Advertisement
Products & Newsletters
Radio Currents Online - Dec 19 - Jan 1, 2006
Radio technology news updated as it happens.
Click here to view the Currents Online archive.
Click here to receive the Currents Online Weekly E-mail.
News
NAB Announces 60th Annual NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference Lineup
Washington - Jan 1, 2006 - The program for the 60th Annual NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference, to take place April 22 to 27 in Las Vegas, has been announced. The NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference Committee, the Society of Broadcast Engineers and the NAB Science and Technology Department have collaborated to organize the technical program. What follows is a summary of the sessions that relate to radio.
April 22
Tutorial: RF 101-A Brush Up for Broadcast Engineers
Dana Myers, Harris
Opening Remarks
Frederick Baumgartner, Ennes Educational Trust; John Poray, Society of Broadcast Engineers
How HD Radio Works
Gary Liebisch, Harris Corporation
Engineering Considerations for Digital Microwave STL, TSL and ICR
Scott Nelson, Alcatel/Wireless Transmission Division
Towers I've Known
Scott Fybush, freelance author
Tutorial: Making DTV Measurements
John Freberg, The Freberg Engineering Company; Greg Best, Greg Best Consulting
Inside the Mediaflo Transmission System
Tom Mikkelsen, Qualcomm Mediaflo
Transmitters I Have Known
James O'Neal, TVT
Designing the Transmitter Facility
Scott Barella, Burst Video
Consumer Over the Air DTV Antennas
Kerry Cozad, Dielectric Communications
RF Delusions
Doug Lung, Telemundo Group
April 23
Speaker to be announced
HD Radio - Dealing with the Delay, Implications for Studio Monitoring and Live Remote Broadcasts
Paul Shulins, Greater Media, Boston
Design Considerations and Real Life Performance of a Multichannel Analog/Digital FM Antenna/Combiner System
Henry Downs, Dielectric Communications
A New, Efficient, Low-profile AM Antenna
Tom King, Kintronic Labs, Inc.
Free Software, Low-cost Replacement of a Commercial Internet WAN Router
Federico Grau, Radio Free Asia
BRIC in Action-Real World Experiences with the Broadcast Reliable Internet Codec
Tom Hartnett, Comrex
A Primer on IP Audio Networking
Bob Band, Harris
Experiences Writing a Media Archive Server Which Is Flexible and Can Easily Interconnect with Other Software Systems
Oleg Uskov, Radio Free Asia
Advantages of an Integrated Audio Transport System
Steve Edie, Harris
IP Audio Networks in the Real World: How MPR, Univision and the University of Indianapolis Are Using IP-Audio to Solve Problems
Clark Novack, Axia Audio
April 24
Emergency Response Applications for DTV
Mark O'Brien, Spectrarep
Hurricane Katrina-Disaster Preparedness
Rick Barber, WWL-TV/CBS
Katrina-Hurricane Damage and Emergency Measures
Michael Patton, Michael Patton and Assoc.
Maintaining and Restoring Broadcasting in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina
Ernest Harvey Jr., WPXL TV
Common Sense Rules to Uncommon Events
Andrew Janitschek, Radio Free Asia
Disaster Preparedness-Selling it and Doing it
Josh Hadden, Clear Channel Radio
Building a Robust and Resilient Broadcast Facility: ESPN's Digital Center
Theodore Szypulski, ESPN
Disaster Recovery Plans for Antenna Systems
Kerry Cozad, Dielectric Communications
Disaster Recovery Preparation: A Summary of the FCC's MSRC Toolkit Committee Work
Jay Adrick, Harris; Bob Ross, CBS
Digital Emergency Alerting System with FM Infrastructure Case Study
Matthew Straeb, Global Security Systems
Media Delivery from an Inflatable Ball?
