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Ever faced a technical problem that defied conventional wisdom? In our latest deep-dive, we unravel a perplexing HD radio mystery that had us questioning everything we thought we knew about digital transmission. 

Our HD1 signal kept dropping out randomly for fractions of seconds while HD2 played flawlessly—a contradiction that shouldn't happen if the issue was with the exciter or transport stream. We meticulously examined every component: the Nautel NV30 transmitter, HD multicast units, Omnia 9 processor, even the Justin 808 time alignment system. Everything checked out perfectly with no errors in logs, yet the problem persisted.

The breakthrough came when we discovered our monitoring equipment was giving contradictory information. The Inovonics 632 receivers consistently showed dropouts while the newer 551 mod monitors worked flawlessly. After consulting with colleagues, we uncovered the truth: the 632 tuners had a known flaw the manufacturer never publicly acknowledged. Meanwhile, HD2's natural advantage of a larger buffer (around 40 seconds in MP1 mode) provided greater resilience against minor data issues.

This experience highlights a frustrating reality for US broadcasters—we're locked into proprietary HD radio technology when other countries enjoy open digital standards with multiple competing manufacturers driving innovation and affordability. Norway transitioned to fully digital radio back in 2017, while we're still troubleshooting proprietary equipment quirks.

What HD radio equipment challenges have you faced? Have recommendations for reliable monitoring gear? Text us using the link in the show notes and share your experiences!

📚 Learn more:

Learn more about HD Radio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_Radio

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 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

You can also keep the conversation going by following me on Bluesky @fullymodulated.com, or shoot me an email anytime at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you.

Send me a text!

Broadcast engineering certification just got a whole lot more accessible. The SBE has finally brought their CertPreview practice exams into the modern era with a completely web-based platform that eliminates the installation headaches and compatibility issues that plagued the previous system.

As broadcast engineers, we're rarely in one place. We bounce between studios, transmitter sites, and remote locations, yet our professional development tools haven't kept pace with this reality—until now. The new browser-based CertPreview means you can study for your CBT, CBNT, CBRE, CSRE, or specialist certification from literally anywhere with an internet connection. Those late-night transmitter shifts or airport layovers just became valuable study time.

This shift reflects a broader industry trend, with over 60% of engineers now preferring web-based training tools over traditional methods. It's about valuing your time and removing unnecessary barriers to professional advancement. The certification committee has recognized that if our automation systems, routers, and monitors have moved to browser-based interfaces, our study tools should too.

The implications go beyond convenience. By making certification prep more accessible, the SBE is strengthening the future of our industry. Engineers no longer need to put off getting certified because the tools were cumbersome. Whether you're looking to break into the field, demonstrate your cross-disciplinary expertise, or secure that chief engineer position, the path to certification just got smoother.

Ready to level up your broadcast engineering career? Check the links in our show notes for direct access to CertPreview, pricing details, and the full list of supported certifications. And if you've recently earned a certification, text me your study tips—I'd love to feature them in an upcoming episode. Your experience might be exactly what another engineer needs to hear.

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📚 Learn more! 

SBE Certifications: https://sbe.org/certification/

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📲 Get in touch!

 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

You can also keep the conversation going by following me on Bluesky @fullymodulated.com, or shoot me an email anytime at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you.

Send me a text!

There's a special kind of dread that comes with finding metal shavings in your generator's oil pan. That unmistakable sign of internal engine breakdown couldn't have come at a worse time for our critical broadcast site.

The story of our Cummins 400kVA generator is one of changing technology and infrastructure planning challenges. Installed around 2002, this diesel workhorse was appropriately sized for an era of power-hungry tube transmitters that could each draw 30-50 kilowatts. Fast forward to today, and our modern solid-state equipment—a 32kW TV transmitter, two FM transmitters (18.5kW and 3.6kW), and a 1kW NOAA weather radio transmitter—barely scratches the surface of what this generator was designed to handle. Our monthly power consumption rarely exceeds 200 kilowatt hours, even in peak summer months.

