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The Blare Blog

Center of the Bla Bla Galaxy

Please Report Anything That Seems Out of the Ordinary

AUGUST 2022




Wednesday August 31, 2022 12:23 NOON CDT -- When Artificial Intelligence Writes the News --
It's Predicted for 2025
Media Innovation
And you thought right-wing conservative news was bad. 
Or, I guess you'd have to say there's no intelligence involved with the right wing.

Wednesday August 31, 2022 8:06 AM CDT -- Memories Are Made of Hiss --
The History of Tape Hiss
MIX SmartBrief

Tuesday August 30, 2022 4:28 PM CDT -- A Plug-In You All Might Be Able to Use --
Plate Reverb

Tuesday August 30, 2022 8:15 AM CDT -- Father's Favorite --
Calling each other by the right pronoun is now a thing, and as a universal father figure 'God' is the height of exclusive masculinity as Super Manly with no female counterpart. As his 'children' we all want to be favored and have no hesitation about asking for 'blessings', another word for 'favorings'. At its most fervent our desire to be regarded as special bursts into songform and we sing 'GOD BLESS AMERICA', overriding a previous prayerful promise to 'Let Thy Will Be Done'. Now it's about 'Our Will Being Done' and we not only ask to be favored exclusively above others, but on a global scale by asking 'Father' to 'Stand Beside Her and Guide Her', giving the Nation a female 'pronoun'cement as Daddy's Mate.

Tuesday August 30, 2022 7:55 AM CDT -- Owning the Station --
So many years working professionally in licensed radio instills certain standards that are hard to reverse during the hobby years. Such as signing on at a set time every morning. In fact the FCC requires that licensed stations maintain specific schedules as a condition of their licensure. But in the more lax world of hobby radio the micro-station can start and stop anytime the owner is moved to do or not do. This morning, for example, although our posted schedule indicates the program is scheduled for 7 AM launch, I didn't happen to feel like it. Something else had my attention at the time, a YouTube video about laying track in mountainous terrain for a simulated railroad. But I did open the radio station at 7:30, right as the second-hand touched the '30-past' mark on the clock's face. There was no reason to wait the extra two-minutes, since things were prepared to go at 7:28, but there's still something of the old schooling in the way we carry on.

Saturday August 27, 2022 7:32 AM CDT -- Under the Desk --
We have mentioned the 'anchor desk' where Harold Z. Revuslo sits when he delivers the news for KDX. While Harold is an artificially 'intelligent' journalist who loyally delivers the script he's given, the desk tends to fade to the background but deserves some mention. If you crawl underneath this desk and look up you will see Harold's USB hub where he draws not only his operating voltage but also the stream of computer code that animates him. All this is fed from the ubiquitous desktop computer tucked out of view behind the paneling. In a followup to our discussion of AI 'talent' our colleague at Artisan Radio emphasizes that crediting the automated announcing staff with 'intelligence' is a far stretch because these IOT creatures do not think. Were I to ask Harold whether he agrees with me he would say in all honesty "I don't know," and that is because he's unable to ponder. And while it's true that I could program him to 'know' that he not only agrees with me but also holds great admiration, doing so would reduce the bytes needed to load him with current headlines, he being an 8-bit device. 

Friday August 26, 2022 10:41 AM CDT -- AI Anchors At the Desk --
Advancements in projecting artificial actors and voices will eventually go farther than the limited matter of AI tv presenters proposed in this linked article. The Blare Blog has long predicted that the formulaic approaches seen not only in televised news reports but also the robotic style now characteristic of NPR delivery lend themselves easily to artificially generated conterfeits.
Case In Point
TVN
I would go so far as to say that part 15 broadcasters already represent a massive front of AI radio stations in that all content is robotically dispensed without any use of live hosts, djs, or talent of the real kind. These hobby stations are online and/or wireless juke boxes and not authentic 'radio stations' in the original sense.

