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Read about emergency planning and due diligence. See the next in our series about building with Single Board Computers. And celebrate radio technology history as we approach the 100th anniversary of the commercial radio industry.

Read it online here.

Prefer to do your reading offline? No problem! Simply click on the Issuu link, go to the left corner and choose the download button to get a PDF version.

TECH MANAGEMENT
Checklist for a Good Due Diligence

Due diligence is a crucial part of buying and selling stations. And for engineers, the term has a particular set of meanings.

BAKING WITH PI
Isolation Is the Key to Reliable Pi Usage

Stephen Poole offers steps to help you protect the inputs and outputs of your Arduino or Pi.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

• When Brute Force Transmitters Ruled the Air
• Are You Prepared for the Worst?
• TechMart

The post Inside the April 22 Issue of RW Engineering Extra appeared first on Radio World.

Radio Marti began Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) shortwave transmissions on Feb. 4. Part of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), Radio Marti broadcasts news and other programs to Cuba. The DRM shortwave transmissions are from USAGM’s Greenville, North Carolina, site.

Gary Koster, USAGM’s broadcast radio technician, Gerhard Straub, USAGM director of broadcast technologies division, and Macon Dail, USAGM chief engineer at Greenville stand in front of the transmitter and other equipment being used for the DRM transmissions.

USAGM has transmitted in DRM before. There were some transmissions from Briech, Morocco, in the early 2000s. Greenville tested DRM in 2009 in partnership with what was then known as HCJB Global Technology. So why are they back now after an absence of over a decade?

“We want to experiment a bit with different modes and services available on DRM. We also want to help push the development of low-cost receivers and the best way to do that is to put some transmissions on the air, explains Gerhard Straub, director of USAGM’s Broadcast Technologies Division.

An RFMondiale reference receiver is shown with a Transradio DM0D3 DRM exciter and a RFMondiale LiveWire audio router. The large screen is the user interface for a 1RU content server situated behind the screen.

Greenville is using a Continental 617-A transmitter, along with a Transradio DMOD3 DRM modulator and RF Mondiale RFMondial content server. The antenna is a rhombic aimed at 174 degrees. The average power on DRM is 5,000 W. The schedule is daily from 1700–0200 UTC on 7345 kHz.

The Radio Marti broadcasts are in xHE-ACC, the latest and standard DRM codec. “We need the lower bitrates because we are running pretty low power and we are trying to keep the signal robust,” explains Straub.

Although these are regular transmissions, USAGM is making adjustments along the way. The first few days tests consisted of two audio streams, with Voice of America in English in addition to Radio Marti. Now Radio Marti is the sole audio service. The transmissions are using the text box and there are plans to transmit images (MOT Slideshow) and Journaline, an RSS type feed.

For the time being, Greenville will be the only USAGM site broadcasting in DRM.

As for Greenville, “There is no definitive time period for the transmissions. We will continue the transmissions until we need to devote resources to other projects or feel we have achieved what we needed,” said Straub.

Hans Johnson has worked in the shortwave broadcasting industry for over 20 years in consulting, frequency management and sales.

The post Radio Marti Begins Shortwave DRM Transmissions appeared first on Radio World.

Getty/Kirill Rudenko

An effort is underway to distribute washable cotton masks to essential employees of U.S. broadcasters, those responsible for maintaining operational continuity of operations, during the coronavirus pandemic.

In Georgia, members of the Georgia Association of Broadcasters received an email this week that stated, “FEMA is providing every broadcast facility in Georgia the opportunity for free cotton masks to protect their employees as they perform their broadcast responsibilities during COVID-19. Please click the link below to fill out the form to request masks for your station.” It added that masks would be sent in packages of 10.

In New Jersey, Paul Rotella, president/CEO of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association, told Radio World that FEMA plans to ship him a supply for broadcasters, and he has been communicating with member stations about how to distribute these once they arrive. He said NJBA will make them available to non-member stations as well.

Rotella said the National Association of Broadcasters has been helpful in coordinating this effort between the federal government and state broadcasters.

NAB spokeswoman Ann Marie Cumming told RW Tuesday, “We appreciate the effort by the Department of Homeland Security in support of broadcasters and other communications providers keeping people informed and safe during the COVID-19 crisis. The timing and logistics of distributing the masks is still being worked out, but the intention is for the masks to be distributed to essential employees of broadcasters — those responsible for maintaining the operational continuity of stations — in each state through the state broadcasters associations.”

