The owner of a Class A FM radio station serving a rural portion of the Rocky Mountains has agreed to assign this property, along with its four FM translators, to one of Colorado’s largest non-commercial licensees.
To make it happen, this non-comm operator is trading an AM serving the city of Pueblo, along with its FM translator.
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In 1959, a 23-year-old up-and-coming disc jockey from Haverhill, Mass., took on the role of morning co-host for a legendary Top 40 radio station owned by Gordon McLendon serving North Texas. He’d go by the name “Irv Harrigan” — a name used by other air personalities over the next 25 years as part of other incarnations of the Charlie & Harrigan program.
This voice, however, would go on to a notable career at KVIL and, later, at KLUV before retiring in June 2005.
Now, the Radio industry has lost one of its most beloved air personalities for all time, as Ron Chapman has died. He was 85, the Dallas Morning News reports.
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On April 13, Univision Communications revealed that, after years of rumors, it had reached an agreement with Mexico media pioneer Televisa that will result in the combination of the two multimedia conglomerates.
To create the binational radio, TV and digital giant, investors were brought to the table. They include the SoftBank Latin America Fund, The Raine Group and Google, with a combined $1 billion infusion from these entities agreed to.
It appears Google’s involvement with what will become Televisa-Univision goes beyond a simple investment.
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As part of its efforts to improve diversity within the ranks of the communications and tech industries, the Federal Communications Commission has set April 28 for its diversity symposium and virtual fair.
The Tech and Communications Diversity Opportunity Symposium and Virtual Fair will be held online on Wednesday, April 28 from 12–6:45 p.m. EDT. The symposium and fair is designed to provide information, resources and support to diverse communications businesses including those focused on legacy communications industries — like radio, TV, cable and satellite — as well as technology-oriented industries seeking business opportunities as vendors, suppliers or partners. The commission is particularly seeking to support small businesses, minority- and ethnic-owned businesses, women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, LGBTQ-owned businesses and disabled-owned businesses.
[Read: New NAB Committee Will Address Diversity and Inclusion]
Two informative panels from 12–3:45 p.m. will kickstart the symposium. The first panel, Your Tax Dollars at Work: Government Programs and Initiatives, will feature a discussion with representatives from federal, state and local government agencies on financing and procurement opportunities and trends. This session will highlight diversity requirements and standards; training, education and consulting opportunities; as well as mentoring, incubation and apprenticeship programs.
The second panel, entitled For We Have Promises to Keep: Private Sector Programs and Initiatives, will include representatives from private sector companies that will discuss procurement opportunities and trends, new and updated funding sources, as well as discounted opportunities for diverse communications businesses.
The afternoon event will include a Virtual Fair from 4–6:45 p.m., which will feature one-on-one confidential consultations offering individualized advice on a number of strategies and initiatives including supplier and vendor tactics, financial support options and mentoring and incubation programs. The Virtual Fair is open to owners, managers and employees of diverse communications businesses.
The symposium is being co-sponsored by the Media Bureau, the FCC’s Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment (ACDDE) and the ACDDE member Internet Association. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will welcome symposium participants while Edith McCloud, acting national director of the Minority Business Development Agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, will deliver keynote remarks.
The symposium will be presented as a Zoom webinar. More information and the full agenda can be found here.
The post FCC Online Event to Advance Diversity in Tech and Communications appeared first on Radio World.
The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), and the Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) Group will conduct its 13th annual Rising Through the Ranks program as a virtual event.
The program will be split into five days and will be taking place each Tuesday of the month of August, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. CT beginning August 3, 2021. As in years past, BMI will offer 20 scholarships for this year’s program. These scholarships will cover the cost of the professional development course, which is designed to foster and educate current and emerging female radio managers within broadcast radio.
“BMI has been a proud supporter of ‘Rising Through the Ranks’ since its inception,” said Dan Spears, vice president, industry relations, BMI. “Working with our MIW and RAB partners over the years has shown how vital this initiative is in providing the future female leaders the tools they need to succeed in the radio industry. We look forward to when we can host the program at BMI’s Nashville office once again, but until then, we’re thrilled that it is back this year as a virtual event.”
