All Episodes - This Week In Radio Tech (TWiRT)
Broadcast Engineers – especially Radio engineers – work behind the scenes to bring you most everything we listen to, including web-delivered audio.Broadcast engineer and radio station owner Kirk Harnack brings you "This Week in Radio Tech". Along with co-hosts Tom Ray, Chris Tobin, and Chris Tarr, TWiRT episodes feature sage audio advice, "There I was..." stories, and instruction from some of the sharpest minds in audio media technology today. TWiRT is smart, informative, and lots of fun for audio, RF, and packet-loving geeks.
View Podcast Details404 Episodes
TWiRT 576 - What Did YOU Do - And How - Last Year? with Chris Tarr and Sam Woo
Sam Woo owns a media content and consulting company, Primetime Radio. He collaborated with former TWiRT co-host, the late Chris Tobin, on technical improvements and logistics for producing the “Let’s Go Devils Podcast” as well as corporate events and more. Sam joins us to talk about his collaborations with Chris Tobin, and to show us the “Menlo” that Chris Tobin often used for his appearances on TWiRT. Since Chris Tobin’s passing, Kirk Harnack has been hosting TWiRT solo for the past year. Kirk recently invited an engineer familiar to many of us, Chris Tarr, to rejoin TWiRT as a regular co-host. To our delight, Chris Tarr has accepted the invitation and will be on TWiRT regularly! Chris Tarr also joins us on this episode to fill us in on highlights of his engineering work in 2021.Show notes:* Chris Tarr mentioned LUCI software for live remote broadcasts* Sam Woo produces the Let's Go Devils Podcast* The Let’s Go Devils Podcast get rather rowdy. See this video and watch for Chris Tobin and Sam Woo in the video.GuestsChris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.MediaSam Woo - Founder and CEO at Primetime RadioHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 575 - Minding Your AM Site with Benjamin Dawson and Stephen Lockwood
A few AM station owners have turned their licenses back into the FCC, giving up on their AM radio business. Many other AM station owners, however, are looking for ways to profit from their AM transmitter site property, or to reduce transmission site costs. Co-locating with land mobile and cellular towers using an inexpensive slant-wire feed for the AM station may be a solution for some AM station owners. There are other financial mitigations as well. Benjamin Dawson and Stephen Lockwood from Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers join us to discuss the possibilities.* “Collocating AM Transmitter Facilities With Cellular Monopole Towers“ - Radio World* “Optimization of Shared-Frequency AM Antenna Systems Using Synergistic Filter Design” - Ronald D. Rackley, PE* Deferred Maintenance and Its Effects on Future Costs - Ben Dawson* Revisiting Medium Wave Ground System Requirements - Ben Dawson & Stephen Lockwood* We talked about Maxwell’s equations (from Wikipedia)* Crane Arc from AM Station RF (video clip)GuestsBenjamin F. Dawson, III, PE - Consulting Engineer, Hatfield & DawsonStephen S. Lockwood, PE - President/Senior Electrical Engineer, Hatfield & DawsonHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support.
TWiRT Ep. 574 - Make It a Better Place with Alex Roman
Is the Mayor of Verona, NJ, doing the engineering work at the top stations in New York City? Or, is the CTO at those top-rated stations moonlighting as a New Jersey township mayor? Either way, you’re right. Alex Roman leads a staff of engineers and IT pros at WQHT-FM and WBLS-FM in New York City. He says that “radio IT” is the same as “regular IT”, and we all need to work with that notion. Alex reveals other insights and techniques for broadcast engineering, remote workers, and lots of outside broadcasts on this episode of TWiRT.Show notes:* HOT97’s YouTube channel showing much of their video production* Alex mentioned E2X transport for HD Radio channels over IP* Ha! We talked about the Blue Yeti on this week’s show, too!GuestAlex Roman - Chief Technology Officer at MediaCo New York City Radio & Mayor, Verona, NJHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 573 - Boomer Push for Digital with Quentin Howard
A real pioneer in deploying digital audio sources, infrastructure, and transmission in the UK - and even worldwide, Quentin Howard is our guest on this fascinating episode of TWiRT. Already a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Quentin was further honored as a Fellow of the Radio Academy in November, 2021. We’re discussing the first uses of Compact Disc digital audio in the UK, as well as the UK’s first use of audio processing on FM broadcasts in the 1980s. DAB rollout and the subsequent DAB+ ratification and rollout are also among our topics. We round the show out with what may be the perfect radio format for many TWiRT fans - Boom Radio!Show notes:* Boom Radio - Direct AAC stream link - Direct MP3 stream link* RODE NT-USB* Blue Yeti* Inovonics 250 FM audio processor* David Lloyd - Boom Radio presenter* Quentin mentioned he likes to evaluate audio quality with Mozart’s Piano Concerto 21* DAB and DAB+ in the UK (Wikipedia article)GuestQuentin Howard, F.I.E.T. - Radio and TV Media Executive, Technologist and ConsutantHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at
TWiRT Ep. 572 - Cruisin' for Engineering with Shane Toven
Vacations are important - for our well-being, sanity, restfulness, and more. But Shane Toven just can’t stop thinking and talking about broadcast engineering and the technologies that attend it! From the enormous cruise ship, “Majestic Princess,” Shane joins us via SES satellite link using their O3b Networks technology. So, what do you talk about with a man on vacation? Food? Ports of call? Tracking tags? Tower sites? Staying connected to work? Satellite data transport technology? Yes!Show notes:* O3b Networks (Wikipedia) - Global coverage Internet access from medium earth orbit satellites* O3b mPOWER web site from SES* O3b mPOWER site explaining rationale for medium earth orbit coverage* “SES” is an acronym for Société Européenne des Satellites* Live map of the Majestic Princess* Another live map of maritime traffic along the West Coast of Mexico* Article about wearable RFID tags for cruise passengers and moreGuestShane Toven - Senior Broadcast Engineer at Educational Media FoundationHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.
TWiRT Ep. 571 - Structured Wiring with Ed Bukont
Many broadcast engineers have implemented "structured wiring" within their facilities. Some, like TWiRT host, Kirk Harnack, haven’t really jumped into the best practices yet. Ed Bukont, owner of E2 Technical Services, both consults and integrates facilities. His vast experience with structured wiring in broadcast plants makes for solid information that we engineers need to know. And, he's got Kirk convinced to "do it right" on his next project.Show notes:* E2 Technical Services* Nice structured wiring catalog from CableToGo (PDF)* Ed mentioned “Top of Rack” cabling - here’s info on cabling approaches* TIA568B pinout standard* TruCable offers instruction on many structured wiring and cable topics* Video playlist covering structured wiring in a commercial setting* CableSupply.com has good videos on every aspect of structured wiringGuestEd Bukont - E2 Technical ServicesHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.
TWiRT Ep. 570 - Quality is Worth the Effort with Gordon Carter
Necessity may be the "mother of invention", but Gordon Carter never thought necessity alone was good enough. As Chief Engineer at classical station, WFMT in Chicago, Gordon's broadcast audio systems had to sound impeccably great, yet withstand the rigors of 24/7/365 broadcasting in America's 3rd largest radio market, Chicago. Let’s learn together from Gordon’s pursuit of audio excellence in FM broadcasting.Show notes:* WFMT’s Notable Technological Achievements* Gordon Carter’s web site - gcarter.us* Gordon Carter’s published works* Apt Holman phono preamplifier - review* Gordon mentioned Siliconix CMOS analog switches (PDF)GuestGordon Carter - Retired Director of Engineering at WFMTHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 569 - Demystifying Loudness with John Kean
In our radio broadcasting world 100% modulation (or more?) has been the goal for decades. However, we now find ourselves entering a new paradigm where consistency and quality eclipse loudness as an audio level objective. What do units of audio loudness mean? If 0 dB isn’t the goal, then what is? -16 LKFS? John Kean is a leading expert on perceived audio loudness, plus he’s a prominent broadcast engineer. Let’s hear from John and understand what this world of audio loudness sounds like and find out why it’s changing.Show notes:* AES Technical Document AESTD1008.1.21-9* BS-1770: Algorithms to measure audio programme loudness and true-peak audio level* Dolby: Guide to Loudness in Media* More information on BS-1770 loudness measurement from Meterplugs.com* ProTools: AES Update Loudness Recommendations For Audio Only StreamingGuestsJohn Kean - Kean Consultants, LLCHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless ...
TWiRT Ep. 568 - Common Alerting Protocol
Common Alerting Protocol. Doesn't sound exciting, but what it's doing for people in many countries is sometimes life-saving. We might think of CAP as a new-ish way to receive emergency messages, such as Child Abduction Emergency notification. Or we may consider CAP as just another input source to our broadcast EAS systems. There’s a lot more to CAP than this, however. Interestingly, the USA and Canada are using CAP a bit differently. Rob Hopkins from OpenBroadcaster in Canada, and Vincent Maggard, a software developer, join Kirk Harnack to explore and explain what CAP really is and how it’s used.Show notes:* Emergency Alert Broadcast Automation from OpenBroadcaster* Common Alerting Central on GitHub* 2021 Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) Implementation Workshop InfoGuestsRob Hopkins - Radio Enthusiast at OpenBroadcasterVincent Maggard - Chief Executive Officer at SEKYVP, LLCHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in
TWiRT Ep. 567 - Cloud Radio is Radio.Cloud
Many radio engineers are talking about “cloud” and “cloudified” broadcast infrastructure, and inroads are being made right now. One group of broadcast technologists and developers is now running over 100 radio stations in Germany, fully with cloud-based infrastructure. Radio.cloud is designed to supply a backbone of audio programming from data centers, with local customization for each market. Some of that customization is done with Artificial Intelligence, or “AI”. Christian Brenner, Jim Hammond, and Tony Lorino join us, each with a different perspective on Radio.cloud’s technology and capabilities.Show notes:* radio.cloud - Home Page* Throwback Nation RadioGuestsChristian Brenner - Managing Director / CINO (Chief Innovation Officer)Tony Lorino - CEO at Throwback BrandsJim Hammond - CSO at Radio.cloudHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 566 - Transmitter Site Standards with Shane Toven
"Shane has turned off the 'Fasten Seatbelt" sign; you are now free to move about the country." Probably the best way to become an expert in anything is to work your craft in different places. Shane Toven is Senior Broadcast Engineer at Educational Media Foundation K-LOVE & Air1 Media Networks. We can each learn from his recent engineering exploits!Show notes:* Snapmaker 3-in-1 3D Printer* Radio DNS - Hybrid Radio - Broadcast+Internet* Crown Broadcast RFBA Triple EAS Tuner* TinkerCAD - Free online 3d modelingGuestShane Toven - Senior Broadcast Engineer at Educational Media FoundationHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 565 - STEM & STEAM with Sean McMahon & Bill Bennett
How did you get started in broadcast engineering? Through Amateur Radio? Building a Heathkit? Perhaps an electronics chapter in high school science? Let’s turn the page to today’s inspiration and learning opportunities. Sean McMahon is a Robotics Team Head Coach, while Bill Bennet is a "Recovering Broadcast Engineer". We're looking into STEM / STEAM programs where the next generation of media engineers will come from. Show notes:* First Inspires - A Global Robotics Community Preparing Young People for the FutureGuestsSean McMahon - Robotics Team Head CoachBill Bennett - “Recovering Broadcast Engineer” & Robotics MentorHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 564 - We Learn by Doing with Jim Addie
Jim Addie has had a career in broadcasting that spans 45 years. With engineering positions at notable stations like WFMT, WGN, and WJMK (CBS/Infinity), Jim and his top-shelf engineering colleagues designed and built some impressive custom equipment for critical broadcast audio. Jim Addie joins us on TWiRT to share some delightful and amazing radio engineering stories.Show notes:* AddieTech - Jim Addie’s Engineering & Consulting Services* Room EQ Wizard - free audio analysis software* FMX - FM stereo noise reduction* Knight-Kit - web site for information on the classic electronic Knight Kits* Jim’s spouse, Jo Addie, worked on the 1979 movie, “Somewhere In Time” with the late Christpher Reeve. This website is all about that movie.GuestJim Addie - Radio & Audio Engineer / ConsultantHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in
TWiRT Ep. 563 - Analog Radio Automation with Todd Edwards
Most of us in radio wax nostalgic about how radio was early in our careers. Todd Edwards waxes poetic about the analog radio automation systems he worked with at the end of the 1970s and into the 1980s. Names like SMC, Scully, Ampex, Otari, ITC, and Drake-Chenault are peppered throughout our conversation and tour on this week's episode. Todd recalls his first bloody automation injury and describes using a station's automation system as his excuse to go on the air live.Show notes:* Online web station, TRIK FM* Online web station, Frontier Country Online* Otari ARS 1000 (information brochure)* SMC Carousel (brochure)* Drake-Chenault (information web site)* Auditronics 210 audio console (BGS catalog page)GuestTodd Edwards - Analog EnthusiastHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in
TWiRT Ep. 562 - Innovations at Inovonics with Ben Barber
Some of the most useful and helpful broadcast equipment we’ve ever used is designed and built by a company named “Inovonics”. Founded by Jim Wood, the President and CEO now is Ben Barber. An experienced broadcast engineer himself, Ben joins us with terrific tales of his early days with Inovonics, and the backstories on several key pieces of gear that most of us engineers have used!Show notes:* Inovonics - Company History* Inovonics online live demo centerGuestBen Barber - President / CEO of Inovonics Inc.HostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 561 - Home Studio Perfection with George Whittam
George Whittam is one of the foremost engineers building home studios for radio, TV, and Hollywood voice-over talent. Many of his clients were doing some work in their home studios prior to the COVID pandemic. However, the lockdowns of the past 18 months - particularly in California - have made it absolutely necessary for the quality of home studios to rival that of commercial facilities. This is where George’s expertise has been proven time and time again. "Home Studio Perfection" is what we're discussing on today's "This Week in Radio Tech"!Show notes:* GeorgeThe.Tech - Voiceover and Podcasting Tech Support and Studio Design* Voice Over Body Shop - The Best Shop Talk on Voice Over* TriBooth - Portable Studio For Recording* MICPORT PRO - Mic Preamp + USB Audio Interface* Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Mic Preamp & USB Audio Interface* Sennheiser MKH416 shotgun mic* R0DE NTG5 shotgun mic* R0DECaster Pro integrated podcast production consoleGuestGeorge Whittam - Founder at Georgethe.Tech audio consultancyHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at
TWiRT Ep. 560 - Streaming Success in 2021 and Beyond
It’s been well over 20 years since some radio stations began streaming their audio on the Internet. And these days, most stations do have a streaming presence. But, is that enough with so much competition? Is there more in terms of convenience and utility that we broadcasters can provide to our listeners? Ed Martinez, Robert Minnix, and David Bialik sure think so - and hundreds of radio stations agree. From automatic content archiving to instant rewind and even “access control” using tokenized streaming, we’re talking about the next generation of streaming features.Show notes:* Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) - an open source media transport protocol* HLS - HTTP Live Streaming* SGrecast - The Podcasting Platform for Broadcasters* SGrewind - Lets your listeners rewind your stream* SGPassKey - Conditional Access to streams and stored contentGuestsEduardo Martinez - Director of Technology at StreamGuysRobert Minnix - Product Manager at StreamGuysDavid Bialik - Streaming Consultant to Broadcasters & WebcastersHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at
TWiRT 559 - 1-Hour Chief Engineer Master Class with Matt Gholston
It’s likely impossible for a true “Master Class” in anything to be done in 1 hour. However, Matt Gholston does take us through some of the key concepts that Chief Engineers must heed. From AoIP ideas to managing tower crews, Matt emphasizes some of the most important skills for today’s broadcast engineer. From teaching school to consulting hundreds of broadcasters, Matt’s wealth of knowledge is easily shared on this episode!Show notes:Matt highly recommends these two products for metal restoration & maintenance:* Evapo-Rust* ZRC Galvilite® Galvanizing Repair* Matt discussed a variety of essential outdoor coax management parts such as these:* RF Parts Company - Coaxial Cable & Accessories* Coax Grounding Kits from Talley* Tessco Tower Grounding ProductsGuestMatt Gholston, CSRE,CBTE,CBNT - Chief Engineer Townsquare Media - LafayetteHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 558 - Master of His Virtual Domain with Sean Kelly
One of the most clever engineering technicians we’ve met is also a bar and hotel owner and tour boat operator. So why wouldn’t he operate some hip radio stations as well? Sean Kelly is here to update us on virtualizing the operation of several online radio stations. Sean is running HITz Digital, KISS Digital, and PALM Torbay - and doing so with little more than an off-lease Dell R710 server with both free and commercial software.Show notes:* HITz Digital: http://loverradio.stream:8000/hitz * KISS Digital: http://loveradio.stream:8002/kiss * PALM Torbay: http://loveradio.stream:8012/palmtorbay * Plus we carry a friends country station http://loveradio.stream:8010/theranch out of Mesa in AZ because of Geo-LockGuestSean Kelly - Freelance DJ & Radio Host/TechHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 557 - Broadcasting Safely During a 2nd Lockdown with Stephen Wilkinson
Sydney, Australia, is on another pandemic lockdown, but this time broadcasters are better prepared. Stephen Wilkinson is Technical Operations Manager at Hope Media in Sydney, and is responsible not only for keeping this important community radio station on-the-air, but also for keeping the IT systems safe from cyber attacks. Stephen joins us to talk about Covid workflows, specific equipment and software, and several key points for reducing the risk of malware and ransomware at broadcast facilities. Plus we talk about “P.I.E. Racks” and DAB receivers in new automobiles.Show notes:* Essential Eight Maturity Model for IT Security* Digital Radio in Australia - DAB+ information* Stephen used an e-mail phishing test from Trend MicroGuestStephen Wilkinson - Technical Operations Manager at Hope MediaHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 556 - Engineering for Fun with Jim Grum Graham
Does anyone find humor and joy in broadcast engineering like Jim Grum Graham does? I don't think so!! Through flood, heart attack, crazy contests, and fun radio remotes, Jim Graham's engineering experiences have reduced him to the man he is today! What’s more, we can learn some important engineering lessons from Jim’s mistakes - and from his triumphs! Enjoy an hour with Jim as he recounts some crushing defeats as well as the occasional victory in his illustrious radio career.Show notes:* Fun Radio WFOX* Fun Radio on Facebook* WANS is one of the stations where Jim workedGuestJim Grum Graham - “Flunky” at Fun RadioHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 555 - Aerial Measurements, Military Precision with Phil Larsen
Phil Larsen used to fly drones to pick up bad guys discussing their evil plans. Now he runs the QForce Airborne Division of QCommunications, listening to radio and TV stations while measuring transmitted signal patterns. Aerial signal measurement has been around since an engineer carried an RF field strength meter into a helicopter. But, today’s measurements using custom-built drones are far superior to earlier methods. Phil explains what goes into drone-based RF measurements to assure accuracy and integrity of the measurement results.Show notes:* QForce - Airborne Division of QCommunications* Tower videos by Phil Larsen on YouTube* Sample Report from Aerial Measurements (PDF)GuestPhil Larsen - Vice President of QForce - division of Qcommunications, LLCHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 554 - Tower Tales with Tom Ray
Some days you’re the windshield, and some days you’re the bug. And some days you experience some of each. Tom Ray’s recent experience with a 4-tower AM directional array new New York is a study in “surprise” and “relief” as he dealt with half of a tower collapsing. These AM towers are in suburban wetlands, surrounded by residences, a city park, and protected waterways. Tom describes how, with a little luck and some expert help, a tower catastrophe got resolved and further problems were solved as well. Show notes:* WWRL-AM - A New York area radio station with 6 decades of broadcasting history* WWRL is featured on Scott Fybush’s Fybush.com web site* The WWRL transmitter site on Google Maps* Tom mentioned Tony Fonseca, PE, who advised on repairs at WWRLGuestTom Ray - President at Tom Ray ConsultingHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And
TWiRT Ep. 553 - What's Next in Audio Processing with Frank Foti
From modifying off-the-shelf audio processors, to hand-building his own designs, to overseeing the most successful radio audio processing company in the world, Frank Foti has both predicted and created the future of audio enhancement. In this episode we’ll hear about Frank’s collaboration with great record producers and how that work has continued to inform the development of broadcast audio processors. Loudness targets, a peak unlimiter, and a density detector - all discussed right here.Show notes:* A History Of Audio Processing Part 6: In Their Own Words – Learning From The Pioneers - an article by Jim Somich and Barry Mishkind* Cover Story : Omnia – From Frank Foti to Team Omnia in 27 Years - an article by Howard Mullinack* HOW TO GIVE YOUR STATION AN AMAZING ON-AIR SOUND - by Thomas GigerGuestFrank Foti - Founder of Omnia Audio and Chairman of the Board at Telos AllianceHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT 552 - Satellite C-Band Repack with Mark Johnson
The satellite C-Band repack is upon us. Indeed, some 5G carriers are already operating just below the satellite C-Band and have caused interference. More such interference is on the way and broadcast engineers need to act now. Mark Johnson with LinkUp Communications joins us to outline the C-Band repack timeline and share photos from recent filter installations.Show notes:* “The C-Band Repack”* “Essential Info to Choose the Right C-Band Filter”* “What’s Next if you Chose the Lump Sum Option”GuestMark Johnson - President at Linkup Communications Corp.HostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 551 - There's Power in the Pipes with Tony Dimsdale
Tony Dimsdale loves RF. And he loves the plumbing it takes to transport high-power RF energy from one place to another without “spilling” any! Working with GatesAir during the TV repack put Tony in the middle of the action, moving FM station antennas, installing RF combining and switching systems, and learning the nuances and “gotchas” of the art of RF plumbing. He shares his knowledge and experience with us on this episode of TWiRT.Show notes:* Tony’s Radio Transmitter Site Photos* Tony’s TV Transmitter Site Photos* Tony’s Studio Photos* Examples of fixed flanges for brazing - from SpinnerGuestTony Dimsdale - Owner at Dimsdale Technologies - Market Chief Engineer at Audacy, Greenville & Spartanburg, SCHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byNautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 550 - Digital AM & Multiplex FM with Philipp Schmid & Alex Hartman
Four years ago Philipp Schmid at Nautel introduced HD Radio technology allowing up to 15 digital program feeds on one FM channel. They called it “Multiplex FM”. Now the idea and technology have expanded to include the DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) transmission system. What’s more, Nautel and Telos Alliance have demonstrated a cloud-based system for processing multiple HD channels along with the analog FM program, with reliable Internet delivery to transmitter sites. Philip and Alex fill us in on this technology on TWiRT!Show notes:* Cloud-based FM air chain - Radio World* All-Digital HD Radio - Field Tests at KKLZ (PDF slide deck)* Explanation of DRM at WikipediaGuestsPhilipp Schmind - Chief Technology Officer at NautelAlex Hartman - Support & Research Engineer at NautelHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 549 - Let's Move In Together with Mike Patton
With urban sprawl, property values escalating, and AM stations having a more difficult time financially, sometimes it makes sense to combine one or more AM transmitters at a common transmitter site. Certain technical criteria must be met for this to happen, and combining AM directional stations can be challenging. Mike Patton has helped several AM stations move onto “common ground” and teaches about the key technical aspects to consider when combining transmitters. Show notes:* Diplexing AM transmitters - by John Battison [Radio World]* AM Stations Have New Options - Cris Alexander [Radio World]* Diplexed Directional AM stations - Paul Thurst, Engineering RadioGuestMike Patton - Owner, Michael Patton & AssociatesHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 548 - Combining FM Stations with Rob Bertrand and Andy Gunn
Too many FM antennas on one tower? They’re (maybe) creating intermod products? No room or structure for more tenants? It may be past time to consolidate all the FM signals onto a master FM antenna. WAMU-FM and WTOP-FM in Washington, DC, did exactly this - and worked with other FM tenants on the same tower to create such a combined, master FM antenna system. Rob Bertrand, CTO, and Andy Gunn, DoE, tell the story and give us a tour of the combiner room at American University.Show notes:* WAMU-FM on Wikipedia* WTOP-FM on Wikipedia* WAMU’s Master FM Antenna Assembled and Erected for Final Tuning and Test* New Master Antenna System Serves D.C.GuestsRob Bertrand - Chief Technology Officer at WAMU 88.5Andy Gunn - Director of Engineering at WAMU 88.5HostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 547 - Docker for Broadcasters with Cam Eicher
Heads-up, broadcast engineers! Docker is coming your way. What's Docker? It's a brand name that's part of "containerized software" - and broadcast equipment is already moving there. Your audio consoles, talkshow system, and IP intercom can all run on PC or servers - on-site or in a data center. This is happening now! Cam Eicher with Telos Alliance gives a great tutorial on Docker containerized software and more on this episode of TWIRT.Show notes:* What’s a “Bare-Metal Server”?* Let’s define “Cloud Computing”* Let’s be clear on what a “Virtual Machine” is.* Hypervisors - Type 1 and Type 2* Software container engines run on Linux* Let’s get on the same page about Docker.* OS-Level Virtualization* Fun to say, but what is Kubernetes?* What is Quay.io?GuestCam Eicher - Executive Director of Worldwide Sales at Telos AllianceHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 546 - Nineteen Mix-Minus Feeds with Rob Ashard
Why is Rob Ashard managing 19 mix-minus feeds while taping a British TV show? When COVID keeps the audience out of the studio, Rob and his colleagues must go to them - in their homes and flats. Rob Ashard is the lead audio mixer for The Graham Norton Show and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway. Audience interaction is critical, and these shows have found a way to make it happen. We’ll also discuss bringing a 60 year old portable tape deck back to life, plus learn about DE-RIG mixing kits.Show notes:* The Graham Norton Show* Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway* Rob was mixing on a Studer Vista X console* Rob’s lavalier to USB mic is this or similar* Rob discussed not “crossing the line” in camera placement* Another video update from Rob on the EMI RE321 tape deck (on Facebook)GuestRob Ashard - Sound Supervisor at Ashard Audio LtdHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio,
TWiRT Ep. 545 - Today's Challenges and Solutions with Cris Alexander
A broadcast company’s Director of Engineering faces more challenges from different directions than ever before. With telcos abandoning legacy services, fires threatening remote transmitter sites, AM tower sites having to move out, and thieves stealing copper or other valuables, the DoE job is full of daily dilemmas and crises. Cris Alexander, DoE at Crawford Broadcasting, deals with these problems and more, and depends on a team of local engineers as well. We get to spend an hour with Cris to hear about today’s challenges and some solutions.Show notes:* The Local Oscillator - current and back issues - A GREAT resource for all of us!* Tip of the Week: Paessler PRTG - network monitoring software* See Todd Dixon’s writeup on Paessler PRTG monitoring software in the April, 2021, edition of The Local Oscillator - starting on page 7GuestCris Alexander - Director of Engineering at Crawford BroadcastingHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 544 - Busta 'Crete with John Bisset
Bustin’ concrete, CIDR notation, Rat Magic, unlimited (almost) photo storage, more mouse eviction tactics, and the best site maintenance practices. Whew! It’s all covered and uncovered on this TWiRT episode with the beloved John Bisset, author of “Workbench”.Show notes:* Dexpan Non-Explosive Demolition Agent for Concrete Removal* Concrete Bustin’ Demo Video* Aha! “CIDR” stands for Classless Inter Domain Routing. Here’s a CIDR calculator* John talked about Middle Atlantic Rack Shelves as a possible substitute for Server Rack Rails* John likes ½” galvanized steel “hardware cloth” to protect larger openings from crittersGuestsJohn Bisset - Director, Western US Sales at Telos Alliance and Author of the “Workbench” column in Radio World magazine.HostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And
TWiRT Ep. 543 - EAS, One Year into the Pandemic - with Adrienne Abbott
EAS - The Emergency Alert System: Is it sometimes a pain for broadcasters? Or is it a life-saving emergency messaging system? Adrienne Abbott is Chair of the Nevada EAS. She brings a balanced and reasonable perspective to EAS operations and functionality. Plus, she’s helping to enhance the localism of EAS alerts in Clark County, Nevada, where Las Vegas and suburbs sprawl across the high desert.
