The Artisan Radio Blog
December 2024 Doodles
December 19, 2024 20:46 Pacific Standard Time - The Battle Against AM Transmitter Hum
There are multiple reasons for hum in RSS210/Part 15 AM transmitters. You just have to find the right one for your situation.
Hum wasn't a really big issue (although it was still there) for the Talking House transmitters we own. Suddenly, it was.
I purchased some clip on torroids, and used several on the Talking House power supply, but they didn't appear to make much of a difference. The first one reduced hum a bit, but the others, nada.
So I attacked the audio next, and used a ground isolator, which actually made the hum worse! Off it went.
I hypothesized that it might be the FM transmitter inducing hum, so I unplugged it temporarily, and it made no difference. Moving around audio and other power cables made no difference.
Finally, I started unplugging other surrounding power supplies, and voila, that was the issue. One of those was generating the hum which got into the Talking House. It took a while, but I managed to find a replacement that didn't generate noise (some generated less, but it was still there, others made it even worse), and now the hum issue is largely resolved.
Hum can be reduced significantly. You can't just be focused one solution. Be creative, it isn't always your transmitter.
December 17, 2024 08:43 Pacific Standard Time - AM
We've taken down the AM transmitters (the Talking Signs) for the next little while, until we get our stealth outdoor antenna installed. That should also increase the strength of the signal to the SDR - although I suspect that AM is always going to be the poor cousin to WFM with respect to background noise, due to what appears to be software issues. For one, an always on AGC which raises the noise level floor during quiet passages. The OpenWebRX+ wasn't really designed to respond intelligently to the dynamic audio range of AM broadcasting.
We've also been having some hum issues. These have just increased recently; I'm not sure what has happened to make them suddenly appear more noticeable, but we're also working on eliminating them before we bring the transmitters back up.
December 17, 2024 08:35 Pacific Standard Time - Christmas Programming Addendum
Turns out there will be a Vinyl Jukebox Christmas program this coming Friday, after all (repeated Sunday). I managed to find the time (and the 45s) to very quickly put together a show. Unfortunately, something happened to the microphone for the first bit of the show (the commentary, what little there was) is a bit muffled, but there are no do-overs. It will play as it was recorded.
Today (Tuesday) is the Teenage Dreams Christmas special (repeated Saturday), and next Tuesday will be the Slightly Bent Christmas show (again, repeated the following Saturday). Joining them this week is a Wired For Sound show from Christmas of 2011 this coming Thursday.
I'm rethinking and will be revamping the OTR we're playing for the new year, so I think I'll just leave that alone this Christmas. Next week, in the spots normally reserved for Lost Jukebox and The Best Jazz, we'll be playing a rotation of Christmas songs. That will begin Monday, December 23, and continue through December 25. Of course, these won't be the songs you normally hear from the other stations around Christmas - Artisan Radio tends to put its own unique spin on Christmas.
December 13, 2024 19:26 Pacific Standard Time - Christmas Programming
Next week, we will have our annual Teenage Dreams Christmas Special on Tuesday, December 17, repeated the following Saturday as per the schedule. The following week will be the Slightly Bent Christmas Show, on December 24.
We'll try and have Christmas themed repeats of Wilson Beach and Wired For Sound week of Christmas.
We're not going to have a special Vinyl Jukebox this year, but we'll try to work in a few Christmas records into the playlist.
I wanted to have some Christmas related Old Time Radio shows the week of Christmas, but I'm not sure I'll have the time to put things together. If it happens, it happens; otherwise, the regular rotation for the various shows will continue.
That's it for now.
December 12, 2024 09:15 Pacific Standard Time - Car Radios
So, my new car radio (OEM Nissan Versa) appears to be more sensitive than the old Ford Flex OEM (from 2013). Not hugely, but I can certainly hear Artisan Radio more clearly for longer distances. It used to be that you could find out the technical specs of these radios, but no longer. I'm sure that even the parts and services guys would look blankly at me if I asked.
