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The CGC Communicator
CGC #1202
Monday, May 20, 2013
________
Robert F. Gonsett, W6VR, Editor
<cgc (at) cgc333.connectnet.com>
Copyright 2013, Communications General® Corporation (CGC)
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A New Non-Commercial FM Station for San Diego:
KNSJ, Descanso, 89.1 MHz
A new non-commercial educational FM station is being born.
KNSJ, Class B1, 89.1 MHz, Descanso, will serve the greater San
Diego area with a fringe (less than 60 dBu) signal, and pre-
liminary listening tests indicate that their transmitter on
Monument Peak "gets out" and makes itself heard in some
highly populated areas.
Following is a letter from Martin Eder to tell us more
about this new venture. Mr. Eder is Director and Treasurer of
Activist San Diego, permittee of KNSJ, according to their CP
application that is viewable at the following URL.
CGC wishes KNSJ the best of success!
http://tinyurl.com/KNSJ-CP-App
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KNSJ(FM) - Solid progress and (finally) on-air testing
"We will give The CGC Communicator a little scoop for your
final May 2013 issue! You can be the first to report that KNSJ
89.1 FM will be testing its signal next week after a six-year
effort to get on the air as San Diego's the newest public public
radio station. We will be an educational, listener-supported
radio station. We expect to have FCC approval within a couple
of weeks. Our tower is up on Monument Peak at 6200 feet and
our city of record is Descanso, CA. In tests the last 2 days
we were delighted to be able to pick up a good signal, while
driving around in all of central San Diego from La Mesa to Ocean
Beach, from Highway 52 in the north to the border of San Ysidro.
By Monday we should be testing the reach of KNSJ's signal in
East County and Imperial Valley. Early estimates are that
KNSJ 89.1 FM will have a potential of more than 1 million
listeners in the 40 to 60 DB coverage area. We will have
potential listeners in Mexico as well.
"At this point KNSJ is a 100% volunteer organization
developing a community radio model of news and public affairs
along with many syndicated programs from nonprofit news outlets
and organizations. What has been most impressive is that this
full power FM station was put on the air by sheer will power.
Since getting our construction Permit from the FCC, KNSJ got
virtually no grants or outside funding. Our fundraising efforts
resembled bake sales more than cocktail parties. Individual
donors and public events raised the $40,000 necessary, along
with literally 1000 hours of volunteer labor.
"Our doors are open! Join us! -- Our doors are wide open
to radio enthusiasts that are surely among The CGC Communicator's
most consistent readers. While some of us have backgrounds in
public radio, public TV and other media journalism, we lack
people with a multitude of journalism, radio skills and
programming ideas. We would welcome an appeal in The CGC
Communicator's last newsletter to have people give us a call,
if they would like to get involved on the ground floor of this
new grassroots, community venture. We have regular meetings
that are open to supporters on the first and third Thursdays
at 7 PM at 4246 Wightman St., San Diego 92105. Radio enthusiasts
or any interested party can call us at 619-283-1100 or email us
at info (at) KNSJ.org and find out more about our project at
www.KNSJ.org ."
Martin Eder
May 16, 2013
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Thank You
Thanks to the many of you who have taken the time to thank
us for the CGC Communicator newsletter. It is gratifying to see
so many responses. Wish we had the time to answer each and every
one. Rest assured that all letters were read by the Editor.
As we've explained (CGC #1200), this is not necessarily the
end of the Communicator, but after 40 years of publication it's
time to take a little break. Everything else at CGC remains
open for business as usual.
Finally, just a quick note to say that our new newsletter
address [editor (at) cgccommunicator.com] is not currently setup
to receive e-mails. It is intended as an address for sending
e-mails to subscribers should we resume publication. Please
continue to use the [cgc (at) cgc333.connectnet.com] address
for now if you want to contact us about the newsletter. That
address should remain operational until Wednesday, May 29, 2013.
Thanks!
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Off Topic
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High Standard Off Topic Material
A computer guru at Southern California Edison ("SCE")
was casting about Google to see what else the initials "SCE"
might stand for, and lo and behold a remarkable short story
and film about Apollo 12 was uncovered.
