A Useful Maintenance Checklist
By Barry Mishkind
[June 2026] Broadcasters have a lot to do each to get the programming on the air. Sometimes this leads to a lack of preventive maintenance, especially where the site is remote and/or rural. Still, this is essential to prevent trouble that often can be easily avoided.
Building a good maintenance program is not always easy.
Some times it seems like all you do all day is to put out fires. There is no time for a maintenance program. But catching problems before they cause downtime is essential.
However, what do you look for – and how often?
SOME HELP FROM THE MANUFACTURER
The fine folks at GatesAir have put together a nice checklist for the transmitter site. Whether you are using an air-cooled or liquid-cooled transmitter, there are some important items for you to check out.
Using personal experience and input from customers, Dan Carcopo and Brian Szewczyk from GatesAir focused on a number of transmitter maintenance tips, as well as cybersecurity best practices to prevent hacking incidents issues in broadcasting – and broke them down to weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-
annual, and annual items.
They have presented this as an aid to newer folks in the industry, as well as to old-timers. Really, few of us have truly seen everything that can happen – and count ourselves fortunate for that!
A LIST AND A VIDEO
You can access the list here.
But, even better, you may wish to view the video of the full presentation from our Virtual Lunch Gathering. Dan and Brian expand on each point and offer some pointers that go way beyond this checklist. These pointers include practical advice about how to avoid exposing gear directly to the Internet, network security configurations, firewall settings, IP address management, capacitor replacement schedules, software updates, and the importance of regular cleaning and proper documentation of all maintenance activities, maintaining that proper documentation, especially in case of when personnel changes occur at broadcast facilities
The video is located on thebdrnet channel on youtube. Here is the direct link.
POINTS TO PONDER
Augmenting the checklist, Szewczyk and Carcobo also covered safety warnings for working with high-voltage equipment and troubleshooting procedures including checking TPO, reflected power, and ambient temperatures using laser thermometers.
Do you have a current manual for your system? How about when software and/or hardware updates/upgrades occur? In an emergency, you might find your schematics and software do not match the equipment on which you are working. Maintenance should include checking version numbers with the manufacturer.
With the FCC planning to add requirements for IT security, depending upon your IT department – if any – a discussion on whether to use security services and/or a whitelist should be considered. Small stations especially might consider one or more of the services available to help install and regularly check system integrity. Did you know one test from a manufacturer, placing a new transmitter directly on the Internet – and received the hack first attack in 19 seconds!
ADAPT THE INFORMATION TO YOUR NEEDS
Do these resources consist of 100% of everything that you need to check?
No, every site is different. Local requirements vary. For instance, some insurance companies require regular checks on the breakers in your power entrance. Other various rules nation or local should be identified and added to the mix.
The idea is that this discussion lets you detail it to your specific site.
A number of the items on the list are in a set of “general” categories. Checking the transmitter includes noting the operation of the fans, and the operating temperature of the system. Did you know your air conditioner needs cleaning the outside section, not just air filters?
Another example: when you inspect the antenna and tower, aspects will differ for AM and FM, especially around the base. Personal safety is no accident, but also is going to be different, isolated rural spots are going to need somewhat different attention than if your transmitter and tower sit right behind the studio.
The more thought you put into building a solid maintenance program the more resilient your system will be over a longer period of time and, one hopes, prevent any unexpected downtime.
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Here are some more useful pdfs from Gates Air:
Gates Air Networking Best Practices
Gates Air Heat Exchanger Cleaning Guide
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