Paul Gierow, GATR Technologies
DRM Progress in Developing a Capability in the Broadcasting Bands above 25 MHz
Donald Messer, DRM
Correlation of Predicted Signal Strength and Real World Receivability of Digital Radio
Quentin Howard, Digital One Ltd
Digital Shortwave Reliability Analysed with Deutsche Welle's DRM Monitoring
Andy Giefer, Deutsche Welle
April 25
Monitoring RF Safety at a Multiuser Site
John Lyons, The Durst Organization
Nier: Fads and Fallacies
Steve Lockwood, Hatfield and Dawson
Structural Standards for Design, Construction and Operation of Broadcast Towers
Ernest Jones, Electronics Research Inc.
Delivering the HD Radio Data Stream from Studio to Transmitter
Gary Liebisch, Harris
Spectral Re-growth in Analog Transmitters
Bob Surette, Shively Labs
Creating Live Concert 5.1 Surround Broadcasts for HD Radio
Mike Pappas, KUVO Radio
Real-Time Traffic Data-The Value Proposition
Joseph Reed, Traffic.com
5.1 Multi Channel Audio Contribution and Distribution - Matrix, Watermark or Discrete-APT Presents a Working Example for Each Requirement
Jon McClintock, APT Audio Processing Technology
Navigating the Transition to Digital Radio
John Gardner, Texas Instruments
Prospects for Surround Sound Broadcasting in IBOC Digital Radio
Skip Pizzi, Microsoft
Up Digital Phasor for AM Directional Antenna Systems
Mario Hieb
Single Frequency Networks/Gap Fillers in HD Radio Create New Possibilities
Anders Mattsson, Harris
An AM Signalling System (AMSS)
John Sykes, BBC World Service
Advanced Services for HD Radio
Joseph D'Angelo, Ibiquity Digital
Podcasting How-to
Brian Parsons, Clear Channel Radio
April 26
The Interaction of AM Antenna Load Impedance and the RF Power Amplifier
Ky Luu, Harris; Ronald Rackley, du Treil, Lundin and Rackley
IBOC Signal Quality
David Maxson, Broadcast Signal Lab
HD Radio Coverage Measurement and Prediction
John Kean, National Public Radio
Transmitter Output Power Measurement in Digital Broadcast Systems
Tim Holt, Bird Electronic
Virtual Test Methods, a Better Way of Extending FM Performance Measurements
Anders Mattsson, Harris
Monitoring the Real World of HD Radio
Tom Walker, Ibiquity Digital Corporation
The NAB Engineering Achievement Awards for radio and television will be presented following a keynote address.
Applying Ferrite Circulators to Better Isolate HD Radio-Combined Transmitters
Keith Mullin, Harris
Aviation Obstruction Lighting: OEM Parts-New Regulations and Their Impact
Dan Harris, Flash Technology/Dielectric Communications
Separating Processing from Its Effects
David Reaves, Translantech Sound
Improvements to FM and IBOC Signal Quality through the Use of Pre-equalization
Michael Woods, Nautel
Pre-correction of Analog FM Signals to Correct for Filterplexer Distortions
Anders Mattsson, Harris
IBOC Digital Radio Receiver Fundamentals
Dave Wilson, Consumer Electronics Association; Michael Bergman, Kenwood; John Crisco, Polk Audio; Bruce Young, Radiosophy
April 27
The conference schedule is subject to change. Check the NAB Website for updates.
FCC to Automatically Delete Unconstructed Permits from ULS
Washington - Dec 20, 2005 - On Jan. 21, 2005, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau of the FCC issued a public notice announcing that it had initiated the development of an automated feature in its Universal Licensing System (ULS) for all wireless services that will identify those licenses, locations or frequencies for which a timely notice of construction or a request for an extension of the construction or coverage period has not been filed by the required deadline. Where the Wireless Service includes construction or coverage requirements and the licensee fails to submit a notice of construction or request for an extension in a timely manner, ULS will notify the licensee that its license, location or frequency has automatically terminated and will list the license, location or frequency on a weekly public notice as automatically terminated.
