MUNICH—Rohde & Schwarz will feature its Remote Transmitter Monitoring Service (RMTX) and the R&S TE1 extra-high-power liquid-cooled transmitter during the 2024 NAB Show New York, Oct. 9-10, at the Javits Center in New York City.

The R&S TE1, a native ATSC 3.0 design, addresses many of the challenges broadcasters face, such as high energy consumption and environmental impact and the complex maintenance requirements of traditional transmitters. The transmitter leverages modern design techniques to provide greater efficiency and its liquid cooling system eliminates the need for power-intensive air conditioning, significantly reducing the carbon footprint, the company said.

"We value the opportunity to connect with broadcast network operators at NAB Show New York 2024," said Erik Balladares, vice president of broadcast and media at Rohde & Schwarz USA. "Our customers have been eagerly awaiting this innovative transmitter and our remote monitoring service, and we are confident that our solutions will meet their needs for a more sustainable and efficient broadcasting operation."

Key features include the company’s Remote Transmitter Monitoring service (RMTX), which provides U.S. broadcasters with a solution to the scarcity of specialized RF engineers, and an intelligent management software for automatic optimal setup and maximum efficiency, the company said.

“The R&S TE1 is a product designed specifically for the North American Broadcast market. It is our future transmitter platform aimed at solving the problems broadcasters are facing today and in the future. It significantly reduces the environmental impact and cost of high-power transmission and is designed with advanced intelligence to monitor its own health and notify the user when maintenance may be required,” said Steven Edwards, vice president of broadcast distribution at Rohde & Schwarz.

See Rohde & Schwarz at 2024 NAB Show New York booth 1207.

More information is available on the company’s website.

TULSA, Okla.—KTUL, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s television station in Tulsa, has announced the completion of a major two-year project to upgrade its transmitter so that it can move the station’s broadcast signal from VHF to UHF.

These upgrades increased the signal power to a full one megawatt transmission, the maximum allowed by the FCC for UHF stations. With one of the strongest signals in the Tulsa DMA, NewsChannel 8 now has the ability to reach more local communities with its stronger over-the-air signal, Sinclair reported. 

“The upgrades, and the switch from VHF to UHF transmission, allows KTUL to broadcast with a stronger signal, allowing us to reach more of the Tulsa community who rely on over-the-air broadcasts for their news, content and emergency information,” David Shaffer, KTUL’s chief engineer explained. “The project, which took nearly two-years to complete, is one of the most significant upgrades we have made at the station, and we are excited to rollout reception and picture quality like never before.”

VERNON HILLS, Ill.—Anywave Communication Technologies Inc., has announced that it supplied the broadcast equipment for a new and unique ATSC 3.0 deployment in  the Harrisburg, Penn. area.  

In another example of full service stations partnering with LPTV/translator  stations to launch 3.0 services, channel 16 in Harrisburg is broadcasting the  streams of WHTM (ABC), WITF (PBS), and WLYH (religious programming), using a  new Anywave Marble series ATSC 3.0 transmitter.

In addition, the ATSC 3.0 signal is received and rebroadcast on  channel 31 through an Anywave ATSC 3.0 translator in the Red Lion/York Penn. area. 

Anywave said the translator is fully regenerative, and provides excellent performance and  coverage to areas that may not have access to the channel 16 signal. The use of the translator to rebroadcast the ATSC 3.0 signal may be a first, the company reported. 

“Anywave has developed coverage solutions to address most any ATSC 3.0  requirement”, said David Neff, General Manager of Anywave. “Besides 3.0  translators, we have a complete line of SFN capable transmitters, and an  exceptional line of gap fillers (on-channel repeaters) that have also been  successfully deployed in ATSC 3.0 systems. All are available for most any power  levels, and all frequencies, including UHF, and VHF bands I and III, and all are  Anywave’s own design. We believe that Anywave has the most complete line of  TV transmitters in the industry, and we continue to develop and further improve  our offerings.”  

For more information, contact David Neff (david.neff@anywavecom.com)

BOULDER, Colo.—Signal Infrastructure Group (SIG) has announced that they have successfully completed commissioning a new ATSC 3.0 ready high-power channel 30 ULXTE90 transmitter from Gates Air at Sutro Tower in San Francisco for public broadcaster KQED. 

SIG handled the design, specification, sourcing, installation, and commissioning of the new transmitter as a turn-key project to minimize the burden on KQED resources.

“SIG was able to complete this necessary and complex upgrade, which allowed my team to continue to focus on KQED’s day-to-day broadcast operations.” explained Donny Newenhouse, KQED vice president of broadcast operations & engineering.

SIG builds and operates broadcast transmission and software infrastructure to expand access to content and information in communities across the country, the company said, and it drew on a deep bench of engineering experience for this project. 

PARAMUS, N.J.—Sony Electronics is expanding its DWX series of professional wireless mics and transmitters with the introduction of a new digital wireless plug-on transmitter, the DWT-P30.  

Designed for studio, electronic newsgathering (ENG) and location sound, the new transmitter complements Sony’s slot-in receiver and bodypack transmitters to create an all-inclusive digital wireless microphone system that can be used with Sony’s cameras, in addition to UniSlot standard devices, the company said. 

Key features include:

• 375kHz spacing high-density simultaneous multi-channel operation and wideband tuning at a maximum of 148MHz
• Allows tuning to frequencies as mandated by the FCC Spectrum guidelines UHF-TV Ch. 14-36 and 38 UHF-TV
• High sound quality with CODEC MODE4
• Prioritizes audio quality
• Ensures faithful reproduction
• Maintains transmission stability
• Provides low delay time
• Selectable RF outpower power (2mW/ 10mW / 25mW)
• Long battery life of approximately 6 hours
• Remote control of transmitter settings with Cross Remote function

 The DWT-P30 is planned to be available at the end of 2022.  For additional information about Sony’s latest professional audio technologies, please visit pro.sony/audio.

SOUTHWICK, Mass.—Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC has announced that WLII is on-air with a new Comark 19.2kW Parallax VHF band 3 transmitter.  

WLII, which is owned by Liberman Media Group LLC, serves the capital city of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

WLII-DT applied for and received a new construction permit from the FCC to increase the station’s ERP from 38kW to 160kW, which necessitated a new VHF transmitter. WLII purchased a Parallax 19.2kW single rack cabinet transmitter that includes 14 VHF Band 3 Doherty final power amplifiers and the complete liquid cooling system.  

Parallax provides the highest in class power density in the industry, Comark said. 

This transmitter was also pre-wired to accept two additional final power amplifiers in the future, should the station want to increase the power capability of this system.

The Parallax transmitter was delivered complete with dual Exact-V2 ATSC exciters (in main / standby configuration).  The system is fully upgradeable from ATSC 1.0 to 3.0.  In addition, Comark supplied a new 25kW RF mask filter system and channel combiner.  The WLII station is combined with an existing channel 7 DTV transmitter via a broadband input port.  

Comark managed the shipment, offloading, and placement of the new equipment into the existing broadcast facility.  After the mechanical installation of the new transmitter system was completed, Comark’s field engineer turned on the new transmitter, performing the complete proof-of-performance testing.  The new WLII D11 transmitter system went live on June 21st at roughly 10PM with no issues.

“We are very happy with Comark and their fantastic team.  Being on an island brought some specific challenges to the project that Comark was able to overcome. They provided a seamless on-time project completion.  The Parallax transmitter at the new 160kw level has made huge improvements in our signal and we are very pleased with the results.” states Winter Horton, chief operating officer.

“The team here at Comark provided a complete solution to replace WLII’s older VHF transmitter system as part of the station’s plan to increase their ERP”, states Joe Turbolski, vice president of sales and marketing for Comark. “We were pleased to work with the team at WLII; their new Parallax liquid cooled transmitter will provide a much better OTA signal to the viewers in San Juan.”

SOUTHWICK, Mass.—Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC has announced the introduction of the newly improved E-Compact EC700HP-BB3 series high-efficiency air-cooled solid-state UHF DTV transmitters.  The “BB3” version is the third generation in the high-powered product line and supports the US post-repack channels 14-36.  

The EC700HP-BB3 product line is available with a single final power amplifier or up to 12 x PA’s in parallel, producing from 1.1kW to up to 13.2kW respectively.  These output power levels are measured after the mask filter. 

Key improvements to the “BB3” series include:

• Dual commercial off-the-shelf GE AC to DC rectifiers in the power supply of each PA.
• Hot-swappable rectifiers accessible from the front panel of the PA chassis.
• Newly improved system controller with a simpler user interface GUI.
• Optional front panel touch screen for easier user access to the control / monitoring GUI.
• Optional outdoor cabinet for sites lacking adequate space in equipment shelter.

 E-Compact “BB3” production and transmitter testing will be performed in the company’s Southwick, MA facility to enhance product line flexibility and reduce product lead times, the company said.

