Re: [VAL] Adaptability - retaining the Look and Feel

["Gerald" <geraldj@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

 There are plenty FM broadcast stations about. Many are purely
automated. Lots of talk on AM stations but many are hunting for an
audience and for program material. Quite a few have remote equipment
that can work by phone line, radio or satellite and do often take their
talk shows to events like antique farm equipment shows, tool shows,
jeweler promotions, and golf promotions (WHO AM in the last month). If
one of these can be convinced the WBCCI rally is important they could
set up their remote, do many interviews and announcements. Probably
takes some cash in the form of sponsors whether WBCCI or area RV dealers
and restaurants.

An cruder alternative that works at ball parks and race tracks is the
audio Public Address scheme. Distributed speakers connected by wires. No
regulations other than local noise ordinances. Only the hearing impaired
have any excuse for missing critical announcements, those closest to the
speaker get annoyed by the repeats and the loudness but they do tend to
be clearly informed. Those of us that care for microphones get annoyed
by the tests blowing into a microphone to see if it works. Eventually
that can damage the microphone element. Surely amongst the WBCCI
membership there are some retired or working broadcasters who could run
such an operation neatly. There would cost involved, though its very
likely all the equipment but the wire could be rented and the wire could
be recycled from one rally to the next.

CB is cheap to implement but not universal and those making the
announcements don't do them continuously. So doing them at a specific
time is what occurs. The alternative is that the gang gathers at a
central point for announcements. Like we did in the army every morning
at reveille and the later work formation. However I'd tend to not gather
for announcements at a rally, my army time not being a highlight of my
life.

All these things are part of the plans that a major rally needs. And
perhaps even there should be more than one of these in place to take
care of emergencies like severe storm approaches or the unthinkable but
real terrorist attacks. Things needed only for emergencies tend to not
work unless tested and used for ordinary needs as well.

Gerald J.