All posts by Gary Stigall

Local News

Reviewing the National EAS Test

As Chief Engineer of Clear Channel’s San Diego LP-1 (KOGO) and LP-2 (KLSD) stations, Bill Thompson led San Diego’s effort to relay the national EAS test. Here’s Bill’s take on the November 10, 11 AM test:

KOGO got its audio directly from FEMA or whatever ‘alphabet soup’ government agency originated the test via a dial up phone connection. They issued the command to the PEP Sage Endec located at the KOGO Transmitter to start the test…then dumped the audio into it (bad as it was)…then issued the EOM Command. KLSD received the KOGO Test “off-the-air”, and rebroadcast it. KOGO and KLSD also got the test from KNX (off-air) and NPR (via ISDN from KPBS), since NPR was an entry point.

We did a couple of closed circuit tests with NPR, and they worked fine…[but the day of the test] the NPR feed was from WJLA-TV in Washington; which we found to be a bit weird.

There’s a lot of fuss regarding the test ‘failing’, and I feel that’s a wrong answer! From a technical standpoint, I think it was at least a modest success here in San Diego. Every participant got the tones, albeit the audio was pretty bad. On a national scale, there were areas with problems and I think those problems probably started at the PEP level. However, for something that complex and so sprawled out to go as well as it did the first time out of the gate I think is commendable. I’m sure there will be a LOT of changes made in the PEP system before the next test, foremost being the method of delivering the audio to the PEP Stations.

Meanwhile, Bill’s manager at Clear Channel, John Rigg, serves on an EAS PEP committee, chimed in:

Officially we made the effort to receive the test via 3 different paths–two worked, one did not.  The two that worked were normal connections and special lash-ups for the test. Oddly enough, the NPR inbound was one of the paths that did not function. The test supplied to NPR was flawed and did not propagate.

John said he would wait to hear from his PEP colleagues and FEMA before making further comments.

Bob Gonsett, Steve Blodgett, and friends have posted extensive reviews and comments here.

Local News

Matt Pierce Dies

Local A/V cable installer Matthew Pierce died of a sudden heart attack October 20, 2011 while on his way to a job in Glendale. Matt was well-known among TV systems integrators in southern California, having worked for Centro, SAIC, CBT, and more lately, National TeleConsultants (NTC). I can tell you from personal experience that he had a confident, cheerful demeanor who made a professional product and loved his bass fishing. An obituary is posted here.

Meetings

November 2011 Meeting – DNF Controls

You’ve surely heard the term “glue” used to discuss converters made to serve as transitional equipment during the transition from analog to digital broadcasting. For as long as I can remember, DNF Controls has been serving up a kind of “control glue,” selling those familiar yellow and black boxes and panels that remotely control some piece of video gear, whether videotape machine remote panels or interface protocol converters.

DNF presents to Chapter 36 this month some information about a flexible machine control system that works over a number of serial protocols, including the internet. They say you can use the Flex system to control servers, multiviewers, routers, video switchers, VTRs, graphics generators, and even audio mixers.

Join us Wednesday, November 16th at noon at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road in San Diego. Lunch is provided by DNF. As always, members and guests are welcome. Expect the meeting to last until about 1:30 PM.

Local News

Scripps Buys McGraw-Hill TV Stations

The E.W. Scripps Company announced October 3rd it was buying the television broadcast properties of McGraw-Hill for $212-million in cash. The deal includes San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV and Azteca America affiliate KZSD-LP as well as Bakersfield ABC affiliate KERO and Azteca America affilate KZKC-LP.

McKinnon Broadcasting, owners of KUSI had made a bid on the California properties of McGraw-Hill, but was unsuccessful.

McGraw-Hill said in so many words that it wanted a more profitable and less diversified portfolio for its investors. McGraw-Hill bought KGTV and several other stations from Time-Life Television in 1972 when the local station was still an NBC affiliate.

Scripps owns several ABC affiliates around the country including KNXV Phoenix.

Meetings

October 2011 Meeting – Nautel’s New Transmitter Technologies

As stations reduce staff and engineers are responsible for more sites, modern techniques such as IP connectivity and monitoring permit better remote supervision, control and diagnostics even on web-enabled smart phones. We examine how up to half the trips to a remote site can be saved while at the same time, knowing the transmitter is operating properly, and knowing more about its operation than we could previously understand even standing in front of the unit. Software today also allows remote monitoring of many parameters whereas previously personnel and expensive discrete test equipment were required at the site.

Join us Wednesday, October 12 at noon at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road in San Diego as Nautel makes a presentation about the modern broadcast radio transmitter. Lunch is provided by Nautel. As always, members and guests are welcome. Expect the meeting to last until about 1:30 PM.

About the Presenter

Ellis Terry has been doing RF sales in the West Region of the US since 1998. Prior to joining Nautel, Ellis worked at Harris and BE (Broadcast Electronics) in the same capacity.

Ellis also has an engineering background of 30 plus years having worked as staff engineer, chief engineer and director of engineering in Chicago, Washington DC, Houston, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco markets.

Ellis is also SBE certified as a Broadcast Technologist and is a graduate of DeVry Institute, and holds a MBA from Chadwick University.