New DTV Bill Introduced Amateur Radio News
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Society of Broadcast Engineers Newsletter Chapter 24 Madison, Wisconsin February 2007 In this Issue Minutes .................................. 2 New DTV Bill Introduced Amateur Radio News ............ 3 Bill requires consumer education FCC Rulemakings ................. 5 Unlicensed Devices ............... 5 about switch to digital broadcasting SBE Notes ............................. 6 By Tom Smith Next Meeting Thursday, Feb. 15 RF Path Predictions & NOTICE This television has only an analog tuner and will require a Nominations converter box after February 17, 2009, to receive SBE member Tom Weeden, over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the WJ9H, will demonstrate how to nation’s transition to digital broadcasting. The TV should con- predict and analyze RF paths tinue to work as before with cable and satellite TV services, using a freeware program, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players and similar products. RadioMobile, written by a Cana- For more information, call the Federal Communications dian amateur radio operator. Commission at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit Using public domain databases the Commission’s digital television Web site at www.dtv.gov. you can predict your coverage area. Tom will show you how to Proposed wording of Digital Television use it for broadcast applications Consumer Act of 2007 notice and the originally intended amateur applications. Parking is limited at the WMTV studios A new DTV consumer education broadcasts with an antenna because of and we are not to park in the reserved bill has been introduced in the House the nation’s transition to digital broad- spaces normally occupied by the news vehicles. Park on Forward Drive if all of of Representatives by Joe Barton (R- casting. The TV should continue to the WMTV public spaces are occupied. Texas) with Fred Upton (R-Michigan) work as before with cable and satellite and former Speaker Dennis Hastert (R- TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, Dutch Treat Dinner 5:30 p.m. Illinois). The bill, “Digital Television DVD players and similar products. Babe’s Bar & Grill Consumer Act of 2007,” is similar to For more information, call the Federal 5614 Schroeder Road, Madison bills introduced in the last session of Communications Commission at 1- Congress. 888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) Meeting & Program 7 p.m. The bill would require all retail- or visit the Commission’s digital televi- WMTV Studios ers that sell or rent any analog TVs to sion Web site at www.dtv.gov. 615 Forward Drive, Madison post a notice in the vicinity of such sets Between May 1, 2007 and end- to display a consumer alert. That alert ing on February 17, 2009, multichan- would also be required on any Web site nel video providers and broadcasters Upcoming Events or direct mail or catalog of any mail- must conduct an outreach program. order distributor. Multichannel providers such as cable Thursday, March 15: TBD/ The alert would have to say companies must inform consumers of Nominations the following: This television has the digital transition and their options Wednesday, April 11: TBD/ only an analog tuner and will re- after the transition; this notice must be Elections quire a converter box after Febru- in their monthly bill or other mailings. Wednesday, May 16: TBD ary 17, 2009, to receive over-the-air continued on page 4 Page 2 SBE Newsletter February 2007 Chapter 24 January 2007 Officers Meeting Minutes Chair Chapter 24 of the Society of Broadcast Engineers meeting on Tuesday, Clifford Groth (Clear Channel Radio) Jan.16, 2007 was held at the offices of the Education Communications Board W: 274-5450 in Madison. There were 16 members present of whom 13 were certified. [email protected] There were also four guests present. Chair Cliff Groth called the meeting to order shortly after 7 p.m. He Vice Chair introduced Doug Thompson and Terry Cockerill of Harris broadcast who Dennis Baldridge presented the evening’s program. Cliff gave an update on the SBE National W: 489-3999 from Short Circuits. He mentioned the NAB programs, that we had lost the [email protected] honor of hosting this year’s SBE National Meeting in the fall to the Pittsburgh Secretary Charter, and that SBE was now doing online membership applications on its Tom Smith (WHA-TV) Web site. He also gave the times for the national meeting at NAB. W: 263-2174 The minutes for the last meeting were accepted on a motion by Steve [email protected] Paugh and a second by Fred Sperry. Treasurer Leslie Franzen gave the update on the chapter’s finances ($4,685.21). Secretary Tom Smith mentioned that he Treasurer had sent copies of last year’s minutes and attendance to the national office to Leslie Franzen (WMTV-TV) meet the deadline for those reports so we can receive our rebate. W: 