Holy jumper settings...

I had a look at the telco channels on Friday night while I had Mark there to help me (saves me walking to the rack and back to turn the power on and off so much). Well... what a mess. I managed to work out which pots to tweak, but when I tweaked them, it made no difference... there was certainly no minus about the mix minus clean feed. So with a sigh, I left it until Saturday morning...

A new day, a new perspective on the problem. It seems that the printed instructions on the boards for the jumpers are non-intuative, and so they were all in the wrong place, trying to get the clean feed input from the rin not the tip of the interpatch and creating a clean feed from the aux buss not the mix minus as I thought. Eventually, I got the pots to tune up, and remove as much of the channel's output from the mix minus as possible. I then realigned the channel gains, and repeated for the second telco channel. However... I'm still getting audio drop outs on the phone line, and having checked the connections on the TBU, I can only suggest that the TBU is begining to fail in some way. On the up side, the telco channels work as designed now, and I've managed to work out what the modifications that have been made actually do (it looks like a relay across the aux 1 and 2 outputs to cut off of the feed to aux 1 and 2 when the fade was opened - the energise line to the relay has been dyked though, so it's no longer effective). One of the mic channels still has a noisy post-fade signal on aux 1 and 2, even after I swapped the channels around, so I'm going to have to look at that closely. I still can't make the split TB work on the monitor channel, but I think the ring on the interpatch is being used as a control line, and I don't have the hardware to provide the required signals. Anyway, I'm generating the TB signal on aux 1 now, and that can be split prefaded by pressing the right buttons. I also withdrew the comprod computer from service, as it was virus and spyware riddled, and it's pretty much beyond hope. I'll get any useful audio off it soon, and I'll turn it into the new studio computer, and acquire a new machine for audio editing.

Spent Saturday afternoon in Loughborough having a bit of a geek fest. Shame about the concurrent football match that meant finding a quiet seat in a pub was impossible, and the weather didn't help matters.

Shelagh and I slept in on Sunday morning. No point getting up if there's nothing to get up for. All in all, a relaxing day. Anyway, I managed to start off the process of transfering the Boundary Sound domains over to my control, so we can get our servers doing all the work, and make our nice new mail system active. Then I can linux the reception computer too!

Getting on top of it

I finally received a welcome email on Wednesday. After a plea for help with the MBI mixer on a radio forum, someone put me in touch with someone who really knows about the workings of the mixer, and was able to explain to me how to connect up the telco channels, and explain what some of the other mystery controls were. So, last night, I took a pile of patch cables, and tried connecting up the channels as described. Ok, I had to think about where to get a prefade presenter mic feed from (ended up taking it from an aux output), but it all wired up ok. There seems to be some level fluctuation which I think it TBU related, and there's some noticeable feedback on the line, which I think might be due to a malaligned cleanfeed mix-minus circuit... that means I'll have to take the channels out either tonight or tomorrow to have a look at them.

I then went mad. I've long wanted to swap the distribution amp and compressor over in the audio chain, so the compressor comes first, and the DA provides 4 compressed outputs, rather than compressing one of the DA's outputs. Traditionally, we've fed an uncompressed feed to the transmitter, but having been listening to Priory FM this week, and hearing a presenter pop the mic I though I'd better reduce the mixmum level of spikes, because in the tx audio chain, there's an AGC, which has fast attack and slow release. The mixer will kick out about 20dBU maximum, so if there's a very bad pop, the AGC will take 10ms to knock off 20dB, and then recover over the following 3 seconds... which quite frankly sounds crap.

Now I used the SCOM as a soft limiter, with a 2:1 compression ratio above -4dBU (soft elbow). So what would come out of the SCOM in a "pop" situation? Well there's +20dBU out of the mixer, 24dB above the elbow, with 2:1 compression, divide by 2 to get 12dB, and add that to the elbow at -4dBU, giving max output of 8dBU. Now, as it happens, I've get the digital chain (logging and web stream) to record 0dBU as -12dBFS, giving 4dB headroom. The digital part of the chain used to induce a bit of distortion at higher levels, but I've tweaked the input and output levels to reduce this, so that everything, right through to the MD record, which is at the end of the digital chain, sounds lovely.

So what of the remaining desk faults? Well, there's come noise on the aux 1 and 2 post-fade outputs of the guest 1 mic channel. I have no idea what's causing it. It doesn't appear on the prefade signal, or on aux 3 post-fade. The interpatch lines between the talkback circuits need to be checked - I've cobbled it together for now, but I might need to set some jumpers on the telco boards. The split TB doesn't appear to work, I'll have to look into this, it might be an interpatch problem. I've still got a problem when replacing bulbs in the TB switches, as the desk locks itself into "dim" mode - looks like a short or some other fault which will require tracing. The phantom PSU is fixable, if I can be bothered. I've given up on the IT12 unit completely. We'd need 2 for it to be useful anyway.

