GatesAir Delivers 300th Repack Transmitter

GatesAir has delivered its 300th repack transmitter.

WPCB-TV, a Cornerstone Television station serving the Pittsburgh market, took delivery of its new Maxiva ULXTE-50 liquid-cooled transmitter late last week. WPCB has been repacked from Channel 50 to Channel 28, and will transmit at 31.7 kW from its new frequency beginning August 2.

GatesAir's leadership in repack sales and shipments continues unabated. To date, GatesAir has shipped 11,273 power amplifiers, which represents more than 6.4 Megawatts of transmission power. GatesAir has successfully met all shipping deadlines to date thanks to careful staffing and manufacturing initiatives put into place by Vice President of Operations Bryant Burke.

GatesAir CEO Bruce D. Swail notes that GatesAir has also logged nearly 38 million amplifier in-service hours of repack projects, which provides a strong measurement of reliability and performance for GatesAir customers. All GatesAir transmitters are made in the USA at the company’s Quincy, Illinois manufacturing center.

WPCB was granted a power increase for its Phase 4 repack assignment. Steve Johnson, VP Operations for Cornerstone Television, points to GatesAir’s customer support and high-efficiency solid-state technology as key deciding factors. The transition from tube to solid-state will eliminate costly tube maintenance, and provide a high-efficiency platform to offset utility costs from the station’s power increase.

Johnson also purchased a Maxiva VAXTE-6L air-cooled transmitter for WKBS-TV in the Altoona/Johnstown, PA market. WKBS, a full satellite of WPCB, will be repacked from UHF Channel 46 to low-band VHF channel 6 in Phase 6.

www.gatesair.com