“Once again, MIW is thrilled to participate in the Rising Through the Ranks program,” said Ruth Presslaff, board president of the Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio Group. “We meet so many women who are passionate about radio, and who continue to pay it forward by supporting the network they’ve built with each other, programs to help other women, as well as contributing to the industry with their strong performance. This event may be virtual, but the results will be real!”
“Rising Through the Ranks is a priceless opportunity for our scholarship recipients and we are excited to be bringing the event back this year,” noted Erica Farber, president and CEO, Radio Advertising Bureau. “With the tools and experience we’ve all had with virtual events, we know that this year’s program will be as engaging and inspiring as our in-person event.”
This year’s agenda and speaker lineup will be announced at a later date.
Scholarship applications and registration are available on www.rab.com and will be accepted April 26, through 6:00 p.m. CT on May 28, 2021. Scholarship recipients will be notified of their selection by the week of July 1, 2021. To find out more information, go to the RAB’s Rising Through the Ranks page here.
The latest Media Monitors Spot Ten Radio report is out, and it shows a big new entrant to the latest review of the top brands using AM and FM radio to reach consumers.
It’s a quick service restaurant chain, and it is the only one on the latest report.
And, it’s not the Golden Arches.
While McDonald’s has been an active user of broadcast media in recent months, it is Wendy’s that is alone in the QSR category in the latest report from iHeartMedia-owned Media Monitors.
It arrives with some 31,806 spot plays, landing Wendy’s at No. 9.
Meanwhile, Indeed rises to the top as Progressive continues its audio media dominance with the overachieving voiceover artist obsessed with the bulbous walrus.
The latest Media Monitors Spot Ten TV report is out, and it looks like a QSR that’s heating it up at spot radio is equally fond of reaching consumers via spot television.
It’s a key takeaway from a report that shows auto insurance giants dominating the top five.
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The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has selected the person who will be responsible for the development and implementation of “a multi-faceted communications and messaging strategy to advance awareness of public media and its value to American society.”
Taking the VP/Communications position is Brendan Daly.
“Brendan is a strategic communications leader with a proven ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders,” CPB Chief Operating Officer Michael Levy said. “His skill set and experience will be valuable assets as we look to increase communication across the public media system and with the American people.”
Daly is widely known for his nine years (2002-2011) as Communications Director for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Most recently, he served as Chief Communications Officer for the Recording Industry Association of America. Prior to that, he served as Senior Director of Communications for Save the Children Action Network and as Executive VP for Ogilvy Public Relations.
Daly has a print journalism background, and began his career as a reporter for the Waterbury Republican-American in Waterbury, Conn.
From our Who’s Buying What page: AEQ reports that Radio Granma in Manzanillo, Cuba, has installed an AEQ Forum digital console.
Radio Granma “offers a wide variety of programming to its listeners, with old phonographic records of great popular interest, and a large participation of amateurs of all artistic styles, singers, instrumentalists and intellectuals,” AEQ stated in a press release. The station is managed by ICRT, the Cuban Institute of Radio and Television.
[See Our Who’s Buying What Page]
ICRT also uses AEQ codecs, consoles and automation systems in other locations throughout Cuba including Arena consoles and BC2000D routers in Havana.
Radio Granma is one of 10 regional stations that will use the Forum IP console.
Users and suppliers are welcome to send news about recent installations to radioworld@futurenet.com.
The post Radio Granma Installs AEQ Forum appeared first on Radio World.
She’s led diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) for 16 years.
Now, she’s joining the owner of such stations as WCVB-5 in Boston and KCRA-3 in Sacramento to serve as its first-ever D&I director.
Yasmine Osborn is joining Hearst Television, for the newly created position of Director of Diversity & Inclusion.
In her new role, Osborn, in partnership with corporate and local-market leadership across Hearst Television’s station group, will build upon diversity & inclusion (D&I) efforts already underway throughout the group, developing and leading new programs to recruit, support and advance a diverse workforce that represents the company’s markets, audiences and society as a whole.
Particular areas of focus will include employee resource groups, mentorship and sponsorship programs, training and development programs, external partnerships, and employee engagement utilizing opportunities such as cultural/heritage months and company town halls.
