What kind of training/degree does one need to have to get work in Broadcast Engineering? I've been a Production guy for most of my career and I've always been interested by the Engineering side of the biz. Now I'm having thoughts about pursuing that. I dabble with amateur tech projects but I have no electronics training of any sort. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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Broadcast Engineer Training
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R
RadioDoc
Guest
> What kind of training/degree does one need to have to get
> work in Broadcast Engineering? I've been a Production guy
> for most of my career and I've always been interested by the
> Engineering side of the biz. Now I'm having thoughts about
> pursuing that. I dabble with amateur tech projects but I
> have no electronics training of any sort. Any suggestions
> would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
>
Boy, that's a tough one. There are two things I would suggest...an electronics course at your local community college, and most important, help a local engineer!
Most engineers love to teach, and if you can be of help without getting in the way, you'll get a great free education. I can't tell you how much I learned just by helping out senior engineers.
Another thing is to get into Ham Radio. A lot of what you learn there can apply to broadcast engineering as well.
Soak all of it in like a sponge!
I can't think of anything more rewarding than Broadcast Engineering. I wake up every day looking forward to going to work. Except when that waking up occurs at 3am because a transmitter shut down!<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
> work in Broadcast Engineering? I've been a Production guy
> for most of my career and I've always been interested by the
> Engineering side of the biz. Now I'm having thoughts about
> pursuing that. I dabble with amateur tech projects but I
> have no electronics training of any sort. Any suggestions
> would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
>
Boy, that's a tough one. There are two things I would suggest...an electronics course at your local community college, and most important, help a local engineer!
Most engineers love to teach, and if you can be of help without getting in the way, you'll get a great free education. I can't tell you how much I learned just by helping out senior engineers.
Another thing is to get into Ham Radio. A lot of what you learn there can apply to broadcast engineering as well.
Soak all of it in like a sponge!
I can't think of anything more rewarding than Broadcast Engineering. I wake up every day looking forward to going to work. Except when that waking up occurs at 3am because a transmitter shut down!<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
K
k9ez
Guest
> > What kind of training/degree does one need to have to get
> > work in Broadcast Engineering? I've been a Production guy
> > for most of my career and I've always been interested by
> the
> > Engineering side of the biz. Now I'm having thoughts about
>
> > pursuing that. I dabble with amateur tech projects but I
> > have no electronics training of any sort. Any suggestions
> > would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
> >
>
>
> Boy, that's a tough one. There are two things I would
> suggest...an electronics course at your local community
> college, and most important, help a local engineer!
>
> Most engineers love to teach, and if you can be of help
> without getting in the way, you'll get a great free
> education. I can't tell you how much I learned just by
> helping out senior engineers.
>
> Another thing is to get into Ham Radio. A lot of what you
> learn there can apply to broadcast engineering as well.
>
> Soak all of it in like a sponge!
>
> I can't think of anything more rewarding than Broadcast
> Engineering. I wake up every day looking forward to going
> to work. Except when that waking up occurs at 3am because a
> transmitter shut down!
>
HEH HEH, us engineers can ALWAYS use a hand! Shadow one for a day/week/month. Like Doc said, take it all in like a sponge, and practice on not sleeping.
> > work in Broadcast Engineering? I've been a Production guy
> > for most of my career and I've always been interested by
> the
> > Engineering side of the biz. Now I'm having thoughts about
>
> > pursuing that. I dabble with amateur tech projects but I
> > have no electronics training of any sort. Any suggestions
> > would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
> >
>
>
> Boy, that's a tough one. There are two things I would
> suggest...an electronics course at your local community
> college, and most important, help a local engineer!
>
> Most engineers love to teach, and if you can be of help
> without getting in the way, you'll get a great free
> education. I can't tell you how much I learned just by
> helping out senior engineers.
>
> Another thing is to get into Ham Radio. A lot of what you
> learn there can apply to broadcast engineering as well.
>
> Soak all of it in like a sponge!
>
> I can't think of anything more rewarding than Broadcast
> Engineering. I wake up every day looking forward to going
> to work. Except when that waking up occurs at 3am because a
> transmitter shut down!
>
HEH HEH, us engineers can ALWAYS use a hand! Shadow one for a day/week/month. Like Doc said, take it all in like a sponge, and practice on not sleeping.
Yeah, if you're in sacramento, I can use some help! Maybe an internship?
No, really, finding an engineer who could use a hand is a great way to start learning. I started out being an electronics hobbyist, then the local Napa station engineer somehow came across me, and offered me jobs, such as helping him out, remotes, etc. It developed into being the Chief Engineer when he left 2 years later. That was well over 22 years ago now. There is just so much you can learn from books or a school. Real, hands-on experience is best. And, like they said, being an Amateur Radio Operator helps, especially if you dive into the technical stuff. Much of that theory and practice applies to broadcast.