The Bureau originally planned to implement this process in June 2005, but postponed the effective date to allow additional time for licensees to submit late-filed construction notifications along with requests for waiver of the notification deadline. The effective date was further delayed by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
The FCC will implement its ULS Automated Termination process on Feb. 1, 2006. The FCC released a public notice to allow licensees to file construction notifications and requests for extensions of construction deadlines.
The FCC will also release another public notice outlining the procedures involved under this Automated Termination feature in ULS. Information on construction or coverage requirements, and instructions on how to file a notice of construction or a request for an extension of time are available at wireless.fcc.gov/licensing/const-req.
The Society of Broadcast Engineers is preparing a checklist to help stations ensure that they are prepared for the pending deadline without risk of automatically losing potentially affected licenses.
Soundexchange to Audit Internet Music Sites
Washington - Dec 23, 2005 – Soundexchange, the sole entity designated by the United States Copyright Office to collect royalties from noninteractive Internet music services that stream sound recordings pursuant to compulsory licenses established by Congress, has announced a plan to begin auditing digital music services to ensure that they are accurately paying royalties that are due copyright owners and performers.
Soundexchange is starting its enforcement program by focusing on the sites that would owe the most royalties under the statutory licenses. The audits will begin sometime after Feb. 1, 2006, and will cover the years 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Soundexchange released a list of the streamers, which includes AOL, Beethoven.com, Bonneville International, Clear Channel Communications, Cox Radio Interactive, Live365 and Susquehanna Radio. Soundexchange spokemen said that organization intends to commence regular audits of services to ensure that services are competing on a level playing field.
Senate Confirms FCC Commissioners
Washington - Dec 21, 2005 - The United States Senate has confirmed Tennessee regulator Deborah Tate to fill the Republican seat on the Federal Communications Commission and Michael Copps to serve another term in a Democrat seat. A voice vote confirmed the nominations. President Bush has not yet nominated anyone for the remaining Republican seat.
Tate fills the remaining portion of a five-year term that expires June 30, 2007. She has been a director at the Tennessee Regulatory Authority and previously served as its chairman. She also served in various roles for two Tennessee governors.
An FCC commissioner since 2001 and previously an aide to retired Sen. Ernest Hollings, Copps begins a new five-year term that expires on June 30, 2010.
Business
Pristine Systems Acquires Summit Software
Los Angeles - Dec 27, 2005 - Pristine Systems has acquired Summit Software Systems, a provider of traffic and billing and ad sales management systems for radio, TV and cable.
XM Launches Fulltime Surround Channels
Washington - Dec 28, 2005 - XM Satellite Radio will broadcast select XM music channels in 5.1 surround sound full time. To be demonstrated at CES, the new service is called XM HD Surround. Neural Audio's surround sound technology will be used for the service. The service will launch in March 2006.
XM will broadcast the free-form music channel Fine Tuning and the classical pops music channel XM Pops in XM HD Surround. XM will also broadcast several special shows and live music performances at the XM studios in XM HD Surround. XM manufacturing partners including Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer and Yamaha will introduce home audio systems capable of playing XM HD Surround in 2006.
Statmon Technologies and Sound Broadcast Services Partner for Facility Management Distribution
Los Angeles and Midlands, UK - Dec 22, 2005 - Statmon Technologies and Sound Broadcast Services Limited, parent company of SBS and Eddystone Broadcast, have completed a formal OEM agreement to distribute Statmon's Axess remote control and facility management system. The agreement allows SBS and Eddystone worldwide rights to distribute Statmon's Axess products bundled with SBS or Eddystone radio and television transmitter products. The SBS group may also resell Axess products on a stand-alone basis outside of North America.
Sound Broadcast Services manufactures radio and digital television broadcast transmission products and services. Statmon Technologies manufacturers remote control, monitoring and facilities management systems.
Unique Interactive Supplies Text Display System to Harris
London and Mason, OH - Dec 19, 2005 - Unique Interactive and Harris have partnered to integrate the Unique Interactive Display Text system into the Harris HD Radio product line. The Unique Interactive Man DLS is an online tool to create, manage and schedule dynamic text for display on HD Radio receivers. In its basic mode, the system links with playout systems for track and artist data, much like RBDS. Advanced modes within Man DLS link the system to information databases for traffic, news and weather, and integrate that data into the existing text stream for live broadcast to an HD Radio receiver. The software also manages sponsor-oriented promotional messages to insert them directly into the broadcast stream from Internet-connected studios. All text-based messages can be scheduled to start and finish within specific time periods.
