Hi Stephen,

Let's put our Y2K differences aside for a moment. I believe you work at a radio station. 1210 AM out of Phila is off the air, again, about the fourth time in 10 days. It's a talk station (that does carry Art Bell, I'm kinda sorry to say, after his April fool's "joke"), but I do put it on when I'm on the 'puter at home (I get too carried away if I listen to rock...). Anyway, they say "we'll be off the air for a few hours for maint." or something like that. What's up with this? I always have a radio on, in the car, at work for background noise, at home for same... I never remember a station going totally off air for so long, let alone as many times as this. What's up? <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), May 21, 1999

Answers

Sysman, Don't know about your radio situation, but felt I had something to add. Our cable tv system has been going off the air at night for last two weeks for several hours nightly. They say they are doing work to add more channels, although you woudn't think it would take so long to do so. Just a thought. Do with it what you will.

-- Gia (Laureltree7@hotmail.com), May 21, 1999.

I'll say this, Sys.

Not to pre-empt what Stephen might say...but if you have any honor at all, if he helps you here (and I think he will if he can)...you'll call a personal truce. Only fair.

I know S. Poole thru e-mail, and he is a good guy, a gentleman, a level-headed human being. Those who have so mercilessly attacked him on this forum have only shown themselves, to my way of thinking, to be just what they have portrayed him to be. I won't repeat those words. I, on the other hand, am not as much of a gentleman. And don't pretend to be.

But I certainly hope that if Mr. Poole helps you here, you will return consideration in kind, and that it will count for something in the eyes of those on this forum who have seen to treat him so unkindly.

I'll be watching.

-- Chicken Little (panic@forthebirds.net), May 21, 1999.

When technology gets to a level where even people of above average intelligence can barely deal with it -- keep it going -- that's trouble. There are too few gurus and they are spread too thin.

-- A (A@AisA.com), May 21, 1999.

A,

There is a lot of truth to what you say. When my back healed from the car accident and I looked at getting out of programming and back into broadcast engineering, I had people calling me (literally) from all over the country. Made me feel good. :)

(What a change from 6-7 years ago, when no one wanted to pay any money. When the accident occurred, I slipped into programming and insurance for a while.)

Sysman,

Having said what I did in the other thread, now let me qualify it: the Primary and Alternate EAS stations are carefully selected by the State EAS committees, and are pretty reliable. But this doesn't mean that every station has generators or backup facilities, and I need to clarify that. All I was saying was, you'd be able to find a radio or TV station on the air in the event of an emergency.

To answer your specific question: why not call them and find out? Ask for Engineering.

Radio stations are like any other business: some are well-run and well-equipped, others are shoestring operations that have only one (used) transmitter. If that transmitter becomes damaged, they'll be at low power for some time until they can scrounge up the parts.

The ones in major markets TEND to be better-equipped, but that's not a hard and fast rule. An all-talk that doesn't do much local programming is a very low-maintenance operation; I could (and have, in fact) set one up with a satellite receiver and computer automation for completely unattended operation.

AMs are especially troublesome, because the tower itself is the antenna. (Simply put, we feed RF current into the base and drive the whole stick; that's why you can immediately spot an AM by the insulators in the guy wires.)

If you're have to work on the antenna, you have to operate at low power (or no power at all!). This could be anything from relamping to painting to reparing lightning damage. That might be the case with your station.

The point I was making in the other thread is that the EAS network is VERY reliable. The FCC keeps a very close watch on it, and forces strict compliance with the rules.

-- Stephen M. Poole, CET (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), May 21, 1999.

Stephen,

Thanks for the answer. Maybe I will give them a call. 1210 is about half local and about half piped in stuff, like Art Bell and Imus. I've been busy the last few days and didn't catch your remarks in the other thread, but will keep an eye out.

Chicken Little,

Stephen and I have already pretty much agreed to disagree. I've said many times here that I don't think he's a bad guy, we just have a difference of opinion here, that's all. Oh, I'm sure we'll still trade comments, but the "war" is pretty much over between us. <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), May 21, 1999.

and the dark foreboding clouds opened up and choir of Angels began to sing....................Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie @aol.com), May 21, 1999.

By the way, our cable was out for three days. They just fixed it as I type this.

When our neighbors moved out, they cut their cable off. Or at least, they THOUGHT they did. Turns out, the wires were mislabled ... so we got snipped. :)

-- Stephen M. Poole, CET (smpoole7@bellsouth.net), May 21, 1999.

Sysman,

Just finally checked back on this thread (which is in archives by now...doesn't take long)

but respect what you said, so you just got some respect from moi

Cool enuff.

-- Chicken Little (panic@forthebirds.net), May 24, 1999.