The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource

... edited by Barry Mishkind - the Eclectic Engineer

This Week’s Newsletter

Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 804, Volume 16, #24 for January 15, 2025

LA FIRES
Broadcasters from all over the country have taken notice of the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, relieved that, at least for now, the Mt. Wilson site was spared – a site with 21 FM and 10 TV signals – all on generators. The adjacent Mt. Harvard was not as fortunate, with a couple of stations that had to go off or switch to auxiliary sites. But all personnel seem to be OK.

Last Thursday, on our weekly zoom meeting, one of the local engineers spent time talking about the stations with which he was familiar and how they were getting on, explaining a lot of what we were seeing on the newscasts. We may have some updates this week.

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY
It is expected that most government Chief Executives deliver a “State of ____ ” speech over this and next month. You will also hear/see from the outgoing and incoming FCC Chair. One measure of the broadcast industry might be the 99 fewer commercial radio stations compared to last year. Another will be the attendance at the NAB Spring Show. And in the meantime, the policies of the new Administration and its goals for broadcast will be announced. Bottom line: this will be an interesting year.

LOOKING BACK AT CES
Bigger than the NAB Show, CES is one of the largest conventions going. What was there … what should you know?  Let’s talk about it tomorrow (Thursday). The URL link is at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ and we will also be on youtube live as usual.

SPEAKING OF NAB
The registration for the early April NAB Show this year is now open. It is a good time to get registered. Free Floor Passes will be available shortly, so keep an eye out, if that is what you need. Hotel registrations are also open. Check with the NAB.org page.



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


FCC APPLICATION FEES INCREASE
Periodically, the fees for applications are required to be increased to match inflation. The FCC has announced a current rise. If you have an application being prepared, it might well save you some bucks by getting it in before the increase, which will be in about 30 days or so. Of course, non-comm stations are exempt.

EAS FINES CONTINUE
We have noted that FCC actions have increased in recent years, with fines getting higher and higher. A TV station in Fredriksberg, TX just got a proposed fine of $369,190. Other recent fines include $34k against a ham operator, a whole bunch of letters to landlords warning about fines for them allowing pirate broadcasters to operate on their property, and several to individual pirates, (including one to a “Jumpin’ Jammin’ Jimmy”).

TIKTOK USERS MOVING
The law requiring TikTok to sell is close, and reports are many users are jumping to Youtube and Instagram, and curiously, Red Note, a new Chinese operation, out of Shanghai.

FOR SALE
Looking for a used 3CX2500 or 5762/7C24 tube? Several are available. A couple of transmitters are now available at no cost. And someone is looking for an old DAP, in any condition, even not working. The BDR BuySell page is here.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Some recent articles of interest:

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

       
      MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

      MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

      CH-CH-CH-CHANGES
      Last week we told you Elenos was being acquired by DACTA, an Italian company. Further information is that Broadcast Electronics was not part of that deal and BE continues to be owned by Leonardo Busi and based in Quincy, IL.

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      Digital Alert Systems has appointed Daniel Dillon as product and project manager for the company’s HALO product – their  patented system for managing Emergency Alert System and Common Alerting Protocol devices.

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      Lawo will be exhibiting at the 2025 NAMM Show, held January 23 through 25 at the Anaheim Convention Center, booth 17306 in the North Hall.

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      Sennheiser has introduced a new version of the SM7, specifically the SM7dB which includes a built-in mic-preamp.

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

       


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

        • 35 years ago (1/13/90) MC Hammer released his major hit “U Can’t Touch This,” … and the pants that no one wears today!
        • 45 years ago (1/16/80) Paul McCartney was jailed for ten days in Japan for bringing in a half pound of marijuana.
        • 50 years ago (1/18/75) Barry Manlow gets his first #1 hit with “Mandy.“
        • 51 years ago (1/12/74) Steve Miller hit #1 with �The Joker.“
        • 53 years ago (1/15/72) Don McLean�s “American Pie” hits #1 for the first of four weeks.*
        • 53 years ago (1/12/72) Al Green hit #1 with “Let’s Stay Together.
        • 55 years ago (1/14/70) Diana Ross and the Supremes perform their final concert.
        • 57 years ago (1/13/68) Johnny Cash performed the two shows that were recorded at Folsom Prison.**
        • 62 years ago (1/12/63) “Go Away Little Girl” by Steve Lawrence hits #1.
        • 64 years ago (1/15/61) Motown signed the Supremes, originally a four member group. ***
        • 66 years ago (1/12/59) Berry Gordy starts the Tamla Record Company with $800 borrowed funds***
        • 115 years ago (1/13/1910) inventor Lee de Forest produced the wireless transmission of a live Metropolitan Opera, an experiment and publicity stunt.                                               

        and 118 years ago (1/15/1907) Lee de Forest patented his Audion tube.

        Here are a few other “newsy” items of interest:

        • 15 years ago (1/12/10) an earthquake in Haiti killed more than 100,000 people.
        • 16 years ago (1/15/09) Pilot Sully Sullenberger landed his airplane on the Hudson River, with no fatalities.
        • 24 years ago (1/15/01) Wikipedia was launched.
        • 29 years ago (1/18/96) Major League Baseball approved interleague play for the first time.
        • 58 years ago (1/15/67) Super Bowl I saw the Green Bay Packers beat the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.
        • 75 years ago (1/17/50) 11 men stole more than $2 million ($32 million today) from the Brink’s Armored Car depot in Boston, Massachusetts.
        • 73 years ago (1/14/52) NBC�s “Today” debuted.
        • 106 years ago (1/16/1919) Prohibition was ratified (18th Amendment) and plunged the nation into dryness. *****
        • 121 years ago (1/12/1904) Henry Ford set a land speed record – 91.37 mph – in a wooden car.
        • 136 years ago (1/15/1889) the Coca-Cola Co. was incorporated.

        … and 466 years ago (1/15/1559) Elizabeth I was crowned Queen of England.


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

           

          * The single ran 8:36, requiring both sides of the 45 for the whole song.

          ** But dropped the suit and makes the song their unofficial jingle.

          *** Diana Ross was only 16.

          **** One year later it was renamed Motown Records.

          ***** It was the perfect crime – almost – as the culprits weren’t caught until January 1956, just days before the statute of limitations for the theft expired.

          ****** Repealed in 1933 with the 21st Amendment.

          MIDWEEK BONUS

          Pinball machines were not always computer driven. There really were balls and more – the inspiration for the Rock Opera “Tommy” and “Pinball Wizard.” Some of these machines still live and are being repaired.

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          By the way, did you know the magnetic pole’s location is not “fixed.” The magnetic North Pole is in a “new place.”

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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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