Even as everything goes digital, the solid-state rectifier is still the primary building block for the power sources which make virtually all things go. Since every decent technician must have a good working familiarity with them, Gary Minker shows how to test and diagnose some of the common problems that can cause problems […]

Building a radio station has many more options available today than in previous years. However, while “prosumer” gear pricing may be attractive, budgeting for and acquiring professional broadcast gear will pay off in the long run. We asked our friends at Wheatstone for some suggestions. Phil Owens comments: One of the big challenges […]

Emergency generators are great to have, except when they do not generate during outages. However, just starting and running the generator every so often might not tell you when a failure is impending. As Richard Rudman shows, some additional tests can be useful in improving successful generator operation. I recently had an interesting […]

Station maintenance logs are often thin. Sometimes it is because they are boringly similar. Other times, they get ignored in the pressure is to get back on the air as fast as possible. Yet, as Warren Shulz notes, good logs can be a most valuable tool. Eventually, everything will break down. Even rocks. […]

Sometimes doing repairs is as easy as exchanging modules. Other times, just finding a replacement part can become a real hassle. As technology leaps ahead, Mike Patton sees more and more parts becoming unobtainium. Some solutions are offered. No one can dispute that many pieces of broadcast gear we work with every day […]

Documentation is the basis for any good maintenance program. Troubleshooting is much easier when the engineer does not have to stop and trace wires and coax before working on the real problem. Here is a tip on a way to make the process easier and clearly identify components. At simple AM or FM […]

Whether or not if you believe in Global Warming, there is no denial that we have been in a strange weather cycle recently. From the tornadoes and floods in the Mid-West to the floods in NY/NJ/CT to the drought conditions in the West, it is clear that we are seeing more weather extremes. […]

Depending upon the age of your studio speakers and the local environmental conditions, you might get a nasty surprise if you peek behind the grill – the speaker cone and mounting foam may have rotted away – or it might have been torn by a DJ who lives with every pot wide open!

Alan Alsobrook has put together a video tutorial that will save you a lot of money, with a small investment in time. He mentions that it usually will cost over $100, plus shipping both ways (as much as another $100 or more) to have it done, while you can buy a kit for under $25 and do it in about an hour or so.

Like Alan, you can be a hero, and save a great sounding speaker.

Here is the YouTube link for the video

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Want to talk to Alan? He is at: radiotech@bellsouth.net

Identifying the problem when troubleshooting is fairly easy when you see something that has burned or been destroyed in the process of letting its internal smoke out. Sometimes, though, it takes a closer look to be sure. Nowadays you hear a lot about going green. However, when it comes to […]

There are not very many stations today without at least one satellite dish for programming. Perhaps yours went in years ago and has worked well. Alan Alsobrook wants to alert you to a potential problem, so you will be ready if it happens. Do you still have a Comtech dish in service? Many […]