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Three familiar names in the radio broadcast supply industry are merging. MaxxKonnect, Angry Audio and Logitek have combined to form Triple Helix Technologies.

MaxxKonnect, Angry Audio and Logitek become wholly owned subsidiaries under the new company, with the official headquarters listed as Pelham, Ala.

Josh Bohn

Josh Bohn of MaxxKonnect becomes CEO, Mike Dosch of Angry Audio heads product development and Tag Borland of Logitek heads technology. The three are equal co-owners of the company.

“This trio represents some of your favorite brands,” they said in a joint press release, “including MaxxKonnect Wireless to bring reliable connectivity anywhere, StudioHub to make wiring your facilities a snap, MK Technical Services to help you reach your goals in building or remodeling your studios and transmitter sites, Angry Audio with gadgets and gizmos to solve common studio challenges, and Logitek bringing new affordable audio over IP systems to the table.”

Triple Helix will hold a press conference at the NAB Show in Las Vegas about their plans.

The company is positioning itself as a provider of “cost-effective products and services that punch far above their

Mike Dosch

weight, offering major market performance for small market budgets.”

Josh Bohn said in the announcement that the company wants to make technologies like AoIP accessible to more broadcasters.

“For example, Logitek is bringing out new AoIP consoles that offer major-market performance at small-market pricing.” Those include the Jet67 mix engine, MixIt, Helix and the Helix Studio soft surface. 

“Logitek’s Jet67 engine and other products will natively speak AES67, Livewire, Ravenna and (optionally) Dante so no matter what existing standard a facility may be using, or even if they have yet to venture into AoIP, these systems will drop right in.” 

Tag Borland

Josh Bohn founded technical services and connectivity company Bohn Broadcast Services in 1998 and rebranded it as The MaxxKonnect Group in 2021. Previously he held engineering positions with Main Line Broadcasting, Clear Channel, Radio One, Cumulus and Delmarva Broadcasting. It is based in Pelham, Ala.

Michael “Catfish” Dosch started as a console designer with Pacific Research & Engineering and became its VP/COO. He later was founder/president of the Axia Audio division of Telos Alliance, then joined Lawo, where he served as product manager for their radio group. He founded Angry Audio in 2018 and left Lawo in 2019 to run it full time. Angry Audio is in Franklin, Tenn.

Tag Borland co-founded Logitek Electronic Systems in 1979; in addition to leading the company he has continued during that time as its principal equipment designer. It is based in Houston. He oversaw the company’s move to a new manufacturing location in 2021.

The press release announcing Triple Helix was distributed by Shane Toven, who has joined as technical marketing director after recently leaving Educational Media Foundation.

The company’s website will be http://3helix.tech.

[For More News on the NAB Show See Our NAB Show News Page]

The post Three Industry Suppliers Form Triple Helix Technologies appeared first on Radio World.

Radio World is checking in with business and technology leaders about the state of the industry as radio prepares for the NAB Show this weekend.

Ray Miklius is vice president of technology at GatesAir.

Radio World: What is the most important technology issue or trend for radio engineers and facility managers in 2024? 

Ray Miklius: The traditional broadcast engineering model has been shifting for well over a decade. Most young engineers coming into the business possess a strong IT skillset, which is essential to modern broadcast operations. RF expertise is less common, and with the older generation of RF engineers cutting back or approaching retirement there is concern about finding skilled engineers to take care of the RF plant. 

This conversation has been percolating through the industry for more than a decade, but over the past year we are seeing that change unfold at a swifter pace. These changes have inspired us to develop GatesAir Care, an enhanced premium service offering that addresses an increasingly urgent industry need for preventative maintenance and problem resolution inside the RF plant.

RW: In what way(s) will AI-based tools change radio broadcasting workflows most substantially?

Miklius: The first wave of AI innovation in radio appears to be focused on the production and workflow side, with content generation and program scheduling solutions coming to market. We believe there is opportunity to develop AI applications outside of production, such has revenue maximization within traffic and billing operations.

