Engineering Follies – Dealing With the General Public
Exhibit 5:
Kate, our morning drive Co-host, also does voice-tracking for an evening music-oriented couple of hours.
Kate was talking with a listener, one day. During the conversation, the listener stopped to ask again, who was she speaking with & what was her position? Kate said she was the Morning Co-host, which is her official job title.
“Oh,” the listener replied, “I like that OTHER woman, who is on at night, better. You should listen to HER and try to be more like HER.”
It has been an on-going joke around here ever since.
Contributed by John Stortz
Exhibit 4:
I was working at the only local (Class A FM) station during an ice storm and – on a stack of Bibles! – this little old lady (sweet as pie, normally – a regular contributor to the swap shop) calls up complaining that we are off the air.
When I explained that we didn’t have power, just like everyone else in the area, she said, and I quote: “You should make an announcement that you’re off the air, then!”
Contributed by Tom Spencer
Exhibit 3:
When I was in Hartford, we came across some unusual listeners who were dedicated to their shows. One such gentleman was a disabled person whose name is Henry.
Henry, despite the fact that he relied on public transportation, was very adept at making it to various morning show remote broadcasts locally. When these remotes were situated at locations miles across state, Henry was the last person we’d expect to see show up – but he did.
How he navigated his way alone became a mystery, and we likened him (in a good natured way) to some sort of supernatural being with powers of teleportation. Some remotes were so far away, the show crew needed a hotel room because of the distance and time of the day involved, but Henry would somehow show up shortly after the broadcast began.
I have been away from that station for several years now, but it would not surprise me if Henry is still gracing the remotes – angel of the morning show that he is.
Contributed by Chuck Dube’
Henry Engineering
Exhibit 2:
Dealing with problems caused by RF getting into residences near a transmitter site can be daunting. Sometimes they will insist the station is the problem – while the reality is quite different.
Contributed by Burt Weiner
Exhibit 1:
Ever hear the about the woman who heard a station, not on her phone, her television, or her toaster, but in her teeth?
Now what do you do?