Last time, we covered a number of general planning tips in preparation for disasters. When the disaster strikes is not the time to develop a plan. First on our list of suggestions is hardening your studio site. Should the studio site fail, do you have an off-site backup facility?

If not, think remote truck! Should you lose your studio facility, a remote truck can be pressed into service to keep you on the air. Prior to predictable weather emergencies, keep the truck fluids topped off.

Embarking on the Telos Alliance All Frequencies Tour last year, Broadcast Audio Fanatics Andrew Clark and Jared Given weren’t sure what they would find as they crisscrossed the United States from station to station (radio station to TV station, that is). They soon found out. And what they found out is that the broadcast industry is one built on great people with a passion for what they do, and a real kinship with others in the field.

Being new to the industry, meeting so many folks in broadcast caused perceptions of the industry to evolve quickly. Andrew says his perceptions of Radio and TV were somewhat superficial prior to the tour, but that changed. “I’d listen to radio daily, watch TV at night, but you don’t think about how much goes into it. Seeing what goes into bringing that content to you was interesting.” Jared concurred, noting “You see what it takes to bring that programming to the listeners and viewers. You really get a new respect for what goes into delivering that.”

If it can be done in radio, Ted Alexander has probably done it. Broadcast Engineer, Disc Jockey, Talk Show Host, Traffic Reporter, Voiceover Artist… and now Support Specialist for The Telos Alliance. Ted’s career in the industry spans more than five decades – impressive enough – but his interest in radio goes back as far as he can remember. “Before I could walk,” Ted says, “lying on my back in bed… the buttons on my clothes looked like buttons on a radio, and I thought ‘If I could somehow push a button and make radio come out…’ To this day, I’m as fascinated with radio as I ever was.”

Hardly a week goes by that weather-related disasters aren’t touching some section of the country. So how can you protect yourself? In this three part series, we’ll look at some general preparedness techniques, then, drill down to the studio and transmitter sites.

Your thoughts on this topic are appreciated.

Following a visit last month by Telos’ Broadcast Audio Fanatics, veteran radio engineer Cordell Loken of KBNJ in Corpus Christi, TX sent us a note expressing how impressed he was with the meeting.

While we always enjoy hearing this type of feedback, once we got to know Cork and learned his story, we were as impressed with him as he was with us!

Who better to predict radio’s future than a radio futurologist? James Cridland advises radio’s leaders across the world – on radio’s multiplatform future, the effect of smartphones on radio listening, and radio’s place in social media. He writes about what happens when radio and new platforms collide – for Media UK and other websites and magazines. And works with the brightest brains to ensure radio remains relevant. On this episode, James describes RadioDNS, which he says is one of the key technologies for radio remaining relevant and useful to a mass audience.

An often-overlooked facet of AM broadcasting is carrier current radio. Typically carrier current is implemented by feeding the RF signal into the AC power distribution system of building allowing for broadcasting over limited areas. Hence, its widespread use among student-run college radio stations.

This month's trip to the attic turned up a dusty but functional LPB RC-6A carrier current transmitter, along with its coupler and test gear.

Exactly what is radio these days? Popular Communications columnist Rob de Santos discusses radio trends on "This Week in Radio Tech" with Kirk Harnack.

Chris Tobin shows us the FM combiner room at 4 Times Square – a main transmitter site for some and a backup site for other New York City broadcasters. Plus, Scott Fybush is here with transmitter and tower stories, a radio discussion board, and his 2014 Tower Site Calendar.

Resolving issues regarding Axia GPIO for on-air lights is a topic that comes up on a regular basis, and this month's Tech Tip question was a good reminder that we need to cover it again!