Osborn will partner with D&I leaders across other businesses of Hearst Television parent company Hearst in order to benefit from corporate initiatives and to share best practices.
“We established the director of diversity & inclusion role with the intention of building upon and growing our programs to cultivate a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community for our employees,” Hearst Television SVP of Human Resources Katherine Barnett said. “We’ve already had encouraging initial success with efforts including town halls. Yasmine, who made a real difference at USTA, brings the right experience and vision to the important task of growing these programs and launching new efforts.”
Hearst Television President Jordan Wertlieb singled out Osborn’s “extensive experience, creativity and vision will clearly take our already strong efforts to the next level.”
Osborn has had a stellar career in collegiate tennis, leading her to a position at the USTA in Orlando.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting named Brendan Daly as its vice president of communications, succeeding Shana Teehan.
“He will be responsible for the development and implementation of a multifaceted communications and messaging strategy to advance awareness of public media and its value to American society,” the organization said.
[Visit Radio World’s People News Page]
The announcement was made by Chief Operating Officer Michael Levy, who called Daly “a strategic communications leader with a proven ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.”
Daly was for nine years the communications director for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and most recently was chief communications officer for the Recording Industry Association of America. He has also held posts with Save the Children Action Network, Ogilvy Public Relations, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Trade Representative and the Peace Corps. He began his career as a newspaper reporter in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Send your people news to radioworld@futurenet.com.
The post CPB Names Daly to Comm Post appeared first on Radio World.
For the second consecutive year, the readers of the Radio + Television Business Report have spoken. And, with their input, the 2021 ranking of Broadcast Television’s Best Leaders includes new names near the top of the list, and many shifts.
In a year that saw a great pause and, for some, a shift thanks to a pandemic, it’s perhaps fitting.
With the release of RBR+TVBR‘s Spring 2020 Special Report, radio and television industry leaders had been plunged deep into the Great Unknown, presented by Coronavirus. Falling share prices and ad cancellations – along with the postponement by one year of the Summer Olympic Games – began to devastate broadcast media.
Leaders commiserated. Plans of action were executed. And, in the television industry, swift recoveries — some, perhaps faster than others — came over the next several months. By the end of 2020, most broadcast TV companies were on solid footing, financially. There were even blockbuster deals to report, such as ION Media’s acquisition by The E.W. Scripps Co., which closed in early January 2021. Then, on February 2021, Quincy Media, Inc. revealed that Gray Television would be buying all of its television assets. The price: $950 million.
Thanks to record-setting political advertising and continued retransmission consent revenue cushioning dips in core advertising, broadcast television’s financial health is strong. On the air, reporters and anchors expertly adjusted to live newscasts from their homes, while covering COVID-19 testing and vaccination updates in their community. For some, social injustice protests thrust field reporters into emergency situations, putting them at high risk while delivering important news to local viewers.
Through it all, broadcast television shined — and the readers of RBR+TVBR have acknowledged this by saluting 15 exceptional leaders who have steered their ships through stormy waters that may still be a bit patchy, but today are relatively calm and full of hope.
Who are the Broadcast Television’s Best Leaders of 2021? You can find the rankings exclusively in the Spring 2021 RBR+TVBR Special Report!
Subscribers received a link to download the PDF of this report on Monday morning (4/26).
Not a subscriber? Become a RBR+TVBR Member today, and get access to our report while guaranteeing access to our three other quarterly Special Reports in 2021!
CLICK HERE TO GET ACCESS NOW!In many markets, vintage sitcoms and dramas can be seen on such digital multicast networks as Weigel Broadcasting’s Me TV and Nexstar Media Group‘s Antenna TV.
Now, Nexstar is doubling down on consumer thirst for classic fare by preparing to launch a more youthful companion to its 1960s and 1970s-focused existing offering.
FOLLOW RBR+TVBR ON TWITTER FOR INDUSTRY NEWS FIRST!
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“So much can get misinterpreted in a sales call, business meeting or even a casual hallway interaction,” says sales training expert Barrett Riddleberger. “To avoid this, successful performers develop the communication skill of understanding personality styles.”
They learn their own style … and the style of the person with whom they are speaking.
