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CHAPTER 24, Inc., MADISON, WI
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Monthly eNews
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October 2020
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Our Next Meeting:
Wednesday, Oct 14th
RF Coordinating
at Major Sports Events
by Gary Trenda
RF coordinator for Camp Randall
Gary will discuss what is involved with RF coordination on game days in large stadiums. He is currently the Frequency Coordinator for Camp Randall Stadium in Madison and is the RF Team Lead for entertainment (half time show, national anthem, etc.) at the Super Bowl. Gary also worked on the audio crew at Lambeau Field for many years with RF coordination being done by fellow SBE member Joe Kamenic.
7:00 PM - Meeting/Program
This meeting is part of the
virtual Broadcasters Clinic
Connection information will be distributed
in the days prior to the meeting.
Last Meeting's Minutes
Submitted by Russ Awe, Secretary
The SBE Chapter 24 meeting was called to order by Chapter Chair Britny Williams at 7:02pm, September 24, 2020 via a Zoom Teleconference. The meeting had 13 members present with Nine being certified and one guest.
The Secretary meeting minutes from 8/26/2020 were moved by Leonard Charles, seconded by Kevin Rupert and approved as submitted.
Mike Norton as Chapter Treasurer reported that two recent sustaining membership checks were received: from Resonant Results, and Sinclair Broadcast Group/WMSN. Thank you Resonant Results and Sinclair Broadcast Group/WMSN. The Chapter 24 account balance remains in the black.
With the eNews letter, Leonard Charles reported that the deadline for articles for the October eNews letter is Thursday October 1st at 5pm. Please forward any article of interest to Chapter 24 members to Lcharles@sbe.org .
Fred Sperry sent a report that Chapter 24 has 12 sustaining members. Thanks to WMSN and Resonant Results for renewing! Also a question was raised about electronic funds transfers instead of sending checks. Possible options will be researched including Associated Bank.
Britney reported that we have 46 members in our chapter.
Britny reported that a virtual meeting is being held for the WBA Broadcasters Clinic in October. More on that later. For a full list, dates and planned programs please see the Chapter 24 web site. (http://www.sbe24.org/Meetings/C24_mtg.asp)
Tom Smith with Frequency Coordination reported that nothing is happening due to COVID.
With the National SBE news, Leonard Charles reported that the next SBE webinar is Tuesday, September 29 at 1 pm CDT. The topic is Fiber Optic Cables for HD Broadcast with Ben Nemser and Daniel Ritts of Nemal. Free for SBE members with the MemberPlus option. Register at SBE.org/Education.
A recording is available of the SBE Annual Membership Meeting and National Awards Presentation which was conducted live last evening over the SBE You Tube channel. Go to: https://www.youtube.com/user/sbenational.
Some Wisconsin related highlights from last night's presentation:
- James Ragsdale of Anderson IN was announced as the new SBE Executive Director to begin work on January 1st. He most recently was VP of finance at Anderson University where he oversaw the business office, HR, the physical plant, Police and security, and campus auxiliary services.
- Chapter 112 of Western Wisconsin was awarded the Highest Percentage of Member Attendance at Meetings in the Class A division
- Former Chapter 24 member Kevin Trueblood began his second term as Secretary
- Wisconsin's Steve Brown of Fox Valley Chapter 80 begins his second 2 year Board term
- Wisconsin's Chriss Tarr of Milwaukee Chapter 28 begins the second year of his first 2 year Board term
- Frequent Broadcasters Clinic presenter Mark Person of Brainerd MN was awarded the John H Battison Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Fred Baumgartner, formerly of Chapter 24, won his second James C Wulliman SBE Educator of the Year award. His previous win was in 2009
Under new business a reminder was mentioned about registering for the Wisconsin Broadcasters Clinic October 13-15. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will be one of the presenters.
https://www.wi-broadcasters.org/events/broadcasters-clinic/
There was no old business.
