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GatesAir and Quincy Media Inc. Strike Exclusive Spectrum Repack Deal
GatesAir will supply new UHF and VHF transmitters and installation services, and work with Quincy Media Inc. to channel-change existing GatesAir transmitters where possible
Cincinnati, OH, June 05, 2017
GatesAir, a global leader in wireless, over-the-air content delivery solutions for TV and radio broadcasters, announces that longtime customer Quincy Media will exclusively rely on GatesAir for transmitters, and related installation and commissioning services, for spectrum repack needs across its TV station group. The deal will include several new Maxiva™ ULXTE liquid-cooled UHF and VAXTE air-cooled VHF transmitters, while existing GatesAir transmitters at select stations will be modified to meet new channel assignments.
Quincy Media expects to be busy with repack installations across the entire 39-month window for channel relocation that begins later this year. Brady Dreasler, corporate director of engineering, notes that the company’s stations fall “within all ten phases” of the repack.
“I’m mostly concerned with my Phase 1 stations around installation timelines, and we are conducting tower studies at all sites to confirm what level of reinforcement work will be required,” said Dreasler. “But we feel prepared with our transmitter choices, and the new TPO levels for each of these channels. The direct integration of GatesAir’s XTE exciter in these transmitters also sets us up for ATSC 3.0 transitions coming out of the repack period.”
Quincy Media uses GatesAir transmitters today across all of its stations, many of which are tube transmitters approaching two decades of service. According to Dreasler, the repack presents an ideal time to transition to newer solid-state transmitters that, in addition to simplifying channel relocation, will help to reduce the burden of utility costs and maintenance that come with older RF technology.
“GatesAir’s transmitter have always been amazing, but time moves very fast and many of these transmitters are nearing end of life,” he said. “The higher efficiency of the Maxiva solid-state platform offers a major advantage over tube models, as replacement tubes have become very expensive and more challenging to find. We anticipate a lot of savings ahead, especially on the UHF side where the liquid-cooled technology of the Maxiva ULXTE transmitter will move most of the heat in the building to the outside. That will at once reduce our cooling loads, and remove the need to work with an outside HVAC company to manage an air-cooled system.”
Quincy Media is also working closely with GatesAir to determine which existing transmitters can be channel-changed. With some RF plants able to accommodate only one transmitter due to limited square footage, Dreasler is working with GatesAir on a plan that brings temporary backup transmitters to these sites.
“At some sites, we can quickly install the new transmitters and it will be plug and play,” said Dreasler. “For the plants where we don’t physically have the space to house two transmitters, we’re working on a strategy with GatesAir to place temporary backup transmitters on a trailer that we can drive between sites, which will ensure seamless cut-overs to the new channel assignments. That will save us the costs and labor of adding more real estate to our RF plants.”
“GatesAir is proud to continue its long-standing relationship with Quincy Media throughout the busy spectrum repack period,” said Joseph Mack, vice president of sales, Americas, GatesAir. “Our modular transmitter designs will accelerate delivery to ensure the process moves forward as quickly as possible, while our world-class customer support team will simplify life for Quincy Media Interactive across installation and commissioning.”
About GatesAir
GatesAir, Inc. provides complete solutions for over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, leveraging wireless spectrum to maximize performance for multichannel, mission-critical services. Powering over-the-air networks worldwide with unparalleled reliability for nearly 100 years, GatesAir’s turnkey solutions enable broadcasters to create, transport and transmit radio and TV content. With customers in more than 185 countries, the company leads the industry in innovation and design breakthroughs, improving efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership. Visit www.gatesair.com for more information, Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gatesair, and follow us on Twitter at @GatesAir.
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