How a Radio Station Works : Functions of Radio Station On-Air Mixing Board

The radio station mixing board allows disk jockeys to monitor sound levels. Learn about the functions of a on-air mixing board in this free radio station overview from an experienced radio technician.

Expert: Eric Nash
Bio: Eric Nash has volunteered with WXOJ Valley Free Radio, a Pacifica Radio Network affiliate station in Florence, Mass., working extensively with the technical and equipment aspects of broadcasting.
Filmmaker: David Pakman

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• radio station
• radio dj
• radio
• electronics
• mixing boards
• radio broadcast

[snarfdude]

scary to think you don't know what they do.....in other words, you don't want people to play with them......and I can't blame you.....

[snarfdude]

that's a ward beck renaissance series console....likely 80's vintage based on the pics....worked on a few of them over the years....very solid and well built.

[WZ3F]

No, it didn't make me mad, however, I prefer radio engineers as control operators rather than wanna-be disc jockeys who usually end up mucking up the works. Why? Because they seem more interested in spinning the latest tunes and swallowing their voice than they are in learning, operating, and maintaining valuable broadcasting equipment. I don't really mean to slam this cat, but he does use his cheesy voice in his other videos, and I can only take so much...

[wrybread]

@WZ3F: Seriously, that made you mad? You really need to take a nap and log off the internet for awhile. He was pretty obviously relaying the instructions given to all the DJs. I work with a bunch of DJs at a radio station too, and we say stuff like this all the time. It just means don't touch it, its adjusted well, and if everyone touches them it'll never work right.

Hopefully you're a much nicer person off the internet.

[Botje101]

Okay... But have you seen the guy with the golden radio voice?

[WZ3F]

You're an idiot. You obviously have no clue what half the stuff on that board does by telling us, "don't mess with any of these buttons...leave it to the professionals." I'd fire your carcass for being an uninformed, poor control operator.

[SmashCOBamberg]

@carmilanes57 there is no need to get a license for LPFM! Just make sure you got a transmitter that complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules

[HDiGITTY]

why would you not use a piece of kit to its full potential?

[carmilanes57]

do you know how can to obtain a license for LPFM in Florida?

[snarfdude]

I hate to say it, but there should be at least one person other then an engineer that knows the basic operation/signal flow of everything and can call. It's too easy to flip a switch and shut things down if you don't know enough. I've taught more then a few people over the years when they got stuck. I wired my own console and designed the systems of my own studio...and technically i'm not an engineer, just someone whos knows it inside and out. It can help in an emergency/frustration situation

[endotox1]

yes, kind of scary. our station is a place where mainly radio noobs are getting into doing radio, so there's a lot of these things that are mysterious to us!