Seconds after liftoff on man's second attempt to set foot
on the moon, the Apollo 12 rocket was hit by lightning --
twice -- and "all he!! broke loose." Inside the space capsule,
flight data on the display screens was lost, a ton of alarms
flashed and telemetry to Earth became instantly indecipherable.
The mission would have to be aborted.
Fortunately, one person knew exactly what to do. You
can read about the heroic effort that saved Apollo 12 and
relive the critical moments by viewing a short video posted
at the Web address below. You will also discover the alternate
meaning of "SCE."
Many of us have managed to "save the day" by knowing just
what to do in an emergency, so this story will undoubtedly hit
home. Don't forget to watch the video. This is an amazing
and inspiring event -- and a great alternate use for the
initials "SCE" that will last forever.
http://tinyurl.com/SCEtoAUX
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CGC #1201
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The CGC Communicator
CGC #1201
Thursday, May 16, 2013
________
Robert F. Gonsett, W6VR, Editor
<cgc (at) cgc333.connectnet.com>
Copyright 2013, Communications General® Corporation (CGC)
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The CGC Communicator Goes on Sabbatical
The CGC Communicator is taking an extended sabbatical after
40 years of publication. Forty years seems like a good round
number for taking a little break, and the circuit disconnect order
from XO/Concentric/Connectnet ("Connectnet") provided the perfect
catalyst for stepping back and taking a closer look at what we
have been doing.
As most of you know, the circuits used to upload our news-
letter are being dismantled by our Internet Service Provider,
Connectnet. They have given us an official decommissioning date
of Wednesday, May 29, 2013, at which time we will also lose access
to their newsletter server that has allowed mass mailings. We
plan to publish at least one more newsletter before the circuits
are dismantled and that newsletter will cover local FCC
Applications & Actions.
During our time out of print -- which might even span a
number of months -- we will consider whether to resume publication
in light of so many other relevant sources of information being
available on the Internet today. If we decide to resume publi-
cation, a new means of distribution has already been wired-up
and we plan to mail newsletters from this e-dress:
editor (at) cgccommunicator.com
If you need to white-list the new address, please do it now.
Just reassemble the disguised address above by replacing the
" (at) " portion with the @ symbol.
During our time on sabbatical, our consulting office and
frequency and spectral lab will remain open for business as usual
and we will communicate directly with our consulting clients when
we find news items of unique importance. Our consulting office
has a separate computer system that will not be affected by the
Connectnet disconnect.
Special thanks to Steve Blodgett of Earthsignals for
developing the Tech Letters Website to support our publication
(Tech Letters is continuing to accept postings), to Bext Corp.
for archiving our e-newsletters, and to you, our readers, for
feeding us fascinating stories and URLs. It's been a great
ride, and we are anxious to see what the next 40 years will
bring, Lord willing.
Bob Gonsett
Communications General Corporation
Consulting Radio Engineers
Fallbrook, California
(760) 723-2700
http://www.earthsignals.com/press/
http://www.bext.com/cgc/
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Where to Find Key Information
While the CGC Communicator is on sabbatical, you may like to
use the same professional publications we use in compiling our
newsletter each week. Those publications include:
o FCC Daily Digests. The Digests contain links to official
FCC news items including call sign changes and broadcast appli-
cations and actions:
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Digest/2013/dd2013.html
o Enforcement Bureau Field Notices. This is where Notices
of Violation and Notices of Unlicensed Operation are published.
The second URL takes you to Enforcement Actions where the pedal
meets the metal:
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/rfo/ActAct.html
o Radio World NewsBytes. This daily publication is, in
our opinion, the single best source for daily FCC and industry
news. Important TV items are often mentioned. NewsBytes is
like the CGC Communicator but on a national scale and broader
in scope. Anyone can sign up under the "Subscribe to Email
Newsletters" banner:
http://radioworld.com/subscribe
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Off Topic
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The Great KBRT Arc-Over
No matter how much advance planning and expertise are
involved, the unexpected sometimes happens at a new transmitter
plant. Murphy lives, but fortunately not for long in this case:
The tower-to-guy wire insulator arc-over at the new KBRT(AM)
transmitter site (mentioned in CGC #1200) has been thoroughly
investigated. The worst-burnt fiberglass rod/insulator is
pictured at the first URL below. No insulators other than those
on the top two levels of the high-power tower (#3 SE) showed
any signs of damage during a field inspection.