TWiRT Ep. 542 - Engineering Adds Revenue via RDS with Joe Marshall
The FM Radio Data System has been around for 45 years, but internationally finalized in 2000. Despite being a worldwide standard, radio manufacturers and broadcasters have implemented the standard in different ways, resulting in rather inconsistent information displays for consumers. One leading company fixing this problem is Quu. Joe Marshall is the Technical Success Manager for Quu, and focused on helping FM broadcasters get consistent and compelling data and graphical displays on every FM and HD radio on the road.Show notes:NAB Study and Best Practices:NAB Auto Initiative (this page links to these two PDFs):NAB_DigitalDash_BestPractices_0319.pdfNAB_DigitalDash_RecommendedBestPractices_0419.pdfGuestJoe Marshall - Technical Success Manager at Quu, Inc.HostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for T...
TWiRT Ep. 541 - Complexity Has Disappeared with Dan McQuillin
Dan McQuillin is known for making complex broadcast operations much simpler, often by “disappearing the complexity”. We’re looking at the Digital/Bionic Table and the overarching themes in the way technology is deployed that Table leverages... Software, Browser based interfaces, BYOD and Virtualisation, and the impact that leaning in to these changes can have on the way spaces are designed and content is created and consumed.Show notes:This first look at the Bionic Table is so new, there’s just no information on the web about it. Watch this episode of TWiRT and you’ll be as up-to-date as anyone. When Bionic Table is publicly released, you’ll be able to read about it here… https://www.bionics.co.uk/ Guests Dan McQuillin - Managing Director at Broadcast Bionics, Ltd. Host Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook Sponsored by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 540 - Advanced Engineering at NAB with David Layer
Most broadcast engineers know of David Layer. He’s the VP for Advanced Engineering at the NAB. We know David because he has frequently given presentations about radio technology at broadcast trade shows. The hope of a reduction or end to the COVID pandemic has broadcasters enthused about meeting again in Las Vegas - this time in October, 2021 - for an NAB Conference and Expo, including the NAB Radio Show. David Layer joins us to discuss the rebuilding of the radio lab equipment and ongoing testing for both AM and FM hybrid or all-digital broadcasting, as well as plans for the NAB Show this fall.Show notes:* NAB Show, 2021 - Education & Exhibits - October 9-13, 2021 in Las Vegas, NV, USA* David mentioned NAB Amplify, a digital showcase of first-ever product reveals* NAB 2020 - The Year in Review - Broadcasters serving us during a pandemicGuestsDavid Layer - Vice President, Advanced Engineering at National Association of BroadcastersHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 539 - Broadcast Orchestration with Dan Bays
When changing audio routing in a broadcast facility, we often need to change other routes as well. Control signals, metadata, monitoring points, and more. Dan Bays began designing routers for recording studios, connecting different brands of equipment on the fly. Now he develops systems that route Audio over IP and associated GPIO and other control data. And, sophisticated salvos and monitoring are combined with Logic Flows to create reliable, automated systems with redundancy, all to keep the right audio on-the-air 24/7.Show notes:* Dan’s original company, Software Authority* Pathfinder Core PRO - Appliance and Virtual Machine* Dan authored “Guide Your Audio Home with Pathfinder”* Dan has been helping broadcasters route audio for a long time - Radio World, 2008GuestsDan Bays - Project Manager for Pathfinder at Telos AllianceHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 538 - Radio April Fools!
Of all the professions, those involved with radio broadcasting may rank highest in percentage of “jokesters”. We certainly have a 100% jokester guest panel on this episode of TWiRT! From engineers, to station managers, to on-air talent (and most have done 2 or 3 of these 3 things) our guests each have a very high “JQ” - Jokester Quotient. Enjoy with me these stories of April Fools jokes and pranks.Show notes:* Bill Jackson noted a position open at KLOVE & Air1 in Rocklin, CA* List of April Fools' Day jokes - Wikipedia* Seven April Fools' Day Pranks That Went Wrong - Newsweek* April Fool's Day Radio Hoaxes - Hoaxes.org* Pull a fast one with these 8 April Fools’ Day pranks - Audacy.com* April Fool’s Day pranks on radio stations - RadioTodayGuestsChuck Kelly - Vice President Market Development at Broadcast Electronics / Elenos GroupBill Jackson - Regional Broadcast Studio Engineer at Educational Media FoundationCam Cornelius - Emmy Winning SAG-E National VoiceOver & Imaging DudeRobert Combs - Director Of Engineering - Corporate at CUMULUS MEDIACornelius Gould - Owner & Managing Director of Legato Communications LLCJim Graham - Owner at JJH Broadcast & “Flunky at WFOX”Dave Supplee - Northeast Regional Engineer - Cumulus BroadcastingChriss Scherer - Member Communications Director at Society of Broadcast EngineersHost
TWiRT Ep. 537 - Integrating Virtual Solutions in Broadcast with Jake Alderman
Jake Alderman is Program Director for Virtual Solutions at Telos Alliance. Sound intriguing? I think so! We see broadcast infrastructure moving more and more into a virtualized space - either on-premises or perhaps in the cloud, and Jake is just the guy to clarify some concepts about virtualization. From Virtual Machines (VMs) to Software Containers to hypervisors, Jake and his colleagues are pushing the envelope on broadcast operations.Show notes:* Cloud Academy - Docker vs. Virtual Machines: Differences You Should Know* Portainer.io - Open Source Container Management GUI* Docker vs. Virtual Machines: What are the Differences?* The Broadcast Bridge - Vendors Now Well Versed In The Language of IT* Jake and Kirk referred to the Axia iQs virtual audio console* And the Telos VXs virtual VoIP system for radioGuestJake Alderman - Program Manager of Virtual Solutions at Telos AllianceHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in
TWiRT Ep. 536 - The Joy of Restoration with Jordan Tuck
Maybe you've seen Jordan Tuck's handiwork on Facebook; he refurbishes the radio gear we loved from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Most of this cherished audio gear is older than he is! How'd he get so good at bringing consoles, tape decks, audio processors, etc. back to life? Jordan credits Mike Patton and others for showing him the way to broadcast equipment resuscitation, and he’s on this episode of TWiRT to tell us about it.Show notes:* Micheal Patton & Associates* Jordan likes to source LEDs from SuperBrightLEDs.com* PR&E brochure about the AMX audio console (PDF)* Jordan talked about repairing the Texar Audio Prism - here’s an article by its inventor.GuestJordan Tuck - Broadcast Equipment Refurbishing Specialist at Mike Patton & AssociatesHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 535 - Into the Fire with Andy Low
Andy Low began his broadcasting career with IT experience. His only exposure to audio or RF engineering had been through his father’s amateur radio equipment. But when the opportunity arose for Andy to assume an overall engineering position, he dove right in, learning what he needed to keep his stations on-the-air and making improvements. Andy’s experience with taking over in an “engineering vacuum” taught him the value of documenting everything, and he shares what he learned with us.Show notes:* Midwest Communications* WKZO - Everything Kalamazoo* Battle Creek, MI* How to Get Started with Google Forms* We discussed the utility of Google Shared Drives (G-Suite users)GuestAndy Low - Chief Engineer at Midwest Communications, West MichiganHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 534 - Behind the Scenes on World Radio Day at WRHU-FM
WRHU at Hofstra University on Long Island has been chosen by the Academy of Radio Arts and Sciences of America to receive the 2021 World Radio Day Award. Andy Gladding, Chief Engineer at WRHU-FM, has led a cadre of Hofstra University students in planning, coordinating, and executing an impressive day-long broadcast for World Radio Day. So, impressive they even received a UNESCO award!Show notes:* WRHU to Go Worldwide on February 12–14 (Radio World article)* WRHU Radio Hofstra University Receives World Radio Day Award 2021* World Radio Day is Saturday, Feb. 13 (Radio Survivor)GuestsAndy Gladding, MsED – Chief Engineer at Salem Media Group & Chief Engineer at WRHU-FMDerek Futterman - Multimedia Marketing Manager at WRHU-FMRachel Luscher - Personnel Director at WRHU-FMEdward Mabeza - Program Director, Music at Radio Hofstra University, WRHU-FMCrystal Bermudez - Cultural Content Director at WRHU-FMShayna Sengstock - Technical Engineer at WRHU-FMHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And
TWiRT Ep. 533 - Bold Radio Predictions for 2021 with George Zahn
There’s no way to know if 2021 will be less tumultuous than 2020, but last year was a turning point for many, if not most broadcasters. George Zahn, a Cincinnati-area broadcaster and audio enthusiast for over 40 years, notes a “dumbing down” of audio quality in broadcast, while some broadcast competitors are getting better. He joins us with solid advice and a warning or two about keeping great audio in broadcasting.GuestGeorge Zahn - Station Director at WMKV-FM, Maple Knoll CommunitiesHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 532 - Undo & Process with Jim Kuzman
When you meet someone who is positively expert at something, you want to ask questions, pick their brain, learn what they know. Jim Kuzman literally wrote the manual for the infamous Omnia 9 audio processor. He knows audio processing inside and out, and especially the processing functions found in the Omnia 9. What does “Undo” do? How should I use a multiband spatial enhancer? How many multibands of processing should I choose? And why are you clipping my bass notes separately? Jim reveals answers to these questions and more!Show notes:* Omnia 9 audio processor* Technical articles authored by Jim Kuzman* Radio World “Cool Stuff Award” for Leif Claesson’s “Undo” technologyGuestJim Kuzman - Content Strategist - Telos AllianceHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 531 - Positive & Uplifting New Studios with Bill and Shane
Excuse me, can I watch? We're visiting the new studios of K-Love and AIR1 in Franklin, Tennessee, where Bill Jackson is nearly finished with two brand new, world-class radio studios. They’ve just finished hanging some large video monitors, and the acoustic treatment goes up next. Shane talks about K-Love’s remote transmitter sites while Bill describes some of the clever studio construction techniques they’ve put in place.Show notes:* Educational Media Foundation* K-LOVE* AIR1* The new studios will be used for several shows, including Skip & Amy on K-LOVE.GuestsShane Toven - Senior Broadcast Engineer at EMF K-LOVE & Air1 Media NetworksBill Jackson - Regional Broadcast Studio Engineer at EMF K-LOVE & Air1 Media NetworksHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 530 - Cadillac Engineering with Tom Lawler
Where do Cadillacs and radio engineers intersect? At the corner of Tom and Lawler, that's where! If you don't know Tom Lawler, you will after this episode of TWiRT. Tom is a Customer Support Engineer at RCS, and does on-air shifts at a couple radio stations. He’s also an accomplished engineer with experience in studio and transmitter maintenance. We’re discussing audio source material, his favorite mic, and two great war stories.Show notes:* Tom’s tip about Posi-Lock connectors is work noting. Kirk likes them, too!* Tom likes Valley People mic processing. Tom Vernon wrote a story about this for Telos Alliance.* Tom discussed the Digigram UAX220-MIC USB interface.* In one Cadillac Tom installed a Kenwood KDC Media Tuner* And, Tom is a big fan of Cadillac Broughams and Fleetwood Broughams.GuestTom Lawler - Customer Support Engineer at RCSHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 529 - Fire Safety for Broadcasters with Dean Wilson
Would you stay on-the-air if your studio caught fire? What about your transmitter site? Dean K. Wilson is a fire protection expert with a broadcasting background. Indeed, he got started in radio at the age of 12. During his career Dean has provided a variety of fire protection engineering, security engineering, loss prevention, and business process consulting services, as well as development and delivery of training programs and seminars for the National Fire Protection Association and Society of Fire Protection Engineers.Show notes:* National Fire Protection Association* Flash Point of Volatile Fuels* Article about Fire Protection Engineering* Halon 1301, aka Bromotrifluoromethane* Broadcast Solutions International - Information on Fire Suppression Systems for BroadcastersGuestDean K. Wilson - President and Chief Consulting Engineer at Dean K. Wilson AssociatesHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.
TWiRT Ep. 528 - Radio over ATSC 3.0 with Mark Aitken
You thought ATSC 3.0 (NexGenTV) was all about 4k video and immersive audio, right? That’s what I thought until I heard about Sinclair Broadcast Group and their approaches to enhancing all things media. From Single Frequency ATSC 3 Networks to carriage of dozens of radio stations’ content, Mark Aitken, SVP for Advanced Technology at Sinclair enlightens us on the big plans ahead for ATSC 3.0. Marty Sacks, EVP for Sales, Support, and Marketing at Telos Alliance joins us as well.Show notes:* ONE Media – Television’s “Next Generation”* Sinclair Launches First ATSC 3.0 Radio Service In Seattle - Radio Insight article* Monetizing ATSC 3.0 - a webinar and white paper series from ATSC3Advocate.com* Saankhya Labs - wireless chipset & solutions provider* ATSC 3.0 Next Gen Overview video* FCC Modifies DTS Rules for ATSC 3.0 Flexibility - TVTechnology articleGuestMark Aitken - SVP of Advanced Technology at Sinclair Broadcast GroupHostsMarty Sacks - Executive Vice President of Sales, Support and Marketing at The Telos AllianceKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store,
TWiRT Ep. 527 - Engineering Excellence with Jason Ornellas
Jason Ornellas is this year’s recipient of Radio World’s Excellence in Engineering Award. One reason for his selection is Jason’s leadership in executing a complex, major market studio build. From design, technology selection, equipment installation, and final commissioning, Jason Ornellas and his team of engineers built one of the most beautiful and effective radio facilities you’ll ever see. Let’s meet Jason and have a look at these gorgeous radio studios!Show notes:* Jason Ornellas Makes His Mark - Radio World* V Three Studios helped to architect the new Bonneville Bay Area facility* They Built New Studios During COVID - Radio World* Jason mentioned ION Forge speaker stands* The Bonneville Bay Area studios are equipped with KRK ROKIT G4 speakersGuestJason Ornellas - Regional Director of Engineering at Bonneville InternationalHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 526 - Better Podcast Audio with Chris Curran
Podcasters and broadcasters - Got a problem with your audio? Does your audio not measure up to the "pro" podcasts? Chris Curran is here for a whole hour with up-to-date advice and suggestions for clean, clear audio - always at the right volume. From your recording “space” to mic selection, to mic technique, to compression and post-processing - Chris brings the advice of a recording and podcasting pro.Show notes:* We discussed the new Shure MV7 podcast microphone* We mentioned the ubiquitous Shure SM7B dynamic vocal mic* Kirk mentioned his Sennheiser MKH 416 shotgun mic* Also Kirk’s favorite dynamic mic, the Heil PR40* We also discussed a couple of R0DE mics* Kirk likes his dbx 286s mic pre-amp and channel strip* Chris recommends iZotope RX 8 software for automated audio cleanup* Chris also likes the Reaper Digital Audio Workstation software* We mentioned Auphonic for online file processing to “master” your podcasts* And Descript looks very interesting for automatic speech to text and audio/video editing based on dialogGuestChris Curran - Founder of Podcast Engineering School and host of The Podcast Engineering ShowHostKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters.
TWiRT Ep. 525 - What a Year 2020 Was with Tom Ray
Are you “done with 2020”? Many of us certainly are. Seems 2020 has been the year of disaster, failure, and disappointment. Hardship for many. We met so many challenges this year with lockdowns, layoffs, scrambling to work from home, and some good friends and colleagues passing away. Tom Ray is our guest, and somewhat of an expert on equipment failures; he sees a lot of them! Despite Tom’s sometimes curmudgeonly disposition, he’s actually an optimistic and positive engineer. On this episode we’re looking at equipment failures that seemed especially rampant this past year, and we look at the bright side of getting these failures repaired and working again.Show notes:* Funeral arrangements for Chris Tobin at Perazzo Funeral Home* Photo album from this episodeGuestTom Ray - TWiRT contributor and President at Tom Ray ConsultingHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 524 - Christmas Eve with John Bisset
Most of our TWiRT family and friends know by now that our co-host, Chris Tobin, passed away last Saturday, December 19, 2020. He was 59 years old. We will do a special TWiRT episode in tribute to Chris within a few days. For now, we’re carrying on with today’s TWiRT episode, as I'm quite sure Chris would have wanted. Rest in Peace in God’s arms, Chris.Over a month ago we decided to do a Christmas Eve edition of This Week in Radio Tech. John Bisset, agreed to be on the show with us to recall some Christmas engineering memories, chat about Christmas gifts, and think about what’s ahead for radio engineers. Plus, we read and answer some comments from engineers as part of a Christmas Eve giveaway.Show notes:* We gave away three of these ONN Surf 7” Android tablets* John mentioned Mouse Magic, the rodent repellent with a minty aroma* We think 2021 will bring more virtualization, such as the Axia iQsGuestJohn Bisset - Director, Western US Sales, Telos Alliance & Author of Workbench at Radio WorldHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 523 - NYC Radio Engineering with Andy Gladden
Andy Gladding got started in radio engineering at Hofstra University on Long Island, NY. Now he’s Chief at the Salem radio stations in New York City. Andy applies plenty of expertise, an eagerness to learn more, and a great sense of humor to the challenges of engineering in US market #1. Plus we learn about taking care of nationally-distributed talk shows and Andy’s wish to provide a clear path to students interested in broadcast engineering.Show notes:* Hofstra University* WRHU-FM at Hofstra University* AM 970 - The Answer - Salem Radio’s 50kW New York City station* The Joe Piscopo Show on AM 970* The Mike Gallagher Show* WMCA - AM 570* New York SBE Chapter 15GuestAndy Gladding - Chief Engineer at Salem Media GroupHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 522 - Hawai'i IP Radio Link & Backup FM Transmitter
TWiRT co-host, Kirk Harnack, is part-owner of KHKU-FM in Lihu’e, Hawai’i. It’s been 2 ½ years since the station, called “Star94.3”, went on the air under the new name, so some improvements and repairs have been needed. The key projects were: Installing an IP-radio link from studio to the transmitter on Mt. Kahili; installing a backup transmitter and antenna; and, wiring remote AC power switching for the main and backup transmitters and other gear at the transmitter. Kirk shares photos and video of the dramatic trips to Mt. Kahili and helicopter “rescue” necessitated by worsening weather.Show notes:* KHKU-FM - Star 94.3 FM* HIker video of the Kahili Ridge Trail in bad weather - similar to conditions for us* Digital Loggers Web Power Switch - Remote IP-controlled AC outlet bank* Ubiquiti PowerBeam 5AC ISO Gen2 IP-Radio Link* Kirk needs help getting these MikroTik Metal 9HPn ISM-band IP radios to workHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 521 - Hybrid Single Frequency Network with Hal Kneller
A Single Frequency Network (SFN) can help a broadcaster achieve coverage over a much wider area than with a single transmitter - and, provide continuous, hands-free coverage for listeners as they move about the trade area. FM on-channel boosters are another form of SFN. Hal Kneller has designed and implemented numerous SFNs to give broadcasters better coverage for their listeners, and joins us to describe a recent “hybrid” SFN in Southwest Florida.Show notes:* “Hybrid Synchronization in the Sunshine State” - article by Hal Kneller* Single Frequency Network introduction at Wikipedia* SynchroCast Presentation by Ted Lantz of GatesAir* Single Frequency Networks for HD Radio by Philipp Schmid of NautelGuestHal Kneller - Broadcast Technology ConsultantHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 520 - No Turkey for Mike Modney
Mike Modney grew up in a broadcasting family with an engineer dad and a news director mom. Now, Mike is making his own way as a successful engineer and audio processing expert. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Mike oversees facilities and engineers in both Edmonton and Calgary. His stations have found techniques to successfully work around COVID-19 concerns, and keep both staff and audience interaction at a maximum. Plus Mike talks about his AoIP facility and how µMPX technology provides much cleaner STL feeds.Show notes:* WABE - Western Association of Broadcast Engineers* Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) Mentor Program* Jim Pattison Broadcast Group* 102.3 NOW! Radio* Pippin Technical (Candian broadcast equipment supplier and integrator)GuestMIke Modney - Chief Engineer at Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, Alberta Metro MarketsHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at
TWiRT Ep. 519 - Welcome South, Brother! to WSB
Any radio engineer would consider it a privilege to visit the iconic WSB-AM transmitter site in Atlanta, Georgia. Today we get info on the WSB site not only from DoE, Charles Kinney, but also from Vic Jester, who helped design the current transmitter building in the early 1980s. Vic also takes us into the WSB 50 kilowatt Antenna Tuning Unit - a small building unto its own next to the 650’ WSB tower. Plus, Charlie Wooten with and update and thoughts on recovery from Hurricane Michael that hit the Florida Panhandle two years ago.Show notes:* WSB at the Atlanta History Center* WSB radio info on Wikipedia* WSB radio history - photo show from the 1920s* WSB transmitter site - prior to shopping center developmentGuestsCharles Kinney - Director of Engineering at Cox Media Group AtlantaVic Jester - Chief Engineer at Radio One, AtlantaCharlie Wooten - regional Director of Engineering & IT at iHeartMedia, Panama City, FloridaHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And
TWiRT Ep. 518 - C-Band Filters - IN or OUT? with Mark Johnson
The C-band repack – and subsequent relocation of all C-band users in the Mid-band frequency to 4.0-4.2 Mhz – means broadcasters with C-band satellite antennas need to act now. You may plan to self-install the filter needed to protect your satellite reception from new 5G signals. But, are you sure a filter is all that is needed? And, do you feel comfortable that your documentation will be adequate to share with the FCC when ATT or Verizon begin to interfere with your program reception? Mark Johnson with Linkup Communications describes the problem that broadcasters face, and explains the options available, whether you’re “opt-in” or “opt-out” of an FCC program.Show notes:* Linkup Communications - Satellite services from uplink to downlink* Radio World article by Mark Johnson, “Lump Sum Option May Not Be Best for All”* SO YOU CHOSE THE C-BAND LUMP SUM OPTION; HERE’S WHAT’S NEXT* Fierce Wireless article - Amid heated debate, FCC votes 3-2 to free up 280 MHz of C-band for 5GGuestMark Johnson - President at Linkup Communications Corp.HostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at
TWiRT Ep. 517 - Translators, Allocations, and the FCC with Dave Doherty
The FCC has a filing window for new Non-commercial/educational (NCE) FM stations in 2021. Indeed, it’s been over ten years since the FCC accepted applications for new, full-power NCE construction permits. The window, expected to be in “early 2021,” will allow non-profit organizations, schools, and native tribes to apply for Construction Permits in the NCE band - 88.1–91.9 MHz on the FM dial. FCC Consulting Engineer, Dave Doherty, joins us to discuss this topic and more.Show notes:* Skywaves Consulting - provides technical services and strategic consulting for radio station owners, investors, and brokers.* FCCInfo.com - a database looking web site from Cavell & Mertz* Google Earth .kml file page for FCC licensed facilities* Quick radio facility lookup at Radio-Locator.comGuestDave Doherty - Principal at Skywaves Consulting, LLCHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 516 - PlayoutONE Web and Cloud with Dave Brierley-Jones
There’s no shortage of radio automation playout systems on the market. Some are steeped in a strong tradition of reliable service. Dave Brierley-Jones is CEO of PlayoutONE, a relatively new playout system that offers web-based voice tracking. We’ll get a tour of PlayoutONE’s design and the browser-based WebVT system that helps home-based talent get on-the-air conveniently.Show notes:* PlayoutONE WebVT* A collection of instructional videos about running PlayoutONE* Dave likes LastPass for securely simplifying web credentialsGuestDave Brierley-Jones - CEO at PlayoutONEHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 515 - The Next Best Thing 2020
The “Next Best Thing Media Tour” is rolling onward, having visited two dozen markets to date, and with a long list to go before concluding around Thanksgiving. It’s a traveling outdoor equipment expo intended to help engineers and others see equipment or talk to vendors in person, in this year without an NAB Show. Cities just visited include Nashville, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis, with Dallas, Houston, Miami and Atlanta coming up. The organizers include Greg Dahl of Second Opinion Communication, Dave Kerstin of Broadcasters General Store and Jeff Williams of Yellowtec.Show notes:* See the remaining schedule and RSVP here…* The Next Best Thing Facebook PageGuestsGreg Dahl - Second Opinion CommunicationsPaul Stewart - Summit Technology GroupJeff Wiliams - YellowTecShane Finch - ENCOEd Bukont - E2 Technical ServicesDave Kerstin - Customer Service at Broadcasters General StoreJason Cooper - Radian CorporationChris Crump - ComrexHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community,
TWiRT Ep. 514 - Wildfire! with Mike Everhart
Being Director of Engineering for a large radio broadcaster is challenging enough these days. Doing that while fighting forest fires is downright heroic! Mike Everhart is Director of Engineering at Alpha Media AND he fights wildfires. We’ll see the incredible damage done to a steel-walled transmitter building and its contents, plus the clever replacement shelter to get back on-air just 3 days later. Finally, David Bialik joins us with highlights of the on-demand sessions available in the Broadcast track of this year’s AES Show.Show notes:* Chaparral burns particularly hot in the Western wildfires.* KUIC-FM is the focus of our discussion of a burned transmitter site; a real hometown station* Here’s the KUIC transmitter site on Google Maps* Mike Everhart is a Volunteer Lieutenant at the Molalla Fire Protection District* Alpha Media* AES2020 Show - listing of sessions and events by track. Broadcast and Online Delivery is the section referenced by David Bialik.GuestsMike Everhart - Corporate Director of Engineering at Alpha Media & Volunteer Lieutenant at Walalla Fire DistrictDavid Bialik - Consultant to the streaming and broadcast communitiesHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, a social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.
