[WXBH-Discuss] The sounds of silence

John Hicks johnhicks at wxbh.org
Thu Jul 5 21:51:36 EDT 2007 

topdog at woofer.com wrote:
> Hi John et all,
>  
> I am hearing just a carrier right now.  This has happened A LOT in the 
> last month.  I just attributed it to lack of programming and that no 
> one has yet recorded the Pacifica and put it into a playlist.  Have we 
> aired any local programs yet?

No, it's not lack of programming or the lack of a playlist. We are 
programmed to be streaming 24/7 using Pacifica, Nashville's WRFN, and 
some (but not enough) local programming.

Unfortunately there are a number of links in the chain that can cause 
the system to fail. As Matt pointed out, it really needs to be monitored 
and I can't do it all myself. Matt has been a big help, as has Rick.

The programming originates in what I'll call our "studio" computer 
(which currently occupies a very cramped space in my very humble abode, 
but hopefully will be in a more accessible location any day now). From 
there it is uploaded via a Bellsouth DSL line to our streaming server 
(which is securely located in a server farm) and from there the stream 
goes to our computer located at Fern Creek High School. That computer is 
hooked up to Fern Creek's control board and from there the signal goes 
into their transmitter.

If the stream is streaming but all you hear is "dead air" online then 
the problem is we are not feeding it programming. We currently have 
things programmed 24/7 to play either Pacifica, Nashville's WFRN, or 
local programming. But sometimes a Pacifica feed doesn't come through as 
scheduled. Sometimes WRFN goes off at night. And sometimes I goof in 
scheduling the local programming.

If the stream is down, the problem is because my DSL line has gone down. 
This happens whenever a storm rolls through. (I must say the Insight 
cable modem at FCHS seems to be more stable, although I may just need a 
better UPS on my system.)

If the stream is working but we are transmitting dead air on 92.7, then 
that is usually because the FCHS computer is not picking up our stream. 
This happens when the stream hiccups ...  which happens when the studio 
computer drops its upload ... which happens when the DSL line has 
hiccupped. I can monitor whether the FC computer is picking up the 
stream and usually correct it when I notice it.

(However the current problem is different. We can see that the FCHS 
computer is picking up the stream and playing it. But it is not being 
transmitted. We don't know why.)
>  
> I heard an attempt at comedy at around 3 AM on Sunday morning.  Prank 
> phone calls and such.  I must say that the audio quality was 
> "absolutely horrible".  I had to turn up my car radio all the way to 
> hear anything at all and then the quality was much worse than 
> what even a pirate station would be.

Let's bear in mind that we are talking about three quite separate issues:

--"Dead air" i.e. intermittent programming, either streaming or on the air.

--Audio quality.

--Programming quality.

And as you well know, each of these is itself affected by multiple factors.

>  
> If this is the quality of signal that we are going to put on the air, 
> I may have to resign as audio advisor for the station.

We have only just begun. Things are getting better, slowly and little by 
little.

If you mean to imply that your advice has been ignored, you are 
incorrect. You advised better quality sound cards. I heeded your advice 
and researched and found a better quality sound card but didn't have 
time (or money) to put one in place prior to our rushed placement of the 
computer at Fern Creek. But we are working with some limitations at Fern 
Creek and I'm not sure a better sound card would make that much 
difference. Right now our audio card output is merely plugged into the 
same input that FCHS was using and going into their control board and 
only then into the audio-processor/transmitter.  The plan is to change 
that configuration when school starts back up and they go on the air 
again. Both stations' signals will go into a switch and then into the 
processor/transmitter. You are welcome to help in that effort.

You also advised using Microsoft Windows instead of Linux. I have 
explained my thoughts on this in a previous post. There is no doubt that 
Linux lags Windows in its audio capabilities. But there is a wonderful 
community of Linux audio developers working away on that problem and its 
quite exciting to be associated with them. There is nothing writ in 
stone but as long as this volunteer is doing the work, he's using Linux. 
I don't know Windows. I will never be able to master both Linux and 
Windows, and I would rather be pretty good at Linux (which is more fun) 
than mediocre at both.

Hopefully we will find additional volunteers. Some may prefer to use 
Microsoft products. I will not stand in their way. (I will probably, 
however, give them a very condescending look whenever I am able. :)

(Having said all that, I must confess that I am writing this on a 
desktop that uses, gasp, Windows!)

Regards,

-- John
>  
> Paul Nevitt
>
>
>     -------- Original Message --------
>     Subject: Re: [WXBH-Discuss] The sounds of silence
>     From: John Hicks <johnlist at gulfbridge.net>
>     Date: Thu, July 05, 2007 5:50 pm
>     To: "WXBH General Discussion List (Open to all to subscribe and
>     post.)"
>     <wxbh-discuss at wxbh.org>
>
>     Rick Roderick wrote:
>     > Hello everybody.
>     >
>     > I notice that the web stream is coming through right now.  However,
>     I am
>     > noticing a lot of dead air on the 92.7 broadcast.  When I have
>     checked, I
>     > have heard a carrier but no other sound.
>     >
>     > This happened last night in the Gardiner Lane area and at 3:30 or so at
>     > Hike's Point.  It also happened from thee Westport Road area at about
>     > mid-morning.
>     >
>     > I don't know if there has been a disconnect, or if I am just
>     monitoring the
>     > signal at bad times.
>     >   
>     Thanks for the report, Rick. Mark had reported to me earlier today
>     that he wasn't getting a signal and I was about to call you to see if
>     you could detect a carrier.
>
>     I can log in to our computer at Fern Creek and see that we are getting
>     the stream there and playing it. Theoretically it should therefore be
>     coming out the sound card and going into the transmitter.
>
>     I now see that our FCHS computer rebooted Tuesday evening around 7:30.
>     Since it is on a fairly decent UPS, there must have been a power
>     outage of several hours for that to happen.
>
>     Looks like we will need to get into FCHS to troubleshoot it.
>
>     --John
>
>
>
>     -- 
>     John Hicks
>
>     When replying to me personally, please use "johnhicks" instead of
>     "johnlist" in the email address.
>
>     -- 
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