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Contributors: David Bialik, John Bisset, Edwin Bukont, James Careless, Ken Deutsch, Mark Durenberger, Charles Fitch, Donna Halper, Alan Jurison, Paul Kaminski, John Kean, Larry Langford, Mark Lapidus, Michael LeClair, Frank McCoy, Jim Peck, Mark Persons, Stephen M. Poole, James O’Neal, T. Carter Ross, John Schneider, Gregg Skall, Dan Slentz, Dennis Sloatman, Randy Stine, Tom Vernon, Jennifer Waits, Steve Walker, Chris Wygal
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Tall towers, long memories
Readers liked my stick talk
Paul McLane Editor in Chief
Thanks to all who wrote to me about my recent column “I Love the Sticks” in which I talked about the romance of broadcast towers, including my memories of watching the sun set behind the towers of WNRK and of visiting the array of WDEL/WSTW in the middle of the night.
It was particularly delightful to hear from the man who gave me my first paying job in radio, Al Campagnone, former owner of WNRK. He hired me for weekend work circa 1979 or ’80.
“Your article brought back good memories,” Al wrote me. “Know what you mean when you see radio towers. I had the same affection for them myself — guess it’s a broadcast thing. WNRK was a big part of my life and I loved being able to bring many hours of fun to our listeners in Newark. It truly was a sad day when the three towers came down.”
Ed Pajewski, who now runs low-power FM station WITG in Ocala, Fla., told me he was born and raised in Newark, Del., and had fond memories of sitting with his mother on snowy winter mornings listening to WNRK to hear if his school was closed.
He told me the station inspired him to become an amateur radio operator and to go into broadcast engineering. He later moved over to running an IT company but now he’s back engaging his passion with the LPFM. “I get to marvel at the 320-foot tower that I share with Bible Broadcasting Network,” he said.
Our friend Bill Baker of Information Station Specialists said, “I loved your tower piece and can totally relate. I grew up in the shadow of Crosley’s ‘big one’ on AM700 in Southern Ohio. And I, too, use to bore females with musings about directional arrays.”
Cris Alexander recalled stepping outside during his evening shift to look up at the 800-foot rectangular tower serving KWAS(FM) in Amarillo, Texas. “I remember the flashing top beacon illuminating the crow’s nest around it with pulsing red light, and I remember the sound the ever-present high plains wind made blowing through the tower and guy wires.”
And Robert Richer, another longtime RW supporter, thanked me for sharing memories of watching towers in a cornfield at sunset, but he added: “I must say that the thousand-footer that I went up inside its elevator at a Dallas antenna farm shore gave me religion.”
Yowza. The only high elevator I’ve traveled in was a construction elevator on the side of One World Trade, courtesy of the late John Lyons. But that was enclosed, so I was mostly spared the knee-knocking that would have accompanied a trip up an exposed thousand-footer (not to mention a 2,000-footer).
I say “mostly” because I had to swallow hard before stepping across the gap between the elevator car and the building. John took great delight in scaring the willies out of me.
I love hearing about your own experiences with the romance of working in and around radio. Email me anytime at radioworld@futurenet.com
FCC Launches Ownership Review
The FCC officially launched its next review of local broadcast ownership rules.
It is required to review them every four years. FCC watchers believe that under this president and chairman, the process will end with easing of radio market caps, probably heralding more ownership consolidation.
The September meeting was interrupted by protestors calling for the removal of Chairman Brendan Carr. The group, shown at right, chanted “fire Carr, the censorship czar,” before they were escorted out.
Current radio caps were established by Congress in 1996. The NAB has pressed the FCC to modify or do away with the limits.
The FCC “intends to take a fresh approach to competition,” Carr said, “by examining the broader media marketplace, rather than treating broadcast radio and television as isolated markets.”
The NAB has proposed eliminating all restrictions on radio station ownership in Nielsen markets 76 and smaller, including unrated areas. For large markets 1 through 75, it has proposed removing restrictions on AM station ownership and allowing broadcasters to own up to eight FMs in a market.
At present, in a market with 45 or more radio stations, one entity may own eight stations, with no more than five in one service (AM or FM). The numbers go down as market size decreases.
of a vibrant media marketplace, the commission
to advance the fiction that broadcast radio and broadcast television stations exist in markets unto themselves.”
— Randy J. Stine
Carr has harshly criticized the previous review led by predecessor Jessica Rosenworcel. He wrote at the time: “Despite a record bursting with evidence
continues
Writer
Randy J. Stine
Broadcasters reconsider the direction of traffic
Cumulus plans to save millions through outsourcing
With radio broadcasters hyper-focused on cost-cutting, some are consolidating or outsourcing their traffic and billing functions.
(In this article, traffic refers to processes that manage the lifecycle of an ad spot that plays on the radio. These inventory management systems, according to service provider Marketron, coordinate airtime programming and ad spots,
involving steps like order entry, approvals, log preparation, billing, reconciliation, proof of performance and reporting.)
Radio’s traffic management landscape is changing quickly as broadcasters look at ways to optimize automated workflows within this ecosystem.
Broadcast ownership groups generally have been tightlipped about these decisions. Officials at iHeartMedia and Audacy, the two largest U.S. radio groups by revenue, declined to be interviewed for this story, but both reportedly have eliminated positions and condensed many business operations.
At a minimum, iHeart has substantially consolidated its traffic and billing operations by moving most functions from individual stations to centralized “Centers of Excellence.”
According to reporting by music trade publication Radio and Music Pros, iHeart’s traffic managers and continuity staffers were among those hit by a round of layoffs early last year.