I'll have a quick look tonight, but I'm training Mark at 8...

Coming together

Things are still coming together at the radio station, and as the days pass, more and more things are being done and tasks completed. We're now just 2 weeks from "version 1" of the new website being delivered (which means I'm going to have to chivvy the domain registration handover along a bit). The blown amp has now been sent off for replacement, and we shouldn't be far from getting the CD and MD players back in fully working order. This does, of course, mean I'd better get the order for those parts I want from Maplin sorted out.

Monday evening was chaos at the station. Lots of people in for meetings and training. I opted to spend an hour or so with Craig in the editing suite, showing off what the editing software can do, and what various bits of sound look like. Then moved into the studio for a spot of back-timing practise. I've managed to make space for the satellite receiver on top of the rack cabinate, so I've wired that back in, which makes it more fun to test those back-timing skills. Then off to the pub for a couple of drinks with the rest of the management team.

Tuesday was much quieter. Even had time to jump onto the radio to chat to Dave for 10 minutes, discussing licensing terms and CB/PMR activity. I arrived to find Duncan and Simon already in the studio, having been delayed in my arrival by a horse drawn chariot. By the time I ran up the stairs, I guess my face looked like a smacked bottom (which is getting to be pretty usual these days), and caused Duncan to ask if I was ok. I was ok. I just didn't look it! Anyway, I spent just over an hour covering all the desk controls that I don't cover in basic training, and some of the concepts behind them. Then onto what's becoming a standard "this is Linux" introduction. I'm now able to show off the new website's ability to provide RSS feeds for weather and travel information, which can then be viewed from the presenter's portal. This allows me to demonstrate some of the concepts behind having a separate producer for each programme. For some reason, you say "production" and some people think of creating jingles and editing interviews. Production is about much more than that... it's researching and providing all the content for a programme, not just editing any audio clips. While many presenters do their own production, having a second person to share the load with can lead to much better prepared programmes.

Anyway, I managed to get to bed early enough last night to go swimming this morning. Another pitiful 24 lengths, and only 7 minutes in the sauna which stank of TCP. I'm sure there are odourless alternatives these days... got to be better than being fumigated at 83C.

No training tonight... it's hospital radio night. I had an email from the station manager last night thanking me for the satellite receiver, which has now been wired in.

It seems there are a couple of new bellringers to be taught at Barrowby, so Shelagh has some work to do as well.

Changing up a gear

There was a time when I wrote here nearly every day, or every other day, but for various reasons I've stopped doing so, which is a shame, as I'm probably missing out on some details to stop myself from writing pages and pages of stuff. Oh well, I'm sure it's not really that exciting.

I had John Heald in for training last Tuesday evening. Set up a computer account, talked about a few things radio, and the importance of "teasing" before ad breaks during the next RSL. During the session, Duncan called, and we threw a few ideas about regarding sales strategy... not that I like getting involved with such evils.

Wednesday was very non-descript. Created some spreadsheets to make some log books for various purposes, with the intention of getting them full duplex photocopied and bound into books. Usual session at Radio Witham, where Keith is still doing battle with the satellite receiver to get the IRN feed running, but for some reason the receiver insists on having a card inserted. I gave Andy a quick call to see if he had a receiver that would work that I could donate - duely sorted, and a quick drink in the Mail Coach organised. We sat and discussed the management structure (another evil that I don't like getting involved in too much), and decided to appoint a programme controller to lessen Andy's long list of jobs, and also nominate some help for Duncan and the eternally problematic advert scheduling.

Thursday is all a bit of a blur. With no training booked, all the new management team got together in the studio to thrash out the programme schedule, the advert matrix, and just some general radio related banter. Things seem to be prgressing nicely, and we left things with just a couple of phone calls to make before the programme schedule is all sorted.

On Friday I had a complete break from things radio. Went to choir practise, having missed the last 2. Noted that the organ is now being "seen to" by a Nottingham based company, and that large portions of the organ were effectively unusable due to stuck notes, etc. Got home and decided to try to spot the ISS as it flew over at 21:35. Managed to sight it through the patchy cloud cover... always an impressive sight. Spent the rest of the evening drinking sherry with Dave, and talking about the usual rubbish.

On Saturday morning, I was determined to mow the lawns, having left it for 3 weeks. Really need to burn some more of the hedge, but it wasn't going to happen - simply not enough time. My first training booking of the afternoon was cancelled, so I spent the time looking at the telco channels on the mixer, and managed to make some progress, but it opened up some new questions. I composed an email to a contact that I'd been introduced to, who should be able to help me with these mixer related issues, but I didn't send the email, as I'm going to give him some time to contact me first, as I only have his address because the email to him was CCed to me. If I don't hear anything by the end of Monday (today) I'll send the email anyway. The second session was with Paul Lane. Discussed quite a lot, mic and ducking technique, Ots use, computer account generation, etc. Then time for a quick Chinese, and a trip to Grantham to pick up the log books that I wanted making on Wednesday. Then the rest of the evening disappeared somewhere.

