Radio World 1268 - May 8th, 2024

Welcome to the May 8th, 2024 issue of Radio World

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61,000 people and one humanoid robot took part in the spring convention.

Vol. 48 No. 8 | May 8 2024 www.radioworld.com

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CONTENT

Managing Director, Content & Editor in Chief Paul J. McLane, paul.mclane@futurenet.com, 845-414-6105

Assistant Editor & SmartBrief Editor Elle Kehres, elle.kehres@futurenet.com

Technical Advisors W.C. “Cris” Alexander, Thomas R. McGinley, Doug Irwin

Contributors: David Bialik, John Bisset, Edwin Bukont, James Careless, Ken Deutsch, Mark Durenberger, Charles Fitch, Donna Halper, Alan Jurison, Paul Kaminski, John Kean, Nick Langan, Larry Langford, Mark Lapidus, Michael LeClair, Frank McCoy, Jim Peck, Mark Persons, Stephen M. Poole, James O’Neal, T. Carter Ross, John Schneider, Gregg Skall, Dan Slentz, Dennis Sloatman, Randy Stine, Tom Vernon, Jennifer Waits, Steve Walker, Chris Wygal

Production Manager Nicole Schilling

Senior Design Director Lisa McIntosh

Senior Art Editor Will Shum

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Senior Business Director & Publisher, Radio World John Casey, john.casey@futurenet.com, 845-678-3839

Publisher, Radio World International Raffaella Calabrese, raffaella.calabrese@futurenet.com, +39-320-891-1938

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NAB Show in Photos

The renovation of the older part of the LVCC has begun. Next year the North Hall will reopen but the Central Hall will be closed.

The humanoid robot Ameca joined Futuri’s Daniel Anstandig, center, to present research findings suggesting general acceptance of AI by consumers. They’re with NAB President/CEO Curtis LeGeyt.

The NAB Show drew around 61,000 people, down about 5% from last year’s 64,600.

Photos from the NAB Show are found throughout this issue. NEWS 5 FCC radiation signage and you FEATURES 10 Re-foam the case that protects your gear BUYER’S GUIDE 20 Systems integrators and installers

3

Photo by Jim Peck

Photo by John Staley Photography

Photo by Paul Kaminski

The Society of Broadcast Engineers and the NAB released new Self-Inspection Guides, starting with FM and TV editions. Steve Campbell, Michelle Vetterkind, Bob Weller, Ched Keiler and Ted Hand discussed.

Photo by Jim Peck

Radio

by Dan Slentz

Photo

The Sphere dazzled even in daylight, as viewed from the Las Vegas Monorail.

Photo by Paul McLane

David Antoine and Bill Dahlstrom caught up at the Public Radio Engineering Conference.

Photo by Jim Peck

World’s Paul McLane opened the NUG@NAB event, hosted by Nautel.The event drew more than 300 engineers.

FCC radiation signage and you

Let’s continue our discussion of important signs for your transmitter site

Last summer I wrote an article here addressing broadcaster responsibilities for signage at tower sites (find the article “What’s Your Sign? Are You Sure?” at http://radioworld.com by searching “Skall sign.”)

The next step in addressing signage responsibilities looks to invisible dangers at broadcast sites, areas where people may be exposed to radiofrequency or “RF” radiation. This is a complicated matter and requires reference and cross-reference to two sections in the FCC rules: Sections 1.1307 and 1.1310. (You can look up any rules we cite in this article at www.ecfr.gov, the Code of Federal Regulations.)

The latter section sets forth limits for maximum permissible exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields and puts them into two categories: (1) limits for occupational/controlled exposure and (2) limits for general population/uncontrolled exposure. The limits are in a chart that you can find in the rules at 47 CFR 1.1310(e)(1) or at this link: tinyurl.com/rw-skall-chart

Occupational/controlled exposure: This limit applies to station employees and contractors. Such individuals must be made “fully aware” of the potential for exposure and be permitted to “exercise control.”

To be fully aware, they must have received written verbal information that fully explains the potential for RF exposure.

“Exercising control” means that the employees or contractors, except for transient persons, have received appropriate training regarding work practices relating to controlling or mitigating their exposure, and are permitted to use those practices to reduce or avoid exposure, such as through the use of personal protective equipment or time averaging of exposure.

