Today was World College Radio Day. it is a time to celebrate the innovation of those up and coming disk jockeys, who are going to college. Whether it is your local radio station, your safety through the municipal radio, disk jockeys are radio operators, are essential and play a very important role in everyday commerce. Radio covers on air AM, FM, television, your Wi-Fi signal, or simply nuking food in your microwave oven. These days, in addition to on-air radio, the innovations of podcasts, over-the-web radio programming, YouTube, Rumble and a vast array of other newer radio programmers, make college for those individuals interested in becoming tomorrows radio programmers and DJ’s. Our hats are off to these persons in order to celebrate World College Radio Day!

Education

Getting a certification to broadcast can make it much easier to be able to start a career in radio broadcasting. Sometimes it can even be necessary, in order to procure keeping it legal. Always make sure before broadcasting that all legal loopholes are covered, before your air debut. Contacting an attorney can also ease the mind of a future broadcaster, because paying proper attention to the logistics of proper certification is necessary as described by the law. A great looking resume gets the attention of local, national and international companies that own radio station and podcasting stations. Check your local area information, because broadcasting is only taught at highly refined colleges. Actually, I was going to become a DJ, among about three other professions, and it was not the selected career–but I was able to find a lot of information, and in Illinois in the early 1980’s, Columbia College in Chicago was a suitable college that you would attend at starting your career in those days. Always check to make sure that the curriculum matches your needs before paying any tuition. Broadcasting is not taught at the majority of colleges and universities. Good luck on finding a career starting college!

Radio

Radio is technology of modulating, signaling and/or communicating using a radio wave, which is an electromagnetic waves in the low frequency just above the sound wave between 30 Hz and 300 GHz. The electronic wave is generated by a transmitter connected to an antenna which radiates the wave, and tuned by a radio tuner connected to a receiving antenna. Radio is used in communication, television, radar, navigation, remote controls, remote sensing and other variety of other applications. In the whole spectrum of energy, it all starts on the low end with

• Sound/resonance waves
• Radio waves
• Microwaves

Then the spectrum turns to rays as the perpendicular lines start to radiate in conjunction with the wave-fronts of the actual light or ray, and that points in the direction of the energy flow Leading into:

• Infrared rays
• Visible light rays
• Ultraviolet rays
• X-rays
• Gamma rays
• Cosmic rays

History of Radio

THE EARLY YEARS – INVENTION INTO THE 1940’S:
Radio was initially invented in 1895 by the shared 1909 Nobel Prize Guglielmo Marconi– an Italian inventor and electrical engineer, in the honor of physics (with Karl Ferdinand Braun). In the early years was developed experimentally the years 1905–1906 for transmission of talk, news and musical content, and in 1920 commercially available amplitude modulating stations started out broadcasting on the still unchanged AM band. In the late 1920’s, Edwin Armstrong invented frequency modulation and VHF stations started broadcasting in 1936 and commercially in 1940. The original FM band which was located between 42 to 50 MHz, and it was found that there was still of tropospheric and Sporadic E propagation, so in 1946 FM was moved to the current frequency band of 88-108 MHz. The original FM bandwidth was re-assigned to non government fixed and mobile plus original television’s start of channels 1-6, and channel 1 (44 to 50 MHz) was the end part of that frequency, still having quality issues whereby the channel was abandoned nationwide and never utilized in other countries. The original VHF Low TV band (50 MHz to 88 MHz) was located jut below FM from 1946 to 2009. Channel 6, depending on the city, has a sound channel that is on either of 87.7 or 87.9, depending on which main city guidelines are in use. These sound channels have still been used to show up at the beginning of most FM receivers as FM stations 87.7 or 87.9, but have until July 13, 2021 [have been granted more time] to figure out a digital plan to succeed continuing transmission, or cease completely as analog is being phased out completely for the original channel 6. FM practices the same selection whereby each main city is off by .4 MHz, so the cities can have the same amount of stations and the stations do not “bleed” over each other. All FM radio stations in the U.S. always broadcast on an odd 10th of a frequency (100.3, NOT 100.2 or 100.4). Originally commercial stations used to start out with 93.1 MHz all the way up to 107.9 MHz, and educational and not-for-profit radio was 88.1 to 92.9 MHz. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) (a department of the U.S. Executive Branch) has still likes to issue these frequencies as being con-commercial, but exceptions have been known to emanate. Each market has 16 high powered stations and  and equal portion of low powered stations on the in-between frequencies. The main stations are spaced exactly .8 MHz apart with low powered stations smack dab in the middle of the two high powered stations. Each market is spaced apart by .4 MHz to allow stations not to bleed. The FCC allows exceptions based on antennae being transmitted in a directional fashion, per station results.