At GatesAir, we see strong possibilities in how AI tools can enhance the monitoring and analysis of RF system performance. We believe that effective AI applications may be quicker to recognize patterns in the data that warn of an upcoming fault that takes the station off the air, or worse leads to an expensive failure.

RW: What news will your company feature at the convention — any new products or services? 

Miklius: We will provide the details of our three GatesAir Care packages at our booth. These are service level agreements that range from basic to premium. We also continue to build on our established Flexiva transmission and Intraplex networking brands. We have added a new 2 kW model to our Flexiva GX FM transmitter line, and our Intraplex IP Link 100n codec will debut in North America following its launch at IBC. The 100n is the third entry in the new generation of IP Link solutions, which includes the IP Link 100c half-codec and 100e module for Flexiva transmitters.

All three codecs feature integrated 10-bit audio processing, which is new to this generation. We are also preparing to announce new Intraplex software for these products that will provide broadcast networks and syndicators with targeted advertising capabilities on a geographical basis.

RW: Are there any other important technology trends that you’d like to comment on? 

Miklius: We are working with ATSC 3.0 technologists on potential alternatives to GPS that we think can make a difference for our customers. There is more futuristic and looking beyond the current trends which, when it comes down to it, are essentially all about AI. As noted above, expect more from GatesAir when it comes to bringing AI into the monitoring and analysis space.

RW: What else will you be watching for at the convention?

Miklius: NAB last year was a true return to form after a tepid return in 2022. We are interested to see how this year’s show compares. If we were to predict this year’s interest by those who have confirmed attendance to our customer event, the signs are very optimistic. NAB offers many great things, but the networking opportunities are among its most powerful benefits. We count on strong attendance from our partners and customers to make the most of it.

GatesAir NAB booth: W2730

[For More News on the NAB Show See Our NAB Show News Page]

The post Miklius: Let’s Protect the Future of Our Industry appeared first on Radio World.

From Northern Virginia through the Garden State and across the Delaware Valley, Verizon FiOs is a major provider of cable television services. As such, it has shared its thoughts with the FCC regarding a plan that would provide rebates to customers in the event local television stations are blocked, by law, from viewing due to the lack of a retransmission consent agreement.

In short, the MVPD says the Commission is overstepping its authority in requiring consumer payouts should a “blackout” transpire.

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From La Crosse and Tomah to Janesville, Whitewater, Reedsburg, Green Bay and the Portage Region, Dave Magnum and his Magnum Media has amassed a collection of commercially licensed radio stations ranging from “La Más Grande” in the Sturgeon Bay Region to a Country FM in the Milwaukee-Racine DMA.

Now, Magnum is adding a noncommercial FM translator in La Crosse.

 

When it comes to learning opportunities that give you clear-as-day insight on the ROI that comes through targeting Hispanic audio content consumers, there’s no better event than the Hispanic Radio Conference, presented by Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink.

Join in the conversation and reserve your seat today by clicking here!

 

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From 2010 to 2022, the nation’s foreign-born population increased by 15.6%.

That’s the topline finding from a new Census Bureau report that could greatly benefit broadcast radio and television station owners, given the long-term opportunities from targeting multicultural consumers — and those who may prefer to consume media in a language other than English.

 

When it comes to learning opportunities that give you clear-as-day insight on the ROI that comes through targeting Hispanic audio content consumers, there’s no better event than the Hispanic Radio Conference, presented by Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink.

Join in the conversation and reserve your seat today by clicking here!

 

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A conversation with Jay Tyler and John Davis of Wheatstone about trends in studio infrastructure planning.

A director of engineering audits his company’s metadata and shares what he found.

Buyer’s Guide looks at audio processing tools.

And six experts discuss radio’s biggest business challenges.

Read it here.

The post Read the April 10, 2024 Issue of Radio World appeared first on Radio World.

The Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio Inc. non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of female leadership in radio broadcasting has a President-Elect, and she will begin her term on January 1, 2025.

Taking the role from Ruth Presslaff is a woman who most recently served as SVP of Sales Acceleration for Audacy.

