PORT TOWNSEND – Tuesday’s test of the three tsunami alarm towers in Port Townsend did not go as planned.

The test was supposed to begin with a vocal message, followed by an eight-tone “Big Ben” sequence and conclude with another vocal message.

All that was heard throughout Port Townsend at noon Tuesday from the towers located at the Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven, Hudson Point and Fort Worden was the eight tones and a garbled automated male voice a minute later.

“It was a little disappointing to me,” said Bob Hamlin, program manager for Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management.

Hamlin said he had people stationed in various areas throughout Port Townsend to monitor the effectiveness of the test.

The three towers were simultaneously activated on command from the state Emergency Operations Center at Camp Murray.

The tower at the Boat Haven had a low audio showing on the diagnostic panel, and technicians are scheduled to correct that this morning.