Radio World

Radio occupied a small albeit still relevant spot at this winter’s Consumer Electronics Show.

Paul and Fred Jacobs, unmasked. (photo courtesy Fred Jacobs)

Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs, who led tours of the floor for broadcasters, said the exhibition included lots of audio innovation, though it wasn’t focused on broadcast radio.

“CES has never been a place where a lot of radio-specific products are introduced. But the acceleration of technology in recent years has seemingly pushed it even further to the background,” Jacobs said.

The crowd at CES was smaller — the Consumer Technology Association estimated 40,000 — and some major exhibitors backed out because of COVID concerns. Companies nevertheless displayed and launched a myriad of consumer electronics products.

We asked Jacobs to recap his experience. (This is the second in a two-part series about the recent CES; Radio World’s Feb. 16 issue featured comments from Steve Koenig of CTA.)

Radio World: CES is when the consumer technology world debuts the latest and greatest in tech, but the impact broadcast radio makes seems negligible. Why?

Fred Jacobs: Perhaps because radio is an established thing and CES is more about technology breakouts.

There were glimpses of radio. Victrola displayed a few retro-looking radios. It was kind of lame. But what CES does offer is a chance for radio attendees to better understand the current marketplace and where technology is going. And how it affects the radio biz.

RW: You again led tours of CES with groups made up of broadcasters. What resonated for them?

Jacobs: Every year with our tours we spend a few hours running around the Las Vegas Convention Center, and at a certain point those on the tour they ask us “Hey, where is radio?” Outside of Xperi and a few odds and ends, there usually isn’t much connected with broadcast radio. But we really dig and try to connect the dots for radio execs and understand the implications of the new technology we find on radio.

For me the big thing this year, similar in scope to what we have seen in the past, was dashboard technology and the direction it is moving. Radio is not going to be Numero Uno in the dash any longer. And we are talking about vehicles made today. Radio will have to coexist with all these other media options.

Radio broadcasters came away from the tour talking about a future where radio is one of many choices in the vehicles we will drive — or that will drive us. Radio managers are realizing that if their content isn’t compelling and attention-getting, the multitude of dashboard choices will weaken radio’s position as a driving companion.

RW: Xperi again had a major presence, featuring its DTS AutoStage platform. What do you think of their efforts?

Xperi Corp. showed its DTS AutoStage platform in a Mercedes vehicle. (photo courtesy Xperi)

Jacobs: Xperi had a great location. All the auto stuff is in the new West Hall, and Xperi was right in the middle of that. The radio broadcasters with us enjoyed their time with Xperi, and that exhibit looked really good. Every year it seems to get bigger.

Most of the broadcasters on our tour had not experienced AutoStage. So here is this gleaming new Mercedes sedan sitting there with Xperi’s latest in-dash experience. The broadcasters asked lots of good questions about how AutoStage is going to work and how the rollout is going. I think they were just thankful and excited to see something radio at CES that looked really good.

RW: What did vehicles on display at CES look like and was radio still visible in the dash?

Jacobs: You’re seeing more dashboards that are pillar-to-pillar with one big screen. There was a Turkish car maker, called Togg, which had a screen from the driver stretching across to the front-seat passenger. It was really cool. Then there are screens in the back.

The whole idea is that everyone in the vehicle can have a different entertainment experience, which is kind of scary. But at the same time, it potentially opens up an avenue for more people to listen to the radio station of their choice while someone else is watching a movie.

An Israeli-based company, Silentium, had a display in Eureka Park [an area at CES reserved for startups and young businesses] of personal sound bubbles. Not a physical bubble, but the idea being without wearing AirPods or headphones, everyone in the car will be able to listen to whatever audio they want. It’s not physical barriers; it’s more of an acoustical or directional way of doing it by sending out inverted sound waves that cancel out noise and sound.

It hasn’t been perfected yet, but it’s a bow to the future passenger economy in cars, where companies are trying to monetize everyone in the car.

RW: CES was scaled way back due to concerns over COVID. How different was it?

Jacobs: For those who have been to CES previously it was quite different. It was still a huge exhibition. You had about half of the normal displays, but you still had a sense that you couldn’t see it all.

The first timers still had a sense of ooh and ah, but even for vets like us, what happens is you start shifting your focus away from hot new gadgets and you start recognizing technology trends and technology themes.

There were three different flying cars at CES that I noticed. That’s kind of cool. But when you explore, after a few days you see this fountain of practical technology applications of these autonomous vehicles and electrification. Those are the moments for attendees where they start connecting the dots and seeing similar trends and where radio can possibly fit in. You see where the world of technology is moving and you can’t help but go home with a different feel for what you might want to do.

Coming back from CES, the overall feel is that dashboard displays are becoming more sophisticated. AI is becoming an increasingly bigger part of the technology package and the vehicle will learn your preferences.

That can benefit or hurt radio. If you have the right content, it’s an opportunity, too. Radio has to think about competing with everybody in the car and not just other radio stations up and down the dial.

RW: The home smart speaker sector is more mature now. Any new audio components catch your eye that might stream a radio station?

Jacobs: Not really. Millions of homes in the U.S. now have smart speakers. In terms of revolutionary new technology to listen to a station’s stream or a podcast, there was nothing special. It’s all about the car, really, for radio broadcasters.

RW: You’ve written on your blog expressing a worry that U.S. radio is sitting out an audio renaissance of sorts.

Jacobs: I think radio has struggled to find its place in the audio landscape, which is ironic, and in a few different areas.

