Welcome to the November 19th, 2025 issue of Radio World
Software-based Hardware
More and more functions once done by boxes are now being performed in software. Buyer’s Guide features a dozen examples.
M&A ahead?
We asked brokers, attorneys and other FCC watchers what to expect if the commission allows more radio consolidation.
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Vol. 49 No. 24 | November 19 2025 www.radioworld.com
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Are you efficient?
Every dollar must carry maximum value and return
Paul McLane Editor in Chief “
To me, running an efficient plant is more of a mindset than it is selecting the right equipment.”
That’s Kevin Trueblood talking. He’s the associate general manager of technology and operations for WGCU Public Media and the owner of KTrue Media Services, both based in Fort Myers, Fla.
Kevin also is the president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. He shared with me his insights about operating radio technical operations efficiently as part of a new Radio World ebook.
“The approach is to keep your operations as flexible as possible, with every purchase being considered for maximum value and return,” he said.
“A couple of webcams can take your morning show from just an audio show to a video podcast that can open up new revenue opportunities. You may not be able to run a full AoIP plant, but even just a couple of ‘nodes’ or ‘blades’ can give you a great deal more flexibility to distribute and route audio in your facility, and it gives you the tools to control it all remotely.”
Across radio, managers today are required to do more — usually much more — with less — often much less.
“Budgets get smaller while costs go up. For engineers it means you may have to delay capital purchases, take on additional stations or territory, and get creative with your solutions because doing a proper fix may not be doable,” Kevin said.
“More and more, what were temporary repairs become permanent because the budget isn’t there to fix it properly. But this goes back to my previous statement that every dollar being spent needs to carry maximum value and return, so plan wisely.”
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
“Spending $500 to maintain your AC unit twice a year sounds like a lot, but it costs way more than $500 to have a tech dispatched at 5 p.m. while you’re off the air due to an overheated transmitter caused by a busted AC unit. Similarly, that 10-year-old laptop still works, but runs unsupported operating systems that present security risks, and it takes longer to do things than a modern laptop would.”
How can a user extend, say, the life of older transmitters?
“Keep them clean! Take an hour, shut it down, and wipe down and vacuum the insides. Inspect elements for fatigue or damage. Replace air filters. Keep the
Kevin Trueblood
cameras will let you visually confirm status, circumstances or faults.”
Even with an older transmitter, he said, you can train a camera on the front to help you inspect meters and diagnose faults, which can be helpful to understand why it won’t restart.
“This gives you a better understanding of what tools and parts you will need to correct a problem before you set foot at the site. Combined, being able to take readings
and visual confirmations from afar can reduce the needed site maintenance visits and reduce the time spent on site during trouble calls.”
You can read our Q&A and learn from other experts including Joe Tymecki, Tim Neese, Cris Alexander, Geary Morrill and John Whyte in your latest free Radio World ebook at http://radioworld.com/ebooks
“Spending $500 to maintain your AC unit twice a year sounds like a lot, but it costs way more than $500 to have a tech dispatched at 5 p.m. while you’re off the air. ”
Writer
Randy J. Stine
The author wrote recently about the legal dispute between CPB and NPR over public media distribution infrastructure.
Consolidation could spike if FCC eases caps
Brokers muse on what will happen if the commission relaxes ownership rules
Media brokers, attorneys and other FCC watchers say Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioner Olivia Trusty — the 2–1 Republican majority on the FCC — are poised to overhaul local broadcast ownership caps.
At present, in each of the largest U.S. radio markets, a licensee can own up to eight commercial radio stations, and a subcap limits a licensee to owning no more than five on each band (FM/AM) in the market. The caps shrink as market size decreases.
If those limits are relaxed or removed, brokers expect rapid consolidation through mergers, acquisitions or station swaps, not just in large markets but also medium and smaller ones.
The FCC in September decided that as part of its quadrennial rule review, it will consider relaxing or eliminating these limits, though as of press time, the ongoing government shutdown had delayed the comment cycle in the proceeding.
The National Association of Broadcasters and some individual owners have long advocated for easing the limits. And while rule reviews often take years, experts expect Carr to move much more swiftly.
Scott Flick of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP says once the comments are in, it’s “plausible that an order might be released three to four months after that,” though it could take longer “given that the FCC will want to spend the time necessary to make the order as bulletproof as possible in the courts.”
Ralf Hahn/Getty Images
Frank Montero, co-managing partner at Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, said the broadcasting community “has been screaming for action” and was disappointed when the FCC’s Democratic majority kept radio caps in place in late 2023.
The commission said then that consolidation among radio operators would not allow them to better compete against digital media and that the public needed to be protected against local broadcasters getting bigger.
Montero expects the Carr commission to take final action by the end of summer 2026.
Brokers say broadcast owners are already considering their options and will be poised to act quickly if the FCC acts. They expect some broadcasters will quickly divest in some markets and invest in others.
Greg Guy, president of Tideline Partners, said, “I would expect most of the major groups to act decisively as deregulation opens the door to refocusing their portfolios, either geographically or by market size, to maximize operating efficiency.”
Given capital constraints, Guy anticipates that many of the larger groups will pursue strategic station swaps as a primary method of consolidation.
“Swaps offer substantial cost savings and allow operators to strengthen their market positions without significant balance-sheet impact,” Guy said.
The efficiency gains and margin improvement opportunities from such trades are significant, he told Radio World in an email.
Meanwhile, he said, well-capitalized operators, particularly those in in medium and small markets, are best positioned to be aggressive if the FCC eases the caps.
More Info Read filed comments at www.fcc.gov/ ecfs by entering 22-459 in the Proceeding field. Fresh comments may be delayed by the government shutdown.
swap worthy to consolidate a significant number of large markets.”
