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RadioInsight.com Boards » Forum: Site Discussion - Recent Posts http://radioinsight.com/boards/ RadioInsight Discussion Boards en Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:00:11 +0000 Mike Austerman on "Communications infrastructure vulnerability" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18739#post-75099 Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:32:51 +0000 Mike Austerman 75099@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <blockquote>I was speaking with a friend of mine recently about some interference issues he was having at an FM transmitter site. There were several cellular and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Communications_Service" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Communications_Service');" target="_blank">PCS</a> tenants at this site and something from the FM transmitter was interfering with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPS');" target="_blank">GPS</a> receivers. This one very small glitch was causing multiple carriers to go off line, basically shutting down the entire wireless infrastructure at this particular site. GPS signals are used for syncing carrier frequencies and modulation timing for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_Division_Multiple_Access" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_Division_Multiple_Access');" target="_blank">CDMA</a> and<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_division_multiple_access" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_division_multiple_access');" target="_blank"> TDMA</a> that all cellular, PSC and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3g" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3g');" target="_blank">3G</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4g" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4g');" target="_blank">4G</a> (or whatever G) wireless systems use to seamlessly hand off users from one site to another. Without it, the entire system will shut down. What would happen to communications in this country if all GPS were interrupted? When I was in the military, we spoke often about high altitude nuclear detonations and the possible effects it would have on our communications circuits. In fact, we drilled for such things. Often. What, if anything, are wireless carriers doing to keep their sites on line if, heaven forbid, somebody does something to disrupt GPS? If terrestrial radio and television broadcasting is going to be replaced by 3G and 4G wireless networks, how redundant are they? I know, for example, many cell sites do not have long term backup power. They have battery banks, which in a power outage, may last 6-10 hours, but after that, the site is down. Further, how about vulnerabilities getting the data to and from these sites? Most cell sites rely on some type of TELCO circuit, usually a T-1 (DS-1) or multiple T-1’s to interface with the wired network. This includes voice, text and data services. If those circuits are down, then anything connected to them will be off line. What about redundant transmitters, antennas, receivers, etc. How much of the current wireless infrastructure is backed up with spares? It causes me worry to think that someday traditional broadcasters will be going out of business due to poor financial planning, leaving us all to subscription based data services that may or may not be there in an emergency. At least with many radio and TV stations, there are generators, backup transmitters, microwave systems and so forth. Most good broadcasters have emergency plans for restoration of service during a disaster. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Alert_System" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergency_Alert_System');" target="_blank">EAS</a> may not be the greatest thing ever, but right now, it is the only emergency communications plan we have. Radio is still the best and most robust way to communicate vital information during emergencies. Cell sites go off line along with whatever G wireless service, cable TV systems go off line due to power outages or damaged distribution networks, land line phones can be taken out due to power interruptions at the company office or damaged networks. Why do I care? Why should you care? Because, as I have eluded in previous posts, with the demise of local newspapers, the demise of local radio, the erosion of local TV news coverage and the general trivialization of our political apparatus on the local and national level, we are loosing our voice. We will loose our democracy. Right now, the US is on the verge of becoming an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligarchy" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oligarchy');" target="_blank">oligarchy</a> or a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporatocracy');" target="_blank">corporatocracy</a>. What road are we traveling down when unrestricted free access to information is gone? The internet is a great resource, but it is not free. What will happen to the price of internet access when competing information and entertainment technologies such as radio, TV, and newspapers disappear? Look to our transportation sector for an example. Gone are the vast majority of passenger rail roads that criss crossed the country for nearly 100 years. In many places, public transportation is laughable. How do you get to work? How do you get to the store? How much will $5.00 per gallon gas effect your life? More importantly, what can you do about it when the cost of fuel gets expensive? Nothing. Most people are stuck in there suburban homes with not even a convenience store within walking distance. What will happen when terrestrial radio goes away? I shutter to think. </blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/communications-infrastructure-vulnerability/" target="_blank">Communications infrastructure vulnerability</a>  Lance Venta on "Cumulus Puts Q100 in the Bush League" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18738#post-75098 