THE CHANGING YEARS – 40’S THROUGH THE 60’S:
Radio was taken to new avenues and limits in the years of the 40’s through the 60’s. In World War II FM Doppler radar was used to replace inferior AM radar for obvious reasons, interference and a lot of severe limitations. In 1945 the FCC moved the FM broadcast band from the 42–50 MHz to 88–106 MHz band, though later extended to be 108 MHz, making the existing radios useless unless a converter was purchased. By the 50’s, television began to get more popular whereby people tended to have someone “on the block” who had one towards the beginning, and by the end of the decade more and more families were adding one to the household. Networks took off with 4 main networks on both radio and television. FM was still not beginning to catch on and in fact didn’t become greatly popular until the late 70’s. The changeover is slated to be one of the reasons the setback stunted the early growth of FM. Other reasons for the change vary in opinion, but those times it was hard just to get equipment modifications in a changeover, as compared to out somewhat disposable lifestyle we lead these days. The new band offered far less interference, as the original FM band was before the missing channel “1” before the original channel 2 on analog television, and we all know how badly that station came in, as a revisit to the past! Channel 1 was dropped due to the fact that it just could not handle the quality needed to render the video signal. Radio went through various changes in the playlists, but Top-40 mastered the dial infusing different styles “all on one” station. FM really began to take off by the mid to late 70’s with the disco era in full swing, but AM kept it’s clientele until a little later–in the 80’s era,

THE BUILDING UP OF FM – 70’S TO THE 90’S:
Radio taken to even more new heights in the 70’s and 80’s. At the beginning of the 70’s, the record industry went through dramatic changes in the quality of recordings, with introduction of 4 track recording. The whole aura of the 70’s was better and best…the re-mastering of records, and also a great improvement of the quality of the vinyl used to press a record. All this led to a great turnover to the FM dial from the AM. Every year throughout the decade showed a dwindling on the AM and a surge of persons going FM, with full realization that the audio on the AM dial was only to 5 KHz, and hearing goes to 20 KHz, so there was a substantial muffled effect on the sound quality, as demonstrated by a fas.org report on AM radio. The amount of ratings went way over the persons listening to AM. More and more people liked to hear that awesome stereo sound they had going on even though the FM bands statistics are still the same as they were in the hey days- going up to only 15 KHz. still to this day transmits from 50 Hz to 15 KHz, which is demonstrated by a fas.org report on FM radio. The whole stereo still works the same way, The two channels left and right are transmitted through one channel and at the 19 kHz pilot signal from the center of the carrier frequency, which in the day was the little red light on FM dials. If you ever noticed when they made stereos with the red light, when the light went out, the stereo faded. It takes a lot of power to have the pilot light decode the multiplexing of the channel separation. Other formats that came and gone were the introduction of quadraphonic FM in the mid 70’s, but never went far because of the whole 8-Track tape fad, costs and technical problems. Then there was AM stereo…with no improvement to the muffled 5 KHz sound by the mid to late 80’s. The whole deal with that was that you needed two radios, one tuned to the left of center tuning and one to the right of center. They were trying to get listeners back to listening and reviving the listenership, but the poor quality muffled to popularity, and by 2001 the last AM stereo station ceased such broadcasting. FM always came out on top throughout the whole era in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, until HD AM/FM came out.