Uncontrolled exposure:

This category pertains to the general population and relates to uncontrolled situations where the public may be exposed as a consequence of their employment and may

Writer

Gregg P. Skall

not be fully aware of the potential for exposure or cannot exercise control over their exposure.

For these purposes, FCC rules require all applications for a construction permit or license, their renewals or any other authorizations for radiofrequency sources to either:

(A) Determine that they qualify for an exemption under the calculations defined at § 1.1307(b)(3);

(B) Prepare an evaluation of the human exposure to RF radiation pursuant to § 1.1310 and include in the application a statement confirming compliance with the limits in § 1.1310; or

(C) Prepare an Environmental Assessment if those RF sources would cause human exposure to levels of RF radiation in excess of the limits in § 1.1310.

RF Safety Plan

Where fixed RF sources are located, the rules require specific mitigation actions with signage to ensure compliance with the exposure limits, including implementation of an RF safety plan, restriction of access to the RF sources, and disclosure of where exposure limits are exceeded. See § 1.1307(b)(4).

For this purpose, the rules divide areas subject to RF radiation into four defined categories:

Category One is any spatial region that is compliant with the general population exposure limit with continuous exposure or source-based time-averaged exposure;

Category Two is any spatial region where the general population exposure limit is exceeded but that is compliant with the occupational exposure limit with continuous exposure;

Category Three is any spatial region where the occupational exposure limit is exceeded by no more than 10 times the limit;

Category Four is any spatial region where the exposure is more than 10 times the occupational exposure limit or where there is a possibility for serious injury on contact.

All RF exposure advisory signs must be viewable and readable from the boundary where the applicable exposure limits are exceeded and include at least the following five components:

1. The appropriate signal word and associated color, i.e., “DANGER” (red), “WARNING” (orange), “CAUTION,” (yellow) “NOTICE” (blue);

2. RF energy advisory symbol;

3. An explanation of the RF source;

4. Behavior necessary to comply with the exposure limits; and

5. Up-to-date contact information.

The basic required mitigation actions are as follows. The sample RF exposure sign graphics in this article are provided by Richard Tell Associates Inc.

Category One — INFORMATION: No mitigation actions are required. The rules suggest that an optional green “INFORMATION” sign is useful, as shown on page 5.

The sign should provide a description of the RF source, contact information and a reminder to obey all postings and boundaries in accordance with Section 5.8 of IEEE Std C95.2-1999.

Category Two — NOTICE: The equipment owner must (1) post signs and (2) control access to the area where the general population exposure limit is exceeded. The signs must contain the signal word “NOTICE” and the blue color. Signs must contain the five components discussed above. In some cases, a sign containing the components and attached directly to the antenna is sufficient, provided the required mitigation action is legible at the proper distance.

Access to the area where the continuous exposure limit is exceeded for the general population must be limited. This can be done through a variety of ways such as fencing, placing the equipment on a rooftop that has limited access, etc. Training is required for occupational personnel with

Broadcast Law

access to controlled areas, and transient individuals must use time averaging and be properly supervised as specified in the rules.

Category Three — CAUTION: In addition to the access requirements of Category Two above, the equipment

owner must (1) post signs and/or (2) utilize additional controls, or indicators. Signs must use the signal word “CAUTION” and the associated yellow color. The sign must also include the information in the five categories above.

If the Category Three boundaries overlap the Category Two area, then the Category Two sign is optional at places where two signs would otherwise be required. Here, too, a label or small sign may be attached directly to the surface of an antenna if it specifies a minimum approach distance.

Additional boundary controls should be utilized to surround the area where the occupational exposure limit is exceeded. This can be done through chains, railings, contrasting paint, diagrams, etc.

Transient individuals are not permitted in any Category Three areas when the occupational exposure limit is exceeded and the rules require reducing exposure time in the area where the occupational exposure limit is exceeded. Proper use of RF personal protective equipment may be used as an alternative to limiting time exposure.

Category Four — WARNING/DANGER: In

addition to Category Two access controls, the equipment owner must (1) post signs and (2) utilize additional controls or indicators. The “WARNING” signs with the associated orange color are required where the occupational limit is exceeded by a factor of 10, and “DANGER” signs with the associated color of red are required where immediate and serious injury will occur on contact. In both instances, the sign must contain the information from the five categories outlined above.