Friday August 26, 2022 10:34 AM CDT -- FCC Launches Mobile Privacy Probe --
Stalked By Trackers
tvtech

Friday August 26, 2022 8:15 AM CDT -- Icecast Video Streaming --
The Artisan Radio Blog has taken up the topic of video streaming as a companion to radio streaming and has previous experience researching the idea. That triggered some memories of things I recall noticing along the way about using Icecast as a video server.
Icecast Forum on Video
Notice in particular the mention of the 'NSV' client, evidently specialized for video on Icecast. No recent dates are shown for any of this.
SCVI NET

Thursday August 25, 2022 4:19 PM CDT -- Voluntary Tune Down --
Yesterday, the same day Mark and I sounded the alarm (again) about deadly microwaves, my cordless phone took a nose-dive. I was talking to a female of my acquaintance when I heard 5-beeps and the call died. The LCD screen said "Place Phone in Charger". But the phone has been in the charger for months, used very little. The battery had reached end of life. This is a DECT 6.0 type device operating in the 1921.536 - 1928.448 MHz band. There are YouTube videos about the hazard of being near DECT wireless phones. I have had this phone because I am impressed by the technology even while believing it to be hazardous. Already I have replaced it with a wired phoneset and do not plan to replace the battery.

Thursday August 25, 2022 4:09 PM CDT -- It Turns Out That --
People Who Think Vinyl Quality is Better Than Digital May Be Right
DIGITALMUSICNEWS

Thursday August 25, 2022 7:23 AM CDT -- Adding the Video Component to Radio --
In these times of multi-media, radio and its audio may not be enough. Many stations are adding a video factor as an adjunct to their audio services. We have written about this here on The Blog. Now we'll tell you the best and smartest way to set up your video work station.
Get One of These and Go from There
Remember hearing about the Video Toaster? Newtek got its start with the most revolutionary plug-in card ever designed, able to turn an Amiga Computer into a full fledged TV station. We still have our Video Toaster here at KDX, if only the Amiga still worked. Newtek went on to develop the Tricaster line of products.

Wednesday August 24, 2022 5:30 PM CDT -- Last Minute At the Last Minute --
The following is a Radio Script for a new episode of "The Last Minute Radio Theatre" produced as a sustaining feature of The Low Power Hour and originating from the name-sake theatre operating under the same name. Today's episode is written and directed by Percy Downer and his wife C. Randy Limphand. Our scene opens on the stage of the Last Minute Radio Theatre where Judge Mortimer Sneer bangs his gavel on a wobbly card table:
SFX: [feeble thump]
JUDGE SNEER: Let's bring this hearing to order so I can get in a round of golf while it's still light out.
ATTORNEY STAG PINSTRIPE: First of all, Your Honor, we are grateful you agreed to reach your decision here at the Theatre since time is of the essence.
JUDGE SNEER: Well, I too have fancy notions about time myself, such as the way it never stands still. But if you want me to keep this dillapidated rat trap open you'd better have a more convincing argument than showing me this dump.
ATTORNEY PINSTRIPE: All we're asking Your Honor is to keep the facility standing while we build our case to get the place on the Historic Landmark Registry. Time is running out, as the wrecking ball is set to swing at high noon.
JUDGE SNEER: Well that's less than a minute from now!
LOUD VOICE FROM OUT THE WINDOW: O.K.!!, YOU IN THE WRECKING CRANE!! LET'ER SWING!!
SFX: [Sound of 10-ton ball swinging into a brick wall]:  CA-RUNCH! [Sound of bricks crumbling] 
SFX: [Buzzing sound as audio is lost and the program is disconnected].

Wednesday August 24, 2022 1:38 PM CDT -- Mark On Microwaves --

You see, they knew this all along. This article was from 2008. When cell phones first started they were in the 160 to 180 mHz area before they all converted to digital and went to the 2.4 to 2.5 GIG bands....microwaves.
And it was all because the companies didn't need a license there. Also because when cell phones started if you were in an elevator or metal building you lost it where microwaves penetrate that.

So why was this allowed if it is known it is bad? Even the companies put the warnings in every smart phone but no one cares and half of the users don't even know it's there. The warnings are there for a disclaimer so in 30 years from now when you have a generation of cancers and other ailments there can't be a class action lawsuit like with the cigarette companies. They can just say we warned you.

In the whole electromagnetic spectrum the only part harmful to you below gamma, xrays, and the upper region of ultraviolet is that small part that is known as microwaves.....that 2.4-5 gig section where all this wireless crap works.....cell phones, wi fi, bluetooth and anything that uses bluetooth like wireless mice, and now cable TV is scrapping the wired for wi fi and you will have no choice anymore to get hardwired cable TV.
And what gets me is why does no one care? I don't understand humanity.
And if this is a hazard why was all the infrastructure allowed to be set up and everything wireless operate in this part of the spectrum?