THE PRESENT DAYS:
Present day radio is taking a serious blow from COVID-19 restrictions. Right before the crisis landed, this year already started off with two radio station closures in the Chicago area. When a station turns in the license to the FCC, it means that the station is worthless, which is a growing trend these days, especially for lower powered AM stations. The radio industry is suffering the largest change in the history of it’s existence. Sirius-XM still continues to offer so many stations that, despite monthly price increases, still has a major pull of ratings. And to make matters worse, internet companies like Google’s YouTube, Spotify and other apps are able to be streamed into a lot of newer cars right in a USB port, which powers the phone enough to have it not lose too much power, while a stream, yet needing a subscription to port into without using too much cellular memory up from a monthly plan. Also, stay-at-home orders from the government and work-at-home orders from jobs have made commuting an all time low, and the place where radio has been known to be for everyone is at the workplace and while commuting. Even while people work at home, people opt to keep television on over the radio counterpart. Radio contests are not new, and I have seen movie skits, television shows and writings all over featuring radio contests and the like. I have been contesting for years (since the late 80’s) and I won a contest in the summer of 2020 from a major radio station and the prize was to have my name read on the air, so I know this present environment that radio is experiencing is very seriously troubled.. Therefore competition isn’t always another station, which makes the Nielsen ratings way more worthless, as they don’t measure the anti-radio competition. The Nielsen’s have for years measured the capacity and popularity of radio and help assist the radio marketplace with a means and way to measure the capability of a station to market and advertise, and a way to formulate advertising rates for stations. The National Nielsen ratings have a city-by-city list and locally in my area, the Chicago Nielsen ratings are just one link away from showing the latest ratings of all stations. The area’s latest number ones have been WVON FM and the longest running AM & FM number one being WBBM. Every Christmastime, WLIT FM changes it’s format and goes number one for several years with an all-Christmas format. Most presently, the radio dial had celebrated it’s 100th anniversary on November 3, 2020.

Sources of Radio

We also salute all the radio transmitters worldwide, as without the invention, the procurement of entering the modern era would not be possible. The simple electrifying of radio waves by transmitting an electronic signal, either analog or digital is done via signal and frequency using either of amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, or phase modulation–all three methods of modulation with either a digital signal or analog–or both, but not exactly at the same exact signal. They are offset in either frequency, or multiplexed, or both, to make the signals render properly and distinctly. Antennae are all over the world, usually always placed in a higher area of altitude in comparison to the distinct locale, be it on a hill or tall building. The transmitters always need to be operated by a licensed operator sanctioned by the FCC, except low powered operations, such as the operator of a drive-in theatre, your own house, or a Christmas or Holiday display. I am from the Chicago metro broadcasting area, so I am going to use it as an example of excellence in broadcasting. Every area in the world has an equally excellent style of broadcasting, and I honor each and every area. I like to support not for profit ventures, so I recommend reading the following great website for tips on great radio reception: North Country Public Radio: ARTICLE = Good FM reception tips from Radio Bob, and if you can, please leave a donation.

SOURCES OF CHICAGO RADIO:
The Willis Tower (Sears Tower), has been considered one of the longest lived best signals in the world. To this day has the best location and equipment to transmit multiple VHF signals in the whole Chicago marketplace, because the The Willis Tower formerly the Sears Tower stands over one quarter of a mile high at 1450 feet high. The tallest Chicago skyscraper is Chicago;s largest touristic attraction, and its two from a far visible roof antenna masts also serve as primary TV and FM-transmitters in Chicago metro area.

875 North Michigan Avenue Building (The John Hancock Center), stands 100-stories tall, and one of the most distinctive places making a stunning city’ skyline, is thanks to two greatly huge antenna masts that are indistinguishable with the rest, on the roof is also one of the most important regional TV and FM transmitters.

The Aon Center or Building (The Amoco or Standard Oil Building), houses even more Class B 50,000 watt equivalent stations, operating with power reductions according to their antenna heights, the maximum power being allowed, including WDRV-FM, of which I had the unique opportunity to be the day’s guest “Daily Driver” back on June 4, 2018: See “I am Guest on WDRV-FM, Chicago, IL for Today”

Latest Legal Issues with Radio

It costs a lot to broadcast with a vast array of expenses for a station to make it. If you want to keep radio on the air, I really suggest going to the following website to connect with fellow radio buffs like myself: We Are Broadcasters. They are on radio and television’s side to keep Congress informed that there are a following of constituents who want radio to stay on the air at no cost to the consumer The government is always going after something, such as the latest tax imposition for airing songs on the radio to the local radio stations. But lawyers really do their best to keep radio a viable option to entertainment, and the need for broadcast, but sometimes the constituent’s letters can really try to assist in making it known that the interests of the public at large are known, so that when the politicians go into Congress, that they uphold the interests of the constituents.

Future of Radio

This is still the biggest and most trying time for radio. There is definite hop for the future of radio. Steering around the vast array of variety other than standard broadcast radio makes it even more viable to remain aligned with a career in broadest. Live for today, and don’t get too caught up in the politics of imposition to becoming tomorrows possible star. I have always loved radio and my hope is that radio can continue for the next generation and beyond . . .

MART PRODUCTION at Pexels

Radio & World College Radio Day