SOLUTIONS

Spectrum Repack: Transmitter and Monitoring

The heart of your station's delivery system is the transmitter, and will likely be impacted with spectrum repack. Some later model transmitters were designed to have frequency agility, however most ATSC high power transmitters have limited ability to change channels effectively. To prepare for repack, we have provided some questions for you to evaluate your current facility and identify areas that will be impacted.

Key Transmitter Plant Considerations

• Frequency agility
  • Is your transmitter fully broadband?
  • If not broadband, can it be re-channeled cost effectively?
  • What would be the cost and how long will it take to re-channel the transmitter?
• Technology
  • How energy efficient is your transmitter system?
  • Can you save money by replacing the transmitter?
  • Tube versus solid-state considerations (safety-high voltage)
  • Unknown tube availability in the near future
• Obsolescence
  • Is your transmitter manufacturer still in business?
  • Is the transmitter a current model and if so, when will it be discontinued?
  • Availability of RF devices used in the transmitter
• Service & Support
  • Are all parts readily available and for how long
  • Availability of knowledgeable maintenance staff
  • Frequency of site visits for repair versus reliable new equipment
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Analysis
  • Whatever transmitter you currently own, let GatesAir help you determine if it makes sense to replace it with a current energy-efficient model
  • Calculate payback period, ROI
  • Reduce building HVAC, rent, maintenance costs
  • Evaluate costs of Single Frequency Networks (SFN)/boosters to enhance coverage
  • Identify utility company rebates for installation of new energy efficient equipment
• Advances in monitoring solutions have come a long way since your transmitter was installed for ATSC 1.0. As you deploy more services, it is critical to ensure the consumer's quality of experience is met to provide longer viewing times, and ultimately more station revenue. If the case of channel sharing, it will be important to have detailed monitoring solutions to support the agreed-upon quality of service between stations, in addition to meeting consumer expectations.