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<P>Gordon<BR>
I'm not aware of the nature of the complaint from the amateur rado operator, but your antenna being defective would be most unlikely to cause an intereference problem.<BR>
If your equuipment shows correct spectral occupancy, which Ofcom will and possibly already has determined, then any perceived intrusion into his operational part of the spectrum would be a result of inadequate bandwidth control in his equipment.<BR>
I'd be interested to know how the complaint was worded and what was Ofcom's response.<BR><BR>
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<P style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt" class=ecxMsoNormal><B><SPAN style="COLOR: rgb(38,38,38)">Ian Hickling<BR></SPAN></B><B><SPAN>Partner<BR>transplan UK<BR></SPAN></B></P><BR>
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> From: cmalist@tmcrfm.co.uk<BR>> To: lists@philedmonds.info<BR>> Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2011 18:45:21 +0000<BR>> CC: cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk; hospitalradio@hospitalradio.dns2go.com<BR>> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Streaming audio problem<BR>> <BR>> Hi Phil,<BR>> <BR>> I'm on the onelist too - but haven't put the question there as it's been <BR>> very quiet for a while.<BR>> <BR>> Yes, we're JFMG licensed for the link and have been since 2006. The schedule <BR>> specified direction anetanna and that's what we have, 3 element Yagi's at <BR>> each end. The antenna don't need to be CE marked, but the transmitter has to <BR>> be. It is part of the JFMG agreement.<BR>> <BR>> Ofcom had a report of interference to a radio ham and, when they did a site <BR>> visit, they were the ones who saw the antenna was broken. It is on those <BR>> grounds they want to come back and check it complies once the repairs have <BR>> been carried out. The antenna was fixed yesterday, the transmitter is back <BR>> on today and Ofcom will visit shortly, date to be arranged.<BR>> <BR>> It was a temporary 'fix' so we're not looking at spending money on anything <BR>> at this time. The FM link works fine for us when it's active, but maybe not <BR>> for the radio ham. The old PC we had never had these issues, so we suspect <BR>> we've not set something up properly. The router is prime suspect at present <BR>> and we'll try swapping that out shortly.<BR>> <BR>> In the meantime, the problem is solved by virtue of having the link back in <BR>> service. Having said that, we could save a bob or three by taking the link <BR>> out and using the ADSL at both sites. I should note that we are mono only, <BR>> as in 'AM', so we don't pay for a stereo license on the link, which makes it <BR>> a quarter of the stereo annual cost at £208.50. The shoutcast stream bit <BR>> rate is low, 56 Kbps at 22.1Khz in mono.<BR>> <BR>> I hadn't thought of using VLC, having tried Windows Media Player and Winamp <BR>> and getting similar problems I took it that any media player would suffer in <BR>> a similar fashion. Just to test this out I'm installing at rtight now (good <BR>> job we have VNC installed) and will let it run overnight. Nobody on site so <BR>> the listeners will hear the audio from the FM link. I'll see how that goes. <BR>> Winamp fell over every few minutes and was forever showing the [Buffer: 0%] <BR>> message. WMP would run for a couple of hours, then stop without warning.<BR>> <BR>> If this stops/starts I'll try the Ping trick - although I'm probably going <BR>> to put that in a batch file I can hide rather than leave a command prompt <BR>> open.<BR>> <BR>> Connecting anything to the NHS system is a big No. We've been warned not to <BR>> even contemplate it. A bit daft as they have as dedicated microwave link <BR>> between the two sites that was put in years ago.<BR>> <BR>> Just to pick up on the ISP dropping the connection, the audio was being <BR>> restarted due to silence of over 16 seconds every 2-3 minutes at times <BR>> during the day, but not overnight and not when something else is connected, <BR>> so there's a possibility that's the reason.<BR>> <BR>> While I've been typing this, VLC has remained active for almost 18 minutes - <BR>> hmmm. No, I didn't stay connected, so can't be that. I need a darkened room <BR>> now.<BR>> <BR>> Gordon<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ----- Original Message ----- <BR>> From: "Phil Edmonds" <lists@philedmonds.info><BR>> To: <cma-l@mailman.commedia.org.uk>; "Hospital Radio Discussion List" <BR>> <hospitalradio@hospitalradio.dns2go.com><BR>> Sent: Tuesday, November 01, 2011 5:13 PM<BR>> Subject: Re: [cma-l] Streaming audio problem<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Hi Gordon,<BR>> <BR>> I've took the liberty of including the "Hospital Radio Onelist" into<BR>> this reply as there will probably be some technically knowledgeable<BR>> people who subscribe to that list that aren't on the CMA mailing list.<BR>> <BR>> See below for my comments<BR>> <BR>> On 31/10/2011 20:19, Gordon Sharpe, TMCR 95.3 FM wrote:<BR>> > Guys, I have an issue with hospital radio, rather than community, but<BR>> > hope someone can help as it may solve another issue for me.<BR>> > */Trust AM/* serves the Bassetlaw (Worksop in N Notts, if you need to<BR>> > ask) and Doncaster hospitals. It's main base is Bassetlaw and from there<BR>> > there has been a Band 1 FM link for the last 6 years to feed audio to<BR>> > the remote hospital in Doncaster, a tad over 13 miles as the crow flies.<BR>> > Except it broke last week, the antenna fell apart. Thats been fixed but<BR>> > now Ofcom want to check the link transmitter and it could be a while<BR>> > before service can be restored.<BR>> <BR>> That's interesting - in my experience of JFMG licenced "Programme Making<BR>> and Special Event" links Ofcom have not been interested in checking the<BR>> equipment - though they do often specify use of directional tx aerials<BR>> (I assume that any new kit would have to be CE type approved - but that<BR>> would only apply to the transmitter not the antenna?)