Responsible for CDC's technical and post-production staff, budgeting, equipment and standards. Recent projects have included server-based audio description system, ATM broadcast file transfer links, evaluations for digital cable and satellite feeds, transition to widescreen commercials etc.
Aided Carlton's transition into new digital scheduling and transmission systems. Troubleshooter during third party contracts. Represented Carlton during commissioning of new London ITV digital facilities.
Member of Digital Project team, responsible for system strategy moving Carlton Food/Select into new premises; commissioning multi-channel all-digital transmission suite; launching Carlton Food/Select, Kids/World and Cinema on OnDigital; de-bugging and commissioning automation. Extensive experience with Sony MAV servers and SONY/IBIS automation; NT network environment. "Impossible" on-air timescale achieved.
Self-op Probel TX220 suites, using Compass/MAPP and Profile, SP/digi-Beta, and Sony LMS/Flexicart. Excellent emergency recovery and understanding of system. Part of NBC's Hammersmith start-up thus much automation experience under fault/development conditions. Learned TC skills very quickly; devised operating procedures; trained new transmission staff; deputised for Transmission Coordinator.
Primarily Southampton MCR - busy multi-skilled environment. Night-time transmission control; quality monitoring, tx chain measurements and maintenance; camera racking and sound control; acquisition/playout of material. Consolidated multiskilling. Excellent knowledge of ITV transmission chain. Shift supervision.
MCR duties broadly as above (same building) but also 1-inch and ENG editing, telecine colour grading etc. Successful transition from radio to television; learnt multiple new TV skills; rapid promotion to Senior Engineer.
Operation and maintenance of commercial radio station. Project work; live studio and OB presentation desk operation. First satellite RX installation for IBA stereo network.
especially support for a community radio consortium; interference study for high-power LF/MF stations in Middle East for M/s Ewbank Preece, Brighton; articles in "Wireless World", (see here); "New Hi-Fi Sound"; software and teletext pages for BT's Prestel service, etc. Reoriented to UK environment. Fellowship of IEE confirmed. Professional reports and articles written to specification.
30+ engineering staff, 5 radio studios, MF/HF/VHF TX's to 50kW; development planning & training for whole Department (£6m equiv. budget; 150+ people). Major project: £3.5m (1980 prices) SW/MW/VHF expansion and new broadcasting centre. Member of National Telecomms Commission, advisory and editorial boards etc. Delegate to ITU/WARC 79 and 83, Geneva. The Department also published national newspaper - thus spoken word and print sub-editing experience. Dealt directly with Parliament and Ministers, state visits, foreign missions, tendering etc. Wrote papers on solar power, HF broadcast links etc. for Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and others. Acted Director for long periods (eg over nine months at a time). When I arrived half the country could not receive Radio Botswana's transmissions. As I left, Government was able to communicate effectively to the whole population; President Masire sent for me to thank me personally. I had influenced broadcasting policy for the next ten years. Triple promotion during my stay. Much personal study, learned accounting and budgeting, high power electrical/RF techniques, propagation, personnel evaluation, devised HND training for 20 staff. MIEE/Chartered Engineer. A fuller account of my time in Botswana is written up here.
Operation and maintenance of studio equipment, radio car, small transmitters, music balancing, editing, OB's etc. Youngest engineer at this level in the BBC at time of promotion. Enormously varied job, learnt live operations and music balancing.
Broadcasting House, London. Shift maintenance of studios, network presentation suites etc. Learnt maintenance techniques and the broadcasting chain.