Radio World 1312 - Jan 14th, 2026

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January 14th, 2026 issue of Radio World

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NAB upbeat about ’26 Curtis LeGeyt talks with us about ownership rule reform, the AM bill and NAB’s other radio priorities.

Radio’s superpowers

Dave Sturgeon will get you fired up about this medium.

Reboot scootin’

The iBoot-G2 provides remote power control to turn equipment off or on via browser or free cloud service.

Buyer’s Guide

We focus on telco-based products as well as systems that support talk shows.

Anadolu/Getty Images

Vol. 50 No. 2 | January 14 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 Assistant Editor & SmartBrief Editor Elle Kehres, elle.kehres@futurenet.com 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 1051, Lowell, MA 01853.

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Radio’s superpowers Ours is the medium that assumes that listeners are living their lives

D

o you ever find yourself feeling a little blue about the radio industry? Spend a few minutes reading Dave Sturgeon, especially if you work on the commercial side of our biz.

“Radio is the only medium that still respectfully assumes you’re busy,” Dave wrote recently in a LinkedIn post.

Paul “Every other medium today demands your attention: McLane Watch this. Click that. Don’t skip. Stay till the end.”

Editor in Chief Radio, Dave wrote, does the opposite.

“Radio assumes you’re living your life: Driving. Working.

Making dinner. Running a business. Thinking.”

And instead of interrupting you, he wrote, it shows up alongside you.

“That’s not a weakness. That’s radio’s superpower. Because the people with the least time are usually the people with the most responsibility. Decisionmakers don’t sit still. They move.

“Radio meets them in motion. It doesn’t fight for attention — it earns trust through repetition, familiarity and presence. Day after day. Week after week.”

In a world obsessed with “engagement,” Dave concluded, radio still understands something fundamental: Busy people buy things.

“That’s why radio doesn’t need to be flashy. It needs to be consistent.

Clear. Human. The more demanding media becomes, the more valuable a medium is that respects your time and attention.

“Radio doesn’t nag. It accompanies. If your advertising only works when someone stops what they’re doing, it’s built to interrupt — not influence.”

Continued on page 4

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THIS ISSUE NEWS 3

From the Editor

5

NAB is optimistic about ownership rule reform this year

FEATURES 12

Repurpose that old Denon CD player

16

More musings about liquid-cooled systems

BUYER’S GUIDE

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Dave Sturgeon in a promotional image

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KUT adopts ip-studio for its new financial call-in show

22

Martinique La 1ère puts NeoSIP to work for French TV group

OPINION 29

Readers’ Forum

3

“ ”

From the Editor Continued from page 3 I liked that post and asked for his permission to share it with you.

Dave is the founder of Radio TV Agents; he has spent more than four decades as a morning show host, market vice president, director of sales, trainer and public speaker.

He describes himself as “a Canadian by birth and Californian by residence” who “still believes in coffee-fueled morning shows, a great jingle, and the magic of live, local radio.”

If Dave’s kind of thinking energizes you, check out his book “The Truth About Radio: A Myth-Busting Guide for Today’s Media Buyers and Sellers.”

I asked him to share a few more of radio’s superpowers with us for this column. He sent this list: • Radio is free • Radio ads are unskippable • Radio doesn’t watch you back or follow you around, it respects your privacy • Radio is word-of-mouth advertising on steroids • Radio is the original platform for social media influencers (personality endorsements) • Radio audio entertainment and advertising is “crowddelivered” — thus radio’s ultra-affordable CPM • Audio triggers emotions: Emotions make memories and branding stick

4

Radio doesn’t need to be flashy. It needs to be consistent.

Clear. Human.

• Digital is delivered one-to-one. Radio’s crowd delivery makes all digital advertising work better • Radio isn’t just music, it’s companionship — music discovery on radio is random and exciting • When disaster strikes, cable, Wi-Fi, phone service and all other utilities may stop working, but radio is the last remaining medium that keeps people connected.

• Radio is the soundtrack to your daily journey — the most used in-car medium where people are on their way to spend money I love Dave’s boulder-smashing energy. You can follow him on LinkedIn. His book is sold on Amazon, and he has a podcast called “The Truth About Radio.” You can also hear an interview with him on The SoudOff Podcast at www. soundoffpodcast.com/dave-sturgeon.

Newsmaker

U.S. Capitol, Dec. 2025. Getty Images/Anadolu

NAB is optimistic about ownership rule reform this year Curtis LeGeyt senses “an existential moment for local radio”

C

Writer

urtis LeGeyt is entering into the fifth year of his tenure as president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters. We asked him to discuss the association’s priorities in the new year. He spoke with us in late December.

Paul McLane Editor in Chief

First, what do you consider your chief successes for radio of 2025?

Curtis LeGeyt: It’s been a tremendous year through the lens of reaffirming policymaker interest and ensuring that this medium can continue to thrive.

From the go last Jan. 20, there has been something to react to every day in Washington, and a lot of noise. It can be very difficult to break through.

We have been unified as an industry in telling our story, and policymakers have reacted. To have gotten the “AM for Every Vehicle Act” out of the gate so quickly — more than

300 house co-sponsors, more than 60 Senate co-sponsors, a filibuster-proof majority, and moving the bill with nearunanimity in both the House and Senate Commerce committees — it’s a tremendous accomplishment and testament to our members’ work across the country in a difficult environment.

We obviously are dealing with a new chair at the FCC, frankly new commissioners across the board. They’ve been solicitous and open to understanding the challenges facing the radio industry, the need to allow radio to better compete on a level playing field with the tech platforms who have siphoned those advertising dollars out of local communities.