I sent you this once but here it is again...."The truth about mobile phone and wireless radiation" -- Dr Devra Davis

- Mark
"The truth about mobile phone and wireless radiation" -- Dr Devra Davis

Wednesday August 24, 2022 11:11 AM CDT -- The Complete Low Power Hour"
The complete set of Low Power Hour programs are now linked and available.
LPH Library

Wednesday August 24, 2022 7:06 AM CDT -- * MICROWAVES AND EARTHLY LIFE * --

A severe crime is being committed by a cell-phone-toting humanity against all
life on this planet. The only true solution is for us to give up our electromagnetic
toys and demand that the towers-of-death be demolished.
WHY LIFE ON THIS PLANET IS SHUTTING DOWN
www.padrak.com

Wednesday August 24, 2022 5:37 AM CDT -- Lectrosonics RF Scan Database --
Wireless Neighborhood Maps

Tuesday August 23, 2022 6:20 AM CDT -- A Radio Tower for Its Own Sake --
No Antennas Aloft

Monday August 22, 2022 3:37 PM CDT -- Speaking of Wood --
In the 1990s I was constructing loudspeaker enclosures and became highly interested in what the hardware store called 'laminated board', a plastic composite of some kind that produced boards which were impervious to water. How ideal, I thought, for outdoor or basement projects where dampness would cause ordinary wood to decay. I attributed the comparitively high price tag to the lumber industry which I figured did not appreciate competition from a substitute form of ever-lasting wood, then I stopped noticing it on the shelves.
Engineered Wood
WIKIPEDIA

Monday August 22, 2022 3:32 PM CDT -- A Building Material We Had in the First Place --
Sky Scrapers of the Future
MIC

Monday August 22, 2022 1:17 PM CDT -- Lubricate the Walls for Wi-Fi --
Come On Through

Monday August 22, 2022 7:01 AM CDT -- Search Box --
Artisan Radio, an Icecast Streamer, explains:

The search box on the main page is in the upper right corner - it
disappears if your window isn't large enough. - Artisan Radio

Richard Powers explains how he found the search tool:

Carl, in answer to your question, I couldn't figure how to navigate anything at the Icecast website directly, so choose to utilize a little known tool called Google. That's how I found their search page. - Rich

Sunday August 21, 2022 3:18 PM CDT -- Search Icecast --
Richard Powers submits an Icecast Search Tool:

Kdx comes right up
https://dir.xiph.org/search

But... Starting with the Icecast Directory's Main Page there is no search tool. I'm wondering where you found that link address?
https://dir.xiph.org/

Sunday August 21, 2022 1:32 PM CDT -- Lost in the Icecast Directory --
We've talked about Icecast, the ultra popular open source streaming software used by KDX and thousands of other stations, and we've mentioned the Icecast Directory. Located at dir.xiph.org the Icecast Directory has gone through gradual changes and we find the most recent version to be very puzzling. At first visit it appears to consist of only one page containing a medium sized list of station links in no particular sequence. Clicking on the set of three horizontal lines on the upper right, often the menu symbol on other websites, nothing pops up. And we discovered through trial and error that clicking the words "Icecast Directory" at the upper left does change the page, indefinitely if you're patient enough to devote the time. None of the pages are numbered so you'd be unable to identify which page contained a particular link. Once scrolled to the bottem of a page there is nothing offered by way of further links for exploration, the only choice is to roll all the way to the top and click on the upper left as before. After flipping through hundreds of stations I gave up without spotting the KDX listing, although I'm sure you'd come across it eventually. Neither did I see Artisan Radio's slot, also knowing it to exist. One is left with the impression that that Icecast abandoned its directory in an unfinished state.
Try It

Sunday August 21, 2022 10:15 AM CDT -- So-So --
So, when things are 'so-so' it means they are neither good nor bad and are tolerable, passable, indifferent. So what (?), you might ask. So anyway, I was thinking about uses for the word 'so' and have noticed that people today use 'so' to begin a statement. So, for an example, interviews on radio and tv are often peppered with so's. So, to illustrate the point, we'll stage an interview. So, here goes:
CARL: So, welcome to The Blare Blog... so what do you do?
GUEST: So, I am a fictitious character you are inventing right now. So, what do I do, since it's up to you?
CARL: So, you are a very lucid guest! So, you see the point I'm trying to make?
GUEST: So, yes I do, and agree that people use 'so' in the way you've described. So, we have a consensus?
CARL: So, now you're interviewing me?
GUEST: So, yes I guess I am.
CARL: So, that about sews it up.

