TWiRT 545 - Today's Challenges and Solutions with Cris Alexander

A broadcast company’s Director of Engineering faces more challenges from different directions than ever before. With telcos abandoning legacy services, fires threatening remote transmitter sites, AM tower sites having to move out, and thieves stealing copper or other valuables, the DoE job is full of daily dilemmas and crises. Cris Alexander, DoE at Crawford Broadcasting, deals with these problems and more, and depends on a team of local engineers as well. We get to spend an hour with Cris to hear about today’s challenges and some solutions.

Show Notes:
The Local Oscillator - current and back issues - A GREAT resource for all of us!
Tip of the Week: Paessler PRTG - network monitoring software
See Todd Dixon’s writeup on Paessler PRTG monitoring software in the April, 2021, edition of The Local Oscillator - starting on page 7

Guest:
Cris Alexander - Director of Engineering at Crawford Broadcasting

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 545 - Today's Challenges and Solutions with Cris Alexander

TWiRT 544 - Busta 'Crete with John Bisset

Bustin’ concrete, CIDR notation, Rat Magic, unlimited (almost) photo storage, more mouse eviction tactics, and the best site maintenance practices.  Whew! It’s all covered and uncovered on this TWiRT episode with the beloved John Bisset, author of “Workbench”. 

Show Notes:
Dexpan Non-Explosive Demolition Agent for Concrete Removal
Concrete Bustin’ Demo Video
Aha! “CIDR” stands for Classless Inter Domain Routing. Here’s a CIDR calculator
John talked about Middle Atlantic Rack Shelves as a possible substitute for Server Rack Rails
John likes ½” galvanized steel “hardware cloth” to protect larger openings from critters

Guest:
John Bisset - Director, Western US Sales at Telos Alliance and Author of the “Workbench” column in Radio World magazine.

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:
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 544 - Busta 'Crete with John Bisset

TWiRT 543 - EAS, One Year into the Pandemic - with Adrienne Abbott

EAS - The Emergency Alert System: Is it sometimes a pain for broadcasters? Or is it a life-saving emergency messaging system? Adrienne Abbott is Chair of the Nevada EAS. She brings a balanced and reasonable perspective to EAS operations and functionality. Plus, she’s helping to enhance the localism of EAS alerts in Clark County, Nevada, where Las Vegas and suburbs sprawl across the high desert. 

Show Notes:
EAS - Emergency Alert System on Wikipedia
AlertSense critical event management platform
Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) on Wikipedia

Guest:
Adrienne Abbott - Nevada EAS Chair and Amateur Radio W6BCY

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:
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 543 - EAS, One Year into the Pandemic - with Adrienne Abbott

TWiRT 542 - Engineering Adds Revenue via RDS with Joe Marshall

The FM Radio Data System has been around for 45 years, but internationally finalized in 2000. Despite being a worldwide standard, radio manufacturers and broadcasters have implemented the standard in different ways, resulting in rather inconsistent information displays for consumers. One leading company fixing this problem is Quu. Joe Marshall is the Technical Success Manager for Quu, and focused on helping FM broadcasters get consistent and compelling data and graphical displays on every FM and HD radio on the road. 

Show Notes:
NAB Study and Best Practices:
NAB Auto Initiative (this page links to these two PDFs):
NAB_DigitalDash_BestPractices_0319.pdf
NAB_DigitalDash_RecommendedBestPractices_0419.pdf

Guest:
Joe Marshall - Technical Success Manager at Quu, Inc.

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:
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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bTWiRT 542 - Engineering Adds Revenue via RDS with Joe Marshall

TWiRT 541 - Complexity Has Disappeared with Dan McQuillin

Dan McQuillin is known for making complex broadcast operations much simpler, often by “disappearing the complexity”. We’re looking at the Digital/Bionic Table and the overarching themes in the way technology is deployed that Table leverages... Software, Browser based interfaces, BYOD and Virtualisation, and the impact that leaning in to these changes can have on the way spaces are designed and content is created and consumed.

This first look at the Bionic Table is so new, there’s just no information on the web about it. Watch this episode of TWiRT and you’ll be as up-to-date as anyone. When Bionic Table is publicly released, you’ll be able to read about it here… https://www.bionics.co.uk/

Guest:
Dan McQuillin - Managing Director at Broadcast Bionics, Ltd.

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:
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 541 - Complexity Has Disappeared with Dan McQuillin