This mismatch creates a perfect storm when equipment failure looms. Do we rebuild this oversized dinosaur or replace it entirely? The economics favor replacement, but that means navigating a labyrinth of quotes, load calculations, site drawings, zoning approvals, and emergency contingency plans—all with a 6-12 month lead time hanging over our heads. Meanwhile, we're stuck in infrastructure limbo, hoping our metal-shedding generator keeps breathing long enough for procurement to work its magic. The stakes couldn't be higher: this site houses critical communications infrastructure serving entire communities with television, radio, weather alerts, and emergency communications.

Have you ever faced a similar infrastructure challenge? Share your generator breakdown stories or replacement nightmares with me—the link to text me is in the episode notes. Until next time, stay redundant, stay resilient, and when your generator starts coughing, don't just turn up the radio to drown it out.

 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

You can also keep the conversation going by following me on Bluesky @fullymodulated.com, or shoot me an email anytime at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you.

Send me a text!

Dive into the world of free and open source software that's revolutionizing broadcast engineering! We're peeling back the curtain on the powerful tools that keep stations running without breaking the bank.

The humble Linux penguin (affectionately known as Tux) might be the unsung hero of broadcasting. As Kirk Harnack perfectly put it, "Linux is the air you breathe in broadcasting. You may not always see it, but without it nothing moves." From remote transmitter sites to complex playout systems, this open source powerhouse runs approximately 90% of cloud infrastructure and serves as the foundation for tech from industry giants like Grass Valley, Telos, and Evertz.

Monitoring doesn't have to cost a fortune either. We explore how LibreNMS, Grafana, and Zabbix provide enterprise-level visibility without the enterprise price tag. I share how these tools once helped me catch a transmitter cooling fan failure before catastrophe struck – saving thousands in potential equipment damage. For audio and video production, we delve into the surprising capabilities of Audacity, BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool), OBS Studio, and the Jack Audio Connection Kit. These aren't just budget alternatives; they're powerful solutions that often outperform their expensive counterparts.

Ready to level up your broadcast engineering game? Check out the resources mentioned in this episode to build your open source skills. And don't miss our next show where we'll tackle how cloud services are transforming remote broadcasting – for better and worse. Subscribe now to keep your signals clean, your mind open, and your config files backed up!

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📚 Learn more!

• https://www.comptia.org/certifications/linux - CompTIA Linux+
• https://www.cbtnuggets.com/it-training/linux - CBT Nuggets Linux Courses

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💬 Get in touch! 

 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

You can also keep the conversation going by following me on Bluesky @fullymodulated.com, or shoot me an email anytime at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you.

Send me a text!

Remember when your local TV station actually felt local? When engineers knew every inch of the equipment and could fix problems with a screwdriver instead of a help desk ticket? Those days are rapidly disappearing as corporate consolidation reshapes the broadcast landscape.

The quiet revolution in local television has transformed independent stations into remote outposts of massive media conglomerates. Since 1995, we've witnessed a 40% drop in companies owning local stations while giants like Nexstar and Sinclair now control hundreds of stations across the country. This isn't just changing what viewers see – it's fundamentally altering how broadcast engineers work and what "local" television actually means.

Today's broadcast engineers face a radically different reality. Instead of maintaining equipment they can touch, they're managing playout servers across multiple states, troubleshooting automation systems via VPN, and hoping their remote connections don't fail during breaking news. As legendary consultant Fred Baumgartner puts it, "We used to be engineers, now we're IT administrators with a broadcast badge." Technical staffing has been cut by 30% over the last decade, while the average engineer's workload has doubled. Meanwhile, nearly one in five TV markets has lost locally produced news entirely.

But it's not all doom and gloom. The evolution has brought new challenges and technologies – IP systems, virtual machine playout, remote workflows – that push engineers to develop new skills. The question remains: are we empowering engineers to truly run these systems, or just babysit them? If you've lived through this transition, text me your experiences with the link in the episode description. Whether your story involves multimarket automation nightmares or MacGyver-level engineering solutions, I want to hear how you're keeping television signals flowing in this brave new world of consolidated broadcasting.