We’ve seen the commission move quickly to open its latest quadrennial review of local ownership rules. We feel that the commission is very open to our perspective as to why those rules need to be updated to allow broadcasters to better serve our community.

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

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Newsmaker And then the perennial issue that radio needs to win, year in and year out, to secure the future of our medium is the performance tax.

The music industry continues to pour substantial resources into that fight, adverse to the interests of local radio.

In spite of their energy and in the wake of a contentious hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee, we’re again showing that members are willing to step up and support local radio in this fight. We’ve got more than a majority of the House of Representatives supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act. A new administration, a new Congress, gives a clean slate to reaffirm our values, our service. We don’t register Republican, we don’t register Democrat, we register local and trusted.

In a divided Washington, because of the work of our members, we’ve been able to tell that story.

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Have you been disappointed about not accomplishing something in particular?

LeGeyt: Washington is never going to move as quickly as the marketplace nor the needs of our membership.

We are at an existential moment for local radio, with heavy disruption from the tech platforms. We are competing with behemoths. We need Washington to act on these issues.

By any measure within the beltway, we’re achieving tremendous success; but it’s simply not quickly enough to address the day-to-day needs of our members and communities.

My disappointment is just that the machinations of Washington seem to be moving slower and slower every Congress. But I am comforted and thrilled that within those constraints, we have managed to break through, garner bipartisan support, get movement of our legislation through committees in terms of substantive policy.

This [AM legislation] is the most co-sponsored bill in the House of Representatives this Congress. We’ve got all the tools we need to get this over the finish line. But institutionally, Washington is moving a little slower than we would like.

The funding of the federal government alone has taken up substantial time and bandwidth of policymakers. We’ve got to work within the constraints of the institution. My disappointment is that the institution cannot move more quickly; but we’re going to prevail in spite of that.

Regarding local radio ownership caps, you’ve talked before about Chairman Carr’s generally supportive attitude; and the outcome certainly felt almost assured to me, given the 2–1 Republican

NAB Show New York

Above Curtis LeGeyt at the NAB Show New York in October.

majority. But then President Trump made remarks about not wanting to help TV companies that he considers left-leaning. Is this going to have any impact on the radio discussion?

LeGeyt: The reason we’re even having this conversation about modernization of the rules is because listeners and viewers across the country have reached out to Washington, expressing the need to allow local radio to better compete.

We got out of the gates very quickly this Congress with a media blitz, educating policymakers on the need for the FCC to act quickly on this issue. We were bolstered by a court decision over the summer that clarified the FCC ability to further deregulate in this space.

Chairman Carr has a broad purview over all areas of telecom and broadcast, and for local ownership to rise to the top of his “to do” list is a testament to the fact that local listeners and viewers have engaged with Washington.

More than 200,000 of them, and nearly 100 bipartisan lawmakers, have reached out to Chairman Carr saying this is the time to modernize these rules to allow broadcasters to better compete.

“

My disappointment is just that the machinations of Washington seem to be moving slower and slower every Congress.

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

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Newsmaker There are well-heeled adversaries that we need to deal with. But we feel we are right, not just on the policy but the politics. We’re continuing to show Chairman Carr that it’s an imperative of his allies across Washington to level this playing field.

I’m very optimistic that he’s been open to hearing our argument on this, and that he’s got a lot of support to move quickly.

Do you agree with Chairman Carr that the FCC is not an independent agency?

LeGeyt: Our job at the National Association of Broadcasters is to meet regulators where they are. We’re telling our story to Chairman Carr, to Commissioner Gomez, to Commissioner Trusty, irrespective of legal questions as to how the FCC ought to be treated. For local broadcasters, we don’t get focused on those side shows.

8

After the Jimmy Kimmel situation, you said that government pressure over content is not new and has come from both parties. But isn’t what President Trump and his administration have done historically unusual? He’s been vocally blunt in a way that many people interpret as pressure on broadcasters, to the point of threatening licenses. Isn’t that different?

LeGeyt: Look, our credibility as local radio stations is going to be dependent on our independence from political interference. Our audiences need to be able to trust that what they’re hearing over our airwaves is based on independent decision-making and views that aren’t being influenced by any president or any government official.

Our role at the National Association of Broadcasters is to reinforce our First Amendment right to deliver our programming free of government influence. I’m going to pound the table on that every opportunity I get, not just over the course of this administration but over the course of any administration, as we’ve done in the past.

Is it a foregone conclusion that the rest of the C-band is going to be taken, based on what Congress has told the FCC to do?

LeGeyt: From our perspective, this is about allowing broadcasters to continue to deliver this programming. We have expressed our concerns around our usage within the C-band and how undermining that, absent a technical substitute solution, will impede local communities, impede the quality of our broadcast and drive costs up for our stations.

Yes I expect that the commission is going to continue to move forward, but we’re going to ensure that local broadcast stations are protected.

You’re saying,“If you’re going to move us, you’d better help pay to move us.”

LeGeyt: That’s exactly right. And you’d better ensure that the substitute works from a technical perspective, so there’s no gap in our ability to serve our communities.

The FCC has been open to that argument. I have every confidence that they’ll get this right.

You’ve made an internal realignment to accelerate development and deployment of the Broadcast Positioning System. Technology executives Sam Matheny and Tariq Mondal have roles exclusively focused on BPS. You also launched an Industry Affairs and Innovation department, led by April Carty-Sipp.

Why is BPS so important to your members?

