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Report of SBE-Led Meeting on Next

Generation Public Alerting

On October 17, the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) chaired a meeting in Washington, D.C. to discuss the next generation of public alerting. Attending the meeting with SBE were representatives of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the National Alliance of State Broadcast Associations (NASBA).

The purpose of the meeting was to bring together federal agencies responsible for developing and implementing an improved emergency notification system with representatives of the broadcast industry. Representing SBE at the meeting were Clay Freinwald, national SBE Emergency Alert System (EAS) Committee chair, who led the meeting, Richard Rudman, a member of  SBE’s EAS Committee and John Poray, Executive Director.

Based on comments from the representatives of the federal agencies in attendance, there is much work to be done before any firm plan for the next generation alerting plan will be known. The agencies all said that input from the broadcast industry is needed and will be solicited to help design the system. FEMA, which has primary responsibility for system architecture, anticipates a system that will provide redundancy and resiliency. FEMA said their “IPAWS” plan will essentially be a “system of systems” and that a next generation of EAS would constitute one of those systems. NASBA representatives made it clear that funding for any required equipment should come from the federal government.      

FEMA is preparing a “first assessment” of architecture for the White House, due by December 31 of this year. SBE representatives came away from the meeting feeling that there will likely be no action required of local broadcasters for at least a year and possibly longer. The group anticipates another meeting in January, 2008 to hear updates from the federal agencies and continue the dialogue.

SBE Elects Barry Thomas 25th National President, Other Officers, Six Directors Also Elected

Barry Thomas, CPBE CBNT, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been elected the 25th president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. Thomas serves as Vice President of Engineering – Radio for Lincoln Financial Media. Results of the election were announced August 31st.

Thomas has been in the broadcast engineering field for more than 25 years and is a Senior member of SBE. He has most recently served SBE as Treasurer and chairs the Society’s strategic planning committee. He has served at the chapter level in several markets and currently is active with Chapter 5 in Atlanta. Thomas has been a member of the Society since 1986. Thomas’ one-year term will begin October 11, during the SBE’s National Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Upon his election, Thomas said, “I'm excited about serving the Society and helping continue the excellent efforts the SBE has made in certifying, educating and networking broadcast engineers.  It's our goal to concentrate our efforts on the core purposes of SBE, strengthen SBE chapters and facilitate our members’ involvement in creating the next innovations in broadcasting.”

Elected as the Society’s vice president was Vincent Lopez, CEV CBNT, of Syracuse, N.Y. Lopez is Director of Engineering for WSYT/WNYS TV/Sinclair Broadcast Group in Syracuse.  He is a member and past chairman of Chapter 22 of Central New York and has been a member of the national SBE board of directors since 2000, most recently serving as national secretary. He has been a member of SBE since 1991. Lopez was elected a SBE Fellow in 2004.

Ted Hand, CPBE 8-VSB, of Charlotte, N. Car. was elected SBE secretary. Hand is Chief Engineer of WSOC-TV and WAXN-TV in Charlotte. He is a Senior member of SBE, joining in 1982 and has served as a member of the Board of Directors for four years and as a member of the Executive Committee. He currently serves as chairman of the Society’s education committee.

Elected treasurer is Ralph Hogan, CPBE CBNT of Pullman, Washington. Hogan is Assistant General Manager, Engineering Services, Washington State University in Pullman. He’s been a member of SBE since 1990 and is a Senior member. He has served six years on the SBE Board, including two as national Secretary and has been a member of SBE’s certification committee since 1996.

Six members were elected to two-year terms on the Board of Directors. They include:

• Chris Alexander, CPBE AMD, Director of Engineering, Crawford Broadcasting Company, Denver, Colo.
• Andrea B. Cummis, CBT CTO, Sr. Vice President, Engineering and Technology, American Desi TV, Roseland, N.J.
• Dane E. Ericksen, P.E., CSRTE 8-VSB CBNT, Senior Engineer, Hammett & Edison, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.
• Hal H. Hostetler, CPBE, Senior Engineer/I.T. Director, KVOA Television, Tucson, Ariz.
• Jerry Massey, CPBE CBNT 8-VSB AMD, Corporate Regional Engineer and Director of Engineering, Entercom Communications, Greenville, S.Car.

They will be joined by six returning members of the Board and Christopher Scherer, CPBE CBNT, who, as immediate past president, will also serve on the Board. The six returning directors include:

• Ralph Beaver, CBT, President and CEO, Media Alert, Inc., Tampa, Fla.
• James T. Bernier, Jr., CPBE CBNT, Director, Maintenance, Design and Engineering, Turner Entertainment Networks, TBS, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.
• Keith M. Kintner, CPBE CBNT, Radio-TV-Film Engineer, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisc.
• Thomas R. Ray, III, CPBE, Vice President, Corporate Director of Engineering, Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio, New York, N.Y.
• Christopher D. Tarr, CBRE CBT CBNT, Director of Engineering, Entercom Milwaukee/Madison, Delafield, Wisc.
• Larry J. Wilkins, CPBE AMD CBNT, Assistant Director of Engineering, Cumulus Broadcasting, Prattville, Ala.

Society of Broadcast Engineers Offers Interpretation of FCC Order Regarding New EAS Rules

On July 12, 2007, the FCC released an EAS Second Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 07-109) which revises the FCC Part 11 EAS Rules.

SBE provides a summary and analysis of those rules below.

- These rules do not go into effect until 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, which has not yet happened.

- “EAS Participants” below refers to all broadcast stations, cable operators, etc. that are currently required to participate in EAS.

- A number of these rules do not take effect until 180 days after FEMA acts on that item.

- The FCC has mandated Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for EAS use.  Please click on the “CAP” link on the SBE EAS page for more information on CAP.

Of particular interest to broadcasters

• EAS Participants must accept Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) v1.1 messages, no later than 180 days after FEMA publicly publishes adoption of this standard.

• EAS Participants must adopt Next Generation EAS delivery systems no later than 180 days after FEMA publicly releases standards for these systems.

• EAS Participants must transmit state-level and geo-targeted local EAS alerts received in CAP format and issued by state governors or their designees no later than 180 days after FEMA publishes its adoption of the CAP standard, provided that the state has an FCC-approved EAS State Plan that provides for delivery of such alerts.

• EAS Participants must configure their systems to incorporate CAP security functions within 180 days after FEMA publishes standards for authentication and validation of CAP alerts.

• EAS Participants are required to upgrade their station-relay networks to Next Generation EAS networks.

• FCC and FEMA will coordinate on the resources and requirements to conduct EAS training programs to ensure states and other interested parties can implement Next Generation EAS.

Non-broadcaster New Rules

Wireline Video Providers (AT&T U-Verse and Verizon FiOS) have now been included as EAS participants, effective immediately when the rules become law.

SDARS (XM and Sirius) and DBS (Dish and DirecTV) are exempted at this time from carrying the governors’ messages due to the technical limitations of their national feeds.

FCC Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

As part of this ruling, the FCC has also issued a FNPRM asking for comment on:

- Improving EAS alert delivery to non-English speakers.

- Improving EAS alert delivery to those with disabilities.

- Asking if they should mandate transmission of EAS alerts from officials other than state governors.