He thinks Educational Media Foundation will continue to be strategic as it builds out its networks.
When the FCC opened its latest proceeding, Beasley and Cumulus thanked Carr for taking up the initiative. In 2023 Townsquare Media and Connoisseur told the commission that ownership rules hinder the ability of broadcasters to compete for audience and advertising dollars.
The NAB has proposed that in the top 75 Nielsen Audio markets, a single entity could own up to eight FM stations, with no cap on AM station ownership, instead of the current “subcap” restrictions. It also has asked the FCC to eliminate restrictions entirely on radio ownership in markets outside the top 75.
In previous filed comments, iHeartMedia has said that abolishing limits on AM caps entirely while raising FM limits “could exacerbate the competitive disadvantage experienced by AM radio stations relative to FM stations.”
“Swaps offer substantial cost savings and allow operators to strengthen their market positions without significant balancesheet impact. ”
Doug Ferber of DEFcom Advisors says radio operators in markets of all sizes have been strategizing in conference rooms to decide if they will buy, sell, hold or swap. “Due to the condition of the industry today, few of the existing owners will be buyers. Most will be sellers or swappers.”
He said companies that are in varying degrees of financial distress like Beasley, Salem, Townsquare, iHeart and Cumulus would have an opportunity to pivot around a transaction and revitalize their capital structure.
He envisions iHeart and Audacy as leading the consolidation in large markets via swaps.
“Connoisseur will be active. Keep in mind they have a lot of stations but only in a handful of large markets,” he says. “They will be involved but they can’t take everything. Nor do they have the money or the assets that would be
Industry observer Jerry Del Colliano, publisher of Inside Music Media, says if the commission relaxes the ownership rules, Cumulus and Beasley could be rolled up into a larger group.
“If the cap is lifted, some companies or stations are going to be absorbed by Connoisseur, which is hell bent on buying stations and groups for low prices, even though the upside of linear media like radio is considered remote,” Del Colliano wrote in October.
George Reed of Media Services Group expects swaps from the largest broadcasters, perhaps “involving a lot of stations in a lot of markets,” as companies try to rationalize their market positions and become competitive with digital competitors.
“I think that many broadcasters will see this as an opportunity to ‘go or grow,’” Reed said.
A move by the FCC to adjust ownership caps could also unlock inventory that has been effectively frozen for years, stimulating meaningful deal activity, he said.
Another expert questioned whether private equity still sees an opportunity in radio: “A mature declining industry? It doesn’t appear to me that there is enough return available to attract large-scale private investment,” this observer said.
“There will be a lot of swaps, no doubt, but swapping won’t be enough to completely consolidate the industry under the NAB’s proposal.”
One broker wrote in an email that dealmaking “will surely reward operators with scale, efficiency and
Radio Regulation
local presence while pushing marginal operators to consolidate or exit the business. Owners will need to be aggressive to stay in the business and remain a going concern. It could accelerate the divide between viable and non-viable stations.”
Consolidation also could affect non-broadcast businesses that are tied to radio.
One observer said, “Ratings really won’t matter in smaller markets. Over the span of an ad campaign, a radio company will be able to deliver the entire market to advertisers if they own all or most the stations in the area. In many ways the industry will go back to selling radio on its merits, i.e., its ubiquitous reach, economic price relative to other media, and the results provided to advertisers. Sell your Nielsen stock now.”
“Due to the condition of the industry today, few of the existing owners will be buyers. Most will be sellers or swappers.
“Long Overdue”
Larry Patrick, operating partner of Patrick Media Brokerage, is in a unique position to comment on what’s ahead if the FCC eases ownership limits. He also owns Legend Communications, which operates 22 stations in northern Wyoming. He wrote the following to Radio World:
This is a critically important time for the radio industry to ask for significant ownership deregulation. If the “smaller than 75 market rank complete deregulation” proposal is approved, little will change other than some small operators will exit and others will buy out their direct competitors. Not much of a blip on the national radio market radar.
For real market forces to work, there needs to be almost total ownership deregulation of the industry from top to bottom. Private equity and investment money is not interested in buying collections of unrated markets. They want scale and a way to enter the national market in a big way. The industry has spent a decade cutting costs, laying off personnel and hoping for a miracle. That hasn’t occurred.
For an industry that is 100 years old and facing competition from huge companies backed by public shareholders or private equity, the fact that these artificial barriers to ownership exist is contrary to basic economic theory.
Let radio build the scope of its operations and scale necessary to compete with the TV networks, Meta and Google, and dozens of new streaming and digital services. We are long overdue for a complete revamping of the ownership controls imposed by the FCC.
Localism will still exist as the benchmark of good radio. Stop crippling radio by the controls of artificial ownership caps. Let the market decide our future and be brave enough to steer our industry forward. This will result in higher multiples, the scale to survive in an over-abundant media world, and a future for the best operators and investors to thrive.
Newswatch
C-BAND: The FCC in November was expected to propose a rulemaking that would auction additional midband spectrum in the upper C-band. It would allow the FCC to take an important step towards implementing actions mandated in President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which restored the agency’s auction authority and requires it to complete a system of competitive bidding for at least 100 MHz in the upper C-band no later than July 2027.
The proposal is likely to be opposed by broadcasters because some of the spectrum is used for satellite delivery of TV and radio content.
The notice of proposed rulemaking would seek comment on a range of options, including auctioning up to 180 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.98–4.2 GHz band for next-gen wireless services.
The FCC said it will consider “all options within that range, with the ultimate goal of maximizing the amount of spectrum to be repurposed as generational aviation safety upgrades occur in the adjacent band.”
Carr said the Trump bill “authorizes and requires the FCC to auction prime, mid-band spectrum in the upper C-band, and my proposal aims to maximize the amount of spectrum available for 5G and 6G services.”
