As the LBA Antenna Turns

Did your tower crew arrive at the project only to be shut down by the owner until everyone had a personal RF monitor? This is an increasingly prevalent situation as tower owners rigorously enforce OSHA safety rules – including RF safety!

Now LBA has the solution for you – Crew on Ground Priority!

We are stocking SafeOne® personal RF monitors, and can priority ship the monitors you need, overnight, direct to your tower crew locations. At only $695 plus shipping and handling per RF monitor, this is a cost effective solution to a costly problem!

And, there is no learning curve problem. The SafeOne® is ready to operate right out of the box, complete with long life batteries, and a 5 minute CD training guide. The crews can be on the tower 15 minutes after opening the box!

Better still, order ahead! At this price, half the cost of the competition, you can equip all your crews and avoid shut downs. You save even more with volume discounts and free standard shipping and handling!

Call Dick Hansson at 252-757-0279 for your SafeOne® personal RF alarm needs.

Have you ever wondered how you could make a safe and secure wireless test setup for wireless access point configuration, wireless network interface card configuration, wireless network sniffing, WEP cracking, rogue access point detection, wireless-based DoS attacks, or other black hat exercises?

Under the direction of Dr. Lee Toderick, the School of Information and Technology at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC has had success with the adoption of an isolated, remotely-accessible LBA EMFaraCage® faraday cage to house student laboratory wireless equipment. This permits even the most invasive wireless projects to be performed in an area that also offers unrestricted campus WLAN wireless network access. Their EMFaraCage® lab isolation setup is optimized for IEEE 802.11b/g radio communication in the 2400-2483 MHz frequency band.

Topology of the ECU faraday cage lab

Many educational institutions that offer curriculum classes in wireless technologies include protocol investigation and security configuration. Wireless technology labs help to reinforce theory and concepts, and to provide educational experiences not available through classroom lecture. Secure, remote access to lab equipment enables students to perform experiments 24/7 from any location thus maximizing the utilization of the equipment and providing scheduling flexibility to the students. Student laboratories for wireless devices can be problematic in institutions that offer wireless network access. These production wireless environments can be disrupted or even disabled if a student improperly configures the laboratory equipment. The EMFaraCage® faraday cage gives instructors and administration the security to maximize instructional opportunities.

The LBA EMFaraCage® is not just for student labs. It can be a convenient, portable and economical accessory for any laboratory that needs to isolate ambient radio frequency environments from research and testing protocols.

To see complete implementation details on the ECU test setup, see Technical Note 127: Keeping Black Hat In The Box.

To discuss your EMFaraCage® requirements, contact Paulo Fernandez, pfernandes@lbagroup.com or 252-757-0279. Special discounts are available for educational institutions!

**Product Discontinued**

Testing transmission lines, antennas, and passive RF networks like filters just got much easier!

The Schomandl ANA-2700 wideband, full featured, network analyzer is at home both in the lab and at the antenna tower. It’s swept and fixed frequency range of 1 – 2700 MHz takes in most common broadcast, communications, and cellular frequencies; including the new WiMAX 4G band. AC, DC, and internal battery power and a weight of only 11 lbs let it go anywhere you need it.

The ANA-2700 – perfect for collocation sites

Measurement capabilities include VSWR, insertion loss, and reflection coefficient. Distance to fault cable diagnostics is standard. Built in cable compensation allows antenna characteristics to be measured from the ground, saving expensive and time consuming tower climber services.

A frequent problem with competitive RF analyzers is measurement interference at broadcast and collocation antenna sites. Environmental RF can even burn out competitor’s front ends. Advanced interference canceling systems in the ANA-2700 virtually eliminate measurement interference effects for true and safe readings under the most hostile RF conditions – up to 50 watts coupled power!

There are many more features the RF engineer will appreciate. The ANA-2700 is fully remote controllable, with full Windows interface, and advanced LOG600 analytical software application.