Research shows that more people are listening to audio than ever before. People’s audio pie and the numbers of listening minutes have been growing, but radio listening is not growing. The other piece is podcasting. For the publishers, podcasting has been a cash cow. But we’ve learned that most broadcasters haven’t been able to take advantage of the podcasting movement. Some broadcasters have purchased podcasting companies, but those have little to do with their broadcast holdings. So, it seems most radio stations are not participating in a meaningful way in the podcasting space.

Where radio is doing a better job is with smart speaker listening. That has been accelerated by COVID and the realization that people are not listening to more radio on traditional AM and FM radios, but they are listening more on non-traditional devices like mobile phones, tablets and smart speakers.

RW: Final thoughts on the CES experience?

Jacobs: As we visited a number of carmakers, I think broadcasters are beginning to realize this whole idea of how radio stations are displayed in the dash is going to be critical. They can’t just brush this off. And individual station owners are realizing they can effect change with their own station’s dashboard displays, whether it is RDS or HD Radio with Artist Experience.

Once you see these dashboard displays at CES, you realize that this is an area where radio has fallen behind. Yet it is within our own control to look good in these new vehicles. That’s why Steve Newberry from Quu was there and interacting with OEMs. [Quu offers software and services to add visuals to radio broadcasts.] He and his company are very eager to find out what these vehicle screens are capable of and how he can market products to help radio broadcasters maximize it to their benefit.

Randy J. Stine has spent the past 40 years working in audio production and broadcast radio news. He joined Radio World in 1997 and covers new technology and regulatory issues. He has a B.A. in journalism from Michigan State University.

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Angry Audio’s StudioHub Universal Interface — aka “World Panel” — is for broadcasters who need to put audio from personal devices on the air.

“This 1 RU stereo device provides convenient interfaces for multiple types of I/O, enabling quick connection of nearly any kind of audio gear to your mixing console,” it said in its announcement.

Analog inputs on the front include balanced +4 dBu on two XLR/TRS combo connectors, unbalanced –10 dBV on two RCA (phono) jacks, and one 3.5 mm stereo jack. Analog outputs are stereo +4 dBu balanced on two XLR connectors, –10 dBV on two RCA jacks and a 3.5 mm stereo jack.

[Check Out More Products at Radio World’s Products Section]

“In addition to the stereo outputs, there are two analog balanced mono outputs on XLR connectors. These are summed L+R and are intended to feed reporter ‘press box’ recording devices. These outputs are switchable between line and mic level with a ground-lift function. All analog signals are electronically buffered with high-performance active audio circuitry.”

For digital audio, AES/EBU inputs and outputs are provided on XLR connectors as well as S/PDIF inputs and outputs on RCA/phono coax connectors. “All digital signals are electronically buffered and transformer coupled.”

The front also features two pass-throughs: a USB and an RJ45 port. These fit into standard “D-type” cutouts and are easily changeable to different connector types.

The rear panel uses the StudioHub+ wiring standard for analog and digital audio connections to and from the user’s console. Power comes via an included external power transformer. The Universal Interface is enclosed in a powder-coated steel chassis, with no exposed circuit boards.

Retail price is $595.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

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The RFE/RL Moscow Bureau in January, Prior to the Shutdown

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty said it has suspended its operations in Russia.

It said it took this step after local tax authorities initiated bankruptcy proceedings against RFE/RL’s Russian entity last week and police intensified pressure on its journalists.

“These Kremlin attacks on RFE/RL’s ability to operate in Russia are the culmination of a years-long pressure campaign against RFE/RL, which has maintained a physical presence in Russia since 1991 when it established its Moscow bureau at the invitation of then-President Boris Yeltsin,” the organization wrote in a press release this weekend.

“Also on March 4, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law that could subject any journalist who deviates from the Kremlin’s talking points on the Ukraine war to a 15-year prison sentence. Because RFE/RL journalists continue to tell the truth about Russia’s catastrophic invasion of its neighbor, the company plans to report about these developments from outside of Russia.”

CNN International, ABC News, Bloomberg News, and the BBC have also said they will no longer originate reports from within Russia due to concerns over the new law, according to a report from The New York Times. Deutsche Welle, the German international broadcaster, closed its Russian news bureau in early February after Russia revoked its reporters’ credentials.

RFE/RL President & CEO Jamie Fly said in the announcement, “Following years of threats, intimidation and harassment of our journalists, the Kremlin, desperate to prevent Russian citizens from knowing the truth about its illegal war in Ukraine, is now branding honest journalists as traitors to the Russian state. We will continue to expand our reporting for Russian audiences and will use every platform possible to reach them at a time when they need our journalism more than ever.”

It said that in the past week, nine of RFE/RL’s Russian language websites were blocked after RFE/RL refused to comply with the government’s demands to delete information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It said Russia also has blocked a number of Russian-language websites from abroad, including Latvia-based Meduza, BBC, Deutsche Welle and Voice of America, not to mention Twitter and Facebook.

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Dear Editor:

I am “shocked, shocked” to hear that BBC is using shortwave to get news and information into Ukraine and Russia. After abandoning shortwave as outdated and not necessary, one only has to look at the current conflict in Eastern Europe to see the value of shortwave.

We’ve all embraced the modern technologies as they come on line — but they’re fragile. Between the damage to the public internet infrastructure in the Ukraine, to Russia pulling the “plug” on citizens’ ability to access news networks outside of Russia, to the BBC trying to get people to use VPN (seriously?), it’s the antiquated, outdated shortwave that gets the message through.

[Check Out More Letters at Radio World’s Reader’s Forum Section]

There is a lesson to be learned here: Old tech is reliable, cost effective and gets the message through when nothing else does. The same can be said of AM here in the USA.