George Winslow
WLDavies/Getty Images
John Bisset CPBE
The author is in his 35th year of writing Workbench. He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance and is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award. Send your tips Workbench submissions are encouraged and qualify for SBE recertification credit. Email johnpbisset@ gmail.com.
Mr. Potato Head saves the day
A starchy tuber might rescue you when you’ve got a busted bulb
Archie Simpson read our discussion about using duct tape to remove a dead floodlight bulb. But what if the bulb is already broken, with the filament stem and sharp glass poking out of the socket?
As engineers, we might reach for our toolkit but Archie offers an alternative: Grab a potato! After turning off your power, simply slice off and discard one end of the potato, then shove the rest of the tuber, cut edge down, into what’s left of the bulb. Then turn it. The bulb remains should unscrew easily.
If this doesn’t work, it may be time to just replace the fixture. The part will be inexpensive and easy to swap out. Archie used floodlight fixtures with built-in motion sensors.
He adds that you can prevent sticking by lubricating the threads of the replacement bulb slightly; however, do not use petroleum-based lubricants or flammable compounds. Instead, apply a small dab of dielectric grease to the threads of the new bulb (not to the end contact).
AutoZone sells AGS Dielectric Connector Protector.
Whups
Will Robedee is with the Center for Media at Depauw University. He attempted to order the network cable
tester from Alibaba that we mentioned. No luck. After filling out the order form, he got a message that he’d exceeded his order limit for this item, though he only ordered one! Apologies to anyone who encountered a similar outcome.
No, it should point THAT way!
An NPR affiliate recently experienced problems with a relatively new satellite downlink. The average Eb/No and AGC numbers were low, sometimes to the point where the receivers unlocked for extended periods.
At first the engineers thought local 5G carriers might be operating slightly out of band. They replaced the LNB and put in a new 5G filter, among other things.
But it turned out that the station’s contractor had done a substandard job of installing and aligning the dish itself. The engineers tweaked the polarization adjustment (using nothing more than the receiver Eb/ No reading), which took it from 9.1 to about 13.5. They had to rotate the LNB about 30 degrees to get the system operating properly, so the alignment hadn’t even been close.
A frustrating experience after hiring what you thought was a professional company!
David Hoare/Getty Images
Before the snow blows
If you maintain an AM facility, here are some things to check at the base of each AM tower before cold weather sets in. The tip is courtesy of Larry Wilkins, technology director for the Alabama Association of Broadcasters.
At base of each AM tower is an antenna tuning unit. The ATU matches the impedance of the transmission line to the impedance of the tower, for maximum power transfer.
Start by visually inspecting the ATU inside and out. With the RF power off, ensure that connections are tight. Inspect components for signs of overheating or lightning damage.
You want to keep rodents, snakes and wasps out.
Scatter a few moth balls in the bottom of the ATU cabinet and apply some repellant like the Mouse Magic we’ve mentioned before.
Wasp spray along the edges and eaves of the cabinet will discourage the flying critters. But the best prevention is to seal all openings. Note, insects can get in even through small empty bolt holes cut in the enclosure.
Use a light to check for holes. Most ATU cabinets have an AC outlet; plug a trouble lamp in, close the enclosure door and look for light leakage to detect holes. (Remember, turn the RF power off before doing this work.)
What is it o’clock?
Roy Baum is Topeka market engineer for Connoisseur Media; he offers a tip to pass on to your program or news director.
UClock.it is a service that lets you create a format clock directly in your browser. The software is $24 per year and you can try it for free.
Roy says they’ve been using the UClock.it software for several years in Topeka market, finding it useful for their news and agricultural network clocks. The URL is www. uclock.it/HomePage.
Above
A Kintronic Labs antenna tuning unit.
Right The Uclock.it Browser-based Format Clock Generator.
Writer Mark Persons
The
wrote earlier
“End
of the Road Radio” enjoys a new birth
WELY Radio is back on the air in Ely, Minn.
The future of WELY Radio in Ely, Minn., was uncertain in May of 2022 when the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa said it would soon go silent. After a short reprieve, its final day was Nov. 30, 2022. The licensee reportedly had put $1.7 million into the station since 2005.
WELY(AM/FM) sat silent while Zoe Communications of Wisconsin had it, but in February of this year Civic Media purchased the station, with a solid plan to put it back on the air.
The company has about 30 radio stations, mostly in Wisconsin, where it is based. It emphasizes local content, as its name suggests. The CEO is Sage Weil, a successful software engineer and executive from California who moved to Madison to be a broadcaster.
History
I have a personal connection to this station.
My father, Charles B. Persons, did the engineering work to launch an earlier station, WXLT(AM), in the city, completing the necessary FCC measurements on a New Year’s Eve in the late 1940s.
But WXLT was unable to pay its bills in this tough ironmining town, and it went silent after about two years.
But Dad would be back. He decided to leave a good corporate engineering job at the Arrowhead Radio Network — which had about a dozen stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin — because he felt the urge to own a radio station himself.
He applied for and received a construction permit to build WELY on the same 1450 kHz frequency, on the same
author
this year about a visit to PJB3, a Trans World Radio AM station on Bonaire. Above Ely is a former mining town in northern Minnesota.
Small-town Radio
150-foot tower and in the same building as WXLT. He moved the transmitter and studios from the main floor to a walkout basement, and our family, including four boys, lived above.
WELY went on the air Oct. 11, 1954. It started as a shoestring operation but quickly won over the hearts of the local community to become profitable.
The station was referred to as Broadcast House. You could address a letter to Broadcast House in Ely and it would be delivered. Coverage outside of town was poor, with only 250 watts in very low soil conductivity. However, it was the only radio station in the town of 5,500 people. The signal did not need to go far as there wasn’t much outside of Ely.