The “BB3” continues to feature the latest asymmetric broadband Doherty LDMOS amplifiers (the same device as the award-winning PARALLAX series liquid-cooled UHF transmitters). The amplifier technology allows power efficiency of up to 44%. The air-cooled PA design includes automatic cooling fan speed control that provides lower acoustic noise levels during operation. The transmitters include a built-in web-GUI and SNMP for remote control and monitoring. The E-Compact also features EXACT-V2 IP Optimized DTV exciters with DualCast technology and is easily upgraded from ATSC 1.0 to 3.0, the company said. 

The compact, rugged E-Compact family is perfectly suited for broadcasters looking to replace their current older and less efficient equipment or for future ATSC 3.0 SFN systems, the company said. 

The EC700HP-BB3 transmitter will be on display at the 2022 NAB Show at Hitachi Kokusai Electric Group’s booth (C4409).

More information on the 2022 NAB Show is available here. 

CINCINNATI—GatesAir today introduced Maxiva PMTX-1, a self-contained, modular outdoor transmitter series that integrates a low-power UHF TV transmitter or transposer/translator for use in a variety of applications, including filling coverages gaps and delivering focused broadcast content as a spot transmitter.

The Maxiva PMTX-1 is housed in a rugged, telecom-grade enclosure, making it impervious to weather. Due to its sealed protective shell, the transmitter can be adapted to any climate or outdoor environment, the company said.

The one-piece design from the company’s European-based engineering team eliminates all moving parts and air filters, thereby removing most maintenance requirements. Its metal housing efficiently removes heat from the transmitter’s internal circuitry and helps to ensure it performs well in extreme temperatures and humidity, it said.

This heat management approach maximizes efficiency and reduces utility costs. The PMTX-1 also uses an integral mask filter to reduce external components and make maintenance nearly non-existent, it said.

A variety of mounting scenarios are supported, including one of the first pole-mount configurations in the industry, which is useful for hilltops and remote locations where there is not building or tower. This makes the transmitter well-suited for single frequency network (SFN) applications, the company said.

The PMTX-1 is also available for analog TV networks (100 W), with a field-upgradeable path to DTV (50 W for ATSC 1.0, DVB-T, DVB-T2 and ISDB-Tb), the company said.

Broadcasters can add optional inputs to support DVB-S/S2 receivers, IP transport streams and accept broadcast content and data from alternate sources. The PMTX-1’s optional RF receiver input supports flexible options for translator and transposer configurations and will reliably regenerate content for very targeted coverage areas at low power levels.

Built-in GatesAir RTAC technology for real-time adaptive pre-correction ensures a fully compliant solution for any broadcast standard and keeps the broadcast signal within its required spectral limits.

GatesAir plans the release of versions for VHF TV, DAB Radio, ATSC 3.0 and DTMB in the future, it said.

More information is available on the company’s website. 

SOUTHWICK, Mass.—Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark has announced that the WGBH has upgraded it VHF Band 1 Parallax liquid cooled DTV transmitter for up to 47.8kW of power.

Comark supplied the Parallax transmitter on channel D5 to public media producer GBH as part of the FCC repack. 

This transmitter system was purchased in 2018 as upgradable to allow for future power increases and initially delivered as a three-cabinet system with four power amplifiers (PA’s) per cabinet (12 total) for operation at 6.2kW transmitter output power (TPO).  

After a few years, GBH applied for and received authorization from the FCC to increase the station’s ERP from 6.7kW to 34kW to better serve their community of license. 

GBH then ordered the system upgrade package from Comark that included 24 additional amplifiers and the associated materials, providing TPO capability of up to 47.8kW.  The new configuration of the GBH transmitter now uses 12 PA’s per cabinet or 36 PA’s total. 

“When we originally ordered the Comark Parallax transmitter, our FCC engineering consultant informed us that there was a strong possibility we could be granted a future increase in effective radiated power up to 50Kw,” said GBH transmitter supervisor Jon Frank in a statement. “However, we had no idea precisely what that increased power figure would be. As result, we purchased the upgradeable cabinet option with our original transmitter.  When we were granted a 34 Kw ERP, Comark's modular transmitter design allowed us to easily increase the transmitter’s power output in the field and to purchase only as many amplifier modules and combiners as we required.”

“Planning is the key. We had a lot of very detailed customer discussions during the initial phases of this system,” explained Joe Turbolski, VP of sales and marketing at Comark. “GBH had a long-term plan for their post repack D5 allocation for this transmitter system.  With Parallax, we were able to offer both the technology and the architecture that GBH required to make this project successful.” 

SOUTHWICK, Mass.—Edge Networks, creator of the Evoca ATSC 3.0-based OTA pay-TV service, is on the air in Boise, Idaho, the first of its planned markets, with a pair of Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark 1.5kW E-Compact air-cooled UHF transmitters for its KCBB-LD and KSBE-LD low power stations, Comark has announced.

The pay-TV provider ordered the air-cooled EC702HP-BB ATSC 3.0-enabled transmitter systems in March 2019 following a successful demonstration of the technology and on-air trials. Comark Digital Services (CDS), which is focused on helping broadcasters upgrade their headend solutions for ATSC 1.0 and their migration to ATSC 3.0, assembled best-of-breed solutions and offered its system expertise to help Edge Networks with the deployment.

“Partnering with CDS to implement ATSC 3.0 in Boise allows us to deliver an uninterrupted signal with superior picture quality directly to our subscribers,” said Edge Networks President and CEO Todd Achilles. 

The ATSC 3.0 system includes:

• SmartGate ATSC 3.0 Broadcast Gateway in a 1+1 redundant configuration; 
• MediaCast ROUTE/MMTP server in a 1+1 redundant configuration; 
• EdgeProbe Advanced ATSC 3.0 DTV transmitter monitor equipped with quad inputs; 
• Referee3 portable field receiver and RF signal analyzer; 
• VideoFlow IP-STL solution for reliable content delivery over an IP network connecting Edge; Networks’ network operations center to the broadcast tower in Boise; and 
• DASDEC-IR Intelligent Remote EAS receiver for the Boise DMA. 

“Our CDS group was formed specifically to help customers with these types of complex projects.  CDS has the high-level view of ATSC 3.0 technologies and we lined up the right partners to help get our customers on-air, successfully,” says Joe Turbolski, Comark vice president of Sales and Marketing.

“Our team and our partners worked very closely with the staff at Edge Networks to provide exactly the right solution, and we are extremely pleased to be a major contributor to this NextGen TV deployment,” he said.

More information is available on the Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark website.

SOUTHWICK, Mass.—WHRO-TV, the Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications Association pubic broadcaster serving Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News, Va.,  deployed a Comark 68kW Parallax UHF transmitter this summer as part of its TV spectrum repack work, Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark has announced.

The station’s new HPTV-PRLX-U42 68kW transmitter, upgradeable to ATSC 3.0, consists of three rack cabinets each equipped with 14 UHF Asymmetric Broadband Doherty power amplifiers. The transmitter has dual Exact-V2 ATSC exciters (in main/standby configuration) and a liquid cooling system, the company said.

The company supplied the complete RF system, which includes Constant Impedance Filter (CIF) technology and high-power external hybrids for combining each of the transmitter’s PA cabinets. Comark managed shipping, offloading and placement of the new equipment in the station’s transmitter facility, it said.

The transmitter was needed to meet the station’s Phase 9 spectrum repack deadline. While mechanical work was completed in late March to meet the phase deadline, COVID-19 delayed the station’s actual transition till July 3. Comark assisted the station in turning on the new transmitter and performed complete proof-of-performance testing in late June, it said.

“COMARK worked with the management of WHRO to provide a complete solution for their repack requirements,” said Joe Turbolski, company vice president of Sales and Marketing. “The new transmitter installation was a tight fit into the existing facility, so we performed a detailed site survey and system design to ensure there were no surprises during the mechanical installation.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

SOUTHWICK, Mass.—Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark has released to Parallax All-In-One (AIO) DTV transmitter designed for stations not repacked in the reallocation of TV spectrum and those desiring to roll out NextGen TV service.

Parallax AIO is a simplified, compact version of the Parallax liquid-cooled, solid-state DTV transmitter introduced in spring 2015. It is intended for medium power DTV applications and is designed with the complete liquid cooling system and RF filtering inside the transmitter cabinet rather than being external subsystems, Comark said.

As a result, on-site installation time is reduced. A field engineer simply connects the transmitter’s RF output to the transmission line and two cooling hoses to the outdoor heat exchanger, the company said. 

The transmitter can be equipped with three to eight power amplifiers in a single transmitter cabinet to deliver between 5.4 kW and 13 kW total power output (TPO). The transmitter’s power amplifiers use the latest asymmetric Doherty LDMOS FET devices, which provide broadband high efficiency operation and the equivalent output power in ATSC 1.0 (8VSB) and 3.0 (OFDM).

