In the 1950's I visted a AM Radio Station and noticed a Bug (Ham Radio Telegraph Key) n the right side of the Disk Jockeys desk.
I asked the man why it was n the desk by the microphone.
He said it was used to mute the audio if someone calling in cursed durning the
interview show.
All conversations were recorded on tape and a seperate head was used to delay
sending the audio to the transmitter.
The D.J. pressed the Key if the person who called the radio station cursed, which kept that from being heard by the people who tuned in to listen to that radio show.
I thought that was a neat idea so the station wouldn't be getting a Citation from the F.C.C. because of the caller saying something offensive to listeners.

I know they have delays on things, in more recent times, so that they can censor potential issues but I wasn't sure how they did it. So I guess the
DJ was hearing it in real time and was able to hit the button so that what
was picked up by the separate head was not heard over the air?

Mike

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Re: I watched a movie the oth
By: Mike Powell to ED VANCE on Sat Sep 06 2025 10:41:45

I know they have delays on things, in more recent times, so that they can censor potential issues but I wasn't sure how they did it. So I guess the DJ was hearing it in real time and was able to hit the button so that what was picked up by the separate head was not heard over the air?

This echo is unlocking memories left and right :)

One of my good friends used to work in a radio station (in the UK, where we both live). The button, down in engineering at least, to drop the 8 second (?) buffer contents was marked "DUMP", which my brother and I always thought was hilarious for, well, being another word for poo. We never got to press it :(

Anyway, the real reason I'm replying about this is because the mechanism they used to build up the 8s buffer was a little bit smart (for the nineties, at least). It used to, supposedly imperceptibly, extend the tiny bits of silence in between songs, adverts and spoken words, until it had added the magic 8s of extra silence and the program was running 8s behind live ready to dump again. I am not sure what happened if your next caller swore as well before it had banked enough time. Possibly you got dead air, then. But that might have tripped off the dead air detector.

Unlikely, though, being as my mate had it tuned to a different radio station which was more his taste to listen to in the engineering room :)

BobW
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This echo is unlocking memories left and right :)

Good!

One of my good friends used to work in a radio station (in the UK, where we both live). The button, down in engineering at least, to drop the 8 second (?)
buffer contents was marked "DUMP", which my brother and I always thought was hilarious for, well, being another word for poo. We never got to press it :(

That might be appropriate, considering what the buffer might be used for. ;)

Anyway, the real reason I'm replying about this is because the mechanism they used to build up the 8s buffer was a little bit smart (for the nineties, at least). It used to, supposedly imperceptibly, extend the tiny bits of silence in between songs, adverts and spoken words, until it had added the magic 8s of
extra silence and the program was running 8s behind live ready to dump again. am not sure what happened if your next caller swore as well before it had banked enough time. Possibly you got dead air, then. But that might have tripped off the dead air detector.

That is interesting! I wonder what made them settle on 8 vs. some other
number (like 10). Maybe that is the number of seconds it takes the average user to realize something is being said and hit the button?

Unlikely, though, being as my mate had it tuned to a different radio station which was more his taste to listen to in the engineering room :)

LOL

Mike

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Re: I watched a movie the oth
By: Mike Powell to BOB WORM on Mon Sep 08 2025 08:43:27

Hi, Mike.

That is interesting! I wonder what made them settle on 8 vs. some other number (like 10). Maybe that is the number of seconds it takes the average user to realize something is being said and hit the button?

I just sent my friend a message asking those questions. No doubt he'll send me a multi-screener of a reply - he's a helpful guy and likes to give precise answers.

I see he's typing... wait for it...

5 minutes now and still going :\

He says:

I think the machine with the DUMP button (I didn't prompt him on this!) was seven seconds. I don't think there was a mandatory length but there is a practical minimum - enough time for the thing to be said and for the person in charge of the button to react. Also there are / were cost constraints cos of all the (static?) memory needed. Erm. Seven stereo servings at ? 32kHz and ?12 or 14 bits?

So I asked what happens if you dump then someone swears again:

Depends on your procedures I suppose. Often, pressing DUMP would be followed by a 7 second jingle, works with tape delay. The electronic device was supposed to "seamlessly" stretch silences and gradually get that 7s back so if you were relying on that you'd be stuffed.

There was no legal requirement for it to be in circuit :-)

The one time it would have been useful (Rik Mayall, just before I started) it wasn't in use.

BobW: So it works pretty much how I remembered but a second less buffer (maybe, he concedes his brain is a decade older than mine) and I never knew about the jingle which let it rebuild the buffer immediately. oh, and if you're not familiar with Rik Mayall he's a legend, look him up!

Apparently there were fancier versions of that machine (which was a 1985 model) which allowed a "half dump" - if you can imagine such a thing.

BobW
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So I asked what happens if you dump then someone swears again:

Depends on your procedures I suppose. Often, pressing DUMP would be followed b
a 7 second jingle, works with tape delay. The electronic device was supposed t
"seamlessly" stretch silences and gradually get that 7s back so if you were relying on that you'd be stuffed.

So I guess the second press, if set up, would play the jingle and, if not
set up, then the "stuffing" came into play. Assuming here that means
whatever was said escaped onto the airwaves. :D

There was no legal requirement for it to be in circuit :-)

Interesting.

BobW: So it works pretty much how I remembered but a second less buffer (maybe
he concedes his brain is a decade older than mine) and I never knew about the jingle which let it rebuild the buffer immediately. oh, and if you're not familiar with Rik Mayall he's a legend, look him up!

I have heard of John Mayall. Will have to look Rik up.

Apparently there were fancier versions of that machine (which was a 1985 model
which allowed a "half dump" - if you can imagine such a thing.

Guess a quick press for a shorter profanity. ;)

Mike

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I know they have delays on things, in more recent times, so that they can censor potential issues but I wasn't sure how they did it. So I guess the
DJ was hearing it in real time and was able to hit the button so that what was picked up by the separate head was not heard over the air?

Mike

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Now You know as much as Ed knows.
Ed
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