Important Information
Salt Lake City Receiver Read Me First
Important things to know before using the receivers at
this site
Important Audio
Streaming Rules
S-Meter site receiver audio must be streamed only from a webpage
at the S-Meter site. Streaming by any other means is strictly prohibited.
Use of software that automatically reconnects following audio stream lease
expiration is prohibited. Stream redistribution is prohibited. Anyone who
violates any of these rules can expect to be permanently banned from receiver
audio stream access.
Hourly Receiver
Audio Stream Leasing
Private receiver audio streams are dynamically leased to individual
listeners for one-hour periods. A new one-hour lease can be initiated by
clicking the Play button on the audio player at the expiration of each
lease period, so long as media connection slots remain available. The purpose
of the audio stream leasing system is not to limit receiver listening to
an hour. It is to reduce wasted bandwidth and wasted connection slots where
people who are no longer listening stay connected and make it impossible
for others to connect.
Internet Explorer 6
or Later Required
Some functions of this website require capabilities supported only
by Internet Explorer 6 or later web browsers running under Windows.
Eliminate Internet
Explorer Reload Clicks with Each S-Meter Plot Update
Internet Explorer is configured by default to make a clicking sound
each time information is accessed from a web server. The clicks are annoying
when the remote S-Meter is used, because they occur each time S-Meter data
is updated. Do the following to eliminate the clicks:
If you are using Windows XP:
- Select "Start/Control Panel" from Windows
- Select "Sounds, Speech, and Audio Devices"
- Select "Sounds and Audio Devices"
- Select the "Sounds" tab
- In the "Program events" window:
a) Select "Windows Explorer/Start Navigation"
b) Under "Sounds:" Select "(None)"
- Click the "OK" button
If you are using Windows ME:
- Select "Start/Control Panel" from Windows
- Double-click the "Sounds and Multimedia" icon
- Select the "Sounds" tab
- Scroll down and find "Windows Explorer" in the "Sound
Events" window
- Select "Complete Navigation" under "Windows Explorer"
- Click the "Name" drop-down list box and select "None"
- Select "Start Navigation" under "Windows Explorer"
in the "Sound Events" window
- Click the "Name" drop-down list box and select "None"
- Click the "OK" button
The procedure with other versions of Windows is similar.
Windows Media Player
10 Recommended
A Windows Media Player 9 codec is used for receiver audio stream
encoding. That codec is forward compatible with Windows Media Player 10
and backward compatible with Windows Media Player for Windows XP and Windows
Media Player 7.1. Windows Media Player 9 and 10 have identical audio quality
and produce audio spectrum plots. Earlier versions have lower audio quality
and do not produce audio spectrum plots. Windows Media Player 10 available
from Microsoft as an upgrade for Windows XP, Windows 98SE, and Windows
98ME users. You should upgrade to Windows Media Player 10 if you haven't
done so already. You can download and
install Windows Media Player 10 from Microsoft. (If you are using Windows
98, see Windows 98 Users below.)
Audio Frequency
Spectrum Plot Setup
Audio spectrum plots will not display on the receiver control page
unless you perform the following steps before going to the Receive page:
If you have Windows Media Player 10 installed:
- Start Windows Media Player 10 (Start/All Programs/Windows Media Player)
- Click the down-arrow below "Now Playing" in the upper left
corner of the media player window.
- Select Visualizations/Bars & Waves/Fire Storm
- Close Windows Media Player by clicking the X close button in the upper-right
corner of the media player window.
If you have Windows Media Player 9 installed an upgrade
to Windows Media Player 10 is recommended, otherwise do the following:
- Start Windows Media Player 9 (Start/All Programs/Windows Media Player)
- Select View/Visualizations/Bars & Waves/Fire Storm
- Close Windows Media Player (File/Exit)
Windows 98 Users
Windows 98SE and Windows 98ME support Windows Media Player 10, but
the original edition of Windows 98 does not. You will not be able to stream
audio using the original edition of Windows 98. Certain other functions
of this website also require Windows SE or later.
