LIVE: ABER Radio

  1. Home
    2. Page 3
Loading
loading...

LIVE: ABER Radio

March 1, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
, , ,
No Comments

The station was established in 1977, long before the advent of internet radio, with the goal of providing students a platform for creative expression, entertainment, and community involvement. Initially, it operated as a small, pirate-style radio station, broadcasting on a limited basis to the university campus. It mainly aired music and student-related content. Over time, the station evolved to include news, talk shows, and interviews, becoming an important part of student life and a voice for the university community.

In the early 1980s, after gaining recognition, the station was granted a temporary Restricted Service Licence (RSL) by Ofcom. This allowed it to broadcast legally on an official frequency for short periods. During this time, the station used various FM frequencies, with the exact frequency changing depending on licensing terms and specific broadcast periods.

In the 1990s, ABER Radio received an official license, enabling it to expand its reach and professionalize its operations. With this transition, the station began broadcasting online, offering a diverse range of programming from music and entertainment to news and current affairs. It also provided students with valuable experience in radio production, journalism, and broadcasting.

Related:

Rifle

March 1, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
, , ,
No Comments

NCAA Rife Home

Gun Control and the American Spirit of Independence

The Second Amendment is not merely about guns — it is the constitutional bedrock of individual sovereignty that makes America’s world-class universities possible.  Not “The Collective” not “The Party”; the Individual.  The larger part of US education industry today never learned this in their own schooling or willfully ignore it to “get along” with the partisans of large government who enjoy a fairly comfortable life administering public policy.

In nations where firearms are banned — nations that send their young people to American universities to acquire an American university “cattlebrand” — those national governments centralize power in the name of “safety,” gradually expanding control over speech, education, and opportunity.

America’s founders rejected that path. They understood that an armed citizenry deters tyranny: if the state cannot disarm the people, it cannot easily silence them, confiscate their property, or dictate what professors may teach or what students may debate.

The Second Amendment protects the First Amendment

This single right reinforced every other liberty in the Bill of Rights. It helped create a culture of self-reliance and limited government that unleashed unprecedented innovation and wealth. That wealth built — and continues to sustain — the research labs, libraries, scholarships, and merit-based admissions that drew you here. Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and hundreds of others flourish precisely because they operate in a society where individuals — not the state — hold ultimate power. Academic freedom, open inquiry, and global talent pipelines exist because the government fears overstepping a free people that are guaranteed, by law, the hardware to shoot back at it.

Admittedly, and far more frequently than is tolerable, educational settlements pay a very, very heavy price for this right.  Educational settlements should originate at the family kitchen table.  

Your student visas, cutting-edge classes, and future careers in a dynamic economy are the downstream benefits of that same founding principle. Without the Second Amendment’s guarantee of an armed, empowered populace, the United States would likely resemble the more regulated societies you left behind — offering fewer breakthroughs and fewer seats for ambitious international students like you.

In short, the right to bear arms helped secure the liberty that funds your American dream of an American education on your resume.

Winslow Homer, “The Army of the Potomac–A Sharp-Shooter on Picket Duty” 1862

NCAA Rifle Competition began in 1980 and features both men’s and women’s teams competing together. The competition includes smallbore and air rifle events, with each athlete shooting in both disciplines.

The two primary events are smallbore rifle (also known as .22 caliber) and air rifle (using a .177 caliber air gun). Competitions typically involve both individual and team scoring, with athletes shooting a series of targets from different distances and positions.

Several U.S. colleges and universities have competitive rifle teams that participate in NCAA rifle competitions. Some of the notable institutions include:

  1. University of Alaska Fairbanks
  2. West Virginia University
  3. University of Kentucky
  4. Texas Christian University (TCU)
  5. University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  6. Murray State University
  7. Ohio State University
  8. University of Akron
  9. United States Military Academy (Army)
  10. University of Memphis
  11. North Carolina State University
  12. Jacksonville State University
  13. Morehead State University
  14. University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
  15. U.S. Naval Academy (Navy)

The NCAA rifle competition serves as a pipeline for athletes aiming to compete in international events, including the Olympics where it was part of the inaugural modern Olympics in 1896.  Rifle events scheduled for the 2024 Olympics include:

  • 10m Air Rifle (Men and Women): Athletes will shoot from a standing position using a .177 caliber air rifle at a distance of 10 meters.
  • 50m Rifle Three Positions (Men and Women): Competitors will shoot from kneeling, prone, and standing positions using a .22 caliber smallbore rifle at a distance of 50 meters.
  • Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle: Teams composed of one male and one female shooter will compete together in the 10m air rifle event.

