Wednesday will definitely be a day at the 2010 NAB Show that broadcast engineers and technologists working in allied industries won't want to miss! In addition to the Broadcast Engineering Conference (BEC) sessions, Wednesday is also the day for the Technology Luncheon and the perennial attendees' favorite, the NAB Amateur Radio Operators Reception.

Of course the NAB Show offers the largest showcase of broadcast technology exhibits in the world. Plan to spend time on the exhibit floor visiting with vendors while networking with your industry colleagues in person or by social media.

Here is an overview of some of Wednesday's technology highlights at the NAB Show.

NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference Wednesday Sessions

9:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m
Las Vegas Convention Center S228
Television Case Studies -media asset management from a variety of perspectives, real-time closed captioning, plus an overview of the MediaCityUK project.

9:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S226
Disaster Preparedness, Recovery & Security - applicable to radio and television stations that must continue to operate under emergency conditions.

9:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center N234
MPEGIF Master Class - a discussion among industry experts who represent the most influential players in next generation video entertainment, multimedia and standards-based video delivery.

2:00 — 5:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S226
Spectrum Issues for Broadcasters - a discussion about "white spaces," impact of the FCC's National Broadband Plan and future spectrum concerns for all television and radio broadcasters.

2:00 — 5:30 p.m.
Las Vegas Convention Center S228
New Technologies for Television - the newest developments in television technologies from live TV program production using a millimeter-wave wireless Hi-Vision camera to migrating from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 AVC.

Radio data services and AoIP are among 2010�s prominent themes. Radio World sought out the organizers of the NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference sessions to pick their brains about trends that underlie this year's presentations. Here's what Jeff Smith of Clear Channel, Mike Cooney of Beasley, Dom Bordonaro of Cox and Andy Laird of Journal Broadcast had to say.

The NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference's Gold Sponsors are Advanced Broadcast Solutions and Video Clarity while the Silver Sponsor is National Semiconductor. The conference is produced with the Society of Broadcast Engineers and the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society. For more details on all of the papers that will be presented at the 2010 NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference, in Las Vegas, April 10 - 15, 2010, check out the BEC Summary of Presentations.

Harris Corporation CEO Howard Lance to Present Keynote

On Wednesday, April 14 at 10:00 a.m., Harris Corporation Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Howard Lance will be a keynote speaker. In this session titled "Dual Utilization of Broadcast Technology for Industry and Government", Lance will discuss how the integration of government and commercial technologies can create "cross-over" applications that benefit both sectors.

In his NAB Show address, Lance will focus on how commercial broadcast technology has increased the performance and reduced the price of military equipment for many intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance applications � including the use of consumer technology by government and defense leaders to help homeland security, warfighting and peacekeeping efforts.

Amateur Radio Operators Reception - an NAB Tradition

The annual Amateur Radio Operator's Reception, more affectionately known as the HAM Reception, is a free-of-charge event at the 2010 NAB Show which is open to all attendees. This year's event will be held in Ballroom B of the Las Vegas Hilton on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

NAB's HAM Reception is a big draw for both amateur radio operators as well as those who have never �pushed-to-talk� nor learned Morse code, with hundreds lining up outside hours before the doors open. Typically over 600 people pack the ballroom, each hoping that they will be the lucky winner of one of the fabulous (and sometimes very expensive) door prizes (over $12,500 worth of prizes in all this year!). Shown in photos above are the eager crowd (at left) and at right, John Marino and David Layer of NAB up on the prize podium (with their helpers from Baylor University who provide operational support at the show each year for the NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference). Once again, the HAM Reception is co-sponsored by Heil Sound Ltd. (www.heilsound.com) and BSW (www.bswusa.com).

Everyone attending the HAM Reception is eligible to win a door prize, and is handed a raffle ticket upon entering the ballroom. This year there are over 100 prizes to be handed out which have been generously donated by broadcast equipment manufacturers, engineering consulting firms, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and others�many of these prizes are listed below along with who they were donated by (in parentheses, including a link to the donor�s Web page). But remember: you must be present to win! If you are interested in becoming part of this tradition and donating a prize, please contact David Layer at dlayer@nab.org.

Amateur radio-related prizes:

• The ARRL Operating Manual � 9th edition (ARRL � 3 of these)
  ICOM IC-V82 handheld transceiver (Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc. � 2 of these)


• 2 rolls TMS Rapid-tite silicone weather sealing tape (Times Microwave Systems)


• 100� 7977A RF-600 coax (Belden � 2 of these)
  
• The ARRL Repeater Directory 2009/10 (ARRL � 12 of these)
• Yaesu FT-60R VHF/UHF dual band FM transceiver (Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc. � 2 of these)

• MFJ Model 259B 1.8-170 MHz HF/VHF SWR analyzer (Hammett & Edison)


• Alinco DR-635T VHF/UHF twin band FM transceiver (CBS Radio)
• 100 ft. TMS LMR-400 low-loss coaxial cable (Times Microwave Systems)
  