KBRT has doubled up the top two levels of insulators on the
affected tower, and corona rings are being installed this week
on the top three levels of guys to prevent future damage. See
the second URL for a photo of all the top level insulator rods
removed from the high power tower. The insulator that severely
arced-over became a carbon resistor and therefore a dummy load
of sorts. The thoroughly burnt fiberglass rod is really
something to behold.
Thanks to skilled radio frequency engineers, problems
like these are quickly addressed and brought under control.
It wasn't that long ago that the nature of electricity
wasn't even understood, much less controlled. Much has
been accomplished.
http://tinyurl.com/KBRT-Insulator-Photo-159
http://tinyurl.com/KBRT-Insulator-Photo-163
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CGC #1200
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The CGC Communicator
CGC #1200
Monday, May 13, 2013
________
Robert F. Gonsett, W6VR, Editor
<cgc (at) cgc333.connectnet.com>
Copyright 2013, Communications General® Corporation (CGC)
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A New Chairman, a New Era
As predicted, president Obama has announced his intention to
nominate wireless telecom and cable executive Tom Wheeler as the
next FCC chairman, and designate Commissioner Mignon Clyburn to
the role of Acting Chairwoman once current Chairman Julius
Genachowski steps down.
http://tinyurl.com/Wheeler-Clyburn-Obama
http://tinyurl.com/TomWheelerBackground
http://tinyurl.com/TomWheelerTwo
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The Chairman's Departure is Set
"I have an announcement to top all announcements," said
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski recently. He said this Friday,
May 17, will be his last day on the job as Chairman of the FCC.
http://tinyurl.com/GenachowskiRetiresMay17
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FCC News Briefs
o The FCC will consider adopting receiver standards.
While some believe this proceeding was in part devised to
save LightSquared, the results could lead to a more efficient
use of the electromagnetic spectrum overall but probably with
some financial impact on consumers:
http://tinyurl.com/ReceiverStandardsConsidered
o The FCC proposes to expand the availability of in-flight
broadband for airline passengers:
http://tinyurl.com/InFlightBB
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LightSquared Reincarnated
The FCC recently said LightSquared could temporarily use
1675-1680 MHz to test whether its mobile network can coexist
with government use of that spectrum.
In contrast, LightSquared said the temporary usage will
test whether NOAA's meteorological operations can be moved to
a different band of spectrum, if LightSquared uses its current
band (whatever that means).
Sounds like some investigative reporting is needed to
determine if the FCC is once again showing unusual favoritism
toward LightSquared.
http://tinyurl.com/LS-Again
(WSJ, subscription required)
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Illicit Prison Communications
Promoting technological solutions to combat illegal cell
phone use in prisons can save lives and protect prison workers,
other inmates and the general public.
There are three basic methods to accomplish this goal:
(a) electronically determine the positions of any unauthorized
phones and send in the guards to confiscate the phones, (b) set
up a "managed access or detection system" to block unauthorized
equipment use, or (c) send out jamming signals to block all
phones all the time, including phones owned by prison staff.
