress Test from December of 1969. This is the oldest known EBS Test recording to date. The rare recording can be heard below.

EBS Stress Test starts at 14:55.

EBS Video Slides (1976-1997)

Beginning around 1976, each station was given a video card, in which various designs became available over the span of twenty years.

Around 100 EBS Video Slides (Mainly EBS Tests) from all different stations resurfaced online. It's unlikely that all EBS Video Slides will ever be recovered as there were hundreds of them made for each station throughout the United States.

List of Known EBS Video Slides

Note: Truly Lost EBS video slides are not listed since they are considered lost while ones that used to be on the internet but were unfortunately deleted are listed.

Station Affiliation Channel Number Location Video Slide Type Years Used Status
KABC ABC 7 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
KABC ABC 7 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1987 Found
KAME FOX 21 Reno, NV EBS Test 1986-1993 Found
KARE NBC 11 Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test 1996 Found
KATU ABC 2 Portland, OR EBS Test c. 1980s Found (Bad Quality)
KATV ABC 7 Little Rock, AR EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
KBMY & KMOT ABC 17 (KBMY) 14 (KMOT) Bismarck, ND & Minot, ND EBS Test 1985-1997 Found
KCAL Independent 9 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1989-1997 Found
KCAL Independent 9 Los Angeles, CA EBS Warning 1992 Found
KCBS CBS 2 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1988-1994 Found
KCCI CBS 8 Des Moines, IA EBS Test 1979-1991 Found
KCEN ABC (from 1984 until 1985) NBC (until 1984, from 1985) 13 Temple, TX & Waco, TX EBS Test 1984-1995 Partially Found
KCPQ FOX (from 1986) 13 Seattle, WA EBS Test 1980-199? Found
KDBC CBS 4 El Paso, TX, Carlsbad, NM & Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua EBS Test 1989-1997 Found
KDKA CBS 2 Pittsburgh, PA EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
KELO, KDLO & KPLO CBS 3 (KDLO), 6 (KPLO) & 11 (KELO) Sioux Falls, SD & Others EBS Test 1986?-1997 Found
KESQ ABC 42 Palm Springs, CA, Palm Desert, CA & Indio, CA EBS Test 1986–199? Found
KETV ABC 7 Omaha, NE EBS Test 1976-1984 Found
KEYC CBS 12 Mankato, MN EBS Test 1976-1990? Found
KEYC CBS 12 Mankato, MN EBS Test 1990?-1994 Found
KFCB Independent 42 San Francisco, CA EBS Test 1983-19?? Found
KFDM CBS 6 Beaumont, TX EBS Test 1983-1997 Found
KGMB CBS 9 Honolulu, HI EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
KGO ABC 7 San Francisco, CA EBS Test 1985-1997 Found
KHJ Independent 9 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1976-1989? Partially Found
KHOU CBS 11 Houston, TX EBS Test 1987-1989 Found (w/No Attention Signal)
KHOU CBS 11 Houston, TX EBS Test 1989-1997 Found
KICU Independent 36 San Jose, CA & San Francisco, CA EBS Test 1981-1992 Found
KIMA CBS 29 Yakima, WA EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
KING NBC 5 Seattle, WA EBS Test 1976-1985 Found
KIRO CBS 7 Seattle, WA EBS Test 1985-1994 Found
KIXE PBS 9 Redding, CA EBS Test 198?-1997 Found
KLGT Independent 23 Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test 1992-1995 Found
KMBC ABC 9 Kansas City, MO EBS Test 1982-1997 Found
KMGH ABC 7 Denver, CO EBS Test 1995-1997 Found
KMSP Independent 9 Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test 1979-1986 Found