My father had a 20-minute “fireside chat” for listeners on Sunday afternoons called “Hello Neighbor.” Charlie would talk about things at the station and around town, steadfastly refusing any commercial endorsements for the program. Listeners knew they were getting the inside story, much like the broadcasts by President Roosevelt during the Depression and World War Two.
An interesting note is that my father talked the FCC into allowing thirdparty messages. This was long before cellphones or any telephones in the wilderness area surrounding Ely.
Announcements were aired at a scheduled time each day, usually messages from families and friends of those camping. A message might say, “John Donovan, your brother Frank had a heart attack and is in a hospital in Albany, New York.” The tradition continues today — this wilderness area has virtually no cell service or internet.
Two iron mines kept locals employed, especially during the war, when the mines operated 24/7. Our family left the area in 1959.
The town of Ely eventually became a tourist destination, at the edge of what is known by the U.S. Forest Service as the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness. This is where Minnesota and Canada come together in beautiful camping and fishing waters. There are now 3,268 Ely residents.
The photo below shows the station in 1995. The tower proudly sported WELY call letters. The studio has since moved downtown; today the house and original tower are privately owned. The W was removed, and the tower sign now says ELY.
Above
Fig. 1: Charles B. Persons, the author’s father, at the WELY microphone in the 1950s.
Below
Fig. 2: WELY’s tower and studio in 1995.
The AM transmitter was moved to a nearby tower (see Fig. 3) in the early 1990s and runs 770 watts fulltime nondirectional on 1450 kHz. They cut back from 1,000 watts because the tower is taller and thus more efficient.
WELY-FM, 6 kW on 94.5 MHz, was added in 1992. It is off the air as I write this in November, but as soon as a tower crew arrives, the latest change will make it 35 kW using a Bext eight-bay antenna and a Nautel transmitter.
As you can see on the next page, the tower is shared with a cellular company, so typical in today’s world.
Small-town Radio
End of the road
Roads leading to Ely come from the south and southeast. You don’t drive through Ely to get somewhere. That is how WELY became known as “End of the Road Radio.” Ely is only about 16 miles from the Canadian border. It is known as the Gateway to the Boundary Waters as well as the Canoe Capital and Sled Dog Capital of the U.S. Take your pick, they are all recreational activities.
The station chocked up a checkered past since 1954. WELY closed briefly, then reopened in 1995 when CBS journalist Charles Kuralt of “On the Road” fame bought it after falling in love with Ely. This brought some notoriety to the station. The station was sold after he died in 1997. Later the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa purchased WELY. The station went through frequent format changes.
You’ve seen it before — a broadcast owner with no programming experience changes the format to suit his or her liking. The result is usually bad news. Listeners and sponsors go away and it is a struggle to get them back.
The newest owners seem to represent a fresh start for WELY(AM/FM). Small-town stations have a better chance of succeeding than those in larger cities because they can be programmed with local news and events. There is polka music on Saturday mornings that the town people love. No changing that in a community where descendants of northern European immigrants have lived for many generations.
The nearest town with a radio station is Eveleth, Minn., some 50 miles away. However, there’s competition from six FM translators in Ely.
Above
Fig. 3: The current WELY tower.
Small-town Radio
Civic Media brought WELY(AM) back to life in the spring of 2025, but the inoperative FM transmit antenna needed to be replaced; that project stalled when it was said a tower stress study had to be done but then was deemed a “repair,” so work could continue. Meanwhile 1450 kHz WELY AM continued, much like it had 71 years ago. It is hometown radio with heart-warming music and good voices.
Broadcast engineer Erick Burnstad, above, was at the studio when I visited recently. He is one of five engineers employed by Civic Media. Erick hails from Portage, Wis., but enjoys going from station to station. He has his hands full with transmitters and converting automation systems over to ENCO.
Station Manager Terri Pylka was born and raised in Ely. She and three others worked together previously at WELY and are excited to be working together again as part of Civic Media, an organization that values and supports community radio. Terri is passionate about the community while building good business relationships.
And morning announcer Craig Laughery goes by “Trader Craig” for items he lists for sale on the air. He interviewed my wife Paula and me live on WELY for half an hour one morning. We related history stories to the staff and listeners. Speaking of listeners, at least five people stopped in while we were there to visit and show their appreciation for WELY returning to the air. That is small-town radio!
Civic Media says it aims “to champion the practice of democracy through the power of honest and informative local voices.” The programming lineup includes local
football, volleyball, basketball, ski meets and especially hockey. A translator for WELY(AM) is on 103.9 MHz and you can listen online at: https://wely.fm/. You can also find the station on Facebook.
My father’s book, “Where Have All the Broadcasters Gone?” has “The Ely Years” in Chapter 7. The book is out of print; however you can hear the audio, absolutely free, as narrated by Kirk Harnack, at http://mwpersons. com/old-radio/books
Mark Persons, WØMH, is an SBE Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer and is now retired, but still mentoring five radio broadcast engineers. He and his wife Paula were inducted into the Minnesota Broadcaster Hall of Fame after 60 years of broadcast engineering and 44 years in business. Their website is www.mwpersons.com.
“Civic Media says it aims ‘to champion the practice of democracy through the power of honest and informative local voices.’
Far left Fig. 4: Engineer Erick Burnstad.
Left Fig. 5: Station Manager Terri Pylka.
Below
Fig. 6: Trader Craig on the air.