• Dataworld HAM contact locator map 34� x 44� (BIA/Kelsey)


• Kenwood TH-F6A 144/220/440 MHz FM tribander (Harris Broadcast Communications)


• Astron 22, 30M switched solid state 12V power supply (Ascent Media)
  3CPX800A7 tube (Eimac)


• The ARRL Antenna Book � 21st edition (ARRL � 6 of these)
  
• 3CX800A7 tube (Eimac)


• The ARRL HF Digital Handbook 4th edition (ARRL � 10 of these)
• Jetstream 13.8V 25A DC power supply (R&L Electronics)


• 100 ft. TMS LMR-240 low-loss coaxial cable (Times Microwave Systems)


• The ARRL Handbook � 2010 edition (ARRL � 8 of these)


• 100� 7810A RG8 coax (Belden � 2 of these)

• TMS �Protect� series lightning protector/surge arrestor (LP-BTR50NFF) (Times Microwave Systems)


• The ARRL RFI book � 2nd edition (ARRL � 4 of these)


• Yaesu FT-250R/E handheld transceiver (Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc.)

• 100� 7976A RF-500 coax (Belden � 2 of these)


• Yaesu FT-270R/E VHF FM transceiver (Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc.)


• Array Solutions $100 gift certificate (Array Solutions � 2 of these)


• TMS �Protect� series DC pass lightning protector (LP-GTRNFF) (Times Microwave Systems)


• TX455 3-section telescoping tower (freight not included) (US Tower Corporation)

Broadcasting-related prizes:

• Bird Model 43 Thruline wattmeter, plug-in element (Bird � 2 of these)


• SMT-1000 Mobile Tester (Kathrein, Inc., Scala Division)
• SBE bookstore $40 gift certificate (SBE)


• Audio over IP � Building Pr AoIP by Steve Church and Skip Pizzi
• (Telos/Omnia � 2 of these)

• Combination laptop lock w/SBE logo (SBE � 2 of these)

Miscellaneous:

• $50 Honeybaked ham gift certificate (ATSC)


• Abbee commercial-free music system (CEA)
  
• Tascam DR100 portable digital audio recorder (The Durst Organization)


• HD Car Connect radio (CBS Radio � 5 of these)Insignia HD Radio portable player (iBiquity Digital Corp. � 2 of these)


• American Express gift card - $25 (Henry Engineering � 4 of these)


• Mini optical mouse (IEEE Broadcast Technology Society � 10 of these)


• American Express gift card - $50 (Henry Engineering � 2 of these)


• Logo shirt and 1 Gbyte flash drive (Broadcast Electronics)


• Eviant T7 portable DTV (ROAM Consulting/Eviant Technologies).

The Technology Luncheon,being held on Wednesdy April 14 in the Las Vegas Hilton from 12:30 to 1:45 pm, is a celebratory event for technologists, engineers, technical managers and all technology fans that attend the NAB Show. Sponsored by LG Electronics, the Luncheon will feature the presentation of the radio and television NAB Engineering Achievement Awards, given this year to Steve Church, founder and CEO of Telos Systems; and Mark Richer, president of the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC).

As previously reported, Shelly Palmer, TV host, author and media technology commentator, will be the keynote speaker at the Technology Luncheon. An outline of Palmer�s speech, provocatively titled �Can Traditional Media Survive?" is as follows:

"By 2020 do we want to be the best broadcast country or the best broadband country on Earth? Recapture,authenticated streaming, TV Everywhere, open networks vs. walled gardens, real time data, social media, trust circles, communities of interest, atomized consumers and virtual DMA's -- can traditional media survive? Shelly Palmer will discuss the underlying sociological and technological forces that are reshaping the business and share some insights that will help you craft your media survival strategy."

Palmer is the host of "Digital Life with Shelly Palmer," a weekly television show that airs on WNBC-TV New York, about living and working in a digital world. He also produces and hosts "MediaBytes," an online daily news show that features a unique take on the biggest stories in technology, media, and entertainment. In 2008, Palmer released the updated version of his 2006 book, titled Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV (2nd Edition), a book that describes the technological, economic, and sociological forces that are changing the television industry.

The Technology Innovation Awards, created in 2009, which recognize organizations that bring technology research exhibits and demonstrations of exceptional merit to the NAB Show, will also be presented at the Technology Luncheon.

Finally, the new NAB Best Paper Award honors the author(s) of a paper of exceptional merit published in the NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference Proceedings. The Proceedings is a compendium of these technical papers, and an important archive of the leading edge of broadcast engineering issues. Being presented for the first time at the 2010 NAB Show, the recipient of the award will be honored at the NAB Technology Luncheon.

Tickets are available with registration packages or can be individually ordered at www.nabshow.com.

Additional details and registration information for the 64th NAB Broadcast Engineering Conference is available at www.nabshow.com. For 2010, the NAB Show is proud to offer smarter registration packages that give you access to more � more sessions, more cross-conference access, more year-round learning opportunities, more networking � all for one great price. Check out the Best Value Packages including a new SMART Pass and Conference Flex Pass.

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