Maybe premature, but Welcome aboard! We can use some new blood in the biz. Don't really see too much of that anymore.
Dave Fortenberry, CE Salem Comm's Sacramento
www.sacradio.net
> > > What kind of training/degree does one need to have to
> get
> > > work in Broadcast Engineering? I've been a Production
> guy
> > > for most of my career and I've always been interested by
>
> > the
> > > Engineering side of the biz. Now I'm having thoughts
> about
> >
> > > pursuing that. I dabble with amateur tech projects but I
>
> > > have no electronics training of any sort. Any
> suggestions
> > > would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
> > >
> >
> >
> > Boy, that's a tough one. There are two things I would
> > suggest...an electronics course at your local community
> > college, and most important, help a local engineer!
> >
> > Most engineers love to teach, and if you can be of help
> > without getting in the way, you'll get a great free
> > education. I can't tell you how much I learned just by
> > helping out senior engineers.
> >
> > Another thing is to get into Ham Radio. A lot of what you
>
> > learn there can apply to broadcast engineering as well.
> >
> > Soak all of it in like a sponge!
> >
> > I can't think of anything more rewarding than Broadcast
> > Engineering. I wake up every day looking forward to going
>
> > to work. Except when that waking up occurs at 3am because
> a
> > transmitter shut down!
> >
>
>
> HEH HEH, us engineers can ALWAYS use a hand! Shadow one for
> a day/week/month. Like Doc said, take it all in like a
> sponge, and practice on not sleeping.
>
No, really, finding an engineer who could use a hand is a great way to start learning. I started out being an electronics hobbyist, then the local Napa station engineer somehow came across me, and offered me jobs, such as helping him out, remotes, etc. It developed into being the Chief Engineer when he left 2 years later. That was well over 22 years ago now. There is just so much you can learn from books or a school. Real, hands-on experience is best. And, like they said, being an Amateur Radio Operator helps, especially if you dive into the technical stuff. Much of that theory and practice applies to broadcast.
Maybe premature, but Welcome aboard! We can use some new blood in the biz. Don't really see too much of that anymore.
Dave Fortenberry, CE Salem Comm's Sacramento
www.sacradio.net
> > > What kind of training/degree does one need to have to
> get
> > > work in Broadcast Engineering? I've been a Production
> guy
> > > for most of my career and I've always been interested by
>
> > the
> > > Engineering side of the biz. Now I'm having thoughts
> about
> >
> > > pursuing that. I dabble with amateur tech projects but I
>
> > > have no electronics training of any sort. Any
> suggestions
> > > would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
> > >
> >
> >
> > Boy, that's a tough one. There are two things I would
> > suggest...an electronics course at your local community
> > college, and most important, help a local engineer!
> >
> > Most engineers love to teach, and if you can be of help
> > without getting in the way, you'll get a great free
> > education. I can't tell you how much I learned just by
> > helping out senior engineers.
> >
> > Another thing is to get into Ham Radio. A lot of what you
>
> > learn there can apply to broadcast engineering as well.
> >
> > Soak all of it in like a sponge!
> >
> > I can't think of anything more rewarding than Broadcast
> > Engineering. I wake up every day looking forward to going
>
> > to work. Except when that waking up occurs at 3am because
> a
> > transmitter shut down!
> >
>
>
> HEH HEH, us engineers can ALWAYS use a hand! Shadow one for
> a day/week/month. Like Doc said, take it all in like a
> sponge, and practice on not sleeping.
>
I started out as the overnight jock who helped out the engineers when they came in for the preventive maintenance nights. When our engineers became contract guys, they would call me first and have me give meter readings over the phone and sometimes tell me how to fix it to save themselves a trip. I went to a local technical school to learn the basics of electronics and the rest has been OTJ training.
Like the others, I have found that most engineers love to have someone show an interest and really enjoy the company on those transmitter trips. 2 years in the field can put you way ahead of someone in school for 2 years.
>
>
>
>
> > > > What kind of training/degree does one need to have to
> > get
> > > > work in Broadcast Engineering? <P ID="signature">______________
Robert Combs
Cumulus Broadcasting - Savannah
Any opinion expressed here are my own and do not reflect any opinions or association with Cumulus Broadcasting.</P>
Like the others, I have found that most engineers love to have someone show an interest and really enjoy the company on those transmitter trips. 2 years in the field can put you way ahead of someone in school for 2 years.
>
>
>
>
> > > > What kind of training/degree does one need to have to
> > get
> > > > work in Broadcast Engineering? <P ID="signature">______________
Robert Combs
Cumulus Broadcasting - Savannah
Any opinion expressed here are my own and do not reflect any opinions or association with Cumulus Broadcasting.</P>
R
RadioDoc
Guest
> I started out as the overnight jock who helped out the
> engineers when they came in for the preventive maintenance
> nights. When our engineers became contract guys, they would
> call me first and have me give meter readings over the phone
> and sometimes tell me how to fix it to save themselves a
> trip. I went to a local technical school to learn the basics
> of electronics and the rest has been OTJ training.
> Like the others, I have found that most engineers love to
> have someone show an interest and really enjoy the company
> on those transmitter trips. 2 years in the field can put you
> way ahead of someone in school for 2 years.
> >
Amen! It's how I got my start!
<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
> engineers when they came in for the preventive maintenance
> nights. When our engineers became contract guys, they would
> call me first and have me give meter readings over the phone
> and sometimes tell me how to fix it to save themselves a
> trip. I went to a local technical school to learn the basics
> of electronics and the rest has been OTJ training.
> Like the others, I have found that most engineers love to
> have someone show an interest and really enjoy the company
> on those transmitter trips. 2 years in the field can put you
> way ahead of someone in school for 2 years.
> >
Amen! It's how I got my start!
<P ID="signature">______________
</P>
I'll agree to only learning so much from books and courses...I have learned alot more on the job than I ever would have reading a damn book. I am a retired jock who decided to do something more exciting, and being an engineer is definately that! Yeah, there are those slow days, but who else can get up in the middle of the night, and create magic?
Wished I had a person interested in "helping" sometimes though...<P ID="signature">______________
Zach Morton
Chief Engineer
Legend Communications Of Wyoming, LLC.
</P>
Wished I had a person interested in "helping" sometimes though...<P ID="signature">______________
Zach Morton
Chief Engineer
Legend Communications Of Wyoming, LLC.
> > I started out as the overnight jock who helped out the
> > engineers when they came in for the preventive maintenance
>
> > nights. When our engineers became contract guys, they
> would
> > call me first and have me give meter readings over the
> phone
> > and sometimes tell me how to fix it to save themselves a
> > trip. I went to a local technical school to learn the
> basics
> > of electronics and the rest has been OTJ training.
> > Like the others, I have found that most engineers love to
> > have someone show an interest and really enjoy the company
>
> > on those transmitter trips. 2 years in the field can put
> you
> > way ahead of someone in school for 2 years.
> > >
>
> Amen! It's how I got my start!
>
The schools and books are great for the basics but nothing beats OJT. Its kinda like learning to drive a car by reading a book. Its really different when you get behind the wheel.
I would rather have a high school grad with some real world experence than someone fresh out of college with an engineering degree.
An A M station i contracted for quit calling me and hired a new college grad with an E.E. degree. He lived about 3 blocks from the station. About 6 months later they had a minor fire in the transmitter. Nothing major only a few resistors and a few burnt wires. This E E emptied a dry chemical extinguisher into the back of the transmitter and told the owner there was no way to repair it. The owner called me and after about $50 in parts and a good day of cleaning up the fire extinguisher mess it was back on and i am back contracting for them again. That was about 25 years ago and that transmitter is still in use.
NOTHING beats O J T with someone that knows what they are doing.
> > engineers when they came in for the preventive maintenance
>
> > nights. When our engineers became contract guys, they
> would
> > call me first and have me give meter readings over the
> phone
> > and sometimes tell me how to fix it to save themselves a
> > trip. I went to a local technical school to learn the
> basics
> > of electronics and the rest has been OTJ training.
> > Like the others, I have found that most engineers love to
> > have someone show an interest and really enjoy the company
>
> > on those transmitter trips. 2 years in the field can put
> you
> > way ahead of someone in school for 2 years.
> > >
>
> Amen! It's how I got my start!
>
The schools and books are great for the basics but nothing beats OJT. Its kinda like learning to drive a car by reading a book. Its really different when you get behind the wheel.
I would rather have a high school grad with some real world experence than someone fresh out of college with an engineering degree.
An A M station i contracted for quit calling me and hired a new college grad with an E.E. degree. He lived about 3 blocks from the station. About 6 months later they had a minor fire in the transmitter. Nothing major only a few resistors and a few burnt wires. This E E emptied a dry chemical extinguisher into the back of the transmitter and told the owner there was no way to repair it. The owner called me and after about $50 in parts and a good day of cleaning up the fire extinguisher mess it was back on and i am back contracting for them again. That was about 25 years ago and that transmitter is still in use.
NOTHING beats O J T with someone that knows what they are doing.
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