Radio World 1324 - July 2026

Welcome to the

July 2026

issue of Radio World

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Technology & news for radio decision makers

radioworld.com | July 2026 | $5.00

Insurance and you Is your policy up to meeting radio’s special risks?

Choose your pipes You have a plethora of good options for connectivity today.

A Chesapeake retirement Joe Davis is winding down his consulting business after nearly 20 years.

Buyer’s Guide

New consoles, surfaces and virtual mixers from 11 leading suppliers.

Vol. 50 No. 14 | July 2026 www.radioworld.com FOLLOW US www.twitter.com/radioworld_news www.facebook.com/RadioWorldMagazine www.linkedin.com/company/radio-world-futureplc CONTENT Managing Director, Content & Editor in Chief Paul J. McLane, paul.mclane@futurenet.com, 845-414-6105 Content Producer Nick Langan, nicholas.langan@futurenet.com Technical Advisors W.C. “Cris” Alexander, Thomas R. McGinley, Doug Irwin Contributors: Michael Baldauf, David Bialik, John Bisset, Edwin Bukont, James Careless, Ken Deutsch, Todd Dixon, Mark Durenberger, Charles Fitch, Donna Halper, William Harrison, Alan Jurison, Paul Kaminski, John Kean, Mark Lapidus, James O’Neal, Jim Peck, Mark Persons, Jeremy Preece, John Schneider, Gregg Skall, Dan Slentz, Randy Stine, Tom Vernon, Chris Wygal Production Manager Nicole Schilling Senior Design Director Lisa McIntosh Senior Art Editor Will Shum ADVERTISING SALES Senior Business Director & Publisher, Radio World John Casey, john.casey@futurenet.com, 845-678-3839 Advertising EMEA Raffaella Calabrese, raffaella.calabrese@futurenet.com, +39 348 229 3293 SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to www.radioworld.com and click on Subscribe, email futureplc@computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 254, Lowell, MA 01853.

LICENSING/REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS Radio World is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com MANAGEMENT SVP, MD, B2B Amanda Darman-Allen VP, Market Lead Carmel King MD, Content, Broadcast Tech Paul J. McLane VP, Global Head of Sales, B2B Dena Malouf Managing VP of Sales, B2B Tech Adam Goldstein VP, Global Head of Strategy & Ops, B2B Allison Markert VP, Product & Marketing, B2B Andrew Buchholz Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design, B2B Nicole Cobban

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Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

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Radio World (ISSN 0274-8541) is published 13 times annually (monthly, and twice in December) by Future US, Inc. 130 W. 42nd St, 7th Floor, NY NY 10036.

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We’re tweaking your frequency Radio World’s “times” evolve with the times

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ext year at this time, Radio World will turn 50! That’s an amazing accomplishment for a media brand, though really not a surprise given how loyal our readers and advertisers are and how resilient this publication has been throughout our proud history.

With our big birthday in mind, we’ve decided Paul to tweak the frequency of the Radio World magazine McLane to reflect how readers and advertisers want to Editor in Chief consume our content. Starting in July RW will arrive in your mailbox once per month, or 12 times per year, plus our annual Source Book & Directory. If you are subscribed to our Radio World SmartBrief newsletter, you’ll continue to see it each weekday; and our other offerings are not affected.

As part of this shift we’re also planning to include more “deep dive” engineering content in the magazine, building on the popularity of the RW Engineering Extra e-newsletter.

Advertisers continue to support and value print publications. They also want to be present in your digital life, via our website, the daily SmartBrief, in ebooks and other digital platforms. So a monthly magazine with a daily SmartBrief is the best fit for the mix of platforms our advertisers seek. This change will be a good one and will help propel Radio World through its next 50 years.

Speaking of the Radio World SmartBrief newsletter, we’ve been pleased by reader interest in Nick Langan’s articles in his “Signal Spot” column, including his remarks about distance listening.

Now comes news that the Midwest Regional Broadcasters Clinic will feature a session on DXing for the first time. Joe Ellis and Javier Ruano will present “DX Basics: How Your Signal Gets to Unexpected Places.”

“What can DXing — the hobby of tuning in distant radio and TV stations — teach us about how our broadcast signals really behave in the wild?” the session description asks.

“Using AM skywave and atmospheric anomalies like sporadic E, tropospheric ducting and meteor scatter, DXers receive AM, FM and TV signals from hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Recent innovations have supercharged the hobby: ultra-sensitive receivers based on the TEF668x AM/FM chip, recording an entire band of spectrum, and SDR autologging. Radio RDS and TV PSIP provide definitive station identification.

Shared online SDRs let you DX remotely with no hardware of your own.”

The longstanding “Madison Clinic” began in 1956. It is now a partnership of the Wisconsin and Minnesota chapters of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, the Minnesota Broadcasters Association and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. It takes place Sept. 14–16. This year’s national meeting of the SBE will be held concurrently.

As always let me know your thoughts about any aspect of Radio World at radioworld@futurenet.com. And as we head toward turning 50, please know how much all of us here appreciate you and the time you spend with us.

THIS ISSUE NEWS 3

From the Editor

4

Newswatch

5

Broadcasters weigh insurance coverage against the cost

8

A regional trade show sampler

10

Marketplace

FEATURES 11

When it comes to air chains, less is more

12

This little clip tip is pretty hip

16

Choose your pipes with care

21

People News

22

Let’s keep things moving

24

Joe Davis to close consulting business

BUYER’S GUIDE 26

With Arrakis digital refresh, WCOM celebrates 20 years

28

MFM Radio TV streamlines with AxelTech

30

esRadio upgrades headquarters with DHD consoles

32

Radio Gazeta upgrades with Calrec Type R

OPINION 37

The predictive engineer

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Readers’ Forum

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Newswatch Cato: Public Interest Obligations Are Outdated A fellow at a prominent conservative think tank says the government needs to rethink the philosophy behind the public interest obligations of U.S. broadcasters.

He criticized the rules as outdated and incompatible with current media technologies. The author even doubts the validity of using spectrum scarcity as an argument.

In a blog post titled “The FCC’s Public Interest Notice Is a House of Cards,” the Cato Institute’s David Inserra wrote that because Congress never precisely defined the public-interest standard, the FCC has had significant power to influence, coerce and regulate media as it sees fit. He criticized FCC actions taken under various presidential administrations of both parties, from Kennedy to Trump.

He said that the commission’s recent revival of invoking “public interest” obligations when criticizing late-night comedians threatens broadcasters’ freedom of speech and ignores the media landscape.

“The FCC can cite decades-old laws and precedents and pretend that its public-interest standard is necessary because broadcast spectrum is technically scarce,” Inserra wrote. “But that argument ignores the radically abundant media options available to modern consumers.”

He said the situation “has resulted in frankly ridiculous outcomes.”

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FCC.gov

Inserra suggests that steps be taken to restrict or better define public-interest obligations, including ending rules on news distortion and equal time.

“The FCC does not need to micromanage spectrum, and it certainly does not need to use spectrum licenses as a lever for editorial control,” Inserra writes. “With the FCC’s control over licenses removed, broadcast speech would be far freer from government manipulation and jawboning.”

— Tom Butts

Business Continuity

Composite using: CHOLTICHA KRANJUMNONG/Icon Magesty/Satoshi Kikyo/GreenTana/Getty Images

Writer

Randy J. Stine Radio World’s lead news contributor wrote last issue about the impact of federal funding cuts on public radio engineers.

Broadcasters weigh insurance coverage against the cost Costs grow as companies juggle revenue challenges

C

reeping insurance costs for liability and property coverage have more broadcasters facing increasing financial strain.

Radio and television broadcasters face a wide range of risk. There are towers, antenna equipment, buildings and their contents, broadcast media software, broadcasting vehicles, business interruption, special events, workers’ compensation and more, according to people in the insurance industry.

Whether it’s an ice storm in Tennessee, flooding in Louisiana or a California wildfire, remote broadcast infrastructure is often in harm’s way, and the costs to insure against loss are mounting for broadcasters, they say.

Broadcasters also face liabilities that are unique to the industry. High risks like defamation, copyright infringement and regulatory fines, combined with strict underwriting for specialized productions, drive up premiums for broadcasters. Companies face the threat of vandalism or even domestic terrorism.

radioworld.com | July 2026

Incidents of copper theft are on the rise, which can lead to significant business interruption.