- Asking if they should require testing or certification to be sure EAS works as designed.

Invitation

 The changes coming to EAS are considerable and SBE is here to help facilitate communications in this vital area.   SBE operates an email list called the “EAS Exchange,” dedicated to the discussion of EAS topics. If you have an EAS question about the existing or future system or would like to direct a question or share something with the Society’s EAS committee, your participation is welcome.   Consult the SBE website, www.sbe.org. Look under - Regulatory/Government Relations – EAS – (http://www.sbe.org/gov_eas.php) to subscribe.

Click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding new EAS rules

Society of Broadcast Engineers releases statement opposing live code testing of EAS

The Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) announced its opposition to the use of real or live NWRSAME codes for system tests of the public warning system by National Weather Service (NWS)/NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) and some local authorities.

Alerts from the NWS, some local authorities and the Emergency Alert System (EAS) using real emergency event codes, when no actual emergency exists, have recently been used in some communities to test consumer receivers. The NWS is recommending the practice be expanded nationwide. While stated NWS policy establishes that approval for NWS live code testing is up to the state and local EAS committees, some committees are not being consulted or do not understand that they may decline the request. Local emergency officials also may not fully understand the implications of the request and may participate without realizing the serious negative results. The SBE asserts that these cry-wolf alerts will potentially cause public alarm, weaken confidence in the EAS for real alerts and discourage broadcaster’s involvement with volunteer EAS programs. 

Broadcasters and cable systems decode the EAS data and send the information directly to scrolling messages on TV screens and radios. One result of live -code tests would be that TV’s viewed by the deaf and hard of hearing, and TVs in public places would not show any indication that the message is not a real alert. In addition, those receiving emergency messages through the Internet, PDAs, cell phones, programmable road signs, highway advisory radio, lottery terminals and shopping center marquee signs will not know the message was simply a test. The SBE says the negative effect of live -code testing outweighs the benefits of testing the public’s weather alert radios.

SBE President Chriss Scherer, CPBE CBNT, said, "There is a national effort to update EAS and NWR data standards with a technology called Common Alerting Protocol (CAP). CAP will allow a visual scroll of the same information as in the audio message, and the SBE suggests that such a technology—when in common use—will be better suited to live-code tests."

The Society of Broadcast Engineers is the professional organization for radio and

television engineers and those in related fields. SBE has more than 5,700 members in 112 chapters across the United States. SBE offers the largest and most recognized certification program for broadcast engineers, operators and technicians, with more than 5,000 certifications currently active.

FCC Dismisses Clarity's “Trucker TV” Applications

In a May 3, 2007, Order, the FCC dismissed 248 Cable Television Relay Service (CARS) applications filed by Clarity Media Systems, LLC, to operate fixed based stations in the shared 2,025–2,110 MHz Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS)/CARS band. Clarity had submitted applications for an initial group of 10 “Trucker TV” base stations at its Flying J truck stops on Feb. 21, 2006, plus an additional 248 applications for its other truck stops, on Jan. 24, 2007.

The use of the 2 GHz TV BAS/CARS spectrum for fixed base stations and for direct service to subscribers is not permitted by the Part 73 CARS rules, and so Clarity had requested waivers of several sections of the FCC rules. The rule waivers were opposed by the SBE, several broadcasters, MSTV, the NAB and NASA.

In its ruling, the Commission found that Clarity's proposal "does not serve the purpose of the Part 78 CARS Rules," and that Clarity's demonstration operations at Frazier Park, CA; North Salt Lake City, UT and Provo, UT, under experimental license WD2XPK, "were not adequate" to demonstrate no interference to co-channel electronic news gathering (ENG) operations. The Commission found that the demonstrations failed to include measurements of the Trucker TV signals at nearby ENG receive-only (ENG-RO) sites and failed to include tests of digital ENG signals.

As pointed out by the SBE and others, the Commission agreed that Trucker TV interference to BAS and CARS operations "would look like noise with no identifying characteristics." The Commission noted that "other similar service waivers could come from other chains of truck stop travel plazas, RV parks, campgrounds, etc., adding

 hundreds and perhaps thousands of potential new users which would further restrict viability of the 2 GHz band for ENG use."

The Order also faulted Clarity for failing to demonstrate "good cause" for its requested rule waivers by failing to demonstrate that "it has no reasonable alternative" to using the 2 GHz TV BAS band. As was pointed out by SBE, the Order noted that "Clarity could purchase spectrum at auction, pursue using unlicensed spectrum, install cable at its truck stops, or negotiate spectrum leases."

Upon the release of the FCC’s decision, SBE president, Chriss Scherer said, "The SBE has long championed the needs of broadcasters to protect the 2 GHz BAS band for TV use, so we at the SBE are understandably pleased that our efforts to illustrate the technical shortcomings of Clarity's waiver requests were so fully recognized by the FCC decision."

SBE to Offer New Specialist Certification

Following  recent changes in the FCC rules recognizing the viability of digital radio and the official endorsement of multicasting, the National Certification Committee of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) is proud to announce its next specialist certification, Digital Radio Broadcast (DRB). This specialist certification will qualify an individual's knowledge of digital radio broadcasting including audio processing, studio-to-transmitter links and transmission of multi-channel digital program streams. The official roll-out of this specialist certification will be during the SBE National Meeting, held in conjunction with SBE Chapter 20’s, Pittsburgh Regional Convention, October 10-11, 2007, in Monroeville, PA.

SBE President, Chriss Scherer, CPBE CBNT remarked that, “while broadcast and media engineering continues to evolve to cover a broad range of technologies, certain aspects of broadcast engineering have a specific and specialized knowledge base. This is why the Specialist Certifications were developed.”

The specialist will include knowledge of  importers, exporters, the various methods of combining analog and digital transmitters to antenna systems, delivery of digital audio signals and data to transmitter sites, transmitter emission mask measurements, AM and FM FCC rules, monitoring of digital signals and bandwidth requirements for AM antenna systems.

Digital audio broadcasting (DAB) enhances a broadcast licensee’s ability to not only better serve the public, but to provide means of additional revenue in this highly competitive industry.  Station owners will rely on the knowledge and expertise of station technicians and engineers to implement this service for their companies.  With this specialist certification, the engineer or technician carries the credentials needed for successful installation of digital radio transmission systems. The specialist certification will focus on the current in-band, on-channel transmission system being deployed in the U.S., and will be called the SBE Digital Radio Broadcasting Specialist. 

By becoming a certified specialist, a radio broadcast engineer can assure  his or her manager that he or she is up to date on the latest technology. Digital audio broadcasting is different than traditional analog services.  An individual's ability to certify his or her knowledge of the entire system rather than just a single part will bring confidence to both the individual and station management.

To apply for the SBE Digital Radio Broadcast specialist certification, applicants must currently hold SBE certification at the Broadcast Engineer, Senior Broadcast Engineer, or Professional Broadcast Engineer certification level. The exam will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions and one essay question. Following the roll-out of the specialist certification, the SBE will release an update to its CertPreview software of practice tests. To obtain an application for the Digital Radio Broadcast specialist certification, go to www.sbe.org/Specialist_Cert.php on the SBE website or contact the SBE National Office.

