This Week In Radio Tech (TWiRT)

The FAA compliance rules for your tower’s obstruction lighting continue to be updated as evidenced by a November 2020 FAA circular.  Bear Poth, President & CEO at LumenServe, is here to review some key aspects of the regulations that broadcast engineers need to know.  LEDs have been around for many years, however, in the tower lighting world their deployment is creating big changes. 

Our guest, Bear Poth, is the founding President and CEO of LumenServe and has an extensive entrepreneurial and operations background founding and growing numerous telecom and technology-based companies. His experience includes being founder and CEO of companies that have built and operated IP Networks with 3,000+ route miles of microwave/fiber transport, built and serviced 25,000+ VoIP connections, constructed over 1,300 miles of hybrid fiber/coaxial broadband plant, provided 50k+ CATV/telephone/Internet connections, constructed 100k+ square-mile canopy of wireless networks and constructed and operated 500+ wireless towers.  Bear is a long-time member of the Engineering Advisory Board at The University of Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas.

Show Notes:

* Free tower resources, including the Tower Lighting Poster

* FAA Regulations and Advisory Circulars

* Chris mentioned his new Weather Station; it’s the Tempest

Guest

Bear Poth - President & CEO at LumenServe, Inc.

Hosts

Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.MediaKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables an...

Containerised software offers many benefits that today’s broadcasters are looking for: Flexibility, Resilience, Density, Scalability... but you also need specialist IT skills and knowledge to deploy them. Containerized software installation and configuration typically requires a thorough knowledge of the Linux command line interface (CLI). It also involves several abstract operating system constructs such as MACVLAN and CPU pinning. Moreover, while transaction-based applications may not be time-critical, programs handling real-time audio can’t afford to skip a beat or even rest a cycle or two. Timing is critical. 

Virtual Rack is a user-friendly deployment environment for containerized broadcast software.  The idea is to take advantage of containerized software’s benefits, while simplifying the deployment process. Utilizing purpose-built management software and appliances optimized to run broadcast applications, Virtual Rack enables broadcast engineers to install containerized broadcast products with just a few mouse clicks.

Dan McQuillin, Managing Director at Broadcast Bionics, joins us to explain the philosophy behind Virtual Rack, and further explain how backup and failover is implemented with similar ease.

Show Notes:

* Virtual Rack - Broadcast Hardware that Isn’t Hard

* Virtual Rack introduced at IBC 2022 (YouTube video)

Guest

Dan McQuillin - Managing Director at Broadcast Bionics, Ltd.

Hosts

Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.MediaKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at

Who is Kirk Yano? We’re about to find out on this episode of TWiRT!

Kirk Yano is a multiple Grammy-winning recording engineer with well over 30 Platinum and Gold records. He has won three Grammys including a Grammy for the last album that Miles Davis recorded. He has worked with Public Enemy, Mariah Carey, Miles Davis, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Placido Domingo and Phoebe Snow, and has toured as a musician with Snow, Savoy Brown, Scott Holt and Texas Scratch.

Kirk was the recording engineer for “Fight the Power’ by Public Enemy which Billboard magazine still lists as one of the most influential recordings. He was also the engineer on Mariah Carey’s Christmas Album and her Jewel Box album and he worked on History by Michael Jackson.

We'll hear about Kirk Yano's first visit to Nashville and his early association with Steve Church and Frank Foti. And even how Steve Church sometimes stayed at the "Yano Arms Hostel" (my name for it) in NYC in Steve's early phone hybrid days. Plus we'll hear about WMMS remotes that Kirk worked on with Frank in the late 1970's.

Finally, we'll understand part of the reason that music started to get really processed in the early 2000's, and how Kirk worked to mitigate the craziness in the music industry, or at least turn it into something musical and useful. Also, what about the production transition from multitrack tape and mixing consoles to digital DAW production?

Show Notes:

* Part of a video on YouTube with a French host describing Kirk Yano’s essential contribution to Hip Hop music in France.

Guest

Kirk Yano - Award-Winning Musician, Recording, Mixing, and Mastering Engineer

Host

Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters.

When Chuck Kelly recommends a new technique or technology, it’s important to pay attention. TX-Control is a networked and cloud-based monitoring, alarm, analysis, and control system designed for broadcast equipment. In Europe TX-Control is monitoring over 1,500 transmitter sites, providing custom reports on trends, outages, automatic remediation, and more. It leverages SNMP, a monitoring and control protocol which is built-in to more and more broadcast equipment. Chuck is joined by Aimé Diattà to help us understand this technology and service that’s watching over critical broadcast infrastructure.

Show Notes:

* The TX-Control web site is highly informative with graphical explanations of the system.

* The TX-Control brochure shows layout diagrams to help explain the concept and operation.

Guests

Chuck Kelly - Broadcast Industry Technology ConsultantAimé Diattà - Consulting, Business Development & Relazioni Istituzionali - 22hbg.com

Hosts

Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.MediaKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.

Charles Kinney and David Bialik are here to hash out the apparent demise of the AM Radio Band. As bad as some say? Worse? Or still quite viable and important? Have the FCC or the NAB been helpful, or harmful to AM Radio? Is there legislation that would help the AM Radio service? Are there technical improvements that haven’t been implemented yet? Both David and Charles have extensive experience in engineering for large AM stations, and they’re both avid listeners. Salient comments and some good ideas are just ahead, on TWiRT!