The ANA-2700 is supplied with a carry case, software, power charger, terminations, 50 watt load, various adapters and documentation. Additional amplifiers, reference and calibration devices are available.

Visit the ANA-2700 webpage (Product Discontinued) and learn more about this highly cost effective, precision German engineered antenna analyser. The ANA-2700 is exclusively distributed in the Americas by LBA Technology and its authorized resellers.

For a price quote, contact Paulo Fernandes, pfernandes@lbagroup.com or 252-757-0279

LBA has partnered with Balboa Capital Corp. to provide lease financing plans for LBA Technology RF and test equipment resellers and customers.

Recognizing the needs of our customers for financing flexibility, LBA has made available leasing services from one of the preeminent business oriented finance groups in the US.  Balboa Capital is a national leader in equipment leasing and financing that was twice named to Inc. 500’s list of Fastest Growing Companies.

Featuring a fast application, approval, and funding process, the new leasing program applies to most higher value RF and test equipment.  Typical covered equipment includes LBA EMFaraCages®, antenna tuning systems, diplexers, directional antenna systems, Schomandl-Kathrein MSK-200 and MSK-125 digital TV analyzers, frequency generators, antenna analyzers and more.  The program is applicable to direct purchases, as well as purchases through our US dealer network.

For details and immediate application, Contact LBA!

LBA Technology is offering the top-of-the-line Kathrein MSK-200 TV Signal Analyzer for hands-on demonstrations at the following October events:

October 6-7 in Verona, NY at the SBE22 Broadcast Technology Expo presented by LBA Reseller Broadcasters General Store in booth# A18

October 13-15 in Madison, WI at the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association “Broadcasters Clinic“, presented by LBA Reseller Broadcasters General Store.

October 14-16 in Alexandria, VA at the IEEE 2009 Broadcast Symposium http://www.ieee.org/organizations/society/bt/abs09/abs09program.html

October 14-15 in New York City at SATCON, presented by LBA Reseller Satellite Engineering Group in booth# 705 www.satconexpo.com

October 27-30 in Denver, CO at the SCTE Cable-Tec Expo, presenteed by LBA Reseller Mega Hertz Company in booth# 5065 http://expo.scte.org/

If you are in the area of these events, please stop by to experience yourself the quality and functionality of the Schomandl/Kathrein line of RF Test Instruments.

New and improved MSK-200 Analyzers have arrived!
(LBA Sales Executive Paulo Fernandes)

Since LBA introduced the Kathrein MSK-200 TV Signal Analyzer to the Americas last year, it has been enthusiastically welcomed by TV engineers. As an economical portable or fixed 6 ‘n 1 digital signal test solution it was without compare. And we have had extensive wish list feedback.

Now the German engineering wizards at Kathrein have added a whole galaxy of new features, as you requested, shipping immediately – Same old price!

• ATSC/8VSB analysis for new USA DTV signal standards
• MPEG-4 decoding and transport stream information
• Dolby AC-3 audio decoding/demodulation
• SMPTE-310 HD video analysis
• Automatic loop testing
• DVB-S2 satellite standard analysis capability
• Automatic channel scanning
• MER/BER/Signal-to-Noise automatic measurements
• And more…..

Here is an overview of the major new features and how they will make your engineering life easier. Please contact the LBA Helpline or your authorized dealer to order or for more information.

ATSC/8VSB Decoding:
The MSK-200 has recently been updated to support and analyze the new USA DTV ATSC signal standard as well as measure and analyze 8VSB sideband modulation in real time.  Broadcasters and Cable operators can now diagnose and repair issues in multi-path transmission.  In addition, the MSK-200 can scan and find transport stream information for this new standard and allow broadcasters to find issues in PID, PMT-PID, PCR, CA and elementary stream ID’s as well as decode video images and demodulate audio including Dolby AC-3.  This is essential for installing, maintaining and repairing our new DTV signal standards.

