Chris 'Doc' Tarr joins Kirk Harnack for a fun and practical conversation about “Doc-isms.” These are the short, memorable sayings that Chris has developed over years of troubleshooting transmitters, studio gear, and broadcast workflows under pressure. Each phrase—like “Work the problem,” “Just think in reverse,” and “We’re not going to get any more off the air than we already are!”—comes from real-world engineering situations where clear thinking and good habits make the difference. Whether you’re responding to an off-air emergency or designing systems for long-term reliability, these Doc-isms capture the mindset of experienced broadcast engineers. Tune in for practical wisdom, a few laughs, and lessons learned the hard way.
Show Notes:
Chris Tarr’s list of “Doc-isms”
"We're not going to get any more off the air than we already are!". That's code for slow it down and take your time.
"Work the problem!". That means take a break, sit down, and think things through a bit.
"Just think in reverse!". My phrase for troubleshooting. The most effective way to troubleshoot is to start at the place the thing isn't working and go backwards.
“You know they make those - they’ll even ship them to your door!” Sometimes it’s a better idea to just buy something than to cobble something together to save money.
"Failure is not an option!". This isn't as dramatic as it sounds. It's just a reminder that we sometimes don't have the luxury of just walking away when things get tough. It may mean some sort of temporary or hacked together solution until the bigger issue is resolved.
"Let's take the victory lap!". Usually said when I leave the site after the problem is fixed and I stop for my iced coffee refill.
Guest:
Chris ‘Doc’ Tarr, CPBE, AMD, DRB, CBNE - Field Engineer at K-LOVE and Air1
Host:
Kirk Harnack, The Telos Alliance, Delta Radio, Star94.3, South Seas, & Akamai Broadcasting
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