This is one in a series about managing costs and budgets in radio operations.
Tim Neese is president of MultiTech Consulting Inc. He has been a broadcast engineer for more than 35 years, as a maintenance engineer, a director of engineering for a group, a consultant and a business owner.
Radio World: Tim, tell us about your approach to this important topic.
Tim Neese: Managing a technical operations budget in today’s broadcast marketplace is challenging and can be time-consuming.
One approach I often see taken is “across-the-board” line-item cuts to an operating unit. Granted, it’s a quick and easy way to help balance the budget. In my opinion, it’s also analogous to using a hedge trimmer when the proper tool is a pruning shear.
Indiscriminate cuts may solve the immediate need, but almost invariably cause unintended future cost overruns. For instance, a 15% cut to all line items in an engineering budget impacts preventive maintenance.
In the short term the savings appear beneficial, but the long-term costs far outweigh the immediate benefit. In my experience, carefully tailored line-item cuts are much more beneficial.
On the opposite side of the balance sheet, engineers often overlook opportunities to generate revenue such as leasing space or hosting co-location tenants. That additional revenue can help offset cuts. Creativity is essential in today’s budgeting process.
RW: Can you suggest best practices for a maintenance program and the management of equipment lifecycles?
Neese: First, scheduled preventive maintenance is critical. For instance, keeping air filters clean or changed is much cheaper than repairing or replacing components that are damaged by a buildup of dirt or overheating.
Second, routine thorough inspections of equipment and facilities often uncover issues when they are minor and can be mitigated with simple repairs. Contrast that with issues that go unnoticed or unaddressed and often result in cascading failures. The cost difference can be staggering.
Third, this may seem simple, but follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule and judiciously apply recommended updates and adjustments. While some updates may only add or improve features, others correct issues that may affect the lifespan of system components. Pay special attention to transmitter and console firmware updates.
Fourth, maintain consistent proper operating temperatures in rack and transmitter rooms. An adage that has been around for ages goes “If you’re uncomfortable, the equipment is uncomfortable.”
I have found that to be true and impactful to equipment’s lifespan, with one caveat: Keeping the temperature regulated and comfortable is fine, but going overboard is costly. For instance, it may feel good to keep a rack room extremely cool, but does it really need to be that cold?
If the equipment specifically requires it, then yes, great. If not, raising the room temperature by just 2 or 3 degrees will help lower the electric bill. Conversely, keeping the room at too high of a temperature may save on the electric bill but significantly shorten the equipment’s lifespan.
RW: How can we extend the life of older transmitters while still meeting compliance?
Neese: In my opinion, one of the most important things you can do is keep any transmitter clean, inside and out. Older tube-type transmitters particularly tend to accumulate ionized dirt at an astounding rate. Routine cleaning helps prevent dirt from forming an undesirable path between components with voltage potential and ground. Preventing those pathways greatly reduces the possibility of an arc-over and pricey repairs.
Often overlooked is the need to check and keep all hardware tight. The constant vibration of larger blower motors and fans in older transmitters can dislodge hardware and lead to insulators or other components becoming loose, again, providing the potential for short circuits or mechanical failure. A few minutes of time can prevent devastating damage, down time and expensive repairs.
If you have a tube-type transmitter, proper filament management will help extend the life of your tubes and generally provide a “heads up” when a tube is reaching the end of its life.
In regard to compliance, remember that the transmitter met all applicable specifications when it was built and hopefully was proofed for compliance when it was installed. A properly maintained transmitter should continue to meet all applicable specifications throughout its entire lifespan.
RW: What technologies are available to help radio broadcasters improve power efficiencies?
Neese: For AM broadcasters with solid-state transmitters, modulation-dependent carrier level technology can really help with power consumption. Many facilities that implement MDCL recognize a 25% or greater reduction in transmitter power consumption. Some report as high as a 50% reduction. While MDCL isn’t necessarily right for every AM broadcaster, a majority can benefit.
Are your tower lights burning continuously? Operating tower lights during daylight hours when not specifically required to do so impacts a budget on two fronts: first, the excess power being consumed, and second, the shortened lifespan of the bulbs or LEDs.
In theory, the lifespan will be shortened by almost half, necessitating replacement on an accelerated schedule. Maintain a properly operating, FAA-approved type photocell to engage and disengage tower lighting — it is a straightforward way to help keep costs in check.
Don’t discount the operating costs of common equipment like video monitors. They are everywhere in today’s facilities.
I’ve been in radio studios that utilize 10 or more monitors, all of which were necessary during the live morning show, but the majority of which were unused but still fully active the remaining 19 hours of the day. At a conservative consumption of 20 watts per monitor, it’s equivalent to two 100-watt light bulbs burning continuously. That may not seem like a lot until you consider that the same facility has four air studios, all with identical monitor arrangements. If you do the math, it quickly adds up!
Consider turning off monitors when not needed, or at the very least allowing them to go to sleep (not just a screen saver), which generally reduces power consumption by 80 to 90 percent.
RW: Do remote monitoring and automation create efficiencies in reducing the number of site visits?
Neese: I’m a firm believer in visiting transmitter sites and remote facilities on a regular schedule.
Inspecting equipment in person using one’s five senses is unarguably best practice. However, with remote monitoring technology and site connectivity having progressed exponentially in the last 10 years, I believe the amount of time between visits can generally be extended.
For some, the costs associated with visiting transmitter or remote facilities is minimal, for instance when the site is around the corner from the studios and driving there is a 10-minute trip.
For others, the cost is considerable. One of my clients’ satellite-fed facilities is an all-day drive from their studios. In cases like those, remote monitoring and control isn’t just convenient, it represents considerable cost savings. Reliable internet connectivity, while still an issue for some, has become less so over time. And as services like Starlink continue to be developed and deployed, availability will continue to advance and costs will continue to drop.
In my example case, the monthly cost of reliable internet connectivity is less than half the cost of the fuel consumed to visit the site! And that’s without the cost of wear and tear on a vehicle and travel expenses for personnel.
In my experience, the key to making remote monitoring and control a cost-savings tool is to implement the technology thoroughly throughout the remote facility. After all, it doesn’t do much good to be able to monitor status and metering if you can’t also take corrective action when something goes awry.
Most modern equipment offers Ethernet connectivity or at the very least alarm/metering outputs and control inputs that can be interfaced with remote monitoring and control equipment.
Monitoring devices such as uninterruptible power supplies, strategically placed temperature sensors, sound-level sensors and fuel-level indicators, to name a few, can alert you to trends before they become issues.
When possible, I also recommend installing as many network-accessible cameras as feasible. Beyond their well-established use for security, cameras focused on the front and back of an equipment rack or transmitter can greatly assist with remotely assessing status, etc. If remote olfactory sensors were readily available, I’d recommend those too!
While in-person visits are desirable, keeping tabs on a facility via remote monitoring and control can help control costs.
Read more on this topic in the ebook “Radio Operations on a Budget.”