Audio recordings now available of April 17, 2007 Membership Meeting and EAS Meetings

Now available online is the audio recording of the April 17, 2007 Membership Meeting. The meeting took place at NAB2007 in Las Vegas.

Click here to listen. 32.8 MB

Also available are four files that make up the EAS Meeting at NAB2007. Each file is large in size, and may take longer to download.

Click here to listen to Part 1 6.2 MB - Welcome, introductions and review of program; Clay Freinwald

Click here to listen to Part 2 31.6 MB - David Webb, FEMA on Digital EAS, additions to broadcast distribution, PEP Stations, IPAWS, EDXL and CAP

Click here to listen to Part 3 27.5 MB - Overview of GAO report; Jason Shattuck , Warning Systems, Inc. with demo of WSI EAS Unit.1

Click here to listen to Part 4 22.7 MB - Adrienne Abbott - Update on last NASBA/NAB EAS Summit; Gary Timm - First Response Broadcasters' Act; FCC Programs for EAS and broadcasters; FCC Disaster reporting System; Inprovement of audio for NWS

EAS Encoder Updates for DST Change

Researched by Gary Timm, Broadcast Chair
Wisconsin State Emergency Communications Committee;

SBE Member, Chapter 28 - Milwaukee

WARNING: All manufacturers I was able to speak with advised me that users should NOT simply change the Time-of-Day readout on the front of their EAS unit on DST day. This will cause the internal UTC clock to be incorrect, causing you to possibly miss receiving alerts due to the UTC-based times sent in EAS Alerts. If your unit requires an upgrade (see info on your unit below), you are best advised to do nothing until a proper upgrade for your unit is received. The time readout on the front of the unit, as well as TV crawls, will show the incorrect time however. Most manufactures will be posting instructions on their website regarding changing the time manually if you choose to do that, but these procedures must be followed very precisely to avoid having an incorrectly set internal UTC clock.

TFT

The TFT EAS 911 unit does automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, so an upgrade will be needed. TFT is currently in beta testing on a new set of chips. The upgrade will be firmware Version V.87.0, which they expect to have available on March 1, 2007. The upgrade kit is a set of two EPROMs, which will cost $130, plus S&H. There is a 10% discount for orders of 10 or more upgrade kits. This upgrade also includes other operation improvements. See document below for details. Order forms will be posted on their website when the upgrade kit is available. A procedure to change the time manually will be posted on their website, if you desire to go that route. Contact TFT at: 408-727-7272, or info@tftinc.com

TFT News Release

SAGE

The Sage ENDEC unit does automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, so an upgrade will be needed. The firmware developer expects the upgrade to be available during the first week of March. The new firmware is Version 6.2. The cost to upgrade to this new version depends on your current firmware version. To find your current firmware version, reboot the Sage unit and the version number will print. To upgrade from Version 6.1, the cost is $50 plus S&H. To upgrade from Versions 5.x, the cost is $200 plus S&H. If you are running either Endec Pro or Endec DJ software, read the documents below before upgrading. The Harris documentation below states that in the new version you will be able to enter the DST start/end dates yourself, so this new chip will be good for any future changes as well. The documentation also gives instructions for properly resetting the time manually if you do not receive the upgraded chip by DST day. A document will also be placed on the Harris Support page. Harris is accepting orders now, to be filled as the upgrade becomes available. Contact Harris at: 800-622-0022, or the Sage Help Line: 217-221-7560, or tsupport@harris.com

4-page Harris Document

2-page Harris Document

GORMAN-REDLICH

The Gorman-Redlich EAS unit does automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, so an upgrade would be needed for the time to display correctly. However, Jim Gorman told me he is holding off on producing an upgrade chip until he is more certain that this DST date change is permanent. He notes that Congress only authorized the date change for 2007, 2008, and 2009. If the date change becomes permanent after that point, he will pursue offering an upgrade chip.

BURK

The Burk EAS unit does not automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, so no upgrade is needed. DST is adjusted manually by “setting a flag” in the menu, which Burk users should already be familiar with.

MTS

The MTS System 3000D EAS unit does automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, so an upgrade will be needed. MTS expects the upgrade to be available in the first week of March. Watch their website, or call 919-553-2995, or email: skip@mts-comm.com

The other MTS product, the Encoder II computer software program, relies on the clock in the computer it resides on as the time reference.

HOLLYANNE CORPORATION

The Hollyanne Model HU-961 EAS unit appears to not automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time, so no upgrade would then be needed. Per their website, they no longer manufacture the HU-961 EAS unit. A phone call to their number, 308-428-4705, yields a recorded message stating they are no longer making the EAS unit. Current users are advised to contact the dealer where they purchased the unit. On the Hollyanne support site, a document showing how to set date and time makes no mention of DST. This is the basis of my presumption above that no upgrade is needed. Users of the unit will no doubt be aware of whether the unit does automatic DST updating or not.

The information provided above is presented as a service to the broadcast engineering community. SBE does not warrant its accuracy or completeness and is not liable for any statements or claims made by any of the manufacturers or others referenced in this report.

AWRT and SBE Name Lucinda Hutter Cavell Outstanding Female Broadcast Engineer of the Year

The American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) and the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) have named Lucinda Hutter Cavell as the recipient of the annual, “Outstanding Female Engineer of the Year” award. The award will be presented during the 2007 AWRT Annual Leadership Summit & Business Conference, on Saturday, March 10, 2007, at the Renaissance M Street Hotel during the AWRT Power Breakfast.  Broadcasting & Cable magazine has sponsored the award this year.

AWRT has long recognized women making inroads in all areas of electronic media; this includes the growing field of broadcast engineering. Through this innovative partnership, AWRT and SBE (the only organization devoted to the

advancement of all levels and types of broadcast engineering) selected a woman who has made significant contributions to the broadcast industry, whose professional track has been technical in nature, and who has advanced the goals and objectives of the SBE and AWRT, while simultaneously promoting the field as a career path for women in the electronic media.

With the announcement, SBE president, Chriss Scherer, CPBE CBNT said, “Broadcast engineering talent today spans a range of interests and personalities, and the AWRT/SBE award recognizes one part of this diverse pool. The SBE has recognized its own members through its annual award program for many years, and we are pleased to further our efforts and recognize others for their contributions.”

SBE Names Focal Press Official Publisher

The Society of Broadcast Engineers has tapped Focal Press, a division of Elsevier Publishing, to be the official publisher of the Society. Focal Press specializes in technical and scientific publications directed to many fields including broadcasting and media.

The agreement means that SBE and Focal Press will co-brand as many as three books each year. SBE will bring relevant topics and arrange many of the authors. Focal Press will contribute its substantial editorial, marketing and production services.  

Regarding the new agreement, SBE President Chriss Scherer, CPBE CBNT, said, "One of the foundations of the SBE is member services, which includes education. Our members have expressed an ongoing interest in in-depth sources of technology, information, such as books and reference materials. This partnership with Focal Press combines the strengths of both groups to achieve this goal."

The first SBE – Focal Press publication is expected by late 2007 or early 2008.

