RF Engineering

Do you remember MEOV? 

MEOV offered a wonderful means of providing a way around a potential difficulty in meeting the approved radiation pattern.

The application of NEC programs 

The NEC programs offer a great improvement over the slide rule era when the sheer volume of manual operations involved tended to influence full and comprehensive searches for perfection.

Vertical Radiators 

Sometimes we tend to forget some of the fundamental facts of electronic life involving radiation which, after all, are requisite for radio transmission.

Ground systems 

The average ground system is quiet, dependable and retiring, performing its work efficiently, without demand for attention. Unfortunately, too many stations try to economize when installing or maintaining ground systems.

Tweaking the antenna system 

The last link in the broadcast chain under the control of the broadcast engineer is the transmitter and antenna system. From then on quality of reception is left in the hands of the listeners. Thus it puts the onus of transmitting the best possible signal on the station engineer.

Taming a wild monitor point 

When monitor points suddenly exhibit surprisingly high field strength, one's first inclination is to look at the previous logs and ask the technical staff about the monitoring point's history

Forgotten modulation methods 

Early in the 1930s French engineer Henri Chireix devised an ingenious method of modulation that he named most appropriately out phasing. It was based on the result of combining two out-of-phase voltages. This produces a fluctuating signal voltage that varies in amplitude as the audio signals change. This voltage, after amplification, drives a power amplifier stage with properly amplitude-modulated RF.

Radio broadcasting and 700MHz 

The FCC is auctioning what may be the most important spectrum allocations of our time. This portion of spectrum will be available as a result of the FCC mandate for traditional analog broadcast television to migrate to the new digital HDTV system by Feb. 17, 2009, specifically the portion previously occupied by channels 60-69.

Don't become a statistic 

There are many lists extant of precautions to take before working with high voltage pieces of equipment. Lethal incidents may be more often caused by completely unexpected circumstances than from pure, careless accidents.

LEDs Are Here to Stay 

Tower lighting requirements, which are specified in part 17 of the Commission’s rules, sometimes come as a financial shock.

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The FCC allows AMs to use FM translators, several groups partner to launch SAFER, Nautel opens a UK parts depot, and Reader Feedback inquires about your communication skills.

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Radio magazine Editor Chriss Scherer talks to David Bialik, Broadcast and Streaming Session Chairman of the 127th AES Convention.

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