TWiRT Ep. 513 - Lifetime Achievement with Mark Persons
In fifty-six years the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) has awarded only ten John H. Battison Awards for Lifetime Achievement. This tenth and most recent one was just bestowed upon Mark Persons, CPBE, CBNT, AMD. Since Mark got started in radio and had an engineering curiosity from an early age, we wanted to know about his early experiences that have informed his career as a broadcast engineer. Mark takes us through his early years and military duty, and describes how he “never had a Plan B”. Also, AES Past President, John Krivit, tells us about the 7 Audio Wonders of the World Tech Tour.Show notes:* From the SBE: Society of Broadcast Engineers Presents John H. Battison Award for Lifetime Achievement to Mark Persons* Radio World article: Mark Persons Receives SBE Lifetime Achievement Award* Mark Persons’ Tech Tips - A huge collection of tips learned from a lifetime of engineering* Thirty years of broadcast engineering articles by Mark Persons* Chris Tobin’s Tip: NanoVNA-F Portable Handheld Vector Network Analyzer* Kirk’s Tip: Telos Alliance Support page for generating SDP files for AES67 stream subscriptionsGuestMark Persons - M. W. Persons & AssociatesHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter...
TWiRT Ep. 512 - Brace Yourselves, Winter is Coming with Paul Montoya
Preparing for winter is a time-honored ritual in most temperate climates. Most of the USA - indeed most of the world’s population - falls in temperate zones, and that means winter weather is likely or possible. The “business end” of broadcast equipment is often exposed to winter weather. Paul Montoya, Director of Engineering at Wyoming Public Media, oversees operations and maintenance at transmitter sites that are difficult to access and exposed to harsh conditions while being considered “critical infrastructure”. Paul joins us to discuss preparing for winter’s harshness to stay on-the-air - and to stay safe.Show notes:* Wyoming Public Radio* Wyoming Public Radio Coverage Map* Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) explainer video from Matt Risinger* When in Laramie, Wyoming, we recommend you stay at Vista de la Luna B&BGuestPaul Montoya - Director of Engineering @ Wyoming Public MediaHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.
TWiRT Ep. 511 - FM Antennas from Theory to Practice with Bill Harland
To most radio broadcast engineers, FM transmitting antennas are both slightly mysterious and rather fascinating. There are several fundamental designs plus differences in materials, testing, placement, and operational maintenance. Bill Harland from Electronics Research, Inc. (ERI) provides a wealth of information and photos to point out key concepts with FM antennas. This episode is packed with information that every radio engineer should know!Show notes:* Antenna Planning Tools* Antenna System White Papers* ERI “Rototiller” Antenna - Name controversy? [YouTube video]* TWiRT coverage of the Engineer's Seminar & Tribute to the FM Master Antenna* Video about ERI from the Economic Development Coalition of SW IndianaGuestBill Harland - Vice President of Marketing at Electronics Research, Inc.HostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars.
TWiRT Ep. 510 - Automated TV Worth Watching with Stan Walbert
Automated live video production is now arguable as good as human-directed switching - at least for “visual radio”. Stan Walbert, President of Multicam Systems, has created an AI (artificial intelligence) video switching engine that emulates the best decisions of human video technical directors. Stan and Mary Ann Seidler are here with real-world examples of AI-controlled vision switching, along with advice for radio broadcasters wanting to add visual radio or improve their current systems.Show notes:* Multicam Systems for Radio* Full-length, real-world Multicam Studio demo in diverse venues* Backdrop: Virtual Production Using ARGuestsStan Walbert - President at Multicam SystemsMary Ann Seidler - Owner at First Light Broadcast, LLCHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 509 - Critical Generator Maintenance with John Bisset
What good is a backup power generator if you can’t depend on it, 100 percent? None, really. After analyzing dozens of generators and what makes them not run, John Bisset offers poignant tips and advice to ensure that your backup generator runs when you need it.Show notes:* The Mice vs. the Generator* Radio World articles by John Bisset* Klein Tools Non-Contact Voltage Tester* Semi-Rigid USB Endoscope for under $11 from Amazon* 4 inch magnetic parts dish from Harbor FreightGuestJohn Bisset - Director, Western US Sales at Telos Alliance and Author of the “Workbench” column in Radio World magazine.HostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcast...
TWiRT Ep. 509 - Critical Generator Maintenance with John Bisset
What good is a backup power generator if you can’t depend on it, 100 percent? None, really. After analyzing dozens of generators and what makes them not run, John Bisset offers poignant tips and advice to ensure that your backup generator runs when you need it.Show notes:* The Mice vs. the Generator* Radio World articles by John Bisset* Klein Tools Non-Contact Voltage Tester* Semi-Rigid USB Endoscope for under $11 from Amazon* 4 inch magnetic parts dish from Harbor FreightGuestJohn Bisset - Director, Western US Sales at Telos Alliance and Author of the “Workbench” column in Radio World magazine.HostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcast...
TWiRT Ep. 508 - Big VoIP & Mountain Engineering with Marcos O'Rourke
Not many radio engineers handle a phone system for 500 employees, but Marcos O’Rourke does! Five years in the planning and execution, and now KWave Radio, plus the church campus they’re part of, are saving close to $10k per month in phone service costs. Plus, their Santiago Peak transmitter site is getting a rebuild - with a very efficient setup.Show notes:* Santiago Peak - LIVE WEBCAM* Shure MV88 professional stereo mic for iPhone* KWave Network Status Page from Statuspage.ioGuestMarcos O’Rourke - Chief Engineer, KWave Radio, Santa Ana, CaliforniaHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 508 - Big VoIP & Mountain Engineering with Marcos O'Rourke
Not many radio engineers handle a phone system for 500 employees, but Marcos O’Rourke does! Five years in the planning and execution, and now KWave Radio, plus the church campus they’re part of, are saving close to $10k per month in phone service costs. Plus, their Santiago Peak transmitter site is getting a rebuild - with a very efficient setup.Show notes:* Santiago Peak - LIVE WEBCAM* Shure MV88 professional stereo mic for iPhone* KWave Network Status Page from Statuspage.ioGuestMarcos O’Rourke - Chief Engineer, KWave Radio, Santa Ana, CaliforniaHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 507 - Cloudified Broadcast Audio Processing with Mary Ann Seidler
We knew it was coming - and now it's here…. Top-shelf audio processing and FM stereo coding in "the cloud" - either private cloud or "public" cloud. There are big possibilities here, and Mary Ann Seidler joins us to tell all. Plus, Chris Tobin rounds out the show with advice that’s especially timely.Show notes:* kmfm UK Goes Virtual with High-Density Virtual Audio Processing* How Software Audio Processing Makes Planning for Transmission Changes More Flexible* Nautel Webinar: Radio Air-Chain Innovation Webinar #2: Problem SolvedGuestMary Ann Seidler - Broadcast & Streaming Audio Processing ConsultantHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 507 - Cloudified Broadcast Audio Processing with Mary Ann Seidler
We knew it was coming - and now it's here…. Top-shelf audio processing and FM stereo coding in "the cloud" - either private cloud or "public" cloud. There are big possibilities here, and Mary Ann Seidler joins us to tell all. Plus, Chris Tobin rounds out the show with advice that’s especially timely.Show notes:* kmfm UK Goes Virtual with High-Density Virtual Audio Processing* How Software Audio Processing Makes Planning for Transmission Changes More Flexible* Nautel Webinar: Radio Air-Chain Innovation Webinar #2: Problem SolvedGuestMary Ann Seidler - Broadcast & Streaming Audio Processing ConsultantHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 506 - Audio Builders Workshop with Chris Kincaid
If you’ve ever thought, “There should be a group that promotes learning electronics and audio to teens and college students,” well, there is! It’s Audio Builders Workshop (ABW), a working group of the Boston AES Section. Chris Kincaid is lecturer at the Purdue School of Engineering & Technology and Program Manager with ABW. While many ABW events focus on simple electronic kits, more seasoned engineers have access to truly professional projects. Large diaphragm condenser mics, ribbon mics, 500-series format mic preamps, and studio audio levelers are DIY projects available through ABW’s partner companies.Show notes:* Audio Builders Workshop* ABW - a working group of the Boston AES* ABW Metronome kit from CrowdSupply - as seen on TWiRT and built by Michael Harnack* Bumblebee DIY ribbon mic kits* DIYRE CP5 Colour Mic Preamp Kit* DIYRE OLA5 Opto Compressor Kit* MicParts DIY Microphone kits* AES Show - Fall 2020* Chris Kincaid mentioned Max8 aural and visual creation softwareGuestChris Kincaid - Program Manager at Audio Builders WorkshopHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.
TWiRT Ep. 506 - Audio Builders Workshop with Chris Kincaid
If you’ve ever thought, “There should be a group that promotes learning electronics and audio to teens and college students,” well, there is! It’s Audio Builders Workshop (ABW), a working group of the Boston AES Section. Chris Kincaid is lecturer at the Purdue School of Engineering & Technology and Program Manager with ABW. While many ABW events focus on simple electronic kits, more seasoned engineers have access to truly professional projects. Large diaphragm condenser mics, ribbon mics, 500-series format mic preamps, and studio audio levelers are DIY projects available through ABW’s partner companies.Show notes:* Audio Builders Workshop* ABW - a working group of the Boston AES* ABW Metronome kit from CrowdSupply - as seen on TWiRT and built by Michael Harnack* Bumblebee DIY ribbon mic kits* DIYRE CP5 Colour Mic Preamp Kit* DIYRE OLA5 Opto Compressor Kit* MicParts DIY Microphone kits* AES Show - Fall 2020* Chris Kincaid mentioned Max8 aural and visual creation softwareGuestChris Kincaid - Program Manager at Audio Builders WorkshopHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.
TWiRT Ep. 505 - Overcoming Social Distancing with Chris Tobin and Greg Dahl
Broadcasting from home - working alone - informing and entertaining - keeping virtual company with our listeners; we’re doing the best we can during these continued lockdowns and social distancing. Industry events keep getting canceled or postponed, and we’re substituting in-person meeting with virtual ones and with webinars. Is it working? Are some things actually a bit better this way? Kirk and Chris explore these notions. Plus we’re talking with Greg Dahl. He’s bringing “The Next Best Thing” to 40 cities across the USA over the next 4 months in a socially distanced mobile equipment show.Show notes:* Chris mentioned Busby Berkeley a couple times. Here’s the camera shot he’s talking about.* Society of Broadcast Engineers 2020 National Meeting Goes Virtual* RJ Russell Is SBE’s Engineer of the Year* Read updates on Greg Dahl’s Next Best Thing tour on this Facebook page.* … and on this LinkedIn page.GuestGreg Dahl - Broadcast Engineer at Second Opinion Communications, Inc.HostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos.
TWiRT Ep. 505 - Overcoming Social Distancing with Chris Tobin and Greg Dahl
Broadcasting from home - working alone - informing and entertaining - keeping virtual company with our listeners; we’re doing the best we can during these continued lockdowns and social distancing. Industry events keep getting canceled or postponed, and we’re substituting in-person meeting with virtual ones and with webinars. Is it working? Are some things actually a bit better this way? Kirk and Chris explore these notions. Plus we’re talking with Greg Dahl. He’s bringing “The Next Best Thing” to 40 cities across the USA over the next 4 months in a socially distanced mobile equipment show.Show notes:* Chris mentioned Busby Berkeley a couple times. Here’s the camera shot he’s talking about.* Society of Broadcast Engineers 2020 National Meeting Goes Virtual* RJ Russell Is SBE’s Engineer of the Year* Read updates on Greg Dahl’s Next Best Thing tour on this Facebook page.* … and on this LinkedIn page.GuestGreg Dahl - Broadcast Engineer at Second Opinion Communications, Inc.HostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos.
TWiRT Ep. 504 - Rocket Radio Telemetry with Cornelius Gould
Engineering in various disciplines is a big part of Corny Gould’s career path. From major market broadcast engineer, to audio processing algorithm developer, to podcast content creator, Corny Gould applies techniques from each specialty to improve the others. Today we’re looking at gathering accurate sensor data from a model rocket that may be moving close to Mach 1, and reliably transmitting this data to a ground station.Show notes:* 9 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Transmitter - a Nautel eBook* Corny’s advanced rocketry podcast, “The Rocketry Show”* The Model Rocket Show - a podcast for those newer to rocketry* Tripoli Rocketry Association* The National Association of Rocketry* BPS.SPACE - Thrust Vectoring at Model Scale* We discussed the Kalman Filter conceptGuestCornelius Gould - Audio Algorithm Developer and Rocketry EngineerHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Join Jeff Welton and guests for Nautel’s Transmission Talk Tuesdays - Register HERE.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 504 - Rocket Radio Telemetry with Cornelius Gould
Engineering in various disciplines is a big part of Corny Gould’s career path. From major market broadcast engineer, to audio processing algorithm developer, to podcast content creator, Corny Gould applies techniques from each specialty to improve the others. Today we’re looking at gathering accurate sensor data from a model rocket that may be moving close to Mach 1, and reliably transmitting this data to a ground station.Show notes:* 9 Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Transmitter - a Nautel eBook* Corny’s advanced rocketry podcast, “The Rocketry Show”* The Model Rocket Show - a podcast for those newer to rocketry* Tripoli Rocketry Association* The National Association of Rocketry* BPS.SPACE - Thrust Vectoring at Model Scale* We discussed the Kalman Filter conceptGuestCornelius Gould - Audio Algorithm Developer and Rocketry EngineerHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Join Jeff Welton and guests for Nautel’s Transmission Talk Tuesdays - Register HERE.And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 503 - Protecting that Feedline with Paul Shulins
Paul Shulins is President of Shulins’ Solutions, a radio and tv broadcast consulting firm based in Andover Massachusetts, specializing in remote control solutions, studio design and construction, antenna protection systems and ratings metrics.Show notes:* IEEE BTS Looks at Future of Monitoring - Paul Shulins, presenter* DAC System’s RF Hawkeye components* DJI Matice 300 UAS* RTK - Real-time Kinematic - technology to improve position accuracy* Infrared Thermography CertificationGuestPaul Shulins - President at Shulins’ SolutionsHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And
TWiRT Ep. 503 - Protecting that Feedline with Paul Shulins
Paul Shulins is President of Shulins’ Solutions, a radio and tv broadcast consulting firm based in Andover Massachusetts, specializing in remote control solutions, studio design and construction, antenna protection systems and ratings metrics.Show notes:* IEEE BTS Looks at Future of Monitoring - Paul Shulins, presenter* DAC System’s RF Hawkeye components* DJI Matice 300 UAS* RTK - Real-time Kinematic - technology to improve position accuracy* Infrared Thermography CertificationGuestPaul Shulins - President at Shulins’ SolutionsHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And
TWiRT Ep. 502 - I'm K-Lovin' It with Bill Jackson
What’s a former DJ and Promotions Director doing building radio studios? Well, he’s lovin’ it! Bill Jackson is now the Principal Studio Engineer for Educational Media Foundation K-LOVE & Air1 Media Networks. He’s expanding the number of studios and replacing the consoles at EMF’s Franklin, Tenn, studio complex. We’re talking about how AoIP has made possible a revolution in studio interoperability and nationwide connectivity.Show notes:* Educational Media Foundation (EMF Broadcasting) - Info on Wikipedia* Positive and Encouraging - K-LOVE* Air1 - Worship Now* Axia Livewire+AES67 AoIP networking from Telos Alliance* Axia Quasar AoIP Livewire+AES67 audio consoleGuestBill Jackson - Principal Broadcast Studio Engineer at EMF K-LOVE & Air1 Media NetworksHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars.
TWiRT Ep. 502 - I'm K-Lovin' It with Bill Jackson
What’s a former DJ and Promotions Director doing building radio studios? Well, he’s lovin’ it! Bill Jackson is now the Principal Studio Engineer for Educational Media Foundation K-LOVE & Air1 Media Networks. He’s expanding the number of studios and replacing the consoles at EMF’s Franklin, Tenn, studio complex. We’re talking about how AoIP has made possible a revolution in studio interoperability and nationwide connectivity.Show notes:* Educational Media Foundation (EMF Broadcasting) - Info on Wikipedia* Positive and Encouraging - K-LOVE* Air1 - Worship Now* Axia Livewire+AES67 AoIP networking from Telos Alliance* Axia Quasar AoIP Livewire+AES67 audio consoleGuestBill Jackson - Principal Broadcast Studio Engineer at EMF K-LOVE & Air1 Media NetworksHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars.
TWiRT Ep. 501 - No Fail Remotes with Tim Berry
Imagine the pressure of making sure every game-day broadcast for the Tennessee Vols gets on-the-air and sounds great. That’s what Tim Berry does in his “spare” time! Tim is the Chief Engineer at WUOT-FM at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He also maintains numerous Amateur Radio repeaters in East Tennessee. Tim joins us to talk about close calls and “audio feed negotiation” as well as connection reciprocity.Show notes:* What is the Vol Network?* Tim Berry - WN4GBI and East Tennessee Amateur Repeaters* Lindsey Nelson - First play-by-play announcer for the Vol Network* John Ward - the Voice of the VolsGuestTim Berry - Chief Engineer at WUOT-FM and Chief Engineer at the Vol NetworkHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 501 - No Fail Remotes with Tim Berry
Imagine the pressure of making sure every game-day broadcast for the Tennessee Vols gets on-the-air and sounds great. That’s what Tim Berry does in his “spare” time! Tim is the Chief Engineer at WUOT-FM at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He also maintains numerous Amateur Radio repeaters in East Tennessee. Tim joins us to talk about close calls and “audio feed negotiation” as well as connection reciprocity.Show notes:* What is the Vol Network?* Tim Berry - WN4GBI and East Tennessee Amateur Repeaters* Lindsey Nelson - First play-by-play announcer for the Vol Network* John Ward - the Voice of the VolsGuestTim Berry - Chief Engineer at WUOT-FM and Chief Engineer at the Vol NetworkHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 500 - Looking Back and Looking Forward
Thank you for helping us get to 500 TWiRT episodes! Chris Tobin says he’s up for 500 more! This week, Tom Ray joins us to review some past topics and see how they’ve changed in the past 10 years. Chris Tobin checks in from high above Manhattan. Plus, we predict the future for some of today’s technologies.GuestTom Ray - TWiRT contributor and President at Tom Ray ConsultingHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 500 - Looking Back and Looking Forward
Thank you for helping us get to 500 TWiRT episodes! Chris Tobin says he’s up for 500 more! This week, Tom Ray joins us to review some past topics and see how they’ve changed in the past 10 years. Chris Tobin checks in from high above Manhattan. Plus, we predict the future for some of today’s technologies.GuestTom Ray - TWiRT contributor and President at Tom Ray ConsultingHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 499 - Best Practices for Home Broadcasting with Bryan Jones
Many of us got our morning and afternoon hosts operating from their homes pretty quickly back in March. We had just a few days - or even just a weekend - to get our on-air talent connected from their kitchen tables or bedrooms, along with news and traffic reporters. Bryan Jones, Engineering Support Specialist at the Telos Alliance, helped dozens of broadcasters get operational from their homes. Now, we’re discussing longer-term home and remote broadcast operations. What are the best practices and key concerns from an IT perspective? What pitfalls should we avoid while improving these remote operations for long-term service? Plus, Chris Tobin describes his station’s unique remote operations setup.Show notes* Best remote desktop software of 2020: Paid and free choices for businesses* Kirk’s favorite remote access service: DWService.net* 4 VPN Types and When to Use Them* Chris’s favorite: DJB Radio playout softwareGuestBryan Jones - Engineering Support at The Telos AllianceHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Na...
TWiRT Ep. 499 - Best Practices for Home Broadcasting with Bryan Jones
Many of us got our morning and afternoon hosts operating from their homes pretty quickly back in March. We had just a few days - or even just a weekend - to get our on-air talent connected from their kitchen tables or bedrooms, along with news and traffic reporters. Bryan Jones, Engineering Support Specialist at the Telos Alliance, helped dozens of broadcasters get operational from their homes. Now, we’re discussing longer-term home and remote broadcast operations. What are the best practices and key concerns from an IT perspective? What pitfalls should we avoid while improving these remote operations for long-term service? Plus, Chris Tobin describes his station’s unique remote operations setup.Show notes* Best remote desktop software of 2020: Paid and free choices for businesses* Kirk’s favorite remote access service: DWService.net* 4 VPN Types and When to Use Them* Chris’s favorite: DJB Radio playout softwareGuestBryan Jones - Engineering Support at The Telos AllianceHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Na...
