TWiRT 669 - Easy Peasy with Jeff Welton & Jeff Wilson

It’s said that sometimes it’s the plumber who has the worst home plumbing in town; ditto for the electrician with “temporary” fixes and home wiring done hastily, and in an un-workmanlike manner.  Both professionals may not do it right the first time, knowing they can do it right any time. Which never comes.  We broadcast engineers can fall into the same trap. We know where the twisted wires are that are holding the transmitter on-the-air, and we’re careful not to bump them as we do other work. Or we have an overflowing trash can at the transmitter site, which subconsciously deters us from cleaning up new trash as there’s nowhere to put it. Or we know just how to wiggle a power supply connector, or a tower light monitor, or other “percussive maintenance” tricks that no one else knows about. Radio’s most beloved conference speaker, Jeff Welton, and his colleague, Jeff Wilson, join us from Nova Scotia, Canada, with a full hour of smart ideas, clever hacks, and common sense about making your engineering life easier, and doing a better job of it.

Show Notes:
David Bialik’s Radio World article, “What? You Don’t Have a Broadcast Vendor?”
An excellent white paper, “Lightning Protection for Radio Transmitter Stations”
“FM/HD Radio Efficiency Improvement” - a presentation by Gary Liebisch
“Mission Critical: Maintaining Your Transmitter Site” - ebook from Radio World

Guests:
Jeff Welton, CBRE - Regional Sales Manager, Central U.S.
Jeff Wilson - Regional Sales Manager – Western US at Nautel

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

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TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel brings you Transmission Talk Tuesday Discussions. Easy, free registration is here.
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 and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
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TWiRT 669 - Easy Peasy with Jeff Welton & Jeff Wilson

TWiRT 668 - Engineering: A Better Value Now Than Ever

Every time I check in with Josh Bohn, founder of MaxxKonnect Group, he’s busy on an engineering project, or on his way to or from a project. And he’s not alone.  Seems that most broadcast engineers are absolutely slammed these days with upgrade projects, regular maintenance, and the usual off-air emergencies.  Today Josh is in Indianapolis meeting with several other radio engineers, including Matt Levin.  Wondering what kind of work is keeping engineers busy this year, I asked Josh to join us - and he did, along with three other engineers. Let’s see what’s keeping engineers so busy, and how are thoughtful engineers advising station owners to invest in equipment upgrades to avoid unscheduled off-air time.

Show Notes:
Article on Tube vs Solid State Transmitters from Engineering Radio
Nautel article: Five Reasons to Switch from a Tube Transmitter to Solid State
Josh mentioned the CR202 mobile 4G router, available with MaxxKonnect Wireless service
MicroMPX technology was mentioned. This MPX-over-IP tech is available in several products in software or hardware forms:
Omnia MPX Node
Thimeo Audio Technology

Guests:
Josh Bohn - President/CEO at The MaxxKonnect Group
Matt Levin - Broadcast Engineer - FM & Stream Processing, Axia & WideOrbit Integration
John Takach - Chief Engineer at Radio One
Nick Lopez - Assistant Chief Engineer, Radio One, Indianapolis

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

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TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel brings you Transmission Talk Tuesday Discussions. Easy, free registration is here.
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 and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
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TWiRT 667 - Let's Mix! with Andy Gladding & Steven Pardo

When Hofstra University’s School of Communication hosted an SBE Ennes Workshop, coordinator, Andy Gladding, added an extra event to this educational event - a Live Mix recording session in the School’s recording studio! This addition was a special treat for students, area broadcast engineers, and even for Workshop presenters.  The talented local band, “IRIEspect”, set up and played in the performance studio, while students and sound techs set up mics and configured the recording console for a recording session.  We learned important points about mixing for live sound and for recording, and the performance was later replayed on WRHU-FM, the award-winning Hofstra University station. Chris Tarr, who mixes live sound weekly, joins Kirk to interview Andy and Steven on this extra-fun episode of TWiRT!

Show Notes:
Steven Pardo's website: 4daudio.com
The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University on Long Island, NY
WRHU-FM - 88.7 MHz and Online - from Hofstra University
IRIEspect - links to the band’s social media, schedule, and merch (via LinkTree)

Guests:
Andy Gladding - Chief Engineer at Salem Media Group - New York
Steven Pardo - Music Producer and Audio Engineer Recording, Mixing, Mastering

Hosts:
Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.Media
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, & South Seas Broadcasting

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TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel brings you Transmission Talk Tuesday Discussions. Easy, free registration is here.
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 and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
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TWiRT 667 - Let's Mix! with Andy Gladding & Steven Pardo

TWiRT 666 - Console Replacement in an Afternoon with Tom Ray

When the Archdiocese of Hartford needed to replace an audio mixing console, Tom Ray was ready. Due to parts shortages for older audio consoles, Tom chose a new console that uses Livewire Audio over IP audio in and out connections, plus networking to the rest of the facility’s studios. The result of using AoIP technology? A super-quick replacement and configuration of the new console!  In the episode, radio engineer and consultant, Tom Ray, takes us on a tour of WJMJ and the Office of Radio and TV of the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, and discusses the quick work afforded by AoIP audio networking.  Plus, you won’t want to miss the “ABIP Horror Story” at the end of this episode.

Show Notes:
WJMJ Catholic Radio, Hartford, CT
Archdiocese of Hartford - Office of Radio and Television
Where is WJMJ and how much of Connecticut does its signal cover? Here’s a map.

Guest:
Tom Ray - President of Tom Ray Broadcast Consulting

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

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TWiRT is brought to you by:
Nautel brings you Transmission Talk Tuesday Discussions. Easy, free registration is here.
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 and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output.

 
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TWiRT 666 - Console Replacement in an Afternoon with Tom Ray

TWiRT 665 - Live from the 2023 WBA Broadcasters Clinic

With broadcast engineers from 24 states - some from Alaska - there’s no better place for expanding knowledge while seeing old friends and meeting new ones that the WBA Broadcasters Clinic! What a blast to broadcast live from the SBE booth in the expo hall, and we trapped a number of guests to talk about new tech and best practices at this year’s Clinic. Plus, we get to see how the grand prize winner is picked in a Poker-like game with lots of participants! Who won?  Watch and see!

Show Notes:
Broadcasters Clinic Schedule

Guests:
Bill Bennett - Media Systems & Account Manager, ENCO Systems
Linda Baun - Retired Vice President WBA at Wisconsin Broadcasters Assn
Paul McLane - Managing Director of Content/Editor in Chief of Radio World at Radio World/Future U.S.
Kyle Geissler - Vice President at Wisconsin Broadcasters Assn
Martin Reyes - Broadcasters General Store
Jim Armstrong - DIrector of Eastern US Sales, Telos Alliance

Hosts:
Chris Tarr - Group Director of Engineering at Magnum.Media
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 brings you Transmission Talk Tuesday Discussions. Easy, free registration is here.
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 and the new Rave analog audio mixing console.
The new MaxxKonnect Broadcast U.192 MPX USB Soundcard - The first purpose-built broadcast-quality USB sound card with native MPX output. 

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TWiRT 665 - Live from the 2023 WBA Broadcasters Clinic