March 2013 Newsletter - SBE Chapter 24 Madison

Next Meeting
March 2013
THURSDAY, MARCH 14
FILE-BASED AUDIO &
VIDEO PRODUCTION
WITH SOUND DEVICES
PIX VIDEO RECORDERS
Jon Tatooles of Sound Devices
will show how external video
recorders like the PIX240i
can extend the life of tape-based
cameras, offer production grade
codecs to small format cameras
and simplify multi-camera
productions.
He will briefly discuss the
landscape of modern highdefinition
cameras and
discuss video file formats
and considerations for high
performance field production
using Sound Devices PIX
recorders.
Dutch Treat Dinner at 5:30pm
Rocky Rococo
Tree Lane (Mineral Point at Beltline)
(near Brothers Main Appliance store)
Madison, WI
Meeting and Program at 7:00PM
Full Compass Systems
9770 Silicon Prairie Parkway
(use main entrance)
Madison, WI
maps on page 5
Visitors & guests are welcome to join us!
Awards Season
>>> by Bill Hamilton, Chapter 24 Chair
Hello all. We are rapidly approaching
our own awards season. To start things
off, congratulations are in order for our
own Leonard Charles. He is this year’s
esteemed recipient of the NAB Service
to Broadcast Engineering award. This
award is reserved for individuals who
have provided service above and beyond
to the industry and that may not have been
broadly recognized. Chuck is recognized
by his peers for his outstanding service to
his company and the broadcast industry
along with furthering the goals and
objectives of SBE.
To continue on the awards theme,
we are coming up on the annual SBE
National Awards for both chapter and
individual accomplishments. Last year,
Chapter 24 won several of the chapter
awards, including Best Newsletter, Best
Website and Best Regional Convention.
Also, new this year, is the SBE Chapter
Engineer of the Year award. This new
award recognizes the efforts of a specific
individual who best furthers the goals
and objectives of their SBE chapter and
provides an outstanding example of local/
regional leadership and ethics. If you
would like to nominate anyone for this
new award or any of the other individual
awards, please contact me or one of the
other officers for information on how to
submit them for an award.
As NAB approaches, the SBE is
offering a free exhibits-only guest pass to
the 2013 NAB show. Members can use the
special code EP08 to get a complimentary
pass. If any of you are planning to
register for the full conference and whose
employers are not NAB members, you can
save $100 off of the non-NAB member
rate with the SBE member code of EP38.
Finally, as many of you may know, I
attended a strategic planning conference
Society of
Broadcast Engineers
Chapter 24
Newsletter
Madison, Wisconsin
at the SBE national headquarters this
past summer. As a continuation of this,
I have been asked by one of our national
board members, Tim Anderson, to serve
on his 2013 Membership Committee. We
will meet via telephone and email with
Executive Director John Poray over the
next few weeks to discuss our strategy
and formulate some goals and make
recommendations that we can take back to
the full SBE board in April.
Changing topics... Our program
committee chairman Steve Paugh could
use some help in planning programs for
upcoming meetings. Some radio ideas
would be a nice addition, but any ideas are
welcome.
Google White Space
Database Test
>>> by Tom Smith
On February 27th, the FCC announced
(http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/
Daily_Business/2013/db0227/DA-13-
297A1.pdf) that Google’s White Space
database was opened for public testing.
The database will be available for testing
for 45 days, ending on April 17th. The
database can be found at (https://www.
google.org/spectrum/whitespace/). The
testing is similar to the previous database
tests, including the ability to register
wireless microphones into the database.