TWiRT Ep. 498 - Radio Ops in Mexico City with Cuauhtémoc Pereda
The global COVID-19 is truly global. North America’s oldest city - and tied with New York for the largest - is Mexico City. Cuauhtemoc (“Cuau”) Pereda is the Managing Director at @FM (www.arroba.fm), a network of almost 50 stations throughout Mexico, and oversees a network of talent, operations, and engineering professionals. Cuau joins us to discuss how they’re doing social distancing, while working with both union and non-union employees. It’s a lively look into big-market radio in another country.Show notes* @FM Radio Network* Radio Resultados* vMix Live Production and Video Streaming Software (also used by the GFQ Network)* OBS Studio Video Production and Streaming Software* Axia Radius AoIP Livewire+ AES67 audio consoleGuestCuauhtémoc Pereda - Managing Director of @FM, Mexico CityHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 498 - Radio Ops in Mexico City with Cuauhtémoc Pereda
The global COVID-19 is truly global. North America’s oldest city - and tied with New York for the largest - is Mexico City. Cuauhtemoc (“Cuau”) Pereda is the Managing Director at @FM (www.arroba.fm), a network of almost 50 stations throughout Mexico, and oversees a network of talent, operations, and engineering professionals. Cuau joins us to discuss how they’re doing social distancing, while working with both union and non-union employees. It’s a lively look into big-market radio in another country.Show notes* @FM Radio Network* Radio Resultados* vMix Live Production and Video Streaming Software (also used by the GFQ Network)* OBS Studio Video Production and Streaming Software* Axia Radius AoIP Livewire+ AES67 audio consoleGuestCuauhtémoc Pereda - Managing Director of @FM, Mexico CityHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 497 - Audio Forensics with Tim Dolbear
Many people use their cell phones and other devices to record conversations. The audio can turn out, well, almost useless. Most people try to clean up the audio, and in the process remove the audio they need to hear. Tim Dolbear is an audio engineer, specializing in mixing, audio restoration, and forensic audio analysis. He joins us to discuss these topics, as well as give advice on “how to listen” to audio.Show notes* “Listen Hear” - article by Tim Dolbear (PDF)* Izotope RX 7 audio repair software* Audio Repair Examples - Before and After* Audio Pareidolia - Why We Hear Voices in Random Noise* Audio Pareidolia is a real thing* Parametric EQ vs FFT Filter - Adobe Audition Tutorial (video)GuestTim Dolbear - Chief Audio Engineer, Eclectica Studios, Nasvhille, TennHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community,
TWiRT Ep. 496 - 100 Years of Radios with Beth Mann
Beth Mann started collecting radios early in her career - and never stopped. As President/CEO of Edge Media Group in Cadiz, Kentucky, Beth directed the construction and operation of the DJ Everett III Radio Room - a showcase for almost 300 radios dating from 1919 to present day. We’re on location at WKDZ-WHVO-WPKY touring this radio museum, plus seeing a replica broadcast control room from the 1960s.Show notes* Detailed story of the DJ Everett III Radio Room* Grand opening of the DJ Everett III Radio RoomGuestBeth A. Mann - President/CEO Edge Media GroupHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byBroadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc.Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com.Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 495 - WISPs are Good for Broadcasters with Kent Winrich
Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) typically need towers for their backhaul radios and access points. Broadcasters need Internet access at their transmitter sites. It’s like a mariage made in heaven! On this episode of TWiRT, Kent Winrich, CTO of Open Broadband, a North Carolina-based WISP, describes the technical aspects of a WISP network, and the frequency bands used for network deployment.Show Notes:* Open Broadband of North Carolina* Google Network Planner* Chris’s favorite coffee mug - 12 oz Scout* RF Elements - Videos explaining WISP concepts and implementationsGuestKent Winrich - Chief Technology Officer at Open Broadband, Chair of WISPA, North CarolinaHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. By Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts
TWiRT Ep. 494 - Radio Engineering at 200MPH with Doug Watson
Sports broadcasting usually involves following and describing a moving target. On the auto and truck racing circuits, that target is moving about 200 MPH. Doug Watson directed and built broadcast facilities, and developed reliable techniques, for radio coverage of NASCAR races. He shares what works and what didn’t for making sure the weekly race broadcasts were exciting, accurate, and delivered to nearly 500 radio affiliates.Show notes* Motor Racing Network* Mini Optical Fiber Power Tester* LinkUp Communications - Advice for Broadcasters on 5G FiltersGuestDoug Watson - Senior Sales Engineer at Linkup Communications CorporationHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. By Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts
TWiRT Ep. 493 - TV Audio Tips, Tricks, and Thoughts with Rob Ashard
Audio is important to both Radio and TV, but there are key differences in audio production techniques. Rob Ashard is a Sound Supervisor (“A1” in the USA) for several top TV shows produced in England. Plus his weekly on-air shift at Radio Caroline keeps his heart in radio. This week, Rob shows us some of the large audio “desks” he uses for TV audio production, and describes a technique for low-latency “talkback” setup to remote talent.Show notes* Television Centre’s TV Studios* Game Creek Video Trucks* Radio CarolineGuestRob Ashard - Sound Supervisor at Ashard Audio Ltd.HostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. By Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts
TWiRT Ep. 492 - Cloud-Based Disaster Recovery with Bill Bennett
Data center based server platforms are known for their resilience and reliability, and radio broadcasters are taking notice. Cloud-based systems are also generally accessible from anywhere there’s an Internet connection, including radio talent that’s “sheltering in place”. Bill Bennett with ENCO Systems joins us to highlight the various kinds of disasters that will stop broadcasters from being on-air, and introduces web-accessible radio infrastructure that keeps operating, even when the studio is down.Show links:* ENCO Cloud- and Web-based operations* Disaster Recovery Solution - DAD-DR* NAB’s “10 Steps to Disaster Preparation and Recovery”GuestsBill Bennett - Media Solutions Manager, ENCO SystemsHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. By Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts
TWiRT Ep. 491 - Proven Radio Virtualization & What’s Next with Dan McQuillin
BBC Radio’s Virtual Local Radio project is done and proven. Talent, management, engineering, and listeners are delighted with the results. Now Dan McQuillin is designing the next generation of minimalist studios that still do everything needed and desired for radio content creation. Beyond “Cushions and Daylight”, Camera One, Bionic Table, and Bionic Picnic - all introduced and explained on this edition of TWiRT.Show links:* BBC completes groundbreaking ViLoR local radio project* All-IP Virtualised Radio Network Case Study by Geoff Woolf, ViLoR Project Director, BBC* Camera One radio visualization* If you play Animal Crossing on Nintendo Switch, use these TWiRT-exclusive gift codes from Dan:Bionics Cap: MO-GM80-D90C-P5YCBionics T-Shirt: MO-473R-K91B-21RDGuestsDan McQuillin - Managing Director at Broadcast BionicsHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. By Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts
TWiRT Ep. 490 - What You Didn't See at NAB
Would you have been flying home from Las Vegas, Nevada, about now, from NAB 2020? This week we’re bringing you three terrific broadcast professionals with a look at more of what we didn’t see at NAB. Michael “Catfish” Dosch with Angry Audio - a quickly growing manufacturer is here, along with Jeff Adams - a video webcaster and radio broadcaster. Plus Chuck Kelly pours on the education with news of new technologies and techniques from BE/Elenos.Show links:* The Nautel Users Group (NUG) meeting will be a virtual one. Register here and get SBE credit.* Angry Audio’s Bluetooth Gadget and Talkshow Gadget* RadioPix - visual radio system from Broadcast Pix* BE/Elenos and a look at their technologyGuestsRobbie Green - Director of Technical Operations at Entercom CommunicationsHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. By Nautel - keeping you connected with your community, and offering informative webinars at Nautel.com/webinars. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. TWiRT location broadcast connections are made possible by MaxxKonnect Wireless.
TWiRT Ep. 489 - What You Won't See at NAB
Many of us would have been flying to Las Vegas, Nevada, about now for NAB 2020. We would have been assembling expo booths, delivering technical papers and presentations, and learning about the technologies and equipment that engineers will be using in the coming years. But with NAB 2020 cancelled due to the coronavirus, we’re bringing some highlights of what would have been at NAB to you. Marty Sacks of Telos Alliance, Josh Bohn of Bohn Broadcast, and Jeff Welton of Nautel are here to highlight what’s new, and what you would have learned from them at NAB.Show links:* Telos Alliance Home Broadcasting Series - Interviews with engineers making home studios work* TelosHelp - Real life how-to articles in the Telos Alliance Support Knowledge Base* Axia’s Automix helps remote broadcasters mix remotely* Grady Moates describes using the Omnia MPX Node at WUMB-FM, Boston* Josh Bohn reports that prioritized 4G data is now rolling out in Canada, too, with MaxxKonnect* Nautel is beta-testing its Flash-free Advanced User Interface (AUI)* The Nautel Users Group (NUG) meeting will be a virtual one. Register here.GuestMarty Sacks - Vice President of Sales, Support and Marketing at The Telos AllianceJosh Bohn - President/Chief Engineer at Bohn Broadcast ServicesJeff Welton - Nautel Central U.S. Sales Manager,fixer of problems, provider of solutionsHostsChris Tobin, IP-Solutionist Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, &
TWiRT Ep. 488 - Compare, Shop, & Broadcast from Home
Cabin Fever notwithstanding, thousands of broadcasters - from engineers to sales reps to on-air talent - are working from home. And the list of capabilities and opportunities grows almost daily. Alex Oana shows us how to compare high-quality microphones from our easy chairs, while Goos Mante runs his radio show on RTV Zaanstreek entirely from his home in Wormer, Netherlands. And Chris Tobin tells how WBGO-FM got over 9,000 music selections digitized for broadcast in just a few days.Show links:* Audio Test Kitchen* DJB Radio broadcast automation* RTV Zaanstreek, Netherlands and on Facebook* US Health Weather MapGuestAlex Oana - Audio Test KitchenGoos Mante - Show Host on Zaan Radio 107.1HostsChris Tobin, IP-Solutionist Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 487 - Protection, Selection, and Connection with Hank Landsberg
Who hasn’t used one of Henry Engineering’s “blue boxes” to solve an audio or control problem around the radio station? A related company, Sine Control Technology, makes power surge suppressors that are used by the US Department of Defense. Hank Landsberg, owner of Henry Engineering, explains the technology that makes his “PowerClamp” TVSS technology different and more effective at protecting sensitive electronic equipment. We also look at a clever device that makes AC UPS operation more reliable, and the mic & headphone controller that newly home-bound broadcasters are using.Show links:* PowerClamp TVSS Surge Suppressors* SportsPod - Mic/Headphone Controller & Intercom* Hank mentioned Victor Kiam, the guy who bought the Remington shaver company. Here’s the UK version of the ad that made him a household name.GuestHank Landsberg - Owner, Henry EngineeringHostsChris Tobin, IP-Solutionist Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 486 - The RF Supercomputer with Chuck Kelly
General purpose computers have been replacing purpose-built equipment in almost every industry, including radio broadcasting. But, some functions - such as VHF and UHF modulators - have still required precision, purpose-built circuitry. Now come the “RF Supercomputer” - a marriage of hardware and software that can produce any kind of modulation at most any broadcast frequency. And there’s even more to the story. Chuck Kelly from BE/Elenos Group joins us for a lesson in highly sophisticated software defined transmission.Show links:* SDRplay* Samson Q2U USB MicGuestChuck Kelly - Vice President Market Development at Broadcast Electronics / Elenos GroupHostsChris Tobin, IP-Solutionist Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 485 - Broadcast Continuity in a Pandemic
“Social Distancing” to slow the spread of Coronavirus is changing the way broadcasters are operating. Over the past week or two, broadcast engineers have been charged with setting up the remote studios and broadcast systems allowing on-air talent and other operations workers to do their jobs from home. Plus, they’ve configured studio and “rack room” systems to be run by few or even no people in the main studio building. Some of radio broadcasting’s most active and progressing engineers join Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for this roundtable discussion, You’re sure to pick up on ideas and inspiration for your own broadcast facility!Roundtable GuestsBill Bennett - Media Solutions Manager, ENCO SystemsGary Kline - Broadcast/Podcast Engineering & IT ConsultantGeary Morrill - Regional Director of Engineering at Alpha Media USAJim Armstrong - Director, Eastern US Sales at the Telos AllianceMike Sprysenski - Regional Director of Engineering at iHeartMediaBryan Waters - Chief Engineer at Cumulus Media, AtlantaRobbie Green - Director of Technical Operations at Entercom, HoustonTom McGinley - Chief Engineer at KUFM FM/TV and Engineering Manager at Townsquare Media, Missoula, MTHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored by TWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gizmos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High S...
TWiRT Ep. 484 - Emmy-Winning AES67 with Kevin Gross
AES67 - the worldwide Audio over IP interoperability standard - exists because “Silos aren’t good enough!” Kevin Gross, Founder of AVA Networks and Chair of the AES X192 task group joins us to tell the story of how AES67 came to be, and a behind-the-scenes look at its development. We also discuss how AES67 plays into the SMPTE ST 2110-30 standard for networked audio-for-video. Plus, a great tip of the week!Show links:* Audio Engineering Society Honored with Technology & Engineering Emmy Award* AIMS paper: “AES67 / SMPTE ST 2110 COMMONALITIES AND CONSTRAINTS”* VLC Media Player - ver 3.x supports playing AES67 streams GuestKevin Gross - Media Networking Professional - AVA NetworksHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gismos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by Calrec and the Calrec Type R console system for radio - the building blocks for your station. TWiRT location broadcast connections are made possible by MaxxKonnect Wireless.
TWiRT Ep. 483 - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Visual Radio with Robbie Green
Radio has traditionally been all about the audio. Radio engineers do their best, working with the budgets and knowledge they have, to design and build studios that help create the best audio presentation. Now more radio broadcasters are putting video cameras in their studios - visual radio. Some are streaming live while others grab the best clips from their in-studio shows. Robbie Green with Entercom in Houston joins Chris Tobin to talk about equipment and techniques to produce good-looking visual radio with minimal effort.Show links:* vMix video production software* Axia Pathfinder Core PRO* Ubiquiti G3 IP camerasGuestRobbie Green - Director of Technical Operations at Entercom CommunicationsHostsChris Tobin, IP-SolutionistFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gismos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by Calrec and the Calrec Type R console system for radio - the building blocks for your station. TWiRT location broadcast connections are made possible by MaxxKonnect Wireless.
TWiRT Ep. 482 - Combine & Control with Josh Bohn and Josh Jones
With more combined AM, FM, and TV transmitter sites, safe, effective, and secure monitoring and control of those sites has never been more important. When several transmitters are fed into a combiner, then to a master antenna, great damage is possible if something goes wrong. That’s where detailed analysis, careful installation, and custom scripting with sanity checks all come into play. Josh Bohn, along with Josh Jones and other associates are providing such monitoring and control systems to FM and TV broadcasters, and they’re sharing some of their experiences with us. Plus Josh Jones talks about repairing older equipment with parts made of non-obtainium.Show links:* WAGO Rail / Chassis Mount Terminal Blocks* Burk Technology - SNMP-enabling remote controls* TechEx Streaming Calculator* FCCInfo.comGuestJosh Bohn - President & CEO, Bohn Broadcast ServicesJosh Jones - Chief Technician, Bohn Broadcast ServicesHostsKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gismos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by Calrec and the Calrec Type R console system for radio - the building blocks for your station. TWiRT location broadcast connections are made possible by MaxxKonnect Wireless.
TWiRT Ep. 481 - Essential Community Radio with Ernesto Aguilar
Community Radio - what is it? And how's it doing? Surprisingly well! Ernesto Aguilar is the Program Director at the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. He’s bullish on Community Radio - often run by volunteers - addressing the specific local and regional issues, arts, and concerns of people in a station’s coverage area. Chris Tobin joins in with specific advice on studio design that addresses the particular workflow you’ll find at many Community Broadcasters.Show links:* WXPR - “We Live Up Here” podcast* National Federation of Community Broadcasters* NFCB - Community Broadcasters Podcasting Guide (sign in or request)* WTIP - “Boundary Waters” podcast* WEVL-FM, Memphis, TNGuestErnesto Aguilar - Program Director, National Federation of Community BroadcastersHostsChris Tobin, IP-Solutionist Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gismos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by Calrec and the Calrec Type R console system for radio - the building blocks for your station. TWiRT location broadcast connections are made possible by MaxxKonnect Wireless.
TWiRT Ep. 480 - They See Me Pathfindin'
What would you do if a dozen of your engineering colleagues from other markets showed up and installed all new studio and rack room equipment, leaving you to figure it out? Ed Noyes, a Regional DoE for Cumulus, quickly befriended Pathfinder and discovered real-time monitoring and control of his new AoIP system. Ed joins us to share the wonder and utility of watching over and controlling an active, multi-studio broadcast center with Pathfinder.Show links:* Pathfinder Software Family Overview* WRBS Pushes Pathfinder to the Limit - from Radio World* ‘Reliable, Redundant, System-Wide Routing Control’ Is Here - from Radio Business Report* Axia Livewire and VMWare ESXi - report by Anthony Eden at MediaRealmGuestEd Noyes, South Central Regional Director of Engineering at Cumulus MediaHostsChris Tobin, IP-Solutionist Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas BroadcastingFollow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and FacebookSponsored byTWiRT is brought to you by Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. By Angry Audio - your source for StudioHub cables and adapters, plus audio Gadgets and Gismos. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And by Calrec and the Calrec Type R console system for radio - the building blocks for your station. TWiRT location broadcast connections are made possible by MaxxKonnect Wireless.
TWiRT Ep. 479 - Schwank aus dem Radioleben
We bring German broadcast engineering to you in “Schwank aus dem Radioleben” or “Tales of My Radio Life”. Longtime friend and colleague, Peter Passian compares German and U.S. radio studios from the 1980s while AoIP expert, Ludwig Kugler joins to discuss today’s radio studios in Bavaria. And Mary Ann Seidler recalls a harrowing experience, installing an FM audio processor in Mumbai, India, in a tall building that was still under construction!
TWiRT Ep. 478 - Best Practices for AM Directional Systems with Mark Persons
Are you responsible for an AM Directional Antenna? Want to know about adjustment and troubleshooting? Award-winning broadcast engineer, Mark Persons, has built AM Directional systems from scratch and has seen a thing or two. Mark shares some thoughts on effective desk design and what those Minnesotans do for sporting fun when it gets really cold!
TWiRT Ep. 477 - Artists in the Application of Science with Ed Bukont
Ed Bukont knows a few things because he’s seen a few things. Designing and building broadcast studios never grows old for Ed, because no two studios are ever exactly the same. Ed asks, “What are you trying to do here?” - a question that’s far more important than “What do you want?” Ed shares some of the successful strategies he’s learned in dealing with individuals and with large bureaucracies while integrating useful technology into audio studios.
TWiRT Ep. 476 - HD Radio Spacing & Alexa with Aaron Read
Opinions, opinions! And Aaron Read has some good ones! Aaron is the IT & Engineering Director at Rhode Island Public Radio, and joins us for a lively discussion of HD Radio transmission power and asymmetry and getting your station on smart speakers when a worldwide audience creates ambiguity.
TWiRT Ep. 475 - Intercom over IP with Martin Dyster
Seems there’s almost nothing we can’t accomplish over Internet Protocol (IP) these days - at least in terms of information, control, and media. Broadcasters and event producers are benefitting by moving their Intercom systems to IP - a technology we’re calling “IoIP” for “Intercom over IP”. Martin Dyster has over 30 years working with “comms” systems in television, radio, theatre, and sporting events. He’s here to educate us about legacy intercom technology, and explain how “matrix-free” IoIP works.
TWiRT Ep. 474 - Broadcasting's All-Digital Future with Sam Matheny
Theodore Hook said, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” If it seems that technology and innovation are impacting our lives at an ever increasing pace, you’re right. Broadcasters, perhaps more than any other industry, must move with technological changes - even if that means defining them. Our guest has been and certainly is now at the forefront of broadcasting technology. Sam Matheny is CTO and Executive Vice President at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). Sam shares his insights for broadcasters as we move into all-digital broadcasting, ATSC 3.0, and artificial intelligence.
TWiRT Ep. 473 - Better Studios Through Planning with Gary Kline
Why build an average studio when you can design and build something amazing for the same price? Gary Kline has designed and built dozens of radio studios, from small markets to the very largest. Chris Tobin has done the same. Together, Gary and Chris talk about involving every stakeholder in the finished studio, making sure that revenue generation has a place at the design table.
TWiRT Ep. 472 - Remembering John Lyons
John Lyons was a not only a fixture, but a force, in the New York City RF scene. His tireless work - especially after 9/11 - has gotten and kept radio and TV broadcasters on-the-air with excellent engineering, optimized coverage, and reliable operation. With John's recent passing, today's TWiRT features Chris Tobin and Tom Ray - both of whom worked with John extensively. We'll also enjoy John's presentation about Building the Advanced RF Transmission System at One World Trade Center.
TWiRT Ep. 471 - Control over IP Options with Anthony Kuzub
Audio over IP technology and standards are well-settled and widely understood among broadcast engineers. Control & Monitoring over IP is more unsettled, with competing - and incompatible - standards. Anthony Kuzub, Sr. Systems Designer at CBC/Radio-Canada, introduces AES70, NMOS, MQTT, MIDI over IP, and even a proposal for Emoji Description Protocol (EDP?). Plus a useful hack of Google Chrome browser to record WebRTC audio.
TWiRT Ep. 470 - All Digital AM with Dave Kolesar & Mike Raide
WWFD in Frederick, Maryland, is the only all-digital AM station in the USA. Switching to HD Radio’s MA3 mode, there’s no longer an analog AM carrier; the signal is only digital, and any AM-band HD radio can decode it. Dave Kolesar is the energetic engineer who has driven this switch to an all-digital AM transmission. He and Mike Raide with Xperi join us from the WWFD transmitter site - and bring us a “first ever” surprise at the end of our show!
TWiRT Ep. 469 - Wisconsin Public Radio Upgrades with Britny Williams
Wisconsin Public Radio was just going to replace a few audio consoles - until they met with one bad surprise after another! Britny Williams is DoO and DoE at WPR’s main studios in Madison, WI. She’s overseeing and coordinating several teams as WPR’s upgrade project developed into soup to nuts replacement - all while keeping all programming going. Britny joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on this episode.
TWiRT Ep. 468 - Live from the MBMTC
The Midwest Technology & Multimedia Broadcast Conference (MBMTC) just wrapped up in Columbus, Ohio. For the first time, this year’s conference consolidated engineering sessions from Kentucky and Indiana broadcast associations, making for a well-attended event with 14 total engineering sessions packed into one day. John Takach joins us on the “curvy couch” along with Josh Bohn and Matt Levin, plus Chris Tobin from New York City.
TWiRT Ep. 467 - Texar Audio Prism Prototype - with Brian Kerkan
We’re on-site at WPOZ in Orlando, Florida, where we found a prototype of the famous Texar Audio Prism. Audio processing expert, Brian Kerkan, joins us to show off some old analog audio processors, including the CBS Audimax and Volumax. Then we turn to one of 16 Texar prototypes. We finish with a discussion of interfacing AES192 FM multiplex info a switcher and IP-STL system.
TWiRT Ep. 466 - Workbench Advice with John Bisset
Every two weeks, John Bisset brings practical engineering advice in his “Workbench” column in Radio World magazine and Radio World online. This week, John brings us the best and most timely of his tips and techniques for effective broadcast engineering. While taking in John’s advice, be thinking of time- and trouble-saving practices that you use in your own engineering work. Submit your ideas to johnpbisset@gmail.com, and you could see yours in print and online.
TWiRT Ep. 465 - Hacking LTE for Broadcast Remotes with Chris Tobin
And by “hacking” we mean “using to the best effect, even in non-traditional ways.” Chris Tobin has engineered hundreds of live broadcasts, outside of traditional studios. As 4G LTE mobile data services have matured, Chris and other engineers are working to guarantee reliable wireless data by understanding the options. Full signal bars doesn’t mean ideal bandwidth; and knowing where the best LTE access points are can result in more reliable service.
TWiRT Ep. 464 - Live from the Broadcasters Clinic 2019 in Madison, WI
After a whole day of broadcast engineering learning, we’re live from Day 1 of the Broadcasters Clinic in Madison, Wisconsin. Engineers from 29 states are traveling to be here for radio and TV engineering sessions. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack talk with Mark Persons, Chuck Kelly, Bill Gould, Linda Baun, Michelle Vetterkind, Cathy Orosz, David Layer, John Poray, and Wayne Pecena.
TWiRT Ep. 463 - Quality, Timely Innovation with Michael Goodman
Ready to discover the intelligence behind some new, high-quality audio product designs? Michael Goodman, Founder and CEO of CEntrance, designed audio products at Shure, and consults with audio manufacturers around the world. Now his company is taking it passion for transparent audio and rugged designs to make compact pro audio devices for broadcasters and podcasters.
TWiRT Ep. 462 - Those Beautiful Blue Boxes with Hank Landsberg
For almost 40 years broadcast engineers have been using those blue boxes from Henry Engineering. One engineer says, “Henry Engineering boxes solve acute problems at a reasonable price.” Hank "Henry" Landsberg joins us on TWiRT.! His stories will bring a smile to your face and understanding of the inspirations for those useful "Henry" boxes.
TWiRT Ep. 461 - NAB Radio Show 2019 from Dallas
The NAB Radio Show started with Tech Tuesday, a day-long event for radio engineers. We’re wrapping up the exhibit hall with special guests Brittany Hilton, Paul Kriegler, Daniel Hyatt, Tommy the Hacker, Dave Kolesar, Russ Mundshenck, Greg Dahl, John Lackness, Jeff Williams, and Chris Tobin in New York!
TWiRT Ep. 460 - The HEBA - AM's Real Estate Relief - with Grady Moates
Grady Moates is a “hands-on” broadcast engineer. Known widely for his audio processing expertise, Grady’s attention has more recently been on proving the performance of a novel antenna design. The High Efficiency Broadband Antenna (HEBA) - after years of additional research and real-world testing and proving - is now FCC approved. Grady explains how a HEBA help AM stations, especially those with real-estate opportunities.
TWiRT Ep. 459 - He's a Stand Up Guy with Scott Fybush
Some people in Radio wear a few hats; that’s been part of the business since its beginnings almost 100 years ago. Meet one radio guy who’s on the air in Rochester, NY, publishes a beautiful tower calendar annually, runs an informational subscription website, interviews broadcaster engineers and talent, brokers broadcast properties between buyers and sellers, produces his own broadcasting podcast, and keeps up with FCC Rules to help us navigate the regulatory landscape? Oh, and he’s following his wife’s footsteps as a stand-up comic! It could only be Scott Fybush!
TWiRT Ep. 458 - The Temple of 5 Nines with Tracy Teagarden
Most of us enjoy air-conditioned casinos or convention halls, or perhaps sunny swimming pools and golf courses. But the like of broadcast engineer, Tracy Teagarden, is often starkly different. As the Chief Engineer for Entercom in Las Vegas, Tracy recently found himself working in dangerous heat for several hours, with only the supplies he brought. On the other side of town he’s been building a mutli-station AM & FM transmitter site with high-reliability built right in; perhaps good enough for a zombie apocalypse!
