Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 895, Volume 18, #11 for October 7, 2026

FCC FREEZE ON SOME MINOR FM MODS
There is a non-comm translator Window coming up next month. In advance, the filing freeze affecting translators and LPFMs has prevented changes in the NCE Band until the close of the Window.

WINTERIZING
For most of us, it is clear the seasonal weather is shifting. More than just the leaves changing color, it is time to pull out and work through the checklist of items to get ready for the colder days ahead. Jeff Welton has some good tips on keeping the outside out, and Barry offers some tips to work on but it is true that each installation is unique is some way. See some missing tips? Share. Let us know!

THE RIGHT WAY TO JUDGE LOUDNESS
You probably have heard that the Loudness Wars were over. However, as you move across the web, some sites suddenly make you feel either your speakers died – or are smoking hot. What is the right level for streaming – and is it the same as for Broadcast? And, what about that CALM Act – is it really going to make a difference?  This week we welcome one of the best guys to talk audio – Cornelius Gould – Corny to most of us. Join us for an informative look at what we are sending – and how it gets to the listener.

Join us Thursday at 2 PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific for a live demonstration to see how it works and how it will help you. The link for our presentation is at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ We will also be on YouTube live and the video will be archived on the BDR Lunch Gathering page.

By the way, we do have a Tuesday Reminder list, if you wish to be reminded of each week’s program. Just reply to this email and ask!  way… we are not even asking for users to “register.” Of course, if you like it, we would appreciate knowing.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

THE EAS NPT IS COMING
As announced, the NPT will be on November 17th – unless rescheduled due to events to December 3rd. But stations are reminded to fill out Form One on the FCC’s ETRS site before the end of October. Also, you must have required firmware for the test to be received: for the DASDEC 54.00 or higher, for Sage 96.00 or higher. Combined with the new password requirement, non-compliant systems could receive enforcement action from the Commission’s Enforcement Bureau.

DIGESTING SOME MORE EAS COMMENTS
September 29 was last week. The FCC is now requiring stations to seriously improve their firewalls and passwords that are protecting Internet-connected equipment. Essentially, if it is connected to the program chain and the Internet, the requirements go into effect – including the 15 character passwords. As the FCC FAQ notes, you can use complete words in the password, but not any 15-character word (Yes, there are about 1000 of them!). Any legacy gear that cannot use 15-character passwords must either be replaced or put completely behind a firewall with no access to the Internet.

One of the major “themes” in the Comments and Reply Comments was the desire of some to eschew hardware EAS machines entirely – and move completely to software-based EAS machines. Of course, current EAS machines are already software-based, but some folks want to eliminate the hardware entirely. Fortunately, the general consensus is that while there are benefits to increasing the software-based part of EAS alerting, those benefits should not be pushed too fast – putting the system itself at risk of being less capable of reaching the public.

FCC MOVES TO EASE SOME TOWER RULES
This has to do with the FCC’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review procedures. While there are a number of aspects to be considered, basically the FCC review will move in a different way to reduce bureaucratic hurdles in reviewing environmental issues for most towers that do not have to be registered. If you are planning a new tower or replacement, this is where your friendly tower company will be a valuable asset.

MORE SPECTRUM NOW OPEN FOR AUCTION
It was expected. At the FCC’s Open Meeting, the Commission put 1000 MHz of spectrum in the 12 and 42 GHz bands, for use by services such as satellite broadband and other connectivity services.

FCC DROPS NATIONAL TV CAP 
It was not unanimous, but the current Commission issued a Report and Order dropping the old cap of 39% of the national television viewership allowed to be had by one company. Instead, the Commission plans a case-by-case review to determine if greater viewer concentration can be permitted.

THE FCC FORM 395-B IS DEAD
It was put on hold while the matter when through the court system. Now, the Fifth Circuit decision concludes the FCC had no authority for requiring stations classify and report workforce race, ethnicity, and gender data in the first place – and the FCC quickly followed with a Delete, Delete, Delete Order. (Factoid: the 395-B had been dormant for 25 years, until the Commission tried to revive it during the last administration.) At least for now, the 395-B is history.

Q3 STATION TOTALS SHOW DRIFT
The FCC just released the total number of broadcast facilities as of 9/30/26. While the total was nearly 100 fewer stations, most of that was from full power AM and FM stations and their translator/boosters, and low power TV. In fact, in the course of last week, 28 full power licenses were surrendered to the FCC for cancellation. A slight increase in NCEFM stations did not balance the losses.

AM SURVIVAL BRINGS CHANGE
A recent sale of a long-standing Quincy/Boston station brings changes in format and staff. The former WMEX (1510) sold for $1 plus debt assumption, with the former owners saying they could not find a way to break even and pay staffers.

TOWER SITE SALE BRINGS MILLIONS
In Burbank (Los Angeles) CA, the three-tower site of the former KMPC (710) has been sold. The 19 acres brought $72-75 million, and pending approval from the city, the plan is to drop the towers and build 303 homes on the site, which is one of the largest contiguous undeveloped parcels in the East San Fernando Valley. 

ARRESTED BY COPS / FINED BY FCC
An attempt to rob a jewelry store in Irving TX last year did not work out well for the robbers. Not only were they arrested, but the FCC popped the crew with a $25k fine.

BBC MEDIUM WAVE (AM) BROADCASTS COME TO EOL
It has been coming for some time. BBC Local Medium Wave transmissions from five areas are scheduled to close by the end of the year. The BBC reports that this is largely due to changes in listener habits, with audiences have increasingly moving away from MW, so the local stations transmit programs via FM, DAB digital radio, BBC Sounds, smart speakers and online services.