All of those “high tech” solutions, whether they are cellphones or the public internet, are prone to failure when you really need them the most. Let’s not abandon the tried and true “outdated” modes.

Comment on this or any topic. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

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Broadcasters are pushing back hard on the Federal Communications Commission’s potential restoration of the mandate that broadcasters file data on the diversity of their workforces and that the data be available to the public, including by blaming Big Tech for some of broadcasting’s diversity recruiting problems.

The annual collection of Form 395-B data on workforce composition (race and gender) has been in limbo for two decades. The filing of the form was suspended in 2001 following an appeals court decision vacating part of the FCC’s Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements. Even though the FCC in 2004 revised the regulations on filing the form, broadcasters still did not have to file it due to unresolved issues about data confidentiality, issues the FCC is trying to resolve under Chair Jessica Rosenworcel.

In a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) issued last July, the FCC said it wanted to “refresh” the record on Form 395-B data collection and related ”legal, logistical and technical issues” of potentially lifting the suspension.

But according to an ex parte filing at the FCC, executives from the National Association of Broadcasters, accompanied by 40 broadcasters — general managers, owners and others — from large and small companies and markets met with staffers for all the commissioners to push back on reinstating the form.

[Related: “FCC Could Recommence Race and Gender Reporting for Broadcaster”]

The broadcasters said they are all for improving diversity, but said restoring the form “would do nothing to help achieve this aim, and in fact, could distract the FCC and industry from more effective actions.”

They suggested one of those actions would be for the FCC to “boost interest” in TV and radio jobs given that broadcasters already were doing “everything in their power to attract and retain diverse talent” against a Big Tech industry draining the workforce.

“Several broadcasters described the hurdles they face in trying to attract a diverse pool of qualified job candidates, or for that matter, any pool of qualified applicants,” the broadcasters told the FCC. “In their recent experience, many job applicants — regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender — are more interested in working for one of the Big Tech companies or some other outlet they perceive as more relevant or cutting-edge, and that typically can afford to pay higher salaries.”

The NAB has also argued to the FCC that the form would pressure broadcasters to give preferential treatment to candidates of a particular gender or race.

Taking quite a different view of the issue was the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC), which had its own meeting last week with FCC officials.

[See Our Business and Law Page]

MMTC took issue with some of the broadcaster pushback, saying that while “career-building opportunities that extol the benefits of broadcast employment are useful, they are not a substitute for enforcement of the EEO Rule.”

While the broadcasters told the FCC that they “already do everything in their power to attract and retain diverse talent,” the MMTC didn’t see it that way. “[N]o amount of career enthusiasm can overcome the ill-will of an employer who chooses not to recruit or equally employ people of color or women,” the group said.

As to the suggestion the form would force broadcasters into unfair hiring practices, the MMTC said: “The reporting of EEO data — whether anonymously or publicly — does not ’pressure‘ licensees to hire preferentially on the basis of race or gender.”

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

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Ferrofish recently introduced its updated A32pro and A32pro Dante multiformat converters and routers. The two new converters feature a newly designed black finish, updated front panel with remote control options and GPIO options for redundancy and DSP expansion.

The A32pro Series is intended for signal conversation and distribution for recording studios, live audio playback systems and broadcast audio facilities, and can also operate as a digital audio format converter and signal router. Audio signals can be freely converted between all analog and digital formats while being simultaneously routed to multiple destinations in blocks of eight channels, allowing for use in a range of professional audio applications. Multiple Ferrofish units can be connected in series to provide large numbers of audio channels in a minimal amount of rack-space thanks to redundant power supplies.

Ferrofish AA32pro Dante Multiformat Converter

Featuring the latest generation of ESS Tech AD/DA converters, the A32pro and A32pro Dante offer multiple connectivity options in a single 1U frame. Both products feature 32 analog inputs and 32 analog outputs on fully balanced 25-pin D-sub connectors. On the digital side, both devices have support for up to 64 channels of MADI I/O via dual SFP slots, which can accommodate either optical or coaxial MADI SFPs and can run in tandem for added redundancy. Up to 32 channels of ADAT optical I/O is provided in each direction with full support to double sample rates of 96 kHz.

A dual-slot bay is provided for future DSP expansion, providing additional processing powered for both unit’s on-board SHARC DSP processor. They also offer a selection of remote-control option,s including Ferrofish’s free REMOTEFISH app. REMOTEFISH can control one or more Ferrofish devices, including all inputs, outputs, monitoring, routing and settings. The A32pro Dante includes 64×64 Dante I/O channels on dual Ethernet ports with redundant functionality.

Other features include a Stereo TRS Main Out with dedicated DAC monitoring path, 32×32 ADAT I/O channels on TOSlink jacks with 96 kHz support, 64×64 MADI I/O channels on LC Multimode SFP module, user exchangeable (with Optical Singlemode and Coax SFP module options available). The units feature word clock I/O on BNC connectors with proprietary jitter reduction circuit and MIDI I/O on 3.5-mm TRS connectors. The GPIO port is included for remote presets for switching and alert monitoring on dSub15. Also included is a dual stereo headphone quarter-inch TRS outputs with HQ-amp modules and a dedicated DAC.

Beyond a four-screen multitouch user interface, the converters feature an illuminated touch-sensitive high-res encoder.

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(Getty Images/Carolyn-Hebbard)

I’ve never quite gotten over the fascination of having a supercomputer in my pocket.