Writer
Michael Baldauf
Musings on liquid-cooled transmitters
My own experience has been mixed. I’m interested in hearing yours
LShown is some of the “plumbing” for a liquid-cooled GatesAir system serving a Radio One Dallas/Reach Media station in 2021.
iquid-cooled broadcast transmitters have been around for a long time. In modern liquid-cooled designs, heat from the power amplifier modules is transferred through metal heat sinks to an “anti-freeze” fluid flowing through them. The heated liquid is pumped outdoors and through a heat exchanger with a fan blowing on it, much as in an automobile cooling system.
After a few years installing and working with liquid-cooled transmitters, my feelings about them are mixed. There are situations in which they make sense, but others where the downsides outweigh the ups. I’m sure there’s plenty of room for debate.
The installation of a liquid-cooled transmitter is much more complex than that of an air-cooled type. Important tasks include running hoses, putting on connectors, connecting pumps, installing heat exchangers (concrete
pads?), leak testing and filling the system with fluid. Your maintenance program will involve the pumps, hoses, liquid tests, fans and heat exchangers.
Control and monitoring must consider the pressures and temperatures of the liquid and operational parameters of the variable speed pumps and fans. Most of this is monitored by a complex system, and cleaning and repairs of liquid technology require knowledge of such systems that a broadcast engineer may not already possess.
What’s the upside? The most obvious is removal of heat from the transmitter and less heat load in the building. About 67 percent of the heat of a transmitter is delivered outdoors to the heat exchangers.
Liquid cooling means less air must circulate through the building; operation can be cleaner and quieter.
Another major factor is the cost of electricity. We find many estimates of what power will cost us in the future, but it is unlikely to cost less.
The author wrote earlier this year about working with caps in a phase converter.
Don Stevenson
Any good analysis of transmitter costs must include all relevant factors both internal and external. An analysis of building cooling needs in Tucson will not be useful for a transmitter site in Bangor.
Air conditioners have their own maintenance and upkeep issues including filter cleaning, recharging, fan motors and monitoring challenges.
Thought starters
Here are some questions with which to start:
Is the transmitter building already full and hot? Is there space adjacent to the building for heat exchangers? Can the heat exchangers be secured from vandalism?
Will there be significant savings in the costs of cooling the building by using liquid, or could you use readily available cool fresh or air-conditioned air?
Is altitude a factor? Air cooling requires more air moving through a transmitter to dissipate heat at higher elevations than at lower elevations.
Transmitter technological advancements come at an astounding rate. Improvements in the efficiency of power supplies, amplifiers and other components make any analysis done with older designs irrelevant. More efficiency means less heat loading. Liquid- and air-cooled designs create similar amounts of heat; the difference is how the heat is dissipated.
Tech Tips
Kevin Haider of GatesAir recommends that when you are calculating electricity consumption and transmitter power, you should consider the possibility that you could add HD Radio channels at some point.
More HD means higher transmitter power and more heating load in the building, so you may wish to futureproof by designing a transmitter system and site that are robust enough to handle such changes without expensive facility upgrades. Haider suggests that liquid-cooled transmitters may fare better running near full power than equivalent air-cooled transmitters.
Liquid cooling is practical in an age where virtually every critical parameter can be monitored and controlled. But it’s important that someone who knows how to maintain the system is involved. A reliable engineer can pick up the basic skills, but do the research and consider how you will support your system.
And everyone I’ve talked to in this area strongly recommends that when it comes to the actual installation, bring in someone with experience in liquid cooling. While I like to handle projects myself, even I can tell that liquid cooling is not the time to “go it alone.”
I’ll return to this topic in more detail soon. Meanwhile, what’s your experience with liquid vs. air cooling? Drop us an email. Write to me via radioworld@futurenet.com with “Liquid Cooling” in the subject line.
“Software-Based
About These Products
Many functions of the radio air chain that once were done by hardware are now accomplished in software, either in applications of their own or integrated into other systems. In this special edition of Buyer’s Guide we invited companies to tell us about their offerings that fit this description.
Tech Update Comrex Rolls Out Access VM Enterprise
Comrex recently introduced a new Access VM Enterprise version for companies in need of migrating to a centralized data center infrastructure to facilitate a disaster recovery plan or for large-scale program distribution.
Access VM is available to customers that need 50 or more audio codec instances for deployment on customer-owned on-prem or third-party cloud-based servers. Licensed instances are distributed via an OVA file for either open-source Proxmox or VMware’s ESXi platforms.
Access VM emulates the functionality of the Comrex Access MulitRack IP audio codec hardware with an identical web GUI interface, CrossLock VPN, SwitchBoard integration and monitoring and control using the Comrex Fleet Commander app. Contact closures and user data for Access VM are facilitated within the IP domain by use of
Tech Update
Nautel Highlights the Software-Based Air Chain
Nautel notes that traditionally, an HD Radio air chain was a long line of boxes including encoder, decoder, audio processor, importer, exporter, Exgine card, exciter and maybe a monitor, all connected by cables and rack space. Each function had its own dedicated hardware and configuration.
“Today, that traditional chain is being transformed by software,” the company says.
“We’ve created the ability for broadcasters to have the entire air chain embedded — from input to RF carrier — inside the transmitter itself. Alternatively, all or parts of the air chain will be able to be hosted on an industrial grade server.”
The company says a software-based air chain approach means you can “just add audio.” Everything else including the processing, the HD coding and synchronization are handled in software running in the transmitter platform. Beyond eliminating boxes and cabling, the FM and
the Comrex-provided WebSocket API for Access and BRICLink codecs, available on request.
Access VM instances are compatible with Access and BRIC-Link hardware codecs and support AES67, SMPTE 2022-7, SMPTE 2110-30, NMOS and EBU Tech3326
SIP as well as advanced features like IP multicast, IP multistreaming, HTTP streaming and more.
Info: email chris@comrex.com
HD signal paths can be synchronized with no need for monitors or correction algorithms.