Man DLS will be rebranded as a Harris product.
|
People
Westwood One Promotes Robinson to SVP
New York, NY - Dec 20, 2005 - Beth Robinson assumes the position of senior vice president of radio network operations and engineering in New York for Westwood One. In this new role, Robinson will continue to oversee all day-to-day radio network operations responsibilities for New York and Washington as well as add oversight of the production and engineering functions.
A 24-year veteran of network radio, Beth Robinson has worked for Westwood One for the past five years, first as director and then vice president of broadcast operations. Prior to joining Westwood One, Robinson served as director of operations for the CBS Radio Networks. In addition, she is a member of the national board of American Women in Radio and Television and served as chairman of the Area Management Committee. As an adjunct professor of communications, Robinson has taught at Montclair State University of New Jersey, Ramapo College of New Jersey and the State University of New York, Rockland Community College.
Harris Adds Kneller to Marketing Initiatives
Cincinnati - Dec 20, 2005 - Hal Kneller, manager of public radio initiatives, has been assigned additional strategic marketing responsibilities for the Harris Radio Broadcast Systems business unit. Kneller will continue to represent Harris for National Public Radio (NPR) and public radio projects while also providing leadership in marketing strategy for the company’s radio business. Based in Punta Gorda, FL, he will continue to report to Roland Eid, director, North American sales and marketing.
Kneller rejoined Harris in 2002 as radio district sales manager for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. He was promoted to manager, public radio initiatives in March 2004, working directly with NPR and its member stations and other public radio providers, including state networks. He is also Harris’ liaison between the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.
Kneller has owned and operated radio stations in Florida and Arkansas and has also served as a consultant to stations that are moving or rebuilding their facilities. Prior to rejoining Harris, he was director of radio engineering for NPR affiliates WGCU-FM/WMKO-FM and Radio Reading Service in Fort Myers/Naples/Marco, FL. In addition to his ongoing involvement in HD Radio, he has served on the NAB Digital Audio Broadcasting Task Force and its predecessor, the NAB AM Improvement Committee, and currently serves on the Advisory Board of Ibiquity. He was elected as an International Association of Audio Information Services Public Director in 2001.
Kneller is SBE certified as a professional broadcast engineer, a certified broadcast network technologist and an AM directional antenna specialist.
Sennheiser Promotes Six
Old Lyme, CT - Dec 20, 2005 - Sennheiser Electronic has further extended its professional products management team by promoting six employees to new positions within the marketing and sales department. The organizational shift focuses on defining responsibilities for professional systems, music industry (MI) and installed sound market segments. To handle overall professional sound and MI, Mark Humrichouser was promoted to the newly created position of industry team manager-professional systems and music industry with Joe Wagoner assuming the newly created counterpart position as industry team leader-installed sound.
Humrichouser joined Sennheiser Electronic in 1997 as market development manager and moved into the position of eastern regional sales manager in 1999. Wagoner started with Sennheiser in 2001 as market development manager-western region and moved to Old Lyme earlier this year to assume the position of product manager-audiology infrared and conferencing systems.
Humrichouser will be responsible for all aspects of marketing and distribution to the professional systems and MI channels, with Wagoner handling the same for installed sound. Both will serve as the pivot point between the factory, Sennheiser's U.S. office and the marketplace regarding product development, distribution strategy, channel communications strategic growth initiatives and promotional campaigns.
Humrichouser and Wagoner will be supported by a product management organization: Chris Phillips will assume the responsibility of product manager-professional systems products and Robb Blumenreder will move into the position of product manager-music industry products. Both report to Humrichouser.