That individual is Sheila Kirby, whose previous roles include those of SVP/Talent Development at Tribune Sales Solutions and President of Strategic Sales Development at Interep. Additionally, Kirby served as the CEO and the owner of sales consultancy Morrison and Abraham. Streamline Publishing’s Radio Ink has named her one of the “Most Influential Women in Radio,” highlighting her significant impact and influence.

“Kirby’s dedication to professional development and her commitment to advancing the role of women in radio make her an ideal fit for the MIW organization,” MIW said. “In her role as President-Elect, she will continue to champion the mission of MIW, supporting and empowering women across all facets of the radio industry.”

Kirby commented, “Nothing is more meaningful to me than helping women advance in their careers, especially at a time when women in various industries are finally having a well-deserved surge of recognition.”

Presslaff has served as MIW Board President since 2020 and will serve as Past President. She said, “Working with our extraordinary board to become a 501 (c)(3) and create new mentorships for programming, engineering, on-air and our Speak Up program, as well as multiple state Association partnerships has been immensely rewarding. I know under Sheila’s incredible leadership, MIW will continue to soar and serve.”

The 2024 Mentoring & Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. Board of Directors includes Lindsay Adams, General Sales Manager for Good Karma Brands Chicago; Angie Balderas, Senior Vice President, and Market Manager with Entravision Communications; Becky Brenner, Consulting Partner at Albright & O’Malley & Brenner Consulting; Erica Farber, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Radio Advertising Bureau; Lori Flowers, Manager, Integrated Marketing and Project Management for Radio One; Tricia Gallenbeck, Regional Vice President of Reno & Eugene, OR for Cumulus; Brittney Jackson, Director, Integrated Marketing for Radio One + Reach Media; Haley Jones, Head of Independents for Luminate; Sheila Kirby; Dawn Krause, Vice President of Finance for Midwest Communications, Inc.; Maria Laing-Smith, Senior Vice President of Mr. Master; Jenna Miller, Play by Play Marketing Consultant for Good Karma Brands; Randi P’Pool, CEO of P’Pool Media; Ruth Presslaff, President of Presslaff Interactive; and Leslie Scott, Vice President of Digital Audio Content for Audacy.

The FCC’s proposal to prioritize licensing and application procedures for stations providing a Commission-approved amount of locally originated programming has received a pair of “don’t move forward” suggestions.

And, they happen to come courtesy of the NAB and NPR.

The Commission proposal would reward radio stations that dedicate at least three hours per week to local content, and that has ignited a debate about its potential impact and effectiveness.

The National Association of Broadcasters has voiced strong opposition to the proposal  saying, “The Commission’s prioritization proposal will do nothing to incentivize broadcasters to provide more local journalism or generate other locally originated programming because it fails to grasp the fundamental economic and competitive realities underpinning broadcasters’ programming decisions.”

Emphasizing the unique obligation of broadcasters to offer free services to the public, the NAB contends that the proposal will not effectively incentivize the intended boost in local journalism or programming. Highlighting the challenges of providing local content, including high costs and diminished advertising revenues due to digital media proliferation, the NAB urges the FCC to adopt policies that enhance broadcasters’ ability to compete and invest in local content rather than complicate the application review process.

NPR, while supportive of the FCC’s goal to enhance local journalism, similarly expresses concerns that the proposal offers little to benefit public radio stations. NPR highlights the significant role public radio plays in delivering local content, especially in rural and underserved communities.

“The Commission’s proposal offers little support for public radio stations,” the largest secular audio noncomm operator notes. “Though NPR supports the Commission’s efforts to promote local journalism and other locally originated programming, we urge the Commission to take further actions to encourage local content from public radio licensees.”

NPR suggests the FCC develop more tailored incentives and consider reducing regulatory burdens.

In contrast, the musicFIRST Coalition and Future of Music Coalition stand in support of the FCC’s proposal, seeing it as a step towards fostering local engagement.

Despite recognizing the concerns raised by KLOVE and Air1 Christian music noncomm networks parent Educational Media Foundation about potential penalties for stations not meeting the local programming criteria, musicFIRST views the proposal as a straightforward method to encourage a minimal level of local programming engagement.

The Coalition previously used the NPRM to join FCC Chairwoman Chairwoman Rosenworcel in questioning the efficacy of the removal of the Main Studio Rule.