Another early start on Sunday for the second week running, with Shelagh working long hours at the moment. Then on to some bell ringing, organ playing, and shopping in Grantham, dropping off the acquired satellite receiver at the hospital on the way. Then more bell ringing (losing a quarter peal), and some frighteningly short notice on some hymns for a song of praise style evensong service, before rushing some tea, and an evening training session with Stuart. Finally managed to get confirmation that the programme schedule is now complete, and then we're still waiting to hear about what happening with the CD/MD players that we were having serviced. And with that, another week is over.

Post holiday catch-up

I really should write a bit more frequently, but time is short, and the workload is heavy :-(

Last Tuesday, after I'd dared to go swimming (again, arrived late, so only managed 24 lengths), work was a blur of catching up with a few changes. I commissioned my new work laptop, although I don't think I'll be using it much at home - I prefer to work in the office. Got to know our new starter, Tim, who seems nice enough, and comes from Staffordshire - so maybe another source for oatcakes?

The evening Boundary Sound meeting was interesting... as in interesting to see who wasn't present. Usual suspects, probably using the football as an excuse. No, I'm not impressed. Went on to have a late evening session with Mark at the studio, and showed a new presenter around a bit.

Wednesday was nothing special, but took my AT400 out for a play while I was on the move between Grantham and Newark, and worked a few stations while mobile through GB3GR. Makes a nice change.

Thursday evening was a bit of a mash, due to having to play the church organ for a service at 19:30. Shelagh and I then exercised our democratic rights, before I wondered off to the studio to play with the web streams again. Managed to push the server much harder this time. Noted that the server really needs more memory. I'll have to get some ordered soon.

I spent Friday evening with Howard in the studio, covering some of the main points for training this time. Ended the evening sharing a bottle of wine with Dave, and probably talking rubbish - I can't remember - the wine was good.

Saturday morning was spent hacking down the hedge next to my drive, creating scarily large piles of rubbish. I then spent the afternoon with new presenter, Monnie, at the studio. Covered some of the basic points of radio station work and life - timing, branding, etc. Later, I managed to catch some time on the ham radio, worked GB2TW (Tuxford Windmill special event) and a G6 replied to a CQ call. Even later, I set about burning some of the hedge related rubbish. Managed to get rid of about half of it before the light faded, and I'd had enough of the smoke.

Shelagh was working on Sunday morning, so an even eariler start, and 2 church serviced to play the organ for. By the time we'd managed to do some shopping, it was mid afternoon, and almost time for me to go and play for evensong too. Talk about keeping me busy. Later, I finally got round to rewiring the electrics in the Boundary Sound racks, getting all the computers on UPS, and taking the audio kit off the UPS (it wasn't liking it very much). Got out the cable ties again, and generally tidied up some of the rat's nest.

Back to work on Monday. Tried to go swimming again, but found the pool closed, so managed to grab some breakfast. A busy evening in the studio working with Craig in the studio, and John on the computers. I really need to sort out the workstation machine again, as the monitor doesn't like the resolution the computer is trying to display at the moment... the producer machine is rather too slow to do anything useful on. Had to restart the studio computer again, as it had randomly fallen over for the third time. Looks like I might end up replacing both studio and producer before the RSL.

Onwards...

Holidays and more work

I've got a few moments to write about what I've been up to over the last 12 days... at long last. It's been nothing short of a mad rush really.

Spent some more time playing with the web streams at the radio station, and managed to have a few minor meetings with Andy before packing the bags and spending the week between 25th and 29th at Center Parcs.

Only Shelagh, Ian and I, as Duncan decided to pull out at the last moment, and we hadn't managed to fill the places we'd set aside for Andy and Michele. So a quiet week, but lots of nice food to eat, and plenty of swimming. Had another shiatsu massage on the Thursday, and I've now got the contact details of the guy that saw me. He's based in Lincoln, and his rates seem reasonable, so I might make it a monthly treat to sort out the stresses of this world.

Got home on the Friday, quickly visited my parents, and then spent the evening finishing off one of my bottles of whisky with Dave (there wasn't much left).

Shelagh had an induction course for a computer course on Saturday morning, so she went to that before we dashed to Aberystwyth for the AGM dinner. Rang a quarter on the Sunday afternoon, and met Ashley for a coffee on Monday morning before coming home via Stoke.

...I'll catch up with this week another time...