According to one person familiar with iHeart operations, its “programmatic buying and other automated workflows likely mean there is less of a need for a lot of traffic people.”
Another top-five radio company is Beasley. In a redesign of its digital workflow, the company in 2024 brought on a third-party accounts receivable service to handle some “payment applications.” But according to a spokesperson, Beasley otherwise continues its market accounts receivable functions.
But at No. 3 Cumulus, CEO Mary Berner disclosed on a quarterly investor call in August that it was outsourcing its entire traffic function.
“That will result in several million dollars of cost savings, which will be realized in 2026,” she said. A Cumulus spokesperson told Radio World in an
William Whitehurst/Getty Images
The author wrote recently about the impact of federal budget cuts on public radio.
Radio Workflows
email that the company had nothing further to share on the topic.
But Cumulus stations began transitioning its commercial logs to Wipro, a third-party vendor, in September, according to a person familiar with these changes.
Wipro is based in India and provides clients a suite of media and entertainment services that includes components for content and advertising management.
In August, the Georgia Association of Broadcasters wrote in a newsletter that Cumulus had laid off 60 or more members of its corporate traffic department in this outsourcing, attributing the information to the podcast Georgia Wavelengths.
Most Cumulus traffic staff had been working remotely, handling up to a half dozen stations each, according to that report.
“The new company, which reportedly is the same Indian company that iHeart uses for traffic functions, is set to begin training on Cumulus stations,” the GAB wrote.
choose to keep the function in-house must ensure their traffic system is optimized for automation, integration and streamlined workflows.”
Kalman says cost savings is often a driver of outsourcing. He said the true value of outsourcing lies in operational excellence and resource optimization.
“By partnering with experts, stations free up internal bandwidth and ensure these mission-critical functions are handled with consistency and precision,” Kalman says.
Not all outsourcing is created equal, he believes.
“Some providers rely heavily on contractors or fragmented networks of freelancers to manage traffic and billing. This approach can pose serious risks when handling confidential revenue and client information. Without direct oversight, stations may face issues with data security, accountability and accuracy,” he said.
Marketron says another factor affecting broadcasters is that the talent pool of traffic professionals is shrinking. Many seasoned experts are retiring while fewer younger
“Cumulus stations began transitioning its commercial logs to Wipro, a third-party vendor, in September, according to a person familiar with the changes.
A shrinking talent pool
One observer who asked not to be named said the tedious days of manual logs, reconciliation, auditing and invoicing are almost over, thanks to increasingly sophisticated scheduling software, automation, integration between systems and the growth of AI tools.
“All are repeatable tasks that can be automated very well,” he said.
Marketron supplies traffic management technology to radio stations. It says larger broadcasters are creating hubs to manage traffic operations from a central zone, or outsourcing these operations entirely. It says smaller broadcasters are sometimes faced with more challenging decisions.
Todd Kalman, chief revenue officer at Marketron, says broadcasters are choosing between several options.
“They can outsource traffic management to partners like Marketron, where our team becomes an extension of the station to handle daily workflows with consistency and accuracy. Alternatively, stations that
professionals enter the field.
Rhonda Austin, radio traffic/operations manager for WXXI Public Media in Rochester, N.Y., said the contributions of the traffic department are often overlooked even though traffic and billing are critical to the pursuit of profitability.
“It is definitely an undervalued department,” she said. “Why? Traffic staff have always been seen as an administrative position or department. Even though we work closely with the sales staff, in some cases we also work closely with production or produce spots ourselves.”
She acknowledges that public media differs from commercial radio, but she said the essence of the job remains the same. And when commercial broadcasters outsource traffic and billing, stations can lose their connection to local audiences and customers.
“As for billing, having a connection to someone in that city who knows their advertisers would be beneficial, especially in case of an issue,” Austin said.
She said the former Traffic Directors Guild of America was a good resource for gathering information about traffic professionals. It ceased operations following the death of founder Larry Keane in 2018.
Writer
Nick Langan
Inside America’s first FM geotargeting deployment
GBS and an engineering team configured ZoneCasting in Nevada and Utah
The first FM geotargeting installation went on the air in August at KADD(FM), “La Mejor 93.5,” a Class C station based in Logandale, Nev. Radio Activo is the licensee.
GeoBroadcast Solutions is the designer of the ZoneCasting geotargeting system. It allows stations to air unique content on synchronized boosters, including ads, with an aim to create localized revenue streams.
The station was already operating five single-frequency network boosters in a GBS MaxxCasting system to enhance its signal in both Las Vegas and St. George, Utah. Now it is taking advantage of the FCC’s decision to allow stations to originate programming on boosters for three minutes each hour.
Though the commission did not endorse a particular vendor, in practice the rules allow the use of the GBS ZoneCasting technology.
How it works
“While each booster has a dedicated audio feed, MaxxCasting and Zonecasting are designed to operate boosters in clusters to cover a specific area,” the project team said.
The KADD deployment has two zones, one created by its three Las Vegas boosters, the other by two in St. George.
Unique programming that differs from the primary is broadcast in each zone. The daily amount varies based on programming and advertising demand.
Right
These log periodics constitute the transmit antenna for KADD-FM8 in St. George. It is highly directionalized because of proximity to KADD-FM6 and local terrain. The two boosters work in tandem to serve a single targeted zone.
The booster transmitters are tied together with IP codecs that use specialized SFN software and GPS synchronization. Special content sent to the boosters is managed at the main studio through KADD’s automation. The main programming runs continuously, and zoned content plays from separate playlists triggered during ZoneCasting breaks.
The team said the workflow is much like satellite-fed automation, and that most automation systems can be configured in such a manner.