TWiRT Ep. 457 - Positive Engineering with Brian Kerkan and Jim Hoge
Remember the Texar Audio Prism? Did you know that Glen Clark had some partners in the development and rollout of the Prism? Jim Hoge worked with Glen on the Texar Audio Prism. Jim also founded WPOZ-FM, often the #1 station in Orlando. Brian Kerkan is another talented engineer, also known for excellent audio processing and and professional approach. Brian and Jim join us on TWiRT to talk about breakthroughs in older technology, and today’s new operating paradigms as we move toward sensible virtualization.
TWiRT Ep. 456 - Where We're Going We Don't Need a Tower, with Mark Voris and Jeff Heins
Driving to meet Jeff Heins at MyBridge Radio Network, I couldn’t believe it; the building at the studio address had no STL tower, but another building just ½ block farther had a big STL tower, full of antennas. Despite feeding seven full-power FM transmitters and ten FM translators, MyBridge Radio uses no traditional STL microwave links. Every audio link, whether contribution, distribution, or in-house mixing and routing, is entire in the AoIP domain. (The other building with the traditional STL tower is "Broadcast House" - a multi-station commercial radio cluster.) Jeff Heins joins us along with Mark Voris, Chief Engineer at Spirit Catholic Radio.
TWiRT Ep. 455 - Don't Be That Curmudgeon with Shane Toven
Traveling to mountaintop transmitter sites allows for some "road thinking". Shane Toven is analyzing listeners' habits and loyalties, and joins us with thoughts and advice about OTA transmission and streaming to smart speakers. Plus, Chris and Shane discuss the engineer’s role in broadcasters’ efforts to make their content easily findable on digital platforms. And, what can go wrong at transmitter sites that may only get one engineering visit each year.
TWiRT Ep. 454 - Audio Processing from Z100 to Now with Frank Foti
From Scott Shannon and Z100, New York, to the most critical recording and audio in popular music, Frank Foti is relentless in pursuit of clean audio that stands above the crowd. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack welcome Frank in discussing the audio processing that helped Z100 go from “worst to first” and has lifted thousands of radio stations to commanding positions on the radio dial.
TWiRT Ep. 453 - Studio Mic Design with John Peluso
Can fine studio mics, designed decades ago, be improved? John Peluso says, “Yes!!” John owns Peluso Microphone Lab. He and his family build world-class microphones, designed to equal or better the performance of classic recording studio mics. They’ve also developed new mic designs for special purposes. John Peluso and Chris Newitt join us on TWiRT!
TWiRT Ep. 452 - Engineering Entrepreneurship with Bill Suffa
Bill Suffa has been a part of some top-shelf engineering consulting firms, and served as a business consultant to several household names in broadcasting. Now Bill is consulting in a variety of business sectors. At the same time he’s encouraging engineers of different disciplines to go into their own businesses. It’s an interesting perspective from this Professional Engineer with an MBA.
TWiRT Ep. 451 - Was StudioHub the de Facto Standard? with Mike Dosch
Some radio engineers were shocked this week when told they couldn’t buy StudioHub® adapters any more. Many - if not most - new radio studios depend on adapting RJ-45 jacks to XLR, ¼” TRS, or even RCA connectors. Will engineers everywhere need to take up soldering once again? Mike Dosch’s Angry Audio company is poised to prevent such a catastrophe.
TWiRT Ep. 450 - AoIP 15 Years Later with Jorge Garza
Audio over IP is commonplace now, but fifteen years ago it was barely known in broadcasting. Jorge Garza is the Director of Technology at Univision Radio in McAllen, Texas. In 2004 Jorge took a look at Axia’s Livewire AoIP and said, “That’s what we’re going to do.” Now, 15 years later, Jorge is glad he made the first step into AoIP, and most of Univision’s other radio stations have done the same.
TWiRT Ep. 449 - Watermarking Strategy with Paul Kriegler & Dr. Barry Blesser
Radio broadcasters in so-called “PPM Markets” are faced with managing two signals for each station. One is the audio program that listeners hear; the other is the watermark signal heard by Personal People Meters (PPM)™. Broadcasters concerned with counting their listeners (all of them in a PPM market) must treat their watermark signal with similar care to their on-air audio. In this episode, Dr. Barry Blesser explains the science of audio watermarking. Then Paul Kriegler describes the Best Practices for making sure your watermark signal is consistently detected in the field.
TWiRT Ep. 448 - Climbing at 4? - with Mark Persons
Some broadcast engineers stumble into the profession. Mark Persons’ engineering career seemed like destiny from an early age. While Mark was recently awarded the SBE Engineer of the Year, his early childhood set him on this path. From climbing to the ceiling at 4 years old, to teaching electronics in the Army, to repairing helicopter avionics in Viet Nam, to building a stellar reputation for quality radio engineering work and custom products, Mark Persons’ advice is worth hearing and using.
TWiRT Ep. 447 - Jumpin' Juneau with Rich Parker
From budget cuts to aging equipment, along with fresh ideas and the latest technology - Rich Parker is keeping the member stations of Coast Alaska on-the-air and serving their communities. Rich updates us on some of his recent technical challenges, as well as stories on troubleshooting under time and money pressure in America’s 49th state.
TWiRT Ep. 446 - Skip the Ransomware with Stephen Kurtz
The spectre of ransomware encrypting all the computer files we need to run our broadcast operations is truly scary – heart-stoppingly scary. Ransomware - as well as other malware - keeps morphing to get around our blocking and mitigation techniques. But there are basic, important things every broadcaster can do to seriously reduce the risk of losing everything to ransomware. Stephen Kurtz has a broadcast engineering background and is now an IT consultant. He shares current advice and tips to help you avoid the most common IT security mistakes.
TWiRT Ep. 445 - Like a General Contractor
Thinking about all the skills and responsibilities that broadcast engineers have, it seems we’re akin to General Contractors. We have to know something about a lot of things. Disciplines from basic structural load calculations to audio circuit optimization to complex digital modulation schemes. Those and a thousand other topics are critical to the well-rounded and effective broadcast engineer. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack discuss how diverse skills relate to our recent experiences.
TWiRT Ep. 444 - Pleasing Audio Processing with Mike Erickson
As a young lad, Mike Erickson was curious why songs sounded “different” on the radio than on his home record player. When a radio station owner gave Mike a retired audio processor he never looked back; he’s been customizing audio processing at for AM, FM, HD, and Streaming ever since. Mike joins us from the Wheatstone processing lab to talk about legacy processing techniques and today’s latest, too.
TWiRT Ep. 443 - I Didn't Know I Couldn't with Geary Morrill
How did we broadcast engineers learn our craft? What experiences, resources, and people helped become broadcast engineering professionals? Geary Morrill got started with the likes of Steve Church, Vern Post, and Dave Gorman. Now Geary joins us with ideas and solid advice for finding and encouraging the next generation of audio, video, RF, and IT engineers.
TWiRT Ep. 442 - Give me a Clean Feed with Marc Bakos
Connecting remote talent to the studio has come a long way since dial-up phone lines, frequency extenders, and even since ISDN codecs. One method is Cleanfeed, an online service that uses WebRTC in the browser. Marc Bakos is co-founder of Cleanfeed.net and joins us to explain the tech and its uses for broadcasters and podcasters.
TWiRT Ep. 441 - My Kitchen Control Room with Steve Rubin
What does a station owner do when there are live broadcasts to be done, but no one is available to run the board at the studio? Steve Rubin, CEO of Rubin Broadcasting, runs his stations from his kitchen at home. He screens phone calls, runs live football broadcasts and sales remotes, and even puts himself live on-air when needed. What’s his secret? We’ll find out!
TWiRT Ep. 440 - Calrec Radio Consoles with Henry Goodman
Hebdon Bridge in West Yorkshire, England, is considered by many to be the birthplace of the industrial revolution. It’s also home to Calrec Audio, makers of audio mixing consoles for TV and radio. Henry Goodman is Product Development Director at Calrec, and joins us to discuss to move to SMPTE 2110-30 and AES67 networked audio.
TWiRT Ep. 439 - NAB 2019 - Radio Expo Highlights
If you went to NAB 2019 in Las Vegas, there’s no way you got to see everything you wanted to see. And if you didn’t get to NAB, you missed a lot. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack explored some compelling technology and products on the show floor. Check the out!
TWiRT Ep. 438 - Virtualizing Seagull.fm with Sean Kelly
Broadcast infrastructure virtualization: Twelve syllables that represent a dizzying variety of implementations. Sean Kelly, founder of Seagull.fm in Exeter, Torbay, and South Devon England, is enabling local presenters and other contributors to be on-air, live from their homes and small studios. Building a virtualized backend infrastructure has been a key element to the reliability and usability of Sean’s broadcast workflow. Sean reveals both rationale and technical details on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 437 - The Dead Air Game with Ken Heron
Ken Heron is a radio guy. We know this because he has a VU meters, a tower, and the call letters of every station he’s ever worked at tattooed on his left arm. His right arm tattoos include a transmitter schematic diagram! But Ken is also here to talk about drones and putting them to good use - for fun, art, and a new perspective.
TWiRT Ep. 436 - Broadcast Continuity Planning with Joe Talbot
More than a few radio stations have been “done in” by not being able to recover after a disaster. A cluster of Florida radio stations never returned to air after Hurricane Michael. While some disasters can result in a total loss, Chris Tobin and Joe Talbot bring advice for recovering from two of the most common outages affecting broadcasters. They’ve both worked through numerous disasters and their planning made the difference in a quick recovery.
Nashville's Quonset Hut Studio with Mike Porter
Nashville, Tennessee, is known not only Country music, but for the early studios that recorded Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Brenda Lee, the Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan. Some of the first recording engineers worked full-time at WSM and other radio stations. Our guest, Mike Porter, shows us the microphones used in recording some of the most familiar and popular songs in history, and takes us on a tour of Columbia Studio A and Studio B - the Quonset Hut - on Nashville’s Music Square.
Small Market Virtualization with Kevin Buente
When PC-based music playout systems became popular in the mid-1990’s, it was small and medium market radio stations that were quick to adopt. Now, almost 25 years later, more broadcasters are finding value and reliability in virtualizing their broadcast infrastructure. From business admin to sales to audio operations, virtualizing dozens of PC onto a a couple of servers (with full redundancy) is making sense. Kevin Buente, Chief Engineer for WHIZ Media Group in Zanesville, Ohio, joins us to talk about virtualizing AM, FM, and TV operations in a small market.
Reliable Redundancy with Peter Femal
One may reasonably argue that broadcast equipment is more reliable and stable now than ever before. One reason is the broad use of general purpose computing platforms and the same networking infrastructure as the huge IT industry uses. Peter Femal optimizes these ubiquitous technologies for reliable broadcast service. We discuss Audio over IP redundancies, as well as more traditional backup systems. And, as Peter says, “It’s not a backup if you don’t trust it.”
TWiRT Ep. 432 - PTP Clock with Greg Shay
We know that digital broadcast equipment handling real-time media needs a common time reference. PTP - Precision Time Protocol - is used in many time-sensitive industries, and it’s perfect for broadcast gear, too. Greg Shay, CTO at the Telos Alliance, joins us, along with Shaun Dolan to discuss both the science behind and the practical application of PTP Clock standards and devices.
TWiRT Ep. 431 - Engineering in Paradise with Don Mussell
Paradise? How about hurricane winds over 200 mph, salt air, ice, and snow? And throw in a 100-mile Studio-Transmitter Link. It’s all in a normal week’s work for Don Mussell. Don is a consulting engineer in Hawai’i. He brings common sense and a serious outlook to the challenging radio broadcasting scenarios found in this tropical island paradise.
TWiRT Ep. 429 - WebRTC Tech for Radio with Tom Hartnett
WebRTC is the technology suite powering Google Hangouts and many other communication and conferencing services and apps. Tom Hartnett, Technical Director at Comrex, joins us to explain what WebRTC is and how it’s enabling a new generation of remote audio connection equipment and services.
TWiRT Ep. 428 - Pop Up Studios with Gary Kline
“Pop-Up Studio” is a new name for a time-tested radio practice. Or is it? What makes a pop-up studio different from an old fashioned radio remote broadcast? Chris Tobin talks about the tech and the financial motivation for pop-up studios, and Gary Kline joins us live from Paris, France, to explain what he’s seeing among European broadcasters.
TWiRT Ep. 427 - Wisdom & Tales from the Trenches with Gary Liebisch
Perhaps the best time to ask an expert for advice is when he or she is full of it! Gary Liebisch, recently retired from a position at Nautel Ltd., has a lifetime of experience, knowledge, and insight into broadcast infrastructure - especially transmission systems. Gary teaches both by using humor and by serious instruction. We get both from Gary in this fast-paced show as he joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack with “Wisdom and Tales from the Trenches.”
TWiRT Ep. 426 - NTP, PTP, AES67, & SMPTE2110 with Ken Tankel
Broadcast infrastructure is adopting another protocol - this one makes possible the seamless integration of Video and Audio over IP within the AES67 and other standards, such as SMPTE2110. There’s a lot that’s new here, so we’ve brought in Ken Tankel, Senior Product Specialist with the Telos Alliance TV Solutions Group. Ken’s been teaching this technology for several years, and making it work flawlessly at numerous broadcast facilities.
TWiRT Ep. 425 - Need it? Invent it! with Lee Harris
Earlier this year, Gary Krantz wrote at RadioInk.com, “Lee Harris is an air talent on one of the country’s biggest stations, but his experience across other segments of the radio business have inspired a company and products that may just reshape the industry’s future.” Lee joins us on TWiRT to talk about three innovative products for radio broadcasters.
TWiRT Ep. 424 - Know the Past to Grow Today with James Copeland
Who knows what experiences and technologies will greet today’s younger broadcast engineers? James Copeland has a fresh university degree, and is creatively engineering at KSDB-FM at Kansas State University. Brought up on Amateur Radio, James is making his engineering future unfold while cherishing older broadcast technologies.
TWiRT Ep. 423 - Talk Radio Talent & Tech with Walter Sabo
Walter Sabo knows talk radio. He’s been consulting some of the most successful talk shows and talk networks for decades. Now Walter joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for an enlightening conversation about what’s wrong with today’s talk radio, and how engineers can play a key role in bringing listeners, success, and ratings to great radio programming.
TWiRT Ep. 422 - Today's Streaming Tech with Sam Sousa
Making money from Internet streaming has a key prerequisite: Getting the tech right! These days, broadcasters’ streaming audio can encompass a lot more that just encoding the Program feed. With proper metadata signalling a broadcaster can insert targeted ads - just what advertisers are looking for. Sam Sousa is the Senior Solutions Consultant at Triton Digital and joins us to explain what makes this targeting possible.
TWiRT Ep. 421 - Cool, Clean, & Well Grounded with Jeff Welton
Many broadcast engineers received training at the Cleveland Institute of Electronics - and many people still do - but the radio engineers we know mostly learned by reading and by doing. Jeff Welton has been part of engineers’ specialized education for years now. He shares insights on learning and specifics about keeping broadcast transmitters happy.
TWiRT Ep. 420 - Hurricane Recovery with Charles Wooten
What does an award-winning broadcast engineer do with a hurricane? Whatever it takes. Charlie Wooten is Director of Engineering and IT at iHeartMedia in Panama City, Florida. He plans ahead to keep iHeart’s AM and FM transmitters and studios on-air. But, a hurricane is difficult to plan for. Charlie joins us with photos and stories from Hurricane Michael’s devastation to broadcast facilities and infrastructure in Florida.
TWiRT Ep. 419 - Angry Audio with Mike Dosch
You can always make something better than it was before - and that’s what Mike Dosch is doing with “Gadgets” and “Gizmos” from Angry Audio. By re-thinking the analog audio and logic devices we’ve known for years, he’s developed new, useful gadgets that perform better than any older ones. And, new gadgets can bring broadcast-style functionality to pro-sumer audio mixers. Plus we talk about Audio over IP and where that’s headed.
TWiRT Ep. 418 - Radio Travelogue with Mark Humphrey
Wherever you travel there’s probably a radio station nearby. Mark Humphrey took some vacation time to travel out west, stopping on the way to visit a radio museum and radio and TV stations. Plus we talk about how FM translators are providing what’s essentially “Primary” service to one rural Pennsylvania valley.
TWiRT Ep. 417 - Match Game TWiRT from New York
The Giz Wiz, Dick DeBartolo, joins us for TWiRT, on location in New York City! We check out some audio gadgets, talk about the AES and NAB conventions, and play a few rounds of Match Game. Andrew Zarian joins us, too!
TWiRT Ep. 416 - Great Sound Matters Most
What are today’s trends in FM audio processing? Is it cleaner? Less smashed? More thoughtful? Paul Kriegler, former Program Director and now Omnia’s factory rep for the US, joins us for an update on FM and streaming audio processing. Plus we delve into AES192, and how it can make a positive difference for FM signals.
TWiRT Ep. 415 - Wrap It Up and Get Started
Chris Tobin reviews some of the best broadcast engineering info from the Central Canada Broadcast Engineers conference (CCBE). Plus, winners from the SBE 2018 Annual Membership Meeting, and RF spectrum repacking - lots of transmitter site work to make way for about 50 MHz of new mobile carrier spectrum.
TWiRT Ep. 414 - AES67 from CCBE with Anthony Kuzub
Anthony Kuzub is a solid proponent of AES67 for Audio over IP. As IP Audio Product Manager at Ward-Beck Systems, he’s helping bring networked audio products to market, and showing engineers how to use them to make better audio in broadcast facilities. Anthony joins Chris Tobin at the Central Canada Broadcast Engineers Conference this week.
TWiRT Ep. 413 - Radio Caroline with Rob Ashard
Perhaps the best-known pirate radio station anywhere - Radio Caroline - is legendary! For many years the Ross Revenge, an Icelandic fishing trawler, has been home to Radio Caroline’s studios and transmitters, and the transmitting mast, too. Rob Ashard and Nick Jackson join us live from the Ross Revenge, anchored off the English Coast on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 412 - Looking Glass with Alex Hartman
Software Defined Radio (SDR) has been available for a decade or more now - even at the consumer level. Now, building on MPXTool FM signal analysis software by Leif Claesson, Alex Hartman has combined the latest affordable SDR hardware with a new MPXTool and made an amazing remote-access FM signal monitor. It can even capture and archive the entire FM band in a given radio market.
TWiRT Ep. 411 - RF Exposure with Stacey Moore
Safety training and certification is vital for tower workers these days. We’re discussing the RF Exposure to Humans factors that figure into overall tower worker safety. Joining us is Stacey Moore with LBA Group. We’re looking at Personal RF Exposure Monitors, physiological impacts of RF exposure, safety procedures at multi-tenant sites, and talking about exposure to the general public. Chris Tobin is here, too, for his perspective on these issues and topics.
TWiRT Ep. 410 - Equity in Audio, and AES 2018
The Audio Engineering Society brings together a huge variety of people from every corner. There are nearly as many job descriptions as there are thousands of members. Diversity is palpable and AES member, Jill Courtney, is looking to clear remaining roadblocks for women and minorities thinking about careers in Audio and other STEM fields. Plus, David Bialik is here to update us on the array of AES sessions - so many in the Broadcast and Online Delivery track alone.
TWiRT Ep. 409 - Circle the C-Band Wagons with Mark Johnson
Outnumbered and out-financed, broadcasters face a real threat to reliable TV & Radio satellite reception.The C-Band satellite spectrum that Radio and TV broadcasters depend on looks mighty good to some of the biggest companies in the world - mobile data carriers. Mark Johnson, Founder of LiNKUP Communications has the latest and positive steps to head this off.
TWiRT Ep. 408 - Liquid Cooled FM Transmitters with Don Backus
The largest radio transmitters were liquid-cooled about seven decades ago. Forced-air cooling has ruled transmitter sites since then. Now, liquid cooling is making a comeback—and for some very good reasons. Don Backus with Rohde & Schwarz is here to show and tell us why.
TWiRT Ep. 407 - SSL Console Technology with Steve Zaretsky and Dan Griffin
For over 4 decades Solid State Logic has been a respected and trusted audio console maker, implementing leading technology to make audio production better. Now with Audio over IP connectivity and the introduction of “console-less consoles”, SSL is taking their latest tech on tour across North America. Steve Zaretsky and Dan Griffin allowed us into their mobile demo truck to talk about AoIP technology and the latest use-cases for network-based mixing consoles.
TWiRT Ep. 406 - Remote Control Trends with Paul Shulins
Broadcast remote control systems are keeping up with new protocols, new equipment to monitor, and new monitoring workflows. IP is a big part of that, but legacy gear is part of the remote control mix, too. Paul Shulins, VP/CTO at Burk Technology joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to talk about new Monitoring & Control options. Plus, Paul shows off his remote-controlled telescope with amazing composite photos of nebulae.
TWiRT Ep. 405 - Radio in Canada, eh? with Tyler Everitt
What’s the difference between Canadian radio and US radio? Canadian music content? Better-built studios? More cooperation among competitors? Tyler Everitt is one of the new owners of Pippin Technical Service in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. They design, build, and service radio stations from the Yukon to the Maritimes using the best of today’s technology.
TWiRT Ep. 404 - Two-Mile-High Transmitters in Denver
Radio station owners may come and go, but top engineering talent often stays the course. Brad Hart is DoE at the Bonneville cluster of radio stations in Denver. He’s maintained attractive, effective studios and reliable transmitter sites that cover Denver and beyond. John Bisset joins us as well to talk about reliable engineering in the Mile High City.
TWiRT Ep. 403 - Streaming Tech Today with Rockie Thomas & Sean Lozensky
Thousands of radio stations are streaming online, but what’s next? What can broadcasters do to make sure their Internet streams are available and compelling? And, what’s needed from a technical perspective to allow those streams to make money from digital ad placement? Rockie Thomas and Sean Lozensky have 20 years of streaming and digital ad experience, and they’re sharing this advice and knowledge with us on TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 402 - High on a Mountain with Shane Toven
Shane Toven joins us from a mountaintop transmitter site in Wyoming - nearly 9,000 feet above sea level! Caring for about 30 transmitter sites across 3 states, Shane has plenty to share with us about high-altitude broadcast engineering and maintenance. Chris Tobin is here as well with comparisons to his big city experience and practices.
TWiRT Ep. 401 - Ripped from the Headlines
More proposed regulations for EAS and WEA procedures… Podcasting is becoming even more prominent as the largest US radio broadcaster demonstrates by recent hiring… The World Broadcasting Union wants protection for C-band satellite antennas… And there’s a free, 2-day seminar for new and returning ABIP inspectors. Oh, and 35 engineers are getting new FM transmitters!
TWiRT Ep. 400 - War Stories with Chris Wygal
Chris Wygal is here for this milestone 400th episode of TWiRT! Chris relates a couple of War Stories, including using what you have to get the job done - even if it’s a machete. Chris Tobin reveals how to get antennas placed at the top of trees. And we all discuss the shortage of broadcast engineers and how to make a career move gracefully.
TWiRT Ep. 399 - All-Digital Radio with Chuck Kelly
Catching up with Chuck Kelly is always a treat! Chuck’s insights into AM and FM radio - both analog and digital - help the rest of us see what’s important and what will be important in the coming months and years. We’re talking about HDRadio, DAB, DAB+, and DRM, as well as when it might be right to turn off analog radio services. Plus, Chuck extols the benefits of the new FT8 digital mode for Amateur Radio operators.
TWiRT Ep. 398 - What's Next with Gary Kline
When you visit a couple dozen radio stations around the world in a month, you get to see what the most forward-thinking broadcasters are up to. Gary Kline is sharing this valuable experience and information with Chris and Kirk, as we look to see what’s next for radio broadcasters and engineers.
TWiRT Ep. 397 - Remote Broadcast Strategies with Chris Ark
"Remote Broadcast Setups and Strategies for the Young Broadcast Engineer" - that's an article authored by Chris Ark. He specializes in planning and executing successful live broadcasts from a variety of venues. Chris shares his advice, tips, and tricks to help us avoid problems and assure high quality audio and execution at live outside broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 396 - Hamvention & Summer Site Advice with Charlie Wooten
The Most Interesting Ham in Broadcast Engineering, Charlie Wooten, is our guest. He’s just back from the Dayton Hamvention with a report on Contesting, thoughts on DXing, and broadcast transmitter site wisdom - especially for the hot summer months ahead.
TWiRT Ep. 395 - Remote Monitoring and Broadcasting with Josh Bohn
Josh Bohn heads up a growing broadcast contract engineering firm. Many stations need better, reliable, IP-connect remote control for transmitter sites and other remote systems. Plus, with remote broadcasts depending on wireless IP connections, Josh has worked out a system that practically guarantees broadcast-quality IP connections from almost anywhere.
TWiRT Ep. 394 - Barry Thomas on AoIP Mistakes
What mistakes can you make when building or expanding your Audio over IP network? Barry Thomas has installed and maintained several different AoIP networks and knows more than one way to mess it up. The good news he’s sharing with us the right ways to ensure reliability and great performance from today’s broadcast infrastructure systems. Chris Tobin has his own experiences, too, and shares his insights.
TWiRT Ep. 393 - World Wide Radio Summit from Hollywood
Radio Program Directors, Music Directors, on-air Talent, and more are convening in Hollywood at the World Wide Radio Summit. Speakers and panels are sharing new research and honing legacy ideas over three days. Scott Shannon, Joel Denver, Mike McVay, Steve Goldstein, Fred Jacobs, Darren Davis, and Ben Cooper are among the gifted presenters. This conference offers a chance for Radio Programmers to meet with equipment manufacturers and software suite companies. We’re talking with several manufacturers about their latest ideas to help make radio content easier to create while sounder better than ever.