The Parallax AIO’s RF system is fully contained in the transmitter rack cabinet. It accommodates either six- or eight-pole variations. The system also offers a motorized RF output switch and liquid-cooled station load with a switch fully integrated into the transmitter’s controls, Comark said.

Hitachi-Comark has published a video overview and demo of the new transmitter on YouTube.  

More information is available on the company’s website. 

DENVER—Rocky Mountain Public Media (RMPM) is working on a network-wide project to upgrade multiple transmitter sites and build the Buell Media Center, a new downtown facility that will integrate master control and production facilities for two flagship media properties. 

These properties include KRMA-DT, a 1,000 kW ERP TV station serving the Denver market. KRMA was designated as a “Phase 2” repack station, relocating from UHF Channel 18 to 33. The frequency change required an entirely new transmission system, including a new transmitter, filter, and antenna at the KRMA transmission site on Mt. Morrison.

The station’s long-running Harris Sigma tube transmitter had been in service for many years, and the repack presented an opportunity to transition to modern, solid-state technology. That transition, which included a GatesAir Maxiva ULXTE liquid-cooled transmitter, introduced higher operating efficiencies and addressed rising concerns around tube maintenance and replacement.

MODERN EFFICIENCIES

We selected the ULXTE-50 for one main and two subchannels at 26 kW TPO. The transmitter includes additional headroom for potential future services, including NextGen TV. The ULXTE provides immediate return value for operations, including a redundant closed-loop pump system to transfer heat to outdoor exchangers. 

The advantage of the closed-loop design over the single-pump, open-loop system of the tube transmitter is that it provides a more sophisticated platform to monitor the pump system, including temperatures, evaporators and general operating status. One recent example includes troubleshooting a water flow problem that originated from a failing flow meter. The ability to remotely connect to the transmitter, monitor parameters and troubleshoot issues leads to quick resolutions.

These modern efficiencies extend to power density, energy consumption and maintenance. The ULXTE packs more power density and redundant technology into the cabinet. While solid-state transmitters can produce more heat than tubes, the ULXTE’s efficient use of liquid cooling maintains a consistent operating temperature even at very high power.

A NEW LANDSCAPE

Migrating from a single-tube system to a redundant solid-state system completely changes the maintenance landscape. The ULXTE architecture leverages redundant, hot-swappable power supplies and amplifier modules. If one fails, the transmitter continues to operate at near full power, and replacement is a matter of unscrewing and pulling out the module before inserting a new one. 

Few parts are required to maintain these transmitters. GatesAir ULXTE air-cooled transmitters have since been installed at RMPM sites in Fort Collins, Grand Junction, Montrose and several rural communities, as well as a July 2020 planned replacement in Durango. A common set of spare parts can be shared across the entire network of transmitters, which keeps costs low and makes life easier for the single RF engineer that maintains these sites. One of these ULXTE transmitters is also installed at the Mt. Morrison site providing backup service for KRMA.

The ULXTE also offers native IP connectivity. The Buell Media Center buildout includes a new 100 MB/s IP microwave and fiber system to transport broadcast content over 16 miles to Mt. Morrison. The integrated Maxiva XTE exciter provides an IP and ASI input to feed the transmitter, which allows for a native IP signal out of an encoder from the Buell Media Center. The XTE’s ASI connection takes in a feed from RMPM’s older studio location over a traditional microwave link. 

GatesAir’s technical support teams provided exceptional service from start to finish. The system was so well-prepared in advance that their technicians weren’t required to be onsite on cut-over day. KRMA was able to meet its repack deadline without delay, and went to air from the new transmitter without technical difficulties.

Doug Houston can be reached at DougHouston@rmpbs.org. 

For more information on GatesAir, visit www.gatesair.com or please call Keith Adams at 513-459-3447. 

MUNICH, Germany--Three major Australian broadcast organizations recently conducted trials of DVB-T2, the next-generation of the Digital Video Broadcasting terrestrial standard.

Rohde & Schwarz provided transmitters, repeaters and test equipment to ABC (Australia Broadcasting Corporation) and SBS. Free TV, an industry body representing Australia’s commercial broadcasters, also supported the trial.

The Rohde & Schwarz equipment includes: an R&S TLU9 50 W transmitter, an R&S ETL TV analyzer and an R&S BTC broadcast test center.

DVB-T2, which can support 4K delivery, is being considered as a replacement for the existing DVB-T TV standard for over-the-air television transmission. Nearly all Australian TV viewers rely on over-the-air television service.

"Terrestrial free-to-air television delivers its service to 99 percent of the population, and over 20 million Australians tune in every week," remarks Peter Lambourne, CEO of Broadcast Australia, owner/operator of a large transmission network.

"This trial has been an important part of ensuring that when the time is right, the terrestrial television platform will be ready for the next stage of its evolution and can deliver the best possible viewing experience."

SOUTHWICK, MASS.—KVIE, the public broadcaster serving Sacramento, Stockton and Modesto, Calif., has ordered a new Hitachi-Comark Parallax VHF Band 3 DTV transmitter for Channel 9, the broadcast transmitter announced today.

Initially, the transmitter will be equipped with 12 VHF power amplifiers, which will provide 17.3kW TPO. To enable a future boost in power output, the transmitter is pre-wired to accept additional PAs that can take TPO to 23.1kW if necessary.

[Read: WGBH/WBGY Taps Hitachi-Comark Transmitters For Repack]

The transmitter will be delivered with a liquid cooling system and dual Exact-V2 exciters in a main-standby configuration, Hitachi-Comark said. The company will manage shipment, offloading and placement of the new unit and remove and dispose of the station’s existing transmitter.

“Comark worked with the management of KVIE to provide a complete solution to replace their existing unit with the latest technology. The transmitter will be delivered with ATSC 1.0 compatible exciters, but the unit is easily upgradeable for ATSC 3.0 as soon as the station is ready for testing,” said Dick Fiore, president and CEO of Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark. 

SOUTHWICK, MA.—Maryland Public Television has ordered a Comark 75kW Parallax UHF transmitter for its WMPT site serving central Maryland, Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark said last week.

“Comark worked with the management of Maryland Public Television to provide a complete solution for their repack requirements,” said company President and CEO Dick Fiore.

The transmitter consistS of three rack cabinets. Each has 16 UHF Asymmetric Broadband Doherty power amps providing up to 75kW TPO. The liquid-cooled transmitter will be equipped with dual Exact-V2 exciters in a main-standby configuration and an RF mask filter system inclusive of Magic Tees combining each cabinet, the company said.

[Read: Meredith Preps For Repack With Comark Parallax Transmitters]

Comark will manage shipment, offloading and placement of the new transmitter as well as remove the station’s existing DTV transmitter.

For more information on the repack, visit TV Technology's repack silo.

CINCINNATI—Hearst Television has signed a deal with GatesAir to provide transmitters and installation services on an exclusive basis for its 13 stations affected by the FCC’s repack of television spectrum, GatesAir announced today.

The Hearst Television channels being repacked include: WCVB in Boston; WTAE in Pittsburgh; WXII in Greensboro (Winston-Salem), N.C.; WYFF in Greenville, S.C.; WISN in Milwaukee; WLKY in Louisville, Ky.; WLWT in Cincinnati; WDUS in New Orleans; WKCF in Orlando, Fla.; WMOR in Tampa, Fla.; KQCA in Sacramento, Calif.; WBAL in Baltimore and WVTM in Birmingham, Ala.

Under the agreement GatesAir conducted audits of the transmitter sites impacted by the repack, which were completed before the broadcaster’s purchase and installation of the new transmitters. The broadcaster and transmitter manufacturer have completed plans to support the channel reassignment of the channels. Site audit information was sent to GatesAir’s Quincy, Ill., manufacturing plant to begin the design of systems.

Depending on the Hearst station involved and its new channel assignment, the transmitters to be installed include the GatesAir Maxiva ULXTE liquid-cooled and Maxiva UAXTE air-cooled transmitters.

Each of the transmitters will be equipped with the GatesAir ATSC 3.0-ready Maxiva XTE exciter and the latest generation of the company’s RTAC software to deliver real-time adaptive correction for signal integrity and compliance optimization, the company said.

Hearst Television previously relied on GatesAir [Harris Broadcast at the time] for its DTV transition and values its “commitment and experience to enable us to hit our marks over the next 32 months,” said Hearst Television VP of engineering Marty Faubell in a GatesAir press release.

More information is available on the GatesAir website.

CINCINNATI—Chilean broadcasters are preparing for the national digital TV transition and rollout, including Mega, which has recently announced it is going with GatesAir to support its efforts. Scheduled for deployment over the next several years, GatesAir will provide more than 50 Maxiva transmitters—both the ULXT liquid-cooled and UAXTE air-cooled transmitters—in at least 23 cities.