As the debate unfolds, it is clear that while there is a shared appreciation for the importance of local content, opinions diverge on the best approach to incentivize its production and distribution. The FCC’s proposal has sparked a broader conversation about the role of broadcasting in serving community needs and the regulatory frameworks that can best support this goal.

— Reporting by Cameron Coats in Troy, N.Y.

 

Sinclair Inc. has announced when it will share with analysts, investors and the general public its first quarter 2024 financial results.

What can they expect to hear from the owner of broadcast television stations, tower company Dielectric, ad sales entity Compulse, and MVPD-distributed offering Tennis Channel?

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Cable Operators May Adjust Their Rates

Radio World’s “Guest Commentaries” section provides a platform for industry thought leaders and other readers to share their perspective on radio news, technological trends and more. If you’d like to contribute a commentary, or reply to an already published piece, send a submission to radioworld@futurenet.com.

Dominique Valdez serves on the board of directors of NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, and as chair of the NATE Safety & Education Committee. Valdez is also the VP of Operations for Wireless Construction Solutions in San Antonio, Texas. She can be reached via e-mail at dv@dgjpholdings.com.

In the ever-evolving landscape of safety standards, staying abreast of changes is paramount for professionals across various industries, including broadcast and wireless telecommunications.

The recent updates to the ANSI A10.48-2023 Standard, though directly applicable to construction and rigging activities, hold significance for those involved in projects concerning radio and broadcast structures. Let’s delve into the key changes and their implications.

Transition from “Should” to “Shall”

To align with OSHA criteria and enhance regulatory compliance, the language throughout the document shifted from permissive “should” to more restrictive “shall.” This change signifies a tightening of regulations, emphasizing mandatory adherence to safety protocols. Making this key change now allows OSHA to incorporate by reference portions of the A10.48-2023 standard.  

Name Change from Rigging Plan to Construction Plan

Recognizing the need for precision in terminology, the standard underwent a significant name change. What was formerly known as a “Rigging Plan” has been rebranded as a “Construction Plan.” This shift underscores the comprehensive nature of the plans encompassing all construction activities beyond just lifting operations.

Updated Language and Definitions

The 2023 version saw updates and reconciliations with existing A10 chapters and other relevant standards in the telecom industry. One notable change was the change to the term for a JHA from “Job Hazard Assessment” to “Job Hazard Analysis” to fall in line with the terminology OSHA uses. Redundant content was replaced with a reference directly to existing standards.  

Consolidation of Rigging Plans and New Documentation Mandate

Class 1 rigging plans were merged into Class 2 plans, doing away with the only class of plan without a documentation requirement. Now, all construction plans must be documented and reviewed with all relevant stakeholders.

Introduction of New Exceptions and Operational Requirements

The update introduced a lightweight hoisting exception for light loads attached to an appurtenance with a redundant connection back to the main structure. The gin pole and structural sections were revamped to focus on operational requirements and safety considerations.

Addition of Electrical Safety Section

Recognizing the inherent risks associated with electrical hazards, a new section was added to address electrical safety, directing users to existing information in the National Electrical Code (NEC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

In conclusion, while the updates to the ANSI A10.48-2023 standard primarily target construction and rigging activities, their implications extend to projects involving radio and broadcast structures. By fostering a culture of safety and standardization, these changes aim to mitigate risks, enhance regulatory compliance and ultimately contribute to safer work environments across industries. To purchase a copy of the updated standard, click here. 

[Read More Guest Commentaries Here]

The post How Safe Are Your Tower Crews? appeared first on Radio World.

NEW YORK — CBS News 24/7 is the new name for CBS News’ national stream, which is expanding its live coverage starting April 22. It’s part of an effort designed to  “capitalize on CBS’ leadership in the digital news landscape, whose 14 local streaming channels are collectively No. 1 in streaming minutes versus in-market competition.”

That’s a claim CBS News bases on data derived from the Comscore Video Metrix Multiplatform, looking specifically at Total Digital Audience, Total Video Content and Ads, 2023, U.S., when custom-defined to include CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC owned stations and affiliates in CBS Stations’ 14 owned markets.

