• Contents for this Newsletter

About This Newsletter
Meeting Announcement
Upcoming Meeting Schedule
Meeting Minutes
The FCC Adresses Ownership and Localism
From the Chair - SBE's Canon of Ethics
FCC Releases Two Report and Orders
Amateur Radio News
SBE Notes & Reminders
Chapter Sustaining Members
Return to 2008 Newsletter Archives

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The Chapter 24 Newsletter is published monthly by Chapter 24 of the Society of Broadcast Engineers; Madison, Wisconsin. Original hard copy edited by John Salzwedel on InDesign CS. Submissions of interest to the broadcast technical community are welcome. You can make your submissions by e-mail to:

© 2008 by SBE Chapter 24. Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Society, its officers, or its members. SBE Chapter 24 regrets, but is not liable for, any omissions or errors. The Chapter 24 Newsletter is published twelve times per year. Other SBE Chapters are permitted to use excerpts if attributed to the original author, sources, and SBE Chapter 24.

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Sound Devices will be presenting a product and technical discussion on File-Based Audio Production. Jon Tatooles will cover trends in products and technology related to file-based audio recording. Sound Devices is based in Reedsburg and we will hold this month's meeting in their local office here in Madison. Sound Devices 7-Series portable audio recorders have become a standard for dialog and EFX recording for feature film, television and reality production. Refreshments will be provided at the meeting.

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On December 12, 2007 the members of Chapter 24 of the Society of Broadcast Engineers and their guests met at Fitzgerald’s in Middleton for the annual Holiday Dinner. There were nine members present, of which eight were certified. There were also three guests present. There was no formal meeting or program. Members met a little after 6 p.m. for drinks, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Good food and conversation were the highlight of the evening.

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At the December meeting of the Commission, one final rulemaking was issued on newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership. The FCC also issued two notices of proposed rulemaking: One dealt with localism issues and the other with diversity of owners of broadcast stations.

In the final rulemaking concerning newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership, the Commission adopted rules that would allow for the ownership of a newspaper and one TV or radio station in a top 20 market. No one will be allowed to own one of the top four TV stations in a top 20 market and a newspaper. They also adopted rules that would allow for joint ownership of a newspaper and a broadcast facility in a smaller market, when it is shown that either the newspaper or the broadcast facility is failing, and there are no other prospective buyers for the failing entity.

In the proposed rulemakings, the Commission is proposing a number of rules to allow for more diverse ownership by individuals, small businesses, minorities and women. These proposed rules will be prohibited from being race- or gender-based. The proposed rules are aimed at helping the small guy get into broadcast ownership, no matter who he or she is.

In the other proposed rulemaking, the Commission is proposing rules that would adopt renewal processing guidelines to ensure local programming, make stations create local advisory boards, better educate the public on the public service obligations of broadcasters, and how to become more active in ensuring the broadcasters obligations. They are also proposing assistance in helping prospective audio broadcasters find FM spectrum, including developing spectrum search software. And finally, they wish to extend Class A status to all LPTV stations that provide three hours or more of local programming per week.

Some of these proposed rulemakings will put more regulatory requirements on broadcasters; just how much that will entail will become known when the full report and orders are released.

-From FCC Releases (www.fcc.gov)

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Who cares what I do, or how I do my work, as long as it is done? Have you ever experienced this attitude in yourself or observed it in others? The Society of Broadcast Engineers is concerned about the way its members represent themselves and the organization. Our attitudes and work principles constitute the foundation of ethics. "Broadcast engineers should recognize such a standard of behavior not in passive observance, but as dynamic principles guiding their conduct and way of life. It is the duty of all broadcast engineers to practice their profession according to this Canon of Ethics."

The SBE outlines the broadcast engineer’s "Canon of Ethics" in 27 sections covering these four main areas: Professional Life, Relations with the Public, Relations with Clients and Employers, and Relations with Engineers.

What we are ultimately talking about is a person’s character. Character can be described in a variety of ways: The inward motivation to do what is right; or who you are, even when no one is watching. Character can be defined as the qualities built into an individual’s life which determines his or her response regardless of circumstances. Senator Henry Clay put is this way; "Of all the properties which belong to honorable men, not one is so highly prized as that of character." Good character is the key to true success in every area of life.