“As a result, they minimize conflict between their two personality styles,” he says. “For the unaware person, it can quickly disrupt the conversation.”
This, Riddleberger notes, can be easily avoided by following the steps in this column.
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A top Wall Street media sector analyst is apologizing for what some may consider to be an overly dramatic opening paragraph to a highly positive report on a multiplatform video content producer and distributor that sold its radio stations to Audacy, the former Entercom Communications.
In short, despite its recent surge and fizzle with its stock price, ViacomCBS deserves an upgrade, thanks to “a surprise comeback” giving renewed optimism even as “another life-threatening swoon” leaves the market on the edge of its seats.
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Amador Bustos is president and CEO of Bustos Media, owner of radio stations in Arizona, California, Texas, Washington state and Wisconsin. The stations mostly broadcast in Spanish but some offer English-, Chinese-, Korean-, Russian- and Vietnamese-language programming. He discusses the state of radio broadcasting and Bustos Media stations.
He was interviewed by Suzanne Gougherty, director of MMTC Media and Telecom Brokers at the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council. MMTC commentaries appear regularly in Radio World, which welcomes other points of view on industry issues.
Suzanne Gougherty: For more than a year the thirst for information regarding the pandemic has been at the forefront of news — how have your radio stations kept your audience informed on current news and information?
Amador Bustos: Since we are primarily a music intensive station group, and our DJs were working from home, they had to rely on news feed from our local newspapers and television stations. Besides our AM-drive top-of-the hour newscast, we expanded our pandemic coverage to live commentary and interviews with local health officials at any time of the day.
[Read: Keeping Sports Hot in the Age of Coronavirus]
Gougherty: What do you think is the most overwhelming challenge of the radio industry today, and where do you see the best opportunity for growth?
Bustos: The most pressing challenge for radio is the false assertion by social media outlets and digital audio competitors who are continuously forecasting the death of terrestrial radio. The best opportunity for revenue growth is in entertainment and event production. Due to the year-long isolation there is a strong pent-up demand for indoor concerts and outdoor festivals.
Gougherty: As a successful entrepreneur what was the motivating factor that led you to owning and operating radio stations?
Bustos: The opportunity to generate wealth. When I started buying radio stations the revenue margins were much higher. Secondly, to increase ownership diversity. I saw a rapidly expanding number of radio stations targeting the Hispanic market, but too few of us were represented in the ownership ranks. That continues to be true today.
Gougherty: It was reported that full power radio stations, plummeted at the end of 2020, on both the AM and FM dials. Do you feel the industry will experience the same decline in 2021? Do you think there is a solution other than to turn licenses back to the FCC?
Bustos: Yes! Radio revenues plummeted during the second and third quarter of 2020. However, the recovery during the last six months is encouraging. It is important that we make the distinction between AMs and FMs. Our AMs continue depressed. This year, I will likely return more than one AM license to the FCC for lack of sustainable revenue.
Gougherty: Should the FCC relax or retain the local AM and FM ownership caps and subcaps?
Bustos: The FCC should relax the ownership caps and subcaps. However, it should do it in two or three stages. First in markets above 100, then in markets above 50 and finally in all markets. At each stage the FCC should look at the unintended consequences of excessive concentration, negative impact on AM values, diminution of public service and ownership diversity trends.
Gougherty: What steps should Congress and the FCC take now to dramatically increase minority radio and television station ownership?
Bustos: Congress and the federal government can do two important things: 1) Reinstate the Minority Tax Certificate; which gives sellers a tax deferral if they sell to qualified diverse buyers; 2) Allow the SBA to do bank loan guarantees of up to $10,000,000 for the purchase of broadcast properties by qualified diverse borrowers/operators.
Gougherty: Spanish-language radio stations’ music formats have done well over the years. Do you feel there is room for other Spanish-language formats, talk, sports or news?
Bustos: There is room for those additional formats. However, they are more expensive to produce. That is why several past attempts have failed. It will take a well-capitalized and committed broadcaster to support such an effort. Just like iHeartMedia has done when it launched the Black Information Network in June 2020.
Gougherty:. During the recent roll-out of vaccines what kind of factual information have your stations provided to your listeners? And do you feel it has help to dispel the myths or misinformation that might be circulating in the Hispanic community?