Meeting was adjourned at 7:16pm.
The meeting was followed with a presentation from Nemal Electronics by Eric Papenfuss on Fiber Optics for HD Broadcast. The presentation covered basic fiber optic cable construction, termination types, testing and practical applications in broadcast video, audio and data. It was overheard that "I could watch fiber being terminated all day".
Broadcasters Clinic / Don Borchert Fellowship
This year, due to COVID, the Broadcasters Clinic will be held virtually October 13th thru 15th. Program information and on line registration can be found here.
Applications are now being taken for the annual Don Borchert Broadcasters Clinic Fellowship which makes available paid registration to the event. For information and an application go here.
Equipment Liquidation
Terry and Linda Baun have left Wisconsin and moved to Linda's home state of Indiana. While preparing for the move they decided it was time to divest themselves of Terry's compilation of high end test gear, shop/bench test equipment, and Hi-Fi Stereo gear. To that end they have asked Chapter 24 member Clif Groth to handle the process. Clif has an Excel spreadsheet with the inventory. If you have an interest Clif will gladly share the spreadsheet with you if you contact him at clifgroth@gmail.com or call Clif at 608-751-2663.
Please note Terry has an extensive book inventory that will be divested as well. Chapter 80's Steve Brown is in charge of that inventory. Look for a future announcement about that.
Program Ideas Appreciated
The Chapter 24 meeting schedule is available here. Is there a topic you would like to see covered at one of our local Chapter 24 meetings? Or, better yet, is there a topic that you'd like to speak on at an upcoming meeting? Please forward any ideas to Britny Williams or to one of the Chapter 24 officers for consideration. Open dates are available.
Amateur Radio News
Compiled by Tom Weeden, WJ9H
Amateur radio to lose the 3 GHz band?
ARRL met via telephone with FCC staff members last week to emphasize its opposition to the FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in Docket 19-348 to delete amateur radio from the 3.3 - 3.5 GHz band. The FCC was scheduled to take final action in the proceeding when it met on September 30.
In comments filed earlier this year, ARRL urged that the secondary status for amateur radio in the band be continued. In a series of meetings with Commissioner legal advisors and staff members, ARRL explained how continued secondary use by radio amateurs will not impair or devalue use of this spectrum by future primary licensees, including those intending to provide 5G or other services. ARRL also stressed the various public-benefit uses of the spectrum by amateurs, including ongoing use of television and mesh networks on the west coast of the US as part of efforts to contain wildfires.
With regard to interference potential, ARRL stated that amateur radio operators using these bands are technically proficient and have a long history of sharing with primary users in this and other bands without causing interference.
FCC staff expressed concern that because amateur operations in the band are less clearly defined than those of other services also operating on a non-interference in the band, they would be difficult to locate should interference occur. ARRL Washington Counsel David Siddall, K3ZJ, noted that Section 97.303(g), an existing amateur rule, could be amended or used to craft a notification requirement, if the FCC concluded that relying on other methods would be insufficient. The FCC participants indicated that such a requirement, in place of deleting the secondary allocation, would be given serious consideration. (Section 97.303(g) contains specific frequency-sharing requirements for the 2200- and 630-meter amateur bands.)
Siddall also pointed out that the Amateur Television Network (ATN) filed an email with the Commission that included a letter from the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) describing amateur radio's contributions, specifically calling out the need for 3.4 GHz access and explaining why other bands are not sufficient.
ARRL also argued that, in any event, continued operation in the band should be permitted until and unless an actual potential for interference exists in a specific geographic area. ARRL said the FCC should not intentionally leave spectrum capacity unused during a build-out period that the Commission's own proposal indicates will last for at least 12 years in some areas.
A final FCC Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is currently expected to be released within a few days after the Commission's September 30 meeting. At that time, ARRL will evaluate the impact on amateur radio of the Commission's decisions and consider what further action, if any, may be merited.