274-1515 Sustaining Membership Chair Fred Sperry reported that we had six re- [email protected] newals and one new sustaining member. The renewing members are Norlight Telecommunications, Heartland Video, WISC-TV, WKOW-TV, Clark Wire Past Chair Jim Magee and Cable and Richardson Electronics. The newest sustaining member is [email protected] Primaverity, which gives us a total of 23 sustaining members. Kevin Ruppert reported for Certification Chair Jim Hermanson that the Committee Appointees deadline has past for the February Certification exams. The next local exams will be from June 1 to 11 with the application deadline of April 20. The dead- Program Committee line for anyone wishing to take the exam at NAB is March 2. Steve Paugh 277-5139 National Liaison Leonard Charles noted that there was a new 8-VSB Fred Sperry 264-9806 certification and that the national membership meeting at the NAB would be Steve Zimmerman 274-1234 at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. As a member of the MSTV Engineering Committee, he also reported that the MSTV was working with the FCC for planning DTV Membership Transition Day with the main focus on stations needing to change channels Paul Stoffel [email protected] at the transition and by putting on regional meetings with personnel from stations. He also gave a short round-up of the Consumer Electronics Show in Sustaining Membership Las Vegas. Fred Sperry Frequency Coordinator Tom Smith that he had been working with 264-9806 WMSN Channel 47 on coordination of wireless mics. He also mentioned [email protected] recent activity with the proposed rulemakings allowing unlicensed devices on the TV broadcast bands and recent proposals for the 4 TV channels that will Certification & Education be reassigned for public safety. Jim Hermanson Chair Cliff Groth mentioned the recent Amber Alert test that sent a false 271-4321 alert out which was followed be a short discussion. [email protected] Program and Nomination Chair Steve Paugh mentioned the upcoming Frequency Coordination nominations and elections of officers and that the next meeting’s program Tom Smith would be on RF Path Predictions. 263-2174 Cliff thanked Harris for providing pizza for the evening. Doug Thompson [email protected] and Terry Cockerill of Harris Broadcast presented the evening’s program on planning a HD Radio System. National SBE Chapter Liasion Leonard Charles Submitted by Tom Smith, Chapter Secretary W: 271-4321 F: 271-1709 [email protected] February 2007 SBE Newsletter Page 3 Amateur Radio News WI Broadcaster Compiled by Tom Weeden, WJ9H Emergency No more Morse code join a growing list of countries that Personnel ID The current 5 WPM Morse code have dropped the need to demonstrate requirement will officially disappear some level of Morse code proficiency from the Amateur Radio Service Part to earn access to frequencies below Card Program 97 rules on Friday, February 23, in 30 MHz. As of February 1, the Wisconsin Broad- accordance with the FCC’s Report The new rules also put all Tech- casters Association (WBA) began offering a program to all Wisconsin broadcasters to and Order (R&O) in the “Morse code nician licensees on equal footing, whether or not they’ve passed a obtain state-issued ID cards for their sta- proceeding,” WT Docket 05-235. tion transmitter engineers. This grew out of Beginning on that date, applicants Morse code examination. Starting February 23, all Technicians will problems experienced by Katrina-affected for a General or Amateur Extra class stations having difficulties in reaching their Amateur Radio license no longer will have CW privileges on 80, 40, 15 transmitter sites in the aftermath of the have to demonstrate proficiency in meters and CW, RTTY, data and SSB disaster. Morse code. They’ll just have to pass privileges on 10 meters. When the The intent of these Wisconsin Broad- the applicable written examination. new rules go into effect, Technicians caster Emergency Personnel ID Cards is to Publication of the new rules in the may begin using their new privileges allow transmitter engineers to pass through without any further action. police lines for the purpose of maintaining January 24 Federal Register started a the transmitter to keep it on the air deliver- 30-day countdown for the new rules *** ing emergency information to the public. to become effective. Deletion of the The cards can also be used by engineers Morse requirement – still a matter of Presidential kudos involved in reaching the local EOC as part controversy within the amateur com- President George W. Bush wrote to of the MSRC program, if such participation munity – is a landmark in Amateur the ARRL to recognize the just-ended is requested by local officials in your area. Radio history. Hello Amateur Radio public relations The cards are specifically not to be used by “The overall effect of this action campaign and to extend “greetings news-gathering crews.