ULXT

This ISDB-T-based project includes integrated remux functionality to support mechanical services; increased energy efficiency to reduce utility costs and power consumption; and modulation error to reduce noise within and increase performance of the DTV signal network-wide. The transmitters provided for the project will range from 300 W to 5 kW.

In addition, GatesAir says it will offer support initiatives including training through its Quincy, Ill., manufacturing center and the accessibility of spare parts.

Chile will officially switch off its analog TV service in 2020.

CINCINNATI—As Qunicy Media prepares for the spectrum repack, the company has announced a deal with GatesAir that will have the company provide transmitters, installation and commissioning services across Quincy’s TV station group. GatesAir’s ULXTE liquid-cooled UHF and VAXTE air-cooled VHF transmitters will be included as part of the deal; some existing GatesAir transmitters at select stations will be modified to meet new channel assignments.

ULXTE

Quincy uses GatesAir transmitters today across all of its stations. The new transmitters will help to simplify channel relocation and is expected to reduce utility costs and maintenance compared with Qunicy’s previously older RF technology.

GatesAir is also providing assistance in determining if existing transmitters can be channel-changed. Part of this process will include bringing in temporary backup transmitters to Quincy sites.

Brady Dreasler, corporate director of engineering for Quincy Media, believes that GatesAir’s XTE exciter present in the installed transmitters will help with Quincy’s eventual transition to ATSC 3.0.

GatesAir CEO Phil Argyris at Abuja TX site.

CINCINNATI—GatesAir, along with Nigerian channel partner Pinnacle Communications Ltd., announced the buildout and launch of a turnkey DVB-T2 transmission system serving the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. The DVB-T2 system supports the switch-on of a new over-the-air DTV service now delivering 30 channels of news, information and entertainment to Abuja residents.

GatesAir and Pinnacle Communications designed, delivered, integrated and commissioned the complete solution on behalf of Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over a three-month period, which includes main and backup GatesAir high-efficiency Maxiva™ ULXT liquid-cooled transmitters for content delivery. GatesAir also supplied the DVB-T2 headend, which optimizes UHF spectrum for multichannel services; along with all electrical material and RF systems required for the greenfield buildout.

GatesAir has worked closely with Pinnacle Communications since 1998, launching TV and FM radio systems across Nigeria. The FCT Abuja system represents the second phase of a digital switch-on, which is expected to eventually reach more than 50 million homes and 170 million residents.

“The Abuja project began as a greenfield site in early September, and we worked closely with GatesAir and the National Broadcasting Commission through its inauguration on Dec. 22,” said Dipo Onifade, executive director of Pinnacle Communications. “This tight schedule was quite a challenge, and its success proves how well the two companies work together to deliver complete digital broadcasting solutions with exceptional quality.”

Sir Lucky Omoluwa, chairman of Pinnacle Communications, said, “GatesAir accelerated delivery of the ULXT transmission system and DVB-T2 headend to support the launch of two program multiplexes, which was an enormous help to meeting this deadline. GatesAir worked closely with Pinnacle Communications and Nigerian stakeholders to architect the most efficient configuration, ensuring the complete ecosystem is consistent. Viewers within the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja ultimately benefit with 30 free-to-air channels.”

As the licensed signal distributor for Nigeria, Pinnacle Communications is working closely with the Nigerian regulator, NBC, to plan future expansions of the service. The success of this rollout means that Pinnacle Communications will work closely with GatesAir on future launches, and anticipates a total of 70 additional RF sites for comprehensive national coverage. The next phase, targeted for completion in June 2017, according to the Director-General of NBC, is expected to cover six states from each of Nigeria’s geo-political zones. Pinnacle Communications confirms that GatesAir will deliver ULXT liquid-cooled and UAXT air-cooled transmitters to support the rollout.

“As Nigeria’s DVB-T2 digital TV rollout progresses, we intend to work closely with Pinnacle Communications and all stakeholders in Nigeria to deliver the systems they require to their exacting specifications,” said Phil Argyris, GatesAir CEO. “Our global expertise in managing national DTV projects will ensure quick delivery and deployment of high-efficiency systems that lower total cost of ownership and optimize performance over many years.”

AMSTERDAM—At the 2016 IBC Show, GatesAir will launch its first transmitter range with native IP capability.

Likewise, its software-defined modulation allows broadcasters to seamlessly migrate to future digital TV standards worldwide, including the emerging ATSC 3.0 modulation.

To enable native IP capability, the Maxiva UAXTE directly integrates GatesAir’s latest high-performance modulator from the recently-released Maxiva XTE exciter into its architecture. This eliminates the need to retrofit previous-generation Maxiva air-cooled transmitters with additional gear to enable network connectivity, giving broadcasters an out-of-the-box solution to simplify the input and output of multimedia services via a local- or wide-area IP network. 

The high-efficiency architecture of the UAXTE, based on the GatesAir PowerSmart Plus architecture with broadband amplification for lower operational costs, reduced energy use and fewer internal parts, is further enhanced by optimization of the power amplification stage. Beyond enabling native IP connectivity and reducing componentry, the XTE modulator integration delivers a “dramatic increase” in digital signal processing capability, using the latest CPU processing technology based on Advanced RISC Machines (ARM); and state-of-the-art FGPAs, according to the company. The improved processing power correlates directly to enhanced real-time adaptive correction capabilities in the XTE modulator’s built-in, proprietary GatesAir RTAC software. The result is improved system performance, due to superior active signal pre-correction over a wider range of non-linear amplifier characteristics. The ultimate result is improved over-the-air reception for DTV consumers. 

The UAXTE design also features an integrated, unified control system that eliminates the standard practice of a separate user interface for the exciter and transmitter. By centralizing control functionality into a single, modernized user interface, engineers can more easily control all settings and parameters. This includes a simplified status page to easily monitor system health at a glance, and a more rationalized, uncluttered event and alarm log.

The UAXTE platform also extends Maxiva air-cooled transmitter power levels to new heights with the UAXTE-24 and UAXTE-32 models. The UAXTE-24 provides broadcasters with 12kW of OFDM power (DVB-T/T2, ISDB-T) and 21.6kW of ATSC power, while the UAXTE-32 delivers 16kW of OFDM power and 28.8kW of ATSC power. The UAXTE demonstration will complement several advanced application demonstrations on the GatesAir stand (8.C30), including an overview of ATSC 3.0 features and keypoints called “What is ATSC 3.0?” That video can also be viewed here in advance of the show, which takes place Sept. 9-13 at the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam.

CINCINNATI—GatesAir’s air-cooled transmitters are hopping on the IP bandwagon, as the company has announced a range of transmitters with native IP capability, the Maxiva UAXTE. These new air-cooled UHF transmitters offer instant adaptability and improved flexibility to industry DTV standards that benefit from IP networking and connectivity. It also features software-defined modulation for migration to future digital TV standards, including ATSC 3.0.

The Maxiva UAXTE integrates GatesAir’s latest modulator from the Maxiva XTE exciter into its architecture. This eliminates the need to retrofit previous generations of Maxiva transmitters with additional gear for network connectivity. The XTE modulator integration also increases digital signal processing capability using CPU processing technology based on Advanced RISC Machines and FGPAs. Ultimately, this provides improved over-the-air reception for DTV consumers.

The design of the UAXTE features an integrated, unified control system that eliminates the standard practice of a separate user interface for the exciter and transmitter. Part of the systems centralized control includes a simplified status page to monitor system health, as well as an event and alarm log.

Models of the UAXTE transmitter include the UAXTE-24 and UAXTE-32. The UAXTE-24 provides 12kW of OFDM power and 21.6kW of ATSC power; the UAXTE-32 provides 16kW of OFDM power and 28.8kW of ATSC power.

GatesAir will display the new UAXTE transmitters at IBC 2016 at booth 8.C30.

CINCINNATI—Phase two of a three-part national plan to rollout the DVB-T2 digital TV network across Kuwait has been completed, according to GatesAir. Powered by GatesAir transmitters, DVB-T2 digital TV now covers approximately 80 percent of the country.

State broadcasters Kuwait Television selected GatesAir the first two phases with services that include systems training, field measurements, coverage studies and planning for single-frequency and multi-frequency networks. Phase two was comprised of deployment for the multi-frequency networks.

Both phases utilized the GatesAir Maxiva ULX liquid-cooled UHF transmitters. The transmitters’ liquid-cooling process feature two fully redundant cooling pumps with auto-changeover capability for consistent transmitter cooling. In addition, the PowerSmart 3D design has commonality in spare parts and a modular, hot-swappable design for module and power supply replacement.

The initial deployments support 12 DVB-T2 digital TV channels that cover the popular regions of Kuwait and include channels KTV1, KTV2 and KTV3.