LeGeyt: This is one of those unique moments where broadcasters have the ability to serve the country while creating additional business opportunities for local stations and bolster the reputation of our industry and our use of our spectrum.

The vulnerability of the GPS system is a major national

“ ” The motivation of these tech companies, and by extension the automakers, is to prioritize products that they can sell with a subscription service or where they can monetize the data.

security concern. The first Trump administration issued an executive order calling for viable complements to GPS, because if it goes down, you’re talking about major disruption to our financial systems, our energy grid, our transportation systems.

Although a lot of interests have explored solutions, none has what local broadcasters have: an infrastructure already in place across the country in 210 markets to solve this problem, one that is land-based, not satellite-based and susceptible to the same type of spoofing that GPS is susceptible to.

Our team has done incredible work over five years to explore what is now an active proof-of-concept that our technology can serve as a viable complement to GPS. We’ve entered into a partnership through the Department of Transportation with Dominion Energy so we can test our technology alongside a meaningful critical infrastructure partner. We’re thrilled about the progress.

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Newsmaker

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Below Curtis LeGeyt joined Catherine Badalamente and Ann Halier at the Gracies Leadership Awards presented by the Alliance for Women in Media in New York in November.

We have realigned our organization to further our focus.

This is an existential challenge that the federal government must solve for the security of our country.

We want to step up and show that this is something that the NAB is focused on solving alongside them. We can’t do it if it is a project that a couple of NAB employees spend 20 to 30% of their time on. Sam and Tariq will spend 100% of their time while building out a team to take this from concept to reality.

The federal government has been receptive to this technical solution. We’ve been working not just with the Department of Transportation, but with the Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce. We’ve had continual touch points with the White House.

For broadcasters, it’s just another example of how we’re using our spectrum, our technology, and that where other forms of technology fail, we’ve always been there in times of emergency. This is a further use case that demonstrates broadcasters’ role in our civic life.

Beyond BPS this realignment also allows us to focus our efforts on technology issues that really sit at the intersection of business and innovation. Whether you’re talking about the connected car, AI, how we rate on search platforms … increasingly our technology issues are also business issues, and vice versa. Aligning our remaining technology team within a new Industry Affairs and Innovation team breaks down a silo that will also help us address other issues that are existential to our radio and television members.

Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Alliance for Women in Media

I’m sure there are competitors for the role of GPS backup system. What would success look like for you — are you looking for government funding? Are you looking for an endorsement as the government’s official secondary backup system to GPS? LeGeyt: We start with the second piece, which is agencies across the federal government recognizing the viability of this technology to secure our critical infrastructure. And if we do that, the other pieces will take care of themselves.

NAB has spent a lot of time engaging with carmakers about the dashboard. But every year we see headlines that this or that car isn’t going to have AM or even FM. And it is increasingly hard to find radio within the menus. How can radio counter these trends?

LeGeyt: First of all we need to get the AM for Every Vehicle Act passed.

The core of that bill is AM radio and ensuring that every newly manufactured automobile includes access to it; but that overlooks two important points.

Radio’s viability as a whole, including FM, is tethered to the future of AM radio. Policymakers have stepped up because of some of the unique attributes of AM radio, but realistically AM’s place in the dashboard secures radio’s place in the dashboard. It will allow us to focus on how we better innovate this product, rather than getting distracted day in and day out on the even larger question of how to keep our product in the automobile.

Also, the bill not only ensures that AM — and therefore radio — is going to be in the automobile, but that it’s readily accessible. As we are competing in this screen-based environment in the car with endless numbers of apps, it’s getting more and more difficult to locate radio. This bill, if implemented correctly, will right-size that.

All we’re looking for is the ability to compete on a level playing field. The motivation of these tech companies, and by extension the automakers, is to prioritize products that they can sell with a subscription service or where they can monetize the data.

Radio sits outside of that.

Yes, policymakers are embracing this legislation because of public safety, but they are also doing it because they recognize the competitive imbalance and the incentives for the autos to make access to radio difficult.

We’ve got to get the bill over the finish line, but we also need tell our

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Newsmaker story better. We’ve focused on direct engagement with the autos, especially on a global stage. April Carty-Sipp, Sam Matheny, John Clark and David Layer have focused on telling this story to the automakers, reminding them of the enduring popularity, the hundreds of millions of listeners.

This is often overlooked, because who are they hearing from every day? It’s the tech platforms. Radio is fragmented, so we don’t always do a great job of speaking with one voice.

We are getting better at that, and you’re seeing the results in terms of responsiveness from the automakers.

But especially once we get on the other side of this bill, this is something that we need to do even better.

this first issue, we don’t want to talk about the others.

We submitted them for the record, because they further tell the story that local radio is far and away the most over-regulated medium, and we’re competing against behemoths that don’t have to abide by any of these regulations, creating an unlevel playing field. Hopefully those are 2027 and 2028 priorities, and we can have a further discussion about them.

But we are laser-focused on getting ownership rules modernized and ensuring radio’s ongoing place and prominence in the automobile. Those are our priorities.

You’ve talked about consumer anxiety over effects of AI on content and news coverage.

Recently the administration issued an executive order pushing back on state laws about artificial intelligence, saying they can slow innovation. What are the ramifications for broadcasters?

LeGeyt: The administration rightfully recognizes the difficulty that a patchwork of state laws will mean for businesses that need to operate and are trying to innovate, including broadcasters.

But there are major issues here, and the NAB has flagged those relevant to local broadcasters — protecting the image and likeness and voices of our local personalities, as well as ensuring that, when our local and news content is used by these platforms, we have the ability to control how that content is used, achieve attribution and be compensated if our content is monetized by the platforms.

