Live audio from Wilmington on 12 & 13 July 2014

[4-barrel Mike]

  from Portland, first cup o' java.

Mike

[gkabbt]

Race has been on hold for a while due to issues with the timing lights.

Please stay tuned!

Gregg

[manta22]

Sounds good. Thanks for the broadcast!

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[Peter Jack]

WOW!!! Great sound.  

It might be worth putting on music or something when there is dead air. I know when I first tuned in there was apparently a problem with the finish line lights having been taken out by a motorcycle. There was a long period of dead air. It was about 20 minutes later that the sound came on. Because the sound is clean with no static or anything else to indicate that it's working people could assume that there is no broadcast.

Good job to all those involved with the sound project. You've all done a fine job.  

Pete

[Milwaukee Midget]

http://www.meridix.com/everywhere.php?liveid=Landracing

Just keeping the link to the fore.

We have received one complaint, and let me explain what's happening -

It sounds as though the ECTA is using a gate-limiter in the broadcast booth.  That would explain why all of a sudden, the sound jumps from nothing to full tilt.  It's a useful tool when set properly, and given the extreme sound levels they're likely encountering, a solid decision to prevent overmodulation.  It might be something that's adjustable before the signal hits the ECTA FM transmitter - in fact, it could well be built into their transmitter.

I'm not losing any sleep over it.
 

[saltracer1]

am I doing something wrong? All I get is the test.

[4-barrel Mike]

Upper left corner, if I remember, click to listen or something like that.

Mike

[saltracer1]

thanks

[Seldom Seen Slim]

It's a quarter 'til five here in the Eastern time zone and I've just turned on the stream.  It started up and is running just dandy.

As for the audio:  I'm someone that mentioned the dead quiet to full volume aspect.  It's like a voice actuated audio system -- when there's no voice there ain't nuthin'.  That's what it sounds like, but as Chris sort of mentioned, it's exactly the audio we're getting from the broadcast at the track.  There's noting we could do unless we were to station our own microphone at the announcer's console.  We'll think about it.  Ditto the dead air when he isn't talking - we're hearing everything that the folks at the track are hearing.

Could we add some background something, like music or blabbering announcer-talk to let you folks at home know that it isn't a dead link?  Sure, we could - not that you want blabbering since we get enough of that at other venues - but it'd take more than the staff we have at W-ton.  And that staff is Gregg - all by himself, and he just transported and set up the equipment.  He's not the guy that sits there all day long and babysits the system.  We don't have one of those.  This IS just a continuing experiment, and we're learning what stuff we should and what stuff we need to do/add if and when we do this again.

Thanks for all of the comments you're giving us.  Thanks for all of the reception reports, too, of course.  It's fun to be able to say that lr.com's "broadcast" of the Wilmington land speed event is being heard around the world.  Keep listening and maybe I'll be convinced that it'll be worthwhile to invest in more and better equipment.  Of course -- you all kow what "invest" calls for, don't you?

[manta22]

Jon;

Holding the mic a bit further away from you will allow it to pick up more of the background sounds-- cars going by, etc. If the mic is close the system AGC may be reducing the gain but I doubt that that's it, otherwise the gain should pick up during non-speaking lulls.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

[gkabbt]

Through for the day Boys and Girls.....Hope you enjoyed.

We'll be back on at 08:00 AM in the morning!

Gregg

[Milwaukee Midget]

Jon;

Holding the mic a bit further away from you will allow it to pick up more of the background sounds-- cars going by, etc. If the mic is close the system AGC may be reducing the gain but I doubt that that's it, otherwise the gain should pick up during non-speaking lulls.

Regards, Neil  Tucson, AZ

Ney, Neil -

Unlike in the past, we are not using an ambient mic.  All that is being webcast is strictly off of the FM transmission, so all you're hearing is what the announcer's mic is picking up.

I'm certain there's a gate in the chain on the low power FM side that chokes the entire signal when it falls below a certain threshold in order to minimize noise - noise that folks like me and you tend to enjoy.

Gates are great for toms on a drum kit if you don't want the guitar to bleed through, but it might be overkill in this situation.

Either way, the ECTA guys are in charge of that end of it - we're simply pirating and redistributing the end product.

Plundering from the Great Lakes has its limits. 

Chris

[4-barrel Mike]

Personal opinion: I LIKED it the way it was. 

Out in the shop, I was streaming PANDORA at a pleasant (slightly more than) background level and streaming the broadcast, which was perfectly volumed to be completely audible over the music.

What a pleasant afternoon, except for that Mustang  , Chevrolet 300 c.i. LS1 powered, not Ford powered (a COMPLETELY different sound if nothing else).

Mike

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Gregg said:  "We'll be back on at 08:00 AM in the morning!"

Is that as opposed to 08:00 AM in the evening, Gregg?

I was going to comment to Neil but Chris beat me to it.  There's another easy way to reduce background noise - not that we really want to do that here.  Make a "differential" microphone - out of two similar/identical mikes.  Tape 'em together - right smack together - and have the announcer talk close-miked into only one of them.  And - wire the outputs out of phase.  The announcer's voice will get picked up mostly by the one he's using, but the pair of 'em, out of phase, will pick up all of the background stuff.  Being out of phase it'll cancel itself out.  It's a great way for the announcer in a stadium or rink or something to be heard above the roar of the crowds.  Here we want some background sounds - so a separate micronome (sic) out in front of the announcer booth would help.

But since it ain't our setup we can only be glad that we've got anything, and I sure am happy to hear it as well as I have.  Good and clear and it's working.  Thanks, Gregg and MM.

[gkabbt]

It's a quarter 'til five here in the Eastern time zone and I've just turned on the stream.  It started up and is running just dandy.

As for the audio:  I'm someone that mentioned the dead quiet to full volume aspect.  It's like a voice actuated audio system -- when there's no voice there ain't nuthin'.  That's what it sounds like, but as Chris sort of mentioned, it's exactly the audio we're getting from the broadcast at the track.  There's noting we could do unless we were to station our own microphone at the announcer's console.  We'll think about it.  Ditto the dead air when he isn't talking - we're hearing everything that the folks at the track are hearing.

Could we add some background something, like music or blabbering announcer-talk to let you folks at home know that it isn't a dead link?  Sure, we could - not that you want blabbering since we get enough of that at other venues - but it'd take more than the staff we have at W-ton.  And that staff is Gregg - all by himself, and he just transported and set up the equipment.  He's not the guy that sits there all day long and babysits the system.  We don't have one of those.  This IS just a continuing experiment, and we're learning what stuff we should and what stuff we need to do/add if and when we do this again.

Thanks for all of the comments you're giving us.  Thanks for all of the reception reports, too, of course.  It's fun to be able to say that lr.com's "broadcast" of the Wilmington land speed event is being heard around the world.  Keep listening and maybe I'll be convinced that it'll be worthwhile to invest in more and better equipment.  Of course -- you all kow what "invest" calls for, don't you?

Mr. Head Handlebar Holder, Sir.....Thanks for this reply!

Gregg