West Point Military Academy New York

University of Kentucky | Fayette County

 

https://standardsmichigan.com/radio/

5G Small Cells

February 27, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

Today at the usual hour we examine the codes and standards that inform the deployment of distributed antenna systems for private 5G networks. While not every campus has full small cell density yet (deployment is ongoing and varies by size/location), it’s increasingly common on major ones to support “smart campus” initiatives and handle peak loads during athletic events such as football stadiums we know rather well.

Federal Regulations (Primarily FCC)

  • FCC Small Cell Order (FCC 18-133, 2018, with ongoing updates/clarifications through 2025): Defines “small wireless facilities” (e.g., antennas ≤3 cubic feet, equipment ≤28 cubic feet total, structures ≤50 feet or limited height increases). Establishes “shot clocks” (presumptive review timelines: 60 days for collocations on existing structures, 90 days for new builds). Limits state/local fees (presumptive caps: ~$500 one-time, ~$270 annual recurring, unless justified by actual costs). Prohibits regulations that “prohibit or have the effect of prohibiting” service under Sections 253 and 332(c)(7) of the Communications Act. Allows reasonable, objective, published aesthetic requirements if no more burdensome than for other infrastructure.
  • FCC RF Exposure Limits (updated 2019–2020, reaffirmed in recent proceedings): Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE) guidelines for general public (e.g., ~580–1,000 µW/cm² depending on frequency) and occupational limits. All small cells must comply; local governments are preempted from regulating based on RF health/environmental effects if compliant. Requires RF compliance reports/certification in applications.
  • NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) and NHPA (National Historic Preservation Act) Streamlining: FCC has categorical exclusions/exemptions for many small cell deployments to speed environmental and historic reviews.
  • Section 6409(a) of the Spectrum Act (2012, codified at 47 U.S.C. § 1455(a)): Mandates approval of collocation/modification requests on existing structures unless it substantially changes physical dimensions (with clarifications on concealment elements).

Electrical and Safety Codes

  • National Electrical Code (NEC, NFPA 70): Applies to wiring, grounding, power distribution, surge protection, and service equipment for small cell installations (e.g., power supplies, rectifiers, enclosures). Often referenced for Class 2/Class 4 power systems in remote powering setups.
  • National Electrical Safety Code (NESC): Governs utility pole attachments, clearances, climbing space, and overhead/underground installations (critical for pole-mounted small cells).

Structural and Engineering Standards

  • ANSI/TIA-222 (Structural Standard for Antenna Supporting Structures, Antennas, and Small Auxiliary Structures, latest revisions e.g., -H or -I): Primary standard for structural design, wind/ice loading, risk categorization (often Risk Category I or II for small cells), foundation, and mounting on poles/towers. Used for pole modifications, new small cell poles, and load calculations.
  • International Building Code (IBC) / ASCE 7: Often cross-referenced with TIA-222 for seismic, wind, and load requirements in structural reviews.
  • AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) standards: For attachments near roadways or on traffic poles.

Other Relevant Standards and Guidelines

  • 3GPP Technical Specifications: For 5G NR (New Radio) air interface, equipment interoperability, and performance (e.g., Release 15+ for standalone 5G).
  • Small Cell Forum Documents: Industry best practices (e.g., definitions, siting considerations, product specs), though not mandatory codes.
  • State-Specific Small Cell Laws: Many states (e.g., Utah, Texas, California, Colorado) have statutes streamlining permitting, capping fees, setting ROW access rules, and aligning with FCC preemption (e.g., Texas Chapter 284, Utah Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act).
  • Local Design/Aesthetic Guidelines: Cities (e.g., Denver, San José, Salt Lake City) adopt standards for concealment, placement, height, materials, and integration (must be reasonable/objective per FCC to avoid preemption).

Related:

Telecommunications Service Point

Fire Alarm & Signaling Code

February 27, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com

No Comments

“Prometheus Bound” | Thomas Cole (1847)

NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code is one of the core National Fire Protection Association titles widely incorporated by reference into public safety legislation.   NFPA 72 competes with titles of “similar” scope — International Fire Code — developed by the International Code Council.  We place air quotes around the word similar because there are gaps and overlaps depending upon whether or not each is adopted partially or whole cloth by the tens of thousands of jurisdictions that need both.

