[BC] dtmf tone filter solutions

[RichardBJohnson at comcast.net]

You are correct that the box was called "Net Alert"
and used tubes and tones. WACE was one of the
first to install one. Originally, it used a tone-sequence
that sounded like somebody cussing. They were sued
after that sequence got on-the-air. Then they went
to sub-audible tones which worked. At the time
I left WACE and went to WDEW (Rich Wood's
first station), the WACE box used sub-audible
tones. It is possible that they found that some
sites didn't get the queuing tones and had to
make further changes. As a flagship station,
WACE was first in-line for many experimental
network operations. Rich also worked at WACE
and he might be able to tell us if he heard any
control tones on the network feed. He already
told us about the many number nine codes so
hs is familiar with the box. 

Nevertheless, they were not allowed to use
any queuing that could be heard by listeners.
It had something to do with the legal definition
of "broadcast," that everything that goes onto
the air must be for the public's convenience and
necessity, not the station's.
 
Nowadays, I hear queuing tones all the while.
It is possible that the lawyers and the accountants
got together and, finding that listeners don't
count, forced their views onto the FCC. This
probably was fostered by the NAB although
I don't know.

--
Cheers,
Richard B. Johnson
Read about my book
http://www.LymanSchool.org


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: DHultsman5 at aol.com
> I would like to see more information regarding CBS Radio being sued over 
> their semi-audible "Net Alert"  tones.  I believe they were the first Network to 
> use tones on the network line.
> 
> As I recall it had 9  codes.  It could be used to begin commercials or end of 
> commercials.  It had and emergency which gave you notice up an upcoming 
> bulletin.
[Snipped...]