For example, Payne Media Group’s KITX(FM) in Hugo, Okla., suffered catastrophic damage to its tower in 2024 when copper thieves brought the tower down to steal 3-inch copper coax and sell it to a scrapyard.

President Will Payne said the incident took the station off the air and caused significant financial pain even though the transmitter site was insured.

“Insurance is expensive and yet won’t cover everything.

Maybe 80%. Then once a claim is paid, expect to be cancelled and next policy to be double the cost,” he said.

“Also, be prepared to be able to purchase replacement gear and wait up to 10 months or more to be reimbursed.”

Protection comes at a cost, according to experts. The National Association of Broadcasters has several endorsed partners for property and casualty insurance, including Axis and Amwins, which offer NAB members tailored insurance coverage. Both are underwriters that wholesale specialty insurance products and services.

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Business Continuity

NAB Benefit

The NAB offers programs that connect its members with property, casualty, workers comp and media specialty insurance packages. Also ask your state broadcast association.

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Laurie McKenzie, associate director-broadcasters program at Amwins, said broadcasters don’t need extra insurance to protect property, but they do need the right coverage, with accurate limits and appropriate protection.

Cost control is about risk clarity, McKenzie said, not simply shopping for the lowest price.

Stations can consider higher deductibles where appropriate and look for efficiencies by bundling coverages such as property, general liability, auto and umbrella policies.

“Accurate documentation is also essential. Insurers routinely request information such as year built, updates to roofing, HVAC and plumbing, square footage, construction type, and protective features,” she said.

“Where losses have occurred, carriers will want to know what steps were taken to reduce the likelihood of similar losses in the future.”

What’s behind rising insurance premiums for broadcasters?

Increasing weather volatility and rising rebuilding costs continue to affect property insurance pricing, McKenzie said.

Even auto insurance premiums continue to rise, making proactive driver screening, training and fleet safety practices more important than ever.

In addition, she said that from a liability standpoint, insurers expect strong risk‑transfer practices, including written contracts with contractors that include additional insured and hold‑harmless provisions when outside vendors are engaged.

What’s said on the air can create legal exposure, and standard general liability policies typically do not cover content‑based claims.

“Broadcasters should discuss media liability or broadcasters’ liability coverage with their insurance advisor, as that protection is generally provided through a separate professional liability policy,” McKenzie told Radio World.

“Typically, Standard General Liability policies contain exclusions specifically related to content-based claims for those in the business of broadcasting.”

Any time equipment is added to a site, the station’s insurance program should be reviewed and updated accordingly. And don’t forget that carriers want to see reasonable protective measures in place, such as lighting, cameras, fencing, alarms and inventory controls.

Failure to take appropriate precautions, she said, can result in higher deductibles or theft‑related exclusions, particularly at remote tower sites.

“It’s a good idea to review the addresses where towers are listed on the policy carefully, because coverage is usually location specific. Provide geo-coordinates for all tower sites to

radioworld.com | July 2026

ensure accurate listing on the policy so coverage responds as expected.”

Some states, like California, offer special insurance programs for residential and commercial property owners. The state’s FAIR Plan can offer basic fire insurance coverage for high-risk properties when traditional insurance companies will not, according to its website. However, broadcasters are excluded from participating, according to the California Broadcasters Association, so check with your own state association.

Greg Lawrence is a commercial lines advisor with Ansay & Associates, an insurance agency that writes business insurance policies in Wisconsin, Minnesota, upper Michigan and Florida.

He says property exposure, especially at tower sites, is high for broadcasters. Towers increasingly are viewed by insurers as high‑severity risks.

“Broadcast towers are specialized structures and often make up one of the most significant property exposures a station has. Towers are highly susceptible to lightning strikes and electrical surges. Stations should make sure their property insurance specifically includes towers, antennas and transmission equipment with limits high enough to reflect today’s construction and steel costs,” he says.

Also consider extended business interruption coverage, Lawrence said, since rebuilding a tower can take months. Most business interruption coverage lasts 12 months; a more comprehensive policy can cover up to 24 months.

Lawrence describes a “tightening of the insurance market” in 2026 with multiple factors contributing to higher premiums or tighter underwriting requirements.

“Insurers are paying closer attention to catastrophic weather exposures and the rising cost of rebuilding towers and transmission infrastructure. Steel prices, labor costs and supply chain issues have all increased replacement values,” he said.

“In addition, cyber risk and equipment breakdown exposures are getting more scrutiny as broadcast systems become more technologically complex.” Also, some carriers are no longer able to provide Cyber Liability Coverage for broadcasters, he said.

Broadcasters can improve their insurability by focusing on risk management, according to Lawrence. Regular tower inspections, strong grounding and lightning protection systems, site security and documented maintenance help reduce loss potential.

He says radio stations should review their property values and business interruption limits annually to make sure they are accurate.

“A good question to ask an insurance advisor is whether the station has the right mix of property, business income and specialty coverages to restore operations quickly after a major loss.”

Trade Shows

A regional trade show sampler Here are conferences of note in the coming months

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elow is a sampler of upcoming state and regional broadcast conferences with a technology component and/or substantial exhibitor presence. These have notified Radio World of their plans. Watch your daily Radio World SmartBrief e-newsletter for announcements of more.

Midwest Regional Broadcasters Clinic Sept. 15–16

Madison, Wis. “Two days of educational sessions and a buzzing exhibitor hall.” The longstanding “Madison Clinic” is now a partnership of the Wisconsin and Minnesota chapters of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, the Minnesota Broadcasters Association and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. The national meeting of the SBE will be held concurrently. https://broadcastersclinic.com/

Western Association of Broadcast Engineers Conference (WABE) Oct. 5–7

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Texas Association of Broadcasters Aug. 5–6

Round Rock, Texas With ~1,200 attendees and 125 booths, this event bills itself as the largest state broadcast association convention in the nation. https://tabshow.org/

Vancouver, British Columbia The event drew ~375 attendees, 60 vendors last year. https://wabe.ca/

Ohio Association of Broadcasters Exchange Oct. 14

Newark, Ohio “A reimagined conference focused on relevant discussions, roundtables and opportunities to engage directly with broadcasting peers and partners.” https://oabx.oab.org/

ABA Annual Conference Alabama Broadcasters Association Aug. 13–14

Birmingham, Ala. The association is celebrating 80 years. Its event includes an engineering seminar; NAB speaker; and sessions about sales, management and regulation. https://al-ba.com/

The Association of Central Canada Broadcast Engineers Conference Oct. 28–29 Toronto, Ontario Details pending as we went to press. https://www.ccbe.ca/en

radioworld.com | July 2026

Marketplace Radio.Cloud Offers Music Scheduling

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Curator.Cloud is AI-enhanced, browser-based music scheduling from Radio.Cloud. The company says it eliminates hardware dependencies, remote-access hurdles and cluttered interfaces common in music scheduling.

Users can schedule, adjust and monitor music in real time from any location, with no reliance on a dedicated computer, VPN or virtual machine. “This model supports today’s realities of leaner operations, remote teams and multi-station oversight, while enabling additional cost savings.” Stations benefit from perpetual updates, removing upgrade cycles.

AI-powered music intelligence analyzes musical attributes like energy, mood, vocals, danceability and key to enable more precise, station-specific scheduling, which means programmers can create more nuanced rules and bans, ensuring smoother transitions and better flow.

Users assign songs to categories and apply universal or categoryspecific artist and title separation rules. A drag-and-drop Category Changer, shown, moves songs between currents, recurrents, gold, powers, and specialty categories.

A Song History window provides visibility into how each title performs within the schedule, displaying average spin gaps, time since last play, hourly usage and quarter-hour placement.

Migrating from another system, its categories, metadata, attributes and existing rules are preserved, while the AI analyzer enhances the library with deeper musical insights. Curator.Cloud also allows programmers to look beyond the next song by setting rules multiple positions ahead; this allows users to enforce sophisticated sequencing logic such as preventing back-to-back slow songs while guaranteeing an up-tempo follow-up.

Info: https://radio.cloud

Tascam Beefs Up DR-40 Line The Tascam DR-40XP is a four-channel portable handheld recorder that adds USB-C connectivity and 32-bit floating point design to previous DR-40 models.