This is a kid who was thrilled to get his first electronic calculator, even though the most impressive thing I really ever did with the thing was to spell out “shell oil” upside down with the LCD digits.

Growing up, I too hoped for jetpacks and Dick Tracy wristwatches. But I don’t think I really expected ever to be able to have a face-to-face video conversation with my brother from hundreds of miles away on a high-quality screen in my hand.

Now such capability and many others are part of everyday life — if not exactly humdrum, then at least commonplace.

And just when I get accustomed to all the things I can do with my current iPhone, Apple comes out with an even better one. I have barely scratched what my current one can do, on its own or with third-party apps added. But I try to pause and appreciate how incredible these tools really are and how much information we can call on at will, compared to all of the humans who have lived before us.

I’m musing on this because of our story this week, in which I asked a bunch of our friends and readers to tell us about their most useful smartphone apps. Check it out, and let me know your own faves.

Meanwhile, thanks to the internet, I now know that the website Dr. Mike’s Math Games for Kids lists more than 230 words that work for the Upside-Down Calculator Word Game. My childhood “shell oil” would be:

710.77345

That information makes me happy.

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An unidentified presenter in the Radio RMF Ukraina studio as posted to the station’s Facebook page.

Just 30 hours after the idea was developed, RMF Ukraina began broadcasting on FM from Przemyślu, Poland, which is about 6 miles from the border with Ukraine.

The station was launched on Mar. 2 by RMF Grupa, part of the Bauer Media Group and the largest radio group in Poland.

“The Office of Electronic Communications immediately selected the frequency and issued approval for temporary broadcasting, which was agreed to by the KRRiT chairman. We are also very grateful to Emiel, which prepared the broadcasting station from which the program is broadcast within a few hours,” stated Andrzej Mielimonka, president of Multimedia Sp. z.o.o., which oversees the RMF Maxxx network.

From Przemyślu, the station can reach people queuing to cross the border with information in Ukrainian and English about procedures for entering Poland, sources for assistance, healthcare, and job opportunities. The station does not carry advertising.

Public service broadcaster Polskie Radio is also working to reach displaced Ukrainians on both sides of the border. The broadcaster’s international service has long produced Ukrainian-language programming, which is distributed online and via longwave. It also has added real-time transmissions from UA: Ukrainian Radio’s first channel to its DAB multiplexes across the country.

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Following on the recent suspension and departure of Russian broadcasters from the European Broadcasting Union, the board of directors of egta, the global organization for radio and television sales houses, has suspended its relationship with its Russian members in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

According egta, its Russian members included European Media Group (EMG), CTC Media’s Everest Sales, Gazprom-Media, Media-1, National Advertising Alliance (NAA), and Russian Media Group.

In a statement released on Mar. 3, the egta board of directors stated: “As an association built on cooperation across borders, we are deeply concerned by this tragic situation and strongly condemn Russia’s overt attack upon democracy and peace in Europe.

“As such, we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and with all egta colleagues in the media and advertising industry, in Ukraine and Russia, who are unwillingly drawn into an unnecessary conflict.

“However, as a strong signal to its leadership and as part of the international effort to isolate Russia from the international community, we are suspending services to all Russian member sales houses. The suspension will remain in effect until further decision by the association’s next General Assembly.”

The association also noted that its members are involved in humanitarian actions and fundraisers in response to the invasion and subsequent refugee crisis. “Additionally, the association will donate €100,000 [$109,275] to both Ukrainian media and humanitarian institutions and invites other associations across Europe to consider similar measures,” according to the statement.

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The BBC World Service tweet announcing the new shortwave broadcasts to Russia and Ukraine.

The BBC World Service is turning to shortwave radio to deliver trustworthy news to Russians, now that the Kremlin is blocking Western media websites’ reporting on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

There is apparently a hunger for alternatives to Putin’s propaganda among Russian-speakers. According to a March 2, 2022, BBC media release, “The audience for the BBC’s Russian language news website more than tripled its year-to-date weekly average, with a record reach of 10.7 million people in the last week (compared to 3.1 million). In English, bbc.com visitors in Russia were up 252% to 423,000 last week.” [The week cited by the BBC was Feb. 21–27, 2022; Russia troops entered Ukraine on Feb. 24. —eds.]

To help satisfy this hunger, the BBCWS announced it is broadcasting four hours of English news daily on two shortwave frequencies, both of which “can be received clearly in Kyiv and parts of Russia,” said a BBC media release. The additional shortwave frequencies are on 15735 kHz operating from 1400 to 1600 UTC and on 5875 kHz from 2000 to 2200 UTC. Eastern European Standard Time, where Kyiv is located, is two hours ahead of UTC; for reference, U.S. Eastern Standard Time is five hours behind UTC.

The BBCWS ended its Russian-language shortwave broadcasts in 2011. At that time, U.K. government budget cuts forced the BBCWS to eliminate five language services and focus seven others, including Ukrainian and Russian, on online, mobile, and television platforms.

In addition to BBCWS’s new service to Russia and Ukraine, Ö1, the main news channel for Austrian public service broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk has expanded distribution of morning, midday, and evening news programs to shortwave. “Ö1-Morgenjournal” can be heard on 6155 kHz at 0600 UTC, “Ö1 Mittagsjournal” on 13730 kHz at 1100 UTC and “Ö1 Abendjournal” on 5940 kHz at 1700 UTC.

“With this additional service, the Ö1 radio journals can be received easily by German-speaking listeners throughout Europe, including in Ukraine,” stated ORF Radio Director Ingrid Thurnher in a press release announcing the change.

