Dan.Kysor@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.org (Dan Kysor) (10/05/90)
Index Number: 10917
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
hi grant. i was interested to hear that you run a reading service
and had a couple of questions for you.
first, why does it seem that the audio on so many of these services
is too low, i.e., BSB & Audiovision. Also, it seems that these
services can never quite get rid of the bleed over from the master
fm station (sca main channel)
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!203!11!Dan.Kysor
Internet: Dan.Kysor@f11.n203.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (10/10/90)
Index Number: 11003
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
One of the most interesting aspects of discussing Radio Reading Services
is the dabatethat goes on as to the need for Radio Reading Services.
One of the problems we have is that most of our listeners would like me
to envest in some portable radiosk. To date I've not found any that
were any good. A guy from Los Angeles keeps contacting me about buying
from him but each time he talks to me he says, "When I passed through El
Paso your service was really low power and week." Our Service is on one
of the strongist towers in town. How relevent Radio Reading Services
are I don't really know. I can tell you this they do cost a heck of a
lot of money to operate, do not bring in any money to our facility, and
if we don't get better response we might close ours down. It is really
a budget burner. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (10/10/90)
Index Number: 11007
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Thanks for your message. I just looked at it and am anwering you prety
much off the top of my head. As no doubt you know the SCA channel is
created by the generation of stareo. From what my engineer tells me,
unless the system is hooked up correctly, there will be problems on
both sides, the main channel, and the Radio Reading Service. Before I
came to this one the channels were always overriding each other. In
our case, I send our programming via phone line to the KTEP main
Control room (our main transmitting facility) and from there they send
it up via SCA at 185 megahurtz via mivrowave to the main transmitter
where the signal is decoded back down to 67 magahurtz and transmitted
to our SCA receivers at 67 megahurtz. The reason for this procedure is
that it keeps KTEP's signal out of the way of ours and vice versa. The
down side of this is that we loose a lot of audio quality. I plan on
buying the latist Moseley SCA generator out that claims to clean up
some of the bad audio. I have our Limiter-Compresser set so that the
recovery rate is quite fast so that very little of the main channel
ever ever gets in the way of my audeo. The side effect of that is we
get quite a breathing effect on the audio output but I'd rather have
than than NPR's All Things Considered int he background. One other
factor that can cause bleed over is the fact that the higher the
modulation of the main channel the more bleedover there is going to be.
Fortunately our main channel is primarely clasical and our engineer
doesn't believe in much processing therefore our Radio Reading Service
is prety cleen but a little muffled. If you have any other questions
don't hesitate to ask! Hope I've been some help. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (10/10/90)
Index Number: 11008
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I had one more thought. If you find that your Radio Reading Service's
output is to low, bring it to the attention of the director and ask
that person to talk to the engineer about it. One of the reasons that
you are getting bleedover is that your modulation is low. Suggest that
they beef it up with a Limiter-compresser or maybe the one thathave
could be adjusted to bring up the signal. Maybe yours ishooked up
where the signals are corssoing each other and noone is aware. We
weren't until the Englieer got so disgusted with the whistle we were
creating in his main signel he pulled out the instructions on how to
set up a SCA channel and there we found the problem. Try some of
these things.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.orgSteve.Bauer@f6.n291.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Bauer) (10/10/90)
Index Number: 11045
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I am pleased to see you are taking a real interest in providing a
quality Radio Reading Service. As a former broadcaster, it makes me
ill to listen to the Wichita Radio Reading Service and the poor job
they do. No screening of readers, bad audio, programs running late
or not at all, symulcast with the main channel, broadcast of NPR
programming and hours of dead air ...
I was on the board and tried to get them to spruce things up, but the
rich old ladies pushed me out. How dare a blind person have a brain
and try to have positive input. Others who have tried have also been
pushed off the board. There are even a small number of us who have
talked about what it would take to start another service, but don't
have the bucks to do it now.
So we suffer and listen to crap.
Keep up the good work and make that service shine.
Steve/
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Internet: Steve.Bauer@f6.n291.z1.fidonet.orgDavid.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (10/10/90)
Index Number: 11058
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
DK> hi grant. i was interested to hear that you run a reading
DK> service and had a couple of questions for you.
