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ENG Safety Memo

"CAN YOU HERE ME NOW?"
Digital Cell Phones and IFB
David Shaffer, CSTE
KTUL

I have been doing some research into Digital Cell Phone interfaces for IFB applications and thought I would
briefly share some information I have found with the SBE chapter. As we all know, analog cellular is going
away and becoming more expensive. Even with dual-mode phones it is common for cellular providers to
deny an analog call to be made if a digital connection is available. The typical way for using an analog cell
phone for IFB has been to use a "Dial-Tone" interface that provides a RJ-11 jack and emulates a standard
landline. This has worked great for many years allowing you to place and receive calls on a standard
telephone set, to connect to audio couplers for IFB and intercom, and to connect PC modems, and FAX
machines. Well, there's a new sheriff in town and he's called Digital Cellular. Sure he wears many faces
(GSM, CDMA, TDMA, PCS) but there's no mistaking him. If you want to survive in the new frontier, pony
up and read on, otherwise, best you be runnin' back home to your mama.

continued below (click here for the rest of the article)

Emergency Alert System
Roger Herring

The next RMT test is scheduled for October 8 at 11:15 p.m. 

It has been reported to me that the FCC has started a new tactic in EAS inspections. The FCC offices are calling stations and asking for them to fax in recent EAS logs. They have been reported to have asked for the last two to eight months of logs. So far, only a dozen or so stations in Texas have had this request. The FCC seems to want to receive the logs within a specific but varying time frame.

Those wishing to update their endecs to the latest software can visit http://www.okeas.org and look under Manufacturers for links to their sites.  Some software is available as well as the latest information on who is charging for updates and who are offering updates for free, is there.

BEING SEEN !!
Excerpts from the Editor, Mark Bell.

Years ago, the news business wasn’t what it is today. Instead of being able
to sneak around a crowd with camera and gear, today’s crews are called on to be outside and “in” the action.

This requires standing by roadsides near, or next to vans, which really
can’t be far off the road.

A quick look at people with lots of experience next to roadways reveals that
many are required to wear bright colored vests; A rule they live by.

The public works civil engineering professionals in the top picture may be
viewed as having somewhat different philosophies. The one with the vest is a state employee who has frequent reminders of workplace safety,
as the state illness/injury database likely shows a need to promote safety. The state, and most companies, would be inundated with illness and injury issues without active safety promotion and practices.

The person without the vest works in a small-town public works department.
The department probably provides some education, perhaps not much more then the last news story of injury, though.  “I guess I should probably be wearing mine,” the vest-less person stated. He made it through that day, and for many days after. If he has too many days that he goes without wearing the vest, it’ll likely be forgotten, and left under some equipment, or lost, and may never be remembered. He may be injured.

More and more grocery store employees are required to wear vests in parking lots while performing their outdoor tasks. The employee in the second picture was wearing all black clothing, making him pretty hard-to-see. Day or night, the orange vest increases his general visibility.

“Attention” colors, typically orange, green, or yellow, usually catch people’s attention.

The vests in the third picture are illuminated by battery. For workers working near high speed roads, illuminated vests allow the opportunity for drivers to see them before headlights illuminate the area. Light, of course, is needed to gain visibility with a reflective vest. Hence, illumination is an added safety factor.

Last of all is the picture of a police officer. Upon returning from a lunch break, he rushed to put his vest on before standing out on the street and talking to us. When asked about his interesting rush to get his vest on, he commented: “We have to wear these while on traffic details. If there is an accident, and we don’t have one on, our medical coverage may be voided.” It’s arguable whether the worst news would be getting hit by a car, or losing medical coverage for sustained injuries.

Broadcasters have to keep up with safety trends. Broadcasting is a “small-town” industry compared to those of civil engineers, grocery store employees, highway workers, and public safety professionals. All are taught lessons from the past, resulting, hopefully, in prevention. If not, all are left to learn from injury(s).

Fall is coming. It gets dark earlier.

Perhaps there is no better time to be “vested” in the TV news business.

Contact information,
ENG Safety Memo:
Toll-free: 1-87-SAFE-6090
Phone: 781-383-6090
Fax: 781-394-0762
e-mail: safety@engsafety.com
www.engsafety.com

VOX2

Made by Vox 2 Inc.  Models available for Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola phones and retails for $149.99

CELLSOCKET

Made by WHP wireless. Currently, only for Nokia phones, Ericsson & Motorola coming soon. This unit retails for $99.99 without an external antenna connection, or $129.99 with one. You can by the $99.99 model locally at Best Buy. I have personally tested this unit and it seems to work well.

PHONECELL

Made by TELLULAR. Several models including a tri-mode analog/PCS/TDMA unit. These are not adaptors, rather stand-alone cell phones with dial-tone interfaces built in. They are available in a rack mount configuration. I understand from Gary Britt at Frontline Communications that they have installed several of these units in new trucks and they seem to work fine. They are expensive ($500-$800).

CELDOCK

Also made by Tellular, for docking a portable cell phone, they claim complete emulation of a land line.

EXTENSIS

Made by Andrew (yes the same Andrew) you can find info at  if you look real damn hard. It retails for $59.00 and works with Nokia 5100/6100 series phones.