New programming and twice the amount of live hours are at the heart of the rebrand and content expansion, says Wendy McMahon, President/CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures and one of RBR+TVBR’s 2024 Broadcast Television’s Best Leaders.

With the rebrand to “CBS News 24/7” comes an eponymous live newscast offering world news across an hour, starting in June.

There are other changes, too. CBS News Chief Political Analyst and Senior National Correspondent John Dickerson will see his “Primetime with John Dickerson” morph into “The Daily Report with John Dickerson” and shift to the 6pm Eastern hour each Monday through Thursday. An expansion to a 90-minute show will come later this spring, CBS News says.

On April 22, the “America Decides” politically focused news and commentary program expands to an hour, and takes the 5pm Eastern slot.

Also later this spring, for late-night audiences and West Coast viewers, is a visual interpretation of CBS News Radio’s long-running World News Roundup. This version will air at 10pm Pacific.

Meanwhile, at 7pm Pacific The CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell will stream each weeknight.

Lastly, a summer 2024 rollout for a program identifying and reporting on misinformation produced by the newly created CBS News Confirmed team is in the works.

Wayne Eckert is with the Rural Florida Communications Cooperative and a frequent Workbench contributor. He notices that a lot of electronics are using terminal blocks now. 

Klein’s 612-4 provides an exact fit for terminal block screws.

He finds them to be decent connectors, usually rated for AWG 24 to AWG 14 at up to 15 Amps, but says they’re prone to overheating and melting, often because the screws were not torqued properly. 

These terminals require a screwdriver with a 1/8-inch blade, but many people use a jeweler’s screwdriver or other tool that doesn’t achieve the proper fit.

Closeup of a Euro connector.

As usual, the tool for any job is out there, and Wayne learned that Klein Tools offers a screwdriver for this application. It costs about $9 and is well worth buying for your toolbox or pouch.

The full proper name is “Klein Terminal Block Screwdriver, 1/8-Inch Cabinet, TB-DIN,” and the Klein part number is 612-4. It has a medium-sized rubber-sleeved handle that will deliver plenty of torque to tighten DIN connectors, with an exact fit. The butt of the handle is labeled “TB-DIN” so you can find it easily in your bag. And the screwdriver is made in the USA.

The Klein 612-4. Archie pays homage

Retired broadcast engineer Archie Stulc admired the pictures we published of Dave Morgan’s master parts depot. Archie joked that if he were found worthy, he would enter that holy site and pay due homage.

Dave’s organizational process may in fact seem over the top, but what a pleasure to work with the results. And the project didn’t happen in just a few days; it took weeks to plan and months to get everything organized. Dave adds that he’s still not finished. 

The key to organizing as Dave did is to start small and build on what you can, when you can. The effort does pay dividends in knowing what spares you have on hand.

Cue the hydraulics Studio furniture controlled by a hydraulic lift.

Chris Wilk is the transmitter engineer for Draper Broadcasting in Salisbury, Md. He and his team faced a common decision: Should we build our new studio for seated or standing operators? If standing, how do we accommodate the range of heights of our air staff or an operator who uses a wheelchair?

Custom cabinet shops can build you a counter that will accommodate both modes of operation using hydraulics, but Chris found a retrofit kit from Ergosource in Minnesota that costs about $1,500. 

The lifting is performed by four hydraulic “legs” affixed to the cabinet. A local cabinet maker helped them attach the hydraulic mechanism onto the furniture; then Chris mounted an up/down switch in a rack panel to allow each operator to select the best height.   

At www.ergosource.com scroll down to Hydraulic Lift Systems.

If you take this approach, Chris reminds you to provide an extended cable harness for the table-top equipment with enough loop to allow the counter to be raised and lowered. 

The kit comes in six different adjustment ranges from 6 to 16 inches. There are also hand-crank versions and kits for tables with fewer legs. 

Rick’s Command performance A 3M Command Hook holds headphones.

Rick Foster has been behind the mic for more than 60 years, and although he’s mostly retired, he still hosts a show on a community station on Saturday afternoons. 

