Silverball Madness in Las Vegas

Those of us of a certain age fondly remember entertainment from the pre-computer days, a time when amusement parks, convenience stores and other entertainment establishments did not have video games, computerized entertainment centers or full-wall videos – no, we had pinball: bright, flashing, noisy, shiny electro-mechanical pinball machines. Magic devices that consumed both hours and quarters like a pro wrestler consumes breakfast; many of us spent too much time to count in front of these machines, until our empty stomachs, stiff legs or sore hands commanded us to quit.

Back to Nature – Vegas Style

The NAB show – six days of people-packed, full-tilt multimedia mayhem that takes sensory overload to the next level. If this annual experience leaves you feeling a bit shell-shocked, relief may be closer than you think. The Donald H. Baepler Xeric Garden at UNLV isn't on any of the tour maps, but offers a quiet commute with nature in the midst of the turmoil that is Las Vegas.

The Things You’ll See at NAB

New ways to talk with listeners - and share their video calls; IP-audio codecs keep getting smaller and better; same goes for FM transmitters with a new rack-mount 10 kilowatt model; the FCC proposes office closings for a modest savings, but will they be at NAB? Drones are hot for broadcasters and the FAA. Plus we look at who’s getting some big honors in Las Vegas next month. Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack look forward to NAB in a couple weeks.

Wireless ISP Engineering with Patrick Parks

Many households are in rural areas not served by cable Internet or DSL. Radio engineer, Patrick Parks wanted better Internet service to his country abode well outside the Dallas metroplex. His efforts led to building a Wireless Internet Service Provider called SmartBurst. Pat joins Chris Tobin and Kirk Harnack to us how it all works.

Quick! To the Fallout Shelter!

Ask anyone what they think of first when they hear “Las Vegas” and they’re likely to mention the retina-searing lights of the famous Vegas strip, the dazzling casinos, the over-the-top luxury hotels, the glitzy shows, and if they’re old enough, maybe even the Rat Pack at The Sands.

Stromberg Carlson and Sony clock radios

This installment of Found in the Attic is a twofer. It features a genre of consumer electronics that is rapidly disappearing from the store shelves: the clock radio. As millennials enter the consumer market in larger numbers, sales of clock radios decline. Why? They use the alarm function built into their smartphones, and have no need or interest in purchasing an additional item.

Alaskan War Stories with Rich Parker

Helicopters, high-speed boat ferries, and bridges to nowhere; they’re all part of Rich Parker’s radio engineering travel routine at Coast Alaska. Headquartered in Juneau, Alaska, Rich maintains transmitters in Sitka, Wrangell, Petersburg, and Ketchikan, and after being there for one year he already has some war stories to tell.

Excellent Engineer Emphasizes Education

Wayne Pecena is Director of Engineering at Texas A&M University, and 2014 recipient of Radio World's Excellence in Engineering Award. Wayne has spent his entire career as broadcast engineer at Texas A&M and KAMU Radio / TV - an impressive feat for someone in any industry - and has been recognized for his continuing education initiatives for broadcast engineers.

Tom Morris and Material Science

Broadcast Engineering these days seems more virtual at times than hands-on.  But Tom Morris, Engineer at WDNA-FM, prefers a hands-on approach. Indeed, material science - choosing the right materials for the application - is a favorite subject.

Topics: Broadcast Engineering

iQ a No Brainer for WMHX

Engineer Chris Tarr is no stranger to the industry – known to some as the “Ninjaneer” for his ability to swoop into a station and quickly get to the bottom of a problem at all hours of the day and night, Chris has been tackling the engineering challenges of Wisconsin radio stations in the Madison and Milwaukee markets (among others) for a number of years.

We had a chance to talk with Chris about a few of his past projects, and his most recent project installing an Axia iQ console and other hardware for WMHX at Entercom’s Madison station cluster.