It is suitable for professional-quality recordings for music, audio-for-video, meetings, dictation and other applications. Retail price is $259.

“The 32-bit float recording mode with up to a 96 kHz sample rate ensures low-noise, distortion-free recordings for a superior sound.

With 32-bit float recording, users never have to worry about losing audio takes that were recorded too loudly or quietly.”

Features include microSDXC card storage and support for up to 512 GB memory cards.

The unit has two unidirectional stereo condenser mics, adjustable from A/B to X/Y configurations. Two XLR/TRS inputs can expand it to capture four sources simultaneously.

An input delay function mitigates phase incoherence between external and internal microphones.

“Combined with its USB-C audio interface, the recorder can function as a two-in/two-out audio interface capable of easily connecting to one’s computer or DAW on both Windows and Mac OS as well as iOS devices,” Tascam said.

The DR-40XP also can be connected to those devices via USB-C for use as a USB microphone.

The recorder includes a chromatic tuner and a reverb effect useful for adding vocal and instrumental resonance.

Three low-cut filter options are available for reducing unwanted noise. For use with video, the DR-40XP has Auto Tone output functionality to make post-production sync simple. This recorder also can attach to a tripod mount.

Info: https://tascam.com/us/product/dr-40xp

radioworld.com | July 2026

Optimize Your Air Chain Writer

Paul Shulins Co-owner, Over the Air RF Consulting

When it comes to air chains, less is more Today’s broadcast equipment can do so much more than in the past

A

Below Paul Shulins at a transmitter site.

Learn More

This article is from the ebook “Optimize Your Air Chain.” Find it at radioworld. com/ebooks.

nytime you put another piece of gear in your air chain, you potentially add noise, latency and another point of failure. Not to mention complicating the signal flow.

Today’s processors can do so much compared to those from five or 10 years ago — big improvements in reliability, technical performance, the inclusion of PPM encoding, RDS generation and diversity delay, to name a few features now standard in many models. This simplification reduces wiring and complexity.

Another important item is bitrate reduction. Today there is little reason to run anything but linear audio through your main STL. Improvements in bandwidth, digital program playout storage and higher-quality STLs allow no excuses for needing to compress the audio.

PPM watermarking has always been a pain point for broadcasters. Knowing that program content can and does affect the readability of the watermarks has always concerned me. Radio stations should be judged by the quality (technical and programming) of their station, and the ratings should be as transparent as possible.

Programmers should not have to program to maximize the readability of the watermarks. Having said that, improvements have been made over the last few years and

radioworld.com | July 2026

need to be studied to see if this mitigates the dependence on dense audio to maximize decode-ability, especially on portable PPM devices. There’s also still a question as to whether bitrate-reduced audio is able to carry the watermarks as well as linear audio.

Streaming is more popular than ever, and engineers need to pay attention to the quality and reliability of their streams.

Metadata to accompany the stream is critical of course.

But what is even more important is level control and thoughtful audio processing for the stream.

Recently there has been much discussion on audio processing for streams and the importance of recognizing the difference in strategy for processing audio over the internet as opposed to over the air. There’s much more opportunity to “show off” dynamic range and less compression on a stream. Also, it’s important to monitor the stream to be sure it is up. And if it is a PPMrated station, make sure the PPM watermarks are being streamed and decoded!

I have always been a fan of redundancy and automated switching for STL sources that may go silent for whatever reason. It’s important to match levels on these different STLs as well as latency to be sure a swap from one source to another is as smooth as possible.

It’s also critically important to report this swap, so the engineer knows that it has taken place and that the primary source may need attention.

The location of the audio processor matters. In my opinion it should always be at the closest point to the exciter, and that generally means at the transmitter site as opposed to the studio. This implies that switching audio sources would also take place at the transmitter site.

Having the processor at the transmitter allows the engineer to optimize the settings — pilot level, audio sound, modulation levels — most accurately, since a modulation monitor right at the transmitter (usually off an RF sample) is ideal and gives the engineer the most stable and accurate picture of what the signal sounds like and what the exact technical parameters are.

This is absolutely essential for making sure your station is loud, clean and in compliance with the FCC’s rules that define the technical parameters required.

The author received the National Association of Broadcasters Engineering Achievement Award for radio in 2025. He has decades of experience in technical and leadership roles for broadcast companies and suppliers.

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Workbench

This little clip tip is pretty hip Also, is your generator ready to back you up?

John Bisset CPBE The author is a longtime radio engineer, contract engineer and technology account executive. He is a past recipient of the SBE Educator of the Year Award.

Tips Please

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Workbench submissions are encouraged and qualify for SBE recertification credit. Email johnpbisset@ gmail.com.

Above A simple plastic clip.

Right O’scope probes can be held snugly, permitting measurements with one hand.

T

echnicians who still test and maintain equipment using ’scopes or VOM probes will appreciate this “better mousetrap.”

The tweezer clip pictured here permits your probes to snap in place, so you can hold onto the probes with just one hand and use the other to make measurements. No more juggling probes only to have them slip off the contacts you are measuring.

The best part: This probe holder costs only around a dollar! At the Temu or Amazon websites, search “One-Hand Multimeter Clip.”

Visual inspection

Summertime can bring thunderstorms, hail and even tornadoes. And for stations along the East Coast, a real concern is hurricanes.

It’s important to keep your backup generator ready. What should an engineer be mindful of?

David Morgan, CBRE, is director of engineering for Sinclair TeleCable in Norfolk, Va. He says your first check should be the radiator hoses. We know to maintain coolant, but just as important is the condition of the hoses.

With the generator off and with the breakers flipped to “off” to prevent it from starting, gently squeeze the hose.

Look for cracks. The surface should be smooth and pliable.

Cracks indicate weaknesses.

Also conduct a visual inspection of the belts. Locate the longest unsupported section of each belt inspect it for abnormal wear, such as glazing on the side or missing chunks of the belt. A strong trouble light will help you in this inspection.

Missing chunks can be caused by high temperatures from the heat of the engine or from the friction of belt slippage.

Next, start the generator and listen. Noise is the first indication of belt (and possibly pulley) problems. Squeal during start-up signifies belt slippage. Check for glazed sides of the belt. You may also hear belt squeal during a load test as the station’s electrical load is transferred to the generator. Under normal conditions, changes in RPM should not cause the belt to slip.

radioworld.com | July 2026

Temu

Amazon

Observe the belt as the engine runs. Watch for erratic movement of the belt or for flutter as it turns. Either condition warrants further inspection by a generator technician.

Friction between belt and pulleys will wear the belt away, just like a car tire. The most common area of wear is on

Workbench

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the tops and walls of the belt ribs.

Eventually, friction causes the grooves of the pulleys to bottom out on the grooves of the belt, with belt slippage as the result.

Poor alignment in the belt and pulleys is the biggest cause of noise.

This condition can also cause belt fraying and premature wear.

The best way to inspect for this condition is to sight down the side of the belt to make sure the belt edge doesn’t make any bends away or toward the engine. Any deviation that’s large enough to see is excessive.

Use caution when adding oil or coolant to the generator engine. If either comes in contact with the belt, slippage can increase and cause heat damage from friction.

Also inspect the seals around the water pump and engine oil seals for leaks, as they can contaminate the belt surface.

If you spot a squeal, investigate!

David points out that in a hurricane zone, you may need your generator to power your facility for several days, even a week or more. But when properly maintained, any generator can provide years of reliable service.

These are basic tips and are not intended to replace a yearly generator service. But when you do inspect your generator, be sure to mention it to the general manager. You are protecting the station’s assets and assuring business continuity.

More gentips

While we’re on the topic, here’s a refresh of useful tips that we shared last year for planning a generator. They come from consulting engineer Charles “Buc” Fitch, P.E. 1. Choose the proper power sizing for the task and character of the load.

2. Determine the best choice for fuel. Local ordinances may restrict certain types.

3. Consider the operating noise level, which in some instances may be regulated by local ordinance. When it comes to the engine muffler system, Buc says, “more quiet” tends to mean “more cost.”

4. Consider access for maintenance. Don’t create a situation where service to the generator requires you to move a wall or rearrange the cars in the parking lot.

5. Determine the true cost of operation — the total you pay to obtain and use it, including maintenance contract, fuel, required fencing, pilasters, etc.