Bustos: We have provided our audience information based on CDC’s guidance, as well as information provided by state and local health officials. Most of our on-air personalities are pro-vaccination and regularly speak in favor of it. When they are vaccinated, they disclose it and recommended it.
Gougherty: How has your sales team held up during the past year? And your on-air talent? Are all working from home or with strict measure at the work place? And as the owner how are you holding up?
Bustos: There is a clear sense of fatigue. Most employees are desirous of a return to the office. If things continue to trend well, we will likely have most employees return to an interactive, in-office work by June 2021.
The post Looking to Radio for a Bounce-Back appeared first on Radio World.
The author is tech editor of RW Engineering Extra.
Remote control systems have come a long way in my 45-year broadcast engineering career. I have had the pleasure — and sometimes frustration — of following these changes.
There was a time when you could call the phone company and order a “dry pair” from point to point, and over that dry pair you could connect your remote control system with its telephone dial, stepper relays and DC metering.
Those old systems were always interesting, especially when the steppers got out of sync, but somehow they got the job done.
Then came the Moseley TRC-15 types that used audio tones for telemetry. We could use those over a dry pair or just about any bidirectional telco circuit, or you could use them over a subcarrier on an STL for the outbound control functions (if I recall correctly, this used a 300-400 Hz FSK scheme for the wireline version).
Some folks used an over-the-air SCA for telemetry backhaul for the TRC-15 — if you couldn’t get a reading on anything, the transmitter must be off! — but others used telemetry return links on one of eight discrete 450/455 MHz frequencies designated for such by the FCC. And there were no status indications.
But all in all, the TRC-15 was a huge step up (no pun intended) from the old stepper relay DC remote control systems. It was an even better platform if you installed the digital telemetry adaptor offered as an aftermarket add-on from Hallikainen and Friends.
Up in smokeThere were some digital systems from Moseley that came after the TRC-15. I remember using them in some of the TV stations at which I worked. The red LED digital readouts took away the sometimes difficult task of meter scale interpretation and interpolation, always a plus with busy master control operators!
Then in the early 1980s came the MRC-1600, a 16-channel digital remote control with status. I thought I’d gone to heaven when that unit came out … until the first lightning strike.
The old TRC-15 didn’t seem to care much about lightning, but that MRC would go up in smoke every time the sky got cloudy, or so it seemed. I remember that the display would say OUCH! if an input channel got hit with too much voltage or if one of the multiplexers was damaged.
That sensitivity to static discharges bit me one time, too. It was always a challenge to remember to take the R/C out of “local” and put it back in remote when leaving a transmitter site. One TV station at which I worked had a red 60-watt light bulb in a porcelain socket right next to the door, and that bulb would be lit whenever the remote control system was in “local.” That saved a lot of midnight trips back to the tower site.
I wanted something similar at one radio site I took care of, so I thought I would put the NC contacts of the local/remote relay in series with the alarm system door contact — it would then be impossible to set the alarm with the remote control in the “local” mode.
That worked great for about a day, until the next thunderstorm. The MRC lost its mind (OUCH!) and opened that local/remote relay and set off the burglar alarm.
It was a long drive from my house to that tower site at “Cadaver Creek” in stormy weather with the alarm wailing and the police on the way.
Talking controlIn the late 1980s, Gentner Engineering came out with the VRC-1000, a revolutionary new “talking” remote control system that worked over a dial-up phone line.
That changed everything for radio stations. No longer would they need an expensive dedicated line or dry pair for remote control, or a fussy, interference-prone telemetry return link that would blank out whenever a cab driver passed by the studio while talking on his dispatch radio.
A Gentner VRC-1000 “talker” is visible in the right rack bay. When that model came out, we thought we’d gone to radio heaven.The early vocabulary was limited, but we made it work. And the best part was that the unit would call us when something went wrong. Programming was a chore, but it was just so … cool … that we didn’t care!
Later iterations of the Gentner VRC (and Burk GSC) had improved vocabulary and other capabilities, and some of these units are still in service today.
If memory serves, Gentner came out with a “sample and hold” system to interface its VRC-series systems to analog antenna monitors, and that worked pretty well except right after pattern change — you had to wait for the next sample to get an accurate set of readings.