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:02:28 +0000 Lance Venta 75098@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <div class="wpbb_anonymous_userinfo">Posted by unregistered user: </div><blockquote></blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/cumulus-puts-q100-in-the-bush-league/" target="_blank">Cumulus Puts Q100 in the Bush League</a>  Admin on "About Christine" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18737#post-75097 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:16:51 +0000 Admin 75097@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <blockquote>We’re still “away” from the Mighty Blog of Fun(tm) for the most part, though we’d been planning a comprehensive update sometime soon. Since we’ve been actually sitting on this one since mid-February, and are now getting questions on it from readers, we’ll let this item free early. Yes, Scripps Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS/5 has a new meteorologist. From a station memo released about a month ago: Christine Ferreira will join the Good Morning Cleveland team as Meteorologist. Christine comes to Cleveland via Portland, Oregon where she spent three years forecasting mornings for KOIN-TV. Prior to that, Christine was the Chief Meteorologist at KATU-TV in Victoria, Texas, where she guided 24-hour coverage of Hurricane Rita. Christine is a graduate of Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania and is looking forward to moving back east to be closer to family in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Christine will start at WEWS on March 1, 2010. That, she did, and the second question is – what happened to incumbent “GMC” weather anchor Jason Nicholas? Though he isn’t on “GMC” anymore, he’s still at 3001 Euclid – at least as far as we know. Though it’s hard to tell with vacations and such, we believe Jason will land on the weekend editions of “NewsChannel 5″. <a href="http://www.tvnewscheck.com/articles/2010/03/12/daily.3/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/articles/2010/03/12/daily.3/');" target="_blank">This item on TVNewsCheck.com</a> last week still lists Nicholas as part of the “NC5″ weather team: Ferreira joins Good Morning Cleveland news anchors Kimberly Gill and Pete Kenworthy and Chief Meteorologist Mark Johnson and meteorologist Jason Nicholas. Then again, it was freelancer Eileen McShea we saw one recent weekday evening, subbing for Mark Johnson, not Nicholas…so we don’t know how the lineup is now set… <div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13975530-5232574544838387016?l=ohiomedia.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div> </blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/about-christine/" target="_blank">About Christine</a>  Lance Venta on "Is The Box Coming To Charleston, SC?" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18736#post-75096 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:23:25 +0000 Lance Venta 75096@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <div class="wpbb_anonymous_userinfo">Posted by unregistered user: </div><blockquote><a href="http://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2010/03/925thebox.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2010/03/925thebox.png" alt="" title="B92 92.5 The Box WIHB Charleston 95SX WSSX Z93 WWWZ WXST Star 99.7 Apex Broadcasting" width="175" height="202" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3231" /></a> Apex Broadcasting appears to be on the verge of flipping CHR “<a href="http://www.b92online.com/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://www.b92online.com/');" target="_blank">B92</a>” WIHB Charleston, SC to Urban as “92.5 The Box”. The following video hyping the stations launch claims that the change will happen on Friday, March 19: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZB9gx3OJfk" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZB9gx3OJfk');" target="_blank">92.5 The Box Hype Video</a> The video features former WBLS New York/WPHI Philadelphia personality <a href="http://twitter.com/CthaGOD" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://twitter.com/CthaGOD');" target="_blank">Charlamagne Tha God</a> and also hints that the syndicated Ricky Smiley Morning Show will be featured on the station. For further proof, <a href="http://925thebox.com/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://925thebox.com/');" target="_blank">925TheBox.com</a> was registered anonymously in late February. </blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/is-the-box-coming-to-charleston-sc/" target="_blank">Is The Box Coming To Charleston, SC?</a>  on "Radio coming into play in Nevada Republican primary" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18735#post-75095 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:51:07 +0000 75095@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <blockquote>Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has been treading a tightrope for over a year now. He has been forced to shepherd a progressive legislative </blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/radio-coming-into-play-in-nevada-republican-primary/" target="_blank">Radio coming into play in Nevada Republican primary</a>  mediumwave_dx on "Sounds of the Sixties on BBC Radio 2...March 13, 2010" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18734#post-75094 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:37:07 +0000 mediumwave_dx 75094@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ Sounds of the Sixties March 13, 2010 BBC Radio 2 The very best of music from the 1960s…including the hits, the 'B' sides, EP and LP tracks, and the totally obscure. Brian Matthew plays pop classics and rarities from the 60s, including the A to Z of The Beatles. FM-quality stereo: <a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/240558685/9ffeb275/sounds031310.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.4shared.com/file/240558685/9ffeb275/sounds031310.html</a> AM-quality mono: <a href="http://www.4shared.com/file/240556112/35c8fd29/sounds031310.