In this Issue
Minutes..................................... 2
FCC Rulemakings..................... 3
Amateur Radio News................ 4
Coming Up
Tues., April 16 TBD – Elections
Wed., May 15 TBD
Thur., June 13 SBE Summer Picnic

Page 2 SBE Chapter 24 Newsletter March 2013
Chapter Contacts
Chapter Leadership
Chair
Bill Hamilton, Wisconsin Eye
W: 608-316-6850 Ext. 305
Bill.Hamilton@wiseye.org
Vice Chair
Kevin Trueblood
Wisconsin Public Radio
kevin.trueblood@wpr.org
Secretary
Kevin Ruppert, WISC-TV
W: 608-271-4321
kruppert@wisctv.com
Treasurer
Matthew Glissendorf, AT&T
608-252-7815
mg4512@att.com
Past Chair
Fred Sperry, ECB-OC
W: 608-264-9806
fred.sperry@ecb.org
Committee Appointees
Program Committee
Steve Paugh 277-5139
spaugh@wisctv.com
Volunteer for the
program committee!
Membership / Newsletter Editor
Paul Stoffel
paul.stoffel@wpt.org
Sustaining Membership
Fred Sperry
608-264-9806
fred.sperry@ecb.org
Certification & Education
Jim Hermanson
jim.hermanson@wpt.org
Frequency Coordination
Tom Smith
608-837-2729
tcsmith100@frontier.com
National SBE Chapter Liasion
Leonard Charles
W: 608-271-4321
F: 608-271-1709
lcharles@wisctv.com
7847 Big Sky Drive
Madison, Wisconsin 53719
(608) 833-0047 • FAX (608) 833-5055
Meeting Minutes
from the February 2013 Business Meeting
On Wednesday, February 13, 2013, Chapter 24 of the Society of Broadcast
Engineers met for their monthly meeting at WISC-TV. Chair Bill Hamilton called
the meeting to order at approximately 7:00 PM. After introductions, Hamilton asked
for committee reports.
The secretary’s report of the minutes of the last meeting was approved as
published in the last newsletter. There were no reports from the treasurer or
membership chair. Sustaining membership chair Fred Sperry reported that we
presently have 21 sustaining members. Recent renewals are WISC-TV, WKOW-
TV, Clark Wire & Cable, Scharch LLC, and WMTV-TV. Program Chair Steve
Paugh reported that there are no programs yet for the next two meetings which are on
Thursday, March 14 and Tuesday, April 16. The summer picnic will take place as
usual in June. Paugh mentioned that the Chapter could use more volunteers for the
Program Committee.
Certification Chair Jim Hermanson could not attend the meeting, but reports that
there is one certification in progress and that March 22 is the deadline for the next
exams that will be held at NAB. Frequency Coordination chair Tom Smith reminded
everyone that they should have their wireless mics registered with the FCC is they
have not already done so. He also pointed out that relays in the 7 GHz band need to
be registered by April 1.
National Liaison Leonard Charles reported that SBE National has just approved
a new effort to support chapters in their efforts to recognize local members with a
new Chapter Engineer of the Year Award. Local winners will be recognized in the
Signal and other SBE national publications. Chapters that already have a local award
will be able to use that and enter their winner for this national award. The local
chapter chairs will receive more information on this effort soon. In new business,
Hamilton recognized that Leonard Charles will be the recipient of the NAB Service
to Broadcast Engineering Award at the NAB convention this year. Also in new
business, Hamilton pointed out that IEEE will be holding another “Bridging the Gap”
IT training sessions intended for Broadcast Engineers.
Nomination chair Steve Paugh announced the nominees for the elections. Kevin
Trueblood has excepted the nomination for Chair, Kevin Ruppert for Vice Chair,
Matt Glissendorf for treasurer, and Pete Deets for secretary. Paugh asked if anyone
else would like to be nominated. There were no new nominations. He then called for
a motion to close the nominations. The motion was passed.
At 7:06 PM, Chair Hamilton called the meeting to a close and had Paugh
introduce the speaker for the night’s program, Mike Schmidt of Heartland Video
Systems who spoke about MPEG video encoders and how to operate them.
12 members were in attendance, 10 of which are certified. 2 guests were also in
attendance.