“ ” Generac

Look for cracks.

The surface of the hose should be smooth and pliable.

Above Be sure to leave ample clearance around your generators (like this one from Generac).

radioworld.com | July 2026

6. Figure in the cost of discouraging vandalism. Prudence dictates proper fencing, locked cabinets and a security camera.

7. Consider fire safety. Think about containment, suppression or detection systems.

8. Remember run-time cycling. This depends on the character, frequency and duration of your outages.

9. Explore options like remote monitoring and control; a fuel level sensor that can summon the fuel company; an excessive run indicator; an engine hours meter; and an alarm to warn of failure to start on exercise.

10. Look ahead. Do you have upgrades in mind that might require a few extra kW of capacity later?

Radio Connectivity

16 CoreDesignKEY/Getty Images

Writer

Choose your pipes Today you have a plethora of good options

Doug Irwin Technical Advisor, Radio World

U

nless your studio or production facility is collocated with your transmitter site, you need to connect the two in a reliable, economical fashion. Whether this connection will be public or private is up to you, of course, and each type has its benefits and liabilities.

Let’s consider the means by which we can use either (or both, in some circumstances) to get your program up to the transmitter site.

Public

First let’s discuss public connections. “Public” in this context means internet connectivity that is shared amongst all types of users: home internet, office connectivity, mobile connectivity. It’s cheap, ubiquitous and quick to deploy.

As a user you will be subject to network congestion and occasional outages. It will be incumbent upon you to

radioworld.com | July 2026

manage security of the system as well. The last thing you want is for a bad actor to “hack” an AoIP codec.

The “cheap” aspect means that you should lower your expectation of reliability from the start. Likely the network you attach to will be designed to handle a certain amount of traffic, and when that traffic exceeds the design, all users suffer in some fashion.

Most applications for users on public networks use TCP/ IP and thus have error correction built in. However, the AoIP streams generally use UDP (“best effort”) to reach the other side and don’t do as well with network congestion.

Lost or delayed packets can cause gaps in the audio, which clearly we don’t want.

As one would expect, most AoIP codecs have built-in features to mitigate audio problems; but you will likely run into circumstances in which even the best codecs will exhibit noticeable problems with some public connections at some times.

Radio Connectivity Common types of public connectivity include 5G (or even LTE); broadband access provided by cable TV companies; wireless ISPs; and finally, Starlink. Multiple connections can be put together using SD-WAN (more on that below).

A good resource if you are looking to make this type of connectivity work for you is MaxxKonnect.

Direct Internet Access

By Direct Internet Access I mean a network connection from a large ISP such as AT&T, Verizon, Spectrum, Frontier and numerous others. Speeds of 1 GB per second and higher typically are provided, and the assumption by the user is that the service (though not private) is going to be more reliable than connectivity previously described.

Also, though you may have DIA at your studio facility, if your transmitter site lacks that, the issues I’ve described still come into play.

Connect With Us

Comment on this or any article. Email radioworld@ futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

Mitigating issues

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SD-WAN

Because of the shared nature of public internet connections (including DIA), you should use VPN tunneling; in that fashion you provide a large degree of security for both ends of the connection.

Another advantage to this technique is that multiple networks can be essentially “added” together at different sites to make what acts like one virtual network. This will be especially handy if you intend to communicate between more than one site.

At least two features of most AoIP codecs can be used to mitigate late and/or lost packets through public networks: configurable “jitter” buffer depth and forward error correction, or FEC. In the context of streaming media, “jitter” just means that the packets from the origination point are not arriving at the destination with a consistent latency. By adding to the buffer “depth” on the receive end, the likelihood of all the packets being available for decoding to audio, without gaps, is increased.

Codecs may have a configurable buffer depth (good for point-to-point connections) or dynamic depth (more likely used for remote broadcasts). This adds to the delay of the entire system throughput, but if this link is for an STL, that delay is likely irrelevant.

“

FEC is a way to recover at least some lost packets: By using FEC, the sending side of the connection is sending multiple copies of them. If one packet is lost, a copy of the same packet will (hopefully) make it through.

FEC is specified in percentage, meaning that 100% FEC is effectively sending an entire copy of the stream along with the original.

The FEC packets typically are delayed slightly (likely configurable), the idea being since network congestion is dynamic, a slight delay may avoid whatever problem was encountered by routers inside your providers network, just milliseconds before.

I mentioned use of UDP as “best effort,” but Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) over UDP is frequently used as well. It’s beyond the scope of this article, but suffice it to say that SRT has built-in error correction to facilitate packet recovery, among other features, that are meant to cope with the issues of public internet usage.

Software-Defined Wide Area Networks are gaining in popularity in broadcast applications because of some of the issues with “public” internet I’ve mentioned.

The premise of SD-WAN is that more than one IP pathway is used to connect sites together and that VPN tunneling is built in on each. In this fashion, if one connection fails, the SD-WAN gear moves all traffic over to the other, this providing (nearly) seamless operation.

Clearly the studio and the remote sites need access to more than one ISP in order for this to work; but they don’t necessarily have to be the same ISPs. A quick search online reveals countless SD-WAN providers like AT&T, Verizon, Spectrum Business (and others) and their equipment manufacturing partners, such as Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto networks, F5 and others. For more detail on SD-WAN, see the recent Radio World article “Connectivity in the SBE Spotlight.” At http://radioworld.com, type “Merwin” in the search field.

If you or your staff have a high level of networking expertise, you can of course build your own version of SD-WAN. One way to do that has been previously covered in Radio World (search “NYPR Uses CloudJuncxion” at radioworld.com). “Seeker SD-WAN” can be deployed in

In order to build a highly redundant STL system you would make use of more than one of the types of connections I’ve described, together with an AoIP system that can be deployed over multiple links. radioworld.com | July 2026

Radio Connectivity software or via hardware from that supplier; it can make use of multiple connections, thus providing a high-level of redundancy; and finally it can also be used to connect multiple sites together.

Another important aspect of its operation is that copies of the data streams pass over each of its networks. This is a valuable feature because of the nature of AoIP streams, as mentioned previously.

950 MHz radio

20

Now we turn to private connectivity — methods that are not only under your control and usually not shared with other users. I also won’t restrict this category to audio over IP. If you are not already using 950 MHz radio channels, this may still be a viable option for you.

It can be difficult (sometimes impossible) to find spectrum that works at mountaintop transmitter sites or antenna farms that already accommodate multiple companies and FM stations. However, in some cases companies may have abandoned previously licensed systems after moving to wired connections. In other words, what may have been impossible 10 years ago may be possible now.

Bext and Moseley manufacture various types of radios for the 950 MHz band. Bext can accommodate composite baseband; Moseley is strictly a digital system (though one can apply analog or AES versions of the audio).

Unlicensed

Unlicensed radio links that work in the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz ISM bands are an option in certain cases. They are inexpensive, easy to install and configure, and can provide consistent service.

The problem is that you are using shared spectrum. What works one day may not work the next (or may simply work but not as well as it did the day before).

The FCC limits the ERP on either side (since these are duplex links), so distance may be limited. In any case it’s likely you’d be working with signals that aren’t that strong and subject to the vagaries of propagation, like any radio link.

Part 101 licensed radio links

The FCC’s Part 101 rules allow for the licensing of radio spectrum in the 6, 11, 18 and 23 GHz bands. Systems in these bands can provide high-speed, duplex connectivity.

This is typically used for IP-based traffic and backhaul, but can be utilized for a variety of purposes.

In order to license a channel in one of these bands you’ll need to make use of frequency coordination, followed by issuance of a Prior Coordination Notice (PCN), followed by a license application and grant by the commission.

radioworld.com | July 2026

Unlike the ISM bands, once you have licensed a channel as described, the likelihood of interference is low, and you can expect consistent service — subject of course to the vagaries of propagation, though your system design (completed before any PCNs are issued) should account for those.

Metro Ethernet

Metro Ethernet is a layer-2 network service that providers may offer across a geographical area that meets your needs.

From a practical standpoint you can think of it as a layer-2 switch connection “in the cloud.” If I build a 10-dot network on one end, that same 10-dot network shows up on the other end. Typical throughput is 100 Mbps.