SBE Leader Skills Seminar - Management Skills for Engineers

The SBE Leader-Skills Seminars, in its 11th consecutive year with the Society, is specifically designed for broadcast engineers who have or aspire to have management responsibilities.  SBE offers the two-part series in cooperation with instructor Richard D. Cupka, Sr., West Lafayette, Ind. Both courses are being offered in  Indianapolis in 2007.

Course I, “Leadership – The Framework of People Skills” will be held June 5-7, 2007.  It covers the function and nature of your leadership role; how to build stronger teams and effective internal cooperativeness; the complex differences of people; and discovery of your “natural” style of leading and how to nurture a “developed” style to help you adjust to different people in differing situations.

Course II, “Leadership – Expanding Your People Skills” will be held Aug. 7-9, 2007, and picks up where Course I leaves off.  Those wishing to attend Course II must have attended Course I sponsored by SBE or prevciously NAB (dating back to 1965). Course II explores individual behavior in groups and dynamics of interaction between groups; the complex motivations of different people and how to deal with them; how best to handle disciplinary processes; and where emphasis should be in a leader’s ultimate responsibility over people and activities.

Cupka, who has 40 plus years experience in adult training, has directed and taught the Leader-Skills seminars to broadcast engineering managers, supervisors and technicians for 40 years.  Many of the most respected broadcast engineering managers in the country today, are graduates of the program and continue to send members of their staffs so that they, too, can learn from Cupka.

Designed to take technically–adept people and instill in them sound supervisory and management skills, the Leader-Skills Series can also be viewed as a tool for personal growth and development, even for those without prior management or supervisory responsibilities.

Registering early! Each course is limited to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 18 participants.  Deadlines to register are May 2 for Course I and July 5 for Course II.  The cost of registrations is $545 for each course, which includes three days of instruction, all course materials, a certificate of completion and classroom refreshments. 

All transportation, housing and meals are the responsibility of the participant.  The location will be the Holiday Inn Select - Indianapolis Airport. The discounted guest room rate is $105 plus tax.

College Credit for Your SBE Certification

The Society of Broadcast Engineers and Excelsior College have teamed up! Your current SBE Certification may qualify for credit towards a degree from Excelsior College or could help you finish that degree you’ve been working on at another institution.  If you’re interested, contact Excelsior College by calling toll-free at (888) 647-2388 to learn about the details. 

When you are ready to submit your SBE Certification for credit to Excelsior College, download the SBE transcript request form at www.sbe.org or www.excelsior.edu, or contact the SBE National Office for a copy. When you’ve completed the form, e-mail, fax or mail it to Megan Clappe, Certification Director at the SBE National Office, who will prepare your transcript and send it to Excelsior College.

Megan Clappe

Certification Director

Society of Broadcast Engineers

9102 N. Meridian Street, Suite 150

Indianapolis, IN 46260

mclappe@sbe.org

Ennes Scholarship Winners Announced

The Ennes Educational Foundation Trust has awarded three educational scholarships for 2006.

Harold E. Ennes Scholarship

Kate Carney Landow

Kate Carney Landow received the Harold E. Ennes Scholarship. Kate’s career in broadcasting started in high school with video and film production classes at the Fred N. Thomas Career Education Center (CEC) in Denver, Colorado.  She continued on to the University of Colorado at Boulder and earned a B.F.A. in film.

After graduating, she began her career at the National Digital Television Center (now operated by Comcast) which introduced her to a team of engineers that encouraged her to pursue engineering as a formal career path.  Many of the engineers mentoring Kate carried SBE certifications and they encouraged Kate to look into SBE as a way to help her achieve her career goals.

Since passing her CBT and earning the CBNT certification, Kate has also continued her education at the graduate level.  The Ennes scholarship will help her complete her final semester of graduate school, earning a Masters degree in Interdisciplinary Telecommunications from the University of Colorado at Boulder.  Her objective is to build the foundation for a video lab that will ultimately serve future students interested in testing IPTV signals and video compression. 

Robert D. Greenberg Scholarship

Daniel Nevels

Daniel Nevels is the recipient of the Robert D. Greenberg Scholarship. He is a member of SBE Chapter 39 and has been appointed the chapter’s webmaster. Daniel is a Certified Audio Engineer (CAE), an amateur radio operator Extra Class (WD5ETR) and also holds an FCC commercial radio license with ship radar endorsement.

Daniel works part-time and attends the University of Tampa, full-time. He is majoring in music with a minor in electronic music and recording. He has been accepted in the Honors Society at UT and made the National Deans List in 2004-2005 and in 2005-2006.

Daniel has been nominated to the International Scholar Laureate Program, Delegation on Music. At the thirty-third Honors Convocation in April 2006, he was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Exemplary Academic Performance in Music. Daniels goal is to pursue a career in broadcasting, writing soundtrack and music for commercial radio, TV, and motion picture.

Youth Scholarship

Noah Van Zandt

Noah Van Zandt is the recipient of the Ennes Youth Scholarship. Noah currently is a freshman at Cedarville University in Ohio, where he is majoring in electrical engineering. He previously attended Temple Christian School and was valedictorian of his class.  Noah hopes to pursue a career in broadcast engineering for FM radio, either as a station engineer or as a consulting engineer.   

Chapter By-laws Acceptance Process Streamlined

The SBE Board of Directors, at their meeting on September 26 in Verona, NY, approved a change to the SBE By-laws that will allow for quicker review and approval of chapter by-laws.

The current Society By-laws require three different approval steps for a new chapter’s by-laws. The Executive Committee, full Board of Directors and the Society’s General Counsel all had to review and approve the chapter by-laws under the existing rules.

To expedite the approval of a chapter’s by-laws, or changes to those by-laws, while still accomplishing a comprehensive content and legal review, the Board approved a change to Article X, Section 2 of the Society’s By-laws providing that the Executive Director and General Counsel of the Society will review and approve chapter by-laws before a new chapter is authorized to operate by the Board of Directors. The change also makes it clearer that chapters are required to have their own by-laws.

The amended by-law went into affect immediately upon approval by the Board.

Scherer Will Serve Second Term as SBE President

Officers, Six Directors Also Elected

Christopher H. Scherer, CPBE, CBNT, of Overland Park, Kansas, was elected to a second term as president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. Scherer, editor of Radio magazine, will begin his second term beginning September 27, following his induction during the SBE Annual Membership Meeting in Verona, NY. Scherer is a Senior member of SBE. Previous to serving as president of the 5,300 member organization this past year, Scherer has served as national vice president and chairman of chapters 59 in Kansas City and 70 in Cleveland. He is also a past chairman of the SBE National Certification Committee and continues to serve on that committee. Scherer has been a member of the Society since 1989.

Commenting on his election to a second one-year term, Scherer said, “I look forward to serving the Society for another year, and in particular working with the current, re-elected and newly elected board members. We have established the groundwork of several plans and projects that I expect will see significant progress in the coming months.”

Also elected to a second term was vice president, Clay Freinwald, CPBE. Freinwald, of Auburn, Wash., is a corporate engineer with Entercom.  He is a member of Chapter 16 in Seattle and has been a member of the national SBE board of directors since 1999 and a member of the Society since 1968. He was elected an SBE Fellow in 2004.