Submitted by Chapter 24 secretary, Kevin Ruppert

Page 3 SBE Chapter 24 Newsletter March 2013
FCC
Rulemakings
compiled by Tom Smith
FINAL RULEMAKING
WT Docket No. 10-4
Amendment of Parts 1, 2, 22, 24,
27, 90 and 95 of the Commission’s
Rules to Improve Wireless Coverage
Through the Use of Signal Boosters
On February 20th, the FCC
adopted rules (http://transition.fcc.gov/
Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/
db0220/FCC-13-21A1.pdf) regulating
signal boosters for cell phones and Part
90 two-way radios. Signal boosters
are two-way amplifiers used to extend
coverage for cell phone and two-way
radio users particularly in rural areas that
are distanced from a cell tower or within
buildings were cell signals are unable to
penetrate. This rulemaking will allow the
use of such boosters, which has been a
gray area within the rules. The boosters
were approved by the FCC for sale by
passing certain standard the FCC required
as far as causing interference the same as
any RF device. But, there were no rules
that specifically allowed for their use. The
CTIA, the wireless industry trade group,
petitioned the FCC for a declaratory ruling
from which the FCC started a rulemaking
action. The Commission, in these rules,
stated that it is a benefit to consumers
to allow for the use of signal boosters
in order to improve the coverage of cell
phone service.
In the rulemaking, the FCC created
two classes of signal boosters. The first
is a consumer class which is available to
individuals. The second is an industrial
class which is for use in place where a
large number of users are. These places
include sports arenas, office buildings,
hospitals, airports, tunnels and other
places were coverage is limited. There
are two types of signal boosters allowed
for use in these facilities. The first is
for repeating cell phone signals and the
second covers part 90 two-way radios.
Part 90 boosters are normally used by
first responders to extend coverage within
large facilities such as shopping malls,
big box stores, factories, office buildings,
tunnels and subways and other areas were
direct signal coverage is limited. Many
municipalities require these systems to be
installed in large facilities for use by their
police, fire and EMS services.
For consumers, the new rules require
that the units be registered with the
consumer’s cell phone carrier, that
the unit be sold and installed as a unit
including antennas, cable and the booster
amp itself and that it used for the carrier
that it is registered to. If there are two
or more people in a household using
different carriers, each must register
with their carrier. Guests can use the
booster even if they are not using that
carrier’s service. They are considered
an occasional user and not considered
to be a source of ongoing interference.
The consumer is allowed to install the
booster themselves under the proposed
rules. The Commission is requiring the
boosters to meet new technical standards
that limit power output, automatic
shutdown if going into self oscillation
(mainly feedback between the receive and
transmit amplifiers), and to meet labeling
requirements about usage and registration.
The boosters are considered secondary
and the consumer will be required to shut
the booster down, if found to be causing
interference. The booster can be used in
fixed or mobile usage. Mobile units must
bypass the transmit amplifier if close to a
base station. All transmit amplifiers must
cease operation after a period of time.
The industrial boosters must be
installed by the cell phone carrier or
a qualified installer and labeled for
installation by qualified installers only and
that they are not a consumer device. They
can be operated by a cell phone carrier or
the building owner with approval of the
cell phone carrier. They must meet similar
requirements as the consumer units as far
as interference and power restrictions.
And they can be operated at a fixed
location only.
The FCC has a web page to help
answer questions about signal boosters.
The web address is (http://wireless.fcc.
gov/signal-boosters/index.html) and has
posted a letter concerning the current
use of boosters (http://transition.fcc.gov/
Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/
db0228/DOC-319195A1.pdf).
FCC OK’S Digital
Microwave Encoders
>>> by Tom Smith
On February 20th, the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau of the
FCC issued a letter (http://transition.
fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_
Business/2013/db0220/DA-13-235A1.
pdf) to the Engineers for the Integrity
of Broadcast Auxiliary Services
Spectrum (EIBASS) clarifying the rules
concerning the used of digital codecs
to feed an FM analog microwave
transmitter. The EIBASS asked if the
use of a digital codec would require a
change in the modulation designation
of the license for such use. The Bureau
ruled that the digital signal is only
being fed to the baseband input of the
transmitter and that the signal remains
a FM signal with the same triangular
spectral shape associated with analog
transmission. This clarification could
help stations that wish to continue
use of currently licensed FM analog
microwave gear and upgrade to a form
of digital transmission.

