All posts by Gary Stigall

Local News

June 2011 Meeting – Digital Alert Systems

On May 26th the FCC released its third Notice of Proposed Rule Making regarding Part 11- Emergency Alert System. This document, when adopted, will redefine EAS requirement for broadcasters. Broadcasters are facing a September 30th deadline to have their stations updated with CAP-compliant EAS equipment.

Isn’t it fortuitous the presenter at our June 8th meeting is Bruce Robertson of Digital Alert Systems?  Digital Alert Systems is a leading manufacturer of EAS hardware and software platforms. Bruce will discuss the newly released NPRM as well as other topics such as:

  • EAS accessories for multiple station facilities
  • Future enhancements such as “Text To Speech”
  • The practicality of maintaining FCC required logs electronically
  • Compliance monitoring software

Be sure to attend this very important noon time meeting June 8 from noon till 1:30 PM at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road in Kearny Mesa. As always, members and guests are welcome.

 

Meetings

May 2011 Meeting – Mayah Communications

Daniel Loeffer of Mayah presents “The technology and implementation of Audio over IP using  N/ACIP/SIP for real time audio broadcast radio/ENG for multi-codex vendors. ( Telos, Comrex, Tieline, etc.).”

”Unlike ISDN, which was very simple and reliable, IP however, raises new issues for reliable and quality audio over IP transmission for radio and ENG. (ISDN is fading from the market gradually due to costs and availability).  Factors that influence effective Audio over IP that will be discussed as follows:”

  1. CODEC and compression algorithms: latency, quality and bit rates
  2. N/ACIP and SIP protocol for connectively to all codecs including Telos, Comrex, Tieline and others)
  3. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), RTP  and Voice-over-IP
  4. ADSL vs. SDSL QOS (Quality of Service) for internet transmission
  5. Remote audio over IP: 3G/4G, WLAN, BGAN.

Join us Wednesday, May 11, from noon to 1:30PM at TV Magic, 8112 Engineer Road, in Kearny Mesa, San Diego. Mayah Communications will graciously provide a lunch. As always, members and guests are welcome.

Career

McGraw-Hill Transfers in New Engineer

KGTV chose Andrew Moore, formerly of KERO Bakersfield to fill the staff engineer spot vacated when Frank Cruz recently retired. Andrew says, "I began in 2004 as a video editor for news while going to school. I attended CSU Bakersfield and received a BA in computer science with a minor in art. In 2007, I started apprenticing in the engineering department and was hired in 2008 as an IT/Maintenance engineer. I started here [at KGTV] on April 5th and I’m enjoying San Diego very much."

Local News

Scottie Rice Returns to San Diego

Engineer Scottie Rice returned to San Diego and KFMB AM/FM March 28th as staff engineer.

Why?

“The climate in Houston was EL STINKO!! [and] the city of Houston was terrible. I started off in Tyler working as a staff engineer at a TV station, moved to Beaumont to become DOE for Clear Channel. Then on to Houston to KHOU-TV as an ENG and morning engineer.”

How’s KFMB?

A: “It’s great here lots of things to work on here, and Bill and Rich have been very good to me. Glad to be back at the Mighty KuFMuB.”

How long did you work for Clear Channel in San Diego?

A: “Two years working for John Rigg. I missed working there so much, that while in Beaumont I named my American Eskimo puppy, KOGO!”

Family here?

“My parents, brother and his wife and kids are here. Not too mention that Shotgun Tom, Linda, Jack Vincent, John Fewell, Gilbert Smith, and all my engineering buddies are all here.”

 

By the way, Scottie is a collector of old RCA broadcast equipment. If you know of where some might be available, please contact him at KFMB.

Local News

April 2011 Member Updates

Tom Cox, Western Regional VP of Engineering for Clear Channel, recently upgraded to Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer (CPBE). Kevin Schrader, Cox Media (San Diego Cable Channel 4) Chief Engineer, and Jack Herbert, Sales Representative for Fujitsu, joined SBE Chapter 36. Melissa Ljongquist became a Certified Broadcast Technologist (CBT) by license.

It’s a great time to join Chapter 36 as the membership campaign continues through May. Mention a referral in your application to give that person a chance for big prizes. Let me tell you that the odds are very great that you will win something. And it’s always a good time to certify. Applicants for certification now will have their tests given in early August, so there’s plenty of time to study.