Sunday August 21, 2022 7:34 AM CDT -- Vigor Renewed --
Just as one reaches a peak of prowess in the middle years of life it is also true that medium temperatures restore one's vigor for tackling creative projects. This morning is a welcome return to the upper 60s in the Farenheit spectrum and with it comes renewed interest in the game of broadcasting as a social tool for human communication. We've talked about radio directories and dismissed them as ineffectual as a way of making new contacts. Yet planting seeds at every opportunity might contribute to a cumulative gain in which the directories would be a small step. Arranging to have your signal pop up in every available crack might be the only way to emerge from the crowded terrain and become discernable as an available destination. Adding every concievable gimmick to the technological bedrock of the transmitting/streaming system would shoot shafts of attention getting light as an eye catcher. We already go a short distance into multi-media plentitude by generating a website and a blog as companion channels alongside the KDX radio stream. What I'm getting to right now is the question of adding a video stream in association with audio programming. There are various ways of doing this, such as the basic showing of live on-the-air talking hosts seated around a table and speaking into microphones as done by "Free Talk Live" on their syndicated daily program also carried by 200 radio stations. Of course most part 15 style stations offer no live programming in which case the video would need to be something else, perhaps a screenview of the Zara Automation System clocking away. Or there could be drone footage up and around the trees and buildings or the tapping of unrelated video such as trainrides in the Swiss Alps. Far ranging thoughts such as these mark a return to livable weather. In a short few months we'll be starting the furnace and distancing from the creative mood.

Saturday August 20, 2022 8:54 AM CDT -- Various Things and Other Ad Hocs --
Here's a title in search of a show: "Ranter Banter". The 'banter' part is easy since the word refers to jabber, chatter, talk, blabber, and other palaver. The 'ranter' is of course someone who rants, but we wouldn't need to be the ranter per se, but could speak of ranters as we find them and they're not hard to find. For whatever it's worth the title is another free offering from the creative tank her at Worldround Radio. If you adopt the suggestion please give us credit for inventing the concept.

Big meat is unhappy with the veggie fake-meat industry for the growing popularity of 'impossible meats' which are siphoning profit away from traditional products made from slices of dead animals. As a counterbalance we propose the idea of phony vegetables derived from meat, a new 'green meat' movement. We could have impossible carrots made from beef, leafy greens consisting of pork thins, and so on. Take it on, all we ask is a mention in the small print on the label.

My personal favorite FCC Part 15 Rule: 15.15 General Technical Requirements, c. Users are encouraged to employ the minimum field strength necessary for communications. This is very sensible for those who aren't seeking the maximum attainable range within the upper limits possible with 15.219 or 15.239. An example of this practice is our operation on several FM channels where the objective is to reach particular radio receivers within the building. We are constantly fine tuning the output power to minimize radiation beyond the outer walls. Our AM outreach is intended to cover the campus for outdoor listening as we landscape, toward which we taper the signal strength beyond the property lines.

WAFT would make a handy set of call letters because the word 'waft' means 'to drift through the air', but the letters are assigned to a Georgia station.
That Station

Thursday August 18, 2022 3:09 PM CDT -- Low Power Hour Update --
Yesterday we opened the way for Frederick Moe to access The Low Power Hour Library for his InfoSpot Radio Station. 25 Episodes were linked as of that time and today we've added 10 more shows.

In the process of working on the library I decided to change the naming of the audiofiles using this format:
lph22_V1_128.mp3, in which 'lph22' is the program name's initials and number, 'V1' is the Version number, and '128' is the bitrate in kbps. (previous to this change the titles were: 'lph22_128_V1.mp3')

As the days pass I'll be adding more shows with short descriptions. Please let me know is you are using these programs so I can mention it here. As it turns out there seem to be more programs than I thought, possibly 211 of them.