Elected to a second term as secretary is Vincent A. Lopez, CEV CBNT, director of engineering at WSYT/WNYS TV in Syracuse, NY. Lopez has been a member of the national board since 2000 and is chairman of the SBE Regional Convention Strategies Committee. He previously served as chairman of the SBE Membership Committee for four years. Lopez is also a past chairman of Chapter 22 in Central New York and was elected an SBE Fellow in 2004.

Elected to a second term as Treasurer is Barry Thomas, CPBE CBNT, president of Thomas Media. Thomas is a Senior member of SBE and a member of Chapter 15 in New York. He previously served as national secretary and also two terms as a director. He has also served as chairman of the SBE Finance Committee.

Six members were elected to seats on the Board of Directors. They include:

• Ralph Beaver, CBT, President and CEO, Media Alert, Inc., Tampa, Fla.

• James T. Bernier, Jr., CPBE, CBNT, Director, Maintenance, Design and Engineering, Turner Entertainment Networks, TBS, Inc., Alpharetta, Ga.

• Keith M. Kintner, CPBE, CBNT, Radio-TV-Film Engineer, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisc.

• Thomas R. Ray, III, CPBE, Vice President, Corporate Director of Engineering, Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio, New York, N.Y.

• Christopher D. Tarr, CBRE, CBT, CBNT, Director of Engineering, Entercom Milwaukee/Madison, Delafield, Wisc.

• Larry J. Wilkins, CPBE, AMD, CBNT, Assistant Director of Engineering, Cumulus Broadcasting, Prattville, Ala.

 They will be joined by six returning members of the Board and Raymond Benedict, CPBE, who will continue his service to the Board as Immediate Past President. The six returning directors include:

• Jon A. Bennett, CPBE, CBNT, Director of Engineering – Richmond, Cox Radio, Richmond, Va.

• Andrea B. Cummis, CBT, CTO, Sr. Vice President, Engineering and Technology, American Desi TV, Roseland, N.J.

• Dane E. Ericksen, P.E., CSRTE, 8-VSB, CBNT, Senior Engineer, Hammett & Edison, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.

• Ted Hand, CPBE, 8-VSB, Assistant Chief Engineer/RF Engineer, WGNT-TV, Portsmouth, Va.

• Hal H. Hostetler, CPBE, Senior Engineer/I.T. Director, KVOA Television, Tucson, Ariz.

• Conrad H. Trautmann, CPBE, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technology, Westwood One, Inc., New York, N.Y.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers is the professional organization for radio and television engineers and those in related fields. SBE has more than 5,300 members in 111 chapters across the United States. There are also members in more than 20 other countries. Most chapters meet monthly and offer educational programs and an opportunity to network with their peers. SBE offers the largest and most recognized certification program for broadcast engineers, operators and technicians, with more than 5,000 certifications currently active.

Strategic Planning Meeting July 8: Special Report

By Barry Thomas, CPBE CBNT

New York, NY

barryt@broadcast.net

The Society of Broadcast Engineers convened a meeting to establish strategic plans for the Society on July 8 in conjunction with a scheduled gathering of its executive committee in Kansas City, MO. The last meeting was five years ago and resulted in many services we now enjoy as a part of Society membership. Thirty-four members attended the meeting and represented 24 different chapters and included 11 of the 17 SBE Board Members, all national officers and three members of the national office staff.

The attendees represented the wide scope of opinions, geographic origins and backgrounds that comprise the SBE membership. Many chapters sponsored the travel for their representative and held their own discussions to prepare for the meeting. The time commitment for the attendees was significant since the session was scheduled from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, including a short break for a shared lunch. The result was a lively and productive discourse and a strong consensus on the focus of SBE in the coming years.

The group was all smiles after a full day of collaborating.  The result was countless, great, new ideas for the future of SBE.

SBE hired an experienced meeting facilitator, Kristine Rahavy to manage the meeting. Her skill was extremely effective in engendering discourse, articulating shared priorities and distilling the concerns of the attendees to salient thoughts and actionable steps. The meeting concentrated on a two to five year view in order to make the most realistic projections about the industry. Attendees were seated using a creative method of random placement that allowed the entire room to communicate productively. The gathering was composed of small discussions and large group activities which allowed independent debate to occur and emphasized the emerging and obvious priorities shared by the members. The result of the meeting was strong consensus and action items to improve industry involvement and service, and grow membership.

Ms. Rahavy will be providing a written report of the meeting outlining all aspects of the discussions and the results of the group’s deliberations. The Strategic Planning Committee will meet after receiving that report and recommend further actions to the full SBE Board of Directors at the SBE National Meeting, September 26, 2006 in Verona, NY. In anticipation of that report the Executive Committee was able to identify at least seven immediate action items that will immediately result in improved service and activity.

No idea was too "off the wall" for facilitator, Kristine Rahavy, not to write on paper.  At the end of the day, Over 280 ideas were displayed on the walls.

The most widely understood issue is that broadcast engineers and the Society specifically can do a better job in marketing themselves. To that end, SBE is expanding press release distribution to include major wire services and working to increase the frequency of notices to publicize Society activities. SBE will also better publicize and explain the work of its important FCC and regulatory actions. SBE will work hard to explain and publicize the important work done to improve or protect the activities of the working engineer.

Most attendees related that SBE should be more involved in local and state associations. This is an area best managed by the individual chapters but SBE National understands there are things that can be done at the national level to encourage interactivity. SBE will be contacting the National Alliance of State Broadcasting Associations (NASBA) with the intention of discussing how SBE can serve and interface with the associations on an ongoing basis. Part of that discussion will be a reminder of the extensive education and certification services SBE provides.

SBE is preparing a "web toolkit" that will help chapters construct their own web sites that will support and improved the SBE brand throughout the industry. It is hoped that the result will be better and more recognizable chapter presences on the Internet.

Attendees also recognized the need to attract new and young talent to the industry. The Executive Committee identified a few immediate actions to encourage participation by researching related Internet discussion groups on sites such as Yahoo and Myspace. SBE is also beginning to draft an independent study course outline for schools to use for a broadcast engineering curriculum.

SBE considers the meeting an exceptional success and has taken immediate steps to increase the forward momentum. You will see the results of these activities in Society services in the near term and ongoing.

Benedict, Hartman, Pennington Named

   SBE Fellows

Three members of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) were recently elected to the membership grade of Fellow by the SBE Board of Directors. The nominations of Raymond C. Benedict, CPBE, Gary S. Hartman, CPBE and Troy D. Pennington, CPBE were acted on by the Board at their April 23 meeting in Las Vegas.

The recipients will be recognized during the SBE National Awards Dinner, held as a part of the SBE  National Meeting, September 27 in Verona, New York. 

The annual meeting is being held in conjunction with the Broadcast & Technology Expo, sponsored by SBE Chapter 22 of Central New York.

Ray Benedict is Director of Spectrum Engineering for CBS Corporation and is responsible for the FCC licensing and engineering regulatory compliance matters for all of the CBS owned entities.  Benedict has almost 50 years of service to the broadcast industry, beginning in his home state of Vermont.

Benedict is an active member of SBE, serving as a member of the Board of Directors in the early 1980’s and again from 1996 through 1999. He then served as Secretary from 2000 through 2001, vice president from 2001 through 2003 and then as national president for two terms from 2003 through 2005. He is currently serving on the Board as Immediate Past President. He has been SBE Life Certified at the CPBE level since 1998.

