The last few decades have seen many alternatives to FM Radio deployed. With the challenges of keeping their audience loyal and competing with other media channels - such as DAB broadcasting or streaming – broadcasters need complete monitoring and control over their operation. At any time, they must detect any issue in their program transmission remotely adjust the transmitted signal.
In this paper, we will share an overview of standard monitoring architecture for FM Transmitter networks with a detailed analysis of each monitoring layer and we will present our monitoring approach implemented into the Ecreso FM range.
Over the last years, radios have had to deal with a series of important changes that imposed a drastic modernization of their transmission networks to keep the listeners loyal and generate revenues from advertisement, while reducing the technical staff and maintaining the on-air time.
With that in mind, monitoring and controlling the transmitter network is more than ever critical for radios to carry out their objectives.
On-air availability rate has a direct impact on a station’s financial health. Advertising is a primary revenue source for most radio stations, so any loss in signal risks a loss in revenue. By continually monitoring a transmitter site, stations or operators are alerted as soon as a failure is detected so that they can take specific, immediate actions. At the same time, monitoring the infrastructure also enables detection of the slightest changes in the transmitter, allowing timeous preventive maintenance.
Keeping an eye on the quality of your broadcast signal is crucial to keep your audience loyal. Ensuring the signal the listener receives is not disrupted is key to maintaining optimal Quality of Experience. By optimizing programming Quality of Experience, stations not only retain their audience, but also improve their visibility and potential advertising revenue.
By monitoring the operation of the transmitter network, broadcasters can react before critical breakdowns occur and thus increase the life span of the various devices. Rather than waiting for the fan fault, leading to an overheated transmitter and, potentially, to a number of failures on different parts such as the RF pallet or modulator, imagine if the broadcasters monitor their fans, prevent the fault before it happens by replacing the fan without stressing neighborhood modules. They can then maximize their return on investment by planning preventive maintenance, thereby reducing premature wear and tear of their equipment.
