How The  Station Will Work: (no link needed)

Audio will start either with one of the sources: the microphones,( a, b and c), the cd players( d &e) , the turntables(f&g), tape decks (I&j), cart machines(k&l), the phone patch (m),  the computer (n), or whatever (h). I t its good to have a few free spaces on your mixer or patchbay in so that people with their own audio sources (like minidisc players) can plug directly into the mixing board. The studio audio computer(n) is connected to the internet, allowing automation and downloading of audio from remote sites using the internet. It can be connected by dial-up through a phone line, through DSL, or through a cable modem (z) as shown.

All of this plugs into the mixing console(o). It comes out all mixed together at the appropriate levels, and goes to several outputs, including the headphones (p), recording deck (q), and the monitor amplifier  (r ). Some stations use a “distribution amplifier” for this, but you can also use a regular home stereo amplifier, if you do not have too many places to go or too much distance to cover. The monitor will power the studio speakers  (s) and speakers in other rooms in the building,  it can either have a radio receiver (t) built into the same unit as most home stereos do, or you can plug one into it in order to compare the sound coming out of the mixer to what is actually being heard by the listeners. With all receivers, it is important to remember that they should have a good antenna (v) in order to be able to pick up the station.

The audio signal goes from there into the audio processor (w). The audio processors job is to make sure that the audio is not too loud or too soft before it goes to the transmitter. Then the signal goes into the transmitter(ff) and the audio signal is transformed into a radio signal. It goes into up the transmission line, into a lightning arrester (gg), which is hooked by a fat wire to the antenna mast(kk), which is in turn connected by a fat wire to a ground rod (jj). The radio signal continues up the transmission line, past the lightning arrester into the antenna, where it travels through space and time to the listeners receiver.

Not shown is the uninterruptible power supply which is connected to critical components, like all the computers, the mixing console and the transmitter. Also not shown is the grounding system for the audio components, all of which are connected by bare, braided copper wire to a grounding bus, and then connected to a good earth ground at the studio and transmitter site. This chart shows only the main studio, and does not show a “pre-production” studio, for taping shows to be broadcast later.