CBT - Certified Broadcast Technologist Equipment Troubleshooting and Maintenance Questions and Answers

Question 1

A broadcast engineer is troubleshooting a persistent 60 Hz hum in the studio's main audio console.
All equipment is powered on, and audio is passing, but the hum is present on all channels.
Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

A ground loop caused by multiple ground paths between interconnected equipment.

Answer

A faulty microphone cable with a broken shield.

Answer

Digital clocking errors between the console and an audio interface.

Answer

Incorrect input gain staging on the console's preamplifiers.

Question 2

When performing maintenance on a high-power FM transmitter, a technician needs to test the transmitter's output stage without broadcasting a signal over the air. Which piece of test equipment is essential for this procedure?

Accepted Answer

An RF dummy load

Answer

A spectrum analyzer

Answer

An oscilloscope

Answer

A field strength meter

Question 3

A remote television broadcast is experiencing intermittent video signal loss, presenting as a black screen that comes and goes. The camera, power supply, and recorder have been tested individually and are working correctly. Which of the following is the MOST probable cause to investigate next?

Accepted Answer

A damaged or loose BNC or SDI cable connection.

Answer

Incorrect white balance setting on the camera.

Answer

The video format is incompatible with the recorder.

Answer

Audio levels are clipping in the mixer.

Question 4

Which of the following is a critical preventive maintenance task for equipment located at a transmitter site to ensure optimal performance and prevent failure?

Accepted Answer

Regularly cleaning air filters and verifying proper cooling system operation.

Answer

Updating the music library on the playout server.

Answer

Calibrating the studio VU meters for accuracy.

Answer

Defragmenting the hard drives on the office computers.

Question 5

A broadcast technician notices that a video feed from a new camera has a slight rolling horizontal bar and distorted picture. The camera is powered from a separate AC circuit than the video switcher it is connected to. What is the most likely solution?

Accepted Answer

Use a ground loop isolator on the video line.

Answer

Replace the camera's lens.

Answer

Adjust the camera's shutter speed.

Answer

Increase the video signal's bit rate.

Question 6

During a routine inspection, a technician finds that an audio console is fully powered on, and the meters are active, but no audio is passing to the main outputs or headphones. Which of the following is the FIRST logical troubleshooting step?

Accepted Answer

Check if an input source is correctly selected and routed to the main bus.

Answer

Recalibrate the entire audio console.

Answer

Replace the main power supply unit for the console.

Answer

Reinstall the console's firmware.