PARAMOUNT + WARNER BROS. = SKYDANCE
The messy $110B acquisition of Warner Bros/Discovery finally concluded this week with Paramount gaining, among other things, streaming and news gathering assets but, even more, the combination, renamed Skydance, is now in control of two of the largest film and television collections in Hollywood.

FOR SALE
Do you have an amplifier for Harris MW1/MW1A? Someone is looking for it! Or, maybe you need a nice, we cared for Harris/Gates Air Flexstar HD-FM broadcast Exciter? These are among the items added to the ForSale Page this week.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

  Here are some of the more recent items of interest:

• Critter Control – Jeff Welton
• Getting Ready for Winter – Barry Mishkind
• Join the Lunch Gathering – Thursday 2 PM Eastern
• Enforcement Watch – No NPT Forms for 3 Year = $27k / NoV for 475% over power
• Getting Hear from There – Mark Durenberger
• The FCC EAS Proposals – where industry agrees … and where it doesn’t – Ed Czarnecki
• A Complete Station Audit is Important – Barry Mishkind
• A Free Tool for the New FCC EAS Password Rule – and More! – Ken Fine
• Do You Have the Right USB-C Cable? – Barry Mishkihd

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 
MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:

Do You Remember? This week in history:

Broadcast related items:

• 2 years ago (10/11/24) a hot air balloon hit the KKOB tower in Albuquerque, causing it to fail.
• 10 years ago (10/6/16) Prince’s Paisley Park was opened to the public.
• 22 years ago (10/8/04) Ray Charles went Platinum, six months after his death with “Genius Loves Company.“
• 35 years ago (10/4/91) “Good Vibrations” became a #1 hit – for Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
• 38 years ago (10/4/88) TV preacher Jim Bakker was indicted on Federal Charges.
• 40 years ago (10/4/86) Dan Rather was hit from behind by a man repeating a phase. *
• 46 years ago (10/11/80) Queen was #1 with “Another One Bites the Dust” for second of three weeks.
• 51 years ago (10/11/75) George Carlin came down from the balcony to inaugurate Saturday Night Live.
• 56 years ago (10/10/70) the Public Broadcasting Service launched.
• 56 years ago (10/4/70) Janis Joplin died of a drug (heroin) overdose, three days after recording “Mercedes Benz” a capella.
• 57 years ago (10/10/69) Sesame Street went on the air.
• 57 years ago (10/5/69) Monty Python’s Flying Circus premiered on BBC One
• 70 years ago (10/6/56) A House Subcommittee convened to investigate rigged TV quiz shows.
• 105 years ago (10/5/1921) the first World Series play-by-play (NY Giants/Yankees) was broadcast by WJZ. (The previous year 
• the scores from the World Series were broadcast by – 8MK/WWJ, Detroit.)

… and 281 years ago (10/11/1745) Dean Ewald Jurgen von Kleist inventis the Leyden Jar (the first capacitor).

And here are some “regular news history” type items:

• 4 years ago (10/5/22) New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit his 62nd home run of the season, breaking Roger Maris’ 1961 American League record.
• 36 years ago (6/13/90) the demolition of the Berlin Wall was official.
• 37 years ago (11/9/89) the Berlin Wall started coming down and Germany was reunited after 41 years. 
• 46 years ago (10/10/80) Midway released the video game Pac-Man to arcades in North America.
• 79 years ago (10/5/47 Harry Truman delivered the first-ever presidential speech on TV.
• 90 years ago (10/9/36) Hoover Dam begans transmitting electricity to Los Angeles.
• 100 years ago (10/6/1926) Babe Ruth set a World Series record by hitting three home runs in one game.
• 117 years ago (10/7/1919) – World’s oldest airline still operating, KLM, was founded.
• 138 years ago (10/9/1888) The Washington Monument was opened to the public.
• 143 years ago (10/4/1883) The Orient Express departed on its first official journey from Paris to Constantinople.

… and 155 years ago (10/8/1871) flames sparked in the Chicago barn of Patrick and Catherine O’Leary, reportedly igniting a two-day blaze that killed 200 – 300 people, destroyed 17,450 buildings, left 100,000 homeless and caused tremendous damage. Legend has it that a cow did it … but it was a bad period for Chicago, with 20 fires the week before this one, alone.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

* What’s the Frequency Kenneth?

MIDWEEK BONUS

No reboot!
What do you think is the longest a computer has run without rebooting? Six months? Six years? 16 years? Check it out.

Online tone generator: 
You may end up spendinng some time with this, but it may also prove to be a very useful tool!

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PLEASE TELL US WHAT’S WHAT
There are so many areas into which we would like to expand, but it is feedback from you that helps us decided where to go first. Are you interested in a certain piece of gear or technology? Let us know. Even better, would you be willing to do a user report and share your experience? 

PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN US
We sure hope you are finding the BDR and the Newsletter to be of value to you. If so, there are two things that you can do to ensure the BDR keeps pulsing along:
        1. Invite a colleague or a friend to sign up for the Newsletter. Since it is only one-time-a-week, you will not be accused of flooding their in-boxes!
        2. Anytime you deal with one of our sponsors, letting them know the BDR is important to you will make them happy – and ready to keep on supporting the BDR.

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We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.

barry

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Now … some extra stuff .. some important … some just interesting.

MORE DETAIL HERE – YOU HAVE PROBABLY READ THIS BEFORE…
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