Still, at least the BBCWS is back on shortwave to Russia and Ukraine. Other trusted Western Cold War powerhouses such as Radio Canada International are gone from the shortwave airwaves, their antennas torn down and their transmitters turned off.

“RCI was dismantled because of a lack of vision on how well and important an international service is,” said Gilles Letourneau, co-host of the “International Radio Report” program on CKUT-FM in Montreal and owner of the OfficialSWLchannel on YouTube. “Although Voice of America is still on air, it has changed its focus to Africa and Asia. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is still transmitting, but mostly using medium-wave frequencies rather than shortwave.”

When asked if VOA intends to revive shortwave broadcasts to Ukraine and Russia, a VOA public affairs officer replied, “That is a decision for our programming division.”

It remains unclear how effective the new BBCWS shortwave broadcasts will actually be, given the decline of shortwave radio ownership/listening in the Internet Age. But Russians who still have shortwave receivers should be able to tune in.

“I noted that the new frequencies for BBCWS are making it quite well here in North America,” said Letourneau. “They should be quite good and easy to receive on small shortwave portable radios in Ukraine and Russia.”

“It is sad that BBCWS abandoned its Russian language service,” he added. “That would definitely be useful right now, especially as Russia dismantled all of its shortwave jamming transmitters in the 1990s.”

Russia may have diminished its ability to block shortwave broadcasts, but on Mar. 4 Roskomnadzor, the Russian government’s media supervision agency, announced it had blocked the websites of BBC, VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Deutsche Welle and other foreign media outlets, according to Reuters.

In response, the BBC has promoted the use of VPNs, apps such as Telegram and Viber, and the privacy-focused Tor platform as ways to circumvent Roskomnadzor’s filters.

T. Carter Ross contributed to this story.

James Careless is an award-winning freelance journalist with experience in radio/TV broadcasting as well as A/V equipment, system design and integration. He has written for Radio World, TV Tech, Systems Contractor News and AV Technology, among others. Broadcast credits include CBC Radio, NPR and NBC News. He co-produces/co-hosts the “CDR Radio podcast” and is a two-time winner of the PBI Media Award for Excellence.

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The iOS App Store launched in 2008 with 500 apps, according to the Business of Apps website, which says that today, the App Store has 1.85 million different apps available to download, while Android users have 2.56 million on the Google Play Store.

We asked a few Radio World readers and contributors to name their favorite apps.

1. Camera

Perhaps the most useful app of all, and easily overlooked is your phone’s camera.

“I constantly document wiring and changes with it so I can update drawings,” said RW contributor Dan Slentz. “Also, when working on gear or a transmitter, I tend to snap a lot of pics just in case I ‘misplace’ a wire or component so I remember where it went.”

Workbench readers know that columnist John Bisset has long preached often about the usefulness of your phone’s camera in troubleshooting and educating your boss about the work you do.

2. SatFinder Lite

Randy Williams, chief engineer at Learfield, recommends SatFinder Lite from , free for Apple and Android users, as a tool to help in setup and alignment of a satellite dish or antenna.

“A user can program the satellite name or orbital slot from the list of satellites provided, and save to your settings. Then the app syncs to your phone’s internal GPS, compass and camera features, allowing you to point the camera of the phone toward the horizon. And it will display the satellite arc and the location of the satellite you are looking for by look angle.”

Williams says the app isn’t a precision instrument but will get you 95% of the way there in tuning your satellite antenna by giving you azimuth/elevation data from the camera lens to get a dish in the reception ballpark.

The app works for DirectTV, DishNetwork and C-Band satellite locations.

3. Luci Live Lite

Engineers like Greg Dahl of Second Opinion Communications and Tony Peterle of WorldCast Systems useCi various versions of Luci Live for audio streaming over IP. It’s made by Technica del Arte, which offers wideband codec apps for iPhone and Android.

“These are considered among broadcasters to be the easiest-to-use and best performing apps on the market,” writes Comrex in a tech note. There’s info on the Technica del Arte website about how to connect their apps to studio codecs from Comrex, Telos, Orban and other manufacturers.

“Even the SE version has everything I need,” says Tony Peterle. “Bidirectional stereo audio streaming with a variety of algorithms from which to choose. Very useful when trying to diagnose why a particular stream isn’t arriving at a particular site. Put Luci Live in the middle and find out which end has the blockage. Hint: It’s usually the receiving end, where public traffic has to transit a firewall, but it’s nice to be able to confirm and show that to others.”

4. Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client

“Using a VPN for remote access to your facility’s network is critical to maintaining security and protecting against external attacks,” says Shane Toven, senior broadcast engineer for Educational Media Foundation.

“Depending on your network infrastructure, you may have a manufacturer specific client, or you may be able to use the client built into your phone’s operating system.”

5. Microsoft Remote Desktop Client

“Microsoft Remote Desktop Services is a common means of accessing Windows systems remotely, and is built into most versions of Windows,” says Shane Toven. “It can be used in conjunction with a VPN client, or configured with a gateway server for external access.”

Use Microsoft Remote Desktop for iOS or Android to connect to a remote PC or virtual apps and desktops made available by the admin of your organization.

6. Angry IP Scanner

“This app will scan the currently connected subnet, or any other reachable subnet, for active hosts,” says Paul Thurst, principal/owner of Data Wave. “It can also be used to find open ports. I like this particular IP scanner because there is also a PC version that operates the same way.”

This is free, open-source software written by Anton Keks, co-founder of Codeborne. It runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X.