BALTIMORE—As ATSC 3.0 approaches maturity, broadcasters need to begin market trials and field tests to ensure they can meet the demands of this future broadcast standard. Sinclair obtained a Special Temporary Authorization (STA) from the FCC so Acrodyne Services could test ATSC 3.0 24/7.

In our Washington-Baltimore SFN/ATSC 3.0 trial we used two transmitters, both broadcasting on RF channel 43 (644-650 MHz). SFN provides more uniform signal level (including in-building penetration) throughout our service area, while increasing user experience, especially with mobile and personal device receivers.

Exact’s DTV Exciter is being used to test ATSC 3.0 in the Washington D.C./Baltimore area.ATSC 3.0-COMPATIBLE
From an infrastructure standpoint, transmitters and DTV exciters must be compatible with ATSC 3.0. Exact Exciters from Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC are currently available for ATSC 1.0, but can also be upgraded with new firmware/software to support ATSC 3.0. That’s what we did for this market trial.

Exact-ATSC exciters were used in both the existing Acrodyne 60kW 2x IOT Quantum transmitter installed in Baltimore and in a GatesAir Maxiva solid-state transmitter just outside Washington. Installation of the Exact exciter in each transmitter was straightforward in part due to the user GUI and Digital Adaptive Precorrection (DAP) capabilities. The Exact includes an optional transport stream over IP (TSoIP) with Gigabit Ethernet, flowing nicely into ATSC 3.0, which has been developed on IP core network technologies.

Beyond ATSC 3.0, Sinclair has existing ATSC 1.0 transmitters that needed an upgrade with new DTV exciters with improved RF performance. So, prior to the SFN testing, we reviewed and tested digital exciter platforms from several vendors. The Exact from Comark performed very well in the lab and field and the user interface was straightforward to use. The easy upgrade from ATSC 1.0 to 3.0 made the Exact an easy choice for our organization.

Exact-ATSC exciters include a built-in web server with GUI for local and remote monitoring and control. All pertinent information is displayed in a user-friendly and very intuitive layout. The result of this GUI is the Exact exciter can be set up quickly with dedicated menus for operation and control.

TESTING UNDERWAY
While the SFN/ATSC 3.0 trial is now underway, it’s just the start of even more comprehensive and thorough testing of the capabilities of the new standard. We would like to acknowledge American Tower, Dielectric, GatesAir, Comark and TeamCast for their commitment and contributions to the success of this very important field trial.

Andy Whiteside is the general manager of Acrodyne Services. He can be contacted at 410-568-1548 or atandy.whiteside@dielectric.com.

For more information, please visitwww.comarktv.com/products/dtv-transmitters/dtv-exciterfior call 413-998-1100.

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA—Tanana Valley Television and Radio has experienced significant growth over the past several years, after its beginnings as a small local broadcaster. This includes the addition of three FM radio stations and two DTV stations, as well as the operation of an NBC affiliate on Chena Broadcasting, LLC through a Shared Services Agreement.

GatesAir Maxiva’s slim design helped save energy for Tanana. Energy efficiency and streamlined maintenance have been top priorities for our RF operation, given our harsh climate and remote location outside of Fairbanks. To deal with that, we opted to install GatesAir’s Maxiva VAX VHF air-cooled transmitters to power all three stations; as well as a Maxiva Compact UHF for a small remote translator site.

SLIM-DOWNED TRANSMITTER
The decision to install Maxiva transmitters—as well as GatesAir’s Flexiva transmitters at our FM stations—has delivered significant savings in cost, time, and labor due to the transmitters’ exceptional energy efficiency, reliability and space-saving designs. Much of this is due to GatesAir’s PowerSmart transmitter design, which slims down the footprint and the amount of spare parts needed through what the company calls “broadband amplification.”

The Maxiva transmitters replaced another company’s 6kW solid-state analog transmitters at our Fox and CBS affiliates that had been converted to digital in the field. Those transmitters were highly inefficient, delivering less than 10 percent AC to RF efficiency. The expenses added up. This meant we could not fully seal the building, and at -40 to -50 degrees, even the smallest leak would drastically reduce the transmitter building temperature. We required electric heat to keep the transmitters happy, and our electric costs shot through the roof all winter.

Since the Maxivas are so compact, we were able to integrate them into a single rack with custom power and I/O panels. This single rack replaced the two large racks for our previous transmitters, and I closed off the existing transmitter air plenums and fully sealed the building since I no longer had to provide supplemental air. This eliminated 3kW of supplemental electricity to heat the building during the winter, and we have since realized dramatic savings in electricity. Our power bill dropped to almost one-third of its previous level, prompting the electric company to inquire if anything was wrong. We told them that we made energy-smart upgrades that enable us to use far less power, and that this would be the “new normal.”

EASY MONITORING
The Maxiva VAX design also delivers modularity and operating efficiencies for maintenance. Components slide into position quickly on installation, with minimal labor. Once on air, hot-swappable amplifiers and power supplies make it very simple to maintain. If a module fails, the Maxiva reduces power proportionally, instead of automatically dropping to a minimal power level. This means I can live without a power amplifier or power supply, and simply swap them with new modules once I reach the transmitter site while the system remains on the air.

The Maxiva also offers various front panel and remote IP-based monitoring options. Integrating all my GatesAir Maxiva and Flexiva transmitters into a single Burk ARC Plus network gives me the big picture at a glance. With the web interfaces of each transmitter I can check or change almost any setting from my web browser or smartphone.

We are very pleased with the performance and anticipated return on investment with our GatesAir transmitters. For all of these reasons, GatesAir has become one of our preferred suppliers for TV and radio systems.

Thomas Bohnet has worked with Tanana Valley Television & Radio for 14 years. He currently serves as its director of engineering. For more information, please contact him atthomas@tvtv.com.

For more information please visitwww.gatesair.comor call 513-459-3447.

One of biggest complaints with sound recording is dealing with the cables. Enter wireless technology, usually bringing its own set of interference problems. That, however, is a thing of the past with Wisycom’s MTP40S-USX UHF Wideband Bodypack Transmitter and the MPR30 Wideband ENG Receiver. Attach an omni-directional lavaliere microphone and you can begin capturing great sound.

FEATURES

Comprised of two key components—the MTP40S transmitter and the MPR30ENG receiver—Wisycom has created a small but powerful wireless combo. My review MTP40S transmitter came with a Sanken SAN-11DPTBK1.8 black omni-directional lavaliere microphone. Powered by two AA batteries housed under the front cover, the top has an on/off selector as well as a microphone and antenna connection.

MTP40S

The ENG receiver, also powered by two AA batteries, has an organic liquid crystal display directly above the front cover. Pressing the PWR/EXIT button activates the OLED receiver screen with a battery’s charge, channel use, frequency, and line level. Also on the front are sync, scan, and menu select buttons. The menu button opens a sub menu with headphone level; edit Rx, setting, and infrared. A green LED on the left reminds you that the unit is powered on and a red LED on the left indicates your RF signal. The top features two (A, B) antenna ports, a mini-plug headphone jack, and an AF out jack. The backside on my review unit featured a hotshoe camera mount.

One of the best features of these units is the wide bandwidth (up to 232 MHz) in the 470/952 MHz range. The transmitter is automatically programed using infra red and the outputs are balanced.

The channels are also switchable if you are located in an area with a lot of RF traffic. With 40 groups of 60 channels, that gives the user 2,400 frequencies. Using AA batteries, the user can expect between three and a half to four and a half hours of operation on the receiver and up to 14 hours on the transmitter.

IN USE

I was anxious to receive my Wisycom unit as I had a complicated sound situation where only a hidden, wireless microphone would work. Having reviewed the specifications on line, I knew it should be capable in theory as we would be shooting in an area when our university’s wireless units seldom functioned properly. Without going into all of the technical details of frequency, my main concern was if I was going to get clean audio. The technical data on these microphones is quite impressive, but real world functionality was my main concern.

As promised, the unit fired up with a push of the power button on the receiver and a flip of the toggle switch on the transmitter. Needing to get clean audio in a moving vehicle, the sound person couldn’t sit in the back seat and monitor the sound because it would have been visible on camera. For this particular shoot, the lavaliere microphone was hidden in the car’s passenger side visor and the receiver was 80 feet away in another vehicle. In less than 30 seconds, we were recording clean audio, no interference. Wireless systems usually rely on line of sight. If the transmitter can’t see the receiver, you might have issues. Not only did the transmitter have to send the signal through the glass and metal of the actor’s car, but we also needed to receive it in another vehicle. When I attempted this with another wireless system, too many dropouts made the audio unusable.

The next scene required us to follow the talent from a busy sidewalk, into a brick and steel building, through a maze of drywall corridors, all while the actress was talking and the camera was following her on a stabilizer. Not wanting to get another set of footsteps reverberating off the interior walls, the sound crew remained outdoors leaving only the two actors and camera operator walking inside. The director viewed the LCD monitor via a wireless transmitter in video village and the sound crew was next to him utilizing the Zoom recorder.