DK> first, why does it seem that the audio on so many of these
DK> services is too low, i.e., BSB & Audiovision. Also, it seems
DK> that these services can never quite get rid of the bleed over
DK> from the master fm station (sca main channel)
While Grant will probably answer this, I will jump in here too. I
have run three different radion reading services and was involved
in the field for ten years. Both properties you describe, low
volume and crosstalk are the nature of the beast. They are
somewhat inherent in the sub-carrier signals that these stations
use. You can minimize crosstalk tomewhat by adjusting your
antenna. It will also vary somewhat from day to day, depending on
the weather and how well the transmitter is adjusted. Both
situations can be minimized by the main carrier by boosting the
level at which the sub-carrier is injected into the main carrier
signal. Many broadcasters run it on the low side because they are
afraid the sub-carrier will leak into the main carrier, however,
this fear is mostly groundless. You could contact your reading
service and/or their main carrier station and beat on them to
increase the injection level of the sub- carrier. If memory serves
me correctly, don't you live in the Sacramento area. I know they
were using a TV SAP carrier out there. I spent a lot of time with
them back in 1984 or 1985 before they went on. I developed the
first SAP audio service in New Jersey, before them. THE TV SAP has
a very good signal, generally better then a FM sub-carrier, so if
it is bad sounding, it is do to very conservative or bad
engineering. David Andrews
... Your Sound Alternative
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Internet: David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgDavid.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (10/10/90)
Index Number: 11059
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
GD> I plan on buying the
GD> latist Moseley SCA generator out that claims to clean up some
GD> of the bad audio. I have our Limiter-Compresser set so that
GD> the recovery rate is quite fast so that very little of the
GD> main channel ever ever gets in the way of my audeo. The side
GD> effect of that is we get quite a breathing effect on the audio
GD> output but I'd rather have than than NPR's All Things
GD> Considered int he background.
Grant, Most people feel that the best SCA Generator around is the
SideKick from Modulation Sciences. It will make an audible
difference in the quality of your signal. Most people use Moseley
equipment for their studio to transmitter links, they are not as
big a player in the SCA generator market.
David Andrews
... Your Sound Alternative
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!David.Andrews
Internet: David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgWilliam.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (William Wilson) (10/13/90)
Index Number: 11086
DK> me was the reading service in san francisco used to spend a
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
DK> couple of hours a day reading the stock market reports; i must
DK> say that with all my millions, i couldn't live without it!!
Dan,
A while back we discussed the service offered by many tv cable
dompanies to their computer owning subscribers. Basically, at least
here in Pittsburgh, it involves a one time cost of $100 that gets you
something like a modem, that when attached to a comm port on the PC and
to the cable, will allow you to access many, many items, such as
newspapers, via the program they likewise supply.
Although he doesn't call the board any more, we do have a blink in
our area that uses this service with speech, and trust me, if he can do
it, it must not be very difficult! As I recall, you can select those
items you want to read, or even capture them to disk for later, and
since there is no additional charge beyond the regular cable fees and
the initial 100 bucks, it sure sounds like a good deal to me!
Mark Senk, my good buddy and computer science major at Pitt who is
so busy with his Assembly language class he can't find the time to call
the board either, just ordered the service, so I'll let you know how it
goes if nobody else does in the meantime. Heck, if it really is as nice
as I imagine it, maybe I'll even part with a portion of my millions to
get the service!
Willie
... BlinkTalk, Dr. Deb and Silver in Pittsburgh!
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!William.Wilson
Internet: William.Wilson@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgSteve.Bauer@f6.n291.z1.fidonet.org (Steve Bauer) (10/17/90)
Index Number: 11149
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
You know it would really be slick if you could run a radio reading
service on the type of system used by NOAA weather. This way, you'd
have no bleed over and the audio response would be about the same.
Radio's would be cheaper to buy and people could even use scanners
and portable rigs. I don't think the cost would be that high either.
Dreaming, dreaming dreaming.
Then, you'd not be tied to an FM station and forced to be on when
they are on or to follow their rules and regs.