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.4shared.com/file/240556112/35c8fd29/sounds031310.html</a> Click here for complete program information: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rdsbv#synopsis" rel="nofollow">http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rdsbv#synopsis</a> Lance Venta on "Introducing The New RadioInsight.com" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18733#post-75093 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:02:32 +0000 Lance Venta 75093@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <div class="wpbb_anonymous_userinfo">Posted by unregistered user: </div><blockquote><a href="http://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2010/03/insight_icon-2.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2010/03/insight_icon-2.png" alt="" title="RadioInsight Radio Insight Radio-Info AllAccess Message Boards Industry Blog Blogs News Rumors" width="100" height="100" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3200" /></a> Welcome to the first phase of the new RadioInsight.com. We haven’t unwrapped all the features we will be adding in the coming weeks, including updated discussion features. Amongst the new features launching today are the integration of our <a href="http://radioinsight.com/category/broadcast-buzz/" target="_blank">Broadcast Buzz</a> and <a href="http://radioinsight.com/category/blogger-buzz/" target="_blank">Blogger Buzz</a> into the main site. Within our news feed you will see links to some of the top news and commentary from around the internet. Additionally, we have complimented our <a href="http://twitter.com/radioinsight/" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://twitter.com/radioinsight/');" target="_blank">Twitter</a> feed with a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=450700415011" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=450700415011');" target="_blank">Facebook fan page</a>, which we hope to become a destination for radio discussion much in the vein of the message board revolution we began in 1997. Our existing boards aren’t going anywhere and will soon be revamped to better enhance our new focus. In the coming weeks we will be adding many new features, including some locally focused sites, additional industry blogs, and a few surprises. The RadioInsight team revolutionized radio discussion on the Internet and we’re about to bring it into the 21st Century. We at RadioInsight.com thank everybody who has supported us over the years and hope we can continue to be a regular stop on your online travels for a long time to come.</blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/introducing-the-new-radioinsight-com/" target="_blank">Introducing The New RadioInsight.com</a>  Lance Venta on "Cumulus Launches New Kansas City FM" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18732#post-75092 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:31:26 +0000 Lance Venta 75092@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <div class="wpbb_anonymous_userinfo">Posted by unregistered user: </div><blockquote><a href="http://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2010/03/cumulus.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://radioinsight.com/wp-content/images/2010/03/cumulus.png" alt="" title="103.7 The Dam **** Kansas City K225AW Shamrock Leprechaun KCFX The Fox 101.1 HD2" width="174" height="36" class="alignright size-full wp-image-3197" /></a> Cumulus Broadcasting has launched a new station in Kansas City pairing 101.1 KCFX-HD2 with translator 103.7 K225AW. The station is <a href="http://www.broadcastkc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=398&Itemid=1" onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outbound/article/http://www.broadcastkc.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=398&Itemid=1');" target="_blank">currently stunting with Irish Music</a> as “103.7 The Leprechaun“, promising to open its pot of gold on Wednesday, March 17 aka. St. Patrick’s Day. All signs point to a Dam launching, as the following domains were registered by Cumulus last week: 1037thedam.com, 1037thedamn.com, Dam1037.com, Damn1037.com, TheDam1037.com, TheDamn1037.com, DamNation1037.com, and DamnNation1037.com. All currently redirect to Cumulus.com. Cumulus acquired K225AW from Horizon Christian Fellowship last August for $31,500. The translator has since been upgraded from 99 watts at 1007 feet above sea level on 92.9 in Independence, MO to 250 watts @ 2037 feet at 103.7 licensed to Kansas City.</blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/cumulus-launches-new-kansas-city-fm/" target="_blank">Cumulus Launches New Kansas City FM</a>  radiosyn on "Memo puts WGN news staffers at a loss for words" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18731#post-75091 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:08:05 +0000 radiosyn 75091@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <blockquote>Sure, you’d think the chief executive officer of a company struggling to emerge from bankruptcy and desperate to salvage an $8 billion buyout-gone-bad would have better things to do than pester his underlings with crazy proclamations. But in the case of Tribune Co. CEO Randy Michaels, you’d be wrong. The man at the top of the [...]</blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/memo-puts-wgn-news-staffers-at-a-loss-for-words/" target="_blank">Memo puts WGN news staffers at a loss for words</a>  on "Finalists named for Crystal Radio Awards" http://radioinsight.com/boards/topic/18730#post-75090 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:03:57 +0000 75090@http://radioinsight.com/boards/ <blockquote>50 radio stations are finalists for the 2010 Crystal Radio Awards, which honor radio stations for their outstanding year-round commitment to community service. This year’s finalists </blockquote> <a href="http://radioinsight.com/finalists-named-for-crystal-radio-awards/" target="_blank">Finalists named for Crystal Radio Awards</a>