Alternative Inspection Program

The tentative next round of inspections is in 2024.

Alternative Broadcast Inspector Ed Sutton

The Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program insures that over the air stations are compliant with all FCC regulations and are safely operating in their communities. ABA Broadcasters say it is one of the best association benefits ever offered. Thanks Ed! and thank you to all the stations that participate in our Community Voice NCSA Program for making this program possible.

Why is Ed smiling? Because he just finished inspecting 119 Radio and TV stations and he gets to go home to Arizona! And it only took him 3 months.

Yes, that is a faint yellow station tag in the middle of the Bering Sea (lower left in the middle of all that blue) Saint Paul Island home of KUHB-FM. Barrow’s KBRW AM/FM is at the far north on the Beaufort Sea. Way down on the Aleutian Chain is KUCB LPTV/FM in Unalaska right across the bridge from Dutch Harbor, home base for “Deadliest Catch.” Harder to see are the six communities in the SE panhandle, just below Ed’s hand. Ketchikan is closer to Seattle than Anchorage and has KFMJ FM, KGTW FM/KTKN AM, KRBD FM and KUBD TV as ABA members.

So how does this translate geographically within lower 48 states boundaries (maps are to scale)? Our inspections ranged from the ND/MN & Canadian border to the Florida Panhandle to Northern Mexico south of CA and the Baja to Lacross WI and then down to northern Arkansas. Yes, the red lines are our only road system and 50% of stations are NOT on a connected road system.

A good reference (and friend) for broadcast engineers, the SBE:


SBE