March Meeting Notes: FCC Van Visits

March Meeting Notes

FCC Van Visits Jacor

By Gary Stigall, CSTE
KFMB-TV
Chapter 36 Chairman

Thanks to June Butler and Jim Lyons, local FCC staffers, attendees got to see a working monitoring van.

June Butler discusses FCC affairs with Bob Gonsett

June brought some new FCC Self-Inspection Forms. The forms are so new that they haven't been posted on the FCC web site yet. They are large enough that you would need a fast connection or overnight download anyway. She gave me a copy that I will distribute at the next meeting.

June Butler also mentioned a little-known "voluntary inspection" program that she said would, under most circumstances, exempt participants from official FCC inspections for two years, as long as you're not naughty. Bob Gonsett clarified this program with communications attorney Philip Kane and wrote about it in a separate article. June provided the chapter with copies of the brand new self-inspection forms, now available on-line. We'll pass some out at the May meeting as well, or you may request one from the chapter.

Next month's regular meeting is pre-empted by the NAB Convention in Las Vegas. However, we're holding a special Student Night as part of an ongoing SBE program to recruit new student members, and more importantly, new engineers. If you have career stories to share, would like to talk to prospective interns, or just want to enjoy some chocolate chip cookies, you are welcome.

We discussed a new local scholarship to supplement the national Harold Ennes Scholarship. It was agreed that we would use the national application form, and that the grant amount would initially be $500. A committee was formed to review applications and determine who would receive the award. Sherman George of UCSD-TV, Beatrice Finley of Astor Broadcasting, and Tom Cox of Pacific Star Broadcasting will serve on that committee.

A look at the FCC EMU
van interior test
equipment wall.

Some Y2K discussion ensued. Oscar Medina, CE of KNSD, said that the station has installed a new Avid news management system to replace a non-compliant Basys system.

Lee McGowan of KYXY/KPLN mentioned that Harris is charging money to provide new PROM's for their Sage EBS receiver/generator in order to make it capable of printing dates properly past December. He asked for those with Sage units to raise their hands. No one raised a hand, but everyone laughed.

KFMB-TV is replacing its old Harris remote control system and is also shopping for a new news management system. Non-compliant graphics systems at channel eight will have clocks set back before January 1.

Jacor and the local chapter provided a great Rubio's feast. Hats off to Jacor staffers Ron Foo for set-up and Kevin Douglass for giving his nod for the site.

Web site contents ©1999 Society of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 36 San Diego. For more information, to become a member or a sponsor, or to make suggestions or comments, e-mail sbe36@broadcast.net. Write to P.O. Box 710702, San Diego, California 92171-0702.

Edited by Gary Stigall. Posted 19-Mar-99.