TWiRT 335 - Amazing Dynamic Mics with Bob Heil

There are hundreds of microphones on the market - a huge selection. What does Bob Heil know about mics that others have missed? Why do Heil mics sound great - on Ham Radio and in high-end studios? And what is Bob’s secret piece of test equipment for mic development? Bob Heil joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on this episode of TWiRT!

Hosts:

Chris Tobin, IP-Solutionist 

Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Guest:

Bob Heil, Founder and CEO of Heil Sound, Ltd.

Show Links:

Heil Sound Pro Microphones

Heil Mic Primer

Ham Nation podcast

Theatre Organ from the Ozarks

Whirlwind SC48 multi-cable tester

The Seaworthy Streamin’ Sound of Omnia.9

Lunare Project is a collective group of DJs who produce music for a variety of special events. And in the luxurious world of yachting, it’s one special event after another. Enter Lunare Project’s Radio Yacht, an online radio station built around the yachting lifestyle in southern Italy and other exotic locales. Based in the premier international yachting community of Naples, Radio Yacht targets the yachting crowd with an emphasis on the yachter’s lifestyle. It has provided music for trendy upscale events, including an Andy Warhol art exhibit in Naples, the UIM Awards for Powerboating in Monaco, the Winter Music Conference in Miami, sunset at Café del Mar - Ibiza, and Capri Palace Hotel & Spa on the Isle of Capri. In fact, it’s more than just an online radio station. It’s a way of life. It’s music and conversation that reflects the lifestyle of a demanding audience accustomed to the very best in life.

Topics: broadcast audio processor

No Problem in Houston: Replacing STLs with xNodes

In late 2015, I was examining the expiring contracts for many of our legacy telco services. As I did, it quickly became apparent that we could do much better, both in terms of cost savings and quality.

CBS Radio Houston has a somewhat unique situation, in that all four of our FMs are co-located at two transmitter sites. The main site for the FMs is the Senior Road Tower, and our aux is an American Tower site nearby. In the past, both sites were linked to the studios via digital 950 MHz STLs and multiple T1s, with the 950 MHz links serving as mains and the T1 links serving as backup.  As you might expect, data for things like telemetry and HD Radio rode on timeslots in our T1 frames that weren’t being used for audio transport.

Program Delay. Reinvented and Updated.

Since its introduction, Program Delay Manager has set the bar as the best sounding and most powerful audio broadcast delay on the market. Programmers, engineers, and managers rely on PDM's advanced features, especially PD-Alert™, our patented process where two time-stamped audio files capturing what took place both on air and off air get internally archived and e-mailed to the PD (or GM, CE, or legal team) every time questionable material is “dumped.” With PD-Alert, you get an instant notification of what took place both on and off air.

Axia Sets the Tone for UK College Station

For Tone Radio, the student-run radio station at the University of Glousterchire in the UK, the time for a change was long overdue. They started out in 2006 with a limited FM signal that covered the campus. In 2008, Tone began streaming online. Jack Higgins, Audio and Music Technician at the university, explains the decision point.

“We started out with mostly analog gear. Over the years, our broadcast consoles had completely broken down, and were replaced with live music soundboards which were difficult for some of our volunteers to use.” Higgins and the students worked with Richard Lawley of Radio Studio Services Ltd., who helped in the procurement and design for new studios and equipment. The three studios were equipped with QOR.32 integrated console engines and Axia iQ AoIP mixing consoles, with the one in the control room having a 6-channel extender board.

TWiRT 333 - Thoughtful Engineering Aids Workflow

One of the best ways a thoughtful engineer can improve a broadcast facility is to make workflows, well, flow.  What design choices are slowing down your talents’ daily work?  What can an engineer do to help talent be more self-sufficient? Chris Tobin reveals some interesting scenarios where the engineer made a big difference in on-air operations.

Hosts:

Chris Tobin, IP-Solutionist 

Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Show Links:

WebGopher for Radio

Introduction to AES67

Sierra Automated Systems Becomes Newest Livewire Partner

Livewire is full steam ahead, and Sierra Automated Systems is the latest partner to jump on the networking locomotive. Sierra Automate Systems manufactures digital audio network routing, mixing, console control, and integrated intercom and talkback systems. By adding Livewire, those products will now be able to interoperate with the growing Livewire ecosystem of more than 70,000 installed devices worldwide. That means SAS's support of the Livewire protocol will allow its customers to send and receive audio with stream advertising, control, and program associated data throughout its entire audio network.

TWiRT 332 - Permafrost and Air Conditioning with John Antonuk

How do you keep equipment operating when the temperature changes by 150 degrees? John Antonuk keeps 4 radio stations running year-round in Fairbanks, Alaska. And that’s pretty impressive when you consider the harsh - and varying - conditions. John joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack on This Week in Radio Tech.

Guest: John Antonuk - Chief Engineer, iHeartMedia, Fairbanks, Alaska

Hosts:

Chris Tobin, IP-Solutionist 

Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, & South Seas Broadcasting

Show Links:

And, just where is this studio in Fairbanks?

Simulsat receive antenna brochure

AMC-8 Satellite Service Migration

The Support Team with the Most, from Here to the Coast

When you purchase a piece of equipment from The Telos Alliance, you're not just getting great gear. You're really getting the Telos Experience. From first contact with the sales staff, who can match your requirements with our equipment, through installation help from our 24/7 technical support team, as well as ongoing assistance with troubleshooting and software upgrades, we're there for you.

But wait, there's more. Sometimes our customers imagine applications that have never been done before, occasionally by combining Telos and non-Telos equipment. Don't be shy about asking for help, the tech support folks love a good challenge. Just ask Rich Parker.

Vintage Audio: Heath GR-81 Economy Short Wave Radio

An ancient Chinese proverb says, “The longest journey begins with the first step.” And so it is with building Heathkits. Over the years, I've assembled countless Heathkit projects, most for personal use, some for the electronics workbench at college media centers and radio stations, and a few as gifts. But you never forget your very first one. When I made my most recent trip to the attic, I came down with numero uno, my first electronics kit, a Heath GR-81 economy short wave radio. This three-tube, four-band receiver covered 140 Khz to 18 Mhz. The GR-81 had a long production run, from 1961-1972. List price in the 1967 catalog was $23.50. The estimated time for completion was about six hours.

Topics: Vintage Radio Technology, Vintage Electronics