The key to high-quality professional conduct is integrity. The SBE describes it as follows: "Broadcast engineers will discharge their duties with fidelity to the public and to their employers, and with impartiality to all. Broadcast engineers must uphold the dignity of their profession and avoid association with any enterprise of questionable character. Broadcast engineers will strive to be fair, tolerant, and open minded." Basing one’s actions on an internally consistent framework of principles builds an enduring reputation. Horace Greeley said "Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wing, and only character endures."

The Society of Broadcast Engineers has a well-defined work ethic. The SBE’s entire Canon of Ethics can be viewed at www.sbe.org/about_ethics.php. During the coming months, we will consider the four areas of the broadcast engineer’s work ethic and how to apply these principles in daily life. In 2008, let us not only make good character our goal, but a reality among all SBE members!

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On December 11, the FCC released the report and order on the proposed rulemaking concerning LPFM. They had adopted the rulemaking in late November, releasing only a press release (see last month’s newsletter). While many of the rules pertain only to the LPFM stations only, there are a few proposed rules that will affect full-power FM stations and their relationship with LPFM stations when upgrading. Comment dates have not been set as the proposed notice has not been published in the Federal Register.

On December 31, the FCC released the final rulemaking that TV broadcasters have been waiting for. They released the final rules concerning the DTV transition. Many of the final rules will not affect most stations as the DTV transition comes to a completion, but there are many rule changes that affect stations the have to move to a third channel or are moving back to their analog channel. The new rules also allow for station to elect to turn off their analog transmitters before the February 17, 2009 deadline. The report and order ran 154 pages, with actual the report and order running nearly 100 pages and the copy of the rules filling much of the other 54 pages. The rules contain many cross outs and much bold print. Because it will take some time to go through the whole report and order, it is planned to cover it more in depth next newsletter.

-From FCC Releases (www.fcc.gov)

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NASA has announced that the space shuttle Atlantis, which was set to launch into space on December 6 to the International Space Station (ISS), would be delayed until January after a failure occurred in a fuel sensor system while Atlantis’ external fuel tank was being filled. The shuttle will transport Columbus, the space laboratory built by the European Space Agency (ESA). Columbus has two Amateur Radios on the International Space Station (ARISS) antennas attached to its nadir side, and will also provide scientists around the world the ability to conduct a variety of life, physical and materials science experiments.

One of the four engine cutoff, or ECO, sensors inside the liquid hydrogen section of the tank gave a false reading. NASA’s current Launch Commit Criteria require that all four sensors function properly. The sensor system is one of several that protect the shuttle’s main engines by triggering their shut down if fuel runs unexpectedly low. Atlantis’ scheduled launch on December 6 was delayed after two liquid hydrogen ECO sensors gave false readings. A third sensor failed after the tank was drained of fuel.

The mission, STS-122, will bring seven astronauts, three of whom are licensed amateur radio operators, to the ISS: Commander Stephen N. Frick, KD5DZC; Pilot Alan G. Poindexter; Mission Specialist Rex J. Walheim; Mission Specialist Stanley G. Love; Mission Specialist Leland D. Melvin; Mission Specialist Hans Schlegel, DG1KIH, of Germany, and Mission Specialist/Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Leopold Eyharts, KE5FNO, of France.

Flight Engineer Dan Tani, KD5DXE, already on board the ISS, will depart when Atlantis returns to Earth. Eyharts will stay behind on the ISS and take his place.

-Excerpts from the American Radio Relay League’s site at arrl.org, and NASA.gov

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HamNet meets the second Sunday of each month at 0000 GMT on 14.205 MHz. Hal Hostetler WA7BGX is the Control Station. Any amateur operator is welcome and encouraged to participate.

The SBE National Certification Committee has announced exam session dates. Check the list below for the exam period that is best for you. For more information about SBE Certification, see your Chapter Certification Chair or contact Megan Clappe, Certification Director at the SBE National Office at (317) 846-9000, or mclappe@sbe.org .

SBE chapters and members may use the SBE logo on business cards, letterhead and chapter newsletters. When referring to a chapter, it must be used with that chapter’s name or number adjacent to the logo. Members must put "Member of" or "Certified by" adjacent to the logo.

The proper logo must be used in any case. The correct logo can be obtained only through the SBE National Office. Send an e-mail with your request to Angel Bates at abates@sbe.org.

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