Interference potential from Wireless Power Transfer
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 President Don Beattie, G3BJ, wants to raise greater awareness regarding the interference potential of Wireless Power Transfer for Electric Vehicles (WPT-EV). He is urging IARU member-societies to contact national regulators to make them aware of the technology's potential for "RF pollution." Beattie notes that WPT-EV chargers can run as much as 20 kW.
WPT-EV was on the agenda for World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19). The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) conducted studies to assess the impact of WPT-EV on radiocommunications and suitable harmonized frequency ranges. Those ITU-R studies identified the 19 - 25 kHz band, as well as bands in the 50 kHz and 60 kHz range, for high-power WPT-EV, and the 79 - 90 kHz band for medium-power WPT-EV. The consensus of WRC-19 delegates was to make no changes in the ITU Radio Regulations with respect to WPT-EV.
"The discussions about WPT-EV have reached a point where they are moving from the technical to the political arena," Beattie said. "Discussions with a national regulator indicate that we must now take action at the national level. The amateur service, but also other telecommunication services, will experience the consequences of WPT-EV."
Beattie pointed out that long charging times in populated areas could generate harmonics that make radio communication very difficult. "Models show that this also applies to the wider environment of a WPT-EV installation," Beattie said. "Broadcasters, stationary, and mobile services share these concerns" and provided input to CEPT Electronic Communications Committee Report 289.
"The wireless charging of electric cars is done with large coils," he explained. "One of them on the ground under the vehicle, the second in the car. Typically, about 22 kW is transferred wirelessly through those coils. This is done using frequencies between 79 and 90 kHz. Technical and operational standards for WPT-EV are under development."
WPT-EV developers are seeking noise level limits that are some 30 - 45 dB above current noise levels, Beattie said. "Limits that have a serious negative effect on the radio spectrum," he asserted.
(Excerpts from the American Radio Relay League's arrl.org web site)
FCC NEWS
compiled by Tom Smith
The FCC took no major actions in September relating to broadcasting
For the Record
(Wisconsin FCC Actions)
compiled by Leonard Charles
from the FCC Daily Digest
9/8/2020
Applicant: Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, Inc.
W211AY, 90.1 Mhz, Menomonie, WI
W209BM, 89.7 Mhz, De Pere, WI
W204BK, 88.7 Mhz, Sherwood, WI
W204BP, 88.7 Mhz, Eau Claire, WI
W205CM, 88.9 Mhz, Manitowoc, WI
Action: Voluntary Assignment of License
From: Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, Inc.
To: CSN International
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Certification and Education
compiled by Jim Hermanson
The Open Exam Schedule
| Exam Dates |
Location |
Application Deadline
(to SBE National Office) |
February 5-15, 2021
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Local Chapters (Madison Area)
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December 31, 2020
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April 13, 2021
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NAB Show Las Vegas
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March 5, 2021
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June 4-14, 2021
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Local Chapters (Madison Area)
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April 16, 2021
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August 6-16, 2021
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Local Chapters (Madison Area)
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June 11, 2021
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November 5-15, 2021
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Local Chapters (Madison Area)
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September 10, 2021
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What certifications am I eligible for? Click here
Each year, account balance permitting, Chapter 24 will reimburse half the application fee to any member of Chapter 24 in good standing who successfully obtains any SBE certification level not previously held by that member. Contact the SBE Chapter 24 chairperson or certification chairperson for more information.
When you are ready to take an SBE exam, note the open exam schedule, complete the appropriate application (found here... https://www.sbe.org/sections/Cert_App_Proc.php) and send it directly to the SBE National office (see address below) with the respective fee. You will be notified once your application is approved. Your local certification chairman will receive a list of applicants and exams in his/her chapter and arrange for a proctor. He/she will then contact applicants to schedule a mutually agreeable date, time, and place for the exam(s) within the respective exam date window. This must be coordinated before the exam will be sent by SBE National. Completed exam(s) will be mailed back to SBE National for grading. Pass/fail results will be mailed directly to the applicants within approximately six weeks.