And the vehicle that I purchased is bottom of the line.
There is no CD player, which I knew going in. There is bluetooth audio, but then, my Ford Flex had that was well. I found it interesting when shopping around that the sales guys put more emphasis on the number of USB outlets the car had than most any other feature. In other words, a few dollars worth of parts. The engine? Ah, a minor detail. The only thing I really cared about was that the car fit me, and those who will be passengers, and that it could get me from Point A to Point B with reasonable comfort and with as little fossil fuel use as possible. As I said previously, electric cars weren't really an option, as I have no place to charge them. And the infrastructure around charging is still woefully lacking, at least where I live. There were chargers at City Hall, just a few meters away, but they've been out of order for almost a year! It was being used; when it was working, I never went past it without seeing it being fully utilized.
December 12, 2024 08:52 Pacific Standard Time - The Vinyl Jukebox
I thought I would describe the process surrounding the choosing of records to play on the Vinyl Jukebox show.
I've been collecting 45's for well over 30 years now, picking them up in dribs and drabs from thrift shops, flea markets, etc. Obviously, the condition of these records, which I often buy in bulk (just give me all of them!) is highly variable. Some are well played and beaten up; others are pristine. But that doesn't really matter when it's playing the music that counts.
When I decided to do this show, I first went through the stacks and stacks of singles, putting aside those from the 1950s and early 1960s - those, after all, are the purview of Teenage Dreams, and I didn't want to duplicate effort. Teenage Dreams can be heard every other Tuesday, repeated on the following Saturday (end of shameless plug).
That leaves 45s from mostly the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the later 1960s (with a few from earlier years mixed in that I missed). I then take up a small stack each week, and play them. Before I do, I go through and remove duplicate artists; due to how I purchased the 45s, if someone really like the Hollies, say (and that's a real life example, once I picked up about 20 singles of theirs), then they tend to stick together in the stacks. The playing of duplicate artists will be delayed to the following weeks, usually just added to the bottom of the pile.
I try to minimize talk, other than identifying the records and artists. Although sometimes I'll try to look up some interesting facts about obscure artists or songs I'm not familiar with. In Teenage Dreams, I attempt to do more extensive research for each song, as most that are played are pretty obscure.
The Vinyl Jukebox end playlist sometimes is highly eclectic, but hey, that's what I'm looking for as well. That's the way music used to be played, with your favorites, no matter what the genres.
I've also decided that every 3-4 shows I'm going to do a Teenage Dreams Vinyl Jukebox, i.e., play those earlier records that I put aside (they number almost as much as the others). The first of these that I'm currently working on will only play the B sides; usually, the A-sides are well known hits. So, for example, the B-side of Brian Hyland's Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is Don't Dilly Dally Sally. I'm sure as time goes on I'll play the hits as well.
I hope people have as much fun listening to these shows as I have doing them.
December 09, 2024 17:38 Pacific Standard Time - SDR Back Up
Well, that was fast.
I think the data persistence problem with Docker has been solved. Again, it appears to be a documentation issue, combined with my lack of understanding of how Docker volumes work.
It turns out that there are 2 ways to persist data in Docker,
using a volume mount, or a bind mount. With the former, Docker manages the
storage. With the latter, the data is maintained in the server's own file
system, which happens to be WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). The
documentation used a bind mount to run the Docker OpenWebRX+ container, which
makes sense in a Linux environment (and the Docker images were really meant for
the Raspberry Pi, which runs Linux). But WSL does not appear to be
persisting data across Docker and system restarts. I changed over to a
volume mount, and settings are now being maintained, at least in preliminary
testing with Docker restarts. I guess we'll see long-term when I have to
reboot the computer.
Running OpenWebRX+ in a Windows environment is really a hack - you have the software running within Docker, which runs using WSL, and it all runs within Windows. I've already documented the issues in getting the SDR hardware to talk to the software (within Docker and WSL). Data persistence is obviously yet another issue. OpenWebRX+ is just begging to be run on a Linux platform, and I'll probably get to it ... eventually. Right now there are other more pressing issues, like creating programming.