Gary Hartman holds SBE member number 974, having joined SBE on February 3, 1969. His career in broadcast engineering has spanned six decades and has been an active member of SBE Chapter 22 for the last 37 years.

As a charter member of Chapter 22, Hartman held several positions over an eight year period beginning in 1971, including the chairman’s post from January 1976 to March 1978.

Hartman served as chairman for the highly successful Chapter 22 SBE regional convention during the early 1980’s. About that time, he became involved in the chapter’s frequency coordination committee and has served as volunteer Frequency Coordinator for his region for many years.

The third recipient of the rank of SBE Fellow is Troy Pennington, a veteran of more than 35 years in broadcasting. Pennington is Regional Director of Engineering for Cumulus Broadcasting, serving the Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee areas and is based in Nashville.

Pennington served Chapter 68 in Birmingham as its chapter chairman for two terms and also vice chairman, newsletter editor, secretary/treasurer for three terms and program chairman.  He was active in the formation of the chapter in Montgomery and the reorganization of the Huntsville chapter. He is active now with Chapter 103 in Nashville.

He has served the National SBE as President for two terms, vice president, treasurer and twice as a national Director. Additionally, he has served as chairman of the Executive Committee, as a member of the Certification Committee, represented SBE on the NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference planning committee.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers, Inc. is the professional organization devoted to the advancement of the broadcast engineer and the field of broadcast engineering. With more than 5,700 members and 111 local chapters, SBE provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and the sharing of information to help members keep pace with the rapidly changing broadcast industry. SBE provides certification and education services and represents its membership’s interests on regulatory issues that affect the broadcast engineering industry.

Excelsior College Offers Credit for SBE Certifications

The Society of Broadcast Engineers has joined with Excelsior College of Albany, New York to offer individuals who hold qualifying SBE certifications the opportunity to earn college credit. The credit may be used toward associate and baccalaureate degree study through Excelsior’s School of Business and Technology, or banked in an official Excelsior transcript to be used at another accredited college or university. This is a great opportunity to finish up that degree you started years ago or begin a degree program while continuing to work.

The SBE certifications qualifying for credit include:

Certified Broadcast Radio Engineer - CBRE®

Certified Broadcast Television Engineer - CBTE®

Certified Senior Radio Engineer - CSRE®

Certified Senior Television Engineer - CSTE®

Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer - CPBE®

Individuals successfully completing the qualifying SBE certifications have several options for applying the earned credit:

• Apply to Excelsior College for associate or baccalaureate degree study. The earned credit will automatically be applied to the appropriate degree desired.
• Bank the earned credit in an official transcript. The Excelsior College Credit Bank Transcript will list SBE awarded credit and consolidate other credit earned from previous study at regionally accredited colleges and universities, military and ACE approved examinations.
• SBE members at any certification level, with documented learning and work experiences, can apply for Portfolio Assessment Review to determine the potential for additional credit.

The CBRE certification will earn 2 elective credits toward an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering technology. It can also worth two elective credits towards an Associate or bachelor’s degree in Electronics.

The CBTE is worth four elective credits toward an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering technology. It is also worth four elective credits toward an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electronics.

The CSRE will earn three elective credits toward an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. It can also worth six core credits and three elective credits towards an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electronics.

The CSTE will earn five elective credits toward an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. It is also worth six core credits and five elective credits towards an Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Electronics.

The highest level of SBE Certification, the Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer (CPBE) level, is also eligible for college credit. With its requirement of 20 years relevant industrial experience, prior senior level certification or a Professional Engineering Registration, and other evidence of a high degree of accomplishment in the field, the individual holding the CBPE will be eligible for all the credit value of the senior level plus additional credit that can be earned through “Portfolio Assessment” in areas of the program as determined by a subcommittee of faculty members on a case-by-case basis.

So, if you are interested in using your SBE certification to help achieve your college degree objectives, you have the opportunity to do so either through a degree from Excelsior College or by using the Excelsior College credit awarded for your SBE certification to complete a degree program you may have on-going (or started years ago) at another college.

Excelsior College has no residency requirement. Courses are completed on–line or via CD-Rom.  You may also take Excelsior exams to “test out” and earn credits towards your degree in subjects that you are already proficient in.

For more information about degree programs, transcript services and fees, contact the Admissions counselors at Excelsior College at 888-647-2388. Press 2-7 at the prompt.

Lifetime Achievement Award

If you know someone who deserves extra recognition, you can use the 2005 Awards form to make a Lifetime Achievement Award nomination. Nominations for this award can be made any time in accordance with the rules listed on the nomination form, but no more than one award will be presented in a given year.

Battison Receives SBE Lifetime Achievement Award

The Society of Broadcast Engineers presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to John H. Battison, P.E., CPBE on April 25. The award was presented at the Las VegasConvention Center during the Society’s spring Membership Meeting, held during the NAB convention.

As “Member #1,” John Battison is well known among members and the broadcast industry as the founder of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. That, in itself, is a monumental accomplishment, but Battison’s career has been long, diverse and full of accomplishments which have spanned the globe.

Battison moved to the United States from England in 1945 and went to work in 1947 with ABC in New York, where he designed network TV and FM stations. In 1952 he became the Director of Education for the National Radio Institute in Washington, D.C..

In 1954 he became the director of engineering and general manager of CHCT-TV in Calgary, Alberta. During the 50’s and 60’s he produced Burl Ives on the ABC Network and produced two shows on Dumont, CBS and NBC Networks. From 1968 to 1970 he worked in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as chief engineer of Saudi Television.

Much of John’s career has been as a consultant. His clients included Bing Crosby, owner of KCOP-TV in Los Angeles, the former Governor of New Mexico, John Burroughs and AmericanUniversity.

He has lectured on broadcasting at New YorkUniversity and AmericanUniversity. Known as the authority on directional transmitting antennas, he has taught at five of the six special directional antenna seminars given by NAB. In 1980, he became a U.S. member of the FCC delegation attending the Region II, Medium Wave World Administrative Radio Conference in Buenos Aires; and in 1979, was selected to travel to Moscow as the U.S. delegate at the Popoff Conference.

Battison designed a 1,200 kW directional antenna system in Yugoslavia and was a consultant to the Ugandan government in planning their national TV system. In 1981, he lectured at Peking Institute of Broadcasting in China as an official guest of the government.

Battison has authored more than 15 technical books and over 500 technical articles. From 1964 to 1967 he served as editor of the Journal of Society of Broadcast Engineers and is a former editor of Broadcast Engineering, a contributing editor for Public Telecommunications Review and technical editor of Radio magazine.

Of course, John was the driving force behind the organization of the SBE. While editor of Broadcast Engineering, he wrote an editorial in 1961 which suggested that it was time for a new organization to be formed which would have the interests of the broadcast engineer as its sole mission.  Some engineers at the time were members of the Institute of Radio Engineers. Battison had been a member of this group since 1941 but had growing concerns that it wasn’t meeting the needs of the average broadcast engineer. There was talk that this group would become part of the larger American Institute of Electrical Engineers, later to be known as the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers; IEEE. This further concerned Battison as he feared the interests of broadcast engineers would be buried even further in the shadows among the larger organization’s multiple engineering interests.  Those two organizations eventually did join forces in 1963.

