The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource

Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 844, Volume 17, #11 for October 15, 2025

TWO WEEK WARNING!
Even if the government is still shut, Daylight Saving Time ends in two weeks – on November 2nd at 2 AM, when it becomes 1 AM for most of the country (not most of Arizona nor Hawaii). There is less and less legacy gear that does not change automatically, but this is a reminder to check on your systems, from automation to antenna mode changes, and be ready.

SITE SECURITY WARNING
Last week we noted the price of copper had topped $5/pound. This week we note that FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty is sounding the alarm over a rising tide of vandalism targeting communications infrastructure, which she calls a direct threat to public safety and broadband expansion. She urged lawmakers, industry, law enforcement and the public to partner in hardening networks, criminalizing willful damage, and preserving the FCC’s “Build America” connectivity goals.

Trusty urged for harsher laws and penalties against a “growing epidemic” of attacks to privately owned infrastructure. The commissioner also called on the communications industry as a whole to beef up protection at hubs such as tower sites. She recommended more cameras, tamper-proof housings, and alarms that indicate when some part of the infrastructure is cut.

SO WHY IS IT 50 OHMS?
Have you ever wondered why the common impedance is 50 Ohms? A hint might be that old-timers often refer to RF systems as “plumbing.”

CONTROLLING AUDIO AND SIGNAL FLOW
You might need nothing more than to switch an audio signal between into two paths. Or to have a selector for a number of incoming signals to one or more faders. Similarly, while remote control is much easier these days, it has often become more complex. Simplifying control for easier operation is important.

With these themes in mind, Ben Nason from Broadcast Tools is our guest presenter this week. Ben will discuss solutions that solve problems without killing the budget. Join us and learn things.

As usual, we meet at 2 PM Eastern (11 AM Pacific) on Thursday. Link requests are easily found at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ Our videos are also shown on the youtube.com/thebdrnet channel.