KMTV CBS 3 Omaha, NE EBS Test 1986-1997 Found
KNBC NBC 4 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1982-1986 Found
KNBC NBC 4 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1986-1994 Found
KNBC NBC 4 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1994-1997 Found
KNOE CBS 8 Monroe, LA EBS Test 1980–1997 Found
KNXT CBS 2 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1981-1984 Found
KNXV ON TV 15 Phoenix, AZ EBS Test 1982-1986 Partially Found
KOMO ABC 4 Seattle, WA EBS Test 1987-1997 Found
KOVR ABC 13 Stockton, CA & Sacramento, CA EBS Test 1978-1987 Found
KPIX CBS 5 San Francisco, CA EBS Test 1983-1994 Found
KPRC NBC 2 Houston, TX EBS Test 1985-1994 Found
KPTM FOX (from 1988) 42 Omaha, NE EBS Test 1986-1997 Found
KPTV Independent (until 1993) 12 Portland, OR EBS Test Early 1980s-1995 Found
KRIV FOX 26 Houston, TX EBS Test 1986-199? Found
KRON NBC 4 San Francisco, CA EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
KSCH Independent 58 Stockton, CA & Sacramento, CA EBS Test 1986-1995 Found
KSHB FOX 42 Kansas City, MO EBS Test 1992-1994 Partially Found
KSL CBS (until 1995) NBC (from 1995) 5 Salt Lake City, UH EBS Test 1981-1997 Found
KSPR ABC 33 Springfield, MO EBS Test 1986-1997 Found
KSPS PBS 7 Spokane, WA EBS Test c. 1980s Found
KSTP NBC (until 1979) ABC (from 1979) 5 Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
KTCA PBS 2 Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test 1986-1988 Found
KTLA Independent 5 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1981-1997 Found
KTRK ABC 13 Houston, TX EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
KTRV FOX 12 Boise, ID EBS Test 1996 Found
KTSF Independent 26 San Francisco, CA EBS Test c. 1980s Found
KTTV Independent 11 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1976-1984 Found
KTTV Independent 11 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1984-1986 Found
KTTV FOX 11 Los Angeles, CA EBS Test 1986-1994 Found
KTVK Independent 3 Phoenix, AZ EBS Warning 198?-1997 Found
KTVO & WOI ABC 3 (KTVO) & 5 (WOI) Kirksville, MO, Ottumwa, IA & Des Moines, IA EBS Test 1988-1996 Found
KTVT CBS 11 Dallas, TX & Fort Worth, TX EBS Test 1985-1995 Found
KVIA & KAVE ABC 7 (KVIA) & 6 (KAVE) El Paso, TX, Carlsbad, NM & Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua EBS Test 1979-1987 Found
KVIA & KVIO ABC 7 (KVIA) & 6 (KVIO) El Paso, TX, Carlsbad, NM & Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua EBS Test 1987-1997 Found
KVLY NBC 11 Fargo, ND EBS Test 1995-1997 Found
KVOS CBS 12 Bellingham, WA & Vancouver, BC EBS Test 1979-1988 Found
KVVU Fox (from 1986) 5 Las Vegas, NV EBS Test 1985-1997 Found
KWEX Univision 41 San Antonio, TX EBS Test 1987?-1990? Found (in Spanish)
KYVE PBS 47 Yakima, WA EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
KYW NBC (Until 1995) CBS (From 1995) 3 Philadelphia, PA EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
WABC ABC 7 New York City, NY EBS Test c. 1990s Found
WATL Independent 36 Atlanta, GA EBS Test 1981-1986 Lost
WATL FOX 36 Atlanta, GA EBS Test 1986-199? Found
WAVE NBC 3 Louisville, KY EBS Test 199?-1997 Found
WAVY NBC 10 Portsmouth, VA EBS Test 1989-1997 Found
WBAL CBS 11 Baltimore, MD EBS Test 1985-1990 Found
WBAL CBS (until 1995) NBC (from 1995) 11 Baltimore, MD EBS Test 1990-1997 Found
