Tech Notes from the Field

An interesting week this turned into. It started with a productive trip to a transmitter site and ended with a visit from the FCC. In the middle, well actually around this was a visit from our corporate officers and a Harris Flexstar update.

The transmitter trip was to our Aux site. In preparations for licensing we did some new remote control wiring and posting of CPs. We discovered a bad switch on the RF load, so a new one will be installed next trip. The cable bridge is still wonky and I have no idea on the repair time frame.

We had a compliance inspection from our friendly FCC. If you are prepared why be worried? We passed with flying colors and I think the inspector was taken by our nonchalance and jovial confidence. Folks, it is not that difficult to maintain EAS compliance. Run the damned things and log them. It helps when a computer does the logging. The public files is the same thing. Get a check list and start making folders and fill them with the appropriate information. Some use binders. Some scan it all and make it available online. Any way you do it, just do it.

Last night I got hit with another mysterious Harris Flexstar outage. My remote reset connection came in handy. After a nice discussion this afternoon we may be testing some more. I am so curious about the cause that I am over the frustration part, though programming has other thoughts. I am at the point where if I do not know the cause I will be disappointed. From a business side we wish we could just replace it. In any case we march forward.

Be prepared for that which you can be and within your means. Try to enjoy the adventure.

Cheers!