If the boundaries between Category Three and Four would require overlapping signs at same location, then the Category Three sign is optional.

Additional boundary controls should be utilized to surround the area where the occupational exposure limit is exceeded. This can be done through chains, railings, contrasting paint, diagrams, etc

Where power reduction, and therefore Category reduction, is not feasible, lockout/tagout procedures must be followed to prevent access.

Complex topic

Section 1.1307 of the commission’s rules identifies actions that may have a significant environmental effect and for which an environmental assessment may be required. The locations identified are where RF facilities are in an officially

“When

designated wildlife area or preserve, facilities that may affect threatened or endangered species or designated critical habitats or are likely to jeopardize their continued existence.

Another protected category includes facilities that could affect sites or objects of significance to American history, archaeology, engineering or culture or are listed in the National Registry of Historic places, that may affect Indian religious sites or are located in floodplains.

Applicants for FCC authorizations that include radiofrequency sources must either make a determination that they qualify for an exemption, prepare an evaluation of the human exposure to RF radiation and include in the application a statement of compliance or prepare an Environmental Assessment. Compliance for fixed RF sources may also be accomplished with mitigation actions as described in this article.

Interpretation of these rules can be extremely complex. It is crucial that when licensees are interpreting and implementing these rules, they consult and consider the advice of their counsel and experienced engineering staff. This column is provided for general information purposes only and should not be relied upon as legal advice pertaining to any specific factual situation. Legal decisions should be made only after proper consultation with a legal professional of your choosing.

John Bisset

CPBE

The author is in his 33rd year of writing Workbench. He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance and is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award. Send your tips Workbench submissions are encouraged and qualify for SBE re certification credit.

johnpbisset@ gmail.com.

Re-foam the case that protects your special gear

Bill Ruck solved a problem with the help of Ethafoam

Veteran voice actor Don Elliot has been following our discussion of useful tools. He has kept the device that’s shown above in his tool kit for at least 30 years. Can you identify it? I’ll tell you at the end of the column.

Fix the foam

Engineers of a certain age will remember the black, crusty foam used in electronic equipment transport cases. It was a good choice for a long time, until we realized that it eventually turned to sticky black goo and was difficult to remove.

Above

One of Don Elliot’s most useful tools. Do you know what it is?

Right

Bill Weeks’ FIM-41 transport case, freshly re-foamed.

A friend of San Francisco projects engineer Bill Ruck found a wooden case for a Potomac Instruments FIM-41 Field Intensity Meter. He removed the foam and Bill offered to re-foam the case for him.

Another friend suggested Ethafoam, a brand of polyethylene foam that is stiffer than the black stuff but soft enough so it won’t scratch anything. It comes in sheets and rolls. Bill purchased his from TAP Plastics (www.tapplastics.com) and

paid $2.50 per linear foot.

Using a piece of plywood as a worktable, Bill cut off segments with a straight edge and a shop knife; although it’s sturdy, the material cuts easily. He then cut these pieces into “blocks” to fit inside the FIM-41 case.

Above

The additional symbols and lettering on Logic Keyboard’s Titan keyboard support professional media editing. The company offers versions for video, audio and graphics work.

To cushion the meter properly, Bill needed pieces 1 inch thick, so he laminated two half-inch thicknesses together using 3M Super 77 Spray Glue.

Now it was time to assemble the pieces into the case. After testing the fit of all the pieces, Bill glued them onto the case with the Super 77, starting at the bottom, then progressing to the short sides, and finally, the long sides. He glued a final piece to the top of the equipment case. If you have one of these cases and want to re-foam it, here are the dimensions:

• Bottom: 15 x 7-1/2 x 1/2 inches

• Short Sides: Two pieces, 7-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 1 inches (laminate 1/2-inch pieces together to provide two 1-inch-thick pieces per side)

• Long Sides: Two pieces, 7-1/2 x 13 x 1 inches (see above)

• Top: 15 x 7-1/2 x 1/2 inches

Bill purchased three linear feet of Ethafoam and had some left at the end; you probably can get by with two linear feet.