“Angry IP scanner simply pings each IP address to check if it’s alive, then optionally it is resolving its hostname, determines the MAC address, scans ports, etc. The amount of gathered data about each host can be extended with plugins,” according to its website https://angryip.org/. It has additional features, like NetBIOS information — computer name, workgroup name, and currently logged in Windows user — favorite IP address ranges, web server detection and customizable openers.

7. Electrodoc Pro

Paul Thurst likes this app, formerly called Electrodroid, for its many useful collection of electronics tools and references including Ohm’s law, resistor color code, filers, voltage divider, reactance/resonance, resistor series/parallel, capacitor series/parallel, NE555 calculator and more, as well as converters including dB to Watt, frequency, and analog to digital. It also has an extensive list of pinouts.

8. Units Plus Converter

“This is what it sounds like, a converter for almost any unit into any like unit,” says Paul Thurst.

The app, developed by Alan Mrvica, includes tools to convert area, computer data, fuel mileage, length, power, pressure, speed, temperature, time zones, volumes dry and wet, and weight/mass. It also can convert 155+ world currencies.

9. Datadog

Another app recommended by Shane Toven of EMF. “This service allows you to create custom dashboards to monitor all of the systems and applications within your infrastructure at a glance. Its companion app makes those dashboards readily available on your smartphone or tablet.”

Datadog is a monitoring and security platform for cloud applications. It integrates and automates infrastructure monitoring, application performance monitoring and log management.

What’s your fave? Tell us your favorite app and why. Email radioworld@futurenet.com.

 

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The Federal Communications Commission has published a list of a dozen radio stations in Connecticut and Massachusetts that are at risk of losing their licenses if they don’t hurry a renewal application to the FCC.

The stations are listed at the bottom of this story. Six of the 12 are LPFMs.

Dec. 1, 2021 was the deadline for broadcasters in New England to file for license renewal for terms expiring on April 1, 2022. Broadcasters in Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont faced the same deadline but none made the list.

In Connecticut:

• WPRX(AM), Bristol — Nievezquez Productions
• WWBW(LP), Higganum — Connecticut River Educational Radio
• WCSE(LP), Ledyard — Calvary Chapel of Southeastern Connecticut
• WNLN(LP), Niantic — New Haven Educational Radio Corp.
• WWEB(FM), Wallingford — Choate Rosemary Hall Foundation
• WCFC(LP), Willimantic — Calvary Fellowship of Willimantic

In Massachusetts:

• WJXP(FM), Fitchburg — Horizon Christian Fellowship
• WHHB(FM), Holliston — Holliston High School
• WREA(LP), Holyoke — Radio Redentor
• WYOB(LP), Oak Bluffs — M&M Community Development
• WMWM(FM), Salem — Salem State College Board of Trustees
• WYAJ(FM), Sudbury — Sudbury Valley Broadcasting Foundation

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According to a LinkedIn post by Wedel Software CEO Raoul Wedel, the Netherlands-based company is halting its operations in Russia immediately.

“Today’s news out of Tsjernihiv and Borodyanka is heartbreaking and are war crimes. No company, person or organization should financially support a regime deliberately killing innocent civilians,” he wrote.

According to Reuters, 47 people were killed in Russian airstrikes on Tsjernihiv, also transliterated as Chernihiv, on Thursday, Mar. 3. According to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, civilian areas in Borodyanka were hit by Russian airstrikes and artillery shells the same day.

Reached via email, Wedel said that the software company, which develops traffic, billing, sales, and other back-office tools for media companies, has had a portion of its R&D efforts in Russia for the past eight year and before that those efforts were in Ukraine for five years. In his post, Wedel noted that the company has “20 or so” employees in Russia.

“We have employees in Donetsk, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow and St. Petersburg,” stated Wedel. “None of them support this war, and they are just trying to provide for their families.”

Wedel said the company does not expect any short-term problems from pulling out of Russia, but it will need to regroup its R&D efforts in the near future. “Even if the war would end soon, the country will remain unstable and sanctioned as long as Putin is in power,” Wedel said.

“The decision was on one hand heartbreaking; on the other hand, I feel we have no choice, and people must unite against these war crimes,” wrote Wedel. “I hope this story will make more companies consider cutting all their ties with Russia.”

Wedel Software is headquartered in The Hauge, Netherlands, and has offices in New York, San Francisco, Mexico City, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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AEQ has released an application note about its Talent codec, which was introduced last year. It said users who update their firmware can enable fresh applications for this desktop stereo IP device.

For combining voice delivery with external audio, a user can use the codec’s Bluetooth connection and/or line-in to connect it to a smartphone or PC and mix audio from files, streaming, voice notes and pre-recorded clips. The audio from the mic is mixed with the phone or external audio before transmission. Local program audio can also be sent to the phone, PC or audio device for recording and mixing.

For live interviews, a user can call by phone and remotely interview another person while sending the program to the studio. “Thanks to the Bluetooth connection, Talent can be connected to a smartphone and make live interviews by GSM telephony or through applications such as Skype, WhatsApp, Zoom and others, which give a higher quality to the interviewee’s voice,” according to the company.

The voice of the interviewee is mixed with the Talent microphone and sent compressed by IP to the studio console. Simultaneously the mic connected to Talent “is sent clean to the phone to keep the conversation going, although the interviewee can also be given feedback from the studio.”

And for audio at events such as sports, commentary can be sent from the microphone and mixed with the PA audio of the event using the Bluetooth connection or an auxiliary input. “With the help of apps, you can even use your phone as an external microphone for an interview or binaurally capture ambient sound.”

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Genelec expanded its Smart IP line of installation loudspeaker systems with the compact 4410 model and a new Smart IP Controller app.