Broadcast Electronics ETX transmitters were used for the KADD boosters, while 2wcom MPX-2c IP codecs were chosen to distribute MPX audio.
“Keep On Score”
A key question for those interested in ZoneCasting has been self-interference, whether booster audio can be kept in sync across a “zone” and with the primary signal.
The GBS team studied listener reactions to interference under different conditions, including mono, stereo and HD Radio, with various audio delays and desirable-toundesirable ratios of competing signals. They developed a metric called “Keep On Score” to assess the point at which interference becomes too much for a listener.
GBS said it designs the networks so that approximately 90% of listeners stay tuned in during transition zones. It said it tested rigorously in both flat and hilly areas.
Successful SFN design, it said, depends on managing RF levels at the receiver so the capture effect transitions cleanly between transmitters.
GBS has said that the advertising community increasingly is interested in targeting. “Radio is the last traditional medium to adopt it.”
You can find more details and photos in the online version of this story, headlined “Inside America’s First FM Geotargeting Deployment.” At radioworld.com, search keyword KADD.
The author recently profiled the iconic Sutro Tower in San Francisco.
John Bisset
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
Tisthe season for site inspections
Also, do you have experience with EMF paint?
New Hampshire-based broadcast engineer
Stephanie Donnell welcomes the autumn months. After another summer of lightning, power outages and overtaxed HVAC equipment, it’s time for a break, at least until winter brings snow and ice to our antennas, dishes and access roads.
Stephanie calls spring and fall the “sweet seasons,” not too hot nor cold (though as I write, a tropical depression is approaching the Carolinas, and state governors in the region have declared an emergency).
around the base of the tower, looking for hardware that might have fallen off — bolts, nuts, tie wraps, things that shouldn’t be on the ground.
Stephanie also shares a suggestion for cleaning slider controls like faders. She discovered this while repairing stereos and CBs years ago: Use GC Electronics Freeze Mist or a similar component cooler. It’s not perfect but will remove gunk. Worth trying in a pinch.
Use caution when selecting cleaning liquids for your electronic equipment.
Whether you live in the northern or southern hemisphere, your autumn is a good time to weatherproof. Take a walk around your transmitter sites. Inspect the building structures, foundations, walls and roofs.
Make note of any potential entry points for unwanted visitors. Plug small entry points with stainless steel wool (rodents will eat right through expanding foam). Walk
Be forewarned that some spray cleaners can dissolve plastic components. Stephanie recalled trying Radio Shack “Color TV Tuner Cleaner” and it completely ruined the slider.
What do you use on your studio components? Tell me at johnpbisset@gmail.com.
Stephanie also read our idea about using a heavy solenoid to slap the side of a misbehaving transmitter without having to visit the site. She said it has crossed her mind, especially when confronting a three-hour
Kevin Smart/Getty Images
Workbench
drive that ends with a trip on a snow-tracked ATV just to reach a site to cycle the On/Off button on an APC UPS. She couldn’t even get the remote IP GUI to take a “power cycle” command!
Oh, the fun we have as engineers.
EMF paint
According to building biologist Ryan Blaser, who founded a company called Test My Home, EMF paint is a shielding product that creates a barrier to radiofrequency radiation. He says it contains conductive materials, typically carbon-based, that help block or reduce exposure to electromagnetic fields.
You will find brands being sold under names like YShield, ECOS and Woremor.
Although the idea of shielding yourself or your studios from electromagnetic fields may be tempting, the solution is accompanied by some concerns.
Blaser said there are pros and cons. He said EMF paint is more costly and involved than regular paint and that it will affect the performance of your cell and Wi-Fi devices. Most EMF paint is black or gray, though some can be painted over. And the painted surface must be grounded. Have you used such products? Let me know.
There’s a lot of interesting discussion about EMF paint online. See for example www.housedigest.com/1861539
Bipolar supply
Ira Wilner, chief at Monadnock Media Group, read our tip about replacing a device’s original power supply.
Left
Your only color choice for EMF paint is black or gray, but some paints will accept a colored overcoat.
Right
The top image shows a speed test in progress. The bottom image shows the result.
He offers a caveat about replacing a bipolar supply with two independent units: You may lose some safety features. First is the balancing or tracking of both outputs in order to keep their difference the same; this feature is not available with separate supplies.
You also lose emergency shutdown upon overload, where one rail overloads and the other polarity also shuts down. Two independent supplies won’t provide such peace of mind. Should the condition occur, serious equipment damage may result.
Speed test
Paul Sagi, a regular tips contributor not daunted by being based 9,500 miles from RW headquarters, shares a free WiFi speed test, available at https://wifiman.com.
Common benchmarks for home services are 100 Mbps or higher for download speed, and 20 Mbps for upload speed. However, large families and other heavy users may require 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) or more, to support multiple devices and high bandwidth activity like 4K streaming and online gaming.
Cybersecurity
Secure Your Barix Box
We started hearing reports after Labor Day about another round of “Barix hacks.” Several stations unintentionally aired audio with explicit lyrics and bogus messages sent over their EAS systems.
The stations use equipment made by Barix as studio/transmitter links. Barix founder and CTO Johannes Rietschel told Radio World’s Nick Langan that “tens of thousands” of second-generation Instreamer encoders and Exstreamer decoders, released in 2003, remain in use at stations that installed them to replace 950 MHz STLs.
Stations like the ease of setup and cost-effectiveness. But in 2015, high-profile breaches led to an FCC investigation.