We’ve seen it for the last decade in the context of traditional search through Google and Facebook. Our own content is not only being used or accessed by those platforms, without our permission at times, but it’s being used to compete against us for advertising dollars. We’re effectively undermining our own medium because of our lack of control and market power.

Those issues are exacerbated in the AI context. This is something policymakers need to recognize. We are pushing for one standard federal set of rules, because that is preferential to a patchwork of state laws. But one way or the other, policymakers need to deal with this.

NAB had a lot to say when the chairman invited comments his “Delete, Delete” initiative. You talked about many proposals from others that your organization keeps an eye on, such as LPFM power increases, eliminating FM allocation requirements and others. Some seem pretty far-fetched. Are there issues that you’re keeping a particular eye on?

LeGeyt: It all falls by the wayside if we don’t achieve meaningful ownership modernization. We structured our “Delete, Delete” comments saying that until you address

Is it possible the FCC would act on ownership this coming year?

LeGeyt: We have seen from the chairman, as well as the other commissioners, a real openness for digging into this and an understanding of the existential moment that we are in for local radio. I don’t control the timetable, but I can assure our members that this is very much top of mind for the chairman, fueled by the fact that hundreds of thousands of broadcast listeners and viewers have

“ ” No one is doing what local radio does, which is that local community presence. ... That’s in our DNA, and I love telling that story. engaged with policymakers. They’ve responded and are pressing the FCC chair to act quickly here.

Anything else you’d like radio people, owners, managers, engineers, to know?

LeGeyt: It’s a thank you for the tremendous service being done at local radio stations across the country. We know the challenges grow by the day. The most rewarding part of my job is when I get out of Washington, visiting stations and ensuring that our advocacy agenda is in sync and matches the needs of our members. I’m in awe of the work being done.

There’s such a fascination right now with tech, with AI, how all of these innovations are going to shape our society.

But no one is doing what local radio does, which is that local community presence. It is hard. And in those times of emergency radio does its best work. That’s in our DNA, and I love telling that story.

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

11

Workbench

John Bisset CPBE The author is in his 35th year of writing Workbench. He handles western U.S. radio sales for the Telos Alliance and is a past recipient of the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award.

Send your tips

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

Repurpose that old Denon CD player A backup program source may already be in your closet

Above Remote control for the discontinued Denon DC-C615 CD/MP3 player, from the manual available on the Denon Pro website.

D

oes your station have an old Denon CD player in your storage closet? Here’s a way to repurpose it.

Frank Hertel of Hertel Engineering reports that many Denon players have simple remote control capability. He realized that if configured properly, a player could be used at a transmitter site as a backup audio source. If the STL fails, the player can automatically play and insert generic program audio.

A station could create several CDs of non-dated generic programs that would play until the STL signal returns to normal.

Shown is the remote-control

schematic for the Denon Professional DC-C615 model, which was marketed as a high-quality yet affordable CD/ MP3 player for small stations, schools, churches and similar venues.

The schematic is from the product manual, which Denon helpfully makes available as a download at www.denonpro. com/products/dn-c615.

It would be a simple project for most station engineers to configure this, building up a switching and control system that would be triggered by STL signal loss. This might be particularly useful where a trip to the transmitter site will take hours instead of minutes.

What other solutions have you used to create reliable audio backup at your sites? Email me at johnpbisset@ gmail.com.

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Workbench the scrap value of the copper because it’s hard to remove even with solvent. Find it at big-box hardware stores.

The cooperative has used this technique and Wayne says a costly copper theft problem has been reduced dramatically.

Scram, Mickey!

Credit: Amazon

Reboot scootin’

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Dan Slentz came across this item while researching solutions for a station that needed a remote power switch to reboot equipment remotely.

For $225, Dataprobe offers the iBoot-G2. The device provides remote power control for rebooting and turning equipment off or on using a browser or Dataprobe’s free cloud service. Again this may eliminate a site visit, in this case to simply reboot something.

Setup is plug-and-play. The device provides a single NEMA outlet. The iBoot Cloud Service offers secure, centralized power control and monitoring for multiple locations.

Of particular interest for transmitter sites are the realtime alerts. You can receive instant notifications of power status changes, reboots or network issues via email or SMS. On Amazon search “Dataprobe iBoot-G2.”

No more tangles

I came across a brief yet informative YouTube video about coiling extension cords to eliminate tangles. Not only is the technique useful for engineers, but it’s a great video to share with your remote staff.

At YouTube search “How Pros Wrap Extension Cords, Cables & Hoses.”

The video is on the LRN2DIY channel, which has more than 1 million subscribers. It describes itself as featuring “dorky guys, power tools, tips, tricks and how-to.”

Tar and feather those cables

Okay, forget the feathers, but Wayne Eckert, an engineer with Florida’s Rural Communications Cooperative, offers a tarring solution to deter theft of copper ground bars and conductors.

He suggests painting bars and conductors with black tar roofing mastic, an inexpensive compound that is simple to apply.

Roofing mastic stays sticky and messy, greatly lowering

Above The Dataprobe iBoot-G2 Basic Network Power Switch.

Vamoose from BugMD makes it easier to keep rodents out of transmitter buildings, outside cabinets and antenna tuning units.

This product uses essential plant-based oils — cornmint, citronella and linseed — disrupting the rodents’ sense of smell without killing them. They want to get away from the odor, hence they’ll be less likely to set up residence in your building.

Right Vamoose uses plant-based oils to deter rodents.