The FIM-41 now fits snugly in its wooden protective case.

For your production folks

Logic Keyboard (www.logickeyboard.com) introduced its latest innovation at the NAB Show: the Titan keyboard series.

Intended for a person who does professional editing on a Mac, it consists of an aluminum backlit keyboard, featuring dual connectivity for an efficient workflow.

with a bang and flames. He finds that LED bulbs are not difficult to work with as long as he thinks not in Watts, as with incandescent bulbs, but in Lumens. Good LED bulbs emit 90 to 100 Lumens per Watt. That’s about five times the efficiency of incandescent bulbs and around twice that of fluorescent bulbs. It’s helpful also to understand the color temperature of LED bulbs, referring to the color of light emitted by an object at a certain temperature.

An LED bulb with the color of an incandescent bulb has a color temperature of 2700 to 3000K. An LED bulb with the color of daylight has a color temperature of 6000 to 6500K. A color temperature of 6000K is cool white while a color temperature of 6500K is daylight. Daylight LED bulbs are more efficient than warm white LED bulbs. LED lighting uses half the electricity of fluorescent. Though they cost more, the payback period for Paul was one year. Paul has not had to replace LED bulbs for four years, and the saving of electricity offsets the electricity used by his vented clothes dryer.

(Karl Zuk wrote more about color temperature in the April 24 issue of Radio World.)

Another bright idea

The final photo will help you identify Don’s tool, if that little flashlight bulb didn’t give it away. It’s an inexpensive battery tester. The brighter the bulb, the fresher the battery. Constructed out of solid wire, it can be bent to accommodate most battery terminals. Don’s 30-year-old tester still has the original bulb!

A simple and efficient battery tester that has lived in Don Elliot’s toolbag for 30 years.

The keys have various commands imprinted to speed media editing. The one in the photo is for video editing. The company manufactures similar keyboards for Adobe Audition and other popular audio editing systems. The keyboards cost less than $150.

Bright idea

Broadcast engineer Paul Sagi shares Cliff Kotchka’s dislike of compact fluorescent lamp bulbs, which Cliff described in a letter to the editor in January. Paul says his CFLs always failed

Right

Radio’s Dave

received the

Digital Alert Systems, Telos Alliance and Nautel demonstrated “EAS at the Edge,” calling it a fresh approach that simplifies EAS implementations via software standards and AoIP-based techniques.

Bill Robertson, left, and Ed Czarnecki of Digital Alert Systems spoke at Nautel’s NUG@NAB event.

The Broadcast Smart Platform from Telsat is a portable radio or TV broadcasting site in a small mast-mounted, weatherproof enclosure, for a range of international applications.

Tag Borland of Logitek, Josh Bohn of MaxxKonnect and Mike Dosch of Angry Audio formed a new company called Triple Helix.

Photo by Paul Kaminski

Ignacio Alonso, second from left, is the new CEO of AEQ, succeeding Iván Olmeda. He’s shown with Miguel Sancho, Roberto Tejero and Gustavo Robles.

Hubbard

Kolesar

Radio Engineering Achievement Award from NAB’s Curtis LeGeyt and Sam Matheny.

Sarbraj Singh Kahlon and Sukhdev Singh Dhillon of Radio Punjab visit Ron Paley of DJB Radio Software. Radio Punjab is a multilingual station that has been serving the Punjabi population in the United States and Canada since 1994.

Photo by Elle Kehres

Photo by Paul McLane

Photo by Jim Peck

©NAB

Photo by Jim Peck

NAB Show

American Amplifier Technologies’ Stephen Wilde showed a real-time demo of a scale modeling technique. It uses a motorized rotating base with tower section and transmit and receive antennas. Modeling software renders images of the generated pattern.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers elevated three members to the rank of Fellow. Shown with SBE President Ted Hand (second from left) are Robert “RJ” Russell, Andrea Cummis and Conrad Trautmann.

Dielectric celebrated its history with a visual timeline. The NAB said approximately 1,300 companies exhibited, including 200 firsttimers.

The U.S. Commercial Service International Buyer’s Tour, a Department of Commerce initiative, visits Xperi, which highlighted the “DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo.” It debuted in BMW 5-Series vehicles.

FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington opened a session in which the Society of Broadcast Engineers provided an update on broadcast technology including ATSC 3.0 and artificial intelligence.

Photo by Jim Peck

Photo by Jim Peck

Photo by Jim Peck

Ben Palmer of Arrakis showed the H-15, a 15-channel “hybrid analog” console.

Photo by Paul McLane

©NAB

Photo by Jim Peck

Systems Integrators & Installers

About Buyer’s Guide

This section appears in every other issue, focusing on a particular category of equipment and services. It is intended to help buyers know what’s on the market and gain insight into how their peers are using such products.

ZTransform is on the move

An example of the work of ZTransform can be seen at Seattle-based KNKX. Ztransform provided design, build, integration and launch services, working with V Three Studio architects to transform a concrete warehouse within the century-old Madore Building into a state-ofthe-art broadcast facility.

KNKX’s new home boasts an onair studio; live mix studio and three production rooms; and a new Studio X performance space. The studios are optimized to capture audio for radio broadcast to its listeners and video for its online audience, including its YouTube channel. A large newsroom, where all KNKX reporters can be accommodated, as well as multiple offices, complete the facility.

Top Inside the new Seattle home of KNKX.

Bottom Erik Utter

At the station’s core, ZTransform implemented an end-toend AoIP solution so that all audio sources can be accessed and controlled by all devices on the network, including mixing consoles, control surfaces, software controllers and automation devices. The workflow enables KNKX to broadcast live from multiple studios within the facility or from remote locations for seamless transitions to and from its Tacoma-based studios. The IP-based workflow also opens new opportunities for remote broadcasting.

ZTransform specializes in planning, design, integration and launch services for studio projects, performance venues and AoIP workflows for station groups, noncommercial radio and recording studios.

“We balance the strengths of systems, spaces and people to create flexible, scalable and creative environments,” said President Erik Utter, its founder and an Emmy recipient with nearly 30 years of industry experience.

infrastructure that provides long-term flexibility for radio facilities well into the future. We also partner with technical furniture manufacturers to design custom consoles that improve ergonomics and cable management to increase productivity.”

The company gathers operational requirements by sitting down with project stakeholders and user groups from news, music and production teams, to help prioritize their diverse needs and conceive creative solutions that deliver agility for all users.

“In addition to traditional system design and integration, we work closely with architectural and MEP design teams to plan acoustics, lighting, mechanical and electrical

Formerly known as Utter Associates, the company rebranded as ZTransform in 2023. “We’ve experienced huge growth over the last 12 months and have bolstered the entire team across sales, engineering and admin.” It recently promoted Paul Catterson to general manager and made several other important appointments and promotions.

Tech Update Broadcast Equipment Solutions From SCMS

SCMS Inc. provides hardware for studio, microwave and transmitter facilities, and it offers planning, design and installation services on request.

“The hardware can be anything from the microphone to the antenna, including towers and transmitter buildings,” said Bob Cauthen, its founder, owner and technical manager.

“We have a licensed contractor on staff for most states. We have the largest inventory in the industry to serve our customers. Our facility is a 12,000-squarefoot building for offices, warehouse and staging area for turnkey projects.” The company currently is adding an additional 4,500 square feet for inventory.

Cauthen holds a degree in electrical engineering from Clemson University. Ben Cauthen has a degree in civil engineering and is the contractor on staff, with numerous residential and commercial projects to his credit, while Matt Cauthen, who holds a business degree, oversees sales and marketing as well as project planning.

Several SCMS salespeople are experienced in radio engineering and contribute to planning and design. The company is noting its 48th year in 2024.

Info: www.scmsinc.com

DNAV delivers turnkey technology solutions for media

DNAV focuses on conceptualization of a project with key stakeholders, working with its architects and design engineers to see the project through to completion, according to Principal Nick Straka.

“We provide a genuine single-source solution for equipment, and can extend those single-point solutions to equipment integration and ongoing support in the form of service level agreements. The core DNAV team includes multiple engineers with individual areas of specialty and focus, which allows us to bring a wide breadth of experts under one umbrella.”