Due to the “cloud” nature of this service I can’t describe it as anything but a shared service; look at the offered service level agreement before entering into any contracts. AT&T, Verizon and Spectrum offer this service, and I’m sure there are others.

Putting it all together

In order to build a highly redundant STL system you would make use of more than one of the types of connections I’ve described, together with an AoIP system that can be deployed over multiple links.

The major codec manufacturers have feature sets that can use multiple IP links for redundancy, such as the Worldcast Surestream, GatesAir Stream Splicing, Comrex CrossLock and Tieline Smartstream.

As I have written over the years, it’s wise to combine “wire” and “radio” in some fashion. In Los Angeles our AoIP codecs use both an 11 GHz and a Metro ethernet circuit simultaneously to pass audio from our studios up to Mount Wilson. Over the last eight years this system has performed well. It was configured in-house and we’ve expanded it over the greater LA. area over those same years (outside the scope of this article!).

You could also use the SD-WAN idea with the types of connections I have described, perhaps using economical public connections in addition to a private one.

Finally I will advise you never to place too much confidence in any particular connection. Experience has shown that circumstances can occur to take any service out.

I prefer private connections to public, though we use public connections extensively, because I like to have control over them. Regarding a public connection: Ask yourself what will happen if this circuit fails on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving? If your provider can’t be trusted to get it fixed at any time, it can’t be relied upon for the 24/7/365 service level that we all need.

The author is regional engineering lead for iHeartMedia Los Angeles and a longtime Radio World contributor. He received the Robert W. Flanders SBE Engineer of the Year award from the Society of Broadcast Engineers in 2025.

People News Xperi named Kevin Greenwald as vice president of broadcast products and services.

He joins from Audacy, where he held senior leadership roles in corporate strategy, M&A and advertising products. Earlier, Greenwald was in strategy and business development roles at Comcast Advertising. He will report to Joe D’Angelo, senior vice president, broadcast radio and digital audio.

D’Angelo said Greenwald’s role is a new one that “supports the rapidly expanding DTS AutoStage and Broadcaster analytics opportunities; Kevin will directly engage with the broadcasting, ad tech and ad industries.”

Terry Harper is the recipient of the Engineer of the Year award from the Alabama Broadcasters Association.

His career dates to 1967 with his start at 580 WABT(AM) — now WACQ — in Tuskegee.

Two years later, he joined Auburn University’s Educational Television Division as an audio engineer, according to an ABA newsletter.

He retired from Auburn University in 1994 and he has provided contract engineering services across Alabama since. …

David Sparano joined Broadcast Electronics as chief technology officer.

“Sparano, holder of multiple masters of engineering degrees and U.S. patents, brings deep technical know-how and a rich broadcast history to BE, having held multiple senior technology and customer service leadership roles at Harris, GatesAir, Comark and Thomson,” the company said. That included development of products ranging from compact lowpower air-cooled to high-power liquidcooled transmitters for FM, DAB and digital television. BE was recently acquired by a

The Michigan Association of Broadcasters named John S. Martin to receive the Carl E. Lee Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award in radio. Martin is a retired transmitter maintenance engineer with WCMU Public Media. Martin acquired his amateur radio license and his FCC “First Phone” and started a in broadcast engineering, all before finishing high school. During his career he was a maintenance engineer at the NBC Radio Network; a small manufacturer of accessories for radio hobbyists; and a television engineer in Arizona and Michigan. He joined WCMU Public Media in 2014.

Flexible SNMP Remote Control

Built-In Relays, Status Inputs, and Metering ALL FOR LESS THAN $2K!

IOX-24S SNMP Remote Control •Standalone SNMPv2 remote control system with included Windows GUI for full control and status monitoring.

•Provides 24 control relays, 24 status inputs, and 8 analog metering inputs for broad monitoring and control needs.

•Responsive, simple Windows App supports up to eight IOX-24S units—even across different locations.

The IOX-24S delivers a cost-effective yet fully capable SNMP remote control solution for broadcast facilities. It adds extensive monitoring and control to any site. Easy setup, PoE/AC power options, and SNMP compatibility make integration simple and reliable.

Broadcast Devices Inc. https://broadcast-devices.com

U.S.-based investor group. Rich Redmond is president/CEO. …

Tech Tips Writer

Let’s keep things moving Tips for moving a transmitter when time is tight

Michael Baldauf The author recently wrote the story “Technobabble Doesn’t Help Your Cause.”

W

hen a station is off air, losing money and audience, what you do NOT want to hear from the building manager is this: “We’ll need to hire movers and get rental equipment up to the site to move that transmitter, before you can put the new one in.”

This suggestion will not be well received by station personnel who are anxious to restore broadcast service.

The engineer (you) may need to jump in and move that box rather than wait for movers.

What solutions have you found for moving a transmitter out of the way? Here are some of mine.

1. Think like an Egyptian. When building the pyramids, they manipulated big stones by placing them on rollers.

I use Schedule 80 water pipes that have been cut to length to fit through doorways but are still long enough to go across the frame of whatever is being moved.

To get things started, I use a pry bar on one end of the heavy unit and raise it just enough to fit the first pipe under it. Pry it forward a bit to insert a second pipe section, then a third.

Now the unit can be moved. As you do so, place fresh rollers in the direction of movement.

If a crane is to be used later, the rollers will provide space for straps to be slid under.

(Pushing away from a wall can be useful here too. Just be sure the person pushing is leaning against a framing member, not mere sheet rock.)

2. Friction is NOT your friend. Traveling over rough surfaces like roofs or bare ground can be difficult. Bring along plywood or OSB sheets to make the path a little smoother.

When sliding a heavy unit into a truck, place a moving blanket under it to ease movement later. Whenever possible, before starting the move take out any replaceable amplifier modules and power supplies, but note their location in the unit as well as the steps you took to unwire components, so you can reassemble later.

22

3. Bitter cold CAN be your friend. When moving heavy equipment in sub-freezing temperatures, the best method I have seen is metal sheets. Place them on the ground to chill, then spray them with a little water. The resulting icy surface is slick. Use care! But I have seen pretty large generators slid into position using two people with pry bars with this technique.

4. Speaking of ice, here’s a technique for delivering a generator or even a pre-fab building that is to be placed using a crane. To be able to remove the straps from underneath, place bags or blocks of ice on the outside edges of the platform where the unit will set. Once the crane has placed it, remove the straps and let the melting ice do the final placement!

This is one of those times when a wise engineer will find at least one other person to join them at the site, preferably someone muscular.

Industrial safety protocols apply. Lift belts, heavy gloves, long pry bars, big dollies, heavy ropes, big tools and bins for parts can make the seemingly impossible happen.

The new transmitter is on the air …

radioworld.com | July 2026

Tech Tips Here is an example of what can happen if a station waits for movers to do the job. Shown in the first photo is a new GatesAir GX5K rack-mounted transmitter, on the air in the transmitter pod.

Just down the way sits the nice old Harris Z5FM transmitter. It’s been waiting for several months for building managers to get movers and haul it down to the warehouse. If the engineer had waited for movers, the station might still be off the air, maybe permanently.

We want to know your tips and tricks for transmitter replacement survival. Send your e-mails to radioworld@ futurenet.com.

Left … but the old one is still hanging around.

“ ” To get things started, I use a pry bar on one end of the heavy unit and raise it just enough to fit the first pipe under it.

23

Newsmaker Writer

Elle Kehres The author wrote here recently about family-owned WCON(AM/FM) in Georgia.

Courtesy Joe Davis

Joe Davis to close consulting business

24

The founder of Chesapeake RF Consultants has spent 45 years in the broadcast biz

L

ongtime broadcast engineer and RF consultant Joseph Davis is set to retire this summer, officially closing his consulting firm of nearly 20 years.

Davis is the president and founder of Chesapeake RF Consultants, a Virginia-based firm that advises commercial and public television and radio stations in engineering regulatory matters. His clients include the likes of Gray Television, CBS Broadcasting, Hearst Television and Sarkes-Tarzian Inc. Davis will wind down his practice, with his official retirement and business closure date set for Aug. 31.

Early days

Above Davis atop a broadcast tower, circa 2011.

Davis has spent the last 45 years immersed in the broadcast industry. The Virginia native fell in love with the radio biz back in high school, where his extracurriculars involved working at the school’s FM station.