Page 4 SBE Chapter 24 Newsletter March 2013
Amateur Radio News
compiled by Tom Weeden, WJ9H
● On February 28, Montana Governor Steve Bullock signed House Bill 148,
Clarifying Local Government Authority to Regulate Amateur Radio Operations,
into law. Montana State Representative Pat Connell, WA7PDC, had submitted
the bill on the 2013 Montana legislative docket in order to protect Amateur
Radio operators in Montana from distracted driving laws. The new law prohibits
local governments from regulating licensed Amateur Radio operations from a
motor vehicle and also establishes a 100-foot by-right height below which local
jurisdictions may not regulate Amateur Radio towers.
“Over the past few years, many of the larger Montana cities have enacted laws
to prohibit the use of mobile telecommunication devices while a motor vehicle is in
motion,” explained Rod Jackson, AE7JJ, Public Affairs Officer for the Great Falls
[Montana] Area Amateur Radio Club. “These actions were taken to stem what was
perceived as a safety concern from the distractions of trying to carry on a mobile
phone call or send a text message while trying to drive the vehicle. Each time these
new regulatory actions were under consideration, the drafters always tried to include
mobile Amateur Radio operators into the same group as the typical cell phone user.”
Jackson told the American Radio Relay League that many radio amateurs from
across the state came to the capital to testify in support of HB 148 in both the
House and Senate committees: “The bill received wide support during the process,
including an official endorsement from the Montana Association of Counties.
Their representative cited the numerous benefits that Amateur Radio operators
bring to their communities, in particular Amateur Radio’s critical role in providing
emergency communications support during times of disaster.”
● On February 20, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
in ET Docket No. 13-49, seeking to revise the Part 15 rules governing unlicensed
national information infrastructure (U-NII) devices in the 5 GHz band. These
devices presently operate in the frequency bands 5.15- 5.35 GHz and 5.47-5.825
GHz. Slightly different rules apply to 5.825-5.85 GHz. Among the changes being
proposed are two additional bands totaling 195 MHz for unlicensed operation:
5.35-5.47 GHz and 5.85-5.925 GHz. The Amateur Radio Service has a secondary
allocation at 5.65-5.925 GHz, including an Amateur Satellite Service uplink
allocation of 5.65-5.67 GHz and a downlink allocation of 5.83-5.85 GHz.
The FCC notes in the NPRM: “We believe that the time is now right for us
to revisit our rules, and, in this NPRM, we propose to modify certain technical
requirements for U-NII devices to ensure that these devices do not cause harmful
interference and thus can continue to operate in the 5 GHz band and make
broadband technologies available for consumers and businesses.”
“The Amateur Radio Service has a good record as a spectrum partner with the
other licensed services in the 5 GHz band,” observed ARRL Chief
Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. “The ARRL plans to respond
to the NPRM by pointing out that meaningful access to the 5 GHz
band for amateur and amateur satellite operations continues to be in
the public interest.”
TV
FM
AM
Portable, Professional Audio
Sound Devices, LLC
E7556 State Rd. 23/33
P.O. Box 576
Reedsburg, Wisconsin 53959
www.sounddevices.com
Phone: (608) 524-0625
Fax: (608) 524-0655
CBS
MADISON
WMTV
MADISON
615 Forward Drive
Madison, WI 53711
608-274-1515
www.nbc15.com
WISC-TV
Shane Collins
Clark Wire & Cable Sales
Unit A
408 Washington Blvd
Mundelein, IL 60060-4401
(800) CABLE-IT
(847) 949-9944
Fax: (847) 949-9595
e-mail: sales@clarkwire.com
www.clarkwire.com
Antenna System Specialist
Troubleshooting
Sweep Testing
Infrared Testing
www.ResonantResults.com
Richard Wood (608)839-3950
(Excerpts compiled from the American Radio Relay League’s web site)

Page 5 SBE Chapter 24 Newsletter March 2013
FCC Issues New TV
Coverage Software
>>> by Tom Smith
As part of the FCC’s actions
concerning the TV band incentive
auctions and the repacking of the TV
band, the FCC asked for comments on
newly-released software for computing
TV signal coverage using the OET-69
standards. This software and the request
for comments (http://transition.fcc.gov/
Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2013/
db0205/DA-13-138A1.pdf) was released
on February 4th which was 10 days after
the comment period ended on Docket
12-268 on the incentive auction.