MPR30

As the actors walked and talked through the hallways, not once did we lose or experience sound problems created by interference or metal objects in the walls. We did lose our video signal to the monitor multiple times, but the sound was perfect the entire time. I tried to watch the info on the OLED on the receiver to see if it was changing channels or frequencies, however, I had a difficult time seeing it because of the tiny numbers. It didn’t really matter what the unit was doing as long as the set-up continued to work.

SUMMARY

Throughout the shoot, we had no problems with audio because of equipment malfunction. The students, who were assisting on my shoot, asked to use the system on their final projects. That’s a great testimonial for Wisycom.

The only drawback to the system is its price; a bit steep for our university’s budget. If audio is your business, the old adage is true, you get what you pay for. I would give two thumbs up to Wisycom for this wireless system. It never let me down.

Chuck Gloman is an associate professor and chair of the TV/Film Department at DeSales University. He may be reached at chuck.gloman@desales.edu.

IRVINE, CALIF.—The NBC affiliate station in Paducah, Ky., WSPD, recently added VidOvation’s AVIWEST DMNG Pro 180 3G/4G bonded cellular video transmission system. With the portable camera-mounted device WPSD news teams are able to transmit live video from the field without the need for microwave equipment.

WPSD reporter Mychaela Brunner and Photographer Chad Darnall at the Paducah riverfront, covering rising river levels with AVIWEST DMNG PRO from VidOvation.

The AVIWEST DMNG Pro features eight embedded 3G/4G modems, allowing it bond combinations of network interfaces, including local cellular and Wi-Fi networks, Ethernet and satellite for video transmission links. The DMNG Pro comes with a built-in custom antenna array, but WSPD has also announced it is adding two AVIWEST QUAD external antenna units, which combine eight wideband antennas for faster network acquisition and strong signal resilience when the DMNG Pro is used inside a vehicle.

The broadcaster also deployed the AVIWEST DMNG App iOS to its news team, allowing team members to transmit video content from their iOS-based smartphones.

WSPD then receives the live video feeds in its studio through an AVIWEST DMNG StreamHub receiver, decoder and distribution platform and then delivers the feeds to master control for the live broadcast. The studio also utilizes the AVIWEST DMNG Manager for control of all DMNG Pro and DMNG App transmissions with a single interface.

VidOvation is a manufacturer of video, audio and data communication systems with its headquarters in Irvine, Calif.

SOUTHWICK, MASS.—Harpswell Community TV is replacing its analog transmitter system with a new LPTV system from Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark. The DTV transmitter allows the commercial-free, PEG TV station to broadcast both HD and SD programs to the Harpswell, Maine community.

Harpswell Community TV's Dave Chipman and Donna Frisoli.

The station received a LPTV-8000 1 kW average power digital solid-state UHF transmitter from Hitachi-Comark, featuring an EXACT-ATSC exciter and 50V DC LDMOS air-cooled amplifier technology, which is built on a 1RU rack-mount hardware with ATSC firmware. EXACT-ATSC exciters also feature DualCast technology that can be upgraded from ATSC 1.0 to 3.0.

Hitachi-Comark also provided the station with a LEX-2210 multi-program encoder/multiplexer. The system has a 2RU hardware platform loaded with the appropriate license file to configure the desired number of HD and SD programs.

RIO RANCHO, N.M.—Designed to operate in the VHF broadcast band, Lectronsonics has unveiled its new IFB-VHF wireless system, which includes the IFBT4-VHF frequency agile transmitter and IFBR1a-VHF receiver. The system offers 239 frequencies between 174-216 MHz.

IFB-VHF wireless system

The IFBT4 transmitter can be used as a stand-alone unit or patched into intercom systems and is designed for use in applications where extended operating range and high-quality audio are needed. It features a 50 mW power output, as well as a pilot tone signal that controls the audio squelch on the receiver to eliminate noise when the transmitter is turned off and prevents the receiver from locking on to fake signals. It also has a multi-use XLR input jack, DIP switches, IFB mode, and the ability to operate in Digital Hybrid Wireless mode.

The IFBR1a receiver can be used for talent cueing and crew communications. The receiver’s default frequency is set by two rotary switches, and has the ability to program up to five additional frequencies into the memory.

Lectronsonics has made the IFB-VHF wireless system available for purchase, with starting prices for the IFBT4-VHF at $1,369 and $865 for the IFBR1a-VHF.

PARK RIDGE, N.J.—Sony has introduced two new additions to its UWP-D wireless microphone series, the URX-S03D two-channel slot-in receiver and the UTX-B03HR bodypack transmitter.

URX-S03D

The URX-S03D is a two-channel system that can receive two different RF signals in one receiver unit. It features two receiving antennas and separate RF circuits for each channel. The stronger RF signal from the two antennas is automatically selected for output. The receiver can utilize Sony’s Digital Audio Processing for backward compatibility with previous generations. It is also is compatible with Sony’s XDCAM and HDCAM camcorders, able to fit in the slot of each camera. Additional features include automatic channel setting with IR sync, active channel scan, large display and simple menus, and a bandwidth up to 72 MHz. The URX-S03D can be used for V-mount and mixer bag operation through a wireless adapter.

Sony’s new UTX-B03HR comes equipped with a four-pin Hirose microphone connector for ENG shooting. A standard broadcast lavalier microphone can be used with the transmitter connector. The bodypack transmitter features Sony’s Digital Audio Processing; is compatible with the UWP-V series and WL-800 series; USB for power supply or charging batteries; a switchable MIC/LINE input level; an attenuator; IR Sync with receiver; and bandwidth up to 72 MHz.

Sony plans to release both the URX-S03D and UTX-B03HR in the spring.

JACKSONVILLE, VT.—Integrated Microwave Technologies got down and dirty during the recent 2015 MLB Playoffs as it supplied its microLite HD camera system to transmit images from Inertia Unlimited’s “Dirt Cam.” This tiny camera that was placed at home plate, as well as first and second base provided fans a different perspective and possibly aid in a determination of a call during the MLB Divisional Series, Championship Series and World Series.

The Dirt Cam is placed in an 8-inch hole in the ground with a microLite system to link the camera to the production truck to transmit video. The microLite features a portable MPEG-4 COFDM HD wireless camera transmission link capable of providing video at long distances. It also includes H.264 SD and HD encoding capabilities and operates in a standard 2K DVB-T COFDM mode.

IMT is a provider of digital microwave systems, as well as engineering, integration, installation and commissioning services.

FUZHOU, CHINA—Barnfind Technologies’ BarnOne system served as the signal transport system for the first ever Chinese Youth Games. Installed in the IBC Media Center, BarnOne was responsible for signal transmission, routing, switching and monitoring for the Media Center, 12 stadiums, Fujian sports channel, CCTV sports channel, studio signal and on-site video wall signals.

Multiple BarnOne frames were used as main/redundant O/E signal transport and core signal matrix routing with a number of BarnMini-01 units installed separately in 12 venues, sending the live signal back to the BTF01-04 frames in the IBC Media Center. The BarnOne units and BarnMini throw down boxes distributed the communication between IBC Media Center and surrounding venues.

The first Chinese Youth Games took place from Oct. 18-27 in the Fujian province.

Headquartered in Sandefiord, Norway, Barnfind Technologies is a provider of consumption signal transportation platforms.

RIO RANCHO, N.M.—Lectrosonics has unveiled the latest in its line of digital hybrid wireless handheld transmitters, the HHa. Featuring a wide tuning range of 75 MHz, selectable RF power of 50-100 mW, IR sync, and a USB port for firmware updates in the field, the HHa is designed for wireless microphone applications.

HHa digital hybrid wireless handheld transmitter

The HHa transmitter features a frequency response of 40 Hz – 20 kHz, plus or minus 1dB, 105dB signal to noise. The digital hybrid wireless process delivers compandor-free audio and uses an analog FM carrier to transmit an encoded signal that delivers digital audio quality while remaining spectrum efficient.

The HHa’s standard capsule mount accepts a range of industry-standard dynamic, electret and condenser microphone elements. It also features a programmable external button, which can be set at mute, cough, power, talkback, or bypassed.

Lectrosonics expects to release the HHa in the fourth quarter of 2015 at a starting price of $1,750.

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS—After the FCC incentive auction is complete, likely before we transition to ATSC 3.0, many UHF TV stations will have to move to new channels. Many TV translator stations will have to find new channels, if they can.

Once the new channel table is published, stations will have three months to file applications for their new channel and have three years or less to move to their new channel. The exact timetable will depend on how the FCC structures the channel moves. Some markets may have to transition earlier and it is possible the timeline could be on a station-by-station basis depending on the impact a station has on other stations.