Battison received more than 30 letters in response to his editorial and hoped that someone would come forward to organize the new group. However, after two years of waiting, no surfaced to take the lead, so he decided to do it himself.

In April 1963, Battison ran an application form for the new organization in Broadcast Engineering, and with the help of his family, mailed letters to almost 5,000 radio and television chief engineers across the country, inviting them to join.  The response was sufficient enough that Battison decided to call the first official meeting during the 1964 NAB convention in Chicago.  His leadership in the early days set the course for the organization. One that would grow to more than 5,700 members in the U.S. and 25 other countries in 111 chapters.

Battison’s career has merited much recognition, including the NAB Achievement Award for Radio in 1998 and being named a Fellow of SBE in 1986. He was nominated as a Commissioner to the FCC in 1961 and 1973 by Senator Joseph Montoya and was appointed Colonel-aide-de-campe to Governor Sims of New Mexico. He is listed in Who’s Who in America.

Battison is also an ordained priest in the Anglican Church and was a pilot in England’s Royal Air Force for six and half years during World War Two.

SBE’s Lifetime Achievement award has been presented to a small but impressive group who have distinguished themselves over a long career. Past recipients include James C. Wulliman, CPBE; Benjamin Wolfe, CSBE; Philo T. Farnsworth; Pem Farnsworth; Morris H. Blum, CBT; Richard A. Rudman, CPBE and Richard W. Burden, CPBE.  Nominations are secret and are voted on by the National Board of Directors.  Nominees must be members of SBE whose career spans at least 40 years.

 AVOIDING AUTOMATIC TERMINATION OF BROADCAST AUXILIARY LICENSES ON 2/1/06

A special report by Chris Imlay, SBE General Counsel

   (Revised 1/23/06)

A number of issues were raised by the FCC almost a year ago in a January 21, 2005 Declaratory Ruling (“DR”) regarding automatic terminations of wireless radio service authorizations in the Universal Licensing System (ULS). SBE has since that time attempted to clarify the applicability of this DR to broadcast Auxiliary (BAS) facilities. We received the necessary clarifications orally from FCC staff long ago, but FCC has been unwilling to clarify for broadcasters generally (by a revised public notice) the means necessary to protect Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) licenses from cancellation. This is a basic “primer” For those of you who have limited experience with the FCC’s ULS, there are some issues you must know about right now, to avoid automatic cancellations starting February 1, 2006.

I. Background

On January 21, 2005, the FCC issued its DR in Docket 05-23, which stated that, as of July 1, 2005, it would automatically terminate and delete from the ULS any wireless radio service authorization for which not notification of completion of construction had been filed. Part 74 facilities were not among the radio services listed as affected by this automatic termination provision. Section 1.901 of the FCC rules, however, does include Part 74 BAS facilities among the “wireless radio services.” This issue made it necessary to clarify the applicability of the automatic termination provisions. So, SBE filed on February 21, 2005 a Request for Clarification of the DR, asking whether the DR applied to Part 74, and other clarifications. In addition, SBE representatives met with FCC Gettysburg staff in February of 2005 to ask the same questions. Broadcast engineers deserve to know how to avoid termination of their stations’ BAS licenses before the automatic termination provisions became effective.

The FCC issued a Public Notice on May 25, 2005 (DA 05-137) postponing the effective date of the automatic termination provisions in the ULS until Fall of 2005, in order to allow licensees some time to submit late-filed notifications of completion of construction of licensed facilities, together with requests for waiver of the notification deadline. These are commonly known as “NT” filings, the code used in the ULS for Notification of Completion of Construction.

SBE representatives met with the FCC’s Wireless Bureau staff in June of 2005, to discuss the SBE Clarification Request. SBE explained that if the Commission would simply issue a clarification public notice, that was all that would be necessary. FCC agreed to do this. The FCC further postponed the implementation date of the automatic termination provisions due to the disruption of broadcast operations due to Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita. Ultimately, the Commission postponed the implementation of automatic terminations until February 1, 2006. In its December 20, 2005 Public Notice announcing this latest postponement, the FCC stated as follows:

The…automated feature in (the)…ULS for all Wireless Services that will identify those licenses, locations or frequencies for which a timely notice of completion of construction or a request for an extension of the construction or coverage period has not been filed by the required deadline. Where the Wireless Service includes construction or coverage requirements and the licensee fails to submit a notice of construction or request for an extension in a timely manner, ULS will both notify the licensee that its license, location or frequency has automatically terminated and will list the license, location or frequency on a weekly public notice as automatically terminated.

Clearly, this is not something a BAS licensee can afford to have happen. FCC’s public notices have not significantly clarified the obligations of BAS licensees. Here are some important points about the process.

II. Are Part 74 Facilities Included in the Automatic Termination Provisions?

Yes. The FCC finally made that clear in the December 20, 2005 Public Notice, though it was not at all clear in the DR. Part 74 is in fact one of the radio services affected by the DR and subject to the automatic termination provisions if the notification of completion of construction is not timely filed and if a Petition for Reconsideration is not timely filed if an authorization is terminated for non-compliance with the notification obligation. The inclusion of Part 74 is mandated by the original ULS Report and Order, FCC 98-234, released October 21, 1998. Though that is far from clear in the DR, there is no doubt now about the inclusion of Part 74 as one of the wireless services that are subject to the provisions of the DR.

III. When Do I Have To File An NT For A New Or Modified BAS License?

The rule is that you must file an NT after completion of construction of a BAS license where a frequency is added, deleted, or changed. Therefore, a licensee has to file an NT for any new BAS license. As to modified facilities, if the frequencies are not changed, it is not necessary to file one. The only BAS (or other) facilities that are subject to the Notification of Completion of Construction obligation are those in which frequencies are added or modified. Most Aural and Television BAS facilities are given an 18 month construction period, within which time an NT must be filed. However, RPUs and Low Power Auxiliary facilities are given only 12 months to construct and within which an NT must be filed. Note, by the way, that if you delete a frequency from a license, you actually have to file an NT after the modification application is granted, or else the deleted frequency comes back! Notwithstanding the FCC’s informal guidance here, the best practice is to file an NT for any new or modified BAS facility before the end of the construction period, and as soon as the new or modified facility is complete. Filing an NT is extremely easy in the ULS compared to other FCC filing requirements in either the ULS or the CDBS, and the safest thing is always to file, rather than risk an automatic termination, which starts February 1, 2006.

IV. What is the status of BAS Modification Applications When an NT is not Filed for the Modified Facilities?

SBE expressed concern to the FCC about the status of a licensed BAS facility that is subject to a granted application for modification, but for which an NT is necessary but not timely filed. This was clarified by the WTB Gettysburg staff as follows: If an application for modification of a licensed BAS facility includes a change in frequencies, an NT is required. If the NT is not timely filed, the license will revert to the prior licensed status in the database and the modification will disappear. Apparently, however, there have been differing opinions by FCC staff expressed to others. Do not rely on this to preserve your BAS license!