“This integration brings remarkable flexibility, and by virtualizing the air chain, multiple redundant air chains can be created if desired.” This can be done instantly, often remotely, without swapping hardware or rewiring. Also, updates can introduce new capabilities over time.
“Should any of these processes need to be supported by 64 bit architectures in the future, the software-based air chain will be ready.”
Nautel says fewer external components means greater reliability, lower total cost of ownership and less physical infrastructure to maintain.
Info: www.nautel.com
Tech Update
AxelTech Oxygen 3000 Plus Talk Show System
For decades, AxelTech says, professional phone management for radio required dedicated hardware hybrids, sometimes expensive standalone units that lived outside the console ecosystem. Solutions could cost thousands of dollars, with limited integration capabilities and complex cabling needs.
It says the AxelTech Talk Show System represents a shift in this paradigm, delivering enterprise-level phone management as a software option within the Oxygen 3000 Plus console.
The Talk Show System manages up to eight telephone lines of any type including POTS, Bluetooth and VoIP through an intuitive web-based interface. Instead of rack-mounted hardware, multiple cables and dedicated mixing channels, the system operates through virtual channel consolidation, routing phone lines to one or two mixer channels.
“This software-only approach eliminates hardware investment while providing capabilities that rival expensive standalone solutions,” the company says.
The system supports three independent operators with customized access rights, enabling efficient call screening, queue management and production coordination. Multiple operating modes support scenarios including alternating queue for sequential caller management, conference mode for simultaneous connections, and hybrid mode combining remote guests with listener call-ins. Realtime caller databases with mood indicators and inter-operator chat functionality make workflow efficient.
Info: www.axeltechnology.com
Tech Update BYO With ScreenBuilder by Wheatstone
The ScreenBuilder touchscreen development suite enables a user to add onto a WheatNet IP audio networked facility with little more than a touchscreen without having to add panels, knobs, boxes or cable.
“You can create a producer panel for controlling mics during a busy show, or add a complete news workstation with automatic gain, source selection, intercom and full mixing from one menu’d touchscreen,” Wheatstone states.
These touchscreens can be useful for signal routing, sharing codecs across studios or locations, or providing a quick intercom between studios and venues. One screen scripted to do several things can repurpose a studio for production one hour and for a talk show the next.
“Choose from controls, clocks, faders and dozens of other widgets, and apply basic scripting using Script Wizard for a variety of functions.” Or you can add your own widgets and specialized scripts for more customized screens.
Creating your own touchscreens gives you the flexibility to generate content anywhere and to tap into the WheatNet IP audio network for controlling mics, cameras or codecs or for automating routines. Digital and streaming services can originate specialized programming through software without adding physical rooms to manage those additional mixes.
Wheatstone also offers full virtual consoles such as the Glass LXE that can be used independently or complementary to a physical LXE console, with real-time fader tracking between the two.
Info: www.wheatstone.com/product/virtual-interfaces
Broadcast Bionics: “Hardware Shouldn’t Be Hard”
Broadcast Bionics says its Virtual Rack brings familiar broadcast simplicity to the complex world of virtualization, “giving you command and control, without ever needing the command line.”
Virtual Rack lets engineers deploy and manage broadcast applications from Telos, Axia, Omnia, 2wcom, Ferncast, Sound4 and others from one browser-based interface.
“There’s no Linux to learn, no container syntax to decipher and no mystery processes running in the background,” it says. “You’re still in control, just with fewer boxes and less wiring.”
Each application behaves like the hardware it replaces including codecs, hybrids and processors, but installs in seconds, updates automatically and can be started, stopped or reconfigured with a click.
Redundancy and failover keep you on air even if a Virtual Rack appliance or application fails. “With open APIs and tight integration with Telos Pathfinder, Virtual Rack makes it easy to automate routing, switching and recovery — bringing Pathfinder logic and reliability into the virtual domain and giving engineers full visibility and confidence without extra dashboards or scripts.”
Info: https://bionics.co.uk/VirtualRack
Tech Update
APT Codec Offers SoftwareBased Transport
WorldCast Systems highlights its Virtual APT IP Codec, a softwarebased version of the APT IP Codec, for its flexibility, scalability and cost efficiency.
The codec is intended for broadcasters embracing the shift to virtualization. It enables high-quality, low-latency audio and MPX over IP transport without physical hardware. It runs on standard servers and offers high-density encoding and decoding, allowing broadcasters to move from managing a fleet of codecs to a centralized platform.
The Virtual APT IP Codec is server-based and AES67-compliant. It integrates with Virtual Machine, Docker and Kubernetes environments.
The software codec supports SureStream for redundant, low-cost IP transport and APTmpX, a compression algorithm that preserves MPX signal quality at low bitrates. It is compatible with its hardware
Tech Update
Lawo Takes Radio
Mixing HOME
Lawo asks: Why build a rack when you can launch an app when and where you need it?
The company says the HOME Power Core App frees users from the restrictions of hardware.
“Until not so long ago, building a professional radio studio meant racks of gear, miles of cabling and a hefty investment in physical DSP units,” the company says. “Today, that paradigm is shifting.”
The app is a virtualized DSP mixing engine that runs on standard COTS servers and delivers the realtime mixing, routing and monitoring capabilities of Lawo’s physical Power Core unit. It’s compatible with Lawo crystal, diamond and crystal Clear consoles as well as VisTool and can be used in radio applications including talk, visual radio and live webcasts.
counterpart and integrates with WorldCast’s other solutions including Ecreso FM AiO Series transmitters and the Kybio monitoring and control platform.
WorldCast said it also applies software-based innovation to certain hardware products such as the Ecreso FM AiO Series transmitters, which incorporate advanced RDS, sound processing and decoding features.
