All posts by Gary Stigall

National

FCC Grants Extension for Sage Endec EAS Firmware Compliance

The FCC this week issued a waiver for Sage Endec EAS Devices granting them a 90-day extension for implementing new rules that favor IPAWS CAP alerts. The extension applies only to broadcast stations using the Sage devices and not to those using other brands.

The FCC Report and Order for PS Docket No. 15-94 establishing new Emergency Alert System (EAS) rules went into effect earlier this year with a compliance due date of December 12, 2023. This R&O mandates that alerts received via over-the-air “legacy” EAS data tones be held while awaiting a preferred IPAWS CAP alert. Other rules require changes in how the text for national alerts is constructed. A firmware update will be required to keep your station’s EAS devices compliant with the Part 11 rules.

Sage ENDEC says on its website, “We continue to work on the Rev96 update. We have made the FCC aware that the update has taken us longer to produce than we had anticipated, and that there will be insufficient time for many of our users to install the update by the December 12, 2023 deadline. This is especially true for users maintaining a large number of ENDECs. We apologize for the delay. We will update this page and keep the FCC informed on the release status as we get closer to a release date.

“When Rev96 is released, Email will be sent to those who are signed up for our support email list. If you are not on that list, you can sign up on the support page.” The upcoming firmware update costs $159 and is sold through U.S. hardware distributors.

Digital Alert Systems released an update earlier this year that you must apply to your Monroe and DASDEC devices for continued FCC compliance.

Trilithic/Viavi released their update for EASyCAP software in March 2023.

Local News

Bill Thompson Remembered

Bill Thompson. Photo by Scottie Rice

iHeart Regional Lead Engineer John Rigg sent us a note on Monday, November 27, 2023: “It is with tremendous sorrow that I announce the passing of William B. Thompson. 

“Bill was a fixture in the broadcast engineering community for 40+ years.   Bill began his broadcast career in Columbus, Georgia, stopping at CNN Radio in Atlanta and then making his way to San Diego in 1988. 

“Initially working for the upstart powerhouse Q106 and Edens Broadcasting, Bill’s 35 years in San Diego have been spent entirely with iHeart Media and their predecessors.  

“Bill will be greatly missed.”

Bill had specialized in transmitter maintenance for the iHeartMedia group in San Diego. He served as LECC Vice-Chair for local EAS administration since he was the Chief Engineer of LP1 station KOGO for years.

Meetings

Bringing 5G Broadcasting to the Masses

November 14 Chapter Meeting

Maybe you’ve heard that a Boston LPTV station, WWOO-LD, received an experimental license and is now broadcasting 5G technology from an antenna in downtown Boston. XGN Network is providing the technical horsepower and CEO Frank Copsidas says they chose 5G both for its economics for LPTV station owners and its potential for compatibility with existing mobile phones.

Qualcomm tried something similar to this with the MediaFLO project in the late 2000s and they discontinued the system. What makes Copsidas and their partners Bitstern and Qualcomm think they can make it work this time? What content would we watch? What does the FCC say about this? Do handsets have apps that allow access? What’s happening at WWOO-LD now?

For the answers to these and more questions, join our presenters from XGN, Bitstem, and Qualcomm as Chapters 36 and 47 host a Zoom online presentation on Tuesday, November 14 at 11:30 AM PT. Sign-up for the meeting here.

You can find videos of the 5G launches and more information at 5GBroadcasting.org.

Continue reading Bringing 5G Broadcasting to the Masses →
Local News

LPFM Update

The FCC moved the Low Power FM new license filing window to December 6 through 13, 2023 from November to give more time for applicants.

Several San Diego FM stations have filed to move their transmitter sites or otherwise improve their signals before the next LPFM filing window. Their applications attempt to reserve better coverage and prevent co-channel filers from encroaching. 

KVIB-LP 101.1 San Diego was granted a Construction Permit in mid-October to move from its current location atop the World Beat Center in Balboa Park to the top of a building in University Heights near the corner of Park Boulevard and Adams Avenue. This move will significantly increase the population count served since the current location has no housing within a radius that readily prevents co-channel interference from KRTH Los Angeles. KVIB is licensed to Positive Hope, Inc., an organization closely linked with the World Beat Center. 

K206AC 89.1 La Jolla – On September 21, 2023, the FCC granted a Construction Permit to increase its power from 4 to 50 watts ERP and to change its translator source to KPBS’s HD2 service. The analog signal would then broadcast the classical music secondary channel of the San Diego State University NPR affiliate. The translator sits atop an apartment highrise building at 939 Coast Boulevard near La Jolla Cove.

KCZP-LP 93.7 San Diego filed with the FCC on August 8, 2023 to move its transmitter from its current location atop the bell tower of the St. Joseph Cathedral at 3rd and Beech street in uptown San Diego to an adjacent, taller Cathedral Plaza Apartments associated with the Catholic Diocese. The new location would provide terrain clearance to the north and some downtown building clearance southward. The station, while independent of the Catholic Church, provides Catholic network programming.

Local News

Jeff Latimer Dies in Texas

Jeff Latimer

Jeff Latimer, 53, a past broadcast engineer in San Diego, was reported by his wife Marsi in a Facebook post to have passed away in his sleep on October 21 in Texas. Jeff had worked at KUSI, XETV, KFMB, and OAN until the couple moved to Texas in 2021 where Jeff worked with Kenneth Copeland Ministries. Marsi had also said in the post that he had suffered what she termed a hemorrhagic stroke several months ago. He is survived by Marsi and their son Dallas. Marsi and Jeff had been married for 20 years. Marsi was a traffic and weather reporter in San Diego for many years.

I had the honor and pleasure of working with Jeff on a microwave system installation project. Our condolences to Marsi and her family.