Here’s another batch of letters from Radio World readers in recent months. Comment on this or any article. Email [email protected].
The Merger of Engineering and IT
Frank McCoy’s commentary “Solutions for the CE Recruitment Problem” was most interesting The consolidation of IT services into a corporate layer instead of a local presence seems to be popular. Frank’s article is the first I have seen that speaks against this practice.
His views on what the FM spectrum will look like in a decade are plausible. I have to wonder what role ATSC 3.0 will play in future delivery of audio information and entertainment, I’d like to read his views on that.
Agree completely with the need to possess IT networking skills. What we see now might be similar to washouts in engineering that took place years ago during the transitions from 12AX7s to 2N3055s to NE5532s.
– Dale Lamm
Chief Engineer, WHBC(AM/FM)
Taking It to Heart
Considerable interest is being directed to induction charging systems for battery powered vehicles. Your Nov. 9 issue covered the technology from the radio reception point of view (“Wireless EV Charging Could Pose Threat to AM Reception”).
As a recipient of an implanted pacemaker, I’ve received warnings to stay away from magnetic fields such as those created by motors, generators, transformers and the like.
The fields of these EV charging systems are several orders of magnitude more intense than any of the aforementioned devices. Are the promoters of induction charging aware of the danger this might present? Just asking.
– Roger Stubbe
Pella, Iowa
Add an NWR button
As a radio supporter and owner of two Teslas, I wholeheartedly support the inclusion of AM radio in electric automobiles (“Radio on the Radar,” Dec. 21 issue). And since the roofs of Teslas and other EVs are entirely glass, I also advocate for the inclusion of NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) in every EV.
Chips to receive the NWR broadcasts (162.400–162.550 MHz) cost mere pennies, but the reception of a severe thunderstorm warning could give me the information I need to avoid the impact of damaging hail on my roof. I would think the automobile insurance industry would also advocate for NWR … in every vehicle on the road … to reduce hail, flood and high wind damage to automobiles and their occupants.
Hey auto manufacturers, why is there no NWR button in our cars?
– Bruce T Jones
Meteorologist/Spokesperson, Midland Radio Corp.
Watch Out for the Little Guys
Regarding “FCC Takes Comments on FM Digital Power Increase”:
Hello FCC. Radio engineers strongly oppose more static to our analog stations from the corporate HD jamming signal. The term “in-band, on-channel” fools no one. The truth is the signal is on an adjacent channel, the frequency of someone else, which had been a clean analog signal.
In this new request from the NAB, again claims are made that nearly 50% of new cars have HD Radio, but I rent new cars all the time and very few have HD Radio. The fact is consumers don’t even care if the new car has AM/FM as long as it’s Bluetooth. That’s the sad state of broadcast programming in America today.
This request also has no provisions to uphold the Local Community Radio Act and clearly is not looking out for the hundreds of LPFM stations barely hanging on to little bits of the radio spectrum between the big corporate stations. These community stations, the weakest among us, will be the most affected by the HD jamming signals. The request should be rejected for this reason alone. And expecting smaller stations to lease this corporate-owned HD technology is unrealistic from an ROI perspective.
– Brad Johnson
Salida, Calif.
[Check Out More Letters at Radio World’s Reader’s Forum Section]
