The headline to this column is a gratuitous reference to a haunting Kate Bush song originally released four decades ago. But since Kate’s song recently found its way to 1 billion streams on Spotify — thanks to the tune’s “rediscovery” in a Netflix series — I can’t resist using it to promote your latest free ebook, conveniently titled “Getting Data Up the Hill.”
With so many options for sending your radio station’s audio and metadata to the transmitter site, we wanted to return to update you on one of the most important decisions that radio engineers must make in designing their air chains.
The questions we explore include licensing and unlicensed options, internet connectivity, the state of wireless IP links, various bands including 950 MHz, MicroMPX, last-mile challenges, the use of systems like Starlink, redundancy and how to stay connected in natural disasters.
Sharing their expertise with me were Josh Bohn of MaxxKonnect, Paul Cintolo of Comrex, Jacob Daniluck of Tieline, William Harrison of WETA(FM), Cindy Hutter Cavell of the Spectrum Group at Capitol Airspace, Tommy McElmeel of Family Radio, Ted Nahil of 2wcom and Jeff Welton of Nautel.
William Harrison told me that the most important trend over time is how broadcasters have embraced internet protocol, specifically via public internet.
“It has become the default delivery mechanism, as opposed to the exception,” he said.
“In the past, we relied on specialized systems to allow multiplexing of audio, control and even extending a POTS line via dedicated circuits like ISDN, T1, microwave or even fiber. These days it seems we’re sending even more things over commodity services, via copper, cable, fiber and low earth orbit satellite. That translates directly to savings, especially when you consider the cost of installing a dedicated microwave system.”
Find it here. And I’d love to hear from you with comments on the interviews or suggestions for future ebooks. Email me at [email protected].
Though in hindsight maybe I should have called it “Gettin’ Data Up That Hill.”