Windows 95 &
Windows NT4 Users
Audio streaming and various other functions of the S-Meter site are
not compatible with Windows 95, Windows NT, or earlier versions of Windows.
Mac Users
Microsoft announced in June of 2003 that it was halting development
of Internet Explorer for Mac, because of competition from Apple's Safari
browser. Mac computers are not compatible with versions of Windows Media
Player released since that time. Because of that, Mac users are not able
to use current versions of Windows Media Player. However, Version 7.1
can be used by some Mac web browsers with reduced functionality and performance.
Shared Resource
The receiver at this site is a shared resource. Your IP Address
will be permanently blocked without notice if it seems obvious that you
are maliciously interfering with other users by repeatedly switching to
inappropriate frequencies or modes, or if you are engaging in any other
activity that in our judgment is malicious. Please do not hesitate
to tune the receiver to any part of the receivable spectrum you are interested
in using any available receiving mode. That is reasonable and normal use.
Your IP address will not be blocked because of it. IP addresses are blocked
only where it is clearly obvious that someone with malicious intent repeatedly
interferes with reasonable and normal use by others. Except for malicious-user
address-blocking, access is currently uncontrolled, so a frequency or reception
mode you have selected may change at any time. A future upgrade is planned
that will allow licensed station operators to reserve short, private test
periods for antenna comparisons, directional antenna rotation tests, and
similar uses.
Continuous
Use Prohibited
Please be respectful of our costs for Internet audio streaming bandwidth. Do
not leave audio streaming running unless you are actually listening to
the receiver. Users with DSL, Cable or other wideband Internet
connections often leave their computers running on-line 24 hours a day.
Some have left the receiver control page displaying for days at a time
with S-Meter plots continuously updating and audio continuously streaming.
High-quality Internet audio streaming is very expensive to provide to large
numbers of users (we have had more than 650 unique users per day),
which is why most remote receiver websites stream very poor quality audio.
We are willing to pay the costs of streaming high-quality audio only if
it is not wasted. Please switch audio streaming off whenever you are not
actually listening to the receiver. Please do not stream audio simultaneously
to multiple computers at your location. Your cooperation in helping to
keep streaming costs manageable. Anyone who repeatedly streams
audio for exceptionally long periods of time (many hours) can
expect to have their access permanently blocked.
Audio streaming is provided so it can be used. Don't hesitate to use
it. Just please don't waste it as some have in the past.
Dial-In Modem
Internet Connections
Dial-in modem Internet connections generally provide sufficient communication
bandwidth for receiver audio streaming and receiver remote control, but
not for regular S-Meter plot updating.
Satellite
Internet Connections
Real-time S-Meter data plotting requires rapid communication between
your web browser and the server and then back from the server to your web
browser. Satellite Internet data feeds provide adequately fast data download
and upload baud rates, even though upload baud rates are very poor compared
to most DSL, cable or wireless connections. However, even though the baud
rates are adequate in both directions, the data latency is far too high
with satellite feeds. Data arrives late going both directions because of
the long distance to and from a satellite. Real-time S-Meter plots cannot
be displayed using a satellite Internet connection because of that.
802.11 Wireless
Internet Connections
Most Internet connections are full-duplex, allowing data be sent
simultaneously in both directions. However, 802.11 is simplex, requiring
one end to wait until the other is finished before transmitting. The resulting
delays can cause the s-meter plot to flash, hesitate or freeze. When s-meter
plotting freezes it usually will become impossible to control the receiver.
Clicking the web browser reload button usually will correct the problem
temporarily.
Recommended Screen
Resolution
A 1280x1024 or higher screen resolution setting is recommended for
best results.
Receiver
Availability
The receiver is dedicated to full-time use at this site. It is normally
available 24/7, but may be disabled during local thunderstorms to avoid
lighting damage and on rare occasions to facilitate the implementation
of improvements.
User Forum
Check the Receivers
forum for information about current issues that may affect receiver
performance, to learn about future plans, to leave suggestions, and to
communicate with other users.
Help
See the Help and FAQ pages
for help and information about other issues.