Steve/
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!291!6!Steve.Bauer
Internet: Steve.Bauer@f6.n291.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (10/17/90)
Index Number: 11165
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
In our particular Service we have found it to be quite
expensive and the comments that we get from the listeners seem
to reflect what you are saying. This is why I've thought that
the talking newspaper would be better. Unfortunately the
funding source I had for that decided to help us with the
Technology Center which is fine with me I guess but as opposed
to the Radio Reading Service it seems to me the Talking
Newspaper could really serve a purpose.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (10/17/90)
Index Number: 11168
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Due to severe budget cuts we had to envoke the assistence of
In-Touch Networks to keep the radio reading service going except
for the local papers. I'm not saying that's the best way but it
is themost cost effective. My salary comes from the other
program I'm running thus no salary for the director of Radio
Reading, the readers are volunteers, and it all solved my
bosses's problem of financing. Again I didn't say that's the
best way but right now it is the only way for us. We have
received our usual couple of grants that we depend on each year
and I've been able to put money into sorely needed equipment. I
think we will be able to go one more year that way the way
thenew budget is shaping up. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (10/17/90)
Index Number: 11169
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I to am an old broadcaster of about ten years experience and
when I took over the Radio Reading Service here I felt that we
could take a really good load of equipment tuned up, get some
good programming, buy a feq assorted pieces of new equipment and
we'd be rolling. Well my dreams didn't end up quite like my
plans which seems to be the case. I was given a free hand but no
money. This Radio Reading Service is run by The El Paso
Lighthouse for the Blind and I came at a time when the
Lighthouse was hitting bottom. I guess when I think back there
are two improvements I made that have been the longist lasting.
I already had a wonderful volunteer staff that most of I still
have today but I scrownged up the money for another SCA
demodulator and found an old SCA generator and we got our signal
out of the way of the main channel. Long about that time I was
hit with severe budget cuts so we went to In-Touch but that
didn't end up being a bad thing at all. We produce four hours
per day two hours in Spanish and two in English and the rest of
the time we are In-Touch. All my radios are issued out, I don't
have money for any more and I've got people knocking on the
door. I can say I work hard to make what I have sound as good
as possible and when a problem does come up I do try to fix it
as soon as possible. I could do a lot more if I didn't have two
or sometimes three other jobs and more money but I am pleased to
say that we have at least from a technical stand point a good
quality service for our listeners.
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgWalter.Siren.@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.org (Walter Siren ) (10/23/90)
Index Number: 11210
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
SB> You know it would really be slick if you could run a radio reading
SB> service on the type of system used by NOAA weather. This way, you'd
SB> have no bleed over and the audio response would be about the same.
SB> Radio's would be cheaper to buy and people could even use scanners
SB> and portable rigs. I don't think the cost would be that high either.
SB>
SB> Dreaming, dreaming dreaming.
Well, wake up, and move to New Orleans. We have our reading
service on a regular fm channel in the public radio part of the fm
broadcast band. We have no bleed over, and you can pick it up on a
regular fm radio. It is really nice.
Walter
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!396!5.18!Walter.Siren.
Internet: Walter.Siren.@p18.f5.n396.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (10/23/90)
Index Number: 11222
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Due to budget restraints we have to subwscribt to In-Touch for a good
part of the broadcast day which is okay however they to spend a
tremendous ammount of the time reading the stock quotes and also the
sciences. I think they read more magazines on the sciences than about
anything else. They sent out a letter to all of the known subscribers
and I sent them back an ear full. I suggested that 1. they broadcast
gener interest news and programming on the sattelite service and keep
the New York material runnning only in the tristate area and 2. that
they try to increase the variety of what they are reading instead of
homing in on one subject such as the sciences. All in all or all
things considered In-Touch operating as both a Radio Reading Service
and a Sattelity System does a great job and if I were in their position
I'm not sure I could do nearly as well but I had to get my two cents
worth in. Grant
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.orgDavid.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (10/26/90)
Index Number: 11307
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
GD> Due to budget restraints we have to subwscribt to In-Touch for
GD> a good part of the broadcast day which is okay however they to
GD> spend a tremendous ammount of the time reading the stock quotes
GD> and also the sciences. I think they read more magazines on the
GD> sciences than about anything else. They sent out a letter to
GD> all of the known subscribers and I sent them back an ear full.
GD> I suggested that 1. they broadcast gener interest news and
GD> programming on the sattelite service and keep the New York
GD> material runnning only in the tristate area and 2. that they
GD> try to increase the variety of what they are reading instead of
GD> homing in on one subject such as the sciences. All in all or
GD> all things considered In-Touch operating as both a Radio
GD> Reading Service and a Sattelity System does a great job and if
GD> I were in their position I'm not sure I could do nearly as well
GD> but I had to get my two cents worth in. Grant
Grant, My opinion of in Touch is not as high as yours, but it has
nothing to do with subject matter. For a service in the largest
city in the United States, I find the quality of their readers to
be very spotty. They have a large pool and should be able to do
better. We had much better readers when I was in Chicago.
Further, their timing, openings closings etc., are very ragged and
unprofessional. For a satellite service, they should hit the top
of the hour with program changes, and they don't.