V. Beware! ULS Records do not reveal old and proposed new facilities!

For Aural and TV BAS fixed links, as soon as a modification application for an existing fixed BAS facility is granted, the old record disappears from the ULS, and only the proposed new facilities show up. Since there is an 18-month construction period for new and modified BAS licenses (except that RPUs and Low-Power Auxiliary stations are given 12 months only), and since it is necessary to ensure that an existing but not yet changed path is properly protected from other incompatible applications (especially given the new Prior Coordination Notification requirements for fixed BAS facilities), there should be protection of both old and new facilities during the modification period. This cannot be done under current FCC ULS  protocols. It is unreasonable (since, for example, new studio construction and modified STL construction could take the better part of the 18 months authorized) to delete the old licensed facilities in the ULS before the end of the construction period for BAS licenses. SBE understands that this will be addressed in ULS upgrades sometime in the future. Because this matter has not been resolved, however, the FCC staff suggests that an applicant should not modify a fixed BAS facility. Rather, the applicant should file an application for a new facility instead, and, upon completion of construction of the new facility, the applicant should simultaneously file a notice of completion of construction for the new facility, and a dismissal of the old license.

VI. Check the Administrative Information for Each BAS License, and Make Sure that T’s have been filed for ALL of your BAS Licenses Before February 1, 2006 !

The FCC’s December 20, 2005 Public Notice urges licensees to check their licenses and determine whether or not an NT was filed for them. If not, you should immediately do so, together with a request for waiver (electronically filed along with the NT) for the untimely filing of the NT. This will protect your license against automatic termination, and the FCC routinely grants waivers for late NT filings. At the same time, it is easy and free to do an administrative update (AU) for each license to make sure the contact information, licensee name, and all other administrative data is correct.

The FCC issued an Automatic Termination Clarification on February 6.

SBE files comments regarding the EAS FNPRM – 04-296 

On January 24, 2006 the Society of Broadcast Engineers filed comprehensive comments related to the FCC’s EAS Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making (FNPRM).  Among the many recommendations  for changes and improvement to the EAS, the Society called for the creation of point-multipoint distribution systems for the distribution of EAS messages from their sources to those systems that transmit emergency messages to the public and for the elimination of the EBS era ‘daisy-chain’ system.   Due to the critical need for

providing text messages to existing television based systems and a growing array of other, non-broadcast EAS participants, the SBE also called for the adoption of the Common Alerting Protocol as the vehicle for the distribution of emergency messages from their sources.

The complete text of SBE’s response to this FNPRM  can be found under Regulatory/Gov’t Relations.

SBE Roundtable debuts

SBE president, Chriss Scherer, CPBE CBNT has announced a new benefit for members who would like to have a forum for discussing issues related to the broadcast engineering field or SBE. The Society has created the "SBE Roundtable," an e-mail discussion group open to SBE members only.

Members may wish to discuss equipment issues, the latest technology advances or regulatory issues. Participants can also discuss issues regarding their

SBE chapter or the national organization.

Scherer will serve as moderator for the list. Current members may Subscribe now.

SBE EAS Exchange Debuts

The Society of Broadcast Engineers, in response to those who have requested a forum dedicated and limited to the discussion of issues related to the Emergency Alert System, has instituted the ‘SBE-EAS Exchange. The EAS Exchange will be moderated by SBE EAS Committee Chair, Clay Freinwald, CPBE. On occasion, another member of the SBE EAS Committee may also moderate the discussion.  SBE membership is encouraged to participate on the EAS Exchange, but it is not required.

Participants can discuss equipment issues, the latest related FCC activity, share EAS failures or success stories etc.

To subscribe to the SBE-EAS Exchange, go to http://seven.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/sbe-eas.

Strategic Planning Meeting July 8 in Kansas City

Posted 7/21/06 - A national Society of Broadcast Engineers Strategic Planning Meeting will be held Saturday, July 8, in Kansas City, Mo. SBE has retained the services of a professional facilitator who will be instrumental in offering unbiased guidance for the discussions and help the attendees recognize and articulate the Society’s needs and build consensus on the best ways to chart SBE’s course.

We welcome input and participation from the entire membership and invite representatives of each chapter to attend.  Chapters are asked to dedicate either a regular meeting or a special session to develop questions, suggestions and recommendations that apply to their chapter, as well as the national organization.  Some suggested questions to start with would be:

• What are SBE’s most important/least important functions?
• What services should the SBE provide?
• What services should SBE discontinue?
• What role does/should SBE play in the broadcast industry?
• What can SBE do to increase the value of membership and certification?
• What is the skill set of the current broadcast engineer?
• What skills are needed but are lacking?
• What will the future broadcast engineer be like?
• What will the future broadcast engineer need to know?
• What can SBE do to increase awareness and interest in broadcast engineering?
• What can SBE do to attract more participation from members at the local and national levels?
• How can the SBE National Office better support and work with local chapters?

SBE is urging all chapters to send a representative to the meeting so the full membership can best be represented.  Chapters might consider covering the travel cost for their chairman to attend.

The national strategic planning meeting will be held at the Hilton Kansas City Airport hotel at 8801 NW 112th Street, Kansas City, Mo. We have arranged a special discounted room rate of just $89, plus tax, and a limited number of rooms have been set aside for our group. To reserve your room, call 800-HILTONS by June 16. The hotel provides free shuttle service to and from the airport. SBE will provide a continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday to all those who attend. We hope the central location will make it easier for your chapter chair, or other chapter representative, to be there.

To properly plan for your participation, it is important we know in advance if you will be attending. Please R.S.V.P. by June 30 to SBE Executive Director John Poray at the National Office at jporay@sbe.org.

SBE Announces Accreditation Program for Frequency Coordinators

Posted 9/30/05 - SBE has begun a new Frequency Coordinator Accreditation program. Accreditation will give our hardworking, volunteer coordinators the opportunity to demonstrate they are part of a standards-based, nationally-recognized program of local voluntary broadcast-auxiliary frequency coordination. At the same time, it will allow SBE to demonstrate to the broadcasting industry the widespread acceptance of a voluntary set of standards guiding local coordination.

SBE accreditation is not SBE certification. There is no test to take and no cost to become accredited. SBE accreditation addresses commitment of the individual to the task of providing frequency coordination.

Though voluntary, the hope is that every frequency coordinator will want to become accredited. Frequency coordinators will subscribe to the Accreditation Pledge which assures that consistent services will be provided. Click here for more information about the SBE Frequency Coordination Accreditation Program, including the text of the pledge and application form.

SBE to Offer Specialst Certification on 8-VSB

Posted 9/30/05 - The Society of Broadcast Engineers has announced the second topic in a series of specialist certifications will be 8-VSB. This topic was chosen because of the ongoing progress in digital television and the importance of identifying qualified broadcast engineers who are critical to its implementation.
 
David Carr, CPBE, is leading a subcommittee to create this Specialist Certification. Carr is a former chairman of the SBE National Certification Committee. He is also the director of engineering for Telemundo Arizona and has been involved with the group's transition to digital transmission. He previously oversaw the transition to digital at KHOU-TV in Houston, which was the first all-digital station in the country.
 
The SBE National Certification Committee anticipates the 8-VSB specialist exam will be available in time for exam session being offered during the SBE national Meting and BEE Regional Convention in Dallas, October 20.