He said the company works with vendors in a variety of capacities to achieve the desired goals of the customer, from research to design to integration. “No matter the project, we can reach within the DNAV team and/or leverage one or more of our many vendor relationships to bring the customer’s vision to fruition.”

Straka and Daniel Hyatt founded the firm together. “As DNAV has grown, we have structured the company in a manner where there is no lead technical person. Everyone at DNAV can lead a project, and in the scope of a project each person involved has a specific focus or strength.”

DNAV recently completed two construction permits in New Jersey with a directional antenna and a large selfsupporting tower that took careful design consideration.

Tech Update

“The city of license was off the back of the pattern, so we worked very carefully to engineer a parasitic radiator on a log periodic antenna to adequately cover the city of license,” he said.

“We have also just completed the relocation of KSE Radio Ventures in Denver to a new facility [shown], where we built 10 studios to support operations for their three FMs and one AM station. DNAV managed all studio and technical elements from the design phase forward, and delivered a state-ofthe-art radio facility to house everything from studios and production rooms to business operations for more than 60 employees.”

Big Ideas, Personal Attention

Pacific Mobile Recorders/Studio Builders is a systems integrator for radio, TV and streaming studios as well as recording studios and multimedia facilities. It has extensive experience in acoustic design, electrical and grounding, HVAC and construction, and specializes in building “on the fly” to accommodate the changing needs of clients.

“Owner/chief engineer Jim Hibbard is always ‘hands-on’ on all installations, and specializes in creating custom environments for each facility,” the company states.

A licensed electrical contractor in California, Hibbard has built and integrated more than 700 broadcast facilities and has experience as owner/ chief engineer of a 24-track recording studio and a 48-track remote truck.

“We’re a small enough company to give personal attention to each client, but with enough experience to execute big ideas,” says Hibbard. The company’s work has been featured in Radio World and other trade publications, including a Super Bowl week remote broadcast for “The Dan Patrick Show” and a multimillion-dollar facility for WestStar Media/Phoenix, home of “The Kim Komando Show,” in which Hibbard was the project manager for the buildout of the studios.

Contact: Email jim@pacificmobilerecorders.com

Tech Update

Time for a Second Opinion

Second Opinion Communications Inc., or SOCi, was established in 2001 by Gregory Dahl, a Marine Corps veteran with decades of experience in the broadcast industry.

The scope of its services ranges from the antenna to the studio. “As a full-service integrator it is our mission to ensure that the hardware and software work together no matter if it is AM, FM or streaming,” it states on its website.

“We offer facility evaluation and due diligence services; remote technical service and support; commissioning and training services; pre-construction products including on-site evaluation, detail design and equipment consideration; drone inspection services; and equipment repair.”

Integration partners include Telos Alliance, Broadcasters General Store, Broadcast Bionics, Yellowtec, Graham Studios, Broadcast Devices International, Voceware (VClock) and NotABotYet.

Info: https://isupportradio.com

Shown is Woof Boom Radio’s WMUN in Muncie, Ind., an AM station with an FM translator. Second Opinion helped plan the installation, executed by the company’s engineers in Indiana and Ohio.

Inrush provides services to media creators

Inrush Broadcast Services provides consulting, integration and maintenance for U.S. media creators.

In Chicago Public Media’s new Navy Pier studios, WBEZ hosts Lisa Labuz, behind the glass, and Sasha Ann-Simons in the foreground use custom intercom panels to hand off from a newscast to the midday show “Reset.” At bottom are Inrush team members.

“Our full-time engineering and operations staff delivers the benefits of modern technology stacks while incorporating traditional broadcast infrastructure, providing best-in-class solutions from studio, to transmitter, to cloud,” the company says.

The company has completed studio and transmitter projects for four of the five highest-billing stations in the country, and in 45 of the top 50 markets.

“Traditionally these relocations required hours of labor, miles of cable and complex wiring. However, orchestration tools like the Wheatstone scripting language, Telos Alliance Pathfinder Core PRO, AWS CloudFormation and Terraform have allowed Inrush to accomplish these same tasks almost entirely virtually.”

To address the complexities of VoIP, Inrush formed an internal team with deep expertise to design and deploy on-prem, cloud and hybrid solutions. “Our unique role as the preeminent broadcast telephony specialists has positioned us as the first call for media creators looking for smart solutions to big problems, enabling us to develop transformative solutions that benefit the industry as a whole. Currently we provide telephony services for over 250 radio stations, with more under management each quarter.”