“The 4410 joins the existing 4420 and 4430 Smart IP models to cater to an even wider range of applications and room sizes, while the free Controller app provides the end user with instant and intuitive control of key loudspeaker system functions including mute, volume control and power on/off, plus overall zone control,” the company stated.

The Smart IP loudspeaker range operates off a CAT cable and is compatible with Dante and AES67; power is provided via PoE and PoE+ Power-over-Ethernet formats.

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The active two-way 4410 is intended for smaller spaces. It supports up to eight audio channels in a stream with sample rates of 32–96 kHz and 16–24-bit resolution and delivers a frequency response of 67 Hz–40 kHz. It is available in black or white, with a line of mounting accessories.

The RJ45 connector provides access to the Smart IP Manager downloadable software tool for Windows 10 that allows the installer to configure rooms, zones, loudspeakers and audio channels.

Users can then download the free Smart IP Controller app onto their phone or tablet for control of mute, volume control and power on/off. The app discovers the loudspeakers on the network; varying levels of access to some or all of the zones can be assigned.

Send your new equipment news to radioworld@futurenet.com.

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The Federal Communications Commission is making good on a commitment to promote radio service tailored to the needs of local tribal and rural communities.

For the Blackfeet Nation, formally known as the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, that undertaking has translated into the tentative selection of its application to build a new noncommercial educational (NCE) FM station in Little Browning, Mont.

The announcement comes after the closing of the November NCE FM new station application filing window available for the FM reserved band, Channels 201–220, which is 88.1 to 91.9 on the dial.

In November the bureau issued a public notice identifying 231 groups of mutually exclusive (MX) NCE FM applications. MX applications refers to situations where multiple groups have applied for the same or adjacent channels but only one application in the group can be successful.

Group 131 included the Blackfeet Nation as well as Holy Spirit Radio Inc., which proposed to construct a new station in Conrad, Mont.

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In considering two MX applicants, the Media Bureau said it used tribal priority criteria, service area population data and certifications provided by the applicants to make a decision.

In this case, it followed a threshold tribal priority process that guides the commission in ascertaining if any of the applicants in the MX group are a Native American tribe or Alaska native village proposing to serve tribal lands. It was in 2010 that the commission agreed to a series of policies to promote rural radio service with a key takeaway from that proceeding: It was in the public interest to prioritize tribes when reviewing AM and FM NCE applications and FM allotments.

“Because of their status as sovereign nations responsible for, among other things, maintaining and sustaining their sacred histories, languages and traditions, tribes have a vital role to play in serving the needs and interests of their local communities,” the commission wrote in its report and order.

If only one applicant in a group qualifies for the tribal priority, that applicant will be awarded the construction permit. The applicant must identify as a tribal applicant, propose tribal coverage and offer to provide the first reserved channel NCE service owned by a tribal applicant on those tribal lands. In its application, the Blackfeet Nation said it could meet those requirements.

The other applicant in the MX group, Holy Spirit, does not claim to be a tribe. As a result, the Media Bureau selected the Blackfeet Nation as the tentative selectee.

But the selection is a tentative one. The Media Bureau has created a 30-day window for receiving objection petitions before the application can receive approval. If the process moves forward from there, the bureau will dismiss the MX application of Holy Spirit and formally award the construction permit to the Blackfeet Nation.

The tribe, whose 3,000-square-mile reservation sits east of Glacier National Park and borders the Canadian province of Alberta, also operates station KBWG(LP) on 107.5 MHz in Browning, Mont.

 

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On Mar. 4, at 8:45 a.m. Central Europe Time (2:45 a.m. EST), around 150 stations across Europe played “Give Peace a Chance,” the anti-war anthem released by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band in 1969, simultaneously.

Based on an initiative from European Broadcasting Union Member Rundfunk Berlin–Brandenburg (rbb) station radioeins, the symbolic transmission was heard in more than 25 countries on public service broadcasters and commercial stations as a reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

“The horrors of the war against Ukraine are more apparent every day. Our solidarity, our humanity and our support are needed,” stated Patricia Schlesinger, chair of ARD, the German public service broadcasting organization, and director general of rbb. “It is a good signal seeing Europe’s radio stations join forces to remind us of that with this song. It is a source of strength and urges us not to look the other way.”

[Related: “Russian Broadcasters Leave EBU”]

Speaking on behalf of Ukrainian Radio, Yurii Tabachenko, executive producer for UA: Ukrainian Radio Channel One, said, “UA: Ukrainian Radio thanks its colleagues from the European Broadcasting Union for their support. It is extremely important that today Europe is united around Ukraine.”

EBU Director General Noel Curran said, “We know that throughout its hundred years history, the public have turned to public service media at times of war to inform and unite. This powerful call for peace through an iconic song will resonate with millions of listeners. This is what we do. I’m proud to belong to a community that, when the world has been fractured, can create moments to bring people together.”

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Gigi Sohn (image credit C-SPAN)

A divided Senate Commerce Committee finally voted Thursday (Mar. 3) along party lines to send the nomination of Gigi Sohn to the full Senate for a vote, a big step toward her ultimate confirmation. The vote was 14–14, which means the nominee can get a floor vote, but with no favorable or unfavorable recommendation.

The FCC has been at a 2–2 political tie for well over a year, so a tied committee vote to potentially break the commission tie was appropriate.

Sohn would be the fifth commissioner, giving the Biden Administration the majority it needs to tackle some tough issues, including network neutrality and media ownership/equity.

Also reported in a partisan vote was a fifth Federal Trade Commission member, Alvaro M. Bedoya. The vote on Bedoya was also 14–14.

Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said Sohn needed to be seated, in part because of the importance of the administration’s broadband priorities. Cantwell thanked all her colleagues for being there, which may have been a reference to reports that Republicans had considered not showing up to deny a quorum, and thus a vote, on Sohn.

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Ranking Member Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he could not vote for Sohn or Bedoya. He said he appreciated Sohn’s responsiveness, but said she was not the right choice to fill the FCC vacancy because she would continue to have an appearance of a conflict of interest.

Sohn was nominated last year but had to be renominated in January after the committee Democrats were unable to secure enough votes, then her first vote had to be postponed after one of the committee Democrats — Sen. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico — suffered a stroke.

Luján got a lengthy standing ovation when he entered the chamber for the meeting.

Republicans have pushed back on her nomination over past criticism of Fox News and her relationship to Locast, the shuttered streaming service that was found by a court not to be entitled under a copyright carveout from streaming TV station signals without having to ask permission or pay for the transmissions.

But her backers have suggested that ISPs were pushing back because they did not want the FCC to reinstate net neutrality rules, and Republicans were pushing back generally because they wanted to stall the Biden regulatory agenda until the Midterms.

If the Republicans took over the Senate and House, they could nullify any FCC attempt to reinstate the rules, as they did to an FCC privacy regulatory regime under then FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler.

Wicker took issue with Cantwell’s phrasing of the nomination as being reported to the floor, saying only that the tie vote was being reported to the floor. Though Cantwell first said she thought that was the proper wording, she agreed that that technically constituted reporting a tie vote to the floor.

According to the Congressional Research Service, “a Senate majority can vote to discharge a committee from consideration of a matter, including a nomination, if it is not reported because of a tie vote in committee.”

The post Senate Commerce Sends Sohn Nomination to Senate for Vote on FCC Seat appeared first on Radio World.

Mix 106.5 personality Priestly (right) with Mo, a Children’s Center patient, during the radiothon.

Celebrating the second largest radiothon fundraiser in its history, Baltimore station WWMX(FM) and its parent company Audacy raised more than $1.3 million to benefit the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore.

Held Feb. 24–25, the event marked the 33rd time that the station has hosted the annual Mix 106.5 radiothon. The radiothon is a part of Audacy Serves, the company’s social impact platform that is designed to raise awareness of social issues of issues like mental health and anti-bullying; veterans and service members; children’s health; the environment; civic education; and diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Mix 106.5 has been a long-time champion for families and kids in Maryland and year after year, we are excited that the radiothon supports the vital, life-saving mission of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center,” said Tracy Brandys, senior vice president and market manager for Audacy Baltimore. “With the uncertainty in our world in the weeks leading up to the radiothon, we weren’t sure what to expect, but Maryland residents came through again.”

“Radiothon is such an important event for everyone at the Children’s Center,” said Margaret Moon, M.D., M.P.H., co-director and pediatrician-in-chief at the Children’s Center. “We are incredibly thankful for all of the generous support from this event, as well as to Mix 106.5 and our volunteers and staff members who work tirelessly to make this event such a success every year.”

This year’s radiothon was the second biggest radiothon event since the program began in 1989, said Tom Cook, brand manager for Mix 106.5. The station’s on-air personalities shared stories of inspiration from families and kids treated at Johns Hopkins. Sponsors who contributed to the radiothon’s success included Chick-fil-A, Johns Hopkins Federal Credit Union, Weis Markets, Rite Aid Healthy Futures, Wawa, Carroll Fuel Services and Royal Farms.

Since its inception in 1989, the radiothon has raised more than $25 million for the Children’s Center.

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Planning for the 2022 NAB Show is ramping up, and Radio World is asking exhibitors about their expectations for what will be the first in-person spring show in three years.

FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will be on hand in the North Hall. Manny Centeno is project manager, National Public Warning System — EAS.

Radio World: What will be your most important news or exhibit message at the convention?

Manny Centeno: FEMA IPAWS encourages all broadcasters and EAS Participants to continue supporting the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and broadcasting in times of emergencies. Broadcasters provide a tremendous public service on a daily basis, and especially during times of extreme situations. IPAWS will provide best practices to attendees about the EAS and emergency broadcasts.

RW: FEMA has a program to harden Primary Entry Point stations. At the same time, the government is promoting the use of electric vehicles. What can or should be done about the EAS reliance on AM stations, while fewer cars may have AM radios? And what should we know about the FCC’s recent changes to the rules for broadcasters regarding EAS?

Centeno: EAS messages can be heard on AM and FM radio, terrestrial digital television, cable television systems and wireline operators.

AM radio continues to be a viable pathway for dissemination of EAS messages to the public. Its ability to reach vast geographical areas originating from a single transmission point and its inherent resilience make AM radio one of the best methods for reaching the public.

FEMA operates and sustains the National Public Warning System (NPWS), which includes 77 broadcast AM and FM station participants and relays covering 90% of the U.S. population. FEMA is currently modernizing its NPWS Primary Entry Point (PEP) facilities to provide added resiliency to assure the nation can be alerted and informed in times of extreme emergencies.

FEMA encourages the automobile industry to continue installing AM and FM radios in cars. Broadcast radio saves lives and supports our national security.

Additionally, FEMA encourages the public to keep a portable, battery-operated AM/FM radio at home with fresh batteries. Broadcast radio has and will continue to save lives in times of disasters and emergencies.

FEMA also encourages broadcasters and local/state jurisdictions to work together to assure that the public continues to receive urgent alerts and warnings.

FEMA Booth: N7106

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