Rick, who has used a lot of headphones, saw William Harrison’s tip in January about installing a hook on a broadcast rack. Rick has found an inexpensive and secure “hanger” of his own, a hook in the Command brand line from 3M. You can stick it on the underside of the table that holds the mic or the console. Rick says he affixed a hook in his home studio 10 years ago and it’s still in place.

You and Workbench are a perfect fit. That’s why we want your tips! Email johnpbisset@gmail.com.

[Read Another Workbench by John Bisset]

The post Torque Those Terminal Screws the Right Way appeared first on Radio World.

Mike Pappas, vice president of business development for Orban Labs Inc., will address the topic “Why Worry About Your Air Chain?” on Sunday April 14 during the NAB Show’s Broadcast Engineering & IT Conference.

Isn’t the answer to the question obvious? Well, not always.

Mike Pappas

“We’ll be talking about the importance of taking a critical listen to your air chain from microphone through to the transmitter,” Pappas said, “an ‘audio audit,’ as it were.”

He notes that engineers famously are overworked these days, doing everything from fixing leaks in the restroom to paper jams in the copier.  But audio is the station’s key product and most important asset.

Pappas will discuss what he has seen and learned during his many station visits.

“The number one problem is having insufficient AGC drive in the processors, followed closely by cascaded processors,” Pappas said. “This can create real problems in your audio, ranging from a muddy sound to way too much compression.”

But he has come across many other problems. He rattles them off: “Unnecessary multiple D to A to A to D conversions in the air chain. Improper gain staging/clipping. Poor board op training. Wiring phase reversals. Bad mic preamps. Wrong mic selection for the announcers/room acoustics. STL problems including interference,” he said.

“Also issues with the FM exciter or transmitters. Improper antenna and combiner tuning, which degrades analog FM performance. And, on the AM side, incorrect tuning of the phasor/tuners, with sufficient symmetrical bandwidth.”

A sample block diagram of an air chain.

Pappas says poor engineering practice can impair a station’s performance on the Nielsen Portable People Meter.

“PPM encoding needs the cleanest, highest density audio to maximize ‘endcodeability,’” he said.

“If your air chain has problems, your PPM encoder isn’t going to be doing the job it should. This could mean under-reporting of your actual listenership, which can ultimately result in lower revenues for your station when you don’t show up as well in the ratings.”

Any use of PPM “enhancers” should be judicious; if they’re turned up too high you may generate objectional artifacts that clobber your TSL by driving your listeners away.

Pappas also recommends that you listen to every part of your air chain with a good set of closed-back headphones. 

“Some things may not be working up to their potential — and you may find that some things aren’t working at all. And don’t forget the microphones.”

Because air chain problems come in all flavors. “I have found multiple compressor/limiters cascaded and hiding in closets, under bundles of cables and in telco closets,” Pappas said. “In one instance they were running a combined 40 dB of total compression! Needless to say, the station didn’t sound good.

“And there was the AM transmitter site that was wired Pin 3 hot. And another that had the feed to the backup transmitter with the polarity reversed. And then there was the resident alligator at one AM site. They nicknamed him Nicodemus. …”

[For More News on the NAB Show See Our NAB Show News Page]

The post Why Worry About Your Air Chain? appeared first on Radio World.

A Saturday session of the Broadcast Engineering & IT Conference will explore “Using Drones to Verify FM Antenna Performance.”

John Schadler is vice president of engineering for Dielectric LLC, which makes antennas, RF systems components and transmission line. Jason Schreiber is managing director of Sixarms, which uses drones to provide measurement solutions for broadcasters and other industries. 

Radio World: What is your session about?

John Schadler: The paper will discuss the power of computer simulation and validate the predictions through comparisons to drone measurements. This in turn also shows the ability drone measurements have to verify antenna system performance.

It will include case studies, one of which would be impractical for any far-field range and can only be realized using simulation and validation using drone-based measurements.

RW: Can you remind us about the FCC rule change that is the context for this?