Rietschel said the devices were never marketed as plug-in-play, all-in-one appliances. “The Exstreamers are at their core a generic IP audio decoder.” He underscores the need for users to ensure that devices are secured, ideally through a VPN. These devices, he said, should never be fully exposed to the internet.
If an entity gains access to a station’s Barix, its audio airchain can be compromised, including the station’s EAS equipment. Worse, a total distributed denial of service attack is possible.
Barix considered implementing a protocol requiring signed confirmation from users that they understood this. But he said the company can’t control the vibrant resale market, and decided against such a stipulation.
“There’s no such thing as a driver’s license required to put devices onto the internet,” he said.
Some suggested Barix configure its devices such that, even if they are indexed by the website Shodan, for instance, the names of the devices would not be revealed. Rietschel said that’s just masking the problem. Most of the devices on Shodan’s list are identified by SNMP anyway.
Langan’s article is titled “Barix Founder and CTO Bangs Security Drum.” It includes best practice advice and information about the Barix Reflector service and the “stream pull” method known as BRTP. Find it at http://radioworld.com, keyword “Barix.”
Writer Paul McLane Editor in Chief
Views on processing from out in the field
We asked five experienced engineers for their opinions
What are the most important trends in audio processing? In a new Radio World ebook, we asked several leading engineers for their perspectives. Here are excerpts; a link to the full story is at the end.
“Virtualizing audio processing is a big leap forward for the air chain,” said Jeremy Preece, president of Wavelength Technical Solutions.
“Years ago, advances in technology made huge improvements to on-air sound — think CBS Volumax to the Optimod 8100. Now it’s changed into more subtle improvements for the listeners and jumps in processor capability.”
Running a virtual processor, he said, allows for processing multiple AM/FM stations, HD signals, integrating RDS, streaming and soon EAS, all into one PC instance.
“Upgrades no longer mean replacing hardware, just installing software. Virtual processing has much potential, and I suspect AI will be coming to future platforms.”
Joe Geerling, director of engineering for Covenant Network, said the number of features per dollar has grown significantly.
“Doing all the different processing and providing outputs for all services should be an easy standard for the traditional processor box,” he said.
“It will also be interesting to see the effects of makers and hobbyists, who now have access to very powerful tools at very low costs to play. I talked to a guy who was hired by a top YouTube channel, and he was excited to put his audio science degree into action with all the new data on how we hear sound.”
Geerling notes that the science of sound was key in developments that changed processing and helped with ratings watermarking.
Jorg Greuel/Getty Images
Above
Joe Geerling. “The best stations have a good balance between mics, remote audio and music, and can achieve some openess of the audio they play.”
“There’s a lot of knowledge coming because of the new tools available both in hardware and software. I love how declipping can work, as well as other tools, and am looking forward to what’s next.”
David Bialik, director of engineering at MediaCo NY, emphasizes the importance of loudness control.
“Radio learned this from television. Compliance to the BS1770 standard is crucial to building larger average quarter hours,” he said.
“Many radio stations are streaming the content but inserting different commercial content. The challenge to the broadcaster is to match the loudness level of program content and inserted commercials from advertising networks. If there’s a difference, the audience is encouraged to either adjust the volume knob or turn off the stream.”
Mike Buckner is chief engineer for the Cumulus Radio Station Group in Nashville, Tenn.
“In recent years, many processors have what some call a declipper on the front end of the box. It’s impossible to restore the information lost from aggressive clipping in the source material, but it is possible to restore some positive peaks, which certainly helps to lessen the perceived density crunch of the source material,” he said.
“Unlike many predecessors, most processors are now all software, with very little analog components in the chain, other than the MPX to feed the FM exciter.”
A fan of the Omnia.9 box, he continued: “I still use this means so that I can take
“Why would we limit digital streaming audio to 15 kHz or so to protect a stereo pilot that isn’t there? ”
advantage of the highly superior final clipper in the 9. Between the front-end declipper structure on newer processors as well as precise means of width and peak control in the AGC and multiband, it is much easier to achieve loud, yet perceivably clean audio. This is useful not only to FM, but also HD channels and internet streaming.”
Right tool, right job
Veteran radio and TV engineer Dan Slentz is director of Blue Streak Media at John Carroll University, advisor to WDOG(LP) and a Radio World contributor. He says it’s critical for engineers to understand the method of transmission.
“Just the same as you’d never use an AM processor for FM, we shouldn’t consider streaming as ‘FM audio.’ Why
would we limit digital streaming audio to 15 kHz or so to protect a stereo pilot that isn’t there? And other than loudness and keeping analog and digital in sync, why would we not want the HD to have a superior sound to FM?
“In our case, our HD and FM blend like FM mono and stereo, based on signal strength; but it’s my opinion the change between FM and HD should be like Dorothy walking out of the sepia house into the Land of Oz in stunning color. Why would a listener care about HD if it’s really nothing special to FM?”
Audio Processing
Each type of audio should be processed for the particular medium’s strengths, weaknesses and most common location of consumption.
“Our aggressive processing for broadcast comes from the idea that we overcome road noise. But the cars our parents and grandparents drove were very noisy compared to today’s vehicles, especially electric cars. Even then, having air conditioning in a car was a true luxury, so summer meant open-window air conditioning, and the radio HAD to be loud. Quiet passages in songs could not be quiet. We’ve become used to heavy processing and never changed.”
Above left Jeremy Preece. “Your stream is going up against Apple Music and Spotify, and listeners are used to a more open, dynamic soundstage.”
Above right David Bialik. “Compliance to the BS-1770 standard is crucial to building larger average quarter hours.”
Another consideration, Slentz said, is how audio has changed.
