TWiRT 573 - Boomer Push for Digital with Quentin Howard

A real pioneer in deploying digital audio sources, infrastructure, and transmission in the UK - and even worldwide, Quentin Howard is our guest on this fascinating episode of TWiRT.  Already a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Quentin was further honored as a Fellow of the Radio Academy in November, 2021. We’re discussing the first uses of Compact Disc digital audio in the UK, as well as the UK’s first use of audio processing on FM broadcasts in the 1980s. DAB rollout and the subsequent DAB+ ratification and rollout are also among our topics. We round the show out with what may be the perfect radio format for many TWiRT fans - Boom Radio!

Show Notes:
Boom Radio - Direct AAC stream link - Direct MP3 stream link

After much testing in home environments, Quentin prefers these two mics:
RODE NT-USB
Blue Yeti

Inovonics 250 FM audio processor
David Lloyd - Boom Radio presenter
Quentin mentioned he likes to evaluate audio quality with Mozart’s Piano Concerto 21
DAB and DAB+ in the UK (Wikipedia article)

Guest:
Quentin Howard, F.I.E.T. - Radio and TV Media Executive, Technologist and Consutant

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

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Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 573 - Boomer Push for Digital with Quentin Howard

TWiRT 572 - Cruisin' for Engineering with Shane Toven

Vacations are important - for our well-being, sanity, restfulness, and more.  But Shane Toven just can’t stop thinking and talking about broadcast engineering and the technologies that attend it!  From the enormous cruise ship, “Majestic Princess,” Shane joins us via SES satellite link using their O3b Networks technology. So, what do you talk about with a man on vacation? Food? Ports of call? Tracking tags? Tower sites? Staying connected to work? Satellite data transport technology?  Yes!

Show Notes:
O3b Networks (Wikipedia) - Global coverage Internet access from medium earth orbit satellites
O3b mPOWER web site from SES
O3b mPOWER site explaining rationale for medium earth orbit coverage
“SES” is an acronym for Société Européenne des Satellites
Live map of the Majestic Princess
Another live map of maritime traffic along the West Coast of Mexico
Article about wearable RFID tags for cruise passengers and more

Guest:
Shane Toven - Senior Broadcast Engineer at Educational Media Foundation

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

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TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 572 - Cruisin' for Engineering with Shane Toven

TWiRT 571 - Structured Wiring with Ed Bukont

Many broadcast engineers have implemented “structured wiring” within their facilities. Some, like TWiRT host, Kirk Harnack, haven’t really jumped into the best practices yet.  Ed Bukont, owner of E2 Technical Services, both consults and integrates facilities. His vast experience with structured wiring in broadcast plants makes for solid information that we engineers need to know. And, he’s got Kirk convinced to “do it right” on his next project.

Show Notes:
E2 Technical Services
Nice structured wiring catalog from CableToGo (PDF)
Ed mentioned “Top of Rack” cabling - here’s info on cabling approaches
TIA568B pinout standard
TruCable offers instruction on many structured wiring and cable topics
Video playlist covering structured wiring in a commercial setting
CableSupply.com has good videos on every aspect of structured wiring

Guest:
Ed Bukont - E2 Technical Services

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 571 - Structured Wiring with Ed Bukont

TWiRT 570 - Quality is Worth the Effort with Gordon Carter

Necessity may be the "mother of invention”, but Gordon Carter never thought necessity alone was good enough. As Chief Engineer at classical station, WFMT in Chicago, Gordon's broadcast audio systems had to sound impeccably great, yet withstand the rigors of 24/7/365 broadcasting in America's 3rd largest radio market, Chicago. Let’s learn together from Gordon’s pursuit of audio excellence in FM broadcasting.

Show Notes:
WFMT’s Notable Technological Achievements
Gordon Carter’s web site - gcarter.us
Gordon Carter’s published works
Apt Holman phono preamplifier - review
Gordon mentioned Siliconix CMOS analog switches (PDF)

Guest:
Gordon Carter - Retired Director of Engineering at WFMT

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 570 - Quality is Worth the Effort with Gordon Carter

TWiRT 569 - Demystifying Loudness with John Kean

In our radio broadcasting world 100% modulation (or more?) has been the goal for decades. However, we now find ourselves entering a new paradigm where consistency and quality eclipse loudness as an audio level objective. What do units of audio loudness mean? If 0 dB isn’t the goal, then what is? -16 LKFS? John Kean is a leading expert on perceived audio loudness, plus he’s a prominent broadcast engineer. Let’s hear from John and understand what this world of audio loudness sounds like and find out why it’s changing.

Show Notes:
AES Technical Document AESTD1008.1.21-9
BS-1770: Algorithms to measure audio programme loudness and true-peak audio level
Dolby: Guide to Loudness in Media
More information on BS-1770 loudness measurement from Meterplugs.com
ProTools: AES Update Loudness Recommendations For Audio Only Streaming

Guest:
John Kean - Kean Consultants, LLC

Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel and the continuing informative live webinars. Sign up for free!
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Angry Audio - with StudioHub cables and adapters. Audio problems disappear when you get Angry at AngryAudio.com. 
And MaxxKonnectWireless - Prioritized High Speed Internet Service designed for Transmitter Sites and Remote Broadcasts. 

Look for in-depth radio engineering articles in Radio-Guide magazine.

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TWiRT 569 - Demystifying Loudness with John Kean