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Re: Old dogs...old tricks
At 01:11 PM 4/23/2003 -0400, Dan Billings wrote:
> > No, but the engineering staff at WXKS-AM/Kiss108FM is entitled to one.
>
>Why?
>
>The power change can be accomplished with a simple computer program that can
>also record meter readings. WCLZ had such a system for their AM six years
>ago. Someone checked both the meter readings and the computer print-out to
>make sure things were operating correctly. It was possible for something to
>go wrong and for the station to operate illegally for a day or so (though I
>am not aware that ever happened) but by checking on things daily, any
>problem would be caught quickly.
>
>-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine
Dan, I don't know if you've ever worked as an engineer for a commercial
outfit, but from this post my hunch is that you haven't. If you have, my
apologies then. :-)
Anyways, lots of times as an engineer you are specifically told NOT to do
things - even if they're prudent - because management doesn't want to risk
finding something wrong that might cost money to fix. It's an idiotic
mindset, but it's very common.
However, if you pass a friendly note - as I have just done this morning,
since I know some of the crew there - to the engineer then he/she now has a
means of going to management and saying "Look - we have a problem whether
you like it or not and it has to be fixed!" Of course, mgmt may still
choose to ignore the problem. And in such a case I would not stand in
your way if you attempted to inform the FCC with the intent to "bust"
them. However, I feel obligated to at least give the engineer a chance
before bringing down any thunder on them...since you can bet mgmt will
blame the engineers if the FCC visits, even if it's mgmt's fault.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron "Bishop" Read aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels Consulting AOL-IM: readaaron
http://www.friedbagels.com Boston, MA