The data concerning station coverage
is important because it will affect the
amount of interference that a station will
receive after repacking of the TV band.
How closely stations can be located
to each other will be dependent on the
station’s current coverage as computed
by the OET-69 standard.
The software can be found at: (http://
data.fcc.gov/download/incentiveauctions/OET-69/).
The software was
created on a Mac and may be Linux
compatible. Parts of the software are
in Java and while not guaranteed, the
FCC thinks that the software could be
compiled in Windows C source code.
Information is in the press release. The
files are very large and will require much
download time. The various parts and
changes to the software are explained in
the notice. Comments are due on March
25th and replies due on April 5th.
SINCLAIR to test
DVB-T2
>>> by Tom Smith
months.
The purpose of the test is to explore
the technological capabilities for future
TV standards including determining the
ability of ODFM modulation to provide
Ultra-high HDTV in the 6 MHz TV
bandwidth, if the ODFM signal can
provide a scalable signal to different TV
reception devices, to measure the signal
path loss budget in different locations of
the stations coverage area and to develop
coverage and service matching contours
to the current coverage standards.
The FCC is requiring that WNUV-
TV notify health facilities of the testing
March Meeting Maps
and report the results of the tests to the
FCC when concluded and also filing a
report on the progress of the test if filing
for renewal of the test authorization.
Sinclair had already declared to
share the results with the National
Association of Broadcasters, the North
American Broadcasters Association
and the Advanced Television Standards
Committee. A full description of the
test is in Sinclair’s application (http://
licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/
forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.
cgi?import_letter_id=39128).
Rocky Rococo Pizza & Pasta Restaurant, 7952 Tree Lane, Madison
On February 15th, the FCC granted
Sinclair Broadcasting a waiver (http://
licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/
forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.
cgi?import_letter_id=38917) to test
DVB-T2 modulation on WNUV-TV
Channel 40 in Baltimore. The test
period is to be during the overnight
hours and the authority is to last for 6
Full Compass Systems, 9770 Silicon Prairie Parkway, Madison

Page 6 SBE Chapter 24 Newsletter March 2013
Notice of Elections
>>> by Steve Paugh, Nominations Chair
In April we will hold elections for Chapter 24 offices of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer for the 2013-
2014 term. We have a full slate of nominations and we voted to close nominations at the February 13th chapter
meeting. Our current nominations for officers are:
Candidate for Chair-
Candidate for Vice Chair-
Candidate for Treasurer-
Candidate for Secretary-
Kevin Trueblood
Kevin Ruppert
Matthew Glissendorf
Pete Deets
Appointed Officers
The appointed offices do not fall under the jurisdiction of the nominations committee and are appointed by the Chair
of Chapter 24. Traditionally, the existing appointed officers continue for another term automatically. If you are a
current appointed officer and would like to step down, please contact the current Chair Bill Hamilton. If you would like
to serve as an appointed officer please make your desire known to the Chair.
The current appointed offices are Program Committee Chair- Steve Paugh and we have two vacancies on the on the
Program Committee, Newsletter Editor- Paul Stoffel, Membership Chair- Paul Stoffel, Sustaining Membership- Fred
Sperry, Certification and Education- Jim Hermanson, Frequency Coordination- Tom Smith and National Liaison-
Leonard Charles.
Voting
Thanks to the efforts of nominations committee member Leonard Charles, we will again have on-line voting! We
will also publish the election ballot in the April on-line newsletter. You can either vote on-line or print the on-line
ballot and mail it in to the Nominations Chair. Ballots will also be available at the April meeting for on-site voting.
The deadline for nominations and the submission of biographies will be March 29th, 2013. The nominations committee
consists of Steve Paugh (Chair), Mike Kulis and Leonard Charles.