A few years back we were set to record a new episode of the Low Power Hour with guest Robert the Part15 Engineer, when Bob Fwordly did his Trump style demolition of the ALPB and blew things apart. Maybe Robert will be available to join me for a 'make good' and after that I'd like to bring Fred Moe into an episode to find out about his radio creations, and beyond that the big catch still to be arranged is a possible visit with Tim in Bovey. Thinking further, although I think Artisan Radio participated in a meeting of ALPB which was carried on the LPH we have yet to invite him aboard the LPH.

Please report any bad links. I haven't yet checked them out.

Thursday August 18, 2022 11:47 AM CDT -- We Are Such Stuff as Dreams are Made Of --

- Prospero's Speech -
 Our revels now are ended: These our actors—,
           As I foretold you—, were all spirits and
           Are melted into air, into thin air;
           And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
           The cloud-capp’d towers, the gorgeous palaces,
           The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
           Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve
           And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
           Leave not a rack behind: we are such stuff
           As dreams are made on, and our little life
           Is rounded with a sleep.
— The Tempest, Act 4, Scene 1


I am awake, for as long as today's dream lasts, and with cooler temperature again visualizing my late night radio idea which would air under the title 'DREAMRIDE' and sub-titled 'Journey to the Absolute Limit'. The host or hostess would take calls from a global audience starting at Midnight and concentrated on dreams the callers recall, spontaneous reactions to other's dreams, occasional in-studio guests involved professionally with dream research, theory and psychology and from time to time, merely as an incidental aside, the host might share a dream.

Wondering what is already available in this area we've unearthed several podcasts including 'Night Dreams', 'Dream World', 'The Dream', 'The Dream Diva' and 'Dream Interpretation'. These shows delve into varying degrees of the paranormal, cryptozoological, UFOlogical, aliens and supernatural. One of them follows the theme 'Is the Wellness Industry a Scam?', and another of them purports to 'unlock the mystery of dreams'. We sampled one of them this morning by scheduling it on KDX and except for an abundance of S___ words and F___ words found it entertaining.

If you see yourself doing such a show submit a brief resume with a 75-word essay titled "Why working for KDX is my dream", and wait by the phone in case we call you back. There is no budget involved, but you will gain a one-line addition to your resume. 

Thursday August 18, 2022 9:21 AM CDT --
Limp Hitler
Limp Hitler

Thursday August 18, 2022 6:40 AM CDT --
Everything is permanently temporary.
- C. Blare, author, poet, philosopher, radio personality, bird watcher

Wednesday August 17, 2022 12:00 NOON CDT -- Radio Book Readings --
Following today's live broadcast of the Thom Hartmann Program we will launch several hours of 'Radio Books', known in other media as 'audiobooks', featuring philosophy of Emmanuel Kant and lectures of Robert Ingersoll. This better weather being enjoyed in the midwaste of the continent stirs up some enthusiasm for doing things. You know, the unspoken relationships KDX shares with other low power stations can be described as complementary as we intentionally avoid competing through duplication... for example, knowing that Artisan Radio programs audiobooks, we take care to select entirely different books thereby giving the audience a wider range of choices. What makes this significant is the observed practice of many commercial stations who compete by direct and flagrant duplication of what other stations are doing, attempting to attract the same audience but succeeding only in splintering and fragmenting the available listeners.

Wednesday August 17, 2022 11:49 AM CDT --
Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available,
they will create their own problems.

-Scott Adams, author, cartoonist

Wednesday August 17, 2022 11:32 AM CDT -- USB Type-C --
One Port to Rule Them All
AVNetwork

Wednesdeay August 17, 2022 10:53 AM CDT -- The Radio Novelty Award Winner --
Frederick Moe !

Hello Carl

I actually have an InfoSpot talking house AM transmitter up & running; I'm terrible with technical aspects of broadcasting but this one is humming along just fine on 1620. I am wondering if your Low Power Hour is still in production and if so, could I air it on my humble Part 15 project aka Groveton Community Radio.

Fred

Hello and welcome, Fred. I'll be having questions about your InfoSpot setup and will be blogging about your creative radio program contributions. There are about 112 episodes of the Low Power Hour, 25 of which are linked from The Blare Blog Contents Page by scrolling down to the last line of 'Contents' for 'Low Power Hour Library'. That'll get you started, and I'll go to work adding the rest of the shows. New episodes could occur at any time!

