WASHINGTON, DC -- Technical experts will discuss the impact of an in-band-on-channel (IBOC) proposal recently submitted by radio broadcasters to the FCC at The NAB Radio Show. Geoffrey Mendenhall, vice president of transmission research & technology at Harris Broadcast Systems, will moderate the panel discussion featuring executives from Continental Electronics, Broadcast Electronics, Nautel, Greater Media and NPR.
The proposal would allow FM broadcasters to increase power in the digital portion of their IBOC signals by up to 10 decibels (dB), to increase their digital coverage area and to improve reception by portable HD Radio receivers which are soon to be on the market. Attendees will learn how to design new facilities to operate at these higher power levels, and will also examine the issues surrounding the upgrading of existing facilities. Session participants include:
Geoff Mendenhall(moderator), is currently responsible for the research and application of new technologies to Harris radio and television transmission products. In 1973, he joined the Harris Broadcast Division as an electrical engineer. Mendenhall went on to serve as vice president of engineering at Broadcast Electronics before re-joining Harris Broadcast in 1993. In recognition of his contributions to the industry, Mendenhall received the NAB Radio Engineering Achievement Award in 1999, and was recently named the 2008 Engineering Fellow by Harris Corporation. He is also a member of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE) and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Jeff Detweiler, is the broadcast technology manager of iBiquity Digital. In this capacity, Detweiler manages the introduction and launch of their HD Radio brand of IBOC technology to radio stations worldwide. Detweiler has more than 20 years experience in radio. Prior to joining iBiquity, Detweiler was a worldwide sales & marketing manager for QEI Corporation, and was the northeast sales engineer for Allied Broadcast Equipment. He also served as chief engineer at both WWWE/WDOK in Cleveland (1985 to 1987), and WHWH/WPST in Princeton, NJ (1983 to 1985).
Dan Dickey, is vice president of engineering with Continental Electronics Corporation, where he oversees research programs and new product development. Previously, Dickey was responsible for the design and development of TV transmitter products as vice president of engineering at Axcera LLC.
Ted Lantz, serves as manager of HD radio products for Broadcast Electronics.
He is responsible for the HD Radio Transmitters and data management suite,
Radio Data Dimensions System. Lantz has worked at Broadcast Electronics
for over 12 years, and is currently focusing on providing solutions to
the industry in data applications and RF transmission.
Gary Liebisch, has been an active member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers for over twenty-five years. He joined Nautel in April 2007 as the eastern U.S. regional sales engineer and manager, focusing on product development. Prior to Nautel, Liebisch worked at Harris Corporation, where he was involved in HD radio development as a product line engineer and manager for radio transmission. Liebisch has spoken on HD Radio implementation at several regional and national conferences.
Milford Smith, is vice president of radio engineering for Greater Media, a position he has held for the past 24 years. "Smitty" is an active member of several organizations, including the NAB Digital Radio Committee, where he serves as acting chairman. He is also Chairman of the National Radio Systems Committee (NRSC), leaving his role as Chairman of the NRSC's Digital Radio Broadcasting Subcommittee to take this post upon retirement of former NRSC chair Charlie Morgan. His contributions to radio engineering are recognized annually by Radio Ink, where Smith has been continuously listed as one of the most admired radio engineers in the U.S. In 2005, Smith was honored with NAB's Radio Engineering Achievement Award.
Mike Starling, joined NPR in 1989 as a senior engineer and was named vice president for engineering
and operations in 1998. Currently he is VP and CTO of NPR and in addition
is the Executive Director of NPR Labs. Starling is also a board member
of the North American Broadcasters Association and has served as a U.S.
delegate to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). He is the
recipient of the IAAIS C. Stanley Potter Lifetime Achievement Award, and
has written several articles on radio technology. In 2003, Starling organized
NPR's Tomorrow Radio Project, an undertaking that reveals new digital
technologies and services that operate within the HD Radio system.
About the NAB Radio Show
The NAB Radio Show is the largest annual convention for radio. This year's
show, Sep. 17- 19 in Austin, delivers a one-of-a-kind networking opportunity
for station professionals representing all format and market sizes and
is co-located with the R&R Convention. More information about The
NAB Radio Show is available at www.nabradioshow.com.
Online registration is now available for news media reporters interested in covering the NAB Show. Click here for additional information.
About NAB
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. As the voice of more than 8,300 radio and television stations, NAB advances their interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at www.nab.org.