A Complete Station Audit Is Important
By Barry Mishkind
[September 2026] There is no question, even with fewer items in many control rooms, there is a lot to do just in the process of maintenance of station equipment to ensure your audio and RF systems are in proper order.
Early this month, Jeff Welton and I did a video presentation to discuss doing a full station audit.
Of course, each station is different, whether it is on one site or two (or more) and when it was last checked for possible problems. Few stations have the exact same set of equipment or operating parameters.
You are welcome to watch the discussion. It is here.
A CHECKLIST
As a sort of starting point, we have boiled down the conversation to a sort of generalized checklist.
The checklist is available here in pdf – and as an xlsx file here.
As you look it over, and consider the theme you can expect to find things missing from the list.
Feel free to modify the list as needed – so it will serve your needs.
THE LAST TIME THERE
Especially transmitter sites get ignored when there is no regular engineer present.
One station in the South finally went to the site for some reason, only to find two men were now squatting in the transmitter building, having turned it into a meth lab! This is not something you ever want to see, and yet, if you have to go out to a site a night, in an isolated area, it certainly would make you happy to know it was safe to go there.
The other problem, whether you do visit the site regularly or have a station manager who thinks it is only necessary if the station goes off the air, is that the vegetation grows! And can make it very hard to even approach the tower site!
DO NOT FORGET
A lot of stations have existed for many years, and some secrets are hidden in closets!
For example, are you sure you are not paying for some old phone line or data line that has not been used for years? Is some of the equipment that you cannot find “hiding” out at the transmitter site?
Just turning on the generator every so often does not “prove” it will work if and when needed. The transfer switch might not actually switch. Similarly, when you turn on both transmitters and other items (tower lights, A/C, etc.) the generator may not be able to meet the needs. At the same time, this may need to be done carefully. If your electrical service has some strict power limits or time limits, your month’s bill could double for just a short usage.
Having a list of vendors/service agents/etc, is very important. You do not want to go out to a problem with the Internet service only to find that your name is not on the list of authorized callers. Sometimes you could have a real problem with the utility because the Front Line employee will not be helpful if you are not on the account – and know the password.
HOW OLD IS THAT?
Not just filters and UPS batteries, but all your gear does have a reasonable service life.
Yes, there are transmitters and towers, that have been in place for 50 years. They seem like all is good. But, if you do a decent audit, we hope you do not find this after it is too late.
The transmitter building may not have seen a lot of attention recently, and if you do not check it out, the forces of nature might make it very hard to fix anything that goes awry.
During an audit inspection, be sure to look carefully in all directions.
SHARED SITES
If you are one a shared site, there are any number of issues that may come up as you interact with the other stations.
Shared locking gates, how the electrical and air handling is connected and controlled, RF warning signs, rest room facilities, etc. all ought to be inspected.
WHEN COMPANY COMES
All too often a transmitter site starts out clean and open.
Then, usually under a new manager (or three), the site becomes a “storage” site. Over time it gets rather cluttered and messy. And once in a while, the new manager wants to see the site. Oops!
Taking time during an audit to clean up a bit will not only make the manager happy, but you might turn up some old gear that will solve problem for your station, or someone else.
SCHEDULE IT … DO IT!
Everyone is busy.
Some days it seems like all we do is put out fires – there is no time for routine stuff. But, however you have decided to list station gear for inspection – and how often you plan to do an audit – just do not forget to do it.
Got some good ideas that we missed? Share the knowledge – let us know!
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