Info: www.worldcastsystems.com/en/
The feature set of the Power Core ports over to the HOME Apps ecosystem so users can spin up additional Power Core instances on a COTS server or in the cloud.
It supports Ravenna/AES67, ST2110, Dante, NDI and SRT natively, without converters, and integrates with existing IP infrastructure such as Lawo stageboxes and .edge interfaces as well as thirdparty audio devices.
The app is available in Compact, Large and XL instances, scaling the DSP power to a user’s workflow. Flex Subscription credits and perpetual licenses are available.
Info: www.lawo.com
Tech Update
Altus SE Is Part
of Telos Studio Essentials Lineup
The Altus SE is part of the Telos Alliance Studio Essentials family of virtual broadcast products.
“It delivers an advanced AoIP console to any computer or tablet without the complexity that sometimes accompanies software container deployment,” according to the company.
“Its compact, silent hardware platform is ideal in the studio, on remote or anywhere a virtual console makes life easier, and its intuitive HTML5 UI makes it feel like a full-size Axia mixer.”
Network connectivity is at a single click, with support for the Telos Pathfinder Core PRO broadcast controller to make the most of the Livewire+ AES67 protocol.
A standard Altus SE license includes eight faders, expandable to up to 24. WebRTC can be added with optional Spotlight SaaS signaling server and Telos partners at Xirsys.
New Logic Profiles add GPIO triggers, 25-Seven PDMX virtual program delay control and programmable user buttons in the channel strip.
Info: http://telosalliance.com/altusse
Tech Update
2wcom Integrates Functions
2wcom says its IP-4c codecs include many ways to replace external devices using features internal to the codec.
“By incorporating additional internal hardware, a single 1RU device can house components like a GPS receiver, an RF tuner or a satellite tuner — devices that previously required separate physical chassis. This integration streamlines operations and reduces equipment requirements.”
extend to serial data and GPIO interfaces. Network timing can be managed, useful for SFN operations.
With the MPE and MPEG-TS option, HD Radio broadcasters benefit from the ability to maintain system diversity delay without external hardware.
Software allows 2wcom codecs to multi-code a program audio input, producing an STL and CDN-bound (e.g. HLS or Icecast) streams.
To protect IP streams against transmission errors, the codecs support protocols such as FEC, SRT, RIST and Dual Streaming. The MPX-2c model adds a softwarebased MPX spectrum analyzer.
Once audio is available in an AES67 format, these functions can be migrated to a server on-prem, in the cloud or both. This approach is advantageous for operations handling multiple audio channels. 2wcom continues to add features to MoIN like audio processing and an audio mixer.
Virtualization can be taken further with 2wcom’s up2talk. Using tools from the MoIN platform, up2talk enables studios to connect with up to six remote reporters for live sports or news commentary. The process does not require specialized hardware for remote participants. Once the studio initiates a session and a remote reporter clicks the provided link, they are connected with audio and video, enabling coordinated commentary, either live to air or recorded for later use.
Info: www.2wcom.com
Tech Update
AEQ Offers
“Codec as a Service”
According to AEQ, SmarTalk introduces the concept of “codec as a service,” bringing the reliability and audio quality of professional hardware codecs into the software domain.
“With SmarTalk, any guest, contributor or remote reporter can connect to the station with broadcast-quality audio directly from a web browser, no software installation or dedicated hardware required,” it states.
The system generates a personalized web link that acts as a gateway to a cloudbased SIP server, automatically connecting with AEQ Phoenix studio codecs.
Audio encoding is handled by Opus, providing low latency, high quality and stable performance even over standard home or mobile connections.
Through its web interface, operators can manage and monitor multiple remote connections from one control point. SmarTalk includes automatic reconnection, jitter management and IP traffic prioritization to provide robust operation.
The service runs on a redundant cloud infrastructure, with regional servers minimizing latency and ensuring 24/7 availability. Integration with Phoenix codecs allows SmarTalk to scale for applications ranging from national networks to small local stations.
Info: https://aeq.eu/home/products/audiocodecs/smartalk
Tech Update RadioMan Simplifies Remote Contribution
RadioMan Lamppu replaces physical hardware codecs, mixers and IP links with a one-touch mobile app that lets journalists go on air using a smartphone.
Lamppu is available for iOS and Android. It enables journalists to join broadcasts, monitor live audio and contribute live content, whether the studio is on-site or in the cloud. “Guest contributors can be invited securely, enabling remote interviews and broader engagement.”
Names appear automatically in the RadioMan On-Air environment, with virtual faders for operator control. Background audio fades and resumes automatically. The system is kept current with automatic updates.
Lamppu, combined with RadioMan, supports audio mixing, recording, streaming and talkback.
The company said broadcasters use Lamppu for sports, breaking news and event coverage.
Info: https://jutel.fi/radioman-lamppu/
Tech Update
Arrakis Offers Two Approaches to Virtualization
“A prime example of complete virtualization is the Arrakis DARC Virtual AoIP console,” Arrakis states.
“This product reimagines the mixing desk as a pure software application. Instead of a physical board with faders and knobs, the DARC Virtual runs entirely on a standard Windows PC.”
This allows it to be a powerful, full-featured mixer controlled from a screen. By leveraging AoIP protocols like Dante or standard ASIO
drivers, it manages mixing, routing and processing in the digital domain. The software-centric design supports remote broadcasts, broadcast studios or backup systems and offers control from anywhere with a network connection.
For those needing a physical interface, the DARC S series provides buttons and faders to control the software.
Separately, Arrakis says its H-series consoles represent a hybrid solution. These are professional analog consoles that provide the tactile feel, familiar workflow and analog signal path preferred by man users.