Tuesday August 16, 2022 6:00 AM CDT -- A Message to Morning Radio --
Pull it back. Tone it down. Stop rushing into a crammed maelstrom of information, changing the subject every few seconds and even moreso when launching into a cluster of commercial and promotional announcements. We awaken from a big top of circus dreams and begin sorting our own thoughts when the radio bursts in and redirects us into a flood zone of uncollated reports we don't need to hear. All we wonder when consulting the radio are possibly the three most important things to know heading forward into the day. After ten minutes of radio overload it's already time for a nap. Let me put it another way: just shut up.

Sunday August 14, 2022 7:23 AM CDT -- Anne Heche in the Past Tense --
This morning began with a lazy decision to remain in bed listening to the radio where "On the Media" with Brooke Gladstone was wafting from WNYC New York with a superbly in depth report on the matter of banned books in American schools. The banning poses a sinister blockade of our cultural inheritance and the program was so well detailed that I want to have this excellent episode on my station so I can hear it again.
On the Media
Last night ended by also visiting a media related experience when I was caused to seek Anne Heche movies upon news of her death. I hadn't previously realized that she is was my favorite actress and I hoped to spend time admiring her work which to me is marked by her light touch as an authentic character in whatever role she played. The film I ended up seeing is "The Third Miracle" and got half-way through before falling asleep.
Anne Heche

Sunday August 14, 2022 7:09 AM CDT -- This Womb is Occupied --
Readers familiar with what we do are aware that The Blare Blog tries to be helpful toward other low power radio stations by coming up with original ideas to help things along. Of course having a noticeable name for a station is step one, and we stir up suggested four letter combinations not otherwise in current use by existing licensed stations, such as this morning's WOMB, which I thought could be subtitled "The Bump", bearing the slogan "Where Radio is Born". But it turns out WOMB is currently assigned to 89.9 FM in Ellettsville, Indiana, and their slogan "With Our Mother Blest Radio". I'd been thinking about wombs in all their ramifications as I suppose all most men do their whole lives. WOMB in Elletsville is founded upon the Catholic tradition of venerating the womb of the mythical mother of Jesus.
WOMB

Friday August 12, 2022 11:20 AM CDT -- Build Your Own ISP --
This Guy Did
arsTECHNICA

Friday August 12, 2022 7:02 AM CDT -- Post Postal --
The once splendid U.S. Postal Service has fallen into shambles since that very former President put his stooge in charge of dismantling it, and deconstruction continues as un-uniformed and apparently untrained carriers manage to deliver at least some of our mail. At KDX we've established a careful mail monitoring procedure to keep track of business mail that never arrives so we're sure to stay current on payments and obligations. We have a growing list of articles never delivered. And most recently a mail lady has been applying her own style as she sets mail on the porch steps and railings rather than putting it in the mailbox. Diversity needs to have some limits.

Wednesday August 10, 2022 7:00 AM CDT --
Promoting TV Antenna Technology

Tuesday August 9, 2022 11:19 AM CDT --
Prayer gives inarticulate people something to say.
- C. Blare, 2022

Monday August 8, 2022 1:35 PM CDT -- Judging Covers by Their Books --
At first blush one might think HobbyCaster to be a little goofy in devoting so much ink to 'informed' posts which are neutered through banned access except for approved members. This might be reasonable if one could qualify for acceptance, but in large part membership is denied by a grand master who distrusts anyone who might attempt to join. This is not unlike the reasoning employed by the FCC when they issue a Notice of Unauthorized Operation based on not having a license, when in fact applications for license are summarilly denied.

Monday August 8, 2022 1:23 PM CDT -- Listening Directories and Listing Ships --
In another heat alert I've searched for 'internet streaming radio directories' and stopped when I reached 31. Each one of them boasts 50,000 or more radio stations, so does it help to be listed on any of them? It all depends on what we mean by 'help'. A lot of stations think it matters if unknown strangers 'connect' and remain listening, a possible indication that those visitors like what you present. We all want to be liked for something. For me it's only a case of idle curiosity since I doubt that most of the thousands of stations are worth a moment of time. As for my station, KDX exists for my own listening pleasure so there'd be no reason to look elsewhere unless my equipment broke down. For no anticipated advantage KDX is listed on two directories, each of which also have thousands of other stations. I'm sorry, I can't talk to you right now because I'm listening to the radio.