“Pretty soon I was staying after school every day running the board, doing record shows, reading the news, making repairs and loving every minute,” he said of the time.

radioworld.com | July 2026

While still in high school, he got a job doing part-time, onair work at a nearby commercial FM station. From there, he moved on to studying electrical engineering at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., where he received his First Class Radiotelephone Operator License and landed the job of chief engineer at WYVA(FM) at the start of his senior year.

Career life

After graduating in 1982, Davis was chief engineer for various radio stations — including WHYW(FM/AM) in Pittsburgh and WBMW(FM) and WETA(TV/FM) in D.C. — over the next 15 years, working on RF and studio projects for those stations in addition to freelancing.

One of Davis’ proudest engineering accomplishments during his decade in Washington was his work to bring a new public radio service to an underserved, outlying area.

“Building on exposure to some FCC licensing rules I had learned along the way from Michael Benns, Morgan Burrow, Bernie Segal, John Kean and Sid Khanna, I found an open frequency and a mountaintop site location to build a new NCE-FM station,” he said.

Newsmaker Davis planned and executed every detail over a couple years, and put that station on the air in 1993. It included a 59-mile, 950 MHz duplex STL with diversity reception, which he says is still in reliable operation today.

As fate would have it, it was that NCE-FM station project that prompted Davis to consider work as a consulting engineer. He joined the Cavell Mertz & Davis consulting firm in D.C. as a part-timer for over a year, “and in 1996 I turned in my pager to [WETA] and became a full partner,” he said.

Eventually, Davis’ longing to return to southeastern Virginia led him to strike out as a solo practitioner.

“With deference to the nearby Chesapeake Bay, I set myself up as Chesapeake RF Consultants LLC in 2007 and was back in my hometown shortly afterward.”

His consulting work over the last 30 years has included transmitter site relocation analysis, facility upgrades, frequency searches, interference evaluation, RF exposure analysis and FCC licensing for broadcast stations in nearly every state.

Industry musings

Asked to comment on the state of radio and where the industry is headed, Davis had this to say: “Clearly the glory days of radio are behind us, as internetdelivered on-demand entertainment and news are

commonplace, and the actual listeners of radio continue to age. I believe the FCC’s ownership limits are ripe for further relaxation, meaning more consolidation. Regarding the push to emphasize radio’s importance for emergency communications (i.e., the ‘AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act’), I fear a backfire, as the vast majority of AM stations simply do not have staff and resources necessary to provide emergency programming.”

As for his advice to present and future radio engineers, Davis encourages his peers to get involved with their local SBE chapter and attend regional events.

“Not only is that educational, the camaraderie and networking will allow you to know who to ask regarding unusual problems you may encounter,” he said. “And, it is likely that your next job will be connected to one of those contacts, either because you are looking or they are recruiting.” Also, Davis says don’t forget about obtaining your SBE certifications!

Finally, as for his plans post-retirement, Davis will continue to be active in his local SBE chapter — Hampton Roads Chapter 54 — as their certification chairman, and expects to attend occasional industry events. He also plans to finally tackle those long-put-off home improvement projects, visit U.S. national parks with his wife Cheryl, and invest more time into his ham radio endeavors.

25

Consoles & Control Surfaces 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.

26

Right Learning the new equipment at WCOM. From left: Host “D.J.,” Jenny Cook, Chris Amsbary, Dave Cottingham, Chris Carter and C-Shay Schafer.

More Info

www. arrakissystems. com

With Arrakis digital refresh, WCOM celebrates 20 years LPFM pioneer moves from an analog “beast” to a modular AoIP setup

W

COM(LP) 103.5 FM, licensed to Chapel Hill, N.C., recently celebrated its 20th anniversary as a low-power FM operation.

The station broadcasts under the umbrella of the Public Gallery of Carrboro, a nonprofit in a town directly west of Chapel Hill. Its November 2004 sign-on made it the first LPFM operation in the Tar Heel State.

But that was a long time ago, and two decades later the station showed many signs of wear. All of the equipment dated to the initial sign-on, and much of it hadn’t been new even then.

“One look at the old mess of punch-down blocks and the sea of wiring told us we would never wish to replicate that beast,” Board Member Dave Cottingham of Public Gallery of Carrboro said of the old studios.

It had no air conditioning nor heat, and windows leaked when it rained. DJs started bringing in their own space heaters during the winter, which would sometimes overload its power circuits, taking the station off the air.

Meanwhile, the town of Carrboro was constructing a library complex, and WCOM opted to pursue space in the facility. The station launched a fundraiser to perform a technical refresh during the transition. This was no small undertaking for a “hundred-watt wonder.”

Cottingham knew the station had no choice but to go digital. Its aspirations included multiple broadcast locations to achieve a live, local music and arts strategy in the community. But most of the gear it desired, Cottingham said, looked to be out of budget.

The station chose Arrakis Systems as a vendor to meet its requirements for a quality product on a short timeline.

Arrakis’ technical support team, WCOM said, was an important factor. “They are easy to reach and provide expertise without a lot of tiers to get to the ‘smart guys,’” Cottingham said.

radioworld.com | July 2026

WCOM ordered a DARC S15 console with the accompanying DARC Virtual software. It also purchased Arrakis’ Apex automation platform.

Arrakis said it took a modular approach to WCOM’s system design, allowing it to scale as the operation grows.

Line cards under the table in short racks free up its studio space for other users, for example. A simple wiring plan, Cottingham said, was a joy compared to the prior analog system.

Now, remote broadcasts are a reality, and with ondemand support accessible through DARC, Cottingham and his team can provide show support without needing to travel to and from the studio.

Cottingham says the station now enjoys a pristine noise floor in its programming. “The days of chasing ground loop hum are over. And the studio that was boiling hot in the Carolina summer is a thing of the past.”

The library location, Cottingham said, has generated renewed interest with the community, engaging new shows and partnerships with other LPFM stations in the state, as well as local government.

“Ultimately, it’s all about helping create new ways to communicate with people,” Cottingham said.

Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update AEQ Forum IP Plus Offers Multi-Channel AoIP Routing The Forum IP Plus is a new AoIP digital console for broadcast production operations requiring integration in IP infrastructures.

AEQ says that the console, an evolution of its Forum series, combines a simplified physical interface with configuration options for both compact self-control setups and complex multi-studio installations.

Tthe system offers 32 mixing and processing busses, eight N–1 busses and native Dante and AES67 connectivity.

This architecture integrates the control surface with the engine and external devices, simplifying deployment within existing multichannel AoIP networks.

“All channels can be easily reorganized following program or operator needs,” AEQ said.

The console family is available in two main hardware configurations. The Forum IP Split is powered by the FR Core Plus engine and supports up to 24 motorized faders and 180 channels. For smaller footprints, the Forum IP Lite offers a more compact solution with up to 12 faders and 92 channels.

Bluetooth connectivity allows for interaction with external mobile communication devices, while monitoring functions manage the localized audio environment.

For technical management, the system can be configured and supervised from the physical control surface or remotely via Forum Virtual software. The console uses a modular engine intended to maintain signal stability and performance reliability.

Info: www.aeq.es

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Buyer’s Guide

More Info

www.axeltech. com

MFM Radio TV streamlines with AxelTech Network in Morocco improves its live workflow and audience interaction

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FM Radio TV operates a combined radio and television broadcast facility in Morocco’s largest city. Its radio network is heard on 56 frequencies across the country, according to the MFM website.

To manage simultaneous live feeds across multiple studios, the station installed AxelTech Oxygen 3000 Plus digital mixing consoles and the AxelTech Talk Show System.

The installation was designed to coordinate operations between MFM’s on-air studios and production facilities.

Multiple Oxygen 3000 Plus consoles were deployed across the facility to support different live production setups. Station hosts use the console’s physical control layout to make realtime adjustments during live broadcasts.

According to AxelTech, the interface is intended to minimize hardware troubleshooting during fast-paced programming.

For audience interaction, the integrated Talk Show System manages up to eight incoming telephone lines via a web-based interface.

It allows multiple station operators to handle calls, with one staff member screening, another managing the queue and a third coordinating the live on-air segments.

A built-in conference mode also allows operators to put multiple callers on the air at the same time. The console includes an integrated telephone hybrid, Bluetooth

connectivity and a USB audio interface, which reduces the amount of external hardware required in the air chain.