December 09, 2024 15:56 Pacific Standard Time - SDR Technical Issues
The SDR is down temporarily while we fix an annoying technical issue.
The software (including the Docker application within which it runs) is inherently unstable, and after a week or so, gives problems. Sometimes the problems can be fixed by stopping and starting the OpenWebRX+ container within the Docker environment. But other times, it is necessary to either restart the Docker engine, or reboot the computer entirely. In the latter instances, we're having problems with storage persistence across the restarts or reboots. In other words, all the OpenWebRX+ settings are lost, and have to be re-entered.
As usual, the OpenWebRX+ documentation is of little help, as it is totally oriented towards running under Linux. The problem does appear to be within Docker itself, and creating that persistent storage.
So I'm going to take the time now to fix the problem right.
We'll try to minimize the downtime as much as possible.
In the meantime, the Artisan Radio stream remains up (and for those in the immediate vicinity, the over-the-air broadcasts are continuing as well).
December 09, 2024 10:42 Pacific Standard Time - Certification vs Compliance
Many computer bits have been wasted discussing whether a particular radio installation is compliant with either BETS (Canada) or Part 15 (the U.S.).
In my opinion, the answer is simple, at least for FM.
There is no easy way to determine at any given point in time whether an FM transmitter is actually compliant with the rules governing unlicensed operation. It requires expensive test equipment that few would own or be able to get hold of. Attempts have been made to correlate range with compliance, but these attempts generally fall short. FM range is determined by a whole host of environmental factors, including, but not limited to, height, obstructions, weather, etc.
Now, the FCC, in a service bulletin, states that a Part 15 compliant signal should be received at a distance of no more than 200 feet. Industry Canada states that a far more powerful BETS signal should only be received at a distance of 100 feet. Something is clearly screwy there. The biggest factor in reception is the sensitivity of the radio being used, and that's not even considered. Both these numbers have to be taken wth a heavy dose of salt.
FM signals are not constrained by range, but field strength. Which, as I've stated previously, is difficult to measure. This is one reason why both the FCC and Industry Canada certify FM transmitters. It's not the only reason - you cannot market and sell transmitters in either the U.S. or Canada without that certification.
Certification consists of ensuring that a specific transmitter meets FCC and/or BETS regulations in a controlled laboratory environment.
However, and you just knew there would be a however, these transmitters are, again as previously stated, affected by a whole host of factors in your uncontrolled studio environment. In other words, whether or not a certified transmitter is really compliant is dependent on where you live. And most users have no reliable way to tell.
It is my contention that the FCC and Industry Canada are aware of that fact. And as long as a transmitter is certified and unmodified, compliance is a given and assumed (regardless of any measurements that might be taken). That's why an inspector first asks if you are using a certified transmitter.
Now, if your field strength is really out of whack, and you're
getting extreme range, there obviously is something wrong somewhere.
Perhaps a faulty transmitter, perhaps a transmitter dubiously certified, maybe
even a hidden modification. In that case, you can be asked to shut down.
But the key point of all this is, if you are using a certified FM transmitter, you should be assumed to be in compliance with the rules, until you are told otherwise by the appropriate regulatory body.
That assumption does not always hold for AM, as providing a ground (which is assumed to be part of the antenna system) is required for the transmitter to operate properly. And that's where non compliance usually comes in. But that's a topic for another blog post.
December 08, 2024 13:55 Pacific Standard Time - Xmas Shows
Spent some time putting together the Slightly Bent & Teenage Dreams Christmas Specials this weekend. As I usually do, here are the first songs on the playlists.
Slightly Bent:
Metropolitan Melinda - A Politically Correct Christmas
Mojo Nixon & the Toadliquors - It's Christmas
Bill Elliot - Merry Merry Christmas
Tiny Tim - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Ruby Wright - Santa's Little Sleigh Bells
Jimmy Fallon - Chipmunks & Chestnuts...