MPEG-4 Decoding and Viewing:
The MSK-200 has always supported MPEG-2 streams. Now it does MPEG-4 decoding! MPEG-4 is especially important as it is used for compressing different formats (audio/video/speech).  Key features of MPEG-4 are improved coding efficiency, robust transmission, enhanced bit rate usage and compressed services.  MPEG-4 is also playing a large role in new HD technologies such as blue-ray.  Now the MSK-200 can decode and view video and audio for picture and audio quality analysis.

Dolby AC-3 Audio Demodulation:
New digital audio formats can now be demodulated and listened to while viewing the image. The MSK-200 becomes a major aid in real-time transmission quality control.  The AC-3 audio format is prominent on HD TV and MPEG-4.

SMPTE-310 HD Analysis:
The MSK-200 now allows viewing and analysis of transport streams using SMPTE-310 for HD video.  It can display video and decode audio to measure HD streams and signals and provide transport stream information.

Automatic CATV Loop Testing:
This new feature will help Cable engineers to measure ingress from headend to subscriber for signal quality issues.  CATV systems need to test nodes for proper distribution of signals to customers and loop testing will allow for these measurements to be made and ensure functionality from headend to customer and provide RF information.

DVB-S2 Satellite Standard Monitoring:
The MSK-200 now supports the new generation of the older DVB-S broadcast standard for high definition via satellite.  This is especially helpful in transmitting HDTV satellite news gathering content back to the station.  When compression is added, DVB-S2 allows for MPEG-4 services to be delivered.  DVB-S2 performs about 30% better than the previous DVB-S standard.  Now you can analyze and monitor these streams in real time.

Automatic Channel Scanning:
Automatic channel scanning enhances a user’s ability to customize their own channel plan in the MSK-200 for quick access to each carrier, channel and frequency of interest.  Users can program modulation symbol rates, frequencies, associated channels, satellites and transponders, so each can be accessed quickly eliminating the need for repetitive manual parameter entry. This is a real time saver- even better, you can download and select multiple channel programs!

MER/BER/Signal-to-Noise Automatic Measurements:
Now signal quality measurements are automatically displayed during measurements to show MER, BER Pre and Post Viterbi and Signal-to-Noise levels.  This allows for users to monitor essential quality levels while making using most measurements in the MSK-200.

LBA Technology’s presentation of Kathrein / Schomandl RF Test Instrumentation generates overwhelming interest from South American visitors at the LABS’09 (Latin American Broadcast Show) going on now in Miami, FL. The MSK-200 TV signal analyzer can be seen in the center of the photo above.

LBA’s latest Authorized RF Instrument Reseller, 305 Broadcast, was also on hand promoting our products. 305 Broadcast’s President, Mr. Alfonso O Lopez and part of his sales staff preparing to engage eager visitors.

Instruments on display include:
MSK-200 TV Signal Analyzer, 3024 Power Monitor, FIT-70 In-Line Wattmeter, SafeOne Personal RF Safety Monitor. Click here for more info.

LBA Technology’s sales representatives, Javier Castillo & Paulo Fernandes waiting for the crowds.

Geographically isolated and local community analog TV watchers soon can see their favorite shows in high-definition television. The Federal Communications Commission has issued a public notice on how low power television stations can go digital, beginning in rural areas not served by full-power stations.

Though most of the American viewing public switched to DTV in June, TV translator and low power stations were temporarily exempted from the mandated analog ban. Those stations were to be given the eventual choice of switching over to digital broadcast, starting up a companion digital station, or becoming a TV translator station for a full-power digital broadcaster.

Decision time for the stations now looms, probably much to the delight of their long-suffering viewers eager to see if high-definition TV is all it is cracked up to be. Beginning Aug. 25, three kinds of applications will be accepted by the FCC:

(1) new digital-only LPTV and TV translator stations in rural areas;
(2) changes to analog and digital LPTV and TV translator stations in those areas;
(3) digital companion channels for existing analog LPTV stations.

