As the climate is changing and power prices are rising, cost and sustainability are on every broadcasters mind.

Transmission company GatesAir is responding to the needs of broadcasters with new innovations in its range of transmitters that increase efficiency, bring down costs and are better for the environment.

At IBC, GatesAir displayed a range of transmitters hat integrate the new innovations for more efficient transmission.

GatesAir’s VP and General Manager of the Radio and Product Group Ted Lance told Steve Ahern about the product range.

The AM transmitter range uses Modulation-Dependent Carrier Level (MDCL), which “helps lower operating expenses by 15% to 20%.” MDCL works by lowering the carrier wave power during the different types of modulation, without reducing coverage. The technology can also be  deployed on Shortwave transmitters.

For FM transmitters in GatesAir’s GX series, the company has “helped lower the transmitter site footprint of the product as well as increase the efficiency… we try to lower the operating expenses for the end user by having the highest efficiency as well as with the hardware footprint [at the transmitter site being smaller].”

GatesAir also makes Digital Radio transmitters, servicing DAB+ and HD Radio, which can reduce costs and power usage by 30-50% when shared in a multiplex.

Ted: What we have on display here at IBC this year is our new series, the GX series. With the GX series, what we’ve done is we’ve helped lower the footprint of the product as well as increase the efficiency. So we try to lower the operating expenses for the end user by having the highest efficiency as well as with the footprint being lower, it helps in some of those where you have a rental space that you’re using in a particular facility. Now we take up a lot less space, so helping with the cost for the end user.

Steve: Broadcasters are now more than ever interested in saving money, reducing efficient emissions, making the equipment more sustainable. So is that the approach that you’ve taken in this FM range?

Ted: Yes, anything that we can do, and we show that usually in the ROIs back to the stations. You know, you’re saving in also your HVAC, so we’re trying to help with the whole footprint for the operators and for our end users with our product designs and what we look at. That’s really what is always a focus in every design that we have.

Steve: Now let’s turn to AM. There’s much more scope for efficiency there because of the way they carry away the modulation and all those things are handled. Tell me about it.

Ted: Okay. One of the things that is used to help with the operating expenses is MDCL, which will help lower your operating expenses by 15%, 20% in a way it works with lowering the power during the different type of modulation and audio envelope. So we use the MPG-CL to help the broadcasters and that type of thing in an AM environment.

Steve: What are your transmitter products that have that available?

Ted: It’s in all the series in the 3DX. So those are 50 kilowatt and below and in our DX series, which again, when you can put that onto a DX, which is very high powered, it definitely makes a big, big impact on the operating expenses.

Steve: And thirdly, let’s talk about digital radio. All broadcasters are interested in their downstream suppliers called Scope 3 in terms of measuring emissions. DAB is automatically more efficient because you’re sharing costs and running costs with others. So what kind of transmitters or services do you offer?

Ted:  Yeah, again, we work on having the highest efficiency in a DAB operation from the equipment itself at the equipment, but taking that further and being able to provide more programs within a single box at a lower power giving you the same type of coverage level, area. Now, with that, you’re able to you save, 30 to 50 percent of your overall operating expenses just by going to a DAB type of solution.

In over-the-air analog and digital broadcasting, GatesAir empowers radio/TV stations and networks worldwide with the industry’s most operationally efficient transmitters. The company continues to innovate new design efficiencies with each product generation that reduce size, energy use and more to establish the industry’s lowest total cost of ownership.

GatesAir’s forward-looking philosophy extends to innovations in media transport, where both broadcasters and public safety/emergency response teams utilize our solutions to reliably move voice, data, audio and video between locations using traditional and emerging connections, from RF to IP.

GatesAir is investing in the future and staying on the cutting edge as new technologies emerge, helping customers monetize new opportunities while serving the audiences that depend on their content. The company also supplies codecs and tv transmitters.

The company is currently celebrating its 100th year of operation.

Related report: Sustainability activities deliver cost savings and transmitter efficiency