| Newsletter Index | Publisher: Information Station Specialists | Subscribe to The Source |
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| Off-Roaders Must Be on Message |
| Oceano Dunes Recreational Area Advising Off-Road Vehicle Operators How to “Have a Good Day” by Radio |
| OCEANO, CA: The
State of California Department of Parks and Recreation
calls it an “impressive playground for off-road
enthusiasts.” Impressive indeed is the number that shows
up to “bash the dunes” on a busy weekend, requiring the
state to limit their number to a thousand
Off-Road-Vehicles (ORVs) in the park at a time. Like many unique venues, Oceano Dunes State Vehicle Recreation Area (SVRA) has a lot of information to convey to patrons quickly when they arrive – details they are not likely to recall from reading a webpage. The task is complicated because you can also camp, fish, surf, hike, watch birds, search for clams or swim while ORV owners are recreating on the dune lands nearby. Orchestrating all the activities efficiently on a summer weekend is a challenge. Management has chosen to get people up to speed before they get up to the gate with an information radio broadcast on AM frequency 1690. |
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| Oceano Dunes is one of nine State Vehicular Recreation Areas managed by the Department of Parks and Recreation in California. |
| Photo by Mike Baird via Wikimedia Commons |
| The
repeating
broadcast informs eager arrivals about things the
need to know: speed limits, vehicle registrations, where
they can operate their ORVs (and where they can’t),
camping and fishing regulations and whom to call or text
if they need assistance. The radio service was begun on a different frequency and from a different transmit location years ago but was moved and improved in 2011 to yield better signal reception. Cliff Yamamoto of Foothill Communications surveyed the station’s increased range and quality and stated “The signal goes all the way down the beach to the farthest point [in the park]- about 4.5 miles - and it sounds great the entire way.” Oceano Dunes SRVA obtained an EventCAST Radio System from Information Station Specialists on a rental basis to transmit the signal and repeat the informational program. |
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| POLK COUNTY, FL: Meanwhile, in the Sunshine State, Polk County officials are broadcasting directions and safety info at their “Jeepin' with Sheriff Judd” off-road event near Bartow that benefits local charities. Emergency Management Communications Specialist Richard Sharp utilizes a portable Information Radio Station to get attendees “up to speed” when they arrive. “Basically, it’s a really big event for Jeep owners who want to ride various trails of different difficulty levels,” explains Sharp. “The broadcast message is to convey information about the trails and safety information. This event draws thousands of Jeepers.” Sharp’s portable Information Radio system utilizes a TR.6000 HQ 5.0 Radio Transmitter, licensed for operation anywhere in Polk County. |
 Emails to The Source |
| "I have not tired of reading of current successes." |
| Frank Weed, National Park Service (Ret.) |
| "It’s fun to read articles about how the Travelers Information Service, which I saw begun at Yellowstone National Park, has survived, changed and matured since the 1970’s. I had the privilege of serving the nation as the National Park Service’s radio engineer. I was approached to support a fixed-location radio information service -- as opposed to a NPS pickup truck with an interpreter on-board announcing what people were in the process of seeing." |
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| Our first National Park was also the site of our first Information Radio Station (TIS). |
| "I fully supported that request and am thrilled to see it so widely diversified. I am long ago retired, but I have not tired of reading of current successes with the wide deployment of TIS radio installations." |
| Frank
Weed National Park Service Former Senior Radio Facilities Manager |
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| On the Road: Frank & Elizabeth Weed |
| History buffs will appreciate this recent article, re-edited by Frank Weed, about the origins of the TIS service in our national parks and this more extensive story about the roots of TIS. |
| What Call Letters Can Say about Your Station's Age | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How long has your Information Radio Station been in operation? Generally it’s not polite to ask about age, but you can use this yardstick to estimate the original authorization date of your station, if you are a local government agency*. As with people, you can often get a good idea just by looking, so take a quick glance at the letters at the beginning of your station’s license callsign. You may be surprised at its longevity! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| (*) Stations operated by federal agencies do not follow the above pattern; and military stations do not assign callsigns at all. So if you are a federal-level operator, a deeper dive will be required to know how long you’ve been around. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New AM/FM/Weather Receiver Ideal for Outdoor Recreation |
 A
reliable, inexpensive AM/FM/Weather Radio receiver is
now available - sensitive enough to pick up lots of
stations. It
can operate in a home environment or with batteries for campers and
hikers on the go. The Midland Radio ER10VP not only picks up AM and FM bands but all
7 National
Weather Radio channels and can be set to alarm when
NOAA issues warnings. This
receiver has the sensitivity to pick up 10-watt
Information Radio Stations, demonstrating sensitivity
similar to vehicle radio receivers. The unit’s
market price is less than $20; but Information Station
Specialists is stocking ER10VP receivers at 20% off
($15.95 each) for boxes of 6 or more for
agencies to make available to visitors and employees.
Email
if interested. |
PO Box 51, Zeeland, Michigan, USA, 49464-0051, Phone 616.772.2300, Email
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