Monday Morning Coffee and Technical Notes

September 14, 2026 View as Webpage

 Do You Know Where your License is?

Engineers should confirm they have the most current authorizations (licenses) for all operations, including main transmitters, licensed auxiliary transmitters, STL, TSL, and remote equipment.

Do not rely solely on the Online Public File, because authorization links may not always work. Keep a hard-copy “authorization notebook” with the required documents.

FM and Television stations should also have a document that indicates how the transmitter power output (TPO) is determined. This document will show licensed effective radiated power (ERP), antenna gain, transmission line loss, and any other items that may affect the required TPO.



I have seen a lot of authorizations that doesn’t list the TPO or has a statement “as required to achieve the licensed ERP”. If a new engineer comes in, how will they know how to set the TPO.

EAS Password Generator

One of the requirements of the new Cybersecurity rules enacted by the FCC is to use a secure password on all your devices including EAS that are in the program chain. The requirement is to use a password that has a minimum of 15 characters.

A few weeks ago we reported on a free password generator offered by Ken Fine. Late last week Maxxconnect has posted another free password generator. So now stations should have no reason not to comply with that part of the new rules. Generator can be downloaded here.



In addition to the password, stations are required to ensure that EAS and other devices in the program chain must be using the latest software with security patches. Sage Endecs should be operating with version 96.00 or higher and Dasdec should have version 54 or higher. Failure to comply will result in your EAS unit to be non-compliant.

 ABA 80^th Anniversary Tour

The next reception celebrating the ABA’s 80^th anniversary will be held in Scottsboro on Wednesday, September 23^rd from 4pm – 6pm at the the Kevin Dukes Career & Innovation Academy.

The address is 29727 US-72, Hollywood, AL



Click here to register.

Washington Reminder

October 1, 2026 is the deadline for commercial TV stations to (1) upload to their online Public Inspection File their must-carry/retransmission consent carriage election statements for the three-year cycle covering January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2029, and

(2) directly notify MVPDs of any changes to their carriage elections.

While this policy is not something the technical department is directly responsible for, engineers should make sure management is aware of this required filing. The requirement details can be confusing so guidance from station legal advisors is recommended.

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ABA Engineering Webinar

The September Engineering Webinar has been postponed due to some scheduling issues. The October webinar will be held on Tuesday October 20^th at 10:00 AM central time.

The Associate Director of Information Technology at Texas A&M University, Wayne Pecena will be our special guest on the October ABA Engineering Webinar. Wayne will be discussing Firewalls, what they are, why they are needed, and the many ways they can be configured.



Join us for this most information webinar on October 20th at 10:00 AM. Click here to register.

AntennaFest

If you are in broadcast engineering and will be in the Washington DC area in October, then you need to put Tuesday October 6th on your calendar. 

Our good friend William Harrison, Chief Engineer, WETA-FM wanted to remind everyone that SBE chapter 37 will be hosting a free, full day event celebrating antenna systems, combining, and all things RF. Representatives from several companies will discuss varying topics including combining, troubleshooting, and monitoring antenna and transmission systems, and addressing variables and constraints unique to every project.



Participation will be limited to a maximum of 90 attendees, so please Register Here before seats fill up.

ABA Engineering Academy

Television engineers, both newcomers and seasoned, should mark their calendars for the week of October 26^th as the ABA Engineering Academy holds its fall Television Engineering Class.

Seats are still available so sign up today. We cover basic electronics, audio (analog and digital), video creation and transmission (including ATSC 3.0 and SMPTE 2110) plus transmitters and antennas.



Classes are held at the ABA Training Center, 2180 Parkway Lake Drive in Hoover AL (Birmingham). Register online here.

Earl, I know you kept the color code right. but don't think the inspector will be impressed

Pro Audio – The Art of Listening

As I worked my way through the last 50 years in the engineering field, I developed a passion for quality audio, both in broadcasting and pro audio.

I always enjoy chatting with engineers about their listening habits. They may hear it but not actually listen to it.

Hearing and listening are two different things. Hearing is a passive physiological process that involves the reception of sound waves by the ears. It occurs automatically and does not require conscious effort. In contrast, listening is an active process that involves interpreting and understanding the sounds being heard. It requires mental engagement and attention to the message being communicated.

I believe if you’re going to become a good, or maybe even great sound tech/engineer, you must know what music is supposed to sound like. You need to know the language of music, and be so familiar with what constitutes a great mix that is instinctive.

How do you learn to listen? You only learn this by listening to music. A lot of music. For a lot of time.

The more you listen and pay attention, the more you’ll understand music. And the more you understand it, the better you will be at mixing it.