Our contact with NFPA 72 dates back to the early 2000’s when the original University of Michigan advocacy enterprise began challenging the prescriptive requirements for inspection, testing and maintenance (IT&M) in Chapter 14.  There are hundreds of fire alarm shops, and thousands of licensed fire alarm technicians in the education facility industry and the managers of this cadre of experts needed leadership in supporting their lower #TotalCostofOwnership agenda with “code-writing and vote-getting”.   There was no education industry trade association that was even interested, much less effective, in this space so we had to do “code writing and vote getting” ourselves (See ABOUT).

Code writing and vote getting means that you gather data, develop relationships with like minded user-interests, find agreement where you can, then write proposals and defend them at NFPA 72 technical committee meetings for 3 to 6 years.  Prevailing in the Sturm und Drang of code development for 3 to 6 years should be within the means of business units of colleges and universities that have been in existence for 100’s of years.  The real assets under the stewardship of these business units are among the most valuable real assets on earth.

Consider the standard of care for inspection, testing and maintenance.  Our cross-cutting experience in over 100 standards suites allows us to say with some authority that, at best the IT&M tables of NFPA 72 Chapter 14 present easily enforceable criteria for IT&M of fire alarm and signaling systems.  At worst, Chapter 14 is a solid example of market-making by incumbent interests as the US standards system allows.   Many of the IT&M requirements can be modified for a reliability, or risk-informed centered maintenance program but fire and security shops in the education industry are afraid to apply performance standards because of risk exposure.   This condition is made more difficult in large universities that have their own maintenance and enforcement staff.  The technicians see opportunities to reduce IT&M frequencies — thereby saving costs for the academic unit facility managers — the enforcement/compliance/conformity/risk management professionals prohibit the application of performance standards.  They want prescriptive standards for bright line criteria to make their work easier to measure.

While we have historically focused on Chapter 14 we have since expanded our interest into communication technologies within buildings since technicians and public safety personnel depend upon them.  Content in Annex G — Guidelines for Emergency Communication Strategies for Buildings and Campuses — is a solid starting point and reflects of our presence when the guidance first appeared in the 2016 Edition.  We shall start with a review of the most recent transcript of the NFPA Technical Committee on Testing and Maintenance of Fire Alarm and Signaling Systems

NFPA 72 First Draft Meeting (A2024)

Public Emergency Reporting Systems (SIG-PRS) First Draft

Public comment of the First Draft of the 2025 Edition is receivable until May 31, 2023.   As always, we encourage direct participation in the NFPA process by workpoint experts with experience, data and even strong opinions about shortcomings and waste in this discipline.  You may key in your proposals on the NFPA public input facility linked below:

https://www.nfpa.org/login

You will need to set up a (free) NFPA TerraView account.   Alternatively, you may join us any day at 11 AM US Eastern time or during our Prometheus or Radio colloquia.   See our CALENDAR for the online meeting.

Issue: [15-213]

Category: Fire Safety & Security, #SmartCampus, Informatics

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Joe DeRosier, Josh Elvove, Jim Harvey, Marcelo Hirschler

More

2013 NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (357 pages)

TIA-222 Standard For Towers And Antenna Supporting Structures

 

Emergency Communication Strategies for Buildings

 

ARCHIVE / NFPA 72

National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security

 

Hunting for Radio Frequency Interference

February 27, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
,
No Comments

“A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism” 1892 | James Clerk Maxwell

Radio Spectrum for the Internet of Things

Electromagnetic Signal Attenuation in Construction Materials

February 27, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com

No Comments

RELATED RESEARCH: NIST Technical Note 1779: General Guide on Emergency Communications Strategies for Buildings, February 2013

Overhead & Underground Communication Cabling

February 26, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

2028 National Electrical Safety Code

NESC 2028 Call for Comment

Underground Electrotechnology

NESC & NEC Cross-Code Correlation

Telecommunications Service Point

 

Telecommunications Service Point

February 26, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

Today we get down in the weeds to examine the point of common coupling between a building and a telecommunication service provider.  In many cases the TSP is the university itself.

