[SBE] Industry retirement situation

[Larry Will]

Hi all,

In my case among other gigs, I was a partner in a stand alone 2.5 kW 
full time AM.  Did all the consulting work and along with the 
principal partner/GM did all the field work to get to 2.5 kW (GM 
was/is a ham). I did not "work" there.  we had a staff announcer that 
took care of routine studio stuff.

In the 11 years we owned the station (we had purchased a Harris 2.5 
SX and had a Harris 833A tube type standby) the only TX maintenance 
was to clean the air filter and one time replace one fuse in a PDM 
card.  We used to put the Standby on air on Monday evenings to show 
it we still loved it.  There was no way enough work for a full time 
engineer even with the computer automation.

At my last TV gig we started with 6 FT guys in studio engineering 
maintenance and 2 FT at each of the 4 TV transmitters (+ P.T. for 
weekends, vac relief etc).  Then (1970) transmitters, cameras, VTR's 
and film islands needed constant attention (no ENG yet) .  When I 
retired 12 years ago the studio was down to 3 maint, one at 3 
transmitters plus a rover PT, then 7 Class A FM's, 24/7 operations 
and a nightly news cast (unusual for PTV) and with equipment upgrades 
along the way and expansion to 3 studios and lots of ENG and EFP the 
maint load plummeted.  The TV FT staff for the most part handled all 
remotes and live ENG feeds to keep their jobs.

Again the stuff has gotten so reliable no one can justify large staff 
and it continues to get even more reliable or so complicated that one 
must go the the manufacturers because they don't want to share 
proprietary circuit info.  4-8 layer circuit boards haven't helped either.

Along the way I got my PE License and haven't looked back.

Still more work than I need.

Regards,

Larry Will, P.E.
W3LW




>-----Original Message-----

>From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org]On Behalf Of Kent

>Kramer

>Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 4:06 PM

>To: 'sbe member discussion mail list'

>Subject: Re: [SBE] Industry retirement situation

>

>

>Small market stations are lucky to have an engineer at all. Dealing with 115

>affiliates, about half of which are small market, I am always amazed how the

>small stations survive. I have spoken to at least TWO engineers that service

>at least two of our affiliates that are a minimum of 100 miles apart. I also

>know that at least one of our smaller affiliates relies on "big brother" in

>the nearby (again about 100 miles) large market for help at times.

>

>The number of program director/engineers I've spoken with is astounding

>also... Any glory that used to be left with the job has now gone since

>engineers have been "touched" by the recent rounds of layoffs.

>

>Just my take as a "lurker" on the list and now a first time contributor.

>

>Kent Kramer

>Director of Engineering

>Reach Media

>Dallas, TX

>Home of "The Tom Joyner Morning Show"

>

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of Bill

>Burckhard

>Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 2:38 PM

>To: 'sbe member discussion mail list'

>Subject: Re: [SBE] Industry retirement situation

>

>In reply to Gary; No Stinking Way.

>

>William R Burckhard

>445 South 24th Street West

>Billings, MT. 59102

>(406)652-4743

>billb at khmt.com

>www.yourbigsky.com

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of Gary

>Stewart

>Sent: Friday, March 14, 2008 1:27 PM

>To: sbe member discussion mail list

>Subject: [SBE] Industry retirement situation

>

>Maybe the SBE has our birth years in its records and can run a report on

>what percentage of members will reach a certain age in each of the next

>10 years.

>

>I know we have been thinking about it here.  We have 6 traditional

>technical employees of varying involvement and specializations within TV

>engineering. (2 fewer than 2 years ago) (22 years ago we had 4 just

>taking care of studio cameras) Our weak point, of course, is IT.

>

>Our current ages are: 63, 62, 60, 57, 51, 50

>

>The nice thing is that of the two youngest, one is RF and the other

>isn't. With technology moving the way it is, maybe they are all we will

>need in 6 years.  Maybe by the time they retire the receptionist can do

>it.

>

>The only area at our station where the number of engineers is the same

>as it was 22 years ago is RF. I think our radio brothers can't say that,

>at least at the city wide level.  Do very small market radio stations

>still each have an RF engineer?

>

>Gary Stewart

>Cornerstone TV

>

>

>-----Original Message-----

>From: sbe-bounces at sbe.org [mailto:sbe-bounces at sbe.org] On Behalf Of k7cr

>Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 11:29 PM

>To: sbe member discussion mail list

>Subject: Re: [SBE] Discussion topics

>

>Fred posed this question -

>

> > Are there any figures on what percentage of current SBE members are

> > within five years of retirement?  Ten years?  It goes by rather

> > quickly...and then what?

>

>This issue goes well beyond the matter of where SBE will find it's new

>members.

>I am within 5 years of retirement (my choice) and as I look over my

>shoulder

>I find no-one chomping at the bit to take my job...much less even apply

>for

>it.

>

>No one wants to get dirty, put on chains on all 4 and head up the

>mountain

>in the middle of the night to work on something analog with 8kv on the

>inside.

>

>When I started in this business back in 1961 there were plenty of young

>Hams that were eager to apply their skills to things in a broadcast

>operation...

>but today those folks are old too.

>

>Largely broadcasting, Radio and TV, have become computer based

>operations

>with the bit of analog tossed in just to rattle the minds of those that

>think that

>15 volts is high-voltage and who are totally confused by schematics.

>In

>many

>ways these folks are disconnected from the world that we knew and, in

>some

>cases, continue to operate within.

>

>I could go on and on -

>

>My $.02

>

>Clay Freinwald, K7CR

>Member of the Board

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