“If we opened up songs from a decade or more ago on a digital editor, we saw ‘waves,’ but now the content we get is nearly ‘flat lining.’ This may be the best term both in how it appears and in the fact that a ‘flat line’ in medicine means the EKG shows no life! This factor should be weighed in our processing,” he continued.
“I follow the advice of Bob Orban in opening and listening to every song with a digital editor and making very subtle corrections to the wave file before it ever hits the studio and processing downstream. I try to make sure all levels, EQ and very simply ‘processing’ allow each song to at least ‘look’ similar when it hits digital automation and processing.”
Slentz says he has learned much by talking to processing designers at all of the major broadcast equipment manufacturers. “Each nugget of wisdom I could grab from them, I try to weigh when developing my own thoughts.”
Read the full article as well as the opinions of processing manufacturers in the free ebook “Trends in Audio Processing” at radioworld.com/ebooks.
Signal Monitoring, Remote Control, EAS and Test
About Buyer’s Guide
The Buyer’s Guide section appears in every other issue, focusing on a particular category of equipment and services. It is intended to help buyers know what’s on the market and gain insight into how their peers are using such products.
Notifications breed action with AAT’s EmPower
A NoCal engineer finishes his tasks in peace with the centralized mobile app
The dreaded notification came in while contractbased engineer Tim Parish was at lunch in greater Sacramento.
An off-air alert.
But instead of juggling remote logins or fumbling through a transmitter’s web-based user interface, Parish launched the EmPower app from American Amplifier Technologies on his phone. He tapped “TX ON” and watched as the transmitter’s power returned.
It was a small moment — he was able to peacefully finish his sandwich — but it showcased a shift in how he maintains his stations with the combination of the EmPower Controller and App.
“Being able to manage everything from one entry point is pretty powerful,” Parish said.
Like many engineers, he operated with a constraint.
His incumbent remote-control solution handled contact closures but was not natively compatible with SNMP. Any upgrade meant an added degree of complexity.
Info www. americanamptech. com
So in the meantime, day-to-day, he’d hop from one IP address to another to check on various levels or send a remote command.
Parish desired a centralized solution. In fact it was his use case, AAT said, that led to the EmPower approach.
The EmPower Controller is AAT’s remote site monitoring device, which the company described as “unapologetically
SMNP-native.” It also supports legacy I/O. When paired with the EmPower App for Apple iOS or Android, it allows engineers to focus their attention where needed with the app’s grouping and map view capabilities.
“You just glance and know,” Parish said of the EmPower App’s front-and-center status gauges.
He said notifications in the app prompt action, not a scramble. The commands tab allows him to confirm a desired action, then return to his task at hand. He said the effect has been cumulative: fewer pages to load, passwords to remember and steps that invite mistakes.
He cited the ease of setup, SNMP readiness, remote access and multi-site management as benefits of using the EmPower Controller and EmPower App.
“His incumbent remote-control solution handled contact closures but was not natively compatible with SNMP. ”
Consulting firm improves efficiency with Audemat
Be Cast in France relies on the platform for FM and DAB analysis
France’s Be Cast Consulting focuses on measurement and quality control of FM and DAB+ broadcasts. President Patrice Albarelli said it used to rely on basic field strength meters, but they often lacked precision and flexibility.
The company is often tasked with comparative measurement campaigns along France’s roadways. It also performs audits of audio quality and signal strength in various environments, from urban centers to rural zones, where coverage can fluctuate significantly.
Seeking to improve their measurements, Be Cast purchased a Worldcast Systems Audemat MC6, an all-in-one FM and DAB test and measurement platform.
Be Cast uses the MC6 for FM excursion measurements, RDS data analysis and signal characterization in both FM and DAB+.
The company is particularly making use of the MC6’s FM and DAB analyzers, GoldenEar audio quality assessment, automated reporting and frequency scanning. Be Cast said the flexibility to analyze multiple parameters in real time, while maintaining data consistency, has allowed it to increase the accuracy of its diagnostics and the value of its client reports.
“It’s an essential tool for all FM and DAB measurements. It brings transparency and precision to the data we deliver to clients,” Albarelli said.
Be Cast said the device has replaced several pieces of equipment, saving time and money and improving diagnostic accuracy.
The unit’s portability has made it easier for the Be Cast team to respond to measurement requests in the field, useful when troubleshooting interference issues or verifying regulatory compliance under tight deadlines.
With benefits for the consultancy’s productivity, workflow efficiency and quality of client reports, Albarelli described the MC6 as an “indispensable, reliable and versatile tool.”
Patrice Albarelli in the field with the MC6.
Tech Update
BDI Provides Antenna and Combiner
BDI highlights its SWP206D antenna monitor system. The company calls it a “total solution” for master antenna and combiner monitoring when used with its family of products.
The SWP-206D has intelligent relay control of interlocks so that broadband faults, such as antenna or system load faults, will cause all relays to open on the system for protection.
Protection
If a station experiences an issue with VSWR or temperature, BDI said the SWP-206D will detect this and open the interlock.
The ICP-800 interlock consolidation panel, shown, allows for collection of closures that provide the interlock string necessary for safety and protection of antenna components. The front is equipped with RF indicator lights that provide safety information to tower crews and maintenance personnel.
At the heart of the SWP-206D system are BDI DPS-100D inline, calibrated RF power meters. They can accommodate low- and highpowered systems and provide measurement of forward and reflected power, VSWR, temperature and line pressure.
BDI RF can be interfaced to modern SNMP-supported control systems and software. BDI also offers graphical user interfaces and panel viewer software for monitoring multiple power meters by SNMP.