TIA-758-C (2021) Customer-Owned Outside Plant Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard. Covers direct-buried cable, conduit systems, duct banks, handholes, manholes, burial depths, warning tape, backfill, and route planning. → Includes minimum bend radii, pulling tensions, separation from power, and environmental protection.  Applies to copper, coaxial, and optical fiber in underground pathways.
TIA-590-B (2015) Standard for Physical Location and Protection of Below-Ground Fiber Optic Cable Plant.  Focuses on fiber optic underground protection. → Specifies burial depths, marker tape, locator wires, armored vs. non-armored cable, and risk mitigation (e.g., flood zones).

 

Higher education settlements often require a more diverse approach to designing and implementing ICT systems than that of a typical commercial building.  First of all, educational settlements are frequently one building. That means not only does the ICT infrastructure need to meet the varying demands of a specific building, but multiple buildings must all be integrated into one cohesive design.

In an environment of providing multifunctional spaces within one building, it is common to find a combination of commercial, industrial, data center, health care and entertainment environments within just a few buildings; hence our preference for the word “settlements” over the more widely used word “campus”.

TIA Standards

ANSI/TIA-568-C series: Telecommunications Cabling Standards.  Specifies the requirements for various aspects of structured cabling systems, including cabling components, installation, and testing.

TIA-569-B: Telecommunications Pathways and Spaces.  Provides guidelines for the design and installation of pathways and spaces for telecommunications cabling.

TIA-606-B: Administration Standard for Commercial Telecommunications Infrastructure.  Specifies administration practices for the telecommunications infrastructure of commercial buildings.

Our inquiry cuts across the catalogs of several other standards developers:

NEC (National Electrical Code).  NEC Article 800 specifically addresses the installation of communications circuits and equipment.

ISO/IEC 11801: Information technology — Generic cabling for customer premises.  Defines generic telecommunications cabling systems (structured cabling) used for various services, including voice and data.

IEEE 802.3: Ethernet Standards. Defines standards for Ethernet networks, which are commonly used for data communication in buildings.

UL 497: Protectors for Paired Conductor Communications Circuits. Addresses requirements for protectors used to safeguard communications circuits from overvoltage events.

GR-1089-CORE: Electromagnetic Compatibility and Electrical Safety. Published by Telcordia (now part of Ericsson), this standard provides requirements for the electromagnetic compatibility and electrical safety of telecommunications equipment.

FCC Part 68: Connection of Terminal Equipment to the Telephone Network. Outlines the technical requirements for connecting terminal equipment to the public switched telephone network in the United States.

Local building codes and regulations also include requirements for the installation of telecommunication service equipment.

Last update: October 12, 2019

All school districts, colleges, universities and university-affiliated health care systems have significant product, system, firmware and labor resources allocated toward ICT.   Risk management departments are attentive to cybersecurity issues.   All school districts, colleges, universities and university-affiliated health care systems have significant product, system, firmware and labor resources allocated toward ICT.

The Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) is a professional association supporting the advancement of the ICT community.   This community is roughly divided between experts who deal with “outside-plant” systems and “building premise” systems on either side of the ICT demarcation point.   BICSI standards cover the wired and wireless spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety & security, project management and audio & video technologies.  Its work is divided among several committees:

BICSI Standards Program Technical Subcommittees

BICSI International Standards Program

BICSI has released for public review a new consensus document that supports education industry ICT enterprises:  BICSI N1 – Installation Practices for Telecommunications and ICT Cabling and Related Cabling Infrastructure.    You may obtain a free electronic copy from: standards@bicsi.org; Jeff Silveira, (813) 903-4712, jsilveira@bicsi.org.

Comments are due November 19th.

 

You may send comments directly to Jeff (with copy to psa@ansi.org).   This commenting opportunity will be referred to IEEE SCC-18 and the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which meets 4 times monthly in American and European time zones and will meet today.  CLICK HERE for login information.

Issue: [18-191]

Category: Telecommunications, Electrical, #SmartCampus

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Michael Hiler

Readings:

What is Grounding and Bonding for Telecommunication Systems?

 

 

Adhiyamaan College of Engineering

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Installation Practices for ICT Cabling

February 26, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com
No Comments

BICSI G1-2023, Outside Plant Construction | Outside Plant Design Reference Manual (OSPDRM), 6th Edition

North Dakota State University

Information and communications technology (ICT) is a fast-moving economic space in which a mix of consensus and open-source standards form the broad contours of leading practice.   ICT standards tend to follow international developments — more so than, say, fire safety standards which are more familiar to education facility leadership.  All school districts, colleges, universities and university-affiliated health care systems have significant product, system, firmware and labor resources allocated toward ICT.   Risk management departments are attentive to cybersecurity issues.   All school districts, colleges, universities and university-affiliated health care systems have significant product, system, firmware and labor resources allocated toward ICT.