Inrush provides outsourced engineering services, with a full-time operations staff and a work management tool to track client needs, contract fulfilment and client communication. The company also has invested in

enterprise incident response tools; alerts are parsed and categorized by urgency, and pushed to a primary on-call engineer with escalation backup, promising access to a live engineer within two minutes at all times.

A sampler of recent projects includes the development and build of iHeartMedia’s flagship 52-studio broadcast facility in New York City; the renovation of Chicago Public Media’s historic Navy Pier studios, including eight air studios, four edit studios and an integrated performance area; and installation of a GatesAir FAX20 transmitter operating in FM and HD for WGFA(FM) in Watseka, Ill., greatly expanding the reach of its secondary format on an HD2 channel.

Founded by Mike Dorris in 2019, Inrush is managed by its four partners Dorris, Brian Sapp, Shaun Dolan and Cameron Boswell.

Right

Tech Update

E2TS: Expertise in Signal Flow

E2 Technical Services LLC is an integration projects company founded by Edwin Bukont.

“We work across all aspects of the client’s needs, which may include consulting, project management, engineering, integration, commissioning, testing and training for studios and consoles, automation, transmission, STL, remote broadcast, and video in the radio studio,” he said.

“We do jobs for mom-and-pop stations to networks of all sizes. The only thing we don’t do is climb towers.”

Bukont has a strong competence in understanding signal flow, with an emphasis on audio over IP, structured wiring and the transition from analog to networked audio.

“I am the founder and lead technical person, what might be called a systems architect. My 40+ year career began in college with maintenance and production in the multitrack studios and concert halls of a music college, as well as the radio and TV station.

“I have been chief engineer a few times, but my strengths are in projects — always willing to take some risks, learn new things, help others to learn, always expanding on the skills and knowledge necessary to service the next project.” He has certifications in both broadcast and audio-visual disciplines.

E2TS recently finished a multi-year project with other contractors for Salem Media Group, deploying automation and AoIP

hardware coast to coast. Other projects include a TV studio in Washington, D.C., that is remotely operated from the United Arab Emirates; a broadcast and AV integrated radio facility using AoIP in Orange County, Calif.; several multi-studio projects replacing legacy with AoIP; helping automation vendors adopt AoIP and GPIO over IP; and remote troubleshooting and correction of media network infrastructure.

“We try to engineer beyond the wiring and tech, to be artists in the application of science in service to the arts and to train others in the emerging technology,” Bukont said.

Info: www.e2techserv.com

Summit offers software and engineering solutions

Summit Technology Group provides end-to-end solutions with coast-tocoast coverage.

“We have engineering specialists who cover RF and transmitter site work; studio design, build and maintenance; regulatory compliance and FCC filings; and a variety of other services necessary for the broadcast industry,” said Paul Stewart, its founder and president.

Nationwide coverage ensures uniformity in engineering standards between multiple markets as well as availability to stations across all market sizes.

Right

Multipurpose visual radio studio designed and built by Summit Technology Group. Studio is complete with Axia AoIP equipment, IP cameras, assignable digital backdrops, DMX lighting, and various backdrop options.

provide an edge over competitors.

Stewart said Summit’s software and regulatory compliance offerings More Info www. summittechgroup. com

“Our regulatory compliance service eliminates the burden of a station’s required FCC filings and includes routine on-site compliance audits. The service is a flat monthly fee that saves

station personnel countless hours of compliance work. Our software products range in application and often are what is needed to round out a successful studio implementation.” Summit products support a

range of functions including logging, weather, streaming and metadata.

Stewart has more than 15 years in broadcast with knowledge of broadcast automation and cloud product design. He also has a degree in economics and management, providing clients with thoughtful project management and costing accounting analysis.

Recent projects include a three-

Tech Update

studio build that modernized the station’s workflow with Axia IQ consoles, Comrex codecs and visual radio capabilities. The client then engaged Summit for projects at two transmitter sites and a satellite downlink and has signed up for its TundraCast Audio Streaming platform and SummitGO EAS Compliance Monitoring.

