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Jack E. Roland KEØVH

www.ke0vh.com

www.skyhublink.com

https://www.youtube.com/@CapnJackFltSimChannel

303-704-3290


Subject: [BDR] FCC in Action/ Can we talk about things?

 

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Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert...
This is the BDR Newsletter 757, Volume 15, #29 for February 14, 2024

Here are some things you might want to know about:

FCC IN ACTION
You may have noticed that since the FCC returned to full strength (5 Commissioners), there has be a lot of effort put to promoting some plans to get broadcasters to comply with various schemes of interest to the Chairwoman and others: pushing for more localism, more diverse programming (less simulcasting), more EEO reporting, and expanded emergency alert languages are some of them.

EAS PUSHBACK
Not all of the FCC's initiatives are welcome in all quarters. The NTCA (The Internet & Television Association) has told the FCC that its current move to greatly expand the number of languages involved in emergency alerts would impose "enormous technical and logistical challenges" for cable companies, not to mention everyone else.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS?
As a general stereotype, broadcast engineers are a vanishing breed, usually working alone. But, can we know everything? Where do we get help? As it turns out, we are in the middle of a community of folks willing to help one another. We just have to reach out - in both ways - by letting folks know what our issues are ... and that we are willing to do more than lurk.

Tomorrow (Thursday) at 2 PM EST / 11 AM PST, we hope to hear from a variety of situations, and how we can assist one another. We hope you will take a moment to join us and learn things. The link request is at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ or, you can subscribe to thebdrnet channel on youtube and not only see the program, but get notifications when we start and when videos are posted.

THE FOLKS WHO
Some look at it as a quick "phone book" ... but more to the point: The Manufacturers and Vendors' Page ( https://www.thebdr.net/manufacturers-vendors/) lets you know who is supporting the BDR. Obviously, the more folks that tell these companies that they saw their banner on the BDR, the better it is for all of us.

NRSC REMINDER
The Spring thaw is coming soon, now matter what Punxsutawney Phil thinks. Getting an appointment now for your favorite NRSC crew will ensure you get it done on time, at a reasonable expense, and do not have to worry all year.

SPOTLIGHT!
Davicom's AXON series of modules may solve some problems with which you have been struggling.

THE CHANGING NATURE OF BROADCAST
One recent survey suggested over 1/3 of all viewers (36%) of the Superbowl watched on a stream, more than 50% more than 2019. Broadcast TV got about 20%, 16% for cabe, and 10% on satellite. Unfortunately, no radio stats were immediately available. We know they are out there, but the majority was video - 127 million, we are told. Streaming did have some issues: latency averaged 42.73 seconds, although Fubo TV, which used CBS' exclusive live feed of the game, registered a latency of 86.75 seconds.

IS POTS DEAD?
A recent AT&T mailing notified its landline customers in California that they are planning to ask the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to discontinue POTS service in the state. Many have already moved to cell service, but for those still wanting a "regular phone" on the table, AIoP - augmented with cell service - is more and more looking like the remaining answer. Ooma is a good choice. Once you buy the unit, all you have to pay are taxes.

PUBLIC SAFETY BROADCASTS ENDING, TOO?
If your news department is having more and more trouble geting information from local public safety officials, one reason, according to RTNDA Chief Dan Shelley is that police in many places are moving to conceal their transmissions from the public. Shelley and the RTNDA plan to help shine a light on this opaqueness and help journalists to plan ways to combat it.

TOYOTA BANS HAM RADIOS
This one is of interest to amateur operations. Toyota does not want you to mount them in the newer models. (Tip of the hat to Mike Tosch)

FOR SALE
Among the newer items this week, a Harris FM2.5k x-exciter is available, as is a 15 kV variable vacuum capacitor. Those and more can be found on the Buy/Sell Page.

Do you like the new look for Dana's Daily Deals?  Please let us know. Dana has some really nice buys. Check them out.

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May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and you!
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http://www.myat.com/
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Some recent articles of interest:

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May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and you!
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mailto:[email protected]
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MANUFACTURERS' NEWS

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You can learn about NAB Spring Show preparations at nab.org: 2024 NAB Show registration is now open.
        If you would like a free Floor Pass:
        Nautel code is NS9564.  (And don't forget the NUG on Sunday - www.nautel.com)
        Inovonics code is NS5268.
        Broadcast Depot's code is NS6722.

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Inovonics has a special until March 31st - or when stock runs out - it includes the popular 719N DAVID IV FM/HD Audio Processor and a 703 RDS Encoder. All you have to do when buying a 719N FM/HD Processor, Inovonics will include a 703 RDS Encoder at no additional cost is mention the Special Offer code: "719N+703" !

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All three EAS receiver manufacturers have now made the updates required by the FCC - and are already ready for the FEMA update in April. Get your updates from their websites or contact your favorite rep firm.

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NextGen also released information on four new ATSC3 converters to hit the market. The first, the ADTH receivers are already at Walmart. Dana tells me this converter is a good one.

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May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and you!
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http://davicom.com/
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Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:

... and 110 years ago (2/13/1914) ASCAP was founded.

How about some more regular newsy-type stuff:

... and 144 years ago (2/16/1878) Silver dollars were first made legal.
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May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and you!
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http://imediatouch.com/
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* The first Type Accepted Solid State Broadcast transmitter was the SS-1000A from Cetec-Sparta, designed by Richard Johnson.  Westinghouse also worked on a solid state design that it ended up selling to RCA.

** It took Wilson 7 months to finish this recording.

*** Yes, "Up in the sky! Look! It' a bird! It's a plane! No, it's Superman!"

**** Bela Lugosi was the first Dracula.

MIDWEEK BONUS
We mentioned the date for the first silver dollar above. But, what is your opinion of the penny? Your thoughts are likely to be worth more than a penny. How much has the penny’s value declined? In 1900, a weekday edition of the New York Times cost just one cent. Today, the paper costs $4.00. And, to produce a penny? It costs the government more than 3 cents to make one penny.

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PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND
We sure hope you are finding the BDR and the Newsletter to be of value to you. If so, there are two things that you can do to ensure the BDR keeps pulsing along:
        1. Invite a colleague or a friend to sign up for the Newsletter. Since it is only one-time-a-week, you will not be accused of flooding their in-boxes!
        2. Anytime you deal with one of our sponsors, letting them know the BDR is important to you will make them happy - and ready to keep on supporting the BDR.

TELL US WHAT'S WHAT
There are so many areas into which we would like to expand, but it is feedback from you that helps us decided where to go first. Are you interested in a certain piece of gear or technology? Let us know. Even better, would you be willing to do a user report and share your experience?

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We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.

barry

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Now ... some extra stuff .. some important ... some just interesting.

MORE DETAIL HERE
Those you who read the Newsletter might notice that more detail is
provided on some timely issues than on the BDR site, itself. That is one
reason we encourage you to invite your friends to subscribe. We are Opt-In
only... and we give you two promises (OK, four!):
(1) no inbox flooding - it is one-time-a-week, and
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