RW reached out to FEMA for more info and will share any reply.

The post FEMA Effort Provides Masks to Broadcasters appeared first on Radio World.

Nautel LookingGlass

Nautel has acquired LookingGlass, a specialized FM monitoring product created by Leif Claesson and Alex Hartman.

The company stated on its website that it was “wowed” by the capabilities of the product when it was demonstrated at the spring NAB Show a year ago. “We are pleased to say it is now the Nautel LookingGlass, manufactured and supported by Nautel.”

According to Nautel Product Manager Matt Herdon, LookingGlass was acquired from Modulation Arts. “Nautel felt that it was a strategic fit and a valuable contributor to our mission of ‘worry-free transmission’ for our customers.” Terms were not disclosed. Co-creator Alex Hartman now works full-time for Nautel.

LookingGlass is a 3 RU unit that monitors, records and analyzes up to 30 discrete frequencies simultaneously. It captures the spectrum of analog FM; then a powerful processor and 13 TB hard drive turn the airwaves into recordings, to be analyzed with software tools available on the front-panel touch screen or remotely using its Windows-based software.

Herdon called it an “amazing” tool. “We believe people will find even more creative uses for it once they get their hands on one. The likely fit is larger organizations and consultants, but let’s see what happens. Two ways you could view the usage are inward and outward facing: You could use it monitor your own stations or analyze the eco-system your stations operate in.”

[Read RW’s 2019 interview with Alex Hartman]

“The original design by Modulation Arts was excellent, so Nautel’s value-add is production, QA, distribution and support,” Herdon said. “The beta units were manufactured at our Hackett’s Cove facility. Over time we will expand its functionality, but for now let’s see what people use it for and then show us where they want it go.”

The original system was priced from $15,000 to $23,000 depending on configuration. The Nautel system is in beta and its pricing has not been finalized. Herdon said a limited run of beta units are available.

Nautel has scheduled a webinar to introduce it to the industry on May 7.

The post Nautel Acquires LookingGlass appeared first on Radio World.

Getty/PashaIgnatov

Off-site operations can increase the risk to your cyber safety, and the Society of Broadcast Engineers wants to help stations protect their equipment, particularly emergency alerting gear. 

It has published an article by Larry Wilkins, the chair of the SBE EAS Advisory Group, to help engineers fend off such hacking before it happens.

For instance, he writes, “Although it is tempting to place the EAS equipment on an outside static IP address, this gives an open door to those wishing to do harm. If you don’t have an IT staff or someone who understands IT systems, you might ask, ‘How can I check to see if my EAS device is directly accessible from the Internet?’” Wilkins goes on to explain.

He also covers software updates including FCC compliance updates, security patches and bug/functional updates. 

Wilkins, who retired from Cumulus Media in 2007, writes the technical newsletter for the Alabama Broadcasters Association and has been active in EAS, Amber Alerts and Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program; he is a past recipient of the Radio World Excellence in Engineering Award.

Read Wilkins’ SBE article about EAS security.

The post Is Your EAS Equipment Secure? appeared first on Radio World.

People are turning more to local radio right now, says Cox Media Group.

The company, which owns radio and TV stations, streaming video and digital platforms, said it conducted a research study the week of March 30.

“During this time of crisis, consumers are turning to local radio for information, entertainment and companionship more than any other media source.”

[Read: Amidst Stay-at-Home Orders, Radio Listenership Remains Strong]

It found that one-third of participants are listening to radio more since the outbreak. “Since the outbreak, 94% of participants indicated that they have tuned into local radio more than any other streaming service for music, talk and information, demonstrating that as radio continues to evolve, ‘local’ ranks as one of the most important differentiators.”

The study sought to measure the impact of radio and other audio content during the coronavirus crisis; it was conducted online with some 11,000 respondents 18 to 54 years of age.

Cox said that with consumers having more options to move from one device to another, audiences since the outbreak are listening more or the same amount of time with a smartphone (81%), desktop/laptop (67%), radio station app (57%), car radio (55%) and home radio (54%) almost evenly split, a tablet (48%) or a smart speaker (36%).