WBBM CBS 2 Chicago, IL EBS Test Early 1980s-1995 Found
WBFS Independent 33 Miami, FL EBS Test 1984-1995 Found
WBNG CBS 12 Binghamton, NY EBS Test 1995-1997 Found
WBZ NBC (until 1995) CBS (from 1995) 4 Boston, MA EBS Test 1987-1997 Found
WCBS CBS 2 New York City, NY EBS Test 1976-1981 Found
WCBS CBS 2 New York City, NY EBS Test 1981-1984 Found
WCMH NBC 4 Columbus, OH EBS Test 1980-1997 Found
WCCO CBS 4 Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
WDCA Independent 20 Washington, D.C. EBS Test 1986-1993 Found
WEAR ABC 3 Pensacola, FL & Mobile, AL EBS Test 1987-1997 Found
WEWS ABC 5 Cleveland, OH EBS Test/Warning 1976-198? Partially Found (Not an EBS Alert but the slide has been used in EBS Alerts.)
WFAA ABC 8 Dallas, TX & Fort Worth, TX EBS Test 1976-1983? Found
WFAA ABC 8 Dallas, TX & Fort Worth, TX EBS Test 1983?-1992? Partially Found
WFAA ABC 8 Dallas, TX & Fort Worth, TX EBS Test 1992?-1997 Lost
WFLD Independent 32 Chicago, IL EBS Test 1983-1986 Found
WFMJ NBC 21 Youngstown, OH EBS Warning 1986-1994 Found
WFRV ABC (Until 1992) CBS (From 1992) 5 Green Bay, WI EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
WFSB CBS 3 Hartford, CT & New Haven, CT EBS Test 1983-1993 Found
WFTS FOX 28 Tampa, FL EBS Test 1987-1994 Lost
WGBH & WGBX PBS 2 & 44 Boston, MA EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
WGBS Independent 57 Philadelphia, PA EBS Test 1981-1994 Found
WGGT Independent 48 Greensboro, NC EBS Test 1981-1991 Found
WGN Independent 9 Chicago, IL EBS Test 1976-1983 Found (w/only 853hz tone)
WGN Independent 9 Chicago, IL EBS Test 1983-1992 Found
WGN Independent 9 Chicago, IL EBS Warning 1983-1992 Found
WGN Independent 9 Chicago, IL EBS Termination Message 1983-1992 Found
WGN Independent 9 Chicago, IL EBS Test 1992-1997 Found
WGTE PBS 30 Toledo, OH EBS Test c. 1980s Partially Found
WHAS ABC 11 Louisville, KY EBS Test 1977-1991 Found
WHAS ABC 11 Louisville, KY EBS Test 1991-1997 Found
WHLL Independent 27 Boston, MA EBS Test 1986-1993 Partially Found (w/wrong 1Khz Tone)
WHME Independent 46 South Bend, IN EBS Test 1991?-1997 Found
WHO NBC 13 Des Moines, IA EBS Test 1996 Found
WHP CBS 21 Harrisburg, PA EBS Test Early 1980s-1988 Found
WJAR NBC 10 Providence, RI EBS Test 1980-1997 Found
WJBK CBS 2 Detroit, MI EBS Test 1983-1988 Found
WJLA ABC 7 Washington, D.C. EBS Test 1984-1997 Found
WJW CBS (until 1994) FOX (from 1994) 8 Cleveland, OH EBS Test 1985-1995 Found
WJZ ABC (until 1995) CBS (from 1995) 13 Baltimore, MD EBS Test 1976-1997 Found
WKBD FOX 50 Detroit, MI EBS Test 1984-1994 Found
WKBS Independent 48 Philadelphia, PA EBS Test 1976-1981 Partially Found
WKBS Independent 48 Philadelphia, PA EBS Test 1981-1983 Found
WKYC NBC 3 Cleveland, OH EBS Test Early 1980s-1995? Found
WLEX NBC 18 Lexington, KY EBS Test c. 1980s Found
WLNE CBS 6 New Bedford, MA & Providence, RI EBS Test 1980-1993 Partially Found
WLNE CBS (until 1995) ABC (from 1995) 6 New Bedford, MA & Providence, RI EBS Test 1993-1997 Found
WLS ABC 7 Chicago, IL EBS Test Early 1980s-Late 1980s Found
WLS ABC 7 Chicago, IL EBS Test Late 1980s-1997 Found
WLUK NBC 11 Green Bay, WI EBS Test 1987-1992 Found
WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago, IL EBS Test 1976-1992 Found
WMAQ NBC 5 Chicago, IL EBS Test 1992-1997 Found
WMAR NBC (until 1995) ABC (from 1995) 2 Baltimore, MD EBS Test 1981-1997 Found
