Barry Mishkind

The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource

... edited by Barry Mishkind - the Eclectic Engineer

This Week’s Newsletter

Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 838, Volume 17, #5 for September 3, 2025

FCC DEADLINES
The new MEP EAS code goes into effect on September 8th. If you are using a sage EAS endec, you need to upgrade it. Fortunately, this time there is no charge. Download from the sage alerting site.

Payment of the 2025 fiscal year regulatory fees is due this month. Fees will change slightly from this past year, but not by much. Payment must be electronic, collected prior to October 1st so we can expect an exact deadline announcement soon. However, please be reminded that these payments must be submitted electronically on the FCC’s CORES2 website, so it is best not left to the last day/week. (Hat tip to Cary Tepper)

BEAUTIFYING THE FCC SITE?
Those that use the FCC’s website – similar that of many government websites – often complain of the difficulty of navigating through a mess of acronyms such as PSIX-ESIX, EDOCS, FRN, ECFS, ETRS, DIRS, and ULS. Even simple pages are often impossible to see until the user downloads the files in one of three formats and then opens them. In order to ensure a great user experience President Trump now has issued instructions for government web sites to project a level of excellence – designed beautifully on modern software. We can all hope for a positive result.

DO YOU LISTEN TO YOUR TRANSMITTER?
In the old days, transmitter failures often were accompanied by loud noises, bangs, smoke, etc. Today’s transmitters are normally not  as noisy. Now, when working on a transmitter it is not uncommon to hear an engineer talking to it. But, on the other hand, do we *really* listen to what the transmitter is saying back to us?

It is the first Thursday of the month, and once again Jeff Welton has kindly arranged to spend time with us, with some very useful tips and tricks, as well as more serious thoughts on making sure our transmitters are running at the peak of their capabilities.

Yep .. you know. 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific. Invite a colleague…. Jeff always has something new to share.

As usual, we meet at 2 PM Eastern (11 AM Pacific) on Thursday. Link requests are easily found at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ Our videos are also shown on the youtube.com/thebdrnet channel.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!


NRSC
As Fall starts to take over and temperatures begin to drop, AM stations that have not done their yearly NRSC measurement are reminded to get it done before many of the contractors finish up for the year. If you are on their itinerary you will save travel costs that would accrue if you end up having them come out just for your station. Here are some folks to call. Also, if you want to know more, here is how the NRSC benefits your station.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE HEARD
This year, more than most, we see the FCC initiating a lot of actions – deleting some old rules and asking for comments on updating or adding new rules. Your input is important. The FCC even accepts “informal” comments, so that you do not need to have it written by a lawyer or meet any specific standards – except decency. The current EAS matter really deserves your thoughts as to how to fix/improve alerting of dangerous events. True, many stations just wish the current EAS would go away. If that is your thought, tell the FCC. If you have a better idea, share it. There are a lot of things the EAS could be or should be – but it should be directed by broadcasters, not bureaucrats. Ed Czarnecki offers 26 Questions to help discuss the answers.

KU BAND ALERT
As with C-Band, the FCC is contemplating changes in the Ku-band operations that could impact broadcasters. As part of the SB Docket 25-157, the NAB has already noted there could well be issues affecting the reliability of Ku satellite service.

ATSC ALERT?
The FCC, while not yet setting dates, has issued a Public Notice saying it wants to speed up the transition to ATSC3.

HELP FOR ALASKA STATIONS
Even as CPB grants start to end, there are groups working to help non-com stations content with budgetary issues: KOTZ, Kotzebue and KRBD, Ketchikan have be granted support to ensure the costs for the news reporters for those two stations will be covered at least for the next year. Report for America will also provide training and mentorship to help with ongoing operations.  (Hat tip to Ken Fine) 

ON THE OTHER HAND
Not all non-com stations are in a good place. WMWM in Salem MA has been silent for the last 7 months due to a transmitter failure. Now, the University is turning in the license, possibly partly in relation to costs of repair. Any station can be hit by technical failures –  transmitter, antenna, tower, cable, etc, but those where budgets/financing are especially tight are definitely facing hard choices.

FOR SALE
Do you need a Quintech rack-mount, active “L”-Band splitter? One is newly on our list of for sale and wanted items. Is there something on your shelf gathering dust? Perhaps someone else is looking for it? Check the listings out or send in yours
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Some recent articles of interest:

                Some recent articles of interest:

                More newsy items here…

                May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

                 
                 MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

                MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

                The Fall regional conventions are rolling along:
                International: IBC in Amsterdam – September 12-15
                Midwest Regional Broadcasters Clinic at Madison, WI – September 15-17
                Georgia Association of Broadcasters – Atlanta – September 19, 20
                Midwest Broadcast & Multimedia Technology Conference – Columbus, OH – September 24-26
                WABE Media & Entertainment Technology Conference – Calgary Canada – September 29 – October 1
                Kansas Association of Broadcasters Convention Manhattan KS – October 6th
                CCBE/OAB Conferences Toronto Canada – October 27, 28

                WorldCast Systems is getting ready to show V2 of their APTmpX, enabling high-fidelity MPX with transport of RDS Subcarrier at 300, 400, or 600 kbps. It  provides reliable, cost-efficient delivery with full signal integrity and minimal latency and integrates with software sound processors or hardware workflows, eliminating the need for extra studio gear.

