— 18 —
highest total modulation reading for any given signal. Offered
an open-ended selection, most broadcasters will opt for longer
integration, even as much as 10ms! We feel that this long an
integration period equates to “fooling no one but yourself.”
The longest (1.0ms) integration afforded by the Model 531N
can probably be considered safe under typical station opera-
tion, although the user is cautioned to compare his modulation
with that of his companions in the market to avoid sticking out
like the proverbial sore thumb.
Changing
Integration
Time
With the uncovered 531N facing you, locate the ribbon cable
that connects the main board with the front panel assembly.
Just behind this cable, below IC17, you’ll find a 4-position
jumper strip labeled JP2. The jumper shunt can be pulled off
and replaced in any of 4 positions, each position identified in
the PC board legend. Figure 8 at the top of the following page
shows proper shunt placement for each integration selection.
100µs Integration
200µs Integration
500µs Integration
1ms Integration
Figure 8 –
Integration Period Jumpering
A WORD ABOUT LOUDNESS
Radio “loudness wars” began in the US in the mid-1960s. This
is about the same time that radio programming began to be de-
fined by “format,” with the broadcaster competing for advertis-
ing dollars with a growing number of stations in his same mar-
ket, many of which were playing the very same songs. Rather
than courting listeners with programming variety or amiable air