“As always, content is key regardless of the delivery platform,” the company stated. “The topics listeners are most interested in receiving from their local radio stations include feel-good stories, things to make them laugh and local virus updates.”

 

The post Cox Assesses Radio Listening appeared first on Radio World.

KTBI engineer Bill Glenn operates the Orban XPN-AM.

The author is president of American Christian Network, ACN and LBS Radio Networks.

SPOKANE, Wash. — Our part of the country is dotted with large farms located great distances from any size city. Therefore, our AM stations, which are affiliates of our faith-based radio network, are critical for reaching our listeners. Our terrain encompasses many high hills and mountains, so FM does not work well for the large areas that we need to serve.

Our programming comes to us from many sources and at a huge variance of overall volume. Our old processing simply couldn’t keep up with the changes that well. In attempting to maintain a high level of modulation, I could not eliminate the rushing sound or what listeners say is “heavy breathing.” Frankly, those artifacts drive me nuts and have to be avoided!

When I heard through Broadcast Supply Worldwide that Bob Orban had developed a new AM processor that would allow correct modulation, balance low- and high-input signals without distorting, all without the rushing sound of breathing, I wondered how that was possible technically. But having met him when I was a director of the NAB, I knew he was brilliant and if anyone had found an answer to this problem, it would be Bob.

I asked BSW if I could test the new Orban XPN-AM processor at KTBI, our 50,000 watt clear channel daytime station on 810 kHz, located in the Wenatchee/Ephrata region of Washington state. They agreed and sent Orban’s Mike Pappas to assist with the installation. When Mike arrived, I told him I was somewhat doubtful that all of my concerns with AM modulation could be solved, but I was ready to learn.

Mike installed the XPN-AM at KTBI and trained Bill Glenn, our engineer, on its use. Not only did the XPN-AM ensure proper modulation and eliminate the “heavy breathing” artifacts, it improved our coverage! While I could always tell KTBI was on the air in my car around Spokane (about a two-hour drive from the transmitter), now I could actually listen to KTBI there … and areas where I was not able to hear KTBI well at all, were now listenable. 

On a recent trip back from California, I was amazed at areas in Oregon where KTBI, once hardly audible, was now really listenable. I drive that same area several times a year so I knew what our 810 signal was like.

Needless to say, I was immediately “sold” and told BSW to forget the test, I was keeping the XPN at KTBI.

Next, I wanted to see what the XPN-AM would do for a great low AM frequency, 630 kHz, that was hampered by limited daytime power, 600 watts or so. Mike was again enlisted to install the unit at KTRW (known as KTW) in Spokane. We had a loyal listener in a rocky area in a little town to the northwest of Spokane who could receive our 630 signal, but with a lot of noise. I contacted that listener the day before Mike installed the XPN-AM and told her I wanted a comparison with her reception the next day.

After Mike got the XPN-AM on the air, I emailed our listener  and learned she was thrilled that now she could hear 630 without all the background noise.

In case you’re wondering, when we were testing the XPN-AM we wanted to make sure that we were comparing our former processing when it was operating at its peak performance, so I asked Mike to adjust the old processor before he switched over to the XPN-AM so that it would be a fair comparison. Without a doubt, the XPN-AM has outperformed the older processor. Our audio quality is also cleaner than it was. It has always been good, but the XPN-AM is very clean and is able to handle a wide variation of gain from a range of programming sources without distortion. I am fussy about our audio because I still find time to do some on air work as “talent.”

I don’t know what sorcery Bob Orban developed for AM processing, but it is magical. We run the same program on one of our FMs and an AM with the XPN-AM and it is difficult to tell the difference in audio quality. I don’t hear that from other stations.

I have to say, too, that Orban’s customer service is second to none. I could not have conducted these tests without their expert help. A little “mom and pop” operation like ours — a growing rarity these days — really needs this kind of expertise and it’s greatly appreciated. I can’t say enough about their support.

Bottom line? The XPN-AM is worth the price for both high- and lower-power licensed AM stations.

For information, contact Mike Pappas at Orban in New Jersey at 1-856-719-9900 or visit www.orban.com.

The post User Report: Orban XPN-AM Improves Coverage for Rural AMs appeared first on Radio World.