Guests

David Bialik - Broadcast Engineering & Streaming ConsultantCharles Kinney - Director of Engineering at Cox Media Group Atlanta

Host

Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.

Audio-over-IP now a 20-year-old technology, and we’re witnessed many dozens of AoIP networked devices brought to the broadcast marketplace. Now, Pippin Technical Service, a Canadian broadcast equipment supplier and engineering firm, is adding AoIP network devices to its PTS Gear product line. Designed in-house, the PTS Gear lineup includes PTSBeacon, an warning light that gets its signaling directly from virtual GPIO signals on a packet network. PTSAurora is another device driven by the virtual GPIO signals found on Livewire networks. Both devices are PoE powered, meaning they work with just one Ethernet connection for signaling, control, power, and configuration. We broadcast engineers welcome this kind of innovation for making our studios easier to build and more functional for on-air talent.

Show Notes:

* PTSGear website, linking to all the PTS Gear offerings

* PTSBeacon - the warning light we discussed in some detail

Guest

Tyler Everitt - President/CEO, Pippin Technical Service Ltd

Hosts

Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.

A pleasant surprise today as our scheduled guest, Shane Toven, joins us from “Gilbert Lodge”, home of Mark Persons! We’re talking about the Emergency Alert System and how broadcasters might move forward with better techniques and technologies to get live-saving information to their listeners. Shane works with EMF (K-LOVE and Air1) while co-host, Chris Tarr, serves on the Wisconsin State EAS committee. Host, Kirk Harnack, expresses some annoyances with the current EAS system and Chris is the usual voice of reason.

Show Notes:

* Chris Tarr mentioned that Gary Timm has stepped down from state EAS duties (Radio World article)

* The new Wisconsin State EAS Plan is hot off the presses and receives high praise from Chris.

* Our sponsor, Broadcasters General Store, offers several brands of EAS units for radio stations.

Guest

Shane Toven - Senior Broadcast Engineer at EMF - K-LOVE & Air1Mark Persons - Founder of M. W. Persons & Associates (Ret)

Hosts

Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.MediaKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.

Three radio station owners walk into a bar. They also happen to be owner-engineers of a terrific radio station on a tropical island. We’re talking about Hal Kneller, Joe Fiorini, and Kirk Harnack at Star 94.3, KHKU-FM, in Lihu’e, Hawai’i. We were all here for a broadcasters’ conference, plus some light maintenance at the Star 94.3 studios. While Hal has been a guest on TWiRT, this is Joe’s first appearance. What interesting engineering backgrounds from both of these guys! We talk about AM radios in automobiles, a question of 50 ohms, and some ideas on backing up everything.

Note: So, how did Kirk manage to leave an unrelated mic open during the show, providing delayed echo and huge audio coding artifacts? In a hurry? Careless? Not learning the same lesson from our NAB show? Anyway, my humble apologies for the bad audio. Our headphone feeds were great; we didn’t know that Streamyard was recording my laptop’s built-in mic with no way to remove it from the recording later. Extra embarrassing since we worked hard to use the studio mics (one of which has a buss, so that’s another embarrassment). This is why we should leave the show production to the pros, like our beloved “SunKast”.

Guests

Hal Kneller - Broadcast Technology ConsultantJoe Fiorini - Owner of Fiorini Broadcasting

Hosts

Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas BroadcastingSouth Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

We've ALL used broadcast automation/playout systems, but have you met the BRAINS behind their designs and software? Today we're meeting Alan Freeman, author of several Radio and TV automation systems including Digital DJ, AXS, EZ DJ Pro, Virtual Cart Machine, and Voice Tracking on Scott Studios automation systems. Plus, Alan helped design audio and relay cards for PCs, making integration possible between these PC-based audio systems and hardware of the day. From controlling satellite-delivered music formats, to mega-CD-changers, to music on hard driver, Alan has written software and user interfaces for them.

Show Notes:

* Alan’s Business website is CDControl.com

* Chris & Kirk like Alan’s Funk Logic rack panel - here’s the Funk Logic web store

Guest

Alan Freeman - Senior Software Consultant / Software Developer / Owner: Wintek Software Inc.

Hosts

Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.MediaKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas BroadcastingSouth Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Many broadcast and audio engineers have terrific ideas. Indeed, there’s hardly a shortage of ideas. “Wouldn’t it be great if someone built this?” Or, “Why doesn’t anyone make that?” Then there are people who build things–usually with a good idea, but sometimes not. Mike Dosch’s passion and unique skill are identifying the best ideas for audio devices, then designing and building them with solid technology and knife-edge precision. His company, Angry Audio, embodies this ethic and activity, and we broadcast engineers get to use and enjoy the results. In this episode, Mike and Chris Tarr discuss audio processing designed around Cornelius Gould’s “Chameleon” algorithms. Then Mike shares some new ideas in mic processing and elegant analog audio mixing.

Show Notes:

* During his discussion of a useful device from Inovonics, Kirk forgot to mention that this amazing remote-controlled tuner and monitor is the AARON 650 FM Rebroadcast Receiver.

Guest

Michael “Catfish” Dosch - Owner at Angry Audio

Hosts

Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.MediaKirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow Kirk on Twitter - @kharnackFollow TWiRT on Twitter - @TWiRTshow and Facebook

Sponsored by

Nautel is offering webinars, training, and the Nautel Users Group at NAB. Sign up here!Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts.