With the automation thread I thought it would be fun to give some insight to our STL network at WSLY Radio, (SLY 104.9). No satellites, no Isdn, just Marti STL-8's and RPU's. We used a Schaffer 903 up till late 2003, so I will describe our system with the 903. Our main studio is in York Alabama, it is the "Hub" for all studio switching. Here is a list of studios circa 2003.
Main Studio in York Alabama
Aux Studio in Demopolis Alabama - with remote Marti feed through for remotes, this studio was also used for a weekend show, the studio was in the DJ's back yard in a small portable building.
Aux Studio in Meridian Ms - This studio was used for various shows throughout the day. It also had a remote pickup.
Aux Studio in Eutaw Alabama (in a room at a mortuary), this studio is used for a religious program sponsored by the mortuary. We also use this as one hop for a Tuscaloosa studio.
Aux Studio in Tuscaloosa Alabama - This studio originates in Tuscaloosa, links to thier transmitter site and continues to feed the mortuary in Eutaw Alabama, this link allows us to recieve a talk show from the Tuscaloosa station and the mortuary in the morning. At one time we had a studio in a Dj's house near Eutaw, she would switch between herself and tuscaloosa on the mortuary feed via telephone switcher. On a side note she shared a show with a dj in Meridian, they would talk to each other as if they were in the same room, actually they were 60 miles away from each other. We could also feed a Marti signal to the Tuscaloosa studio and do a remote from T-town if needed.
Aux feedback from transmitter site, this would allow us to do a remote via marti from Butler Alabama.
U-haul remote van with dual Marti capability, a studio on wheels, some of our remote recieve systems use 161mhz and others use 450mhz, the van had both as needed, we would play all music and Meridian spots from the truck, we could go live in Meridian, Butler, Demopolis,Tuscaloosa, Eutaw, York, Livingston,and many areas around those towns. It wasn't odd for us to have one remote in Demopolis while other dj's would talk to them from a remote in Meridian, all while the dj in her house at Eutaw would talk along as well. I can even remember a few times when remotes would get scheduled back to back, we didn't like to leave remotes too early so I would fire up our generator and drive the u-haul accross town with a 360 Instant Replay playing the music, the dj would follow me in his car with a wireless mic and do breaks for the next remote while moving accross town, a moving radio show. We had two offices, one in York for Alabama sales and Meridian for Mississippi sales, the truck used 25khz tones to kick off the old 903 automation in york, this would play the Alabama spots, then it would switch back to our Meridian studio or the u-haul remote truck. It's somewhat of a shame, we are a independant company that had all the big guys beat with remote capability, but it went largely unrecognized. A cell phone can't compete with a Marti. Perhaps some of you Meridian guys remember a big white u-haul with two big peavey speakers on the swing out doors. The peaveys were powered by 1200 watts, we didin't have to worry about being overpowered...you can ask the guys at Kiss about that. (a few subs in a astrovan can't handle four 15" black widows)
Anytime we had a club remote we would take a wireless mic and interface it to the dj's board in the club, then the remote truck would send it to the studio via Marti. We put a lot of trust in those club dj's.
We also had a studio in a dj's basement in Meridian, he would switch himself on via telephone switcher, of course the 903 in York was used for master switching. York was the last stop before hitting our STL feed to the transmitter site.
The u-haul truck was decomissioned with the invention of our new truck, a Explorer sport trac with the same capability as the u-haul.
We had a Cartworks in Meridian that would play the Meridian spots, it would then kick off the 903 in York with a tone to play the Alabama spots, you would never know by listening that our spot breaks were coming from two studios.
Later we used the Cartworks in Meridian for all of our spots, the remote van could pause the Cartworks via tone and the dj would take his remote break. When it was time for more music he would hit the button on his keychain remote to send a tone back to the studio, this would start the music back up. (a one person remote with nobody at the studio)
Our Meridian link for the FM is active but not currently used, although we do have a remote studio for WYLS AM in a shipping container on Broadcast hill, you heard that right, a shipping container...for more info on the Meridian Tower site and studio you can go here: www.towerforhire.com
I have more, but this post is long enough already.
We have been around since 1970 with WYLS-AM and WSLY-FM signed on in 1976.
