Copyright ©1996, RF Specialties Group.
In the past, the closest that stations got to walkaway operation was when one of the half-dozen or so transmitter engineers stepped away from station control long enough for lunch or an errand.
These days, broadcasters can flip the satellite programming switch or start the automation system, lock up shop, and walk away for dayparts or even 24 hours at a time.
There are many choices in station operation today, and never before has walkaway technology been so advanced or affordable. Broadcasters today can run a station from virtually anywhere on the planet based on any number of computer-operated remote control systems.
Still, if you are considering walkaway operation for your stations, it's always a good idea to take the FCC's rules seriously, specifically Section 73.1860. The Commission is very explicit as to its requirements for walkaway operation, and as Burk Technology and Sine Systems state in their guidelines on remote control, it's highly recommended that you seek the advice of a qualified communications expert to avoid a fine.
That said, here are a few salient points gleaned from Burk's and Sine Systems' walkaway guidelines (these guidelines, as well as other information regarding walkaway operation, are available from RF Specialties upon request).
First, there must be an operator on duty at all times the station is on the air. If the duty operator is off-premises, he or she must be available at a control point, or fixed location, which the FCC must be notified of in advance. You can have as many control points as you wish, but the FCC must be notified of each one.
Second, the off-premises duty operator must have a way to shut down the transmitter if needed, and he or she must be able to monitor for emergencies and activate the emergency broadcast system (EBS). The FCC is quite clear as to how it would like you to handle emergency broadcasts: you must have an EBS receiver at the off-premises control point, although you can activate EBS tones and emergency audio by dial-up telephone.
Stations usually install a dedicated phone line between the studio and the off-premises control point, which is often an operator's home. At least one manufacturer, Gorman-Redlich, offers a reasonably priced portable receiver for remote sites, which can connect to the air chain should your station be required to broadcast a message along with a tone during an emergency broadcast.
No doubt, you'll want to do some remote monitoring of the station from control points, at the very least to shut down operation when required. Although the FCC no longer requires fail-safe operation and not too many stations bother with automated transmitter shut-down anymore, most remote control systems provide this to some capacity. Most systems also provide far more sophisticated methods of station monitoring, typically based on the standard PC, such as Burk's AutoPilot or Moseley's MRC-2 or MRC-1620. Often, these systems are put on-line by stations for other purposes (such as changing patterns, fault recovery, power trims, and even keeping engineering logs) and are quick troubleshooters during off-premises station control.
Gorman-Redlich's CMR-1, Gentner's VRC-2000, Burk's ARC-16, Sine Systems' DAI-1 and Moseley's MRC-2 and MRC-1620 are major remote control contenders in the marketplace, each with unique features. To find out more about the requirements for walkaway operation, and the technology to do it, call an RF Specialties office now.
The above is intended as a guideline only and is not a substitute for legal or expert advice.