This Notice of Proposed Rule Making looks at these options,
makes proposals and invites Comments:
http://tinyurl.com/PrisonPhonesNPRM
http://tinyurl.com/PrisonPhonesComment
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FCC Enforcement Watch -- California Primarily
o Notice of Violation issued to KVMX(FM), Bakersfield,
for overmodulation:
http://tinyurl.com/KVMX-Overmod
o KRML(AM), Carmel, is issued an NOV for a laundry list
of alleged violations including not having a designated Chief
Operator:
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-320574A1.html
o It is always a good idea to keep your Public File complete
and up to date as this Consent Decree between the FCC and KCET(TV)
indicates. KCET's $6,000 "voluntary contribution" is just a
minor part of this big settlement:
http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2013/DA-13-556A1.html
o Failure to repaint a tower as required to maintain good
visibility, failure to display the Antenna Structure Registration
Number in a conspicuous place so that it is readily visible, and
failure to notify the FCC immediately upon a change of ownership
of the tower structure results in a proposed $25,000 fine:
http://tinyurl.com/25000Fine
o Mobile Relay Associates, licensee of WQGW503, Chatsworth,
is busted for hogging a 150 MHz frequency, not using trunking
technology when apparently required to do so and failure to
I.D. as required:
http://tinyurl.com/NoV-to-WQGW503
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Random Notes
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Radio Notes of Interest
o EMI standards were set for the LA Metro light rail lines
according to the IEEE. However, there is no indication in this
paper's abstract that the FCC-based RFI limits were met, meaning
that broadcast (and other) radio signals could get clobbered
(we know that some AM interference is in fact occurring):
http://tinyurl.com/LA-Metro-LightRailEMI
o As one reader commented on the Metro Gold RFI, "...I hope
that the FCC will come down hard on the issue [of protecting
AM broadcast radio]. After all, it is the FCC's responsibility
to protect this spectrum from abuse."
o The new NRSC-G301 guidelines from the National Radio
Systems Committee are now available. The guides cover the
creation, packaging and delivery of program metadata for
receiver displays:
http://tinyurl.com/NRSC-G301
o A tower-to-insulator arc-over at the new KBRT(AM) site
and NAB Show news from an engineer's perspective -- it's all
right here in the latest newsletter from Crawford Broadcasting:
http://tinyurl.com/LO-for-May2013
o Saving AM radio, more details from the NAB Show panel:
http://tinyurl.com/SavingAM-Details
o Internet Radio is making its way into vehicles, slowly
displacing traditional broadcast:
http://tinyurl.com/SlowlyShiftingSand
o Mobile streamed listening is growing rapidly:
http://tinyurl.com/MobileStreamedListening
o Emmis CEO "won't rest" until FM radio is in every
smartphone, opening a new market for over-the-air broadcasting:
http://www.radioink.com/Article.asp?id=2650555&spid=30800
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TV Note of Interest
NAB has formally requested that the FCC lift its freeze
of TV station modification applications.
http://tinyurl.com/LiftTheFreeze
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Internet TV
It seems very likely that major broadcast TV programs will
eventually be distributed over the Internet in real time. The
questions are when, and under what legal controls? Major cracks
are developing in the walls that separate broadcast TV from the
Internet, and important eyes are watching the developments.
In the interim, if the courts don't stop Aereo from putting
over-the-air TV content onto computers and smartphones, networks
such as Fox and CBS have said they could suspend free over-the-air
broadcasting and serve only pay-TV viewers, or so they claim.
http://tinyurl.com/InternetTele
http://tinyurl.com/Aereo-vs-Networks
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General Notes of Interest
o The "spire" is raised to the very top of One World Trade
Center in New York, and the Durst Organization is pitching TV
and FM broadcasters to move their transmitters and antennas
to the new location:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hzGkh1JfUw (short video)
http://tinyurl.com/OneWorldTrade-VacantSpots (text)
o San Francisco gives up its battle for cell phone RF
radiation labels:
http://tinyurl.com/SF-Radiation-Labels
o Interesting claim: All digital phone calls and e-mails
-- yours included -- are being archived by the U.S. government:
http://tinyurl.com/SpyAgencyUSA
o EAS expert Richard Rudman is collecting signatures
urging Congress and the Executive Branch to enact legislation
for a national public warning strategy:
http://tinyurl.com/PublicWarningStrategyNeeded
http://www.earthsignals.com/press/?p=2080
o There were no call sign changes in our part of southern
California according to the FCC's latest change list:
http://tinyurl.com/CallActionList554
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LED Light Bulb Hazard
Certain 120 VAC LED light bulbs can overheat and cause fire
or smoke. 554,000 lightbulbs sold under the brand names Definity,
EcoSmart, Sylvania and Westinghouse are being recalled.