Because audio routing is handled internally within the Oxygen 3000 Plus, operators do not need to manage separate outboard devices.

According to the station’s engineering staff, the new setup has decreased show configuration times and simplified caller management. The hardware configuration supports both talkbased interview formats and standard music programming.

For reliability, the console features redundant systems and internal audio processing to maintain signal consistency. The Talk Show System also supports rolebased management, allowing engineers to assign different access rights to individual operators.

Tech Update Angry Audio Ships 200th Rave Console Angry Audio announced it has shipped its 200th Rave console.

The Rave was introduced in 2023 and has been adopted by commercial groups, public stations and college and community broadcasters, the company says.

It system was designed for users who need an intuitive, reliable and transparent audio console.

The hardware configuration offers up to four mic inputs, up to eight stereo line inputs, two output mix busses and two mix-minus outputs with integrated talkback. Dedicated monitor outputs and high-current headphone amplification are built into the chassis. For deployment, the console uses StudioHub RJ-45 connectors.

Angry Audio offers a separate StudioHub Rave Connection Kit. The kit includes a set of pre-made cables and adapters needed to wire the console into a typical studio environment, helping engineering staff eliminate a last-minute cable hunt before going live.

Info: www.angryaudio.com

radioworld.com | July 2026

Buyer’s Guide

Tech update Wheatstone Offers “Total Virtual Mixing Experience” Wheatstone has introduced a virtual mixing platform that centralizes resources onto a server or appliance, allowing operators to access mixing tools from anywhere via web browser.

The VMX system can be added to a WheatNet-IP audio networked facility or deployed to spin up temporary remote studios.

“Simply enter the URL in a Chrome or Safari browser, and up pops the virtual console on a phone, tablet, laptop or studio touchscreen,” Wheatstone said.

The VMX suite features multiple types of virtual mixers for various production roles. The premium LXE-V, shown, is the virtual equivalent of a physical LXE console, offering the same programmability and mix capabilities for use on studio touchscreens.

Also available, for general utility the UTL-V mixer combines mics, codecs and telephone lines to create talkback or IFB feeds. The VML basic mixing interface provides an affordable option for small studios when paired with the company’s VMX Nano half-rack server.

The platform allows engineers to allocate shared mixing resources dynamically. Rather than relying on a fixed number of physical faders

per room, operators determine how many virtual faders are needed per show. Processing resources can be shared across studios and redeployed on demand through an HTML interface.

For network reliability, the architecture features failover redundancy, using backup mirroring that synchronizes in real time for switchover if a hardware failure occurs.

The software can be deployed on commercial servers or dedicated Wheatstone appliances using an installation wizard.

Info: www.wheatstone.com

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Buyer’s Guide

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esRadio upgrades headquarters with DHD consoles Digital mixing systems and Core Matrix routing boost efficiency and channel capacity

More Info

www.dhd-audio. com

I

n Madrid, Spanish FM radio and streaming broadcaster esRadio has chosen DHD RX2 audio production consoles for use at its studio headquarters.

Part of the Libertad Digital media group, esRadio is one of the largest commercial general-interest radio networks in Spain. The RX2 consoles and associated equipment were supplied by the Madrid-based Agrupación de Servicios y Productos de Audio (ASPA). esRadio said it sought the RX2 to raise its quality and efficiency. The installed configuration consists of two consoles, each with 18 physical faders.

Each console comprises three fader modules and one control module with a capacity that is doubled by a layering function. DHD said the design allows for control over a greater number of channels without taking up more physical space.

radioworld.com | July 2026

At esRadio, ASPA installed a DHD 52-7523 core matrix.

The functionality between the matrix, the consoles and DHD’s MatrixControl makes it possible to route the main broadcast submatrices, manage commercial breaks and select the studio for broadcast, both manually and using conditional logic, DHD said.

The RX2 consoles use 100 mm motorized faders with dust protection. A 10.1-inch touchscreen is integrated into each section. Programmable RGB buttons and encoders adapt to screen content, allowing access to tools such as equalizers, dynamics and gain adjustments.

DHD system cores are made up of a unit that handles an audio matrix with up to 96 processed stereo faders. It does not require a hard drive or fan, allowing for a quiet operation.

The cores are compatible with Dante, AES67, Ravenna, ST 2110 and MADI.

Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update A New Glass Console From Logitek Logitek has introduced two products intended to simplify and modernize studio architecture.

It calls Glide the first fully self-contained “glass” console, delivering control without the need for an external PC. “Unlike traditional virtual console systems that rely on a computer and separate I/O hardware, Glide runs entirely within a purpose-built environment. Just connect a touchscreen and you’re ready to go.”

It is driven by JetFlex, a 2 RU platform that can serve as a console engine, audio router or flexible AoIP I/O device.

“By combining routing, logic control and modular audio I/O into a single unit, JetFlex provides a compact, scalable and cost-effective foundation for a wide range of applications.”

JetFlex can serve as the engine for Logitek’s mixIT compact physical surface. It also can stand on its own as a versatile AoIP I/O solution.

“It supports multiple audio protocols, matrix mixing, GPIO and modular analog or AES3 I/O, allowing it to function as everything from a central engine to a distributed I/O platform,” the company said.

It is compatible with Livewire, Dante and AES67.

The announcement was made by Tag Borland, founder of Logitek, and Josh Bohn, president/CEO of its partner MaxxKonnect.

Info: www.logitekaudio.com

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Buyer’s Guide

32 More Info

www.calrec.com

Radio Gazeta upgrades with Calrec Type R In Brazil, multi-studio upgrades use soft panels and remote capability to expand audience engagement

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report by Kantar, published last year, shows that 79 percent of the Brazilian population across 13 cities listen to the radio, with listening time remaining high at three hours 47 minutes daily.

Radio Gazeta, one of the oldest and largest radio stations in Espírito Santo, Brazil, averages approximately 7,000 listeners per minute. The station has recently upgraded its facilities with two new studio installations as part of its transition to IP. But the station sought the ability to interact with listeners remotely.

The station has deployed two Calrec Type R IP mixing systems, each supporting 20 channels, across its locations in Vitória and Colatina. Each production control room includes two six-fader panels, an LSP and a dedicated

radioworld.com | July 2026

IP core, alongside Calrec Assist’s web-based GUI to allow remote production.

Calrec emphasizes the flexibility of Type R, built on standard networking hardware and using soft panels. Type R now provides a number of radio-focused features. They include routing that allows operators to record off the air while not affecting the on-air mix. Calrec said it is suitable for a guest interview for future transmission.

Type R systems include GPIO control over console talkback facilities, user labels for mix-minus busses, monitor outputs can now follow another monitor selector and a large 120-channel path DSP pack option with 32 aux buses.

The systems can also now be controlled by Calrec’s remote production capability, True Control 2.0.

Type R’s 5.1 capable IP core allows broadcasters to benefit from virtual working practices on a SMPTE 2110-compliant IP backbone.

Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update Lawo Unveils HOME Power Core App The HOME Power Core app is a microservice-based, virtual audio processing core and control system.

It uses Lawo’s HOME Apps platform to provide processing, mixing, routing and monitoring for radio and TV stations where physical Power Core devices are not available, already in use or impractical.

Target deployments include centralized back-end solutions in shared processing environments, media facilities producing multiplatform content and headless processing for master control rooms and on-air transmission paths. “Lawo’s mixer design separates the mixing engine and DSP core from the console, turning the connected mixer or software UI into a sophisticated remote control,” Lawo said, noting that logic and number crunching happen in a separate device or on a COTS server.

The virtual engine can be controlled using a physical diamond or crystal broadcast mixer, or a touchscreen-based UI. Users can select a compact, large or XL instance to match a server’s available CPU cores, with multiple instances able to run on the same machine. The platform provides low-latency DSP designed for

processing with phase coherence at high channel counts. It offers dynamics and EQ processing, delay adjustments, audio shuffling, summing functions and intercom support.

The HOME Power Core app supports SMPTE ST2110, Ravenna, AES67, Dante, NDI, SRT and WebRTC transport protocols. It also integrates with Lawo’s video HOME Apps, which the company said reduces the need for conversion hardware.

It supports the open-source Ember+ protocol, which allows for the control of third-party broadcast automation and playout systems.