 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

You can also keep the conversation going by following me on Bluesky @fullymodulated.com, or shoot me an email anytime at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you.

Send me a text!

When disaster strikes, every second counts. Behind those emergency alerts that interrupt your favorite shows is critical infrastructure that saves lives — and it just got a major boost.

FEMA has lifted a freeze on emergency alert grants for public broadcasters, releasing $9.6 million to 22 media organizations. For rural and remote areas, it’s the difference between getting life-saving warnings about wildfires or tornadoes — or being left in the dark.

The freeze started earlier this year when FEMA paused funding needed to upgrade aging emergency systems. For small stations serving places like Alaska, rural Nevada, and tribal lands, these upgrades weren't luxuries — they were essential. As CPB put it: "Public media stations are a lifeline in emergencies."

The funding, from FEMA's Homeland Security and Hazard Mitigation grants, will help stations finally install redundant systems, backup paths, and new alert tech. Those "annoying tests" you hear? They’re the backbone of real emergency response.

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📚 Sources

• FEMA Lifts Its Hold on Warning System Grants – Radio World (Paul McLane)
• CPB Press Release: $9.6M in Grants to Rural Public Stations
• FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Overview (PDF)
• FEMA Homeland Security Grant Program Overview
• Axios Local: FEMA Funds Public Radio Upgrades
• Radio Ink: CPB Resumes Emergency Radio Grants After FEMA Hold
• Current: FEMA Lifts Hold on Next Generation Warning System Grants

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💬 Get in touch!

 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

You can also keep the conversation going by following me on Bluesky @fullymodulated.com, or shoot me an email anytime at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you.

Send me a text!

Remember that strange, wonderful world of public access television? The place where church basement punk bands shared airtime with city council meetings and that one person in your town who had strong opinions about fluoride? 

I'm Tyler Woodward, and this journey through the rise and quiet disappearance of America's most radical media experiment gets personal. My career began at Tampa Bay Community Network, where I learned everything from audio mixing to live directing with nothing but curiosity and copious amounts of duct tape. Public access wasn't just some charming chaos—it was democratic infrastructure that vanished while we weren't looking.

What made these community channels revolutionary wasn't production quality, but their radical inclusivity. Unlike today's algorithm-driven platforms, public access guaranteed visibility regardless of popularity. Cable companies were required to fund these channels through franchise fees, creating thousands of PEG (Public, Educational, Government) stations nationwide. But as regulations weakened and viewership shifted, this vital media ecosystem began disappearing state by state.

The digital revolution promised better tools and global reach, but as media scholar Dan Gillmor noted, "The tools are better, but the institutions are gone." YouTube's 51 million channels might seem like the natural successor, but the fundamental difference remains: public access was a service focused on representation, YouTube is a platform optimizing for engagement. We've confused better technology with greater equity.

Did your town have a public access legend? That local character with the puppet show or conspiracy theories? Text me your memories (link in description), especially if they involved fog machines. Subscribe to Fully Modulated for more explorations of how media shapes our communities and perspectives.

 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

Subscribe to Fully Modulated on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app.

Got radio or TV engineering stories? Or just curious how the magic behind the mic and screen works? Whether you're in the biz or just a fan, let’s connect. Reach out on Bluesky—I'd love to hear from you!

Privacy, power, and the digital panopticon—what happens when tech giants potentially compromise your personal information? Today's deep dive explores the troubling allegations of major technology companies sharing user data with foreign governments, and the far-reaching implications for everyone who uses digital platforms.

The digital breadcrumbs we leave across the internet aren't just marketing fodder; they represent potential intelligence goldmines with profound national security implications. We examine how whistleblowers risk everything to expose potential misconduct, serving as essential checks on corporate power in an industry where proprietary algorithms and data practices typically operate behind impenetrable walls of secrecy. Their courage catalyzes investigations, drives policy reform, and ignites necessary public discourse about who truly controls our information.

