Radio World - November 19, 2008 - (Page 12)

12 Radio World | radioworld.com FEATURES November 19, 2008 Troubleshoot Continued from page 10 Check operation of audio processing, remote control equipment and monitors. While you’re performing this operational check, note the type of fuse. An adequate stock of spare fuses is a lifesaver when your local electronics parts store or RadioShack is closed. Keep your “record of readings” notebook at each site and take the five or 10 minutes to record the operating parameters for each piece of equipment, including the transmitter. You’ll find this a great investment to help minimize future problems. Thanks to Bruce Blanchard of WSCL( FM)/WSDL(FM) in Salisbury, Md. He can be reached at bdblanchard@ salisbury.edu. ### OK let’s see how observant you are with Fig. 1. The Queen Anne’s Lace is pretty but not welcome at a transmitter site. It appears the former engineer did the right thing by placing gravel around the building, but he or she let the weeds get out of hand. The gravel will deter rodents and snakes but when weeds grow, the growth offers cover to these varmints. Clear it out! The growth has gotten out of hand inside the tower fence. The coax running up the tower identifies this as an FM tower so there are no buried radials; remove growth to include the roots and Fig. 3: Fasten tower grounds securely. Fig. 4: A properly identified tower. Note both the ID number and Rad-haz sign. cover the space with landscape fabric or plastic to deter growth. Now that the area inside the tower is clear, check the tower grounding. Is it secure? Look for green corrosion, rust or loose connections. Grounds should be securely Fig 5: Tower identification can be placed silver soldered or at the entrance to the property. cadwelded, as seen in Fig. 3. Measure the edge of the fence to the tower. When you get back to the studio, check that the fencing meets ANSI specs. There’s no tower identification number posted on the fence, nor is there an emergency contact sign. These are useful to identify the owner in case of an emergency, and in the case of the FAA Tower Registration Number, its omission may put you in violation. Tower identification signs can be placed at the tower, as shown in Fig. 4, or at entry to the site, as in Fig. 5. One source for tower signs is Antenna ID Products of Glenmoore, Pa., www.antennaid.com. In addition to a variety of signs, they also provide guy wire markers and balls. The barbed wire at our site is intact (a good thing), but the wooden box is a ready-made “ladder” for vandals. Not only does it provide access to inside the tower fence, it’s a great home for undesirable animals and insects. The box could also be moved to the side of the building, offering access to the roof or ventilation opening. Eliminate the temptation and get rid of the box! The tower paint looks OK but you’ll want to check it up close for blistering, peeling or fading. The tower field needs to be mowed, at least in the direction of each guy anchor. It’s hard to inspect the guy anchors trudging through waist-high weeds, to say nothing of the ticks you’ll attract. Keep the guy anchor points clear of brush and vegetation. Inspect them for loose or missing hardware and rust. If a local resident has a Bush Hog, see what they charge to mow the field. If you use a farmer or neighbour to clear the field, make sure you are present to guard against running into anchor points. Concert tickets and station T-shirts are excellent means of bartering for these services. (Plus, it’s a good idea to get to know the neighbours around the transmitter site. Drop off some T-shirts with your business card and encourage them to call you if they spot anything unusual. Be sure to let the GM know how much money you saved the station by arranging for these services. It doesn’t hurt to promote that your department can save money and not just spend it.) Did you spot the unsupported coax? The 3-inch line has a nice drip loop, so water won’t flood the transmitter building, but it’s lacking any real support. An ice bridge would be a nice addition. Your former chief gets a high mark for using a jacketed cable entry port for the main FM and a bowl insulator for the STL, but it looks like that luxury was forgotten with the tower lighting conduit. Remember, any holes or spaces in the walls of the building invite unwanted guests. Seal them up while there is still some decent weather. It’s not a bad idea to copy down the electrical pole ID numbers and keep them in your phone, along with the electrical service number. Seeing the pole-pig transformers on the pole in the distance reminds me that transmitter sites at the end of an AC feeder often are forgotten when storms roll through. The pole numbers can expedite restoration of service when a fuse blows on the pole. Although there’s no way of telling, the door should have a deadbolt or lock and hasp to secure it. I’ve been seeing more and more sites where engineers have installed a second deadbolt at the top or bottom of the door, making it difficult to kick in. Adding a deadbolt isn’t rocket science, and the folks at Lowes or Home Depot will be glad to show you how to install one. As a last resort, consider adding a door switch that will trigger a remote control alarm. It’s not fancy, but will help alert you to an intrusion. OK, that about exhausts my list. Did you add others? E-mail your suggestions at the address below. John Bisset has worked as a chief engineer and contract engineer for 40 years. He recently joined Nautel as regional sales manager for Europe and Southern Africa. In 2007 he received the SBE’s Educator of the Year Award. Reach him at johnbisset@verizon.net. Faxed submissions can be sent to (603) 472-4944. Submissions for this column are encouraged and qualify for SBE recertification credit. Vote For American Made http://www.radioworld.com http://www.ptekpower.com http://www.antennaid.com http://www.ptekpower.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Radio World - November 19, 2008

Radio World - November 19, 2008 IBOC+Satellite? Subscribers Not Impressed The New World of AM DA MoM Contents Newswatch Buterbaugh Legendary in Upper Midwest From the Editor Buterbaugh: His Colleagues Look Back Workbench: What’s Wrong With This Picture? KFI Back at Full Power With New Tower 3G or Not 3G? That Is the Question Exploring HD Radio Availability in Philadelphia HD Radio Scoreboard Digital News GEP For That Bird Without a Wire A Chat With Bay Country Radiolicious Brings Radio to iPhones People News Belar FMHD-1 Clears the Skies Reader’s Forum Radio Thrives in Digital Age A Vote for Change

Radio World - November 19, 2008

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