Teenage Dreams:
Lonnie & the Crisis - Santa Town USA
Joni James - Christmas and You
Jack Scott - There's Trouble Brewin'
Baby Jane & the Blenders - You Trimmed My Christmas Tree
The Four Seasons - Christmas Tears
Cathy Sharpe - North Pole Rock...
Also as usual, I've tried not to repeat songs that I've played before. One, though, is set to become the signature tune for Slightly Bent at Christmas, and it's distinctly Canadian. We're ending the Slightly Bent hour with Bob & Doug McKenzie's The 12 Days of Christmas. A classic.
December 08, 2024 13:44 Pacific Standard Time - Off Topic, Sort Of
This is a bit off topic for the blog, but it will come around to radio in a minute. I promise.
Unfortunately, I had to purchase a new car this weekend.
Now, purchasing a car these days is a little like getting a root canal. Actually, I think I'd prefer to get a root canal. But I did it, a brand new, spanking Nissan Versa. Electric cars just aren't an option right now, as I have nowhere to charge them, and they're just plain too expensive. It's too bad that North America can't manufacture them like China, and puts huge tariffs on them just to discourage their sale here. Tariffs are the refuge of the weak-minded, but that's a topic of discussion for another day.
There has been a lot of talk of car manufacturers getting rid of AM radios, but everything I looked at had them (including the one I ended up purchasing). See, I told you we'd end up at radio.
December 04, 2024 19:56 Pacific Standard Time - Christmas Programming
I've been working feverishly these past few days to get ahead of the game in producing the various radio shows we play here on Artisan Radio. That's so I can then spend some time getting the programming ready for Christmas.
We have some pretty big tentative plans for Christmas 2024.
Monday, December 23 we'll start an all Christmas song rotation for hours 1 to 4 of our 6 hour programming block. Hours 5 & 6 will be taken up with Old Time Radio Shows. Hour 0 will have hosted Christmas shows - I'm hoping to get in a Teenage Dreams Christmas, a Slightly Bent Christmas, and if the Gods allow, a Vinyl Jukebox Christmas.
This year more than ever it's especially important to put some old fashioned joy back into the season.
December 01, 2024 20:20 Pacific Standard Time - Island Time
I was doing some surfing relating to Artisan Radio, and found
this link on archive.org to a show we ran on Bowen Island called
Island Time.
It was created waaaaay back in 2006, and this is the kind of thing we were doing
for the community at that time. Artisan Radio (and Sherlock Tomes, the
accompanying bookstore that provided the storefront) had just launched in the
summer of that year.
December 01, 2024 17:31 Pacific Standard Time - More Shows in the Can
Two more shows have been produced. Here are the first songs in the playlists, to give you an idea of what's coming.
Vinyl Jukebox #2:
Paul Hyde & the Payolas - Stuck in the Rain Again
Ginette Reno - Beautiful Second Hand Man
The Collectors - I Must Have Been Blind
Anne Murray - Could I Have This Dance
Wadsworth Mansion - Sweet Mary
The First Edition - But You Know I Love You...
Slightly Bent #2:
Napoleon XIV (Jerry Samuels) - Teenager in Love
Reuben & the Jets (The Mothers of Invention with Frank Zappa) - Deseri
Pete Lund - Spaceships to the Rescue
Ruth Wallis - The Dinghy Song
Steve Martin - King Tut
Phil Ochs - Love Me, I'm a Liberal...
Both shows have a length somewhere between 55-60 minutes.
The Vinyl Jukebox will be heard Fridays, starting December 13 (with #1). Rock Around the Rockpile will be taking a sabbatical after the next show on December 6.
Slightly Bent will be alternating with Teenage Dreams on Tuesdays. This week, December 3, will be a Teenage Dreams CHUM Chart Special (music that made the charts of Toronto-based radio station C H U M, but didn't chart nationally in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100) for 1957. Slightly Bent #1 will debut December 10.