Info: www.broadcast-devices.com
Tech Update
Broadcast Tools Ships Latest EAS Switcher
Broadcast Tools is shipping the MSRP-3 AES, a three-station AES/EBU digital audio version of its analog EAS relay/switcher model.
The company said this follows in the footsteps of its original MultiStation Relay Panel, which was designed for the Sage ENDEC in 1996.
The MSRP-3 AES adds three channels of digital audio distribution and transparent audio interrupt switching to the Sage ENDEC, Digital Alert Systems DASDEC and other EAS encoders. Each alert insertion can occur simultaneously on one or more station outputs, but alerts cannot be overlapped.
The model’s features include an internal analog-to-digital converter with wordclock input that accepts balanced mono analog audio. The ADC can be bypassed and switched to a transformer-isolated AES
Tech Update
Inrush Offers Central Monitoring & Fractional CTO Services
Inrush said its Network Operations Center provides a “first call, oncall” rotation to support stations and their engineers.
The company has built approximately 500 studios in markets of all sizes. It says its roster of technical staff brings deep knowledge in cloud-native solutions and other cutting-edge technologies. The centralized service allows engineers who rarely get true vacation time to clock out and let Inrush handle things.
For clients struggling with recruitment and the nationwide shortage of engineers, the NOC enables stations to function effectively.
For a growing number of clients, it also provides fractional technical consulting and strategic advice on a station’s or cluster’s technology stack, as well as how to structure ongoing technical investments, while still providing 24/7 emergency support.
It handles ongoing monitoring, proactive remote maintenance and FCC compliance tasks for stations while advising station leaders on long-term technical investment plans.
digital input. A dedicated fourth transformer-isolated AES output provides encoder audio to additional devices.
It accepts standard pinout RJ-45 station audio input and output jacks, which makes installation with CAT-5 or CAT patch cables simple. The MSRP-3 can be controlled via its RS-232 serial port, TCP/ UDP Ethernet port and contact closure inputs. SPST test and station relay outputs are included to provide status.
A surge-protected universal switching desktop power supply with an IEC AC inlet is included. Two units may be mounted on an optional rack shelf.
Info: www.broadcasttools.com
Tech Update
Burk Monitors Temp, Humidity, Smoke and Sound
Temperature remains one of the most revealing environmental parameters, according to Burk Technology, but don’t overlook humidity.
“Keeping relative humidity in the range of 40–60 percent is typically recommended,” it states.
Smoke or flooding also must be detected quickly. Even changes in sound or light can reveal problems.
The Burk Rack Room Environmental Monitoring Package is intended to give broadcast engineers a window into the health of their rack rooms.
The package includes the Climate Guard Environmental Monitor, which is a Plus-X EM32 unit equipped with sensors for flood, smoke, humidity and temperature. The TRI TEMP array places three pre-wired sensors at the bottom, middle and top of a rack, which provides a real-time picture of airflow and heat rise.
The company coaches programming and operations staff on how to address technical issues when they arise, though many can be diagnosed and resolved remotely.
Info: www.inru.sh
Built-in detectors monitor for changes in light and sound. Additional sensors such as motion detectors and door sensors can be added to suit station needs.
Alarm thresholds in the climate guard can trigger alerts via email, text or SNMP. The system can operate stand-alone or integrate with any Burk ARC Plus unit, at the studio or the transmitter site.
Info:
Tech update 2wcom Toolkit Is Designed to Keep HD Radio in Sync
Maintaining audio quality requires precise timing, 2wcom says, and for that reason it offers stations a toolkit to simplify and enhance HD Radio operations.
A trio of tools is headlined by its combined transport of MPX and E2X, which ensures that HD Radio signals remain in alignment with analog broadcasts, automatically compensating for network and diversity delays. The company said it is available in its MPX-2c codec.
The HD Radio Capture Client or HDR-CC allows stations to insert and distribute EAS messages across HD2, HD3 and HD4 subchannels. Built-in sound processing
and handling of subchannels make it easy to stay compliant and keep listeners informed.
And its RF-10e HD Radio receiver, like its other receivers equipped with an FM tuner option, can now handle HD Radio reception and decoding. It enables transmitter remote control, RF signal monitoring and test and measurement capabilities, all from one platform.
Together, 2wcom said these tools provide HD Radio signal monitoring, emergency management and synchronization.
Info: www.2wcom.com
Tech Update
Sine Control PowerTracker Monitors Critical Voltage
The PowerTracker from Sine Control Technology enables remote monitoring of a transmitter site’s AC voltage using most remote control or telemetry systems.
Because most sites are at the end of a very long run of utility wiring, the supplied power is susceptible to voltage variation, says Sine’s parent, Henry Engineering. Variations can compromise transmitter performance, so incoming AC line voltage is a critical parameter to monitor at a site.
The PowerTracker connects to the AC mains as close to the utility entry point as
Tech update
Digital Alert Systems Preps V6
Digital Alert Systems says its DASDEC EAS/CAP management device is used at thousands of U.S. broadcast stations.
For radio, the DASDEC-III series supports AoIP with AES-67 and LiveWire and offers the EAS-NET IP interface to many automation systems.
possible. It generates a low-voltage DC output proportional to the AC input voltage, which is then sent to a telemetry input channel on the site’s remote control system.
Once the system is calibrated, the DC sample can be monitored remotely to indicate the site’s AC supply voltage. Users can set high and low limits to trigger an alarm if the DC sample falls out of tolerance.
PowerTracker can monitor both single-phase as well as threephase WYE and three-phase DELTA service. Only one PowerTracker unit is needed to monitor all three phases.