Schadler: In June of 2021, Dielectric filed a proposed rulemaking with the FCC to allow the use of computer simulation to verify the performance of directional FM antennas. In November of 2021, the FCC showed very strong support of the proposal by unanimously deciding to move forward with the notice of proposed rulemaking and reduce the public comment period down to 30 days. 

In May of 2022, new rules were adopted that give FM license applications the option of submitting computer-generated proofs of FM directional antenna patterns from the antenna’s manufacturer in lieu of measured pattern plots and tabulations. That strong support and quick adoption stem from the benefits and evident accuracy that simulation offers over traditional range measurements.

RW: How does the rule change bring drones into the discussion? 

Jason Schreiber: The drone pattern measurement solution is used to validate and compare to the computer simulations. 

Schadler: It supports simulation as an extremely powerful and accurate tool. It replaces physical modeling, prototyping and pattern test ranges.

Measurement system configurations for FM radio, AM radio and UHF TV.

RW: Tell us about the technology and the process involved.

Schreiber: Drone-based antenna pattern measurements are a relatively new technique, approximately 10 years, used to replace traditional helicopter and land-based field strength measurement practices. What was typically a very manual and time-consuming process is now fully automated, from the data collection to the drone flight path. 

John Schadler

Schadler: The computer simulation process imports detailed Solid Edge CAD drawings of the antenna and tower into ANSYS HFSS software, where the model is broken down into a tetrahedral mesh, and Maxwell’s equations are solved at each node to produce radiation characteristics of the entire structure. Since the calculations are exact at each node, a detailed model with a tight mesh leads to an exact solution for all practical purposes.

RW: I understand that Sixarms will introduce the use of tower imaging to obtain more accurate tower information. 

Schreiber: Drones are currently playing a major role in creating “digital twins” of critical infrastructure. That is, a complete tower full of antennas and cables can now be mapped in three dimensions using a drone. Two major techniques are photo-based, or “photogrammetry,” and laser-based “lidar.” Both solutions now allow us to create full digital twins of our infrastructure to allow for planning, maintenance and auditing.

This graphic compares a computer simulation with drone measurements, studying performance of the blue FM antenna (shown above the pattern graphic), taking into account both the effect of its own tower as well as the second tower in its aperture.

RW: How many broadcasters have used these technologies as you’ll describe?

Schadler: Since the start of the repack, Dielectric has designed more than 1,500 high-power antennas in a completely virtual environment as well as performed more than 100 UHF and VHF nearfield drone comparison studies.

Schreiber: Since 2014, Sixarms and our partners have measured more than 800 antenna patterns by drone. These include AM and FM radio, HD Radio and VHF and UHF digital TV.  This drone-based technique is being used by major U.S. and international broadcasters as well as broadcast infrastructure companies to validate that the antennas they have implemented have been manufactured and installed successfully.

Jason Schreiber

RW: What else should an engineering reader know?

Schadler: During the repack, extensive experience has been gained in drone measurement techniques as well as computer simulation of radiating structures. It has been shown that computer simulation and drone measurements are an accurate and cost-effective alternative to traditional FM range measurements and can predict and measure the performance of structures, which today would be impractical to perform any other way. 

In the future, tower mapping can provide the means for more accurate simulation models, leading to even more exact results. For the present, though, a drone pattern measurement solution can be used to understand the impacts of the supporting structure and other structures in the FM radiating pattern. 

[For More News on the NAB Show See Our NAB Show News Page]

The post Using Drones to Verify FM Antenna Performance appeared first on Radio World.

A broadcast radio company headed by Roscoe Miller, who is based in Greenville, Ala., is agreeing to add an AM radio station and its companion FM translator serving the small city of Ozark, Ala., as well as a Class A FM covering Fort Rucker.

Who is the seller? A Missouri-based radio broadcasting company.

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NEW YORK — Some 52% of TV content viewers have cancelled or lost access to at least one of their subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services within the past year. And, among those who cancelled or lost access within the past 12 months, the main reasons cited include efforts to cut subscription costs, recent price hikes, and perceived lack of value for the cost.

That’s the key finding from Horowitz Research’s just-released State of Media, Entertainment & Tech: Subscriptions 2024 report.

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