Among the first talents a new engineer used to learn was to solder something cleanly, with no solder bridges or cold …

This is the final, fifth part of Glen Clark’s look at what EMPs (Electromagnetic Pulses) are, what dangers they present to …

This is Part 4 of Glen Clark’s look at the dangers EMPs (Electromagnetic Pulses) present to broadcasters, and how to minimize …

This is Part 3 of Glen Clark’s look at EMPs (Electromagnetic Pulses): what they are, what dangers they present to broadcasters, …

EMPs are not magic nor death rays. They are physical forces and can be understood by physics and their impact can …

This is Part One of a five-part series on how to deal with an EMP event in a radio broadcast setting.…

[October 2021 – In the old days, it was not unusual for stations to stock two or three copies of each part for …

Sure, we just hit “Fall,” but Winter is already giving previews in some areas. In any event, Fall gives us time …

Have you ever had an AM transmitter with intermittent VSWR trips caused by some problem you could not locate? Chip Morgan …

For most of us, having one of every tool is probably not economically or spatially feasible. On the other hand, having …

Transmitter maintenance has changed in recent years as the transmitters themselves become more and more compact, including the use of FET …

Remote site management systems are designed to reduce maintenance personnel’s workload and ensure operational efficiency. However, if not properly set up …

Troubleshooting is the engineer’s basic function. Eventually, given enough time, almost everything will break down. Then the “fun” begins.

We have …

One mark of a good engineer is to know when to pull out your hands and call for help. Whom you …

Each season has its own challenges for broadcast engineers – from site access in Winter to handling the heat and storms …

Although the number of tube transmitters is dropping, troubleshooting skills are still needed when problems turn up.

There is a common …

In an era when many transmitter sites are visited infrequently, most good radio engineers pay close attention to operating parameters. When …

Whenever doing tests or measurements of a station’s signal, having properly calibrated test gear is essential. Burt Weiner helps us understand …

Everyone has tools to do their job. It could be a hammer, saw, notepad, scissors, rake, oven, broom, or one of …

There is a lot to do every day, every week, and if we lose track, it is easy to miss something …

Part of the Maintenance Shift is doing maintenance: ensuring the audio and RF chains are operating properly, reading the meters, and …

There was a time when every station had an audio test set, and one could check the frequency and phase errors …

Keeping clean filters on the air intake of transmitters is critical for good operations.

However, some of the reusable filters, especially …

Picking the right test gear requires comparing the capabilities and limitations of the gear being evaluated. Folks wishing to do their …

Keeping an older transmitter on line is always a bit of a dance – balancing operating and parts costs versus the …

We all have favorite “go-to” solutions for the problems that crop up from time to time in any broadcast facility. Even …

Sometimes all it takes is a deceptively simple test to discover if an active part is good or bad. Burt Weiner …

When setting up a transmission system, the goal is always to achieve the lowest reflected power (or VSWR – Voltage Standing …

There are many stresses on the broadcast transmission system, winter weather being but one of them. One critical part that needs …

Repairing gear on the workbench has become a bit of a lost art at many stations. The tools to diagnose and …

Among the important ways to keep an FM transmitter happy is to ensure the match to the transmission line and antenna …

Previously, Gary Minker discussed how technicians could better understand rectifiers and how to troubleshoot them in circuits. By putting that knowledge …

When a station is off the air, the pressure is on to find and fix the problem immediately – or at …

Even as everything goes digital, the solid-state rectifier is still the primary building block for the power sources which make virtually …

Building a radio station has many more options available today than in previous years. However, while “prosumer” gear pricing may be …

Station maintenance logs are often thin. Sometimes it is because they are boringly similar. Other times, they get ignored in the …

Sometimes doing repairs is as easy as exchanging modules. Other times, just finding a replacement part can become a real hassle. …

Whether or not if you believe in Global Warming, there is no denial that we have been in a strange weather …

Identifying the problem when troubleshooting is fairly easy when you see something that has burned or been destroyed …

We do hear a lot about safety. But when we are busy – especially when a station is off the air …