Any line voltage can be monitored: 120, 208, 240, 277 or 480 volts. Once installed, PowerTracker needs no adjustment or maintenance, the company says.
PowerTracker is in stock at Sine Control/Henry Engineering dealers.
Info: www.henryeng.com
DAS plans to release software version 6.0 of DASDEC-III models before the end of the year, incorporating major and minor security enhancements Version 6.0 will be free for users enrolled in the DAS Software Assurance Plan or any user who has participated in its up-trade program since Oct. 1. The cost for other users varies.
The update is optional, and the company will continue to support V5. Version 5.4-2 is FCC-compliant and can be downloaded from the company’s website.
Info: www.digitalalertsystems.com
Tech Update Gorman-Redlich EAS Equipment Gets a Refresh
Gorman-Redlich is highlighting the latest features of its CAP-DEC equipment line.
The current CAP-DEC software ensures that users properly process and filter over-the-air alerts by enabling automatic synchronization of the date and time to connected Gorman-Redlich EAS1 units using the internet-synced CAP-DEC1 clock.
Users can also now configure automated Required Weekly Test of the EAS1 triggered from the connected CAP-DEC1.
Available onboard GRLogger logging software captures digital copies of your EAS logs and can send individual, daily, weekly or monthly log files by email in addition to storing them locally and/or uploading them to a webserver using SFTP.
Info: www.gorman-redlich.com
Tech Update
Nautel AUI Offers Streamlined Monitoring
Nautel spotlights its Advanced User Interface for transmitter management and remote monitoring.
The AUI is designed to streamline the detection of radio transmitter issues, allowing for quicker resolution. Its displays are designed for readability, with important parameters emphasized. The interface is compatible with modern web browsers, enabling use on desktops, tablets and phones.
Features in the AUI include RF and audio spectrum analyzers, which act as a preliminary analysis tool to guard against unwanted emissions and eliminate the need for additional monitoring gear.
Customizable alarms and email notifications can be configured with thresholds ranging from critical system malfunctions to minor issues. SNMP management allows for centralized monitoring of transmitter operations across a network.
The AUI’s scheduling capabilities can automate transmission schedules and events, minimizing the need for manual intervention.
It comes with event logging to track system activities and identify trends or issues. Fault logs can be imported into Microsoft Excel for deeper analysis.
Features include RDS and PSD configuration, as well as configurable levels of user management and security protocols
Info: www.nautel.com/AUI
MaxxKonnect RMT416 Delivers Remote Monitoring
As MaxxKonnect explains succinctly, this is 16 tuners in one box.
The company highlights the RMT416 streaming multi-tuner, which is suitable for those monitoring a market remotely or who need multi-user access to true on-air audio.
The RMT416 allows for up to 16 individual tuners in a 1RU chassis, with separate antenna inputs for AM and FM/NOAA weather. The tuners are also capable of HD Radio reception.
Each of the tuners has an embedded stream encoder, which allows for streaming audio into broadcast workflows. They also have dedicated balanced analog outputs using the StudioHub+ format. The product has silence and carrier loss detection with alerts delivered via SNMP or email.
The device can be managed in a web browser via a single-page user interface.
Info: www.maxxkonnect.com
Tech Update
Inovonics Triple Tuner Has New Features
Inovonics says its 677 Triple Tuner was already one of its best-selling receivers. Still, the company has been adding features.
Tech Update GatesAir Offers AirWatch365 Remote Monitoring Service
Launched in April, GatesAir’s AirWatch365 is an around-theclock NOC-based service that connects to GatesAir’s FM, DAB/ DAB+ and TV transmitters.
Available through the company’s broader GatesAir Care program, it is designed to monitor transmitter performance, analyze RF conditions and respond to quality of experience and uptime issues.
Broadcasters who opt in to AirWatch365 will have access to service engineers based in GatesAir’s manufacturing center in Quincy, Ill. The engineers will set specific thresholds and conditions for alarms, based on the infrastructure of the station. Notifications include metrics such as power levels and modulation error ratios.
The AirWatch365 monitoring infrastructure takes advantage of each transmitter’s control system via its secure application gateway to provide alarming, accelerated root-cause diagnoses and, if needed, execution of remediation tasks, such as parameter adjustments or software upgrades.
GatesAir said the service is compatible with its TV and radio transmitters across both air-cooled and liquid-cooled product lines.
Continuous monitoring also provides the infrastructure’s AI the foundation for predictive analysis and detect potential future RF problems thanks to the storage of data in GatesAir’s Knowledge Base, the company said.
Info: www.gatesair.com
For users who purchased prior to July 2025, firmware version 1.1.0.2 is available and includes simultaneous streaming for each of its three tuners. The update also includes the ability to title each tuner with a preferred name.
For the AM tuner, AM IF bandwidth is now selectable up to 15 kHz while the AM audio cutoff is now selectable up to 8 kHz.
In response to user requests, the tuner’s “now playing” web page displays PS and RT RDS data for FM configurations. For the AM tuner, the company has included an NRSC deemphasis setting.
For users who like to dive deeper, the 677 provides data in the form of a JSON file. The company said this would be useful for users to script their own logs or apps.
The firmware update can be downloaded and installed via the web interface admin page of the tuner. The update also includes bug fixes.
Info: www.inovonicsbroadcast.com
Tech Update
Summit Unveils TowerLytics System
TowerLytics is a web-based monitoring and control system for radio and TV transmission facilities, offered by Summit Technology Group.
It aggregates telemetry from SNMP-enabled transmitters, tower lighting controllers, environmental sensors and power distribution. The result is an information display in a dashboard accessible from web browsers.