"In the digital age, data is power. How that power is wielded affects us all." This sentiment from a leading privacy advocate encapsulates why vigilance matters in our increasingly connected world. Regulatory bodies worldwide are responding with investigations and legislation, while public awareness grows about the true cost of "free" digital services. As we navigate this complex landscape, one thing becomes clear: the ethical responsibilities of technology companies extend far beyond quarterly profits—they shape the very foundations of privacy, security, and freedom in modern society. Join the conversation and discover how staying informed is your first line of defense in protecting your digital rights.

Send me a text message!

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Follow Tyler on Bluesky at @tylerwoodward.com 🦋

Ever wondered why your tax bill feels heavy while mega-corporations seem to skate by? We're pulling back the curtain on America's most glaring tax injustice: billion-dollar companies paying their executives more than they contribute in federal taxes.

Netflix reported $5.3 billion in profits with zero federal tax liability while paying its CEO over $40 million. Ford generated $18 billion in profits yet somehow received money back from the IRS. Tesla avoided federal taxes for years while Elon Musk's wealth exploded into the stratosphere. These aren't isolated incidents—they represent a pattern affecting at least 55 major corporations that paid nothing in federal taxes despite generating over $40 billion in profits.

The mechanisms enabling this corporate sleight-of-hand include perfectly legal tax loopholes, creative accounting practices, offshore subsidiaries, and strategic use of loss carry forwards. As Senator Elizabeth Warren pointed out, "The system is rigged when the richest corporations pay less in taxes than the guy who delivers your Amazon package." Bernie Sanders called it nothing short of "obscene." While these companies utilize our roads, benefit from our educated workforce, and enjoy government protections, they contribute minimally to maintaining the public services we all depend on.

This isn't a broken system—it's functioning exactly as designed, tilting the playing field dramatically in favor of those with the resources to navigate it. The question isn't whether corporate America is playing by different rules, but whether we're ready to demand change. Follow our podcast, share this episode, and join the conversation about creating a tax system that works for everyone, not just those who can afford Olympic-level tax avoidance strategies.

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Support the show

Follow Tyler on Bluesky at @tylerwoodward.com 🦋

Send me a text!

Whatever happened to that weird channel where your neighbor ranted about aliens one hour and the high school poetry club performed the next? Before YouTube, public access television was America's original media democracy experiment—and it disappeared while we weren't looking.

Growing up in Tampa, my media career began at the local public access station where duct tape was as essential as cameras. I learned every job from audio mixing to directing, sometimes all in one chaotic hour. But public access wasn't just quirky programming—it represented a radical social contract. Cable companies funded these channels in exchange for using public infrastructure, creating spaces where anyone could broadcast regardless of money, connections, or production polish.

What made public access revolutionary wasn't just that anyone could create content—it was that everyone had equal access to the audience. Unlike today's platforms where algorithms determine visibility, public access gave the conspiracy theorist the same airtime as the city council meeting. No metrics, no viral pressure, no optimization required. Just show up, follow basic rules, and you were on television.

The system began declining in the 2000s as cable companies consolidated and states eliminated franchise fee requirements. From over 3,000 PEG (Public, Educational, Government) channels nationwide, many stations disappeared quietly, replaced by infomercials and eventually overshadowed by YouTube. While today's digital platforms technically allow anyone to create content, only about 3% of YouTube's 51 million channels reach significant audiences.

As media scholar Patricia Ofterheide noted, "Public access television was the most radical media experiment in America. It said: here's the channel, you make the content." We've gained better tools, broader reach, and sleeker production, but we've lost the institutions that guaranteed every voice—not just the popular or profitable ones—had a place in our media landscape.

Have memories of your town's public access legends? Send me your stories through the link in this episode. Remember the karaoke lady, the puppet show host, or the guy with the overhead projector? I want to hear about them all—especially if fog machines were involved!

 🎙️ Need a voice tracker for your station? I’m Tyler — experienced in rock and classic hits, but open to other formats (no polka, thanks). Fast turnaround, easy to work with, and budget-friendly. Hit me up: [email protected]

Support the show

If you enjoyed the show, be sure to follow Fully Modulated and leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app—it really helps more people discover the show.

You can also keep the conversation going by following me on Bluesky @fullymodulated.com, or shoot me an email anytime at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you.