Editing Studio transmitter link

{{Short description|Connection from broadcast studio to radio transmitter}}

A '''studio transmitter link''' ('''STL''') sends a [[radio station]]'s or [[television station]]'s [[audio signal|audio]] and [[video]] from the [[broadcasting|broadcast]] [[studio]] or origination facility to a [[radio transmitter]], [[television transmitter]] or [[ground station|uplink facility]] in another location.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A Broadcast Engineering Tutorial for Non-Engineers.|last=Skip.|first=Pizzi|date=2014|publisher=Taylor and Francis|others=Jones, Graham (Electrical engineer)|isbn=9781317906834|edition= 4th|location=Hoboken|oclc=879025861}}</ref> This is accomplished through the use of terrestrial [[microwave transmission|microwave links]] or by using fiber optic or other telecommunication connections to the transmitter site.

==Link==
This is often necessary because the best locations for an [[antenna (electronics)|antenna]] are on top of a mountain, where a much shorter [[radio tower]] is required, but where locating a studio may be impractical.  Even in flat regions, the center of the station's allowed coverage area may not be near the studio location or may lie within a populated area where a transmitter would be [[NIMBY|frowned upon by the community]], so the antenna must be placed at a distance from the studio.

Depending on the locations that must be connected, a station may choose either a [[point-to-point (telecommunications)|point to point]] (PTP) link on another special [[radio frequency]], or a newer all-[[digital signal (broadcasting)|digital]] wired link via a dedicated [[data transmission circuit]].  Radio links can also be digital, or the older [[analog signal|analog]] type, or a [[in-band on-channel|hybrid]] of the two.  Even on older all-analog systems, multiple audio and data channels can be sent using [[subcarrier]]s.

Stations that employ an STL usually also have a ''transmitter/studio link'' (TSL) to return [[telemetry]] information.  Both the STL and TSL are considered [[broadcast auxiliary service]]s (BAS).

==Transmitter/studio link==
The '''transmitter/studio link''' (or '''TSL''') of a [[radio station]] or [[television station]] is a [[return link]] which sends [[telemetry]] data from the remotely located [[radio transmitter]] or [[television transmitter]] back to the studio for monitoring purposes.  The TSL may return the same way as the STL, or it can be embedded in the station's regular [[broadcasting|broadcast]] signal as a subcarrier (for analog stations) or a separate [[data channel]] (for digital stations).  

Analog or digital data such as transmitter [[electrical power|power]], temperature, [[VSWR]], voltage, modulation level, and other status information are returned so that [[broadcast engineering]] staff can correct any problems as soon as possible.  These data may be attended to by an [[automated transmission system]].

==See also==
*[[Sound-in-Syncs]]
*[[Television studio]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{refbegin}}
*[[Code of Federal Regulations|CFR]] Title 47: [[Telecommunication]] Part 74—Experimental Radio, Auxiliary, Special Broadcast and Other Program Distributional Services
*CFR Title 47: Telecommunication Chapter I—Federal Communications Commission Subchapter C—Part 73—Broadcast Radio Services
{{refend}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Studio transmitter link}}
[[Category:Broadcast transmitters]]
[[Category:Broadcast engineering]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]