“The innovation lies in their digital control for added flexibility. Both the 10-channel H-10 and 15-channel H-15 connect to a PC via USB, running the H-Series Controller software.”
The software does not process the audio; it controls the console’s internal routing and logic. This supports digital features such as complex user presets, remote monitoring of levels and the ability to control audio levels and channel assignments. An operator can reconfigure the board for a different show with one click.
Info: www.arrakis-systems.com
Broadcast networks for the next era
New York Public Radio deploys Seeker SD-WAN
BBelow A broadcast network depicting diverse WAN links and multiple Seeker deployment options.
roadcasting is in the middle of a rapid transformation. Audiences demand flawless content delivery across more platforms, while broadcasters face relentless cost pressures and the need to modernize infrastructure.
Traditional networks, built on expensive private circuits, rigid topologies and manual operations are increasingly unfit for this new environment.
Seeker SD-WAN provides a fresh and transformative approach for how networks are envisioned, built and operated. Purpose-built for demanding broadcast environments, it combines software-defined networking (SDN) with military-grade self-healing and security, while reducing deployment and operational complexity.
Broadcasters such as New York Public Radio have embraced Seeker to simplify their networks, cut costs and dramatically improve resilience. The result is an overall network with lower expenses, significantly lower over-theair outages, and improved agility required to thrive in the digital-first era.
Hitless transmission
Broadcast networks have long relied on leased fiber and MPLS links to deliver content reliably. But these private
circuits are costly and inflexible, limiting a broadcaster’s ability to expand or adapt quickly.
Seeker SD-WAN removes this dependency by intelligently aggregating affordable consumer-grade broadband, LTE/5G and Starlink connections, while also supporting P2P microwave links when available. The result is hitless transmission at the same or better performance while lowering costs.
By replacing costly traditional transport, New York Public Radio cut operating expenses while simplifying its network footprint. Broadcast audio quality also saw a big improvement as NYPR was able to switch to uncompressed audio feeds direct to transmission sites instead of using compressed audio.
Broadcast-grade resilience
Reliability is non-negotiable as outages erode the customer experience and, consequently, revenue. Viewers and listeners expect uninterrupted, high-quality programming that’s impervious to network impairments.
Seeker SD-WAN was designed with distributed intelligence — instead of centralized routing controllers — for hitless transmission, ensuring seamless content delivery even during disruptions of transport links to transmission sites.
Key resilience features include:
How to submit Radio World welcomes comment on all relevant topics. Email radioworld@ futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.
• Sub-Second Failover: Traffic instantly reroutes around a failed link without interrupting live streams.
• Disconnected-Spoke Routing: Sites autonomously route around failures without requiring any centralized orchestration.
• Advanced QoS: Mission-critical traffic, like live audio or video feeds, is prioritized to maintain consistent quality.
For New York Public Radio, this meant unprecedented reliability across its distributed network. Even during connectivity challenges, programming continues without disruption.
Intelligent distributed orchestration
Managing a broadcast network has traditionally been laborintensive. Engineers spend countless hours configuring equipment, monitoring connections and troubleshooting failures. Legacy SD-WAN solutions entail complex centralized orchestrators that require networking expertise to deploy and manage.
Seeker SD-WAN removes this burden with intelligent distributed orchestration with each node capable of making complex routing and network-healing decisions completely autonomously, ensuring superior uptime and eliminating
or amphitheaters are easily supported using any and all available transports at that location. With Seeker, NYPR can expand and adapt its distribution footprint quickly, without introducing new risks or complexities.
Future-proofing workflows
The broadcast industry is shifting rapidly toward IP-based workflows, cloud integration and remote production. Networks must support this evolution while staying costefficient and reliable.
Seeker SD-WAN provides the foundation for this shift. By aggregating any mix of terrestrial internet, satellite or wireless, and private links, it enables broadcasters to design agile networks that adapt to new workflows. For NYPR, its network can evolve alongside its programming and audience engagement strategies, without being locked into rigid, outdated models.
Tangible advantages
The Seeker SD-WAN advantage can be summarized in the strategic outcomes it delivers to broadcasters:
• Reduced Costs: Replace expensive private
“Seeker SD-WAN combines software-defined networking with military-grade self-healing and security, while reducing deployment and operational complexity.
single points of failure. Centralized management remains available when desired, but without bottlenecks or dependencies. This means fewer hours on maintenance and troubleshooting, and more time for innovation and content delivery.
Scaling with confidence
As broadcasters grow, networks must scale seamlessly. Adding affiliates, integrating regional hubs or supporting remote production environments can be slow and costly with traditional infrastructure.
Seeker SD-WAN was designed with scalability in mind. Networks can expand to thousands of nodes in any topology, whether hub-and-spoke, full-mesh or any partial mesh topology. Once deployed, sites require almost no intervention due to the autonomous nature of the software in handling transport outages.
This scalability is delivering value for New York Public Radio, which operates a wide-reaching network of stations and affiliates. Short-term events like concerts at parks
circuits with low-cost broadband or satellite while improving up times.
• Resilient Delivery: Hitless transmission and sub-second failover ensure uninterrupted broadcasts.
• Simplified Operations: Distributed orchestration automates resilience, cutting management overhead.
• Scalable Growth: Expand to hundreds of sites quickly while reducing manual complexity.
• Agility and Flexibility: Connect pop-up and home studios, remote production teams or affiliates with speed and confidence in a single platform.
• Future-Readiness: Support IP-based workflows, hybrid connectivity and evolving digital-first distribution models.
Broadcasting is at a crossroads. Legacy networks are expensive, rigid and increasingly unsuited to the demands of modern distribution. At the same time, competition for audience attention has never been more intense. Seeker SD-WAN provides a proven alternative.