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FCC Releases the Agenda for ACDDE April 28 Virtual Meeting

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FCC adopts Order on Reconsideration of Political File Order concerning complaints involving the political files of various broadcast televisions stations.

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What do listeners want during this time of coronavirus and stay-at-home mandates? According to several recent surveys, they want reliable information, entertaining hosts, a little less COVID-19 coverage and a healthy dose of local coverage.

Several recent surveys reveal what listeners want right now from AM/FM radio. These include a listener survey conducted by the Radio Advertising Bureau and Jacobs Media; the March 2020 Nielsen Portable People Meter Survey; and a Westwood One survey that polled more than 1,150 listeners between March 31 through April 8, 2020, about their listening habits.

The key takeaways: Listeners are still tuning in. They are flocking to their home stations. But many listeners aren’t aware of exactly how to tune into their AM/FM station on a secondary device like a smartphone or laptop computer. That presents stations with an opportunity to intensify education efforts around how to access AM/FM radio on different devices — particularly now that many of those listeners may be sheltering at home.

[Read: AM/FM Holds Fast in a Volatile Media Landscape]

One key finding as part of the Westwood One survey was that listeners may be a bit tired of round-the-clock coronavirus updates. By nearly a four to one margin, listeners say they prefer normal programming over coronavirus updates. Among regular listeners to a variety of AM/FM radio formats, between 72% and 78% said they preferred to hear normal programing. The survey revealed that listeners to urban format stations reported the strongest desire to hear programming focused on coronavirus.

The survey also found that listeners like what they like: They still want to hear their favorite music, and they still want to be entertained by funny, lively AM/FM radio personalities. The Westwood One survey found that music, personalities and information continue to draw listeners. When asked about why they listened to their favorite AM/FM radio station in the past seven days, 56% of heavy AM/FM radio listeners chose “they play my favorite music” as the main reason.

Radio also scored high marks when it came to providing localized programming. According to the Westwood One survey, AM/FM radio is closely linked with local news and information. A total of 27% of listeners surveyed said they consider AM/FM radio as the media most likely to provide information specific to their locale.

AM/FM radio was also considered to be a key outlet for reliable, enlightened information about current events. The RAB and Jacobs Media study found that for coronavirus information, consumers place their greatest trust in government medical organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health followed by their favorite AM/FM radio station. Social media ranked lowest on the trust scale — at 1% versus 54% for the CDC and 48% for a listener’s local radio station.

The survey also found that radio is still reaching a wide swath of commuters despite the shelter-in-place orders that exist around the nation. The Westwood One survey found that 60% of heavy AM/FM radio listeners who normally work outside the home are still commuting to work. Though might come as a surprise, 47% of those who normally work outside the home are still making the commute to work.

“AM/FM radio is the soundtrack of the American worker,” according to the Westwood One survey. “Those who are still working away from home are power AM/FM radio users. The more people listen, the more likely they are still working away from home.”

Radio stations should also be aware that a sizable number of those surveyed still do not know how to listen to AM/FM radio on certain devices like a smart speaker or desktop computer. The Westwood One survey found that one out of four smart speaker owners do not know how to listen to AM/FM radio stations on their device. The same is true for smartphone owners — one out of five of those individuals don’t know how to listen to AM/FM radio on their phones. The trend continues when it comes to laptop/desktop users as well as tablet owners: 17% of laptop/desktop owners and 26% of tablet owners do not know how to tune in to an AM/FM radio station on those devices.

There’s one listening format in particular that could use a dose of smart speaker education: country radio listeners. But those listeners are not alone. A large swath of listeners of oldies/classic hits, adult contemporary and rock formats also do not know how to listen to AM/FM radio stations on their smart speakers.

The Nielsen survey also revealed a happy trend: Even after states like California issued shelter at home orders in mid-March, listenership to AM/FM radio proved to be much stronger than some have predicted. According to Nielsen, when comparing March total audience deliveries to February, the survey found that American AM/FM radio maintained nearly all of its audience.

Specifically, AM/FM radio retained 96% of its reach and 90% of its average quarter-hour audience between February 27 and March 25, 2020. Cume and average quarter-hour audience retention was consistent across demographics, race and ethnicities, the survey said.

 

The post Amidst Stay-at-Home Orders, Radio Listenership Remains Strong appeared first on Radio World.