TWiRT Ep. 392 - Choosing the Right Mic with Michelle Levitt
Whether the medium is radio, TV, studio recording, live sound, or amateur radio, nearly all audio is captured with a microphone. But which mic is appropriate for any given sound capture situation? Michelle Levitt of Heil Sound is here to highlight different mic technologies, and explain some characteristics to observe when choosing right mic for the job.
TWiRT Ep. 391 – Building a New FM Station in Hawai’i
Hawai’i’s newest FM station has 40 owners, and isn’t on the air yet. The call sign is KHKU-FM and we’re in Lihu’e on the island of Kaua’i building the studio now. We’re talking with co-owners Joey Cummings, Larry Fuss, Mark Jensen, and Fletcher Ford as we put together the studio and rack room.
TWiRT Ep. 390 – Live from NAB 2018
Live from NAB 2018! Some of the hot topics at NAB this year: A microphone war story with Michelle Levitt, Frank Foti with the Chairman’s view, Will Mashione on efficient Local radio, Alex Hartman talking about the future of touchscreens, and a wireless broadband alternative with John Bohn.
TWiRT Ep. 389 – Public Radio Engineers at NAB
The Association of Public Radio Engineers hold their conference each year, just before the big NAB Show in Las Vegas. It’s called the Public Radio Engineering Conference (PREC). The PREC is a terrific opportunity for engineers to learn the latest tech, brush up on fundamentals, and get some hands-on experience during the Night Owl session.
TWiRT Ep. 388 – Open Broadcaster with Rob Hopkins
Low-budget and community broadcasters are using free, open-source software to run many aspects of their broadcast operations. Take a listen to CJUC-FM, for example. Using local PCs or cloud-based operations, community stations can air quality programming, with either local or remote hosts. They can also fulfill both the letter and spirit of emergency broadcast requirements. Audio and video streaming are important aspects as well. Rob Hopkins, founder of Open Broadcaster, joins Chris and Kirk to talk about the possibilities and and what Yukon broadcasters are doing right now with this technology.
TWiRT Ep. 387 – Studio & Show Lighting with Brett Gilbert
More of us radio engineers are being called upon to provide adequate lighting for new venues. Many stations are building live performance studios. Others are putting cameras in the control rooms. Whether it’s for a live audience or a video camera, talent needs good lighting to be seen - in a good light. Brett Gilbert with iHeartMedia in Tulsa, Oklahoma, has been lighting up stages since high school. He shares a couple decades of hands-on knowledge with Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack.
TWiRT Ep. 386 – Pirates and Snowcats with Nick Straka
Ahoy, matey! Thar be pesky pirates in New York, Boston, and Philly! Nick Straka is a contract and consulting engineer in the New York City area. He builds and maintains licensed FM transmitter sites, plus he tracks down the pirate broadcasters who interfere with them.
TWiRT Ep. 385 – Live from the NRB in Nashville
You’d think the National Religious Broadcasters convention would be lacking engineers in attendance. Well, I thought that - and I was wrong. They’re here! Lots of ‘em! We’re live from the expo hall at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, meeting and talking with broadcast engineers and engineering reps.
TWiRT Ep. 384 – Radio Trends with Doug Irwin
Between accommodating the Television Repack and Norway’s Public analog FM stations going dark, what’s a poor FM transmitter to do? Radio Magazine’s Editor, Doug Irwin, talks about these topics along with changing workflows with on-demand radio programming and streaming media.
TWiRT Ep. 383 – Single Frequency Networks with Hal Kneller
Single Frequency Networks, or SFNs: European FM broadcasters have been using them for decades. Now, US and other broadcasters around the world are extending coverage and filling in coverage holes using synchronized FM transmitters. Hal Kneller consults SFN projects and discussed the technology and techniques.
TWiRT Ep. 382 – Envisioning Virtual Studios
What might the radio studios of tomorrow look like? What equipment is in them? What equipment is not in them? Could the studio’s future really be “cushions and daylight” as one radio futurist has said? We’re live at the Cleveland headquarters of the Telos Alliance, talking with colleagues about where our studio technologies are headed.
TWiRT Ep. 381 – Stupidity with Tom Ray
Tom Ray says his superpower is the ability to attract stupidity. But, being a clever engineer he deals with it swifty and moves on. Tom joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for this episode on stupidity - how to identify it, how to deal with it, and what we can learn from it.
TWiRT Ep. 380 – MemberPlus with SBE President, Jim Leifer
Broadcast engineering is a rather small, niche career. How do we keep up with rapidly-changing technology and best practices? The answer is SBE Webinars. New SBE President, Jim Leifer, is here to fill us in on SBE MemberPlus, where SBE members can gain real expertise in their field.
TWiRT Ep. 379 – Adopting New Tech with John Schilberg
Adopting new technologies in any profession can be stressful. John Schilberg is here to talk about adopting new tech with the right attitude - so it’s more fun than stress. In the process we’ll flash back to Miami Vice and Star Trek in stereo! Chris Tobin joins us on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 378 – Keeping HD Aligned with Alan Jurison
In HD Radio’s earlier days, a fixed architecture offered fixed time alignment between FM analog and its HD1 signal. Today’s HD transmission systems are far more flexible, but time alignment can vary resulting in a confusing listener experience. Alan Jurison with iHeart Radio is an expert on this topic. He joins us to talk about making sure FM/HD listeners get the best experience possible.
TWiRT Ep. 377 – Virtualizing in 2018
We keep running upon the subject of Virtual Radio, or Virtualizing Radio. Chris Tobin and I imagine both good consequences and unfortunate ones as broadcasters implement more virtualization strategies. Sure, saving money could be a motivator for virtualizing, but Chris asks, “How will you improve your broadcast product with the money saved?” Kirk points out the increased flexibility of virtual tech allows more localism with less effort.
TWiRT Ep. 376 – How To: Live Video Production for Radio
With social media platforms catering to video, “Visual Radio” is more than just industry buzz. On the heels of a Washington, DC, symposium on the subject, Chris Tobin shows us the technical setup for a low-budget, yet effective video webcast from WBGO-FM in Newark, NJ. We look at the cameras, connections, interfaces, and software used to create a video version of a traditionally radio-only event.
TWiRT Ep. 375 – Podcast Engineering School
Many skills required for broadcast engineering are directly applicable to podcast engineering and production. Chris Curran teaches broadcast and podcast engineering skills, including mixing, fixing, loudness, and using plugins.
TWiRT Ep. 374 – Boston Radio with Jim Armstrong
Everyone starts somewhere, and Jim Armstrong started right near the top - in Boston radio! We’re talking early days of on-air traffic reporting, some technical perspectives from those days, and about Jim’s big switch to broadcast equipment sales; lessons here all of us engineers can learn from.
TWiRT Ep. 373 – Visual Radio Live from WAMU
Radio industry experts are talking with each other, sharing ideas about “visual” radio. We’re asking a lot of questions, too. What are we trying to accomplish with video added to radio? Can we engage our audiences better and longer? What strategies seem to be working? Chris and Kirk attended the Visual Radio Symposium this week, and Al Reynolds of WAMU was there, too.
TWiRT Ep. 372 – Tom Vernon on Smart Speakers
“We’re on the verge of a Voice Activated Internet,” says Tom Vernon. Tom’s recent front page Radio World article, “Can Smart Speakers Bring Radio Home?” points to new radio listeners using smart speakers. We may also find voice-activated tasks around broadcast stations, facilitated by Amazon Echo or Google Home devices.
TWiRT Ep. 371 – Building the Transmission System at One World Trade Center
There are myriad perspectives from which to view One World Trade Center’s rebuilding after the tragedies of 9/11. From the broadcast perspective, 2017 marks a notable milestone – the resumption of television transmission from atop One WTC. The latest transmitter and antenna technology is now deployed at One WTC, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at a symbolic 1,776 feet in height; it has resumed broadcast operations as one of the world’s elite broadcast centers. John Lyons, Director of Broadcast Communications at The Durst Organization, leads a presentation focusing on this new, premiere, RF transmission facility.
TWiRT Ep. 370 – War Stories from The Broadcasting Club Frat House
The Broadcasting Club is a popular Facebook Group where engineers and others in Radio and TV post photos, videos, stories, and other info of interest to broadcasters. The group’s Admin is Daniel Hyatt, an engineer in Denver. Dan threw a party for local engineers and those of us attending the SBE Annual Meeting there. Dan’s home was also the stage for this week’s TWiRT episode with a bevy of engineers telling us their own War Stories!
TWiRT Ep. 369 – AES & NAB 2017 from New York
The AES and NAB fall shows combine to provide several days of seminars, special events, and equipment demonstrations in New York. Chris and Kirk interview technology leaders and find out what’s hot now and in the future. Special thanks to David Bialik and Andrew Zarian helping make TWiRT possible this week.
TWiRT Ep. 368 – The Broadcasters Clinic in Madison
Possibly the best regional conference for Radio and TV engineers, the WBA Broadcasters Clinic is our venue in Madison, Wisconsin. John Chelliah, Steve Lampen, Chris Tarr, and Mark Persons make-up an all-star cast for this episode of TWiRT. We’re talking 12 GHz coax, AoIP, and console-less consoles, live from Madison.
TWiRT Ep. 367 – AoIP Covers Boise with Jordan Bitz
Jordan Bitz walked into an existing AoIP radio station and had to learn it - fast! Now he’s extended his AoIP network to a transmitter site 30 miles across the valley. Plus, he’s using streaming audio for distribution and backup systems.Also on this episode, David Bialik previews an amazing Broadcast and Streaming track at the AES Convention in New York.
TWiRT Ep. 366 – CyberSecurity for Broadcasters
Chris Tobin is speaking at the Central Canadian Broadcast Engineering conference (CCBE) in King City, Ontario, Canada. He joins the show from the relaxing Kingbridge Conference Center. We’re discussing CyberSecurity for Broadcasters - what we learned from a recent expert panel discussion in Columbus, Ohio. And a first look at troubles with the National EAS Test.
TWiRT Ep. 365 – EAS In Times of Trouble – with Rob Dale
The Emergency Alert System - EAS - suffers a love-hate relationship with most broadcast stations. Radio folks may love the fact that EAS handles the burden of alerting the public to life and safety threats. But sometimes the program interruptions are just too much, and the audio quality is often just terrible. Rob Dale is the Regional Planner at the Ingham County, Michigan, Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. He’s also a broadcaster and meteorologist. Rob joins us to discuss the state of EAS, training, and where we might be headed.
TWiRT Ep. 364 – Stereo Tool & Omnia Processing with Hans & Matt
Stereo Tool is a popular PC-based audio processor for FM, DAB, and web streaming. Radio Engineer, Matt Levin, tells us about installing and using Stereo Tool. Plus, Hans van Zutphen, the author of Stereo Tool, describes how Omnia audio processors benefit from Stereo Tools users’ feedback.
TWiRT Ep. 363 – Alexa, Tell the Studio I Hate That Song!
What’s Interactive Radio? It’s when listeners have real-time input to the on-air talent. And what could be a more natural interaction than the human voice? Dan McQuillin at Broadcast Bionics introduces interactive radio using Amazon Echo or Google Home. His company’s code and service, added to Alexa Skills, brings instant listen feedback and sentiment to any radio show.
TWiRT Ep. 362 – Hot Tech with Tony Gervasi
From budget equipment for LPFMs and translators, to super-reliable transmitters and streaming video systems, Tony Gervasi advises broadcasters about the best technology and equipment for their situation. Tony’s an expert at implementing the right tech for the right job and market size.
TWiRT Ep. 361 – Custom Multi-Casting with Marcos O’Rourke
We’re live from KWAVE Radio in Santa Ana, California. KWAVE runs similar, yet thoroughly customized programming in 3 different markets - San Diego, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. The various interconnections use several different forms of Studio-Transmitter Links. Marcos O’Rourke joins us to talk about the challenges and solutions. Plus, Chris and Kirk talk about the recent total solar eclipse.
TWiRT Ep. 360 – Moving My Samoan Stations
After 18 years in Pago Plaza, Kirk’s Samoan radio stations are moving - to a better studio and office location. This means reconfiguring three STL paths and adding an IP Radio link to the mix. Plenty of photos and video of rebuilding studios and a rack room on a tropical island.
TWiRT Ep. 359 – Help Us Help You
Do you dread contacting Tech Support? Or do you look forward to getting the help you need quickly? There are ways to get the most from Tech Support at almost any company. Jamey Miller, Jake Alderman, and Bryan Jones are Support Engineers. They join Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for some real-life advice on getting what you need to solve your radio tech problem.
TWiRT Ep. 358 – Dangerous Towers with Tom Ray
Tom Ray visits a lot of radio stations. He’s a full-time broadcast engineering consultant, and an inspector for New York State’s Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program. One troubling trend that Tom sees is the deterioration of broadcast towers. Tom joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to warn us and bring us some good advice.
TWiRT Ep. 357 – Audio Heard by Millions with Matt Aaron
The pressure is on for Matt Aaron. He’s the Chief Engineer for the Dave Ramsey Show, heard by over 8 million people each week! What’s required to keep perfect audio flowing and the talent happy? Matt talks about that, plus the time that high-power RF melted parts of his car.
TWiRT Ep. 356 – Practical Drone Use with Sam Wallington
Are drones more than “big boy toys” for broadcast engineers? Well - YES! Sam Wallington is VP of Engineering for Educational Media Foundation. He’s using drone video and photography to locate trouble spots and prep for tower repairs, saving return trips.
TWiRT Ep. 355 – The Way We Do Things
Let’s examine a couple topics and explore “how we do them”. Chris Tobin discusses mics, pre-amps, and techniques for recording live music at WBGO-FM. Then we see how PC platforms have moved into the equipment space that was only purpose-built equipment. And just how far is that concept going?
TWiRT Ep. 354 – Vintage Microphones with John Holt
The first microphones were invented as far back as the 1870’s, but that’s before there were any tube amplifiers! We’ve come a long way, though most mic inventions occurred 70 to 90 years ago. John Holt is an expert on vintage microphones and gives us a fascinating look and lesson.
TWiRT Ep. 353 – The Beauty and Value of a Bird’s Eye View
Small Unmanned Aerial Systems or “drones” are quickly getting popular with broadcast engineers and consultants. A bird’s eye view can help us better visualize our antenna systems, plus there’s real value in catching visible problems before sending a tower crew to troubleshoot. Chris and Kirk show video examples of aerial tower shots, plus Chris describes bringing Internet access to a Boy Scout camp in New York State.
TWiRT Ep. 352 – Streaming Challenges & Solutions with Matt Kellogg
Streaming audio is bringing a whole new lexicon - geo-targeting, geo-fencing, interstitials, pre-rolls, adaptive bit-rates, video, and virtualization. Matt Kellogg - a guy with a solid radio background - joins us from StreamGuys to sort it all out.
TWiRT Ep. 351 – Virtualizing Automation with Dub Irvin
Virtual Machines and Virtualization in general are becoming popular techniques in the IT world. Now, broadcasters are adopting virtualization for their automation systems. How does this work, and what are the pros and cons? Dub Irvin from WideOrbit joins us to explain.
TWiRT Ep. 350 – SAS Routers & Consoles with Al Salci
SAS is well-known for high-reliability audio routing systems. SAS Co-founder, Al Salci, is here to talk about their early technology breakthroughs, as well as their audio mixing console designs. Plus, Al shares his thoughts on AES67, Livewire, and Dante.
TWiRT Ep. 349 – Translators and Main Studios with Larry Fuss
The FCC is proposing to eliminate the Main Studio Rule. Sounds good to many, but what are the consequences? And FM translators are in the news again, with a window opening this summer for AM stations to apply. Larry Fuss is with us to explain what this means. And - as is often the case - you won’t believe where Chris Tobin is!
TWiRT Ep. 348 – VO Mics & Studios with Joe Cipriano
How does a top-shelf voice-over artist work on the road? He makes a “MacGyver studio”! Joe Cipriano joins us to talk mics, pre-amps, processing, and how voice-over work gets done today. Chris Tobin is here, too, from a hot transmitter room!
TWiRT Ep. 347 – Jeff Welton – IT Security and 400 Kilowatts
Canadians may be polite, but most don’t want you hacking their Internet-connected stuff. Jeff Welton from Nautel offers advice for IT security at the transmitter site, plus describes hand-on a 400 kW AM transmitter, and what tools to keep handy nowadays for solid-state transmitter maintenance.
TWiRT Ep. 346 – Live at NAB 2017
It’s the last day of NAB 2017! Before it’s over, Chris Tobin and I are bringing you some of the best radio broadcast tech at the show. Simon Jackson with flow batteries at transmitter sites in Fiji, Telos Alliance CEO Frank Foti is here, Mark Persons is here, and so is Fritz Golman.
TWiRT Ep. 345 – NAB 2017 Show Setup
Behind the scenes, we’re on location at the Las Vegas Convention Center during setup for the NAB Show. Chris Tobin takes us on a tour of booths being set up, while Joe Talbot and Juan Punyed talk about why we get together every year in the desert.
TWiRT Ep. 344 – Swedish Thai Radio with Kennet Andhersån
Kennet Andhersån grew up in Sweden, and worked in Swedish radio stations. Now he’s building and consulting stations in Thailand, plus developing software for broadcasters. Get a new perspective on radio engineering as Kennet joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 343 – Where’s that Satellite with John Bisset
John Bisset is here! He’s the guy who writes the “Workbench” column in Radio World. Always quick with great ideas for radio engineers, John joins us to talk about moving your satellite dish, preparing for the worst when that doesn’t work, and more tips from the master of the workbench!
TWiRT Ep. 342 – Make Money by Saving It with Jim Gray
A penny saved really is a penny earned! Ask Jim Gray who runs Optimized Media Group. Jim and his team do normal broadcast engineering; they also help stations by demonstrating Return on Investment with newer technologies, and sometimes with older equipment. Jim joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 341 – Sports and Studio Mics with Chris Wygal
How many of us broadcast engineers learned by on-the-job training? Have you had a mentor or did you learn by doing it yourself? Chris Wygal is the engineer and ops manager for a network of stations in Virginia and shares with us his tricks for on-location sports production and broadcast studios.
TWiRT Ep. 340 – War Stories with Robbie Green
Move 4 radio studios across town. You’ve got two weeks. Go! Oh, and scrounge some equipment to make the STL systems work with an old T-1 circuit. And, find some time to replace seven FM transmitters with new, solid-state units and full HD Radio. That’s the world of engineer, Robbie Green. Robbie joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 339 – Securing What Matters
More hackers, more breaches, more ways for broadcast engineers to have a really bad day! Chris Tobin relates what can happen and the steps you need to take to patch your IT security holes. Plus, Les Kutasi joins us with news from Kathrein and the world of broadband antennas.
TWiRT Ep. 338 – The Standard that Stuck – with Richard Burden
Cassette tapes. 8-Track. Digital Cassettes. FM-QUAD. AM Stereo. Reel-to-reel. Audio standards come and go, but Multiplex FM Stereo lives on and is nearly 60 years old! Richard Burden extensively tested our FM Stereo system when it was just a proposal. Dick joins me to chat about that and more on TWiRT!
TWiRT Ep. 337 – Predicting Headphone Sound Quality with Sean Olive
How many times have you bought headphones or earbuds, only to be disappointed with their audio quality? Or maybe you were pleasantly surprised! Sean Olive is the Acoustic Research Fellow at HARMAN International. He’s doing headphone qualitative measurements that mean something, both for consumers and for manufacturers, toward better audio from our wearables.
TWiRT Ep. 336 – Hands-On AES67 with Patrick Killianey
Perhaps you’ve heard of AES67 for IP-Audio. It allows cross-connection of different, competing AoIP standards like Ravenna, Dante, and Livewire+. But until you actually try connecting audio devices together, AES67 is just a standard on paper. IP-Audio expert, Patrick Killianey from Yamaha Pro Audio is here to explain real-world AES67 from our recent technology demo.
TWiRT Ep. 335 – Amazing Dynamic Mics with Bob Heil
There are hundreds of microphones on the market - a huge selection. What does Bob Heil know about mics that others have missed? Why do Heil mics sound great - on Ham Radio and in high-end studios? And what is Bob’s secret piece of test equipment for mic development? Bob Heil joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on this episode of TWiRT!
TWiRT Ep. 334 – Video over IP with Erling Hedkvist
Radio engineers began making the switch to Audio over IP infrastructure around 2005. Now with thousands of radio stations using this technology, TV stations are looking at Video over IP as their core infrastructure. Video requires a lot more bandwidth, and there are a few more technical challenges being solved right now. Erling Hedkvist from Lawo joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to talk about it.
TWiRT Ep. 333 – Thoughtful Engineering Aids Workflow
One of the best ways a thoughtful engineer can improve a broadcast facility is to make workflows, well, flow. What design choices are slowing down your talents’ daily work? What can an engineer do to help talent be more self-sufficient? Chris Tobin reveals some interesting scenarios where the engineer made a big difference in on-air operations.
TWiRT Ep. 332 – Permafrost and Air Conditioning with John Antonuk
How do you keep equipment operating when the temperature changes by 150 degrees? John Antonuk keeps 4 radio stations running year-round in Fairbanks, Alaska. And that’s pretty impressive when you consider the harsh - and varying - conditions. John joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 331 – IP Radio Success with Jeff Holdenrid
Microwave radio links have been around for a while, and now with so many IP Radios on the market, how does a broadcast engineer choose what’s right? Jeff Holdenrid with DoubleRadius has been installing and configuring these systems for over 15 years. He gives us the lowdown on the inexpensive, unlicensed systems up to fully licensed links for broadcast.
TWiRT Ep. 330 – War Stories with Tom Ray
It’s a “War Stories” episode with special guest, Tom Ray. Tom is a soldier in the broadcast engineering trenches every day. He joins Chris Tobin and me with tower snakes, mothball mice, and clever engineering tips for mobile, street-level remote broadcasts.
TWiRT Ep. 329 – FM Antenna Tuning with Dana Puopolo
That hunk of brass, copper, and stainless steel up on the tower is a lot more important than we often consider. The FM transmitting antenna launches a station’s signal to the audience. It can have a huge effect on the station’s listenability. Dana Puopolo joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for anecdotes and specific advice about tuning FM transmitting antennas.
TWiRT Ep. 328 – Check the Radio and Turn Signals with Mark Persons
Gentleman engineer, Mark Persons, talks about mentoring engineering students from 150 miles away. Custom EAS Relay panels. Plus 4 dB steps in some car radios volume controls is crazy! And car-buying advice you don’t want to miss. Plus Chris Tobin reports in from the Government Video Expo and Drone Show.
TWiRT Ep. 327 – Denny Sanders and Processing the Buzzard
FM audio processing grew and developed right along with the Rock ‘n Roll radio format. Denny Sanders played a key role in Rock Radio from Boston’s MIT to Cleveland’s Buzzard. Denny’s our guest along with Chris Tobin on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 326 – Let’s Get Ready to Re-Aim
Well, that’s one of many subjects that Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack are discussing on this episode. Others include Burli newsroom software, Harris VistaMax, Shure SM7, Telos iPort PLUS parallel audio distribution, and Krone block patch cables. And, will President Trump replace FCC Chairman Wheeler?
TWiRT Ep. 325 – Old to New Engineering at WHRO
When you start from a solid engineering foundation, it’s much easier to pass the baton to your replacement. John Heimerl retired from Engineering at WHRO in Norfolk, and the new engineer, Ray Lenz, has been building on John’s AoIP foundation. We’re talking with both John and Ray, plus Chris Tobin on TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 324 – REVConnect with Steve Lampen
The best computer networks and IT infrastructure are too often brought down by … badly-installed connectors. What a shame! Steve Lampen is with us to show how Belden has a solution. It’s called REVConnect and I think engineers and IT pros should be rejoicing! Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack welcome Steve Lampen on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 323 – Live from the 2016 SBE National Meeting
We’re live in Columbus, Ohio, for the 2016 SBE National Membership Meeting. SBE President, Jerry Massey, joins us as well as SBE Certification Chairman, Ralph Hogan. Plus Past-President, Vinny Lopez, fills us in on the event’s live webcast. Chris Tobin co-hosts with Kirk Harnack.
TWiRT Ep. 322 – Alex and Chris, The Radio Tech Guys
Alex Linger and Chris Moran are two radio engineers using the latest technology to help broadcasters create news, sports, and entertainment. What sets them apart is how they share what they do with the rest of us. Alex and Chris have a new podcast and they produce how-to videos about broadcast studio and transmitter systems.
TWiRT Ep. 321 – Tower Glam Shots with Scott and Lisa Fybush
Glamour shots were hot in the 1980’s and 90’s. But Scott and Lisa Fybush have been making towers famous in photos for fifteen years. Scott Fybush joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack. We’re talking not only glam towers, but also reflections on the NAB Radio Show in Nashville, and Chris is pushing microwaves out of the kitchen!
TWiRT Ep. 320 – Get Into My Cloud with Curtis Machek
Yet another “cloud” service? Yep, and it’s something that radio stations will find useful every day. Curtis Machek, CEO of Cloudcast Software is here, along with Chris Tobin and me. We’re also talking about AES67 and the practical side of making IP-Audio connections using this new standard.