W28EH tower and antenna at the translator site in Adjuntas, Puerto Rico

The FCC’s auction procedures public notice notes that one of the priorities in the repacking will be to avoid channel changes. However, it is reasonable to expect that if the FCC is able to take 84 MHz from broadcasters, every station transmitting above Channel 37 will have to change channels unless the FCC sticks them in the 600 MHz wireless band. It also seems inevitable that some stations below Channel 37 will have to change channels, to make room for those moving down from above 37.

What can stations do to prepare for the change? The FCC’s auction rules unfortunately have no provision for reimbursing stations that have to change channels for expenses incurred before they are assigned a new channel. However, there are reasons why it might be worth spending some money now to avoid pain in the future.

TIME FOR A NEW TRANSMITTER?
Many stations are using transmitters installed 15 years ago at the start of the DTV transition or are using older analog transmitters converted to DTV at the end of the DTV transition. Old IOT UHF transmitters are inefficient and maintenance is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive. It might make sense to spring for a new, high-efficiency, solid-state transmitter now, perhaps with some incentives from the local utility, and avoid the pain of keeping the old transmitter running for another three years. While details on exactly how channel change reimbursements will be handled haven’t been released, the FCC may not cover the total cost of a new transmitter if all that’s needed to change the old transmitter’s channel is a new exciter, some driver amplifiers and mask filter. Any incremental cost will likely have to be paid by the station.

With the huge increase in demand for transmitters and installation talent during the repacking period, waiting to replace a transmitter near end-of-life could end up costing more, even with the reimbursement, than replacing it now.

Many high-power UHF stations use slot antennas, which will have to be replaced if the channel changes. Replacing antennas during the limited period allowed for the repacking will be difficult. Weather limits the seasons when tower work can be done in many parts of the country—snow and ice in the northern states, hurricanes and tornados in the southern states. Work will have to be coordinated with other stations (TV or radio) on the tower. Aside from creating an inventory, having a structural analysis of the tower and planning the steps required for antenna replacement, not much can be done until the final channel is known. With a few exceptions, the antenna pattern on the new channel will have to match that from the old channel.

The FCC will allow stations predicted to receive more than 1 percent new interference to modify their facility, even using a different channel, if this can be done without causing interference to other stations or wireless operations.

One way stations that need to replace an old antenna—perhaps to add vertical polarization or resolve problems with the original antenna—can avoid going through the process again during the repack is to use a broadband panel antenna. While broadband antennas are more expensive than single-channel antennas and put greater load on the tower, multiple stations can share the same antenna, reducing the total number of antennas on the tower, and splitting the cost among multiple stations.

Stations with nondirectional antenna patterns should have no problem switching to a broadband panel antenna, but problems arise if a directional pattern is required and it has to precisely match the pattern of the old antenna. Panel antennas have more ripple in the azimuth pattern (peaks and nulls). The maximum effective radiated power (ERP) of stations with directional antennas will be limited by the ERP in the broadband antenna peaks. This will result in a reduction in ERP in the nulls and a reduction in coverage.

The W28EH tower and antenna serves the town of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico.

There are ways to provide different patterns with one broadband antenna—Merrill Weiss did it with his design of an RFS panel antenna on Mount Wilson several years ago, but it isn’t easy and there is a practical limit to the number of patterns one antenna can support.

Considering that antenna changes are likely to be a major stumbling block in the repacking, it would make sense for the FCC to allow more variation in antenna patterns and transmitter locations in a market. With a more flexible approach than is currently proposed, the broadcasters left after the auction, working as a group in adjacent markets, would be able to agree on facilities that are easier to build, reduce interference and ensure coverage in their primary market.

This will require more than 90 days for filing applications. However, extending that period to 180 days, or perhaps longer, could shorten the time required for repacking, particularly in congested markets like the northeast United States, by allowing more use of nondirectional antenna patterns and more sharing of antennas and transmitter sites.

It could also reduce the cost of repacking by making it attractive for antenna companies to build shared broadband antenna sites for temporary use during the repack and permanent use, as a main or backup site, after the repack.

TRANSLATORS AND DOCRS
Translators are often required to provide over-the-air TV in rural areas, but finding channels for them may be difficult after the auction. One approach I’ve found that works well in terrain-isolated areas is the use of echo-canceling digital on-channel repeaters (DOCR).

In one system I’m working on, interference between two DOCRs and the main station is predicted to be minimal, even without considering that in many cases the interference will fall within the ability of the DTV receiver’s equalizer to remove it as multipath. I’ll have more on DOCRs in a future column.

Translators from GatesAir and Anywave Communications offer an option allowing them to be used as echo-canceling onchannel “translators.” While DOCRs cost a bit more than a conventional translator and require careful planning, making the change now will help ensure that viewers depending on translators will not lose service after the auction.

I’ve developed some Python programs to allow analysis of co-channel interference and coverage then given an array of field strengths created by another propagation analysis program. I’m using SPLAT.

If you want more information on them, email me atdlung@transmitter.com.

For more information on the Spectrum Incentive Auction, join TV Technology, B&C and auction experts discussing what must be anticipated in the months to come regarding planning for, and participating in, the auction, in a live Webinar on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 2:30 p.m. ET. Please register at https://nbmedia.wufoo.com/forms/spectrum-auction-preparation-pp86mny0bbremz/.

CINCINNATI—After an agreement with a cellular company to clear spectrum for mobile services, KOHD-TV in Bend, Ore., needed to relocate to a UHF channel. To do so the station turned to GatesAir, who provided quick production and delivery of a new, high-efficiency Maxiva UAXT solid-state transmitter requiring minimal changes to the station’s RF plant.

Maxiva UAXT-6

The dual-cabinet Maxiva UAXT-6 was configured to transmit KOHD’s single-channel of DTV programming at 4.3kW. It also left additional headroom for the possibility of the station launching more channels in the future. The Maxiva’s built-in real-time adaptive correction software for signal compliance is also offering improved picture quality.

With GatesAir, KOHD-TV was able to relocate from channel 51 to channel 18 within three months. In that time frame the station secured FCC approval, construction permits, testing and commissioning.

SOUTHWICK, MASS.—Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark LLC announced that pay TV operator World on Wireless Ltd., has ordered a multiple transmitter digital TV system that will be used to launch new over‐the‐air pay TV services in Bermuda. The new DTV transmitter system will broadcast more than 150 high- and standard-definition programs to customers in Bermuda.

Comark will furnish 250‐watt average power digital solid‐state UHF transmitters with integrated DVBT2 modulators in a 19:1 active reserve TX configuration. The solution includes all necessary RF combining and switching systems. The system will also include status monitor and control for complete visibility into the performance of the entire network. Comark will include a full factory integration, system alignment, and acceptance test for optimal performance and also perform the on‐site system integration, check‐out and commissioning.

The WOW 19+1 DTV system will utilize LPTV‐8000 DVB‐T2 transmitters that are manufactured in the United States. The each transmitter will be configured with the company’s latest Exact‐DVB exciters and 50V DC LDMOS air‐cooled amplifier technology. Since introduction of the LPTV‐8000 series of transmitters, Comark has supplied numerous low power transmitters to broadcasters in the United States and Asia.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF. AND LAS VEGAS—TVU Networks, a provider of mobile IP newsgathering technology, is partnering with ArrowData, a Las Vegas-based aerial data services company to offer a UAV service will allow news broadcasters to transmit unique live aerial views from ArrowData’s drones in full HD with sub-second latency using TVU’s portable cellular transmitters.

ArrowData is the first private company to receive a special waiver from the FAA to operate drones for ENG or AeroJournalism. The new service, which will be available to broadcasters based on a package price, will allow broadcasters to offer vantage points not possible from traditional ground level camera views. Broadcasters will be able to incorporate the Aerojournalism service into their current acquisition workflow since the drone flying and live video transmission is handled together.

“This partnership gives us a tremendous advantage in this emerging industry,” said James Fleitz, Vice President of ArrowData in Las Vegas. “We provide the dynamic shots from drones, and TVU is the perfect answer for transmitting that video.”

An ArrowData drone was used recently for live reporting and weather shots for a large-market news broadcast. “This is a game changer for those in the news business. There are many questions in the industry right now about how best to use drones. This partnership allows us to answer those questions and begin implementing AeroJournalism in newsrooms right away,” said Ron Futrell, Sales and Marketing Director for ArrowData and veteran TV newscaster for more than 3 decades.

Since there are certain FAA restrictions to using drones, the service will not be available for breaking news, and will require advance notice.

“Using drones for newsgathering is a very new and unique approach to capturing news and is currently used for special feature and non-breaking news,” said Eric Chang, vice president of marketing for TVU in Mountain View, Calif. “While the FAA has granted ArrowData the first and only commercial exemption for AeroJournalism, certain restrictions related to drone flying still remain such as not being able to fly within five miles of an airport without first obtaining permission from the FAA. In addition, ArrowData provides its own experienced and professional crew for set up and piloting of the drone at the desired location. Therefore, there is some planning that is required when using drones for newsgathering.”