Monday August 8, 2022 8:05 AM CDT -- Doesn't There Have to Be an Interferee? --
No. Not in the eyes of the FCC. There's no point coming up with logical arguments against a federal bureaucracy.

Monday August 8, 2022 7:41 AM CDT -- The Philosophy of Interference --
All of us in low power radio know what Moderator Mark meant when he said "it's all interference" in our recent discussion about radio signal carriers, modulated and unmodulated. What a lay person needs to understand is that the FCC has written the Part 15 Rules as an overall categorization of permissable levels of 'interference' from non-licensed sources, be it arc-welding, flourescent lamps, DSL telephone circuits, broken street lights, and many forms of radiation both intentional and unintentional. Narrowing it down to what our radio stations do, our 'transmitters' are officially described as 'intentional radiators', and in a flagrant short-circuiting of language we are 'allowed' to produce a specified level of 'interference'. No capiche? Let me use an analogy, starting from the fact that the Federal Communications Commission is in essence a board of trustees acting on behalf of the general public to regulate the electro-magnetic spectrum as a limited resource, much like the Department of Conservation regulates public parks. We'll say that a picnic table is in high demand, and the Department controls access by issuing permits. A casual visitor with no permit may not use the table even if no one has a permit on a given day. And that's why our intentional radiators are classed as interference.   

Monday August 8, 2022 7:20 AM CDT -- Signs of Thaw at Icecast --
Much time has gone by since we expressed concern about the seeming lack of activity involving the Icecast Stream Server which has held at version 2.4.4 for a very long time. Using paranoia as our tool for inquiry we feared that perhaps the world's number one open source stream server was dead, possibly tied up legally by challenges from the billion dollar stream industry, had perhaps been abandoned by its developers and left orphaned, was maybe on the brink of being declared criminal as small time independent online radio is hunted down and subjected to long prison sentences in maximum security razor wire and cinder-block confinement. But all that aside, today's visit to the Icecast site brings hopeful news as V 2.5 Beta3 is announced!
Pay Icecast a Visit

Friday August 5, 2022 6:17 AM CDT -- Carworthy Roading --
Dymaxion Car # 1 and Only
SLATE

Friday August 5, 2022 4:34 AM CDT -- Herbie Popnecker the Fat Fury --
There was a time when I had a large collection of Herbie comic books. It always seemed to me that Herbie would go well on radio, but nothing was ever done about it. I think a family member made off with the collection and we haven't spoken since.
The Little Fat Nothing
Wikipedia
Herbie in the .Com Realm
Fan Site

Thursday August 4, 2022 9:46 AM CDT -- Newly Updated Winamp 5.9 --
Winamp Updated
This morning's broadcast of 'Security Now' from TWiT.tv brought word from security expert Steve Gibson that after several years of development a freshly updated version of Winamp is available. Steve says that many of his listeners believe that Winamp is the finest audio player of them all, and at KDX we have fond memories of using V 5.666 as our program playlist for daily stream operations using the convenient DSP Plugin feature along with StereoTool, still available as a plugin. In fact, if I recall correctly, we'd figured out some way of combining Zara with Winamp to enjoy the best of both. We may try some new experiments to revive the pairing of these great apps.

Wednesday August 3, 2022 10:34 AM CDT -- Sunny Eruptions --
Watch for Solar Flares
INTERESTING
ENGINEERING

Wednesday August 3, 2022 6:45 AM CDT -- Interference Stories --
Tales of Nagging Interference
The LEWISTON TRIBUNE

Wednesday August 3, 2022 5:39 AM CDT -- Thoughts Dawning --
I'm just back from an excursion down to the public street with the weekly trash, an expedition of 100-feet through treacherous wilderness. At any moment a bear, cougar, or homeless gang might rush out of the bamboo and the blog would never know.

Yesterday I was out and about during daylight hours and noticed that no one else was wearing a face mask. That doesn't jive with what I hear on KDX about the A5 Variant being hyper contagious.