Credit: BugMD

The website is www.bugmd.com. Four pouches cost about $11, and each pouch lasts 30 days. Find it via online retailers including Amazon.

Don’t make the mistake of feeling comfortable because you only see mice once in a while; that’s how it starts.

Damaged equipment can be very expensive to replace.

Departing thoughts

Dale Lamm, engineering director at WHBC in Canton, Ohio, likes to post a list on his transmitter site door as a reminder of things to check before leaving; 1. Are remote controls reenabled and all transmitters set to “Remote” rather than “Local” control?

2. Are HVAC setpoints reset to where the transmitters want them, not where the maintenance engineer feels comfortable?

3. Did you shut off the well-water pump?

Dale once had a pipe joint spring a leak. With the water pump running, water was everywhere. The well pump just kept on pumping.

Any reminders we can add to this list? Email me!

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Tech Tips

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Writer

More musings about liquid-cooled systems Including a look at how to replace components

Michael Baldauf

Above Fig. 1: The panel on a Rohde & Schwarz model.

I

n an article in the Nov. 19 issue, I introduced basic concepts of liquid cooling and considerations to keep in mind when shopping for an FM transmitter.

The topic brings up more questions than answers, so let’s try to clarify some of the issues.

Liquid cooling circulates “anti-freeze” through various elements of your transmitter. Generally, this includes the power amplifier modules, possibly the power supplies and of course the pumps, which may be housed inside the transmitter or in a separate rack nearby.

When a liquid-cooled component is removed, the valves of that component, both in and out, must be shut off. In some cases, you’ll bypass the component by turning valves manually, in other cases, the valves are automatic. “Plugand-play” takes on a more complex meaning when liquid is a factor.

Case study

This is an example of how to bypass a defective pump for replacement.

Fig. 1 shows a panel on a Rohde & Schwarz model (the two pumps are visible at the bottom of the picture). It provides a parallel pump scenario that could be found in many types of equipment that use liquid for cooling.

There are two valves visible, VH1 and VH3, set to Normal Mode. The diagram, in closeup in Fig. 2, shows how to turn the valves to do maintenance on Pump 2 or Pump 1. Setting these allows you to bypass the malfunctioning pump and replace it while losing only a small amount of fluid.

Once the liquid is no longer going through the defective pump, you can replace the pump. Fig. 3 on page 18 provides a view of the pumps; you can also see VH2 below the pumps.

Luckily, you don’t need to replace the heavy black iron of the manifold on the back of the pumps. You can remove the pump from the front of the manifold with four silver Allen screws.

The tougher part involves the electrical and control connections; you need to take apart the front readout cover and disassemble the front of the pump. Caution:

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Tech Tips One of the small connectors has high voltage, so you must trace both cables to the control board and disconnect before you unplug anything.

Other considerations

Maintaining a liquid-cooled system adds to your upkeep routine, but the main challenge will be completing the installation and setting liquid levels correctly in the transmitter.

The heat exchangers must be installed adjacent to the transmitter on the outside of the building.

This involves cutting holes in the building for the liquid plumbing and the wire harnesses that connect the heat exchanger, fan monitoring and controls to the system.

Then your custom “plumbing” also may involve cutting large copper pipe or hoses, assembling connectors, routing and supporting the piping.

Once the system passes a pressurization test, liquid coolant is pumped into the system. Typical steps include priming the filler pump manually and filling the system with

a hose and buckets of coolant provided by the transmitter manufacturer. (This task is almost impossible without several people.)

Typically, bleeding out the air involves opening valves at the highest point of the plumbing. Those will need to stay open for hours or days to finish this task,

Above Fig. 2: The diagram shows how to turn the valves for maintenance.

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Tech Tips

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Above Fig. 3: A view of the pumps, and VH2 visible below.

though the transmitter may be allowed to run in some configuration.

The transmitter control system should be providing the data necessary to determine if the liquid-cooling system is coming up to proper pressure and the pumps and heat exchanger fans are operating correctly.

Other than these liquid aspects, your procedure for installing a new transmitter is much the same as with an air-cooled transmitter, without the exhaust fans of course.

A few factors I look for when recommending transmitters: 1. In any transmitter, power amplifier modules are going to fail. Typically, these cannot be repaired in the field.

Ask up front about replacements, repair policies and warranties. Investigate the difficulty in changing them out and shipping them.

2. Power supplies: Are they custom-made for this transmitter, or generic and available “off the shelf” from various suppliers?

3. The liquid used. Is it available only from the transmitter company, or can it be made on site by combining automotive anti-freeze and water?

Every situation is different. But speaking generally, liquid cooling will reduce heat loading in your transmitter building, saving you money that you might spend to buy, run and maintain larger HVAC systems to support aircooled transmitters. Removing heat from components through the direct contact of the liquid is more efficient than air cooling. But the complexity of liquid cooling will involve more upfront costs.

It all comes back to return on the investment. Perhaps the biggest question for a station owner is how long they plan to own the station. Fluid cooling will almost always save money over the long run. Transmitter companies can provide an analysis to help the station owner choose between liquid- and air-cooled models and estimate how long it will take to repay the additional cost of fluid cooling through reduced electricity usage.

Is the liquid available only from the transmitter company, or can it be made on site by combining automotive anti-freeze and water? radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Phone & Talkshow Products/Services 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.

20 Right A studio at KUT, with ip-screener on the lower-left display.

KUT adopts ip-studio for its new financial call-in show The software was recommended by Broadcast Depot

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UT, Austin’s NPR station, recently launched a live call-in radio show, “Money Talk With Carl Stuart.”

