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Workbench
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by John Bisset
Radio World salutes John Bisset, author of Workbench, for his selection as the Society of Broadcast Engineers Educator of the Year.
An industry classic, Workbench provides "hands-on, in-the-trenches" tips -- by and for "hands-on, in-the-trenches" engineers. John Bisset, a chief engineer, contract engineer and industry equipment representative with almost four decades of experience, has compiled thousands of technical tips from readers around the industry, and adds his own special insights. Submissions for this column are encouraged and qualify for SBE recertification credit.
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Shocking Uses for 'Audio' Wire
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A Reader Discovers Two Scary Uses for Belden 8451
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by John Bisset, 2.14.2007
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Joe Stack with Modulation Sciences is an occasional contributor to Workbench. In discussing poorly engineering sites, Joe says he has run across two scary uses for Belden 8451 audio cable.
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Winds Affect Marti, Satellite Dishes
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Also: How a Can of Car Wax Can Make Your Life Easier the Next Time It Snows
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by John Bisset, 2.01.2007
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Laverne Siemens is the director of engineering for Golden West Media in Canada.
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Glucose Meters Help Solve Tech Problem
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by John Bisset, 1.17.2007
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For most engineers, the new year brings new budgets and new projects.
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UPS & Generator: A Happy Marriage
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by John Bisset, 1.03.2007
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Solving a problem gives any engineer a boost. But if we solve it using items from the junk box, well, that really makes our day.
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Not Such a Silly Goose
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by John Bisset, 12.20.2006
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We’re approaching the time of year when access to transmitter sites may be restricted by the weather. Gary Wachter of Service Broadcasting in Dallas came upon a useful discovery while searching for a transmitter site humidity sensor.
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Keep Tools Dry and Trouble-Free
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by John Bisset, 12.06.2006
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Zip Up Annoying Wire Bundles
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by John Bisset, 11.22.2006
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Rick and his engineering consultant, Ted Schober, had been troubleshooting an intermittent VSWR trip that seemed to be coming from their LPB transmitter. The trip would show up on the remote control, but for no apparent consistent reason. One day it was wet, another dry, one day it was warm; you get the picture.
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Disaster at the AM Transmitter Site
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by John Bisset, 11.08.2006
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While traveling by car, Cumulus Youngstown Market Engineer Wes Boyd spotted a peculiar AM site.
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Put a Tag on That Line
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by John Bisset, 10.25.2006
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Speaking of signs and labeling: If you lease space on your tower, it’s a good idea to identify the cables going up the tower, and also the antenna location.
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Mickey, Better Get the Mops
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by John Bisset, 10.11.2006
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In July, Nathan Chervek, assistant chief engineer at the New Hampshire Public Radio cluster in Concord, N.H., faced a storm like no other. After 12 inches of rain fell over the weekend, the walls in the basement were really weeping.
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Component Heat at the Transmitter
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by John Bisset, 9.27.2006
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Crawford's Cris Alexander was reading the Aug. 16 Workbench, which column brought to mind another AM system maintenance tip. His tip will help you spot problems before they turn into disasters.
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Gold Buried in That Site Soil
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by John Bisset, 9.13.2006
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Thieves have been busy this summer - busy stealing copper from transmitter sites.
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Got Gas? Try These Handy Aids
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by John Bisset, 9.01.2006
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When was the last time you checked your nitrogen regulator assembly? As we pointed out in the Aug. 2 Workbench, these assemblies can leak, depleting a nitrogen tank in no time.
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Hardware Store Finds Can Protect Test Gear
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by John Bisset, 8.16.2006
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Entercom Scranton's Ray Russ found a good use for the inexpensive tool cases that you find at Lowes or Home Depot.
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Looking for Leaks? Try Formula 409
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by John Bisset, 8.02.2006
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Yes, antennas and line sometimes will leak air. But if you're losing tanks of air on your pressurized FM lines, more than likely you will find the problem on the ground.
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Solutions to AM Impedance Issues
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by John Bisset, 7.19.2006
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The reliability of today's broadcast equipment means many products are forgotten for many years - they just do their jobs over and over.
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I Don't Like Squirrels and Snakes
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by John Bisset, 7.05.2006
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Bob Meister was reading the May 24 column about methods for securing signs to towers and fences.
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Take Notes to Protect Yourself
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by John Bisset, 6.21.2006
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Good weather usually brings not only remotes but construction projects. Here are a few tips from West Virginia Radio Corp. Vice President of Engineering Noel Richardson.
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Why Equipment Misbehaves
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by John Bisset, 6.07.2006
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There are a lot of Boston Acoustics HD receivers out there now.
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Simple Methods for Securing Signs
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by John Bisset, 5.24.2006
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Scott Todd of Salem's Twin Cities KKMS(AM) in Eagan, Minn., offers a tip that can save your department some money.
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