FCC
Gets
Earful
from the
Faithful |
Sandy,
Newtown
Prompt
Communities
to
Remind
FCC of
the
Value of
the
Information
Radio
Service |
Washington,
DC:
Coast to
coast –
and
especially
on the
East
Coast –
communities
have
been
contacting
the FCC
this
winter
to
encourage
them to
do two
things:-
Finalize
the new
FCC
rules
regarding
Information
Radio
Stations
(TIS).
- Make
sure
those
rules
expand a
community’s
ability
to use
the
service
to
protect
life and
property.
Superstorm
Sandy
and the
shooting
tragedy
at
Newtown
have
reminded
communities
of the
value of
Information
Radio
and have
renewed
the
resolve
to
solidify
rules
that
govern
the
service.
The
American
Association
of
Information
Radio
Operators
(AAIRO)
has
coalesced
the
communities’
correspondence
and
filed it
ex parte
in
pending
FCC
Rulemaking
Docket
09-19 to
place it
squarely
before
the
commissioners
in time
for
final
consideration.
See the
filing.
The
docket
contains
comments
and
responses
to the
FCC’s
current
Notice
of
Proposed
Rulemaking
(NPRM)
in which
the
Commission
considers
changing
the
rules
for
allowed
broadcast
content.
Though
current
Part 90
rules do
allow
the
broadcast
of
emergency
information
on these
stations
during
an
emergency,
the NPRM
seeks
clarification
that
safety
information
intended
to
mitigate
the
effects
of
disasters
may be
broadcast
at any
time –
in
advance
of or
after
the
emergency.
Writer Brooks Boliek of Politico on January 8, 2013,
mentioned the effort in his story entitled "Emergency
Responders Ask FCC to Expand Broadcasts." And AAIRO
Board Member Jeff Braun of Fort Bend County, Texas,
echoed the effort.
Your
community
can
encourage
the FCC
to
finalize
the
rules,
using
these
linked
letters
as
examples.
Submit
your
letter
to AAIRO
via
this
email
link. |
|
 |
Project
Manager
Tom
Coviak
compares
the size
of
traditional
AM
signal
measurement
equipment
(left)
with the
new,
smaller
SMR
Receiver
(right). |
A
Needed
Compliance
Appliance |
New
Receiver
Assures
Operators
that
Their
Stations
Don’t
Exceed
FCC
Signal
Limits |
Zeeland,
MI: When
your
Information
Station
first
went on
the air,
the
installing
technician
set its
signal
level
not
exceed
FCC
limits.
But how
do you
know
that the
signal
level
has not
drifted
and
still
complies?
A new
receiver
allows
you to
know –
for
sure.
The
Signal
Measurement
Radio (SMR)
Receiver
pictured
above is
the
first
device
of its
kind
capable
of
measuring
and
displaying
AM
signal
levels
with a
useful
level of
precision.
Project
Manager
Tom
Coviak
offers
this
explanation:
"The SMR
Receiver
provides
a
digital
LCD
readout
that
correlates
reliably
to
scientific
measurement
equipment…for
about
one-hundredth
the
price."
Further,
Tom
recommends,
"It’s
important
to have
a means
of
monitoring,
not only
to make
sure
your
station
complies
with FCC
limits
but also
so you
can spot
adverse
changes
in your
signal
that
could
point to
equipment
concerns
within
your
station
or its
environment.”
Issues
involving
an
antenna
system,
for
example,
are much
less
expensive
to
correct
sooner
than
later,
since
they can
affect
electronic
components
downstream.
Coviak
advises,
“Now
every
operator
can
afford
such a
receiver,
and it
should
be part
of the
basic
toolkit
for
their
station.”
Information
Station
Specialists
provides
SMR
Receivers
with all
new
radio
station
packages;
and they
can be
obtained
separately,
as well,
for
$143,
including
freight.
Email
us
to learn
more. |
|
That's
an
Attractive
Idea! |
Peabody,
Massachusetts,
Promotes
Awareness
of
Emergency
Information
Service
with
Innovative
Magnet
Giveaway |
Peabody,
MA: How
can you
condition
the
public
to use
an
Information
Radio
frequency,
website
or
stream (QR)
code in
an
emergency?
The City
of
Peabody,
MA, has
a simple
idea
they
think
will
“stick”
–
refrigerator
magnets.
The
simple
2" by 3"
magnets
promote
the
City’s
Information
Radio
Station
on AM
1640 and
also
give
residents
a QR
code
they can
scan
(and URL
they can
link to)
to hear
an
internet
simulcast
of their
emergency
radio
programming.
The
parallel,
internet-delivered
method
is
especially
useful
when
listeners
are
indoors
or
outside
the
radio
coverage
area.
Click
picture
for
closeup.
Says Jim
Morin,
“In the
most
common
emergencies,
car
radios
still
work and
so do
smartphones.
People
just
remember
that on
their
refrigerator
is the
info
they
need to
access
our
stream
of
emergency
programming.”
Morin is
also
considering
a
variation
of the
idea
that
will
attach
to the
auto
windshield
like a
‘oil
change
sticker.’
“This
will be
particularly
helpful
to
remind a
driver
which
frequency
to tune
to while
he or
she is
behind
the
wheel.”
The
magnets
cost
pennies
apiece
but
might
have a
significant
impact
on the
awareness
of
Peabody’s
emergency
information
services
–
something
Jim
Morin is
“positive”
about.
Visit
the
HearMoreInfo
webpage
to learn
more
about
streaming
broadcasts. |
|
Talk to The Source |
Selected Reader
Responses |
“Good
coverage
of each
of the
subjects.
Keep up
the good
work.
Sad to
know
that LAX
is dead
due to
lack of
interest
by the
managers.
A
complete
opposite
in
thinking
to the
Sandy
folks.”
Frank P.
Weed
Chief
Radio
Systems
Manager,
National
Park
Service
(Retired)
“Very
Interesting
articles.
It’s
good to
know
that
radio is
still
relevant
even
though
computers
and
smartphones
are
everywhere.”
Greg Yee
Seattle
DOT |
|
© 1983-2021 • Information Station Specialists,
Inc. • All Rights Reserved
PO Box 51, Zeeland, Michigan, USA, 49464-0051, Phone
616.772.2300, Fax 616.772.2966,
Email Form
• • •
|
Information Radio Stations is a generic term
synonymous with Travelers Information Stations (TIS), Highway
Advisory Radio Stations (HAR) / Highway Information Systems &
Low Power Radio Stations (LPR). Operation of the stations is
governed by FCC Part 90.242 Rules. A FCC license is required.
Information Radio Stations may be fixed or portable.
Subcomponents may include transmitter, antenna and ground
system, digital voice player, wattmeter, cabinet with
conventional or Corbin locks, lightning arrestors for RF, power
and telephone lines, coaxial cable. Most stations employ black
maximized antennas to discourage ice accumulation and security
measures to prevent unauthorized program access. Options include
synchronization, battery backup, solar power, remote programming
by local, network or telco, multi-station audio distribution via
RF or LAN / WAN or wireless network. |