On the installed sound front, Vanessa Jensen assumes the responsibilities of product manager-installed sound with Dennis Zembower in the new position of market development manager tourguide and Guideport systems. Both report to Wagoner.
Products
Wheatstone Updates Generation Software for Mix-minus
New Bern, NC - Dec 21, 2005 - Wheatstone has added mix-minus assignment flexibility in its control surface software created for its Generation line of control surfaces. The latest version of the software now allows the mix-minus bus assignments for a particular source to be saved at set-up and then recalled later when the source is recalled on any control surface channel. Settings for the same source may be different when recalled on different control surfaces in a networked system. The mix-minus assignment functions then effectively follow the source through any routing path, with settings that can vary from studio to studio. The source follow functionality can be disabled to maintain the traditional fader channel based assignments.
Enco Systems Intros Content-Adaptive Processing for Omnia
Southfield, MI - Dec 28, 2005 - Enco Systems has unveiled CAP, a content-adaptive processing option for the company's DAD digital audio delivery system. CAP can automatically adjust an Omnia audio processor's settings to match the specific audio program needs. Audio processing characteristics can be grouped in DAD’s library so that when a particular class of music, voice track, commercial or other classification appears in the on-air play list, pre-sets are made in real-time to Omnia processor settings. CAP matches the audio processing automatically without manual intervention.
Enco’s patent-pending CAP option is available in DAD version 5.0. CAP supports IP-connected Omnia 3, Omnia 5 and Omnia 6 series audio processors.
Digidesign Releases Pro Tools|HD PCI Express
Daly City, CA - Dec 15, 2005 - Digidesign now offers two versions of Pro Tools|HD digital audio production systems. The existing PCI version is joined by PCI Express (PCIE). Existing Pro Tools|HD systems are designed to work in PCI and PCI-X slots only and are not compatible with PCIE technology.
Digidesign has qualified Pro Tools|HD systems for PCIE with the new range of Apple Power Mac G5 computers. Windows-based computers equipped with multiple PCIE expansion slots are not yet commonly available. Digidesign is planning to test and qualify its PCIE systems with Windows-based computers once machines with at least three usable PCIE slots as standard are introduced.
Pro Tools HD software version 7.1 is required for the PCIE systems.
TC Electronic Releases Powercore 2.0
Westlake Village, CA - Dec 22, 2005 - TC Electronic has released the Powercore 2.0 software upgrade, which includes improvements to the graphic interface and demo versions of plug-in licenses. The new interface design provides an overview of CPU power and RAM and the status of plug-in licenses and all Powercore devices running on the system. Powercore 2.0 enables a fully functional 20-hour trial version of a number of optional TC plug-ins. These plug-ins will be included with the installer in all future versions and simplify the download procedure when buying optional Powercore plug-ins.
Click here to receive the Radio magazine Currents Online Weekly E-mail.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2009 Penton Media Inc.
Webinars
Critical Aspects of Tower Site Safety
Learn the steps you can take to ensure a safe working environment at a tower site.
33 1/3 Things You Forgot
Think wire is just wire? Think again.
Advertisement
Podcast Archives
Radio Currents Podcast, Jan 8
The SBE launches SBE University; The HD Radio Electronic Program Guide Project moves to phase two; HD Radio makes waves at CES; and Bradley sells to SCMS.
Radio Mag Online Podcast, Jan 2009
The Radio Mag Online podcast for January 2009. Hear from Radio magazine Editor Chriss Scherer with some insight to radio's future, and get the inside scoop on the Sandusky Radio Phoenix rebuild.
Blog
Talkback: The Radio Blog
Talkback, the Radio magazine blog, is your chance to post and comment on technical issues in radio.
Projects in Progress
Projects in Progress tracks facility installation projects from start to finish. Follow the progress of the WUVT-FM transmitter site upgrade.
Today in Radio History
Milestones From Radio's Past
The history of radio broadcasting extends beyond the work of a few famous inventors.
Current Issue
Great Ideas in Studio Design
Sometimes when confronting design problems it is helpful to have access to other engineers' approaches to the same or similar problems.