The Building Industry Consulting Service International (BICSI) is a professional association supporting the advancement of the ICT community.   This community is roughly divided between experts who deal with “outside-plant” systems and “building premise” systems on either side of the ICT demarcation point.   BICSI standards cover the wired and wireless spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety & security, project management and audio & video technologies.  Its work is divided among several committees:

BICSI Technical Information & Methods Subcommittee

BICSI International Standards Program

As of this date one title has been released for public consultation:

Building Information Modeling (BIM) Practices for Information Communication Technology Systems (Page 52)

The change is largely administrative.  Comments are due December 10th 

You may send comments directly to Jeff (with copy to psa@ansi.org).   This commenting opportunity will be referred to the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee which meets 4 times monthly in American and European time zones and will meet today; typically on Tuesdays.  CLICK HERE for login information.

Issue: [18-191]

Category: Telecommunications, Electrical, #SmartCampus

Colleagues: Mike Anthony, Jim Harvey, Michael Hiler

Representative ICT Design Guidelines:

University of Tennessee Knoxville: Telecommunications Design and Installation Standards

Dennison University: Telecommunication Standards & Design Guidelines

University of Florida Information Technology: Telecommunications Standards

Adhiyamaan College of Engineering

Wires

February 26, 2026
mike@standardsmichigan.com

No Comments

Ampere current flows through copper or aluminum conductor due to the movement of free electrons in response to an applied electric field of varying voltages.   Each copper or aluminum contributes one free electron to the electron sea, creating a vast reservoir of mobile charge carriers. When a potential difference (voltage) is applied across the ends of the conductor, an electric field is established within the conductor. This field exerts a force on the free electrons, causing them to move in the direction of the electric field.  The resulting current flow can be transformed into different forms depending on the nature of the device.

Heating: When current flows through a resistor, it encounters resistance, which causes the resistor to heat up. This is the principle behind electric heaters, toasters, and incandescent light bulbs.

Mechanical Work: Current flowing through an electric motor creates a magnetic field, which interacts with the magnetic field of the motor’s permanent magnets or electromagnets. This interaction generates a mechanical force, causing the motor to rotate. Thus, electrical energy is converted into mechanical energy; including sound.

Light: In an incandescent light bulb, a filament heats up ( a quantum phenomena) due to the current passing through it. This is an example of electrical energy being converted into light energy; including the chemical energy through light emitting diodes

Today we dwell on how conductors are specified and installed in building premise wiring systems primarily; with some attention to paths designed to carry current flowing through unwanted paths (ground faults, phase imbalance, etc).   In the time we have we will review the present state of the best practice literature developed by the organizations listed below:

International Electrotechnical Commission

60304 Low voltage installations: Protection against electric shock

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

National Electrical Safety Code

Insulated Cable Engineers Association

International Association of Electrical Inspectors

National Fire Protection Association

National Electrical Code

Code Making Panel 6

Transcript of CMP-6 Proposals for 2026 NEC

Other organizations such as the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, ASTM International, Underwriter Laboratories, also set product and installation standards.  Data center wiring; fiber-optic and low-voltage control wiring is covered in other colloquia (e.g. Infotech and Security) and coordinated with the IEEE Education & Healthcare Facilities Committee.

Use the login credentials at the upper right of our home page.

Related:

2017 National Electrical Code § 110.5

National Electrical Code: 310.15(B) Temperature Correction Factors

Neher-McGrath Calculation: Cable Calculation ampacity and Thermal Analysis

Voltage Drop Calculation Example

ETAP: Cabling Sizing – Cable Thermal Analysis

 

System Aspects of Electrical Energy

Impedance Grounding for Electric Grid Surviability

Electric Power Availability: Cold Weather Preparedness

Architecture of power systems: Special cases

Outdoor Deicing & Snow Melting

Campus Outdoor Lighting

High Voltage Electric Service

Campus Electric Bulk Distribution

 

Welcome

Standards Michigan Group, LLC

2723 South State Street | Suite 150
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 USA

888-746-3670

DIRECTIONS

icon icon
icon icon
icon icon  
Layout mode
Predefined Skins
Custom Colors
Choose your skin color
Patterns Background
Images Background
Standards Michigan
error: Content is protected !!
Skip to content