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Programming to Engineering?

Zachster!I remember you from ABC. I'm glad to see you have successfully made the switch! I have a couple of buddies that went from Jock to Engineers. Ron Haney Former Chief of KKBQ-Houston. Been in El Paso for years. John Steele CBS in Houston.Both of these guys not only knew there engineering but knew how to tweek the processing! It's hard to find engineers these days who really know how to make that audio sound like a million bucks. Kinda depressing to hear engineers say. I'm a purists and turn down the compression. Can you imagine one of those PURISTS saying that to WLS/John Gehron, Rick Sklar/WABC, Bill Tanner/Y-100 :DBTW...i got my "First Phone" way back in the 70's But engineering bores me. However i love to tweek ;DAbout 5 years ago i went to visit one of those big network NFL broadcast trucks. Man oh man, they have Comp/EQ/Limiting on each channel. Mics/Crowd, EtcDittos for the Tonight Show. They got it super compressed/EQ'd. Love it Love it Love It!!!!! These guys know how to pump it up and not make it sound fatiguing.
 
Catfish..I'd love for you to hear my stations up here...they are loud and clean. I have them sounding every bit as good if not better than most of the dallas stations.
 
Jon Scaptura said:
GenericPosterGuy said:
I'm giving some thought lately to my next step in the business...I've always been interested in engineering although I don't know much about it. Has anyone here made the programming-to-engineering move? What did you have to learn / do / know to make the move? What's the best thing for a budding engineer to do learn that which must be learned? Thanks.
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I've been straddling the programming / engineering line for a few years now. Aside from safety courses, I don't have any formal engineering training, but have learned most of what I know by reading, joining the SBE, and through fellowship with other engineers. As time has gone by, I find myself more actively working in the engineering world than programming.I was lucky enough to know an engineer that saw my interest in engineering when I was a part timer running the board for football games on a local AM. He showed the me transmitter, explained the dangers of RF and high voltage to me, and let me fix things up around the station.In my case, the move to engineering came later from a push through management. I demonstrated an interest, and they had me take on more and more responsibilities until they finally cut ties with the contract engineer and hired another part-time engineer. It has worked out quite well so far.With 2 directional AM arrays, I had to learn how to keep the pattern properly adjusted. I keep Jack Layton's book "Directional Antennas Made Simple" handy when I make a trip to either of our directional AM's. It's a good feeling to know that your antennas are in good shape and you know how to keep them that way.My weakness right now is troubleshooting the FM transmitters. I can troubleshoot with the manual, and understand the basic building blocks, but am not at the level yet where I can make a component level diagnosis withould consulting the manual or calling tech support.Learn safety first - then start observing, reading, learn the basics of electricity and signal path, and you'll start to pick things up.
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It's usually the other way around these days. I can find my way around an am...kind of a necessity since i am in charge of a direction 5kw am...but i am getting really good with the fm's. i have 4 25kw fm transmitters, and over the past two years i've been seen laying inside one or two of them at times, trying to reach some odd part that's blown.
 
Zachster,I have no doubt in my mind you have your stations smoking! I've heard your airchecks and the way you processed them. Excellent!How do ypu like those winters up there? Last winter i was offered the PD job at CC KYSS/Montana, but had some "girlfriend" issues and decided to stay in Big D
 
Yeah I hear ya...just a word of caution. Montana is one expensive place to live. They will offer you a huge salary...much like in Cali, but the cost of living is waaaay up there. Average house in Billings is 250k, and that's just a standard single-family home. Same here in Gillette. Winters are a whole nuther story. I've been here two years and I have to tell ya, I'm ready to move to a warmer place...
 
You are correct! I did research the market and i looked at a 3/2 Apt. $1000!! Shit that's what i pay now in DFW! The money was ok but not great. However the Manager and OPS manager were some of the best people i ever ran into.
 
I'd like to come back to Dallas some day and get on board in the engineering department at one of the big guys. I was impressed with 99.5's processing, and KSCS sounded ok. Keep in mind that I haven't heard these stations in a number of years, so they've probably changed since then. But, when I worked at KSCS, couldn't ask for a better sounding station. KHKS was always waaaaay overprocessed.
 
Zachster:Gotta be careful what i say here. Don't want to ruffle anyone's ego's...but you are correct. The Wolf has the best Audio by far! As i've stated over and over Hugh Beaver knows how to create a JOCK friendly studio (IE: Seperate audio for jock, so he dosn't have to listen to that slight diital delay.)Yes KISS is overdone. Typical thundering Bass which makes it difficult to understand and cut through. Mix has gotten a little better.Actually some of the best RADIO audio i've heard these days are in small markets. A lot of the great engineers of the 60, 70's 80,s are semi retired or gone into tv or they contract their services out.
 
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