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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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                       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
******************************************************************

  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

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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 →

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

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)

—–

Squeak Porray AD7K on April 30, 2013 at 4:50 pm said:

In a recent TV Tech article Mary Gruszka took on the subject of “The Importance of Speech Intelligibility” It’s a good article but does not discuss acoustic phase cancellation.

Just to have a round number to work with let’s say the speed of sound is 1000Ft/sec. One hertz of a 3000 hz signal is 1000/3000 or a third of a foot (4 inches). One hertz of a 4000 hz signal is 1000/4000 or a quarter of a foot (3 inches). Half the distance in each case is the half cycle distance.

When two microphones some distance apart are open and receiving the same signal, if those signals are summed, as they would be in a mixer, all kinds of mischief occurs. There will be some frequencies that totally cancel and others that double in amplitude. In speech we are dealing with a range of frequencies but 3Khz to 4Khz is pretty important. The effect is one of unintentional comb filtering. Peak, valley, peak, valley and areas of partial reinforcement and partial cancellation. The ear can’t deal with a discontinuous spectrum. Intelligibility is lost.

On a news desk where the talents are packed close together this effect is a killer. A good audio tech will have the mic of the speaker up and the other mics turned down. He should also be a good mind reader.

I’ve heard a comb filter effect on network programs. I tried to trace down the source of the problem but didn’t get anywhere. You can identify comb filtering when no matter what level your speakers are at you can’t understand a thing.