The late William Barney Grant was resonsable for such a elaborate setup, he built and ran both stations until his death in 2003.
Happy Holidays to everyone,
sir1350
Main Studio in York Alabama
Aux Studio in Demopolis Alabama - with remote Marti feed through for remotes, this studio was also used for a weekend show, the studio was in the DJ's back yard in a small portable building.
Aux Studio in Meridian Ms - This studio was used for various shows throughout the day. It also had a remote pickup.
Aux Studio in Eutaw Alabama (in a room at a mortuary), this studio is used for a religious program sponsored by the mortuary. We also use this as one hop for a Tuscaloosa studio.
Aux Studio in Tuscaloosa Alabama - This studio originates in Tuscaloosa, links to thier transmitter site and continues to feed the mortuary in Eutaw Alabama, this link allows us to recieve a talk show from the Tuscaloosa station and the mortuary in the morning. At one time we had a studio in a Dj's house near Eutaw, she would switch between herself and tuscaloosa on the mortuary feed via telephone switcher. On a side note she shared a show with a dj in Meridian, they would talk to each other as if they were in the same room, actually they were 60 miles away from each other. We could also feed a Marti signal to the Tuscaloosa studio and do a remote from T-town if needed.
Aux feedback from transmitter site, this would allow us to do a remote via marti from Butler Alabama.
U-haul remote van with dual Marti capability, a studio on wheels, some of our remote recieve systems use 161mhz and others use 450mhz, the van had both as needed, we would play all music and Meridian spots from the truck, we could go live in Meridian, Butler, Demopolis,Tuscaloosa, Eutaw, York, Livingston,and many areas around those towns. It wasn't odd for us to have one remote in Demopolis while other dj's would talk to them from a remote in Meridian, all while the dj in her house at Eutaw would talk along as well. I can even remember a few times when remotes would get scheduled back to back, we didn't like to leave remotes too early so I would fire up our generator and drive the u-haul accross town with a 360 Instant Replay playing the music, the dj would follow me in his car with a wireless mic and do breaks for the next remote while moving accross town, a moving radio show. We had two offices, one in York for Alabama sales and Meridian for Mississippi sales, the truck used 25khz tones to kick off the old 903 automation in york, this would play the Alabama spots, then it would switch back to our Meridian studio or the u-haul remote truck. It's somewhat of a shame, we are a independant company that had all the big guys beat with remote capability, but it went largely unrecognized. A cell phone can't compete with a Marti. Perhaps some of you Meridian guys remember a big white u-haul with two big peavey speakers on the swing out doors. The peaveys were powered by 1200 watts, we didin't have to worry about being overpowered...you can ask the guys at Kiss about that. (a few subs in a astrovan can't handle four 15" black widows)
Anytime we had a club remote we would take a wireless mic and interface it to the dj's board in the club, then the remote truck would send it to the studio via Marti. We put a lot of trust in those club dj's.
We also had a studio in a dj's basement in Meridian, he would switch himself on via telephone switcher, of course the 903 in York was used for master switching. York was the last stop before hitting our STL feed to the transmitter site.
The u-haul truck was decomissioned with the invention of our new truck, a Explorer sport trac with the same capability as the u-haul.
We had a Cartworks in Meridian that would play the Meridian spots, it would then kick off the 903 in York with a tone to play the Alabama spots, you would never know by listening that our spot breaks were coming from two studios.
Later we used the Cartworks in Meridian for all of our spots, the remote van could pause the Cartworks via tone and the dj would take his remote break. When it was time for more music he would hit the button on his keychain remote to send a tone back to the studio, this would start the music back up. (a one person remote with nobody at the studio)
Our Meridian link for the FM is active but not currently used, although we do have a remote studio for WYLS AM in a shipping container on Broadcast hill, you heard that right, a shipping container...for more info on the Meridian Tower site and studio you can go here: www.towerforhire.com
I have more, but this post is long enough already.
We have been around since 1970 with WYLS-AM and WSLY-FM signed on in 1976.
The late William Barney Grant was resonsable for such a elaborate setup, he built and ran both stations until his death in 2003.
Happy Holidays to everyone,
sir1350