“Our firm has been noticing an

TSG: Design, Build and Service

upward trend in the popularity of our routine maintenance contracts,” Stewart said.

“With the disappearance of broadcast engineers knowledgeable in AM, FM and TV transmission, our team is being asked to augment a full-time IT or studio engineer to maintain the RF systems in play at many commercial, public and noncommercial broadcast stations.”

Technical Services Group Inc. provides full-service design, build and service, “from the microphone to antenna.”

Founder and President Arthur “Bo” Hoover formed TSG in 1990 and the company has done thousands of installations for companies including iHeart, Cumulus and EMF. Partners include ATC, Crown Castle, GatesAir, Nautel, Rohde & Schwarz, ERI, Dielectric, Shively, Myat, Wheatstone and ENCO.

“High-power RF is our specialty, working with complex RF systems for both radio and TV,” Hoover said.

“We have state-of-the-art test and measurement tools specifically used for tuning and optimization and installation of high-power, combined, high-RF performance systems.”

TSG has done many disaster recovery projects. “The most memorable perhaps was emergency construction of two FM stations for the FCC and USAID after the earthquake in Haiti, disaster recovery for affected stations obliterated by Hurricane Katrina, and the removal, rebuild and tuning of a 36-panel 3x12, broadband FM antenna,” Hoover said.

“The broadband antenna work took place from a 2,000-foot structure shared by Cumulus and iHeart and is the largest antenna project undertaken.”

TSG has provided radio engineering support for LSU Sports Properties for over 20 years, responsible for radio operations of more than 800 live events including Bowl games and five NCAA football championships.

Contract service is an important offering, and TSG maintains station technical operations for systems it installed as well as others, aiming for “five 9s” of reliability regardless of market size.

“Our firm has more than 20 full-time employees, skilled field service, back-office administrative, designers, CAD and technicians covering all aspects of the modern broadcast facility,” Hoover said.

TSG is based in Baton Rouge, La., with support offices in Texas and Florida. TSG’s new 38,000-square-foot facility includes integration, support, warehousing and fabrication of critical RF and studio infrastructure. It also recently acquired Georgia Copper, a manufacturer of grounding and lightning protection materials for broadcast applications.

The photo was taken after TSG commissioned two new Rohde & Schwarz transmitters for WMBC(TV) at One World Trade Center. Shown are Todd Loney, Zak Flatley and Chase Hoover of TSG, with Jeff Schultz of WMBC and John Frercks of Advent Industrial Corp.

Info: www.tsgcom.com and http://gacopper.com

Rebecca Hanson, directorgeneral of the North American Broadcasters Association, participated in several sessions on topics including cybersecurity and new opportunities in media.

NAB Show

Bob Tarsio of Broadcast Devices explains his SNMP-capable products. BDI was one of several manufacturers with displays in the Broadcasters General Store booth.

Aqua Broadcast showed the

Transmitter

available in power levels of 10 to 1,000 watts.

Brieana Renteria helps an attendee take a “super selfie” at the Connect Zone area of the show floor.

John Bisset and Paul McLane catch up in the Telos Alliance booth.

Photo by Jim Peck

Photo by Jim Peck

Cobalt FM

Series,

Photo by Paul McLane

Photo by Jim Peck

Photo by Elle Kehres

Photo by Jim Peck

Transmission cable on display from Tianjin Zhonghuan Ascend Technologies Co.

NAB Show

A poster celebrates the career of Chris Brown, who ran the association’s convention business for the past 25 years. Karen Chupka succeeds him.

AT&T robotic dogs, a collaboration with Ghost Robotics, can be used for public safety, defense, law enforcement, fire departments and commercial customers. They can be equipped with sensors to operate autonomously and outfitted with drones that can launch and return to their backs.

Tieline’s Jacob Daniluck does his evil scientist impression with the Bridge-IT II codec.

Things get a little whacky when it’s time for Bob Weller and David Layer to hand out the door prizes at the

Iconic radio personality and program director Donnie Simpson was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

An HD Radio display on a BMW R 18 motorcycle.

Photo by Jim Peck

Amateur Radio Reception.

Photo by Jim Peck

Photo by Jim Peck

Photo by Paul McLane

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