[BC] the old board op mentality

[Gary Peterson]

I sure remember pulling a top 40 board shift and
having to:

Keep a program log, including writing in start
time of each commercial.
Rotate the music.
Pull carts for commercials and load the cart
decks.
Cue the 45s and ETs. (average song was about 2:30)
Rip & read news & sports each hour.
Answer the request lines.
Read live ads.
Read bulletin board and lost dog announcements.
Read weather forecasts.
Never let the VU meter drop to zero.
Try to be witty and entertaining.
Cleanly hit ABC news at 54:30.
And...log plate voltage, plate current, antenna
current and frequency deviation every 30 minutes. 
(We were a 5 kW ND, daytimer)

Makes one wonder how many of today's DJs could
pull a 4 hour shift, like that.  Mostly, I see
them web surfing eBay during their six-in-a-rows,
while the light for the request lines continues to
flash.

Years later, I had to visit a class IV's
transmitter site to put them back on air.  On the
way home, I stopped by the studio.  I noticed that
the transmitter log was missing.  I asked the
announcer and he tried to change the subject.
When I pressed further, he told me it was on the
receptionist's desk.  I located it and found a
full set of meter readings for the hour that the
station was off the air and all subsequent meter
readings for the remainder of his shift.  I showed
it to him and said "How are you going to explain
this to the FCC?"  I thought he was going to have
a heart attack.  I bet there have been people who
perspired less in the electric chair.

Gary 

"Thanks for the memories, every 30 minute readings
and all!
PS:  We caught the overnight guy pre-filling all
the readings for his shift. Fired his butt
immediately.
Regards/Jim Potter"