David Andrews
... Your Sound Alternative
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Internet: David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgDavid.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (10/26/90)
Index Number: 11308
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
GD> Is WRBH still on the air? I'd heard that there was a real
GD> shakeup there sometime ago and never heard if things got back
GD> together again. It is a shame that Doctor McClain never was
GD> able to get the sattelite uplink going so that WRBH could have
GD> done something similar to In-Touch. WRBH was certainly one of a
GD> kind. Grant
There are at least two other Reading Services on satellite now, the state
networks in Kansas and Minnesota. I know that Minnesota has encouraged people
to use theirs, but I don't know if anyone has. It is havily into books.
David Andrews
... Your Sound Alternative
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89!David.Andrews
Internet: David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgsenk2@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Mark Senk) (10/31/90)
Index Number: 11429 Here is my quick review of the Innfo Cypher for news and stocks via cable: If you are served by a TCI cable company and get CNN, phone 800-7PC-NEWS for a brochure about X*press service. Ask for Steve. The stories are transmiited along with the closed captioning info. They are for the most part short features and news headlines that you might see in USA Today, Knight Ritter, Copley News Service etc. The up-to-the -minute stock quotes will cost you about $25 more a month. The stories cover a range of topics with the emphasis on business and finance. You can choose to block certain categories you do not like or pick only those that match the 16 keywords you have defined. The menus use highlight bars and Business Vision works well after using mode bw80 first. You move around with the cursor keys and should delete a story once read since the info is held in your ram. Once you have filled it, no new info comes in. It seems like a good value for the one time price. The advantage I see is reading what you want when you want it. If I can answer any other questions, write via e-mail or phone 412-681-4543 some evening. Mark Senk senk2@unix.cis.pitt.edu
Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (11/02/90)
Index Number: 11470
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
You are so right about the quality of readers. In my letter to the
President I also brought up the fact that they should use an hourly
identification at the top of each hour. One thing I have seen though
is that since they have gotten a new manager in the past six months
they are much responsive to the subscribers and even seem eager to hear
from us. I guess the reason I in spite of all have a high opinion of
In-Touch is that i know from broadcast experience both on the
commercial side and the non-commercial side what it takes to keep
something like that going. As I know you are aware of to keep that
much broadcast material coming twenty four hours per day seven days per
week depending on volunteers is a formatible task which they do well.
I realize that on the sattelite service they are limited in technical
quality by funds but sometime if you want me to get on my soapbox get
me started on the In-Touch audio quality. That is for another message
though. Grant
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Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.orgDavid.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (David Andrews) (12/01/90)
Index Number: 12107
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
GD> What is the actual name of the Radio Reading Service in
GD> Minnesota? I made numerous calls to directory assistance in
GD> both Mineapolis and St Paul and they had nothing close to any
GD> name I'd heard it called. Help!!!! if you know. Thanks Grant
Grant, The official name is the Radio Talking Book, or it actually may be the
Minnesota Radio Talking book. You should be able to reach them either through
State Services for the Blind, or the "communications Center."
David Andrews
... Your Sound Alternative
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Internet: David.Andrews@f89.n129.z1.fidonet.orgcas@mtdcb.att.com (Cliff Stevens) (12/03/90)
Index Number: 12126 I'm sorry, but it seems like we are getting sloppy! I just read this article and nowhere did it have a reference to SCA. So maybe we could start reading and modifying the subject line when we followup? ------------ A man's gotta know his own limiyations! Dirty Harry Callahan Cliff Stevens MT1E228 att!cbnewsj!ncas (908)671-7292
Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (12/05/90)
Index Number: 12243
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
I was just curious did you get any results by contacting your Radio
Reading Service main carrier? My engineer, now that theyjust put in
some new equipment, has started cutting us down and we are sort of
having a tussle aboutit. Don't know who will win!
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!381!9.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f9.n381.z1.fidonet.orgGrant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org (Grant Downey) (12/05/90)
Index Number: 12314
[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]
Right now mine is to. I'll have to get after Ed and see what we
can do about it. Seriously I think that that is always a
running battle that SCA stations have with their main carriers.
If you don't keep after them they will make the SCA lolwer and
lower. t(I thought when we installed the right equipment that
thints would be more consistant. What happens to me is that it
gets low and I'll call him up to talk to him about it and am
informed that everything is okay. Of course when we hang up it
pops back up to where it should be for a couple of weeks and
then back tothe same thing. Sound familiar?
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Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!129!89.0!Grant.Downey
Internet: Grant.Downey@p0.f89.n129.z1.fidonet.org