The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource
This Week's Newsletter
Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert...
This is the BDR Newsletter Volume 14, #26 for January 25, 2023
Here are some things you might want to know about:
AND FCC SERVERS ARE STILL AN ISSUE
The FCC is struggling to deal with the server issues that have
plagued may filers this month. We still hear reports of slow to
impossible access to the OPIF and ETRS sites during the day, with
somewhat better access at night, but uploads may not appear for 24-48
hours.
OPEN SOURCE?
Open Source software is usually available without cost. Is this a
great source of applications or a potential hacker trap? Join Tim Pozar,
Brad David, and the group this week as we discuss Open Source software,
and share some of the best available - perhaps you will find something
that solves a problem for you. Our Zoom/YouTube gathering is tomorrow
(Thursday) at 2 PM Eastern/11 AM Pacific. The link, as well as a list of
previous videos is available at
www.theBDR.net/TLG/
EAS BUDGET NOTE
Last Thursday we talked with Bill Robertson of Digital Alert Systems
and pointed out that, as things now stand, the FCC is expecting you to
complete upgrading your EAS unit for CAP Polling by December 12th. (The
Cyber scurity NPRM is still coming!) Unfortunately, software updates are
still in process, with exact costs unknown, but they can be substantial,
not to mention the well-known supply chain issues.
You
will find important information here. There is also a link to the
video. Bottom line: start to plan now.
NAME CHANGE
Allied Electronics & Automation in Fort Worth, TX has announced a
name change. Starting on February 6th the company will be known as RS.
Could this be a potential return of Radio Shack? (Hat tip to Danny Boyer)
CYBER SECURITY TALKING POINTS
No, the complete ground-stop that delayed or cancelled 11,000 flights the
week before last week was not caused by hackers, but when staff deleted a
database file.
Perhaps then you will not be surprised to learn that according to the GAO
(Government Accountability Office) federal agencies have instituted less
than half the GAO recommendations over 13 years. Those you fighting the
ERTS and OPIF servers already know this.
SMALLER COMPANIES LOOK OUT!
According to the BBC 2022 was not a great year for ransomware, as
major victims have often stopped paying ransom, instituted better
security, and there were occasional enforcement successes. Earnings by
gangs were said to drop 40% However, the flip side is that the bad guys
are working in smaller groups and attacking smaller companies.
FOR SALE
Among the new items this week are some Bird Wattmeter elements. No,
no EAS units this week. But you can check out the listings of
these and other items
here.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and
you!
Some recent articles of interest:
- 2033 FCC CAP Rules and Your Budget
- UVCeed- Safe Sanitizing in Your Pocket
- Join the Lunch Gathering - Thursday 2 PM Eastern
- Was Christmas Eve 1906 the First Broadcast? - Donna Halper
- A Maintenace Program That Works! - Barry Mishkind
- NAL Watch: Citations for selling illegal FM transmitters
- FCC on Path to Require Cybersecurity Policies
- Dana's Daily Deals - Dana Puopolo
- More newsy items here
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and you! https://www.kintronic.com/
MANUFACTURERS' NEWS
Sandies, suppliers of broadcast gear is phasing out the Dynamax Console series as parts are getting harder to acquire. If you have Dynamax consoles, and need parts for maintenance, this would be a good time to get them!
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DNAV, a growing full-service consultation firm, systems integrator and factory representatives has hired Ben Ackerman to cover regional field service work and software programming for SAS products and other networked radio and audio systems.
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The Sennheiser Group, has reformed its management team to focus on three main business units; Pro Audio, Business Communication and Neumann, and Supply Chain, Corporate Functions and Development.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and you! https://www.nautel.com/
Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:
- 17 years ago (1/26/06) Garth Brooks "Double Live" album was the first to be certified Double Diamond by RIAA. *
- 38 years ago (1/28/85) "We Are The World" brought many singers together to record the song for USA for Africa. **
- 58 years ago (1/23/65) Petula Clark topped the US Charts with "Downtown."
- 59 years ago (1/25/64) the USA launched Echo 2, its second communications satellite.
... and here are some other parts of history:
- 37 years ago (1/28/86) the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch, killing all aboard.
- 39 years ago (1/22/84) the Apple Macintosh was introduced. Remember the Super Bowl "1984" ad? ***
- 40 years ago (1/26/83) Lotus 1-2-3 debuted as the spreadsheet to have.
- 50 years ago (1/27/73) The Paris Peace Talks brought an end to the Vietnam war.
- 53 years ago (1/22/70) The first 747 service began on Pan Am airlines: NY to London.
- 59 years ago (1/29/64) "Dr. Strangelove" debuted in theaters.
- 66 years ago (1/23/57) Wham-0 produced the first Frisbee - named after a bakery whose pie tins sparked the invention.
- 78 years ago (1/27/45) the concentration camp at Auschwitz, Poland was liberated.
- 87 years ago (1/29/36) the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elected its first members in Cooperstown, New York. ****
- 88 years ago (1/24/35) canned beer was first sold.
- 235 years ago (1/26/1788) Captain Arthur Phillip guided a fleet of 11 British ships carrying convicts to the colony of New South Wales, effectively founding Australia.
It was 523 years ago (1/26/1500) when Vicente Yanez Pinzon discovered Brazil. As you might guess, however, the Brazilians were unaware they were lost.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR - and you! https://bit.ly/3uZX8IN
* It sold 20 million copies.
** There were 45 stars on the recording.
*** It was only shown the one time on TV! And, by the way, that Apple carried a whole 128 kb of RAM!
**** Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson and Walter Johnson.
Did you solve it?
Find a number less than 100 that is increased by one-fifth of its value when its digits are reversed.
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TELL US WHAT'S WHAT
There are so many areas into which we would like to expand, but it is feedback from you that helps us decided where to go first. Are you interested in a certain piece of gear or technology? Let us know. Even better, would you be willing to do a user report and share your experience? Just reply to this email... we will help you through it!
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We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so
when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.
barry
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Now ... some extra stuff .. some important ... some just interesting.
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