WMC NBC 5 Memphis, TN EBS Test 1995-1997 Found
WNAC CBS 7 Boston, MA EBS Test 1977-1981 Found
WNBC NBC 4 New York City, NY EBS Test 1979-1986 Found
WNBC NBC 4 New York City, NY EBS Test 1986-1992 Found
WNDU NBC 16 South Bend, IN EBS Test 1986-1994 Found
WNEO & WEAO PBS 45 (WNEO) 49 (WEAO) Alliance, OH & Akron, OH EBS Test 1986-1994 Found
WNYB Various 49 Buffallo, NY EBS Test 1987-1997 Found
WNYT NBC 13 Albany, NY EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
WNYW FOX 5 New York City, NY EBS Test 1986-1993 Found
WNYW FOX 5 New York City, NY EBS Test 1993-1997 Found
WOR Independent 9 New York City, NY EBS Test 1976-198? Partially Found
WOR/WWOR Independent 9 New York City, NY EBS Test 198?-1995 Found
WOSU PBS 34 Columbus, OH EBS Test 1980-1992 Found
WPBN & WTOM NBC 7 (WPBN) 4 (WTOM) Traverse City, MI & Cadillac, MI EBS Test 1984-1990 Found
WPIX Independent 11 New York City, NY EBS Test 1976-1990 Found
WPTF NBC 28 Durham, NC & Raleigh, NC EBS Test 1987-1991 Partially Found
WPTF NBC 28 Durham, NC & Raleigh, NC EBS Warning 1987-1991 Found
WPVI ABC 6 Philadelphia, PA EBS Test 1986-1997 Found
WPXI NBC 11 Pittsburgh, PA EBS Test 1987-1997 Found
WRAU ABC 19 Peoria, IL, Bloomington, IL & Normal, IL EBS Test 1976-1985 Partially Found
WROC NBC 8 Rochester, NY EBS Test 1986-1989 Found
WSAZ NBC 3 Huntington, WV EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
WSB ABC 2 Atlanta, GA EBS Test 1985-1997 Found
WSET ABC 13 Lynchburg, VA & Roanoke, VA EBS Test 1992-1997 Found
WSM NBC 4 Nashville, TN EBS Test 1976-1981 Found
WSMH FOX 66 Flint, MI EBS Test 1984-1997 Found
WSMV NBC 4 Nashville, TN EBS Test 1981-1994 Found
WSNS ON TV 44 Chicago, IL EBS Test 1976-1985 Partially Found
WSYX ABC 6 Columbus, OH EBS Test 1987-1995? Found
WTBS TBS 17 Atlanta, GA EBS Test 1981-1990 Found (w/No Attention Signal)
WTBS TBS 17 Atlanta, GA EBS Test 1990-1997 Found (Bad Quality)
WTCN NBC 11 Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test 1979-1984 Partially Found
WTSP ABC (until 1994) CBS (from 1994) 10 Tampa, FL EBS Test 1992-1997 Found
WTTG Independent 5 Washington, DC EBS Test 1984-1986 Partially Found
WTVD ABC 11 Durham, NC & Raleigh, NC EBS Test 1984-1997 Found
WTVH CBS 5 Syracuse, NY EBS Test 1980-1993 Found
WTVT CBS 13 Tampa, FL EBS Test 1978-1989 Partially Found
WTXF FOX (from 1986) 29 Philadelphia, PA EBS Test Early 1980s-1995 Found
WVIA PBS 44 Scranton, PA & Wilkes-Barre, PA EBS Test 199?-1997 Partially Found
WVIT NBC 30 Hartford, CT & New Haven, CT EBS Map Display 1976-1986 Found
WVIT NBC 30 Hartford, CT & New Haven, CT EBS Map Display 1986-1997 Found
WVIZ PBS 25 Cleveland, OH EBS Test Before 1976-19?? Found
WVTV Independent 18 Milwaukee, WI EBS Test 1978-1987 Found
WVTV Independent 18 Milwaukee, WI EBS Test 1987-1991 Found
WVTV Independent 18 Milwaukee, WI EBS Test 1991-1997 Found
WXIN FOX 59 Indianapolis, IN EBS Test 1994-1997 Found
WXYZ ABC 7 Detroit, MI EBS Test 1976-1989? Found
All Prarie PBS TV Stations PBS Various North Dakota EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
All Rocky Mountain PBS TV Stations PBS Various Colorado EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
All Twin Cities PBS TV Stations PBS Various Minneapolis, MN & Saint Paul, MN EBS Test Early 1980s-1997 Found
K??? ?? ?? Salt Lake City, UH EBS Test c. 1988 Found

Reference