<BR>> It would be interesting to know on what grounds they want to check the<BR>> link system before you can put it on-air - after all I assume you've<BR>> already paid the £800+ annual licence fee for the privilege.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> > So, to try and make sure the patients could still listen I set up a PC<BR>> > to use Winamp to listen to streaming audio feed sent out from Bassetlaw<BR>> > using Shoutcast. It works fine for me at home, I could listen all day -<BR>> > and have done. Not so at the Doncaster studio though. It's been breaking<BR>> > up very badly, stop/start and sometimes showing [Buffer: 0%]<BR>> > I've read up about adjusting this that and the other settings and have<BR>> > tried just about everything I could find on the topic, it still does it.<BR>> > Except, when I connect via VNC to have a look at the log files or<BR>> > whatever. As long as there's a connection the stream remains stable. The<BR>> > stream is 'private' and had a password, which I took off to allow it to<BR>> > reconnect during these troubles. I often listen from home, to check that<BR>> > everything is up and running as I live in Doncaster too and can't hear<BR>> > the AM signal.<BR>> <BR>> I'd try a different playback client - such as VLC.<BR>> <BR>> Maybe TalkTalk do have some sort of traffic management in place which is<BR>> not seeing any upload traffic from your remote site - seems unlikely,<BR>> perhaps something on your local machine or router is dropping the<BR>> connection?<BR>> <BR>> Try opening a Command Prompt Window (Start ->Run -> cmd) on the remote<BR>> end machine and running the following command:<BR>> <BR>> ping -t google.com<BR>> <BR>> this will run a continuous string of ping commands - which will keep the<BR>> connection live. This is a trick I use when using mobile broadband to<BR>> keep the connection open - as I find my provider often seems to 'drop'<BR>> my connection if I don't do anything for a few minutes.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> > The router has already been set to a 'nailed up' connection, it's on<BR>> > TalkTalk Business. Checking the speed via ThinkBroadband.com says<BR>> > they're getting roughly 4.6 down and 0.7 up . I'm on a Virgin Cable 10Mb<BR>> > connection at home (9.6/1.0).<BR>> > I have a silence detector module running on the PC itself, it triggers<BR>> > after 16 seconds of silence. It kills Winamp and restarts it, taking it<BR>> > that the program itself has got stuck. Any blip in the meantime resets<BR>> > the counter, so the stop/start issue isn't always being detected. The<BR>> > resets are being logged at 4-5 per hour, except between 11pm and 7am<BR>> > when it seems to run smoothly ?<BR>> > I have had an active connection via VNC for the last hour and a half and<BR>> > the stream has remained up and stable during that time. Having noted the<BR>> > 11pm to 7am window when all runs with no problem I had suspected some<BR>> > sort of blocking by TalkTalk, but by having something else connected it<BR>> > sorts itself out...?<BR>> > Ideally I want to use the stream to feed the audio to the Doncaster<BR>> > studio 24/7, rather than have the FM link. OK, so the audio would be 40<BR>> > seconds behind real time but who's bothered about that when you're laid<BR>> > up in a hospital bed?<BR>> <BR>> If you go down the replacing the FM link route I'd recommend not using<BR>> PC's and get a pair of Barix codecs (you'll recoup the cost in 1 year of<BR>> no JFMG licences) - though in my experiences it will drop occasionally<BR>> over ADSL links. Fine for non 24/7 purposes such as I have it in use<BR>> for. However cue Ian Hickling who I believe has had success doing this<BR>> on a 24/7 basis in Wales.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> If both hospitals are the same NHS Trust you may be able to negotiate a<BR>> link over their LAN/WAN - I know of Chorley Hospital Radio and Roch<BR>> Valley Radio who do this - the former with Barix units the later with<BR>> more expensive Comrex codecs - but the principle is the same. I believe<BR>> Nick Beer at Westcountry Broadcast is your man who set-up Roch Valleys<BR>> system so give him a shout for some advice.<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> > I had planned to have a haircut later this week, I just hope I've got<BR>> > some left by then as this one has me puzzled.<BR>> > Any ideas?<BR>> > Gordon Sharpe, TMCR FM<BR>> ><BR>> <BR>> <BR>> Regards,<BR>> Phil Edmonds.<BR>> <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> <BR>> Reply - cma-l@commedia.org.uk<BR>> <BR>> The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community Media <BR>> Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk<BR>> Twitter: http://twitter.com/community_media<BR>> http://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation<BR>> Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/<BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> <BR>> Mailing list guidelines: <BR>> http://www.commedia.org.uk/about/cma-email-lists/email-list-guidelines/<BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> <BR>> To unsubscribe or manage your CMA-L mailing list subscription please visit:<BR>> http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/cma-l<BR>> <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> <BR>> Reply - cma-l@commedia.org.uk<BR>> <BR>> The cma-l mailing list is a members' service provided by the Community Media Association - http://www.commedia.org.uk<BR>> Twitter: http://twitter.com/community_media<BR>> http://www.facebook.com/CommunityMediaAssociation<BR>> Canstream Internet Radio & Video: http://www.canstream.co.uk/<BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> <BR>> Mailing list guidelines: http://www.commedia.org.uk/about/cma-email-lists/email-list-guidelines/<BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> <BR>> To unsubscribe or manage your CMA-L mailing list subscription please visit:<BR>> http://mailman.commedia.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/cma-l<BR></DIV> </div></body>
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