We thought our viewers might like to learn more about the folks who work at Idaho Public Television. Because there are so many people who work behind the scenes, you may not be familiar with some of the staff who keep things operating efficiently in our offices or out in the field. Today we would like to introduce Broadcast Field Engineer Justin Hinrichs.
IdahoPTV’s Carol Beres sat down with Justin to learn more about what his job entails. “My duties are to maintain and upkeep all of the translators in North Idaho,” Justin says. That includes getting to the equipment in sometimes difficult conditions. “Whatever it takes, be it snowmobiles or the Polaris Ranger, or with the truck; just making sure the equipment is clean and making sure the lines are good…climbing the towers if I need to.”
Justin is, like many employees here at Idaho Public Television, an Idaho native. “I grew up in Middleton,” he says. “I went to Middleton High. Before I started high school, (it) was when the old high school burned down. And then, as they were building the new one, I was actually (in) the first graduating class of the new high school.” He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Idaho in mechanical engineering. “One of the classes I found really interesting was Fatigue and Stresses. How different objects and how stuff over time will eventually break. You can do studies on how it was broken…that leads into how the antenna up in Sandpoint was broken. All the winds and stress eventually caused it to snap and fall over,” he says. “I had started in electrical engineering and I decided that wasn’t for me as soon as we got into a bunch of coding.”
He played football and ran track in high school, but in college Justin switched gears and did a club sport: “I was on the University Ultimate Frisbee Team. Eventually, I was the captain. We went to tournaments all over – Utah, Montana, over to Oregon, Washington. We’d always play Washington State because they’re right across the border.” He worked in Boise for a few years after that, and then the opportunity to work for Idaho Public Television in Moscow presented itself.
He enjoys the challenge of learning every day and that’s one of the reasons he works for Idaho Public Television. Plus, Justin enjoys the small-town feel that North Idaho provides. “I like providing the service to all these small communities, like Kamiah and Kooskia and Sandpoint. It’s fulfilling; more so than previous jobs I’ve had.” And he enjoys the mountainous lifestyle that North Idaho has in abundance. “Hunting, fishing, just being outdoors. I bought a Jeep a few years ago and I enjoy working on that. And I go camping out of it. I’ve got a tent on top, so I can go pretty much anywhere out in the mountains and camp wherever I want.” As far as other hobbies, Justin likes to tinker with electronics. “I’m a big computer nerd. I’m kinda like Andy (Miles, another employee), I like to build computers.”
Justin’s not picky when it comes to his favorite snacks. “I really like dark chocolate. It’s really all kinds of stuff. Sugary sweet or salty. You could lay pretty much anything out in front of me and I’ll eat it.” When it comes to his favorite part of Idaho, it’s hard to pinpoint that as well. “It’s the mountains over here; it’s the mountains in the McCall area, the mountains in the Salmon/Ketchum area.” He adds, “It has to be the mountains and the lakes and rivers. Being high up in elevation, you can see everything. I just really like to take in the beauty.”
He has a fond memory of his favorite PBS Kids character. “It would have to be Cookie Monster. That was also my sister’s favorite. She had a little Cookie Monster that she carried around,” he laughs. “We both have an affinity for cookies.”
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