TWiRT Ep. 319 – Building Radio Using Today’s Tech with Michael Gay
Michael Gay’s title is Vice President of Engineering at Cumulus Media, but he’s really an expert planner. His most recent studio project saw construction of 22 radio studios in Chicago, and with insightful planning they were building new studios at an amazing pace, with everything documented and organized. Chris Tobin is here, too, with his perspective and an update from the CCBE conference.
TWiRT Ep. 318 – Live from Amsterdam
The Annual International Broadcasting Convention - IBC 2016 - is underway in Amsterdam. Stephen Wilkinson, a radio engineer from Sydney, Australia, is here to share his thoughts on DAB+, conference sessions at IBC, building AoIP studios, and his own experiences with IP-radio Studio-Transmitter links.
TWiRT Ep. 317 – Ted, Holly, and David
Ted Randall knows both sides of a radio mic. He’s a longtime broadcast engineer and host of the QSO Radio Show. Holly Misslin quietly keeps PCs, servers, and networks humming along. And David Bialik is coordinating another all-star program track at the next AES convention in Los Angeles. Chris Tobin and I are talking with all these broadcasters on today’s This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 316 – Radio on the Cheap
Engineers seek out tools and products to get the job well done while saving money. It’s important to be frugal when you can, so you’ll have the resources for when you can’t. Chris Tobin, Andrew Zarian, and Kirk Harnack look at some low-cost solutions for radio engineers.
TWiRT Ep. 315 – Connectorized!
Connectors! They come in many shapes and sizes, and usually have specific purposes. Sometimes the same type of connector is used for very different things. Just because it fits doesn’t mean it’ll work. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack talk about the most common connectors for audio, power, RF, and data on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 314 – Summertime Blues? No Way!
Stealthy antennas from those tricky mobile carriers... Can you count on mobile data bandwidth now - or in the future? Sun transit fade - on a terrestrial microwave path? A better Ethernet switch will solve that and more. And some TV stations are sharing the same frequency! Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack talk radio engineering on TWiRT!
TWiRT Ep. 313 – New Tower Light Regs with Richard Hickey
New tower lighting standards from the FAA mean FCC licensed broadcast stations need pay attention. Richard Hickey with Hilights, Inc. says that some of the rule changes could mean lower compliance costs for broadcasters - but others could cost more. Great advice on tower lighting with Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack, on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 312 – Rx for TX with Mike Patton
What conditions bring radio transmitters to an early demise? What items does a professional transmitter restoration job include? And what technologies are worth maintaining versus those no longer appropriate for daily use? Michael Patton helps radio station owners face these and other questions about keeping their stations on the air and viable.
TWiRT Ep. 311 – Audio Processor Development with Cornelius Gould
G-Force is the latest audio processing development from Cornelius Gould. While this tech and the audio results are nothing short of amazing, we’re asking Corny about the road he travelled to get here. What’s the path between humble beginnings and the pinnacle of audio processing technology?
TWiRT Ep. 310 – A Loaded Otter on War Stories
On this week’s War Stories episode, Rich Parker shows us a backhoe fade in Ketchikan, translators on Prince of Whales Island, and he hikes the Blueberry Trail to meet a helicopter on Pederson Hill. Chris Tobin is here along with Rich Parker on TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 309 – Virtual Radio with Michael Dosch
When broadcasters swapped their cart machines and turntables for PC-based digital playout systems, we now call that “virtualization.” Michael Dosch with Lawo joins Chris Tobin and me to describe how virtualization is the future of content creation and broadcast workflow.
TWiRT Ep. 308 – Comparing AoIP Standards with Ketil Morstøl
Several somewhat incompatible Audio over IP standards are popular in the marketplace. There’s Dante, Livewire, Ravenna, and AES67, among a few others. Which AoIP standard is best for a given audio application? Ketil Morstøl of Soundware Norway compared the most popular AoIP systems, both on paper and by installing each. He joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 307 – Auto-testing Remote Sites with Doug Irwin
Having designed and installed remote control systems and automated testing on both sides of the US, Doug Irwin is uniquely qualified to talk about the benefits and some pitfalls. As the Technical Editor at Radio Magazine, he’s also seeing changes in broadcast engineers’ skills and work emphases. Doug joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 306 – A Day’s Work with a Side of Ham with Charles Wooten
Charlie Wooten - ham call NF4A - is our go-to guy for what’s happening in an Amatuer Radio. Charlie joins Chris Tobin with highlights from the Dayton Hamvention including a new member of the D-Star family. It’s broadcast engineering with a side of ham!
TWiRT Ep. 305 – HD Multiplex with Philipp Schmid
What if you could transmit fifteen radio program channels from one FM transmitter, and receive them on existing FM-HD radios? Philipp Schmid, Research Engineer at Nautel, has been demonstrating exactly that. How does it work, and why might a broadcaster want to do this? Philipp joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to explain.
TWiRT Ep. 304 – Why, Yes, it’s WiFi
Chris Tobin joins us with a full hour live, remote broadcast from a park in Newark, New Jersey, and he’s not using his telco carrier’s data! It’s just another way that Chris is demonstrating that broadcast engineers can get it done for remote WiFi. Chris reveals his methods and secrets on this episode of TWiRT!
TWiRT Ep. 303 – Hey, We Found Chris Tarr!
What’s an engineer to do when the old transmitter you’re getting rid of won’t fit through the building door? You could cut it apart with a Sawz-All, or you could break out a wall and make a bigger door. Well, Chris Tarr used both strategies during two recent transmitter upgrades. The Ninjaneer joins Chris Tobin and me for a TWiRT reunion episode.
TWiRT Ep. 302 – Virtual Machine Tech and Radio
Virtual Machines have been used in computer data centers and corporate IT systems since the late 1990’s, with popularity skyrocketing in the past 5 to 8 years. Today’s VM technology is allowing broadcasters to run several automation and production systems on virtual computers - on hardware that’s fully redundant. Dave Turner from ENCO joins us to tell us how this all works.
TWiRT Ep. 301 – IP Audio Impairment Mitigation with Keyur Parikh
IP Audio security is a hot topic. IP Audio reliability is a strong concern as well. Keyur Parikh from GatesAir is working with a team of IP media experts to mitigate impairments to IP transport, and tells us about technical defenses against IP Audio hacking.
TWiRT Ep. 300 – Live from NAB 2016
The annual NAB Show attracts broadcasters from around the globe. We experience new technologies, shop for equipment, meet old friends, and make new acquaintances. It’s the perfect setting for This Week in Radio Tech, as well! Chris Tobin and I had a blast meeting some great engineers, company reps, and station owners on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 299 – Poolside with Chris & Kirk
At the end of Day 1 of the Public Radio Engineering Conference, Chris and Kirk get a chance to talk radio engineering - poolside. We’re dishing on some radio news stories, like Broadcast Electronics getting a new owner, and he’s an engineer! The NAB Radio Show will be held in Austin, Texas, next year, and the full NAB show starts Monday!
TWiRT Ep. 298 – OTT & IPTV with Sherrod Munday
OTT and IPTV are fairly new terms from the Television or Video industries. But more radio stations, podcasts, shows, and show clips are being delivered by the same or similar technologies. Former radio engineer turned TV network guru, Sherrod Munday, joins Chris Tobin and me to talk about audience habits and what infrastructure looks like to make audiences happy in 2016.
TWiRT Ep. 297 – TV Sat Truck with Robert Pace
What’s inside a modern TV satellite truck? What audio and video capabilities are likely inside? Who makes sure that satellite antenna on the roof is aimed correctly? And what kind of engineer would configure and operate one of these beasts? Robert Pace, a well-known audio, video, and satellite technician in Nashville joins us in the TV sat truck for which he’s responsible.
TWiRT Ep. 296 – This Show Title is Too Long, with Scott Fybush
The FCC's "AM Revitalization" proceeding continues to grind its way through the system, and there's a lot at stake right now for AM stations of all classes. Numerous broadcasters and consultants are filing comments; and so is Scott Fybush. Scott joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to discuss some strong opinions about improving the AM radio band.
TWiRT Ep. 295 – iDAS and oDAS with Chris Tobin
Could antennas be lurking all around you? Chris Tobin says it’s happening more than you might imagine. From office buildings to hospitals, and stadiums to convention centers, Distributed Antenna Systems are popping up in walls, ceilings, and on light poles everywhere. Engineering these systems requires precision planning and field testing.
TWiRT Ep. 294 – GatesAir with Rich Redmond
GatesAir traces its origins to 1922 when the Gates Radio Company was founded by Parker Gates. Rich Redmond, Chief Products Officer at GatesAir, joins Chris Tobin and me for updates on IP-Audio, HD Radio transmitter upgrades, and efficient liquid-cooled FM transmitter technology.
TWiRT Ep. 293 – LED Tower Lighting with Rodney Zeigler
LED light bulbs are finally getting useful and popular for home and business lighting. But LED lighting has been available for broadcast and cellular towers for over 15 years. Early models didn’t last long. Rodney Zeigler with Nebraska Rural Radio Association joins us with his LED lighting experience spanning a decade, with good news on this efficient technology.
TWiRT Ep. 292 – IP STLs: Troubleshooting Interference
Just down from a New York skyscraper rooftop, Chris Tobin talks us through troubleshooting RF interference to to some legacy 5.8 GHz radios. And Kirk Harnack shows off a new airFiber IP radio, fresh from configuration and ready for the tower.
TWiRT Ep. 291 – AoIP Planning Tips with Stephen Poole
We compare two different brands of Audio over IP mixing and routing systems and find - they’re pretty similar in terms of network planning and wiring. Stephen Poole of Crawford Broadcasting joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack, looking at Wheatnet and Livewire+. Plus we’re discussing options for secure remote access.
TWiRT Ep. 290 – To Russia with Egor Tyagunov
Egor Tyagunov has been around high-tech all his life. Much of his childhood was spent living near Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Now in Riga, Latvia - another technology center - Egor works with radio and TV broadcasters in Eastern Europe, Russia, and other CIS countries, demonstrating best audio engineering practices on behalf of The Telos Alliance.
TWiRT Ep. 289 – Zeno and KPISS with Sheri Barclay
Radio production and distribution in its newest forms is the world of Sheri Barclay. She’s a producer and test engineer at Zeno Radio. Her latest project there, Zeno Live, connects hosts and listeners like never before. Plus Sheri reveals the struggles building her own Internet station that has a “storefront” location.
TWiRT Ep. 288 – The Xcuse Box with Dick Debartolo
The Giz Wiz, Dick Debartolo, admits he’s no engineer. But he does have an eye - and ear - for fascinating devices and products. Some are useful - others, not so much. MAD magazine’s maddest writer joins Chris Tobin and me, Kirk Harnack, to ooh, ahh, and snicker at the some gizmos he found at CES.
TWiRT Ep. 287 – Video Special Forces with Colleen Kelly Henry
Mission: Acquire and send real-time HD video and audio from a remote venue you’ve never seen before, then format and distribute it to every popular computing platform known to man. It has to work right the first time. There are no do-overs. Mission Specialist: Colleen Kelly Henry.
TWiRT Ep. 286 – Music Licensing and PPM Grunge
John Stephens with netcaster theroots.fm talks about music webcasters closing down due to the huge hike in music licensing costs. And Dave Anderson joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on the additional audio grunge produced by Nielsen’s new Enhance CBET PPM Encoder. Are we driving away the audience we wish to measure?
TWiRT Ep. 285 – Capturing Audio for Podcasts with Mike Phillips
If it sounds sketchy, distorted, or muffled, they won’t listen. Podcasting studio guru, Mike Phillips, divulges his secrets for capturing clean, clear audio. Mics, pre-amps, consoles - what he recommends and how to use them. This is a must-watch for podcasters and any audio content creators!
TWiRT Ep. 284 – Naughty or Nice? Christmas Gifts for Engineers
Who’s the engineer on your Christmas list? Perhaps it’s you! From network and audio analysis tools to weather stations, cameras, and stocking stuffers, Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack check out some gift ideas for us engineers to put on our wish lists.
TWiRT Ep. 283 – Adaptive Streaming Details with Ioan Rus
We’ve covered Adaptive Multi-Rate Audio Streaming extensively. But new streaming methods bring other advantages, too. Ioan Rus, Lead Developer for Telos Alliance streaming products, explains how new features in today’s streaming encoders really improve the listener’s experience.
TWiRT Ep. 282 – Engineer’s Seminar & Tribute to the FM Master Antenna
Great achievements deserve recognition. Fifty years ago in New York City, two FM stations began transmitting from the new Alford Master FM Antenna on the Empire State Building. It was nearly an engineering miracle. Since then many improvements have been realized, including a new, main Master FM Antenna. This TWiRT episode covers a seminar and tribute from broadcast engineers and consultants contributing to the success of FM broadcasting in New York City over the decades. Your hosts are David Bialik and Scott Fybush.
TWiRT Ep. 281 – Apple HLS with Greg Ogonowski
In our quest for better Internet audio streaming we’re looking closer at Apple’s HTTP Live Streaming - or Apple HLS. Greg Ogonowski joins me, Kirk Harnack, to take a deep dive into how Apple HLS adaptive streaming works at the encoder end, server, and for the end user.
TWiRT Ep. 280 – Adaptive Streaming with Tim Pozar
Online video - like Netflix and YouTube - have used adaptive bitrate streaming for a few years now. The same tech is becoming available to audio streamers like radio stations and other online audio broadcasters. Tim Pozar, Streaming Director for Fandor.com joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to teach us about adaptive streaming technology.
TWiRT Ep. 279 – Live from New York!
This is it! The live broadcast - a block away from the Empire State Building where we have a terrific view of the light show. We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Master FM Antenna operation; the first of its kind allowing a dozen FM transmitters to use the same transmitting antenna. Tom Silliman, David Layer, David Bialik, and Scott and Lisa Fybush join Chris Tobin and me.
TWiRT Ep. 278 – 139th AES and 50th Anniversary of the Master Antenna in New York
The 139th convention of the Audio Engineering Society begins next week in New York City. Plus, we’ll commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Master FM Antenna on the Empire State Building! Big party. Guest speakers. Presentations. And it’s all about furthering the state of the art in audio gathering and reproduction. David Bialik and Scott Fybush join Chris Tobin and me.
TWiRT Ep. 277 – AM De-Tuning and Co-Location with Lawrence Behr
Cellular towers are everywhere and they’re still building more. But trouble occurs when they’re too close to existing AM tower sites. That’s where Lawrence Behr of LBA Group comes in - helping cell carriers and AM towers live together peacefully, and sometimes even co-habitate.
TWiRT Ep. 276 – WSB-AM Transmitter Party
During the 2015 NAB Radio Show in Atlanta, Charles Kinney opened the doors to the iconic WSB (AM) transmitter site and threw a party! Nearly 80 engineers and friends showed up to see the current site and learn about the history of AM transmissions from here.
TWiRT Ep. 275 – HD and AM Transmission with Gary Liebisch
Two decades of hands-on radio engineering prepared Gary Liebisch for important roles in radio transmitter design and management at Harris Broadcast. Now he’s educating and finding technical solutions for customers at Nautel. Gary talks with Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack about 4th generation HD Radio gear, plus tight IT integration into today’s lower-maintenance transmitters.
TWiRT Ep. 274 – Leveraging Radio Engineering with Daniel Hyatt
Daniel Hyatt is finding ways to leverage his radio engineering experience. From his Director of Engineering position in Denver, Daniel is running a large DJ business, Sound and Light company, does global sourcing, and is even manufacturing custom LEDs for niche projects. What can we learn from Daniel’s entrepreneurialism?
TWiRT Ep. 273 – Digital Signage Technology with Jeff Schick
Digital signage technology is showing up everywhere - from swanky elevators to shopping malls to restaurants. Now, some radio stations are using this tech to inform station visitors, on-air talent, and station staff. As engineers we’ll be called upon to implement such systems. Jeff Schick joins Chris Tobin and me to explain what to look for in digital signage.
TWiRT Ep. 272 – LPFM Proposals with Kevin Fodor
A lot of us saw this coming - Low Power FM stations are seeking more flexibility in operations and some protection for their licenses. Two petitions are before the FCC, asking for power increases, the right to sell commercials, and even to buy and sell LPFM licenses. Kevin Fodor, Program Director for Gray Fox Broadcasting, talks with Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack about the proposed changes for LPFM.
TWiRT Ep. 271 – Radio’s Local Future with Tom Churchill
Tom Churchill believes that radio’s future must include localism, customization, and that connection of familiarity with listeners. Lower budgets and smaller on-air staffs can reduce localism, but Tom offers ideas and services that maintain localism around the clock. Chris Tobin joins Kirk Harnack talking with Tom Churchill of Virtual Voice Technologies.
TWiRT Ep. 270 – War Stories with Chris Tobin
On this “War Stories” edition of TWiRT, we draw upon Chris Tobin’s years of experience in the radio engineering trenches. From power outages to gelled diesel fuel to police inquiries and “shelter in place”, Chris has been there and done that - and lived to tell about it.
TWiRT Ep. 269 – SBE President, Joe Snelson
The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) is the only organization devoted to the advancement of all levels and types of broadcast engineering. And for two consecutive terms, the SBE’s members have elected Joe Snelson as president of their organization. Joe joins us to discuss the terrific educational and career advancement opportunities from SBE, as well as some regulatory issues from the SBE’s perspective.
TWiRT Ep. 268 – Did You Test ALL of It?
When it comes to testing your generator, don’t do what Kirk did; do what Chris says and does - test the entire generator system. Chris Tobin runs through a verbal checklist of steps to take now to prep for fall and winter weather. Plus SBE Ennes Workshops and a preview of automated site testing.
TWiRT Ep. 267 – Just Aim that Dish at My RV
Can you go camping in your RV and still get over 100 Megabit Internet? Bryan Jones can, and he joins us to show us how. Plus studio pics from hit107 and TripleM in Adelaide, Australia. And Chris Tobin reveals exactly what’s in his “Go Kit”.
TWiRT Ep. 266 – Alex Kosiorek, Recording Engineer
Recording techniques and tools are still evolving - and some truly exciting Immersive Surround tech is emerging right now. Recording engineer, Alex Kosiorek, joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack with lessons in modern recording technique, why 96kHz sampling is important, and what jobs are demanding skilled audio engineers.
TWiRT Ep. 265 – SMPTE 2015 with Stephen Wilkinson
Live from Sydney, Australia, we’re meeting with broadcast engineers and manufacturers at SMPTE 2015. From audio production tools to a look inside a new, solid state FM transmitter, we’re taking you inside this popular show. Stephen Wilkinson from Hope 103.2 joins Kirk Harnack on This Week in Radio Tech.
TWiRT Ep. 264 – Live Mixing for Engineers with Larry Wilkins
More radio stations and larger podcasters are building and using performance studios. Mixing live audio is once again a needed skill. Indeed, it’s critical for the performers’ monitors, in-studio audience, and for the live broadcast itself. Larry Wilkins is retired from a broadcast engineering career and now teaching the fundamentals and the fine points of live audio mixing.
TWiRT Ep. 263 – RDS & RDS2 with Alan Jurison
The Radio Data System - RDS - has been on-air in the US since the mid 1980’s. Good for what it does - identifying FM stations and providing call letters and basic program information. What if we could double or triple the data rate, allowing more text, graphics and even supporting return data via IP or SMS? iHeart Media Senior Operations Engineer, Alan Jurison, joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to find out about RDS2.
TWiRT Ep. 262 – Braden Pickett and IP STLs
More radio engineers are installing IP radios as Studio-Transmitter Links - or STLs. Even in - and perhaps especially in - rural areas like Altus, Oklahoma, where the terrain is flat and unlicensed WiFi bands are relatively uncluttered. Braden Pickett joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack, talking about IP radio equipment selection and configuration.
TWiRT Ep. 261 – Remote Possibilities
TV stations are doing it. TV networks are doing it. Big corporations and SMBs are doing it. So why aren’t radio stations doing it? We’re talking about IP connections with remote offices, moving vehicles, concerts and sports venues, and just about anywhere you’d want to broadcast from - and do it reliably with bonded wireless data connections. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack explore the affordable tech that makes this possible.
TWiRT Ep. 260 – War Stories with Dave Anderson
When does a microphone cable act like an AM radio antenna? Who keeps switching the power off? And did someone really shoot a bullet at this rigid transmission line? Dave Anderson joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for this War Stories episode.
TWiRT Ep. 259 – Alex Hartman, Curious Engineer
He keeps finding methods and gadgets from “outside” typical broadcast engineering circles, then figures out how to solve a broadcasting problem with them. It’s Alex Hartman, the Curious Engineer from St. Cloud, Minnesota. Alex joins Chris Tobin and me to discuss how engineering curiosity leads us to better and cheaper connectivity, remote broadcasts, and better radio.
TWiRT Ep. 258 – Embracing Disruptive Technology
When is a disruptive technology something to embrace? And when is it just a passing fad? Easy to answer in hindsight, but how can broadcast engineers determine which new technologies to recommend and invest in? Bill Putney joins Chris Tobin and me, Kirk Harnack, for insight into disruptive technologies for radio broadcasters.
TWiRT Ep. 257 – Metadata Manipulation with Steve Johnston
How do you push meaningful metadata to 34 FM and HD transmitter sites across a large state radio network? Gathering data input from statewide news bureaus, web sites, and live programs? Then add in EAS data for each coverage area? Steve Johnston joins us to talk about how Wisconsin Public Radio is doing all this and more.
TWiRT Ep. 256 – Audio Watermarking Technology Explained 4-30-15
Audio watermarking for audience measurement (Arbitron/Nielsen PPM®) is in the broadcast industry news. Third party research is offering more detailed measurement of watermarking’s effectiveness on differing audio content. Further, this research is demonstrating that improvements in reliable watermarking detection are possible. We hear from MIT PhD, Dr. Barry Blesser, along with Geoff Steadman, President of 25-Seven Systems.
TWiRT Ep. 255 – Oyster Radio with Bill Eaton 4-23-15
Imagine you’re the engineer for a radio station that you really enjoy listen to. Imagine that station has a terrific reputation, with the respect of listeners, businesses, and local officials.. Now add a million listeners worldwide on the Internet. Finally, realize that this radio station is in an idyllic vacation paradise with tropical beaches and a low-key lifestyle. We’re talking about Oyster Radio and Chief Engineer Bill Eaton - in Apalachicola, Florida.
TWiRT Ep. 254 – Live from NAB 2015
We’re live from Central Hall - the Broadcast Electronics booth - at NAB 2015! A Who’s Who cast of radio celebrities joins us including Scott Fybush, Joost Bloemen, Greg Shay, Frank Foti, Jim Backus, Joe Talbot, and Jim Roberts. And don’t miss the final 8 minutes! You won’t get fooled again!
TWiRT Ep 253 – Learning by Doing with Marc Silverman 4-9-15
Where will the next broadcast engineers come from? Hofstra University in New York seems a good source. Marc Silverman is a student and he’s the Student Director of Engineering at WRHU-FM. Marc joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to talk about learning about broadcast engineering by example and by doing it.
TWiRT Ep. 252 – The Things You’ll See at NAB 3-26-15
New ways to talk with listeners - and share their video calls; IP-audio codecs keep getting smaller and better; same goes for FM transmitters with a new rack-mount 10 kilowatt model; the FCC proposes office closings for a modest savings, but will they be at NAB? Drones are hot for broadcasters and the FAA. Plus we look at who’s getting some big honors in Las Vegas next month. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack look forward to NAB in a couple weeks.
TWiRT Ep. 251 – Wireless ISP Engineering with Patrick Parks 3-19-15
Many households are in rural areas not served by cable Internet or DSL. Radio engineer, Patrick Parks wanted better Internet service to his country abode well outside the Dallas metroplex. His efforts led to building a Wireless Internet Service Provider called SmartBurst. Pat joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to us how it all works.
TWiRT Ep. 250 – Alaskan War Stories with Rich Parker 3-12-15
Helicopters, high-speed boat ferries, and bridges to nowhere; they’re all part of Rich Parker’s radio engineering travel routine at Coast Alaska. Headquartered in Juneau, Alaska, Rich maintains transmitters in Sitka, Wrangell, Petersburg, and Ketchikan, and after being there for one year he already has some war stories to tell.
TWiRT Ep. 249 – Tom Morris and Material Science 3-5-15
Broadcast Engineering these days seems more virtual at times than hands-on. But Tom Morris, Engineer at WDNA-FM, prefers a hands-on approach. Indeed, material science - choosing the right materials for the application - is a favorite subject.
TWiRT Ep. 248 – StereoTool with Hans van Zutphen 2-26-15
What would you think of an audio processor designed by someone with little prior knowledge of audio processing? The very popular software audio processor, StereoTool, is designed and updated by Hans van Zutphen. Hans tells us how StereoTool got started, what portions of it are now in other major audio processors, and how radio enthusiasts are building their own audio processors for AM, FM, and Internet streaming.
TWiRT Ep. 247 – Norwegians, Turn Off Your Transmitters 2-19-15
Norway’s National Communications Authority has calculated, and measured the coverage of DAB+ networks across Norway, and found that they now surpass the existing FM coverage there. Given that the shut-down conditions are met, Norway is ready to shut down the FM band. And, Chris Tobin and I discuss online Public Files and the dangers of ice on towers.