Potomac Instruments came out with a pretty good and capable system in the late 1980s. Interfacing remote control systems to analog antenna monitors was always a difficult task, and the Potomac RC16+ had a means of doing that, using a scan function to constantly monitor operating parameters.
The thing that probably kept the unit from greater popularity was that it could not be programmed in the field — it was EPROM programmable, and that had to be done by the factory. Need to make a change? Fill out this form and we’ll burn and ship you a new EPROM.
That worked, but it was anything but convenient, and it certainly discouraged programming changes. Still, it was a rugged, reliable system.
IP all the wayThe name Burk became synonymous with “remote control” in the mid-1990s, and that remains the case today.
The first Burk systems I used were ARC-16s, and they were good, rugged, reliable units that could be configured as stand-alone dial-up, dedicated studio/transmitter pairs of a combination.
These systems had RS232 capability, and you could purchase an IP-to-RS232 adaptor to link your units together over a network or even the internet. Multiple sites could be linked, a popular feature in the age of consolidation. There are a lot of ARC-16 systems still out there in service, and for good reason.
Which brings us to today and the ARC Plus and ARC Plus Touch systems, which are nothing short of amazing. These units use IP connectivity all the way, and the ARC Plus Touch has SNMP and API capability.
This IP-based remote control is not the latest-greatest model from Burk but remains very capable.In our company, the last few transmitter installations we have done where we had a Touch system in place did not use so much as an “RF On/Off” wire connecting transmitter to remote control — everything was done by SNMP. Which I should say can be a bit like drinking from a fire hose with some equipment interfaces — there are so many parameters available to monitor.
I should not fail to mention systems by Sine Systems, Broadcast Tools and others that provide a bridge between technologies and an excellent means for stations with limited resources to avail themselves of many of the features of much more expensive systems. I have used some of these systems in niche applications even within larger operations and found them very useful.
Today’s remote control systems, along with companion software, can do a lot of things. Many can run scripts and macros that can make decisions. You can make the logic as simple or complex as you wish using IF/THEN statements and AND/OR Boolean operators. Actions can be scheduled based on a calendar/clock, or they can be triggered by some external input or event, even taking input from external off-site data over the internet. They can blow up our phones or drive us nuts with texts and emails. I love the mobile web page displays of some remote controls, where I program things green-good/red-bad. A busy operator or engineer can tell at a glance if all is well.
One of the best macros that one of our engineers uses sends a text to her phone every 10 minutes whenever the remote control system is in the “maintenance” mode (the modern version of the “local” mode). That ensures that she won’t get more than 10 minutes down the road before she realizes she forgot to turn that off before leaving.
Not once since implementing this macro has she had to make an emergency run to a site at pattern change time when the pattern couldn’t change because the command relays were disabled! And not once has this set off the burglar alarm at a site!
In this day and age of ultra-capable remote control systems, our transmitter sites can be almost completely autonomous, which translates to fewer of the time pressures that often accompany equipment malfunctions. Such a remote control system can react to the failure, look at multiple variables and make decisions that will get the station back operating again in less time that it would take the engineer to answer his or her phone. That’s worth something.
For more on this topic, see “Remote Controls Have a History All Their Own”.
Comment on this or any story. Email rweetech@gmail.com.
The post A Trip Down Remote Control Memory Lane appeared first on Radio World.
Every AM, FM or TV transmitter must be connected to an antenna via some type of cable, normally a coax line. Some lines are constructed with a type of foam between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, while others are hollow.
If your system has the hollow type of transmission line, it is imperative that some type of gas pressure be inside the line. Transmission lines can be vulnerable to corrosion if they are exposed to oxygen and moisture, the two main components that cause a corrosive reaction.
Properly pressurizing coaxial cables will keep moisture out and therefore prevents arcs inside the cable and it improves the power-handling capacity of the coax by increasing the breakdown voltage between the inner conductor and the shield.
Engineers often ask which is more effective, nitrogen or using a dehydrator. The answer is, “It depends.”
If you will be operating the transmission line at or near the power rating of the line, nitrogen will give more protection from arc over. For lower power levels, either will work.
