Software Six

Broadcasting Technology

Is AM Radio Going Extinct?

Since the advent of AM radio at the start of the 20th century, countless new competitors have been born. As early as the end of the Second World War, AM radio had already begun to fall out of style with the development of FM broadcasting. Modern digital technologies have only exacerbated the threat, with the […]

How to Properly Match Antenna Impendance

When it comes to AM/FM radio broadcasting, the most pertinent aspect is the ability to transfer maximum power with minimal energy loss. Efficiency is the key. The method by which this is accomplished is through impedance matching between the target radio towers and the transmission line carrying the power. Of course, the quality of materials […]

History of AM Radio Broadcasting

The history of amplitude-modulated (AM) broadcasting can be said to have begun in 1906 when Reginald Fassenden first transmitted from his home in Brant Rock, Massachusetts. Using an Alexanderson alternator and a rotary spark-gap transmitter, his voice went out to radio-equipped ships within several hundred miles. In 1916, Lee De Forest set up experimental radio […]

The Digital Multimeter (DMM) – An Essential Tool for Broadcast Engineers

Any electrical or broadcast engineer, or anyone who works on electrical devices for that matter, should know what a digital multimeter, or DMM is. These handy devices are used to measure the three basic parameters of electricity – current (amps), voltage (volts) and resistance (ohms). Here are a few little insights into how accurate readings […]