Broadcasters can sign up for the service by contacting either ArrowData or TVU, Chang added. “The service is offered based on a package price which includes full or half-day rates with expenses for an ArrowData crew and equipment and also rental rates for the TVUPack,” he said. “A common arrangement is for a station to plan several drone shoots in an area with a station's camera crew in a single day.”

The service is available nationwide, according to Chang, who added that “ArrowData would work out the logistics with the requesting broadcaster ahead of time.” ArrowData currently has five qualified pilots on staff, with others available on an as needed basis. “ArrowData’s long-term goal is to provide training and eventually licensing so that news outlets can use their own crews with continuous consulting and technical assistance from us,” Chang said.

“We’re delighted to partner with ArrowData to bring their drone piloting services together with TVU’s live uplink transmission capabilities,” said Paul Shen, CEO, TVU Networks. “It’s a true win/win for broadcasters. They can leave the capturing of aerial views in the capable hands of ArrowData personnel while receiving live, low-latency HD video from a TVU mobile cellular uplink transmitter.”

Cobham’s SAILOR 500 FleetBroadband can transmit live HD pictures from the boats during unfavorable weather conditions.
ALICANTE, SPAIN —The Volvo Ocean Race is the most extreme offshore race on the planet. When the race was first run in the 1970s, filming was the only way to provide on-board coverage, but that meant waiting until the film could be processed and distributed, long after events took place.

Today, each Volvo Ocean 65 racing yacht integrates the most sophisticated communication equipment available. This enables Race Control Headquarters in Alicante, Spain, to track and analyze the fleet’s position and sailing conditions anywhere in the world. It also enables each team’s onboard reporter to produce content for multiplatform consumption.

Cobham hardware is an integral part of that on-board technology, helping to keep the sailors safe and connected to shore, and the public at the heart of the action.

THE GEAR

Each boat has two satellite domes, a Cobham SAILOR 250 FleetBroadband and SAILOR 500 FleetBroadband, as well as Cobham’s Explorer 710 Class 1 BGAN terminal, all of which use Inmarsat’s flagship maritime service.

The 250 sends a data package from each vessel to Race Control every 10 seconds, which tells us exactly where the boat is, how fast it’s going and what the conditions are. The 250 also provides email, downloads weather and transfers media files when conditions are favorable.

If conditions aren’t favorable, we switch to the larger FleetBroadband 500, which we use to transmit live HD pictures. We also use it for live calls, which until recently would have been all but impossible.

One of our biggest challenges this year was getting live footage from Cape Horn, one of the most extreme and remote places on earth. Despite harsh conditions, the Cobham Explorer 710 units provided more than 1 Mbps upload speeds, which enabled us to stream pictures to Alicante and create an action-packed live show. When you consider where the uploads originated—the fierce conditions of the Southern Ocean—you begin to understand what an amazing achievement that is.

EMERGENCY COMMS

We rely very heavily on the electronic systems, including the Cobham 6217 VHF radio, which the sailors use to communicate with other boats. This was especially important when Team Vestas got stranded in the Indian Ocean during the Cape Town to Abu Dhabi leg. Team Alvimedica was able to communicate with them from a long distance and reassure them that help was coming, and to assist local authorities who were also working for their safe recovery.

Cobham Solo H.264 transmitters provide live HD video for media compounds at race villages in each port of call, which are also equipped with Cobham PRORX receiver systems and IP Mesh networks. Content from chase boats and helicopters is sent to the production center for editing and distribution across multiple platforms for live, close-up HD views of offshore action and port activities.

Our partnership with Cobham has been a genuine game changer, not only in how we planned and approached the technical communications necessary for the race, but in how we can truly engage our audience.

For more information, contact Cobham at 703-414-5300, or visitwww.cobham.com.

Figure 1

ALEXANDRIA, Va.—William H. Doherty was an engineer with Bell Telephone Laboratories in 1936 when he invented a circuit that used two tubes running in Class B configuration to act as a linear amplifier for radio transmitters. An earlier design that used Class B tubes was the push-pull configuration, which usually needed a transformer to combine the output of the two tubes (Figure 1). Push-pull was efficient and powerful, but it was not the end of the game for efficiency.

The Doherty amplifier didn’t need a transformer and boasted an efficiency advance over push-pull circuits. Although there have been many developments in amplifiers over the decades, some DNA from Doherty’s design is now making its way into modern television transmitters.

A typical Doherty amplifier configuration using tubes has them in common cathode mode, with one tube amplifying the bulk of the RF carrier (Class B or Class AB mode) and the other tube handling the peaks (Class C mode). The outputs of the two tubes are combined in a reactive network (Figure 2).

There were many refinements starting almost immediately, but Doherty amplifiers gave only a marginal efficiency boost in the era of analog radio and television broadcasting. The technology mostly was forgotten until the digital cell phone era began in the middle of the last decade, when it was discovered that Doherty designs gave an efficiency boost to virtually every form of digital cellular signal. The key is the higher peak-to-average ratio that digital transmission has in comparison to analog transmission.

Figure 2

With digital broadcasting and its higher peak-to-average ratios, Doherty amplification can result in up to a 14-percent efficiency improvement over more traditional amplification when driven by digital signals. That’s a serious improvement that was widely incorporated throughout the cellular industry.

HOW IT WORKS

One of the refinements to Doherty’s original circuit was to use one tube configured for Class AB operation and another for Class C. In both this and its classic design (two Class B amplifiers), a Doherty amplifier splits the input signal using a power divider and sends signal equally to each amplifier with a 90-degree phase difference.

On the input, the signal is split using a 3 dB quadrature coupler, such as a Lange or branchline hybrid (branchline is shown in our schematic). This is pretty much the same as the input to any balanced amplification scheme.

The output of the Doherty configuration is more complicated. Since the two signals are out of phase by 90 degrees, the addition of a quarter-wave transmission line on the output of the peaking amplifier will bring the two back into phase. They can then be combined using an R/C network.

The output of the combined amplifiers segments has the two in parallel, creating a Zout/2 impedance. This can be stepped up to Zout using a quarter-wave transformer. In a 50-Ohm system, the transformer needs to be 35.35 Ohms.

At lower-power operation, only the Class AB carrier amplifier functions and the Class C amplifier is dormant. Operating at these lower power levels, the Class AB carrier amplifier sees a modulated load impedance that results in higher efficiency and gain.

When the signal peaks, both amplifiers operate and both see load impedances that enable maximum power output. For digital modulation schemes that cause the exciter to spend much of its time at its modulation peak, the result is greater efficiency. At the power output of most digital television transmitters, that efficiency shows up immediately in lower operating costs.

Note that you get the efficiency advantage with a Doherty amplifier only at overall power levels that are backed off the maximum. Pushing a Doherty amplifier to maximum power eliminates the efficiency gain.

CHALLENGES

Although the inherent efficiency of the Doherty design makes a lot of sense in digital transmitters, an effective design presents some challenges. For one, a Doherty design is slightly less linear than a dual Class AB amplifier, which can result in higher distortion.

However, pre-correction and feed-forward linearization used in many transmitters can eliminate most of the linearity distortions, and good amplifier design can deal with the rest. And the really good news is that Doherty amplifier configurations work in solid-state designs as well as tubes.

Today, television transmitter manufacturers are building models with Doherty amplifiers, including Comark and Rohde & Schwarz. These are solid-state transmitters that can supply output power as high as 100 kW, with efficiencies that rival the best MSDC IOT transmitters.

For example, the Comark Parallax uses broadband 50-Volt LDMOS transistors in a Doherty configuration to provide up to 25 kW in a single rack cabinet. Adding cabinets can boost the Parallax’s power to 100 kW.

Rohde & Schwarz PMU901 Doherty amplifier module

Rohde & Schwarz has transmitter models for both UHF and VHF TV that use Doherty amplifiers, and also has Doherty technology in digital audio broadcasting products. The company’s THU9 UHF TV transmitter can deliver up to 50 kW using 48 amplifier modules.

Since the dawn of broadcasting, continuous advances in efficiency have meant that the next generation of transmitters is always the most efficient. Couple that with the intrinsic reliability and stability of transistors as compared to tubes (such as IOTs), and the latest generation of digital TV transmitters is advancing the cause of both efficiency and reliability.

Of course, solid-state amplifiers achieve high power output by using many low-powered modules added together. This adds complexity and signal loss, as all those power modules are combined and cooled. On the other hand, most manufacturers let you pull out a single bad module—even liquid-cooled modules—as the transmitter hums along using the remaining modules.

Doherty amplifier technology has allowed solid-state television transmitters to reach one of the Holy Grails of TV broadcasting: a solid-state transmitter with efficiency similar to tube transmitters.

What will the next generation bring?