A properly sized dehydrator will keep your lines dry and pressurized. Some, like this model from Kintronic Labs, have web interfaces to allow monitoring of pressures.To keep moisture out, the transmission line must be kept at a positive pressure relative to the outside pressure. The pressure required is minimal indeed; maintaining excessive pressure can damage the line and waste energy.
When it comes to dehydrators, proper sizing is everything. If undersized, the unit must run longer in order to maintain pressure, increasing wear on the compressor and driving maintenance costs higher. An oversized dehydrator, however, creates pressure surges in the line. This causes the unit to constantly cycle on and off, again resulting in increased compressor wear and higher maintenance costs.
It doesn’t take much pressure; 3 or 4 psi is more than adequate to keep moisture out of the line and antenna.The most important takeaway point is to have a method to monitor the pressure in the line and an alarm system to notify engineering of a sudden loss of pressure on the line. This could be caused by failure of the dehydrator or empty nitrogen supply. It could also indicate a pending failure in the line itself caused by a major gas leak created by lightning or even a bullet hole.
When installing a new line, it is advisable first to pull a vacuum on the line. This will remove all the moisture from the line. Then fill the line with nitrogen or dry air from a dehydrator. Do not use a standard air compressor for this purpose, since it will fill the line with normal air, which is full of moisture.
This type of failure will be extremely costly and time-consuming. Don’t neglect this important part of your transmission system!
This article was published in the Alabama Broadcasters Association Monday Coffee and Technical Notes newsletter. Learn about ABA’s engineering training academy at https://al-ba.com.
RW Engineering Extra welcomes submissions of stories that help readers solve engineering problems. Email: rweetech@gmail.com.
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The post Keep transmission lines high and dry appeared first on Radio World.
The author is executive director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. NFCB commentaries are featured regularly at www.radioworld.com.
Noncommercial radio is about to see the biggest boom in years. The Federal Communications Commission announced the dates when it will accept applications for full-power noncommercial radio stations later this year.
The announcement is massive news for noncommercial broadcasting. The FCC is making license opportunities available nationwide for the first time since 2010. Following criticism of that 2010 window, the commission has placed limits this time on the number of applications one can make. With a cap of 10 filings per applicant this time, the playing field is as wide as it will be in more than a decade.
A bigger 2007 window saw more than 1,300 construction permits approved. It is hard to say how many we’ll see when the 2021 application window opens Nov. 2–9.
[Read: Community Broadcaster: Hidden Figures]
Why does the new FCC application period matter? Noncommercial broadcasting has exploded in the last 20 years, more than doubling in number as AM and commercial FM are seeing declines. Every class of 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and beyond is looking at Nov. 2–9 with high expectations. For publishers and community media, radio represents a foothold in legacy media that still counts a great deal. For faith-based organizations, radio means connecting with followers. For nonprofits with little previous relationship with media, radio can be a chance to reimagine their missions. And for the communities where stations may be approved, you’re talking about new possibilities for radio’s growth.
If you are interested in being one of those filers later this year, there are many items of interest.
Among the top priorities for filers is the application itself. FCC Form 340 is a very detailed document requiring applicants to present a broad range of technical, infrastructure and public disclosures as a part of the process. From producing proof that your nonprofit organization has the operating capital to run a station; to governance records; to engineering plans for your signal, antenna and more, filing your application will be a time-consuming process. You will want to review the application, select appropriate consultation, and act early to get it done.
You and your engineer will need to do the bulk of the work. It is on the aspiring broadcaster to propose a space that meets at least the minimum requirements and prove you are not stepping on others’ signals. This can be a complicated set of mathematics upon which you will work closely with your engineer.
Larger nonprofits interested in becoming broadcasters may want to get familiar with newer rules or consider retaining an attorney. In 2019, the commission took steps to streamline the application process, but still there are particular requirements of note. These revisions include declarations around governing documents of certain applicants as well as divestiture commitments.
The National Federation of Community Broadcasters last year hosted a primer on the full-power application window opening in November. There will be an updated discussion in July at the Wish You Were Here conference.
The post Community Broadcaster: New Radio Filing Is Here appeared first on Radio World.
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