The system provides engineers with visibility into forward power, reflected power, PA status, tower light alarms and site conditions such as temperature, humidity and door access events.
TowerLytics users can
trends, generate compliance reports and analyze recurring issues over time.
It supports standard SNMP protocols and can integrate GPIO or other telemetry inputs through remote control products from manufacturers such as Broadcast Devices, Burk Technology and Davicom.
TowerLytics is offered in two service models. The selfmonitored plan provides stations with dashboard access and analytics tools, allowing in-house engineers to manage alerts directly. For additional
Writer Jimshade Chaudhari CEO Marketron
Trends in traffic management for radio
How efficiency seekers are changing operations
Managing the life cycle of a radio spot buy is foundational to radio revenue operations. Highly experienced traffic managers guide these tasks, but current trends in the industry are upending the typical model of having dedicated professionals on-site.
How to submit Radio World welcomes comment on all relevant topics. Email radioworld@ futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.
Radio faces several new and emerging challenges. First, there are fewer skilled traffic managers now than perhaps ever. Second, the industry must identify ways to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs. Third, some software providers haven’t kept up in terms of new features and innovation, which means users encounter challenges with optimization.
Radio is at a crossroads. With a desire to consolidate and streamline, radio faces a changing dynamic in the traffic ecosystem.
It’s a trend deserving of analysis, and as a provider of radio traffic software, Marketron has witnessed just how much the landscape is evolving.
The state of talent
Many factors contribute to the dilemma of hiring and retaining the position. Fewer people are choosing this career path, and many traffic managers are retiring.
It’s a specialized skillset that isn’t something someone can learn in a few days or weeks. It’s also not a role someone can just figure out as they go, as any issues with accuracy can cause a rise in makegoods and credits.
Demand for the role has not decreased, and those stations in rural areas may struggle to attract employees. It’s leaving some stations to call on other staff to wear the traffic “hat” as needed. When a less experienced person runs traffic, efficiency and optimization of workflows don’t get attention.
Is there a more effective way to ensure consistency without compromising control or damaging your brand?
Faced with uncertainty, stations have now begun to outsource traffic management. There are limited options for this, as it’s such a specialized skill. However, a new model, traffic as a service (TaaS), has emerged as a solution.
Courtesy Marketron
Traffic as a service
What if your software provider could also be your traffic manager? This model has advantages, but you may not know it’s even an option. Marketron introduced TaaS over 10 years ago, staffed with our experts.
The experience these professionals bring is unmatched, as no one knows the platform better than them. The partnership starts with an analysis of the current setup to identify ways to optimize it that will streamline tasks and improve workflows.
With this approach, accuracy and consistency are strengthened, and you have “always-on” coverage with a dedicated traffic manager. Contacting them is simply a click away.
By choosing this path, stations also don’t have to recruit, train or manage employees, which comes with challenges and can disrupt operations. GMs can take this heavy lift and delegate it to a trusted partner.
“Radio is at a crossroads. With a desire to consolidate and streamline, radio faces a changing dynamic in the traffic ecosystem. ”
Readers’ Forum
AM towers and cancer
In-house and efficient
For those committed to keeping traffic management inhouse, you can achieve greater operational efficiency in several ways.
Larger organizations can create “hubs” to manage traffic operations from a central zone. To achieve this, stations will need sophisticated technology designed for multiple markets, a feature not always present in software.
Other tips to realize greater efficiencies start with having a system that adapts as the industry does. Those investing in innovation provide a modern platform that supports automation, integration and unification.
Automation embedded in systems reduces manual work and streamlines daily operations. Integrations connect all your systems in an ecosystem, including digital, payment processing, automation systems, production management and more.
A modern solution makes this easy with open APIs, which support end-to-end workflow integrations and data sharing. Legacy systems can be limiting, as they typically rely on asynchronous APIs, which only request information and await a response, which leads to unreliable results.
These features may already be present but overlooked. In our traffic software study earlier this year (see tinyurl. com/rw-traffic), many respondents said they did not have these capabilities in their systems. However, many times, the features were present, but a gap in awareness was noted. If you haven’t done a deep dive into your traffic system lately, you may find it has much more to offer.
The traffic management landscape is evolving, and we remain steadfast in delivering the best solutions to meet the industry’s needs. No matter radio’s future, we’ll be there to support it.
they, and Mr. Skall, are evidently not physicists. The NCI can claim some sort of “implication” to their heart’s content, but none of these claims can possibly have any scientific validity.
I take issue with a statement on AM tower safety that appeared in a column by Mr. Gregg P. Skall, an attorney, in the Sept. 10 issue of
“AM towers emit electromagnetic energy transmitted from large antenna arrays, which can be harmful if humans get too close. The National Cancer Institute has noted that exposure in close proximity to the source of AM transmissions has been implicated in cases of leukemia
I don’t know who is making these unproven claims at the NCI but
That’s because there’s no hard evidence that electromagnetic fields in the medium-wave range cause harm to tissue. The energy levels are so low, it is impossible for these fields to ionize anything and damage DNA, which would be necessary to cause malignancy in an individual.
With that said, everything else in the column regarding direct contact with an energized tower was correct.
It’s disappointing to see this RF exposure hand-wringing in Radio World. The only thing engineers have to worry about at AM sites is their own bad habits when it comes to their health.
Rob Atkinson St. Charles, Ill.
Gregg Skall responds: I agree with Mr. Atkinson based on a closer look at the NCI website. Its page about electromagnetic fields and cancer contains useful information. Find it at tinyurl.com/rw-cancer.
