Almost every list of “Good Practices” includes a regular inspection of a station’s tower(s) and antenna(s). But what should be included, how often, and how thoroughly often being in a wide list of variables to play. Bob Jellison shared his advice, based on over thirty years of inspecting towers and antennas. When was […]

For many stations, maintaining their broadcast tower(s) requires several different areas of expertise, from mechanical to electrical. This article will discuss why stations not using LED lighting should give it strong consideration in their next budget cycle. Not only are the latest models reliable, but the savings can make the conversion much easier. […]

Some folks really like heights. Looking out from the top of a 1500 or 2000-foot tower can bring special satisfaction. For them, climbing a 200-foot stick was almost sort of like the rest of us getting up on a large step-ladder. However, regardless of height, good tower guys always play it very safe. […]

One of the biggest sources of damage to broadcast stations is from static buildup and lightning strikes. It can be in the middle of Summer, during a cold, dry, period in Winter, or anytime humidity drops low. Thus, any time is a good time to plan. After all, putting a tall metal stick […]

Trying to stay current with FCC rule changes can make one feel that it is getting harder and harder to keep up with all the various rules and laws that govern businesses these days. Here is one of those “Did you know?” questions: Did you know that broadcast towers between 50 feet and […]

LED lighting got off to a sort of rocky start. Some stations did have success and lower electric bills, but other stations suffered through everything from interactions with the RF to premature failure and expensive costs from for replacing bad units. What advice would Rod Zeigler give those of you considering converting to […]

Regular inspections and maintenance can go a long way to preventing awkward silence on the dial. What should be on the inspection list, and what should be outsourced to a professional tower crew to inspect? Curt “Cowboy” Flick has years of experience in climbing, inspecting, and repairing towers and antennas. His account of […]

Regular inspection plans and maintenance can go a long way to preventing silence on the dial. What should be on the inspection list, and what should be outsourced to a professional tower crew to inspect? For most AM stations, the tower site is often their one major single point of failure. Few have […]

Most stations have an auxiliary transmitter and generator, for example, to cope with emergencies like power loss. But few have a “spare” tower, and the loss of a tower can be crippling – taking the station off the air. Preventing problems before they appear is the key. All too often, towers are like […]

When accomplished properly, routine maintenance extends the useful life of most everything we use – from clothes to cars, from microphones to broadcast towers. Ignore it at your peril. Have you ever grabbed a shirt while in a hurry, only to find several buttons missing? Or, pulling on a pair of trousers to […]