Since it airs live and the host works remotely, the show’s production created a challenge for the technical team.

The audio path was established using a remote codec, but the main difficulty was enabling the remote host to visualize and manage calls without direct access to the studio’s physical phone network. The station required a robust system that could integrate with its existing Telos VX Enterprise VoIP Phone System and fill this gap in their workflow.

After a search, KUT chose ip-studio’s ip-screener software, recommended by Broadcast Depot’s Mary Schnelle.

The software was selected because it was a single application designed to integrate effectively with the Telos VX phone system, allowing the remote show to be executed without major technical interruptions.

KUT operates on a full AoIP workflow built around Telos Axia Livewire. The core infrastructure includes a Telos VX

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Enterprise engine, with a Telos V-Set talk show controller and a Quasar SR console in the studio.

In this setup, the ip-screener’s main function is to visualize the Telos VX Enterprise studio profile for the remote host and producer, enabling management of incoming and outgoing calls.

During the show, calls appear on the producer’s ip-screener dashboard. The producer screens the call, inputs the caller’s details and question into an attached message box, puts the line on hold and assigns it to one of the console faders.

When the remote host needs to see the information, the producer drags it into the host’s dedicated “animator” section. The host can then put the call on-air or end it with a click.

Producer V. Marc Fort said the process is a quick, “two-click” action, adding that he values the ability to embed notes.

A key feature within ip-screener is a “live messages” tool, which allows the host and producer to communicate in real time about last-minute changes without needing a separate channel.

Rene Chavez, audio production engineer at KUT, said he appreciates the software’s clear and simple interface.

“It’s nimble and dependable and lets us focus on the most important element: the show.”

A key feature allows the host and producer to communicate about last-minute changes without needing a separate channel. radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update AxelTech Features Software-Defined Call Management The AxelTech Talk Show System is a software solution for the Oxygen 3000 Plus console. It supports up to eight simultaneous lines across major formats including POTS, VoIP, BT and telco. These lines are consolidated into one or two virtual channels on the console, reducing required faders.

The system includes a dedicated web interface, allowing up to three operators with individual access rights to screen calls, manage queues and conduct interviews.

Features include a caller database, real-time caller information with mood indicators and inter-operator chat. Operational modes include Alternating Queue, Conference and Hybrid modes, with manual and automatic controls.

It runs on a standard PC with a modern browser and basic audio interfaces, requiring no additional hardware.

AxelTech says the system is for stations with high call volumes and facilities needing phone integration without standalone hybrid costs.

“By embedding call handling directly into the console, broadcasters can consolidate multiple lines into one or two channels, eliminate surface clutter and gain professional control through a clean, intuitive interface.”

Info: www.axeltechnology.com

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Buyer’s Guide

Martinique La 1ère puts NeoSIP to work for French TV group It is used daily and supports the station’s efforts to feature interaction with listeners

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artinique La 1ère, a radio station of the France Télévisions group, has been using NeoGroupe’s NeoSIP platform for several months.

Désir Quiquely, head of audiovisual systems maintenance at Martinique La 1ère, said the station had been looking to replace its old phone system and modernize its tools. The Martinique La 1ère team decided to use NeoSIP software, citing its versatility as a multi-studio and multi-site system that can be adapted to the needs of radio stations of various sizes.

NeoSIP can be purchased as a subscription or a perpetual licence and allows for hosting in the cloud or on the customer’s servers.

It is used daily in Martinique La 1ère’s studios, particularly during the station’s morning shows, which feature regular interaction with listeners.

The programs feature on-air contests, made possible by NeoWinners ticketing, another solution developed by NeoGroupe and which launched in 2025.

The combination of NeoSIP and NeoWinners allows for precise scheduling of time slots, organization of game mechanics, allocation of gifts and automatic distribution of tickets to winners.

In addition, the Martinique La 1ère team benefits from increased mobility thanks to NeoScreener, NeoSIP’s visual interface. It allows users to work simultaneously on several tablets, providing a clear and instant overview of calls, contests and interactions currently on air.

When asked what feature he likes most about NeoSIP, Quiquely cited its ease of use. NeoGroupe says NeoSIP was designed to be efficient and accessible without a complex or overloaded interface.

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NeoSIP in use at Martinique La 1ère

The combination allows for precise scheduling of time slots, organization of game mechanics, allocation of gifts and automatic distribution of tickets to winners.

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update 2wcom Introduces Software-Based Talk Show, Call-In Workflows

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2wcom says broadcasters are moving away from traditional hardware-based telephone hybrids and fixed-studio infrastructure. IP-based workflows and software-driven solutions are more common across modern radio operations, particularly for talk show and call-in scenarios.

In this context, the company’s “up2talk” is used as a software-based solution for handling talk show, call-in and voice contribution workflows in professional broadcast environments. 2wcom says it enables stations to connect callers and remote guests via IP while keeping existing workflows and operational concepts intact. up2talk is provided as a software service and can be combined with additional endpoints on the customer side, which may be implemented as virtual instances or dedicated hardware, depending on the setup. “This allows broadcasters to integrate the solution into existing infrastructures without replacing established studio components.”

Integration into broadcast environments is possible using common audio-over-IP codecs and standard broadcast interfaces. The

Tech Update AEQ Offers HD VoIP Call-In System The AEQ Systel Max is an HD VoIP “call-in” and multiconference system built on SIP technology.

It can be integrated with IP exchanges (IP-PBX), SIP Trunking or virtual PBX, and features Dante/AES67 AoIP audio connectivity.