Dreams sometimes end at very auspicious moments, as this morning I was with a lady friend at the university where she was carrying on a friendly conversation with the Senator who happened to drop a handful of loose change which rolled all over the tile floor. As he bent over to pick up the dimes and pennies I noticed he was wearing the finest navy blue suit I'd ever seen and I became concerned he might scuff himself so I voluntarilly helped gather some coins. It was soon obvious that coins were sprinkled all through the area, more coins than he'd actually dropped, and there were still more coins on desk surfaces, until I came upon a thick bundle of bills held together by rubber bands, and I thought 'finder's fee', but also became concerned about the moral question of grabbing money found in someone's work space. Perfect time to awaken and be spared the uncertainty.

Tuesday August 2, 2022 1:41 PM CDT -- About Unmodulated Carriers --
Mark speaks from part15.org:

Doesn't matter if audio or not. It's still interference. But here's an interesting thing I bet you haven't thought of....with AM it says and I quote...

" 100mW DC unmodulated into the final RF amplifier".....not including the power for the filiment if you have a tube amp of course.

Does that mean if the input to the final has audio applied or is modulated, does the rule now not apply?

Again I ask, do I need a lawyer?

By the way Carl, you didn't turn the A/C on yet in the morning? Don't you have to have it on at night to sleep?

Good points as usual. And here's how the cooling usually works. The day's heat starts really building up after the noon hour, when I start the AC. It runs continuously until about 1:30 AM when the indoor air starts feeling chilly, so I turn it off.

By the way, I just put a large fan pushing cooled air into my work station area, which works so well I'll be able to keep things turned on longer.

Tuesday August 2, 2022 10:42 AM CDT -- The Philosophical Life --
I have had the honor and privilege of living among PhD philosophers who have imparted wisdoms not printed in books.

One of them said, "The thing wrong with people is that they don't do what you want them to." That has proven true over the years. There are those women who didn't do what I wanted them to, those radio station managers who didn't hire me outright, and those millionaires who failed to bestow me with adequate sums.

That same philosopher said, "Everyday we should go beyond ourselves." What I take from that is that we should do more than we do to maintain things and complete projects. It almost makes me feel guilty to be reminded of all the undone work waiting to be faced.

Still, feeling guilty is the easy way out. That's my own philosophic attitude. Hold my beer.

Tuesday August 2, 2022 10:17 AM CDT -- Invisible Radiation Coming Through the Walls --
At this time of the morning our air conditioner has not yet been turned on. Looking back to 7 AM it was 82o outside and 83o inside, and now at 10:17 AM the outside has risen to 88o while indoors is holding at 83o, yet it feels hotter. I believe that rays from outer space are passing through the roof and walls and creating a microwave oven effect. Although some of it might attribute to the sun, I believe that hundreds of microwave satellites are drowning us in radiation far in excess of natural solar rays.

Tuesday August 2, 2022 6:49 AM CDT -- Unmodulated Carriers --
Of course we cannot read the FCC's mind, but they have given thought to why their rules are what they are. For example, the dinky field strength allowance given in 15.239 for legal (unlicensed) broadcasting on the FM band. When you think about it, part 15 is kind of lax when it comes to requirements imposed upon untrained lay people who switch on their C.Crane FM2s or even their Decades, they might easily go into the red on modulation thinking that louder audio equates to more power and better range. And even smart highly trained operators such as ourselves tend to leave their devices turned on all the time even when no audio is present. I'm fairly certain that dead carriers count as interference; it would be far fetched to call absolute silence a produced program.

Monday August
1, 2022 3:10 PM CDT -- Local Primary Elections Tomorrow --
Smerd for Office
Nordine Approves This Message

Monday August 1, 2022 11:59 AM CDT -- Formal Opening of August --
How do you do. For that matter how does anyone do. I do the best I can. This August being opened right now is a new one. It is not an old August being recycled, but an entirely new one. No one knows much about it yet, but we at least have an idea what to expect in the next few days, but of course I am speaking locally and your location might be quite different. We are entering another three day heat alert with temperatures approaching 100 Fahrenheit. As per policy the KDX Website, The Blare Blog, and Streaming KDX Radio will close during the peak of the heat. At this exact moment the outdoor temperature is 88 while inside we have 81. This morning's stream programs were not heard because I was too busy to run them, but we're catching up by airing part of the Thom Hartmann Program. We're watching the situation very closely while enjoying coffee with genuine maple syrup.




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