NAB Awards Charles
>>> by Linda Baun, WBA
An NAB Service to Broadcast Engineering award will be presented to Leonard J.
Charles. The award is reserved for certain individuals who have
provided extraordinary service to the industry that may not have been
broadly recognized. Charles is credited by his peers for outstanding
service to his company and the broadcast industry and for furthering
the goals and objectives of the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE).
His efforts and recognitions in SBE include service on its Board and
as an Ennes Trustee, and his naming as a Senior Member, Fellow,
and Engineer of the Year (twice).
He has also served on the FCC National Advisory Committee
for EAS and its Communications Security Reliability and Interoperability Council
(CSRIC), the Wisconsin State Emergency Communications Committee and its Amber
Alert Committee, the Dane County (WI) EAS Committee, the MSTV Engineering
Committee and the NAB TV Technology Committee. Charles is active in the Wisconsin
Broadcasters Association and has chaired its Broadcasters Clinic.
Charles is widely recognized for his work in improving the Emergency Alert System
(EAS) and for educating broadcasters on EAS compliance.
Chuck will be honored at the NAB Technology Luncheon, on Wednesday, April 10
in Las Vegas.
WKOW
Madison
821 University Ave.
Madison WI 53706
Don Heinzen
Account Manager
Enterprise Soutions Division
Direct: 608.848.2001
don.heinzen@belden.com
9001 Hawks Reserve Lane
Unit 103
Verona, WI 53593
Cell: 608.235.7539
Fax: 608.848.2001
5727 Tokay Boulevard
Madison, Wisconsin 53719
(608) 274-1234
Fax: (608) 274-9514
www.wpt.org
Phone 608.263.2121
Fax 608.263.9763

Page 7 SBE Chapter 24 Newsletter March 2013
CHAPTER 24
SUSTAINING
MEMBERS
Recent Renewals
AVI Systems
SEVERIN THOMPSON
Regional Sales Manager
316 N. Milwaukee Street
Suite 567
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Tel 414.226.2226 x119
Fax 414.226.2181
Cell 920-539-3867
severin@mwmg.com
www.mwmg.com
Certification Achievements
Mark Baldridge
Certified Radio Operator (CRO)
Marshall Deets
Recertification: Certified Broadcast
Technologist (CBT)
April 2013 Chapter 24
Newsletter Deadline:
Tuesday, April 2
paul.stoffel@wpt.org
edited using Adobe InDesign CS4
Thanks to Leonard Charles
for maintaining the Chapter 24
web site and to Steve Paugh
for mailing the meeting
reminder postcards.
© 2013 by SBE Chapter 24, Inc. Views
expressed herein do not necessarily
reflect the official positions of the Society,
its officers, or its members. SBE Chapter
24, Inc. regrets, but is not liable for, any
omissions or errors. The Chapter 24
Newsletter is published twelve times per
year. Other SBE Chapters are permitted
to use excerpts if attributed to the original
author, sources, and SBE Chapter 24.
Certification Exam Session Dates
For more information about SBE Certification, contact Jim Hermanson,
jim.hermanson@wpt.org, Chapter 24 Certification Chair, or contact Megan
Clappe, Certification Director at the SBE National Office at
(317) 846-9000, or mclappe@sbe.org.
Exam Dates Location Application Deadline
April 9, 2013 NAB Convention March 22, 2013
June 7-17, 2013 Local Chapters April 12, 2013
August 9-19, 2013 Local Chapters June 1, 2013
November 1-11, 2013 Local Chapters September 13, 2013
maney-logic
Ross Video
WMTV-TV 15
Wisconsin Public Television
Thanks to all our
Sustaining Members:
Alpha Video
Belden, Inc.
Clark Wire and Cable
Full Compass Systems
GEPCO International, Inc.
Heartland Video Systems
Joseph Electronics
JVC Professional
Products Company
Midwest Media Group
Resonant Results, Ltd.
Scharch Electronics
Sound Devices, LLC
Token Creek Productions
WISC-TV 3
WKOW-TV 27
WMSN-TV 47