If you own an affected LED, stop using it.
http://tinyurl.com/LED-Bulb-Recall
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Letters to the Editor
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Tech Letters
Letters to the Editor of the CGC Communicator should be
posted on the Tech Letters Website. Here is the URL to see
the most recent postings and to make new postings (all letters
and comments are moderated and are posted after review):
http://www.earthsignals.com/press/
Please contact the moderator, Steve Blodgett, if you are
having trouble viewing or posting: sblodgett (at) earthsignals.com
Thanks!
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Off Topic
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Clarification
Regarding this story in CGC #1198:
o There is a surprisingly inexpensive and potentially
very beneficial treatment for Alzheimers and perhaps a
number of other serious conditions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=ZZOR-Qd3QSg
Two readers point out that coconut oil is not a proven
treatment despite the tantalizing preliminary results shown
in the video. For the other side of the story, see:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/disease/coconutoil.asp
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/c/coconut-oil-4-alzheimer.htm
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High Standard Off Topic Material - Educational Postings
o Concrete canvas shelters -- buildings delivered in a bag.
This is very neat:
http://www.wimp.com/concretetents/
o Many different technologies were squeezed into the iPhone,
making it a technological marvel (see the comparison photos):
http://tinyurl.com/The-amazing-iPhone
o It's interesting that 48 copies (or substantial portions
of copies) of the original 600 year-old Gutenberg Bible exist,
yet not one copy of the first Website made just twenty years
ago survives, until now:
http://tinyurl.com/FirstWebsiteReincarnated
o Palomar Observatory will assist in the worldwide search
for gravitational waves and, if detected, the next steps will
be to DF (direction find) them to determine their origin:
http://tinyurl.com/GravityWavesAndPalomar
o Recycling at its finest, a picture essay:
http://tinyurl.com/Recycling-at-its-best
o "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology
has exceeded our humanity" - Einstein:
http://tinyurl.com/Cellmania
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Some Pretty Wild Stuff:
o This exclusive video from the Tanzania Olympic site
demonstrates conclusively that Giraffes can swim:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=uFxnBrO9n7o&sns=em
o That's right dear, our ancestors had tails:
http://www.lolwall.co/lol/250244
o Street-legal bumper cars:
http://tinyurl.com/StreetLegalBumperCars
o Another delightful kid commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/pfxB5ut-KTs?rel=0
CGC #1199* (FCC Apps & Actions)
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THE CGC COMMUNICATOR
CGC #1199*
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
________
Robert F. Gonsett, W6VR, Editor
<cgc (at) cgc333.connectnet.com>
Copyright 2013, Communications General® Corporation (CGC)
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LOCAL FCC APPLICATIONS & ACTIONS
Period covered: April 1, 2013 - April 30, 2013 inclusive.
Continue reading
Will you sign an online petition to improve public warnings?
I have written an online petition to Congress and the Exec. Branch to follow up on the Partnership for Public Warning Report, ”A National Strategy for Integrated Public Warning and Capability” that can be viewed at: www.partnershipforpublicwarning.org/ppw/docs/nationalstrategy.pdf
If you think that it is time for action on this now ten-year-old report, you can go to http://tinyurl.com/EPI-strategy, read the petition and sign it if you agree.
Richard Rudman
Core Member, Broadcast Warning Working Group
Solar One
In the early 1980s an experimental power station was built along the road from Needles to Barstow. Solar One had a field of reflectors that focused sunlight on a tank atop a tower and heated the fluid in the tank to capture energy that became electricity. I don’t know if it’s still in place.
(I also remember that solar plant, but it has been years since I’ve traveled through there I remember stopping to see their visitor center – interesting. So does that plant still exist? Is it operational? Dunno. -sb)
—–
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Solar_Project#Solar_One
“Solar One” was built in 1981, later redesigned as “Solar Two” in 1995 … Solar Two demolished on November 25, 2009, after 10 years of not producing any energy.