A key technical characteristic is that it does not use hybrids; instead, it operates as a non-blocking four-wire digital matrix, allowing multiple lines to be on air simultaneously without loss of quality. The 19-inch format engine is licensed for up to 128 VoIP lines and 128 AoIP channels, and it is configured and operated through applications and web pages.

In radio, AEQ says the Systel Max is useful for programs involving successive on-air calls or multiconferences. Its features support workflows with a producer, operator and presenter, enabling call

browser-based user interface provides access to call handling and basic control functions, allowing engineers and operators to manage connections in a straightforward and familiar way.

In addition to classic talk show and call-in applications, up2talk can be used for remote voice contribution scenarios such as interviews or guest participation from external locations. By using IP connectivity instead of traditional telco lines, 2wcom says broadcasters can modernize voice workflows while maintaining reliability and compatibility with existing systems.

Info: www.2wcom.com

queues, multiplex mode, pre-listening and holding calls with program monitoring.

It also facilitates the review and reordering of calls before they are put on air, along with tagging and identification of speakers, a directory and scheduled calls.

For television, the system provides the same call and coordination environment while extending its use to technical production through integration with intercom matrices. The Systel IP TV client routes each line as a four-wire circuit that can be assigned to faders or intercom ports, manages N-1 returns and organizes multiconference groups.

In corporate environments, the Systel Max interconnects meeting rooms and routes audio between locations within a building. It can include external interlocutors via IP telephony and supports uses such as simultaneous translation, even with resources located remotely.

Info: https://aeq.eu

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update Broadcast Bionics Expands Talk Offerings Broadcast Bionics has updated its talkshow solutions to address increasing demand for visual content and remote contribution.

The company said it aims to make radio studios more flexible, scalable and intelligent without sacrificing control or speed.

Recent updates to the BionicTalkshow system introduce support for WhatsApp voice calling and Zoom Meetings, which the company says give broadcasters “new ways to connect with listeners and guests using the tools and platforms they already know and trust.”

WhatsApp voice calling allows stations to take calls directly from WhatsApp within the BionicStudio interface, with incoming calls appearing alongside traditional lines and outgoing calls handled via a secure invitation process.

Support for Zoom Meetings offers more flexibility for remote contributors by allowing producers and hosts to create or join meetings from BionicStudio. Guests can be brought on air individually or together, and each Zoom guest feed can generate an HD video source for hybrid shows visualized through BionicDirector.

Separately, the company says its BionicStudio experience has been

BionicStudio in use at Bauer London.

enhanced with new augmented intelligence tools.

VoiceGPIO introduces natural voice control to the control room, allowing operators to use simple speech commands for hands-free control of consoles, GPIO actions or making calls.

The platform includes BionicScribe, an AI tool that aids in content discovery, curation and repurposing by adding highlight and topic detection alongside real-time transcription across messages, audio and video in BionicStudio.

Info: www.bionics.co.uk

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Buyer’s Guide

Tech Update VX Duo delivers scalable, broadcast-ready VoIP Homing in on broadcast-focused VoIP development, Telos Alliance has introduced the VX Duo, which delivers core telephone capabilities in a micro-PC footprint.

Telos says VX Duo is a cost-conscious way to bring full broadcast VoIP capability to smaller spaces “without sacrificing audio quality or operational features.”

It ships in a two-hybrid configuration but can scale to as many as eight hybrids per device through license upgrades.

“That flexibility makes it suitable for standalone studios, production booths, newsrooms or multi-studio facilities where each room needs a couple of lines,” said Telos.

The VX Duo occupies roughly the space of a pair of stacked CDs, making it suitable to deploy in environments where rack space is at a premium. Three VX Duo units occupy one RU and can deliver as many as 24 VoIP hybrids.

The VX Duo includes the company’s adaptive three-band EQ, threeband spectral processor, noise gating, “smart” AGC and wideband acoustic echo cancellation, which is useful for talent who monitor on speakers rather than headphones. Dual Ethernet ports separate VoIP

traffic from Livewire+ AES67 AoIP, allowing the system to slot into modern IP studios.

Call screening options are flexible. Each unit includes Broadcast Bionics XScreen software, and stations can utilize Telos VSet hardware or third-party screening tools. Telos says setup is easy with online documentation designed to simplify VoIP configuration. VX Duo is part of Telos Alliance’s Studio Essentials family, a range of compact, costeffective broadcast devices.

Info: telosalliance.com/vxduo

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Reader’s Forum the line. This not only attenuated the signal, it modulated the signal with harmonics of 60 Hz. An older dorm without these lamps had no problem.

A bigger problem was that everyone involved was an EE geek, playing with the engineering aspects, but there was no talent to actually produce programming, so WIIT operated more like a ham station.

But we had our fun. I built a transmitter and an audio compressor, all using vacuum tubes. I don’t recall any faculty advisor giving direction.

Do any carrier current stations remain? Or is everything streaming on cell phones?

Kenneth Lundgren

Radio can do better Congrats, Andy It’s wonderful to see Andy Gladding honored with the Radio World Excellence in Engineering Award! At a time when local radio is challenged, I love seeing what he and the staff at WKZE are doing.

Thank you for including the photo of Cody Hmelar and me in the story; that was an unexpected surprise.

I will always be a bit of a radio geek, and co-anchoring the Pride Parade in Red Hook was a lot of fun. I can’t even remember the last time I was part of a live remote.

Bernie Wagenblast Cranford, N.J.

