Three engineers from KGTV and one from Cox Media (cable channel 4) passed their SBE certification exams in November 2009. Congratulations to these newly certified engineers:

• Chief Engineer Andrew Lombard, KGTV, Certified Broadcast Television Engineer
• Andrew Cole, KGTV, Certified Broadcast Network Technologist
• Matt Schiller, KGTV, Certified Broadcast Technologist
• Shane Fortin, Cox Media, Certified Broadcast Technologist

Many thanks to Oscar Medina for proctoring these exams for the past 10 years. I will be taking on that job moving forward. Oscar and I had help with the November exams from Mike Curran. Chapter 36 now has 70 members, with 28 of those holding current certifications.

San Diego low power TV stations are finally getting their digital tickets from the FCC.

• KSDX-LD was granted a license for 275 watts omnidirectional on channel 9 from Mt. San Miguel. The KRCA Spanish language repeater recently shutdown channel 29 analog, which confounded everyone with its co-channel broadcast only a few miles from Tijuana digital XHTIT.

• K61GH was granted a Special Temporary Authority to operate on channel 50 on November 5, 2009. The Mt. San Miguel station will operate a 15 kW ATSC station with a northerly beam about 90° wide.
• KDTF-LD was granted a Construction Permit for operation on channel 51 digital from Mt. San Miguel with 12.4 kW with a broad beam to the southwest meant to serve metro San Diego as well. This Entravision property has been tricasting not only their primary Telefutura network, but also subchannels containing their Univision and MyNetworkTV feeds.
• KBOP-CA applied for a displacement to move to channel 42 from channel 43 on Mt. San Miguel with 10 kW ERP with a medium width beam to serve metro San Diego to the west, with little energy in other directions.

The San Diego non-commercial pure jazz outlet at 88.3 became the latest FM station in the market to put the Ibiquity digital sidebands on the air. Chief Engineer Larry Quick says they made the commitment after getting a matching grant from CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. When asked what the greatest challenge was, he said that trying to keep the analog and digital signals in phase for a graceful fade from the IBOC signal has been a huge task.

The station raised its power to a stiff 22kW ERP V-pol only in 2007 at its transmitter in Linda Vista.

Longtime retailer and SBE supporter Jim Dujowich says that he is opening a new store under the old Western Radio Electronics name. Jim had been managing Elkays Electronics in Kearny Mesa, but he has moved the stock to 7558 Trade Street near Miramar Road. You can contact the sales crew using the traditional phone number, (858) 268-4400.

I asked Jim a few questions about the new store:

Q. Why did you move?

A. Bigger and better premises, a dedicated showroom to demonstrate product, an open area for workshops, a conference room, and additional parking for customers.

Q. What products do you stock now for broadcasters?

A. Of course cable and connectors such as, Kings, Bomar, Middle Atlantic, Switchcraft, Neutrik, Gepco, Belden, Azden, Telex and much more!!

Q. What improvements, if any, do you expect in your store over the coming months?

A. Deeper stock levels, better range, lunch and learn sessions, as well as better tech support and product knowledge.

Q. Is there any change in personnel or ownership that we should know about?

A. Yes. In addition to Les Kacev, Alon and Shimshon Hasson bring a wealth of business experience and technical knowledge to the table and broaden the ownership base. General support from Jim and Mike will continue as usual along with our personal relationships with all our vendors.

Q. Anything else?

A. We carry new security and access control lines.

Managers at 760 kHz KFMB-AM say their signal is covered by hash in northern San Diego and throughout Orange County from the digital sidebands of alternate channel 740 kHz KBRT in Avalon on Catalina Island. Radio World’s Leslie Stimson recently filed a report about the battle. KBRT says KFMB has no right to interference protection in these areas since KFMB moved to the alternate channel in 1959 from 540kHz with the proviso of accepting interference outside its metro area of San Diego. KBRT also says it has reduced its IBOC sideband power by 6dB. Southern California has a few alternate channel combos that require stiff NRSC filters and cooperation–think 690 XETRA and 710 KSPN or 1070 KNX and 1090 XEPRS. But KBRT wants the Ibiquity IBOC system on the air, which by definition is “in-band” but not really “on channel”, typically spilling well into alternate channel territory. This one could become a national test case.