The majority of SBE certifications are open book and access to the Internet is allowed to give a more "real world" situation.
You may mail, email or fax your applications to:
Megan E. Clappe
Certification Director
9102 N. Meridian St.
Suite 150
Indianapolis, IN 46260
317-846-9120 Fax
mclappe@sbe.org
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Re-certification
Please keep SBE up to date on your contact information. When your certification is due to expire, you should receive a letter from SBE six, three and one month prior to your certification expiring. You will also receive an email notification. The next expiration date is 1/1/2021. Please send in your re-certification paperwork by that date. If you have any questions contact Certification Director Megan Clappe.
October-November Live Webinars
Thursday, October 15, 2020
AoIP Module 8: Troubleshooting IP Systems
It has been said that the future of audio and video is on packet-switched networks. In the past, a label on a cable and the points it was connected between told you almost everything you needed to know about the circuit and signal flowing. The circuit and the signal were almost one in the same. As system topologies for professional audio & video progressed from analog to digital, much of broadcasting technology remained connected by point-to-point circuits. To change a signal path, you changed a circuit path.
Join us for this webinar as Edwin Bukont, M.Sc., CTS, CSRE, E2 Technical Services & Solutions and Shane Toven, CSRE, CBNT, Senior Broadcast Engineer, Educational Media Foundation, discuss the advances in modern packet-switched networks or IP Networks. This webinar will help you understand how to trouble shoot IP networks and differentiate between physical and logical concerns. Participants should already have a grasp of the basics of modern networking through Layer 4 of the OSI model.
Members $62, MemberPlus Members FREE and Non Members $92. Register Here.
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Virtualization: How It Applies to Your Infrastructure
Virtualization has been around for years, yet some companies still aren't utilizing it. Is it due to the thought of needing IT staff on premise, the potential cost, the fear of the unknown, or something else? Virtualization product available are now in a very mature phase and ready to be used to help you minimize physical infrastructure. Listen as Erik Sheldon, Sr., Systems Administrator, Hope Media Group in Houston, TX, describes virtualization and how you can choose what's right for you in your infrastructure. He will review what products are available and how to decide the level for your needs. We will discuss these, give some real world examples, and have plenty of time for Q&A to get your questions answered!
Members $62, MemberPlus Members FREE and Non Members $92. Register Here.
Thursday, November 12, 2020
Broadcasting During and After a Pandemic: What Works and What Doesn't
What started with "two weeks to stop the spread" is now "we must wait for a vaccine", so staying on-the-air is an ever-changing challenge for radio broadcasters. During March, 2020, many broadcasters moved quickly from their familiar and busy corporate studios to individual home-based studios.
As the working-from-home paradigm has extended even longer, what are engineers envisioning as longer-term solutions? What equipment, software, or workflows are rising to prominence as we're settling into this work paradigm?
In this presentation we'll hear and see directly from broadcast engineers in large, medium, and small markets. We'll see how their signal paths and workflows have morphed over time and learn their predictions for the future of quality and timely content creation from home.
Members $62, MemberPlus Members FREE and Non Members $92. Register Here.
Completion of each of these SBE webinars qualifies for one credit, identified under Category I of the Recertification Schedule for SBE Certifications. The fee for SBE members $62. SBE Members with SBE MemberPlus are FREE. The non-member fee is $92.
Several state-of-the-art radio, TV, multimedia, and IT engineering training is available through this page...
https://www.sbe.org/sections/WebinarsbySBE.php
More information on SBE Education Programs is available here...
https://www.sbe.org/sections/edu_seminars.php
Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), its officers, or its members. SBE Chapter 24, Inc. regrets, but is not liable for, any omissions or errors. Articles of interest to Chapter 24 members are accepted up to the close of business the 1st day of each month. Send your article to lcharles@sbe.org.
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