Five months later – on Jan. 25 – the FCC will open a first-come, first-served application period for low power and TV translator stations located outside rural areas. Some of the station applications must be accompanied by a filing fee of $705 – wouldn’t you love to know how a bureaucrat arrived at that figure? – and all must be filed electronically using FCC form 346. Please note that this application schedule doesn’t preclude LPTV, TV translator and Class A analog stations from switching over to digital on an earlier schedule. In fact, the FCC is encouraging the stations to perform flash-cuts to digital any time.

The transition is not expected to occur without some awkward moments, including displacement. We’ll take this opening to plug LBA Technology’s lineup of Kathrein-Schomandl DTV test equipment, which can solve some of these anticipated problems and prevent future ones. For more information on these stellar testing devices, check out the MSK-200 TV analyzer.

Along with procedures for filing the applications, commissioners published a list of cities and geographical coordinates that rural digital LPTV and TV translator station applicants must use in siting their antennas. We hasten to suggest that local AM stations can provide a convenient tower for some of these LPTV and translator antennas. Lawrence  Behr Associates is an expert source of AM collocation solutions. Read more about it at http://www.lbagroup.com/associates/wiream.php.

Much is made of reception problems marring the changeover from analog to digital TV in the US. Typically, these problems are laid on the backs of the TV engineering community. Before you jump too hard on the engineers, please consider that broadcasting is not a technology industry – it is an entertainment industry, pure and simple! In OTA TV, engineers don’t set the course, they just follow.

Few industries in this world are so hidebound as the entertainment industry. The broadcast industry has always used regulation to throttle new technology. TV and FM survived being beaten down at birth by entrenched AM interests. Both eventually did well, ironically, leaving many of their old AM antagonists hoisted on their own petard.

We are reprising that in DTV. The marching orders for it came out in an era of big network domination, and an arrogant disregard of the real destiny of TV (CATV, mobile, SFN’s, etc.). It was birthed without much top floor regard to or respect of the many disruptive digital technologies appearing on the horizon. The voices of the forward thinkers like Sinclair were tuned out.

As a result, OTA TV as we have known it is nearing extinction, and there is little but passing political interest in the few million (1% or so) viewers with OTA reception problems. There are much bigger problems to worry about.

For one, the present system is obsolete with respect to mobile TV, some form of which will surely dominate our viewing in coming years. ClearWire’s nationwide WiMax deployments, followed by the big cell carriers coming conversion to 4G, will finish the broadcasters mobile hopes off. There just is little call for 2000′ towers and megawatts in the mobile world – 250,000+ 100′ cell sites pretty well show that!

So, back to the TV industry being in the entertainment industry.  As a product producer, the industry could care less about how they get the product to you – by CATV, FIOS, 4G, however. No industry cares to serve 100% of their market. So, in the end, it really wouldn’t have mattered if better choices had been made in the HDTV standard. Perhaps, a different technical standard would have delayed a bit the absorption of OTA TV into the broadband soup, but it will still disappear into history sooner or later.

Comments of Lawrence Behr, CEO of LBA, reflecting over 50 years in radio-TV broadcasting and wireless, representing engineering and business development consulting with hundreds of AM, FM and TV stations as well as broadband wireless enterprises. (Link to LBA Consulting Services)

Please join LBA Technology in Miami, Florida for this year’s LABS’09 event at the Hyatt Regency Downtown, July 9th and 10th. LBA will display, in booth# 307, not only our time-tested AM Antenna System products and solutions, but also a full line of RF Test & Measuring instruments from world renowned Kathrein & Schomandl.

Demonstrations will be available on:

MSK-200 Universal TV Signal Analyzer, a top-quality DTV & MPEG-2/4 instrument
FIT-70 In-Line Wattmeter with removable RF heads
3024 RF Power Monitor with remote monitoring over Ethernet connection
SafeOne® Personal RF Safety Monitor, alerts to hazardous RF for 50% less than competition