Is this a real emergency alert?

No — it is a stylized recreation for nostalgic effect, clearly labeled as a test.

No — it is a pure visual animation.

Yes — free, no download, in your browser.

Does it play a real alert tone?

No audio is played — it is a visual-only recreation.

When did the Emergency Broadcast System end?

The Emergency Alert System replaced it in 1997. The earlier system had run since 1963, when it replaced CONELRAD.

What did the old attention tone sound like?

It was a harsh two-tone signal made of 853 and 960 hertz sine waves played together, replacing an earlier 1,000 hertz tone.

Could this saver ever trigger a real alert?

No. It is purely visual, has no connection to alert networks and cannot send or receive any warning.

Emergency Broadcast Card Screensaver

The Emergency Broadcast Card screensaver recreates the classic emergency-broadcast test screen, with its familiar attention-signal graphic and banner. It is free, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.

How the Emergency Broadcast Card screensaver works

The saver draws the familiar striped attention-signal graphic used in routine broadcast test screens.

A scrolling banner reads a clearly labeled "this is only a test" message.

A subtle scanline and flicker effect gives it an authentic analog-broadcast feel.

This is a stylized recreation for nostalgic effect, not a real alert of any kind.

The Emergency Broadcast System test card

From 1963 to 1997 the United States had the Emergency Broadcast System, a national arrangement designed to let the president reach the public quickly over radio and television during war or a grave national crisis. It replaced CONELRAD, the Cold War scheme that used the AM frequencies 640 and 1240 kHz, and the Federal Communications Commission administered it. Stations ran regular tests that opened with the announcement "This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System".

The audible signal was a two-tone attention signal, a combination of 853 and 960 hertz sine waves, which replaced an earlier single 1,000 hertz tone. Television stations showed video slides during tests, and some used a separate slide for the attention signal. The system was succeeded in 1997 by the Emergency Alert System, and the old test graphics and sounds survive as nostalgia.

This saver is a stylised recreation made for atmosphere. It does not interact with any real alert system, and nothing it shows or says is an actual warning. The scanlines and flicker imitate the look of a cathode-ray tube television. If your phone or TV delivers a real alert, it comes through its own channel, not a screensaver.

A worked example

The striped attention graphic pulses gently while the banner text scrolls past, reading clearly as a routine system test, not a real alert.

Settings & tips

Accent recolours the attention-signal stripes.
Clearly labeled as a test — not a real emergency alert.
A nostalgic nod to classic broadcast test screens.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a real emergency alert?: No — it is a stylized recreation for nostalgic effect, clearly labeled as a test.
Is a key needed?: No — it is a pure visual animation.
Is it free?: Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
Does it play a real alert tone?: No audio is played — it is a visual-only recreation.
When did the Emergency Broadcast System end?: The Emergency Alert System replaced it in 1997. The earlier system had run since 1963, when it replaced CONELRAD.
What did the old attention tone sound like?: It was a harsh two-tone signal made of 853 and 960 hertz sine waves played together, replacing an earlier 1,000 hertz tone.
Could this saver ever trigger a real alert?: No. It is purely visual, has no connection to alert networks and cannot send or receive any warning.

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