TWiRT 816 - Deciphering FCC EAS Cybersecurity Rules with Shane Toven

The FCC has adopted new cybersecurity requirements for Emergency Alert System equipment—but turning the language of a Report and Order into practical procedures at a real broadcast facility isn’t always straightforward. What equipment is covered? What constitutes adequate protection? And how can broadcasters comply without making their systems needlessly difficult to operate and maintain?

This week, Kirk Harnack welcomes Shane Toven, the new West Coast Regional Engineer for Cumulus Media. Together, they examine the FCC’s EAS cybersecurity rules and discuss what sensible, real-world compliance might look like inside today’s increasingly networked broadcast facilities.

Shane’s new position also leads to a larger conversation about the changing role of the broadcast engineer. As companies consolidate technical responsibilities across more stations, markets, and transmitter sites, experienced engineers are being asked to oversee far more territory—and a much wider range of technologies—than ever before.

Then we move from the equipment room to the sound console. Shane shares lessons from mixing live worship services, including some of the challenges a broadcast engineer may encounter when everyone assumes that knowing audio technology automatically means knowing how to mix a live performance.

Add in a couple of excellent Tips of the Week, and you have a wide-ranging conversation covering cybersecurity, broadcast engineering’s evolving responsibilities, and the art of making live sound work.

Guest:
Shane Toven - Regional Chief Engineer, West Coast at Cumulus Media

Host:
Kirk Harnack, MaxxKonnect, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, OMG, & Akamai Broadcasting

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Angry Audio and the new StereoToolBox audio processor for AM, FM, HD, & Streaming
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 816 - Deciphering FCC EAS Cybersecurity Rules with Shane Toven

TWiRT 815 - LDMOS Technology in FM Transmitters with Paul Barzizza

How can a modern FM transmitter produce 10,000 watts of RF power from such a surprisingly compact package? On episode 815 of This Week in Radio Tech, GatesAir’s Paul Barzizza joins Kirk Harnack for a close look inside the company’s new GX Series of FM transmitters.

Paul draws on his extensive radio and television engineering background to explain the GX amplifier layout and the powerful LDMOS field-effect transistors at the heart of the design. Because these devices spread heat across a larger area, they can handle substantially more power than earlier generations of transistors—giving transmitter designers a way to produce impressive RF output from a comparatively small cabinet.

This isn’t merely a discussion of specifications and theory. Paul and Kirk recently installed a GatesAir GX10K—a combined FM exciter and 10,000-watt RF amplifier—at WIQQ-FM in Leland, Mississippi. They share photos from the project, examine how the transmitter is assembled, and talk through the technology that makes it work.

Guest:
Paul Barzizza - Southeast Regional Sales Manager at GatesAir

Host:
Kirk Harnack, MaxxKonnect, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, OMG, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new StereoToolBox audio processor for AM, FM, HD, & Streaming
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 815 - LDMOS Technology in FM Transmitters with Paul Barzizza

TWiRT 814 - Amanda Hopp - Chief Engineer

Broadcast engineering is a family affair for Amanda Hopp and her father, Cris Alexander. Amanda is Chief Engineer for Crawford Broadcasting’s Denver stations, while Cris serves as Director of Engineering for the entire company. 

On this episode of TWiRT, they share Amanda’s path into engineering—and what her experience might teach others considering a career in the field. We also explore cybersecurity, IT and networking, the challenges of maintaining multiple transmitter sites, and Amanda’s inventive use of Raspberry Pis and other small computers for monitoring, control and automation. Along the way, we hear how Amanda draws on programming expertise from elsewhere within Crawford to create practical engineering solutions. 

Join us for an engaging conversation with two highly accomplished engineers who just happen to be father and daughter.

Show Notes:
Women in Engineering: Amanda Hopp of Crawford Broadcasting - Radio World

Guests:
Amanda Hopp - Chief Engineer at Crawford Broadcasting, Denver
Cris Alexander - Director of Engineering at Crawford Broadcasting

Host:
Kirk Harnack, MaxxKonnect, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, OMG, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new StereoToolBox audio processor for AM, FM, HD, & Streaming
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 814 - Amanda Hopp - Chief Engineer

TWiRT 813 - What is a Broadcast Engineer in 2026?

Today’s broadcast facilities depend on far more than transmitters, RF systems and studio audio. Engineers are now responsible for Ethernet networks, Windows and Linux computers, cybersecurity, virtualization, streaming, metadata, AoIP, remote access, cloud services—and countless devices that are essentially computers wearing broadcast-equipment clothing.

In this episode Kirk Harnack explores how the broadcast engineer’s job has evolved with an outstanding panel: Kevin Trueblood of WGCU Media, Geary Morrill, Northern Region Director of Engineering for Connoisseur Media, and Jeff McGinley, Vice President of Engineering at SummitMedia.

How much must one person know about RF, audio and IT? Where should a market engineer’s responsibility end? When hiring, is technical knowledge more important than natural troubleshooting ability? And can a skilled IT professional be developed into a great broadcast engineer?

Our guests bring similar—but distinctly different—perspectives to these increasingly important questions. Check out this episode of This Week in Radio Tech and join us as we ask: What is a broadcast engineer in 2026?

Guests:
Kevin Trueblood - Associate GM, Technology & Operations at WGCU Public Media
Geary S. Morrill - Regional Director of Engineering at Connoisseur Media
Jeff McGinley - VP of Engineering at SummitMedia

Host:
Kirk Harnack, MaxxKonnect, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, OMG, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new StereoToolBox audio processor for AM, FM, HD, & Streaming
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 813 - What is a Broadcast Engineer in 2026?

TWiRT 812 - Texas Association of Broadcasters - 2026

This Week in Radio Tech – Episode 812 takes us to Round Rock, Texas, for the 2026 Texas Association of Broadcasters convention! With two full days of engineering sessions, new technology, and plenty of conversations on the expo floor, TAB once again brought together some of our favorite broadcast engineers and industry friends.

We caught up with Michael Patton, Dustin Tatro, David Smedley, Chase Daniels, Fred Morton, and Dave Kerstin for their perspectives on radio engineering, technology, and the industry we all enjoy being part of. It’s a great collection of conversations with the people who keep broadcasting working—and moving forward.

Join us for TWiRT 812, recorded at the Texas Association of Broadcasters convention in Round Rock!

Guests:
Michael Patton - Owner at Michael Patton & Associates
Dustin Tatro, CBRE - GM & Chief Engineer at Radio Abilene
David Smedley - Senior Customer Support Specialist at Aiir
Chase Daniels - Senior Support Specialist at Aiir
Fred Morton - Owner at KMGZ-FM, Lawton, OK
Dave Kerstin - Owner & President at Broadcasters General Store

Host:
Kirk Harnack, MaxxKonnect, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, OMG, & Akamai Broadcasting

Follow TWiRT on Twitter and on Facebook - and see all the videos on YouTube.

TWiRT is brought to you by:
Broadcasters General Store, with outstanding service, saving, and support. Online at BGS.cc. 

Broadcast Bionics - making radio smarter with Bionic Studio, visual radio, and social media tools at Bionic.radio.
Aiir, providing PlayoutONE radio automation, and other advanced solutions for audience engagement.
Angry Audio and the new StereoToolBox audio processor for AM, FM, HD, & Streaming
The new MaxxKonnect RMT416 Multi Tuner - 4 to 16 AM/FM/WB/HD web-connected tuners in 1 RU

 
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TWiRT 812 - Texas Association of Broadcasters - 2026