Blog Archives

Meadow Lakes BBQ/Picnic and Transmitter Tour

September 11, 2017
By

 Saturday September 16, 2017  12:00pm – 3:00pm

Meadow Lakes Picnic Area

 IMG_0185 (480x640)            IMG_0168 (640x480)

It hasn’t been a year already-Has it?

Well, technically speaking it hasn’t. But 364 days is close enough.

Time Flies When You’re Having Fun:

You would think these two retired gents, who’ve spent most of their professional days trying to keep things from going up in smoke, wouldn’t have a clue about the fine art of grilling—but you’d be WRONG. They’re experts at letting the smoke out.

IMG_0164 (640x480)Come see for yourself, by taking the short drive up to the  Meadow Lakes picnic area Saturday, September 16th. Remember, this is an SBE66 family-and-friends event, so you better not be the only one in the buggy on the drive up the hill. As always, SBE will provide the Tri-Tip BBQ and refreshments, but there’s more. That’s where you come in. This is a pot-luck event. Attendees whose last names end in A-K should bring salads and/or side dishes. Names ending in L-Z should bring dessert items. It’s OK to break the rules if you have a special dessert or side dish you want to bring. Ice for the drinks is always welcome. The festivities officially start at noon, but help setting up the tables is always appreciated if you can arrive earlier. We’ll also figure out how to throw in an official SBE66 meeting (short) somewhere along the way.

After you can eat and drink no more, join the caravan for a quick tour of your favorite Central Valley broadcast transmitter facilities. Where you’ll be able to ask our experts questions like this:IMG_0183 (640x480)

“Whoa, I bet you can talk to the whole universe with that honkin’ tower!”

See you at Meadow Lakes, Saturday September 16, at Noon.  Don’t miss it!

SBE RF Safety Course November 9

September 3, 2017
By
Mark your calendar and plan on participating in The 2017 SBE RF Safety Course on Thursday, November 9 at 1 p.m. ET. This course is approximately three and a half hours long and provides an updated overview of RF radiation issues and practices for broadcasters, including:

more…

August Meeting: Thursday August 31, 2017

August 30, 2017
By

12:00 Noon    No-host Lunch

Mitsui Buffet

117 West Shaw  Clovis

(Wild West Village Shopping Center between Villa and Minnewawa on Shaw-North Side)

Mention you’re with the SBE group when you enter for seating

Broadcast Activity Report

August 30, 2017
By
Steve Dresser

Steve Dresser

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRESNO Area FM more…

Random Noise: August 2017

August 30, 2017
By
Dennis Thompson

Dennis Thompson

The EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) Form One filing deadline was August 28th. The FCC is excepting late filings due to the disruption of Hurricane Harvey. more…

.

August 30, 2017
By

SBE Header 15

Statement from SBE President Jerry Massey Regarding Hurricane Harvey

Like everyone, we are watching with tremendous concern at the historic flood water levels, the destruction and the disruption of lives in that area.
We encourage SBE members to make financial contributions to the Red Cross, Salvation Army or other appropriate disaster relief agencies.
We recognize the broadcasters in the region who are working around the clock to bring emergency information to the public, with special recognition to the broadcast engineers who are working to keep those stations on the air.

Jerry Massey, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, DRB, CBNT
President, Society of Broadcast Engineers

Transition Begins for Broadcasters Leaving 600 MHz Band

August 30, 2017
By
Regulatory Update

The SBE has noted recently that users of wireless microphones and UHF low-power auxiliary devices at the close of FCC Auctions 1001/1002 have significant options for continued access to the UHF television band. Among these options is the continued availability of the 600 MHz band (614-698 MHz, above TV Channel 37) during the 39-month transition period that is scheduled to end on July 13, 2020. At the end of this transition period, all television stations that participated in the auction will have cleared the spectrum between 614 MHz and 698 MHz.
During the 39-month transition period, wireless microphones, intercoms and other low power broadcast auxiliary devices can continue to operate normally in the entire 614-698 MHz band. However, it will be necessary during this entire period to protect any broadband systems that acquired the spectrum in the auction that begin operations during the transition period.

The difficulty for broadcasters and video production entities in the use of wireless microphones and low-power auxiliary devices in the 614-698 MHz band during the transition is that we have no way of knowing precisely when a particular auction winner plans to light up in a given area. T-Mobile, which was one of the larger successful bidders at the auction, has been in close touch with the broadcast community on this subject. We have not heard from other auction winners about their scheduled deployment in the 600 MHz band.

T-Mobile helpfully has released a list of counties in which they intend to commence operations before the end of November 2017. The list comprises counties in which, generally speaking, there are no television stations subject to rebanding. There are numerous western areas that are largely rural on this list. T-Mobile will release subsequent lists as its rollout plans develop. If you plan to deploy wireless mics in any of the listed counties in the 614-698 MHz band (other than in the guard band or the duplex gap) subsequent to November 2016, you are obligated to ensure that no use of the band by auction winners has actually commenced by that time.

 

 

 

July Meeting: Thursday July 27, 2017

July 25, 2017
By

12:00 Noon    No-host Lunch

Mitsui Buffet

117 West Shaw  Clovis

(Wild West Village Shopping Center between Villa and Minnewawa on Shaw-North Side)

Mention you’re with the SBE group when you enter for seating

June Meeting: Thursday June 29, 2017

June 20, 2017
By

7:00 PM

Pizza and Beverages Provided by SBE 66

Tour of KVPR FM89

2589 ALLUVIAL AVE. CLOVIS

kvprbulding

After many seasons of planning and fundraising, a year of design work and another year of construction Valley Public Radio moved into its new home in Clovis on May 19th 2016. The 10,500 foot state-of-the-art broadcast center is located in Clovis, at the corner of Temperance and Alluvial Avenues in the Portal Sierra Research and Technology Park. The project includes new broadcast studios for the station, more than doubling the studio space when compared with the station’s old home.

Join SBE66 as they host their June Meeting (Thursday June 29 at 7PM) from the new KVPR facility. Pizza and beverages provided, plus a tour of the station with broadcast engineer Scott Dean.

RICE-NESHAP Regulations Apply to Broadcasters

May 19, 2017
By

By Mike Hendrickson, CPBE, CBNT 

Are you familiar with the term RICE-NESHAP? You may have seen it in what you considered an annoying notice from a meaningless agency because you only have an “emergency” generator. If that was what you thought, you need to think again! more…