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                GatesAir has announced they will be offering their cloud-enabled AirWatch365 Remote Monitoring for stations in Europe and the United Kingdom.

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                This month, Wheatstone will be introducing their new Neuron FM/HD/DAB+ spectral audio processor – designed to give all the big sound and features of a top-line processor but at half the price. Their patented 1/3 octave band resolution offers precision transient peak control without pulling down critical frequencies with it, resulting in the ability to drive more energy into the processor, yet maintain peak compliance for a much fuller, vibrant on-air sound.

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                The Sennheiser Group, has been shipping their Spectera wideband wireless systems, and now is getting ready to provide a brand-agnostic, collaborative SoundBase RF planning tool.

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                The Telos Alliance is adding a portfolio off new features and enhancements in the next software update to its Junger Audio flexAI platform. Among them are an enhanced 7.4.1-channel program processor, an immersive upmixer for generating additional surround and height channels, and a 7.1.4-channel monitor controller for immersive monitoring.

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                Another product that ought to be of interest to those trying to keep levels and intelligibility in check: NUGEN Audio will introduce present its latest speech intelligibility plug-in, DialogCheck. This software addresses an something that has become increasingly important for audio professionals. The dialog clarity meter provides an objective measure of speech audio intelligibility in television, radio, film, and podcasting.

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                AxelTech’s Talk Show System transforms Oxygen 3000 Plus into a professional call management hub. The Talk Show System outperforms traditional phone hybrids at a fraction of the cost. This revolutionary software-only solution handles up to 8 phone lines via web interface with advanced call queuing, conference modes, and operator controls. Discover it here.

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                Thimeo’s Adaptive Compressor replaces AGC and multiband chains with a single stage, that is both intelligent and dynamic which delivers cleaner, more natural dynamics and superior audio quality. The Adaptive Compressor is available in all Stereo Tool and Thimeo audio processing. Learn more.

                May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

                 

                Do You Remember? This week in history:
                Broadcast related items:

                • 17 years ago (9/5/08) a Fender Stratocaster set on fire by Jimi Hendrix sells for $575,000.
                • 19 years ago (9/5/06) Katie Couric made an historic TV network anchor debut as first sole female host.
                • 25 years ago (9/1/00) Sirius Satellite put its system into place. (Service Launched 2/14/2002)
                • 28 years ago (9/6/97) Elton John sings at Princess Diana’s funeral: “Candle in the Wind.“*
                • 30 years ago (9/2/95) the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in Cleveland, OH.
                • 30 years ago (9/3/95) Ike Turner finished 14 months in prison for cocaine possession.
                • 41 years ago (9/1/84) The #1 hit from Tina Turner: “What’s Love Got to Do with it.“
                • 42 years ago (9/3/83) Eurythmics hit #1 with “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).“
                • 57 years ago (9/3/68) Ringo Starr returned to the Beatles having quit during the White Album. (The group showed their feelings: his drum kit was covered with flowers.

                … and 61 years ago (9/2/63) CBS and NBC expanded their network news from 15 to 30 minutes.

                And, here are some more newsy-type items:

                • 6 years ago (9/4/19) American Airlines retired the last MD-80, a model popular with fliers.
                • 28 years ago (8/31/97) Diana, Princess of Wales died in a car crash in Paris. She was 36.
                • 40 years ago (9/1/85) the wreckage of the Titanic was discovered at the bottom of  the North Atlantic Ocean.
                • 48 years ago (9/7/77) President Carter agreed to give the Panama Canal to Panama.
                • 49 years ago (8/31/76) George Harrison was found guilt of “subconscious plagiarism” for “My Sweet Lord.
                • 50 years ago (9/5/75) an attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford by Squeaky Fromme was foiled.
                • 53 years ago (9/1/72) Bobby Fischer won the Match of the Century and became the first American world chess champion.
                • 53 years ago (9/3/72) Viking II landed on Mars.
                • 53 years ago (9/6/72) the Munich massacre takes place at Munich Olympic Games; 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were killed by  a terrorist group.
                • 56 years ago (9/1/69) Qaddafi led coup in Libya.
                • 56 years ago (9/2/69) America’s first automatic teller machine (ATM) makes its public debut, dispensing cash to customers at Chemical Bank in Rockville Center, NY
                • 61 years ago (8/31/64) California was declared te most populous state in the US.
                • 70 years ago (8/31/55) William Cobb demonstrated the first solar-powered car.
                • 80 years ago (9/2/45) Japan surrendered, ending WWII.

                (We have a bunch of older ones this week!)

                • 128 years ago (8/31/1897) Thomas Edison patented his Kinetograph.
                • 137 years ago (8/31/1888) Jack the Ripper’s first victim was murdered.
                • 186 years ago (9/5/1836) Sam Houston was made President of newly independent Republic of Texas.
                • 242 years ago (9/3/1783) the treaty of Paris was signed and the American Revolution officially came to an end.
                • 343 years ago (9/4/1682) Edmund Halley observed Halley’s Comet for the first time.
                • 359 years ago (9/2/1666) the Great Fire of London started.

                … and 503 years ago (9/6/1522) Magellan’s ship Victoria completed the circumnavigation of the globe.


                May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

                 


                * It is the best selling single in UK history.

                MIDWEEK BONUS

                What is your favorite quote from a movie?  Can you guess any of the top 5?

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

                      barry

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                      Yes … you might have seen it before, but we should do this: some extra stuff .. some important … some just interesting.

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