We are Off the Air!

This article is written primarily for non-technical personnel who want to understand the necessity of remote control systems without being bored to tears with all the technical mumbo jumbo.  As an engineer I cannot emphasize enough to work with your technical staff on producing a “needs” list then a quote for a remote control system, then discussing implementation.  

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We are off the air!!! A sentence that no one in radio or tv ever wants to hear. The next worse thing is hearing that statement and looking at your timepiece to see that it is 3AM and it’s storming outside……. joy o joy.   

This is when a reliable remote control comes into play.  There are many types to choose from. You can have something as simple as a On/Off for the transmitter, which most modern day transmitters have built in (if you have internet access), or complete transmitter site control systems that can send emails, make phone calls or start your coffee (no really, that can be done).  

The actual “needs” are simple. Can I turn the transmitter on or off. Hmmm, simple enough at first glance. But what if the problem is your audio processor, or maybe the IP audio feed needs to be rebooted or your internet connection itself is down??  You can see it doesn’t take long to realize that the “needs” are starting to grow way beyond the simple on/off.

 When determining what size, kind and cost of remote control you should write down the objectives you want to accomplish and then add in future growth. An example would be:

1. Turn transmitter on and off
2. Raise and lower power
3. Change audio source (if you lose your primary audio it could switch to local audio stored on a pc)
4. Switch to backup transmitter (if one is available)
5. Switch to backup antenna (if one is available)
6. Switch to night or day pattern (if AM)
7. Manually start and switch to generator (if one is available)
8. Monitor all meter readings and status conditions
9. Send emails or texts or make phone call if alarm condition activates.
10. Automatically start emergency fans if HVAC fail or inside temp goes above set point
11. Monitor inside temperature.
12. Connectivity method, telephone, internet or both
13. Future growth

All transmitters are required to be operated remotely unless they are co-located with the studio and that studio is staffed 24 hours a day. To be honest, I have not seen a 24/7 staffed facility in more years than I care to count.  And while keeping your transmitter logs are not required anymore I suggest every facility keep at least a year’s worth of logs on file in some form. It can be a printed hardcopy or a digital pdf file. That way if someone files a complaint that your station was overpowered or not on the air at all you can produce your copies of the transmitter logs. So with that in mind the practical approach is to have a full site remote control

Most transmitters sold in the past 5-10 years have some sort of remote control included as a standard feature. Most will be able to control the on/off, raise lower power functions as well as supply meter readings.  Some have the capability of logging readings that you can download or have emailed for good record keeping. There are models that will email selected staff members in the event of a problem.

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What is this going to cost???

Earlier we suggested you make a list of objectives.  This will assist you or your technical staff to narrow down the options.  The short answer of cost is $0.00 to around $5000.00. I agree this is a very wide window but this is where a good discussion with your technical staff comes into play.  

For most LPFM stand alone stations with a primary and backup transmitter based audio source you can expect to spend $625-$1000.00 depending on the brands you want to use.  These types of stations typically only need 4 raise/lower channels along with metering and status channels. I know off several LPFM’s that went a much less expensive route and the savings on the front end has cost them on the back end.

For most non directional AM and FM stations you can expect to spend $1200.00 to $4000.00 for 8 channels of raise/lower along with metering and status.  If you have back-up transmitters/antennas or co-located AM/FM transmitters I would highly suggest a unit capable of 16 channels. Some 8 channel units can be “linked” together or you can just purchase a 16 channel unit.  I would suggest purchasing a proven brand with a solid track record. 

While we are not suggesting any particular brand we have used Broadcast Tools, Circuit Werkes, Burk, Davicom, Sine Systems and Henry Engineering.  All these units are solid performers and can be customized for your needs. For most LPFM stations I have used Broadcast Tools WVRC-4 and CircuitWerkes SITESENTRY4.  While both units have a built-in web server, the Broadcast Tools also supports a telephone line that will initiate phone calls if there is a problem in addition to email.

If you do not have internet access at the transmitter site but you do have POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) then you could use the Broadcast Tools WVRC series and the Sine Systems RFC-1B.  You also have the option of using a cellular device for data and/or POTS connections.

You will not usually see a Burk Technology or Davicon unit used until you get to a full power station where the need for additional channels are needed. Odds are if you have a directional AM or full power FM then you have the operating capital to afford one of these units.  

  Along with these units I cannot stress the need for good grounding and surge protection on all phone and data lines. Burk Technology’s TS-1 is one of the best telephone surge protectors we have found and L-Com www.l-com.com has a good supply of lightning protectors as well as Polyphaser www.polyphaser.com . 

As you may have deduced by now modern day remote control systems are not covered under the “just get one it will work” heading.  These systems need to be tailored to your individual site and needs. With ownership working with the technical staff a sustainable and practical method can be installed ultimately saving time and money.  

Non standard remote control.

With most transmitter sites having some sort of internet connectivity, it is guaranteed that at some point that your modem, switch or other digital device locking up will happen.  Now the question is, “how do I reboot the modem when I can’t get to it?”

The device you are looking for is a Web based power switch. We have had very good service from Mega System Technologies MSNswitch model UIS-522B and the iBoot Web Power Switch by Dataprobe.  These devices, when setup, will ping an external site looking for a response. If there isn’t a response for a predetermined number of tries the power switch will turn off the electricity to whatever device is plugged into it then power back on allowing the plugged in device to reboot.  So if the lock up condition is on the local end (transmitter site etc..) then the reboot should be resolved. If the problem is on the ISP side at least you know your side is ready when they get their issue repaired.  

Over the years digital devices have gotten better in regards for the need to be rebooted.  However, it is not a bad idea to have devices on a scheduled reboot schedule. This can be done either manually or by remote control.  There are several brands of IP power strips (PDU) that can be rack mounted. These units typically have a builtin webserver which will allow you to label what is plugged in on different outlets.  Most also have scheduling capability so you can reboot PCs, audio processors, digital delay units or turn on your coffee pot at a scheduled time. This is what I like to call “predictive maintenance”, where you are stopping a problem before it rears its ugly head in the middle of drive time.

If you have any questions or comments in regards to remote control or if you have an idea on how to control something different please don’t hesitate to contact Elizabeth Brennan at the Catholic Radio Association and she will put us in touch.