WIIT 640 kc In regards Nick’s Langan’s story about carrier current (“Connecting Currents on Campus,” radioworld.com): I attended Illinois Tech from 1959 to 1963. We had a carrier current station we called WIIT on 640 kHz, or “kc” at the time.

The transmitter was in the basement of one of the dorms.

We could get a strong signal throughout the buildings, but it had a high level of 120 Hz hum, just 20 dB signal to noise. I discovered that each room had a fluorescent light over each desk. Each fixture had a 1 microfarad capacitor wired across

A great article by Gary Begin about living up to the concept of live and local (“Time to Stop Slashing and Burning,” radioworld.com).

Gary hit the mark when he wrote that most radio stations, no matter the format, brand themselves with tired ’80s-like lines such as “We play a better mix of music.”

My personal playlist does better than those stations. I’ve been asked to voice lines like that and I tell those folks that in 2025 it’s not a good idea.

Know your audience and tailor your programming toward them. Gary reminds owners that personalities are their product.

An Art Vuolo video (https://vuolovideo.com/ ) is unlike anything you hear on the radio today. Radio needs to groom fun voices with quick wit who know how keep it pithy and un-offensive.

Get your community involved. Parents rally around their kids in school sports programs, so why not get a local high school team or cheerleaders to come by your station to shout out its call letters or brand? This develops loyalty.

Broadcasting local sports is cool too.

Another idea: Provide a recorded line for listeners to leave a message for a personality or share something that’s happening in the community. Promote that segment. Folks will tune in.

And shorten the damn stopsets. After three spots a listener can’t remember who was first or even second.

Revenue is necessary but long stopsets create listener fatigue; you lose momentum.

Funny local spots work! In Boston we have a local electrical contractor who emphasizes the company’s name by saying there is a funeral home with the same-sounding name and

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

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Reader’s Forum how embarrassing it would be to call up the funeral home by mistake and say, “My whole house is dead, can you come over?”

Subtle, funny, not offensive. We remember how to spell the similar-sounding electrical contractor’s name after hearing spot. I personally look forward to it.

I will now go sit in the corner!

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The courts, of course, were closed during that time so no order to cease construction could be made. Asking for forgiveness instead of asking for permission DOES warrant consideration at times!

3. When we got a full-time CP for WKLZ(AM) in Kalamazoo, we moved to a new site just south of I-94 that divides Kalamazoo and Portage. The site was just over a half-mile from the small plane approach to the Kalamazoo airport.

Our filing requested approval for a 180-foot tower and a three-foot beacon for an overall height of 183 feet. In an incredible approval, the FAA denied the filing BUT did approve a 180-foot tower without the requirement of a beacon. Who was I to disapprove?

Bill Wertz Co-owner/Executive Vice President (emeritus) Fairfield Broadcasting Co.

“You built it already?”

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Salem Media Group’s project to build a fourtower AM array atop a large commercial building in San Francisco (“Up on the Roof,” radioworld.com) stirred three memories of building new towers for Fairfield Broadcasting Co. 1. We purchased what was then WSEO(FM) in Kalamazoo, Mich., in 1972. It’s safe to say six coat hangers and RG-8 cable would have worked better than what the previous owner had incorporated. Our purchases did include a seven-year lease on his four-tower WKMI(AM) 1360 array AND a seven-year electricity lease at no additional cost.

The latter provided power for our 5 kW Gates transmitter.

2. We kept the original site at WKMI for a backup and got a CP for 40 kW at 550-feet HAAT at a new 20-acre site we purchased in Barry County that provided primary coverage over all of Kalamazoo/Portage, Battle Creek, and most of Grand Rapids.

When I went to the county seat to get a permit, the clerk wanted to see the facility. I drove him to it. When we crested a hill, off in the distance was our tower.

He gasped and said, “You built it already?” I said yes, innocently, and was that an issue? He replied he’d have to double the permit fee from $180 to $360 as punishment.

I got the idea to do that from our KalaMusic days. Our first client was WOMC(FM) in Detroit, which Metromedia had purchased. The original owners, engineers, had put it up without first securing a permit. They’d poured the concrete for the self-supporting tower and, after allowing it to set, they started construction at 5:01 p.m. on a Friday and completed it by 8 a.m. on Monday.

I love ’em too

How to submit

Radio World welcomes comment on all relevant topics. Email radioworld@ futurenet.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject field.

Paul, I thoroughly enjoyed your article “I Love the Sticks” in the Sept. 24 issue.

I was born and raised in Newark, Del., and have fond memories of WNRK(AM). I remember sitting with my mom on snowy winter mornings listening to “Little John” Patrick waiting to hear if my school was closed.

WNRK inspired me to become an amateur radio operator and follow my engineering passion, eventually becoming chief engineer at WAMS(AM) 1380 in Wilmington as chief engineer! I had my dream job, marveling at the directional array, the thrill of working with Dr. Kahn on the AM stereo, watching the glow of the tubes in the old RCA backup transmitter when I fired it up, and watching the lightning dance in the Harris transmitter cabinet during a thunderstorm.

Later I raised a family and ran an IT company for 25 years.

Now I’ve come full circle with the opportunity to acquire an LPFM in Ocala, Fla. I have completely revamped the 20-plusyear-old station, adding HD Radio and additional libraries.

Once again I get to marvel at the 320-foot tower that I share with Bible Broadcasting Network.

So I fully grasp your love of radio and TV infrastructure. My wife of 25 years is slowly understanding my passion for this.

Thank you for the article. It really hit home for me.

Ed Pajewski WITG(LP) Ocala, Fla.

radioworld.com | January 14 2026

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