TWiRT Ep. 246 – “Workbench” columnist, John Bisset 2-12-15
What’s your most important engineering tool? An oscilloscope? Volt-ohm meter? Infrared thermometer? Diagnostic software? John Bisset says your most important tool is one you probably already own! Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack are talking with the Workbench Wizard, John Bisset on TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 245 – Net Neutrality, Maintenance, & Copper 2-5-15
Lots of questions about the FCC’s Net Neutrality rules under Title II, like “when is the Public Internet actually private?” Plus, Chris Tobin lays a foundation for the value of maintenance, and Kevin Kidd joins us to help stop copper thieves.
TWiRT Ep. 244 – Tech Support, this is Ted 1-29-15
On This Week in Radio Tech, Ted Alexander joins Chris Tobin and me, Kirk Harnack. Ted got started in radio way too early - like as a baby! He’s hosted popular shows on-air, plus engineered some pretty big iron. And you may have talked with Ted when calling for Tech Support from Telos! See if Ted tells a Support story about you!
TWiRT Ep. 243 – Andy Laird: Shipwrecked! 1-22-15
Andy Laird’s resume includes a BA in Physics and a career of reaching positions of higher responsibility in television and radio engineering. What’s not on his resume are things like sailing the Drake Passage, getting shipwrecked on a small island, and being a champion weight lifter. Chris Tarr and Chris Tobin join me talking with Andy Laird on TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 242 – Will Net Neutrality Kill MPLS? 1-15-15
Net Neutrality proposes that all Internet packets are treated equally - no buying a so-called “fast lane” where delivery is virtually guaranteed. Broadcasters and other real-time data users depend on the MPLS protocol and pay extra for packet reliability - but is that really over the “Public Internet”. We’re talking about it with Bob Holowenko on TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 241 – NRSC, Let’s Do This Less Often 1-8-15
Every year AM stations in the US must measure their transmission for spectral purity. Many AM stations say they can’t afford this. Mark Persons presents a few ideas on NRSC measurements. Plus he and Chris Tobin discuss sleuthing some really difficult interference problems.
TWiRT Ep. 240 – War Stories of 2014 – with Shane Toven 12-23-14
2014 witnessed some major stories, changes, and advancements in broadcast technology. Who better to talk about their implications than Radio magazine editor, Shane Toven? Shane joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack talking about FCC enforcement, Rule changes, LPFM, EAS, new tech from green transmitters to IP-audio, and what we might expect from 2015.
TWiRT Ep. 239 – Excellent Engineer, Wayne Pecena 12-18-14
Radio World named Wayne Pecena as the recipient of its 2014 Excellence in Engineering Award. Would you like to know why? Many engineers think of Wayne as their virtual mentor, and an authoritative source for learning new broadcast engineering skills, especially in computer networking. Chris Tobin and I talk with Wayne about educating engineers.
TWiRT Ep. 238 – Audio for TV with Gibson Prichard 12-11-14
How has the move to digital audio changed audio routing and workflow at TV stations? Gibson Prichard should know. He’s the Chief Engineer for Journal Broadcasting’s WTVF-TV - News Channel 5 - the CBS affiliate in Nashville, Tennessee. Self-educated in broadcast engineering, Gibson started at a local FM station and has worked through digital and HD upgrades at two television stations.
TWiRT Ep. 237 – Radio Engineering at the Museum 12-4-14
New radio studios are always a cause for excitement. The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago is home to the Paul & Angel Harvey Studio, and the newly-rebuilt Art Laboe Control Room. We’re talking with Bruce DuMont, President and Founder of the Museum of Broadcast Communications, plus audio producers, Colin Ashmead and Chris Cwiak, along with Greg Dahl, who installed the new equipment.
TWiRT Ep. 236 – Antenna & Tower work with John Hettish 11-20-14
Continuing our discussion about working on broadcast antennas way up high, John Hettish, joins us, describing some of his amazing tower work videos. We’ll get the right story on his 10-bay ERI antenna rebuild, plus check out removal of some 900 pound microwave dishes. And what about the wasps and vultures gathering at the top of a broadcast tower?
TWiRT Ep. 235 – Troubles up High 11-13-14
Fixing broadcast gear is difficult enough at ground level. What’s it like to troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair broadcast systems 300, 600, or 1200 feet above ground? Chris Tobin advises about what can go wrong and some common remedies, and we analyze an antenna repair by tower pro, John Hettish, while he’s 925 feet above ground.
TWiRT Ep. 234 – Tracy Teagarden 11-6-14
We’ve called Tracy Teagarden, “the most interesting engineer in Las Vegas.” He’s no stranger to dong things right, even in terrible weather, and hard-to-access transmitter sites. Tracy joins Chris Tobin and me to talk about two AM directional stations on the same property, along with some FM backup transmitters, difficult AC power on Mt. Potosi, and his own work with new VoIP systems.
TWiRT Ep. 233 – EAS Strict Time & Ransomware 10-30-14
A Nashville DJ, complaining about an inconvenient EAS Test, unwittingly activates more EAS alerts across radio stations and cable systems. Video streaming technology has a few radio stations becoming video providers. And “ransomware” has taken several radio stations hostage lately, destroying music and commercial libraries. How should engineers act to prevent their stations from getting hijacked? Chris Tobin and Chris Tarr join us for a fast-paced episode of TWiRT!
TWiRT Ep. 232 – Open Source Automation with Fred Gleason 10-23-14
Is free, open-source software a viable option for running your radio station? Fred Gleason, co-founder of Paravel Systems says it’s worth consideration. His Rivendell radio automation software is open-source, widely deployed, fully professional - and free to use. Paravel’s financial model is to charge for pre-configured hardware and for support, but both are optional. Fred talks to us about Rivendell open-source radio automation and call screening software.
TWiRT Ep. 231 – Digital Transmission Primer with Ward Silver 10-16-14
I’ve often said, “This here digital’s the coming thing.” We all know it’s here now, and here to stay. Perhaps we’d be well-served to understand some techniques for transmitting digital information over radio frequencies (RF). Ward Silver, N0AX, is teacher, a contributing editor to the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and author of the book, “Ham Radio for Dummies” as well as many others. We’re getting a lesson from Ward on Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) as well as I & Q signals. Symbol constellations, predictive coding - we’re diving right in.
TWiRT Ep. 230 – War Stories with Eric Adler 10-9-14
Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack have been broadcast engineers for, well, a few decades. This week we were both encouraged by our conversations with Eric Adler, who is quickly learning the profession in his role as a Broadcast Engineer at WSKG Public Broadcasting. Eric is also the Chapter Chair for SBE Chapter #1 in Binghamton, New York. We’re all sharing stories, tricks, and tips on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 229 – C.Crane Radios with Bob Crane 10-2-14
Anyone listening to late night talk radio has probably heard of the C. Crane Company and their high-quality consumer radios. As engineers we tend to worry about the studio and transmission end of radio broadcasting. Bob Crane, founder of C. Crane, took a different approach to broadcast quality. He and his engineers work on the receiving end, and it’s making a positive difference. Bob joins Chris Tobin and me to let us in on the magic behind great radio reception.
TWiRT Ep. 228 – Digital AM with Ted Schober 9-25-14
Is there any hope for the AM radio band? A few major-market AM stations still enjoy success, but AM radio is suffering most everywhere else. Professional Engineer, Ted Schober, says there are solutions to help AM stations, including smaller antennas and a transition to digital transmission. Is it already too late to save AM, or are there real solutions here that will give consumers and broadcasters new options?
TWiRT Ep. 226 – Getting Started in Market #1 with David Antoine 9-11-14
Some engineers get their careers started in smaller markets, then move up to a major market. David Antoine was born and raised in US market number 1 - New York City - so that’s where he started! David’s story is both interesting and inspiring, so we’re bringing him to you on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 225 – Every Broadcast is a Remote with Bob Page 9-4-14
Meet Bob Page, the studio manager with two studios and no transmitter. With a revolving door for the on-air talent. And for whom every single broadcast shift is a “remote.” Bob manages the Radio Broadcast Center at Universal Studios, Florida. He and Jason Mercurio manage, train, facilitate, troubleshoot, connect, and do whatever else is needed to get from 2 to 5 broadcasts on the air each day from these spectacular studios.We experienced some tech difficulties during the broadcast. Naturally, the high-speed Internet link checked out perfectly before the broadcast. But, it went dead and we had to use a backup Internet connection. Quality wasn’t so good, but Bob Page’s interview, along with Chris Tobin’s comments, are worth watching or listening to.
TWiRT Ep. 224 – Mickey Mouse Radio with Scott Fybush 8-14-14
What does it mean for radio - particularly AM radio - when Radio Disney announces the shutdown and sale of 23 of its 24 AM stations? Scott Fybush is our guest. He and Chris Tobin add perspective to this week’s headlines about Disney’s announced exit from most radio ownership. We also get a tour of an RCA-BTA-50F transmitter just before dismantling. The good news is, it’s going to a museum!Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack talk with Rob on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 223 – Yea Engineering with Rob Chickering 8-7-14
What’s an engineer to do when the talent loves technology as much as he does? Roll with it and have fun! Rob Chickering is the VP of Operations and Engineering for Yea Networks - the house that Kidd Kraddick built. Rob joins us to show off his fantastic radio studios in Dallas, and talk about how engineers can be just as creative as major-league talent.Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack talk with Rob on this episode of TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 222 – Roots Radio with John Stephens 7-31-14
John Stephens describes himself as a Serial Entrepreneur. After 35 years working in all forms of the media John finally got around to his lifelong dream of building and operating a radio station. John's station is an "Internet Pure-play" meaning on-line only, no transmitter required. "Our Musical Roots" has listeners in 30 different countries around the world. John calls his format "Progressive Rock for Vintage Rockers"
TWiRT Ep. 221 – Engineering for Non-Engineers with Skip Pizzi 7-24-14
For most of us engineers, our jobs would be easier if our colleagues understood a bit more about broadcast engineering. Skip Pizzi has finished updating the fourth edition of “A Broadcast Engineering Tutorial for Non-Engineers”. He joins us for a fascinating look at this updated book, and how both engineers and non-engineers benefit from broadening their engineering horizons.
TWiRT Ep. 219 – Alaskan Engineering with Rich Parker 7-3-14
What’s it like to maintain broadcast stations in Alaska’s rough geography? Richard Parker joins Chris Tobin to talk about adjusting to life in Alaska after 17 years in Vermont. As Director of Engineering for CoastAlaska, Richard says he stands on the shoulders of some great Public Radio Engineers. Ever wonder what it takes to ship equipment or emergency spare parts to your station in Alaska? Rich explains what not to do and how to avoid the 1000 mile several day detour your package will take. Plus Rich explains how the new AoIP and other IP technologies at his stations keeps the station staff happy while he is several hours away at other studios and transmitters.
TWiRT Ep. 218 – IP Radios and SIP with Bob Newberry 6-26-14
Bob Newberry at Clear Channel in Birmingham, Alabama, oversees engineering at 11 radio stations plus 4 HD signals. Pushing the technology envelope means using new IP-radio technologies along with IP telephone systems - and both areas give Bob more options, better quality audio, and some money savings, too. Joe Talbot from Telos joins me talking with Bob about learning SIP technology while putting it to good use.
TWiRT Ep. 217 – The EKKO Stamp Fad with Philip Mulivor 6-19-14
Nearly 100 years ago radio stations were so new the owners didn’t know who was listening or where. Without the Internet or even many telephones gathering listener reports was spotty. Then the EKKO company hit on a stroke of genius: Radio EKKO Stamps and collector’s books to fill with them. Radio historian and electronics professor, Philip Mulivor, joins us to reveal the fascinating story of early radio listening, and keeping track of stations with EKKO stamps.
TWiRT Ep. 216 – Cumulus NASH Tour with Zach Harper 6-12-14
Nationwide daily drive time radio shows, plus a huge weekly countdown show are all emanating from a remodeled studio building in Nashville. It’s the Cumulus NASH studios, home to American Country Countdown, America’s Morning Show, and Nash Nights. Plus these state-of-the-art studios are built for multimedia production including video streaming and live concerts. Cumulus Nashville IT Director and Engineer, Zach Harper, gives a tour to the Nashville SBE chapter, and we brought our video camera along!
TWiRT Ep. 215 – Virtual Radio Console with Mike Dosch 6-5-14
Touchscreen technology is mainstream - from iPads to cash registers. They’ve been an add-on or secondary console controller in radio studios for a couple years now. At the Spring NAB in Las Vegas, console maker Lawo introduced a new radio console designed specifically for touchscreen - even multi-touch - control. Mike Dosch, Director of Virtual Radio Projects at Lawo, joins us to describe the technology and where this tech could go in the future.
TWiRT Ep. 214 – Audio Loudness Measurement with John Kean 5-29-14
Easy-to-understand and meaningful audio loudness measurement has proven elusive over the history of recorded and transmitted audio. John Kean, Senior Technologist at NPR Labs, has been researching the problem and finding solutions. John joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack for an update on this aspect of audio recording and transmission.
TWiRT Ep. 213 – A Hot Mess of Nothin’ with Vinny Lopez 5-22-14
Vinny Lopez takes us on a dive into the waters of PC-based television production. Radio stations and syndicated radio shows are getting in producing TV along with their radio content. Vinny, Chris Tarr, and Andrew Zarian join me for a look at what’s possible. Plus Chris and Vinny discuss remote-controlled production equipment and SBE educational opportunities.
TWiRT Ep. 212 – Get the Internet You Deserve 5-15-14
Do you know your D-SLAM from your DOCSIS? ISP and Network Engineer, Bob Holowenko, explains some little-known but common-sense ways to get the best Internet and WAN service from your ISP choices. Plus Telephony Guru, Joe Talbot, joins us discussing how to get reliable VoIP service across your Internet connection. And IP Solutionist, Chris Tobin, tells how he got a big Internet mess solved - sort of - in his New York office building. It’s practical Internet connection help and guidance on this week’s TWiRT.
TWiRT Ep. 211 – Studio Builds with Robert Combs 5-8-14
From old-school studio wiring and transmitter installation, to new IP-Audio routing and back haul, Robert Combs has seen and heard it all. As a Regional Director of Engineering for Cumulus, Combs is one of a few “go-to” guys when a world-class studio is going together, or a new technology is being tested in the field. We’re talking with Robert about engineering management of a region of radio stations, and how newer IP-Audio technology streamlines today’s radio studio demands.
TWiRT Ep. 210 – SNMP with Charlie Toner 5-1-14
Since 1992 SNMP has been used to manage IT devices over IP networks, now engineers can manage networked broadcast equipment, too. Charlie Toner is an SNMP expert. He explains how good use of SNMP affords control of your broadcast devices, codecs, transmitters, and automation systems. Plus, we get clues on how to create a robust network environment of managed broadcast devices with SNMP.
TWIRT Ep. 209 – Joe Talbot – SIP Tech Update 4-24-14
Quadcopters? We just can’t stop talking about them! So, there’s that. And Joe Talbot joins us from the high desert in Nevada. With more and more broadcasters moving away from POTS and ISDN tech, SIP/VoIP is bringing better-sounding phone calls into hundreds of radio and TV stations. How do you get SIP into your facility? Joe Talbot explains.
TWiRT Ep. 208 – Live at NAB 2014 4-10-14
Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack bring some of the best of NAB 2014 live from the NAB Central Exhibit Hall. One after another, engineers and company execs answer questions and share with us what’s hot at this year’s NAB.
TWiRT Ep. 206 – Streams and What Do You Get? 3-27-14
Doug Rowe is an engineer at Minnesota Public Radio. His title is one that we’ll see more often: Media Production Systems Manager. As radio stations, groups, and networks depend on digital media distribution, more engineers like Doug are needed; not only to keep everything working, but to develop the infrastructure for the workflows needed by talent and content creators. Doug talks with Chris Tarr and me, helping us understand the new responsibilities involved at a highly-connected, digitally-delivered network operation.
TWiRT Ep. 205 – NPR Labs’ Rich Rarey
Rich Rarey’s name is synonymous with audio engineering at NPR, and has been for over 30 years. Now, Rich is the Director of NPR Labs, the USA’s only not-for-profit broadcast technology research and development center. Rich joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack with broadcast engineering tales from the past, and fascinating looks at an award-winning NPR Labs project in progress now.
TWiRT Ep. 204 – Mute it, Kirk 3-13-14
Kirk has a transmitter problem related to operation during antenna icing conditions. Between Chris Tobin’s help and ideas from the TWiRT chat room, I think we’ve got a solution! Plus, Chris Tobin explains how transmitter muting and safety lockouts are USED in multi-transmitter master antenna sites.
TWiRT Ep. 203 – Dave Supplee on Studio Wisdom 3-6-14
Dave Supplee is the market engineer for the Cumulus radio stations in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He’s also a key go-to guy when new studios need to be built or refurbished. From studio design to wiring techniques, Dave shares his years of studio-building wisdom, plus transmitter site advice on this episode.
TWiRT Ep. 202 – Engineering Hacks 2-27-14
hack n. an inelegant but effective solution to a problemOften there’s more than one way to solve an engineering problem. There is usually the normal approach, and then there are one or more “hacks”. Some hacks are elegant and others - not so much. In this episode, Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack discuss radio engineering hacks - unusual yet effective ways to fix and use broadcast equipment.
TWiRT Ep. 201 – Radio Futurologist, James Cridland 2-20-14
Who better to predict radio’s future than a radio futurologist? James Cridland advises radio’s leaders across the world - on radio's multiplatform future, the effect of smartphones on radio listening, and radio's place in social media. He writes about what happens when radio and new platforms collide - for Media UK and other websites and magazines. And works with the brightest brains to ensure radio remains relevant. On this episode, James describes RadioDNS, which he says is one of the key technologies for radio remaining relevant and useful to a mass audience.
TWiRT Ep. 200 – War Stories from Sochi 2-6-14
On the eve of the 2014 Winter Olympics, Westwood One’s VP-Engineering, Mitch Glider, joins us live from Sochi, Russia. Mitch and his colleagues have assembled a long-form studio plus several reporters’ workstations. Now the hard prep work pays off and engineering vigilance begins as hours and hours of Olympic radio coverage is fed back to New York for affiliate distribution. Mitch takes us through the studio build and the technologies employed to bring live commentary and reports from across the Olympic venues and ship the final products back home.
TWiRT Ep. 199 – There’s a Problem; Go Back to Sleep
As engineers incorporate new technology into their broadcast facilities, we’re figuring out better approaches to old - and new - problems. Chris Tarr offers up a boatload of tips, tricks, and tools that make his life easier at both studio and transmitter sites. Chris Tobin chimes in, and Kirk Harnack describes how one TV station in Oklahoma is handling tornado “play-by-play” coverage.
TWiRT Ep. 198 – Brett Gilbert, Performance Studios 1-23-14
Decades ago, all radio stations had “performance studios”. Local musicians and actors would perform for some or all of the broadcast day. Today, a few radio stations have performance studios and even audience seating areas. Brett Gilbert, Director of Engineering at Clear Channel in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Chris Tarr, DoE for 88Nine in Milwaukee, share thoughts and stories about these spaces. Plus, Brett introduces us radio engineers to stage lighting with a quick discussion of the technologies involved.
TWiRT Ep. 197 – Show and Tell and Smile and Dial 1-16-14
Thoughts and recommendations on Ethernet routers, and Kirk introduces the authoritative book about the history of Phone Phreaking, “Exploding the Phone”. Kirk and Andrew Zarian introduce the wide-open subject of putting listener-callers on-air, both on broadcast radio and on podcasts. It’s a great introduction to a future episode where we’ll give a thorough “how-to” on interviewing guest and taking callers by phone.
This Week In Radio Tech Ep. 196 – Metadata And More With Kevin Trueblood 1-9-14
Tom Ray reports in and gives us a tour of the WJMJ-FM transmitter site near Burlington, Connecticut. Then Chris Tarr and Kevin Trueblood discuss radio engineering for a statewide Public Radio network, focusing on metadata strategy from multiple sources to multiple distribution outlets.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 195 – Radio Trends with Rob de Santos 12-19-13
Exactly what *is* radio these days? What will happen to AM radio? How is LPFM affecting traditional radio broadcasting? Our guest, Rob de Santos, is a columnist for Popular Communications magazine, writing the popular monthly column, “Trends in Technology”.
TWiRT Ep. 194 – Scott Fybush plus Chris Tobin at 4 Times Square 12-12-13
Chris Tobin shows us the FM combiner room at 4 Times Square - a main transmitter site for some and a backup site for other New York City broadcasters. Plus, Scott Fybush is here with transmitter and tower stories, a radio discussion board, and his 2014 Tower Site Calendar.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 193 – Quit Streaming MP3, with Greg Ogonowski 12-5-1
Processing and stream encoding guru, Greg Ogonowski, says “Stop using MP3 and encode with a modern codec. Save money and sound better, too.” So, what’s wrong with our beloved MP3? And what should Internet streamers be using? And what about the Opus codec?
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 192 – VO Studios with George Whittam 11-21-13
George Whittam is the engineer behind many of the Voice Over Artists you hear on TV, radio, and movies. Always brimming with great advice on microphones, studio acoustics, and audio transport.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 191 – The Value of Engineering 11-14-13
Engineering repair and maintenance: Is it a “pay me now or pay me later” equation? Or is there more to it than that? Are more and more stations just ignoring ongoing, preventive maintenance in favor of just declaring an emergency when they go off-air, or sound really bad? Chris Tarr has an opinion or two on that, and Chris Tobin does, too.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 190 – War Stories with Charlie Wooten 11-7-13
What kind of engineer travels to Africa and plants antennas on a beach in Mozambique? Or brings the sheriff to a competitor’s transmitter site to shut it off during a hurricane? Clear Channel’s Engineer of the Year from Panama City, Florida - Charlie Wooten - joins us for an hour of bravery, challenges, and engineering victory on this War Stories episode.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 189 – Smoke in the Modem 10-31-13
Remember POTS line frequency extenders? Then in the 1990’s we did remotes with POTS codecs and ISDN codecs. Now IP is transporting remote audio back to the studio, and for more radio stations, live video is a key part of their digital strategy. Chris Crump with Comrex is bringing us up to date on video remotes and shows off the Comrex Liveshot.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 188 – Shane Toven, Towers, & DASH 10-24-13
Climbing broadcast towers and strategizing future audio delivery methods - all in a week's work for Shane Toven, Director of Engineering at Wyoming Public Media. Shane joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to discuss keeping the Public Radio RF transmitting across Wyoming's landscape. We also discuss the DASH conference held in Detroit this week - bringing autos and radio together in the connected car.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 187 – Strip & Squeeze – It’s CAT5e and RJ-45′s 10-17
Network troubles? It could be your RJ-45 connectors. Kirk and Chris attach three RJ-45 connectors to a CAT5e cable and test it. We also show you how not to do it. Plus, Andrew Zarian reports on his IP-audio console at GFQ after one year and hundreds of shows.
This Week in Radio Tech. Ep 186 – Prometheus Radio – LPFM 10-10-13
The Prometheus Radio Project builds participatory radio as a tool for social justice organizing and a voice for community expression. Sanjay Jolly and Will Floyd join us on TWiRT this week. They work to demystify media policy and technology. Sanjay is Policy Director while Will is very much a Technical Guru.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 185 – Mitch Glider – Network Ops and Big Remotes 10-
Most radio engineers look after 1 to 8 program channels; Mitch Glider oversees 67 of them! As VP-Engineering for Westwood One in New York City, Mitch directs the technical operations for Westwood One in the CBS Broadcast Center. Plus, Mitch is preparing a roomful of radio mixing and transmission gear for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. It has to work when it gets there in January, 2014, and there's no Radio Shack nearby. Chris Tobin and Tom Ray - both experienced radio network engineers - join me to talk with Mitch Glider on this episode.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 184 – Engineering for the Stars 9-26-13
What does an engineer do when Bill O'Reilly starts arguing politics you, or Dan Rather hands you a screwdriver? Or when WOR's John Gambling won't rest easy until you arrive on-scene? It's part of a day's work for big city and network radio engineers. Tom Ray and Chris Tobin regale us with hilarity and insight about working with high-strung stars and ordinary folks with household names.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 183 – Greg Shay on the New AES67 IP-Audio Standard 9
The Audio Engineering Society just published AES67, a framework to standardize low-latency IP-Audio and provide for interoperability. What will this new standard mean for users of Axia Livewire, Wheatnet-IP, Dante, Ravenna, and others? Greg Shay, Chief Science Officer with The Telos Alliance, describes how the different IP-Audio standards came to be, and how AES67 (formerly X192) will mean more good choices for IP-Audio network users.
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 182 – School Board or Paint Drying 9-5-13
Westwood One reprise, syndication bullies, "do you wanna move back?", and the best tips and tricks. Plus, we suggest that the school board meeting should compete with the sound of paint drying. It's a potpourri show that turned out really well!
This Week in Radio Tech Ep. 181 – Movin’ On Up – with Chris Tarr 8-29-13
Can great planning and preparedness reduce the trauma of a live radio studio move? Chris Tarr just moved Radio Milwaukee's studios to a newly renovated building. Then, just when you thought everything was under control, a small disaster struck! Tom Ray and Chris Tobin join me to talk about the excitement and perils of studio moves.