Info: www.lawo.com

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Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update Telos Alliance to Debut Compact Axia Pulsar

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The Axia Pulsar from Telos Alliance is a compact networked radio mixing console designed to deliver advanced mixing capabilities and AoIP to studios with limited physical space. The console will be available in the fourth quarter of 2026.

“Pulsar’s small size and big features make it the perfect choice for main or backup studios, production rooms, news operations and backup facilities,” the company said.

The hardware features an eight-fader base configuration with duallayer mixing capability. It can expand to 16 faders using an optional expansion module for desktop or flush-mount installation.

The 16-fader configurations can be split or joined to suit various operational styles.

The surface features bright TFT IPS displays for channel information and metering, touch-sensitive rotary controls and 100 mm motorized faders that reposition automatically when show profiles are recalled.

Each channel strip includes user-programmable buttons and customizable color indicators, alongside integrated EBU R128 loudness metering.

Pulsar is run by the 2RU Axia StudioCore engine, which combines the power supply, mixing engine, AoIP switch and local I/O in one chassis.

The onboard DSP provides parametric EQ, compression, limiting, de-essing, filtering, gating and expansion on every channel, as well as automix, auto mix-minus and an independent virtual mixer.

For installation, the surface connects to the StudioCore engine using a PoE data connection.

The system supports Livewire+ AoIP for native integration with Telos VX systems, 25-Seven hardware and Z/IPStream encoders, while AES67 compliance allows connection with third-party devices.

An optional browser-based interface enables remote operation via computers, tablets or smartphones.

Info: www.telosalliance.com/pulsar

radioworld.com | July 2026

Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update Henry SuperLight Manages Low-Voltage LED Tallies The SuperLight from Henry Engineering is a control interface designed to power and control LED and other low-voltage “On the Air” tally lights.

The unit can interface with most networked studio installations or broadcast consoles using a standard mic tally circuit. It has native compatibility with WheatNet-IP Blades, Axia GPIO xNodes and similar network routing protocols.

SuperLight can be controlled with any GPI contact closure or DC control voltage between 5 and 24 VDC. In addition to a terminal block input connector, the unit has two RJ-45 control ports to accommodate facilities with Cat-5 or Cat-6 infrastructure. Because the RJ-45 ports are wired in parallel, multiple SuperLight units can be managed over a single control port and cable run.

An internal jumper matrix allows users to assign specific control wires for the RJ-45 ports, suitable for multiple units to be daisychained while maintaining unique, user-assignable pinouts.

For power, the device can drive any tally light operating on 12 volts DC at up to 500 mA. Tally indicators requiring higher voltage or current can still be switched through the unit using an external power source.

To further assist with studio automation, the chassis includes two Form C (DPDT) relay contacts.

The secondary contacts can be used for automatic monitor speaker muting or other utility switching tasks.

Info: www.henryeng.com

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radioworld.com | July 2026

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8/29/23 6:00 PM

AI in Radio

Writer

The predictive engineer

Parradee Kietsirikul/Getty Images

Musing about using AI as an operational multiplier Rojith Thomas Technology coordinator, KUT, Austin, Texas

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sk any broadcast engineer what they do, and they’ll probably tell you they “keep things on the air.” Yes! For most of us, our priority is to fix things quickly when they break.

But things are changing; we are in a fast-paced, advanced world. Now we deal with a mix of old and new technology, increasingly complicated networks, remote sites and different ways to send out content. Plus, our teams are getting smaller.

So, we must think: What if we could stop problems before they even happen?

Beyond the break-fix

Related

Read the Radio World ebook “Optimize Your Air Chain” at http:// radioworld. com/ebooks.

Traditionally, what we do is wait for something to break and then fix it. And it has worked for a long time.

That’s still important. But our equipment and systems are so much more complicated now. It’s getting harder to fix everything just by reacting when things go wrong.

We haven’t implemented an AI-based monitoring system in our station or transmitter site yet, but I’m curious about how these systems work. AI can definitely show us patterns, because it is learning each and every piece of data coming from the system and can predict a future failure, especially for devices like a transmitter or a generator, or even looking into the logs of various devices to see how they are responding for a while.

radioworld.com | July 2026

That’s the part a machine can do faster than a human.

This doesn’t mean AI can replace what we do, but it can help us notice what we might miss.

As more of our infrastructure moves into IP, the amount of data we deal with has grown significantly. Logs, packet flows, latency and device health — there’s no shortage of information. The challenge is figuring out what logs and information matter in real time.

I’ve seen this multiple times during network issues. One problem shows up, and then suddenly alerts start popping up in multiple systems. At that point, you’re not just fixing an issue; you’re trying to figure out where it actually started by going through multiple logs.

This is where AI-based monitoring seems promising. Instead of going through everything, which can be time-consuming, these systems try to correlate events and highlight what might be the root cause. That doesn’t remove the engineer from the process. But help us to make troubleshooting more focused and makes life easier.

As I said, AI can surface signals. Engineers still decide what those signals mean.

Practicality and why the human role still matters

Most modern monitoring tools have the ability to pull all available data, like equipment status, network logs and sensor data, and show it in one dashboard.

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Opinion So the real value in this is that it will help reduce significant time in our weekly checks, and it will also add another layer of visibility by constantly monitoring these values and learning patterns and drifts, and predicting to engineers if there is any unusual behavior. Still the same goal we’ve always had: Prevent issues before they affect the air. Another level of fault prevention.

Even though there is still some hesitation to use AI, it is valid for sure. AI can process large amounts of data quickly, but what it may not do as well is understand the context.

In a broadcast environment, that context matters a lot. A signal drop might look like a failure in the data. In reality, it could be a planned weekly test, maintenance work or a known condition. That’s where engineering judgment comes in, and AI may lack it.

AI can give us better information about systems when making decisions. But the ultimate decision should come from a human.

“” Where to start?

As I am writing about this, I’m not using any of these tools.

I am undertain where and how we can use this to make systems better. If I am to start, it will probably be in one

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This isn’t a shift from human to AI. It’s just AI acting as a catalyst for engineers to make their work and decisions easier. area that already causes recurring issues — a transmitter site or network segment or a critical link. The focus would be simple: Collect better data, watch trends over time, and look for changes, not just failures.

I welcome comments about your own experiences; send them to radioworld@futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

Nowadays, even basic monitoring tools are starting to include some level of anomaly detection. That alone could reduce a lot of issues we deal with every day.

At the end of the day, this isn’t a shift away from what we do or from human to AI. It’s just AI acting as a catalyst for engineers to make their work and decisions easier. Our goal remains the same: Keep the systems running, stop failures before they hit the air, and protect the broadcast.

Readers’ Forum

Should we log tower light observations?

Regarding Gregg Skall’s article “What to Know About Your Station Log” in the May 20 issue: I have spent most of the last 25 years conducting ABIP inspections in New England and Florida. Before that I was a station owner, chief engineer/ operator and director of engineering for 50+ years.

Gregg states that regular observations of tower lights must be logged. I agree 100% that this is an incredibly smart practice. However I cannot find in the regs that the actual logging of these observations is required.

FCC rule 47 CFR § 17.47 requires that these observations be made (unless there is an alarm system in use) but does not explicitly state that they must be written down in a station log. Moreover, 73.1820 talks about the logging of lights that have been extinguished or are not functioning properly, but it is silent regarding making an entry when everything is functioning correctly.

Logging regular observations is prudent, especially if there should ever be a problem such as a plane strike. However I fail to see where making these entries has been codified into the rules.

Robert A Shotwell Former owner Spectrum Investigative Services Inc. Author Gregg Skall responds: Bob Shotwell is correct. The article’s wording was not intended to suggest that logging of regular observations is required; it’s not.

However, if you observe extinguished or malfunctioning is observed, the log must state the nature of the problem, the date and time of extinguishment or improper operation, and the date, time and nature of adjustments, repairs or replacements.

Plain talk is best I agree that flooding the general manager with technobabble is not the best idea (“Technobabble Doesn’t Help Your Cause,” April 22 issue).

One thing that I quickly learned to do is a show-andCBS Photo Archive/Getty Images tell in the GM’s office with the remains of the recent expensive repair. I’d bring in the failed part to show him what we’d just spent thousands of dollars fixing.

Bill Ruck San Francisco

radioworld.com | July 2026

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