A seamless move to new VHF channel assignments in the upcoming TV spectrum repack won’t be the easiest of tasks.
GatesAir is doing its part to make the transition as seamless as possible.
An air-cooled transmitter series that covers the entire VHF spectrum, Maxiva VAXTE, is ready for its official launch, at the 2017 NAB Show in Las Vegas.
“While GatesAir takes the RF performance and low total cost of ownership crown for Band III (Channels 7-13) with the VAXTE, the new high-efficiency series also fills a clear industry void for low-band VHF (Channels 2-6),” GatesAir says.
Similar to its recently announced Maxiva UHF series of air-cooled (UAXTE) and liquid-cooled (ULXTE) transmitters, the VAXTE series is built on GatesAir’s newest high-efficiency power amplifiers, which increase peak power capacity for all ATSC and OFDM waveforms.
Based on GatesAir’s PowerSmart Plus architecture with broadband amplification, the VAXTE accelerates delivery by simplifying channel tuning across the VHF spectrum, and slims down footprint and weight through high power density.
“Its high-efficiency power amplifiers and market-leading power density also provide equal power levels for ATSC 1.0 and 3.0, and reduce costs, energy consumption and internal parts to streamline maintenance,” the company notes.
The VAXTE incorporates GatesAir’s state-of-the-art XTE exciter, which provides a clear path to ATSC 3.0 via a software-defined modulator and native IP inputs. “These same design attributes, along with its high- and low-band designs, make the VAXTE an ideal solution for broadcasters impacted by the U.S. repack,” GatesAir adds. “IP-based monitoring and control further simplifies oversight of all signal performance and transmitter parameters across TV networks of any size, including single-frequency networks (SFNs). GatesAir RTAC (real-time adaptive correction) software employs market-leading digital signal correction at the amplification stage to optimize signal performance and regulatory compliance.”
Rich Redmond, GatesAir’s Chief Product Officer, added, “With many broadcasters expected to move to new VHF channels from UHF or other channels on the VHF band as a result of repack, there are very few reliable options to quickly and reliably accommodate these changes. The VAXTE delivers market-leading performance and efficiency for broadcasters that need a VHF repack solution today, while delivering a path to the emerging revenue opportunities associated with ATSC 3.0 thanks to its intrinsic IP capabilities.”
The VAXTE is available in power levels from 100 W to 26 kW in ATSC 1.0 and 3.0, and offers industry-leading system efficiency levels up to 50 percent. Maxiva VAXTE transmitters and the Maxiva XTE exciter are made in the USA at GatesAir’s Quincy, Illinois manufacturing center.