[BC] Re: Buying new AM transmitters - Harris

[Xmitters@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/24/07 10:29:29 AM Central Daylight Time, 
broadcast-request at radiolists.net writes:

<< n a message dated 04/24/2007 10:03:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time,   Xmitters at a
ol.com writes:    > If you like your Harris so much, why would you want to go N
autel? I have 
 >  nothing against Nautel; they make a darned nice box and I would love to 
 take 
 > care of one. 
 
 Because Nautel has outstanding Customer Service, for one thing, and an 
 excellent product. Although my experience with Harris' Tech Support was 
good, i
 t was 
 also some time ago, now... and I have heard from others, that it's not what 
 it once was. Not sure what that means, but it gives me a "caution" flag. I'd 
 like to be proven wrong, of course! :)
 
 There's nothing wrong with our box, so I have no desire or need to even 
 consider replacing it. I was only speaking hypothetically, that were I 
looking 
 for 
 a new box right NOW, Nautel would be at the top of the list. That's all. :)
 
 >  Not sure what the difference in cost is between Harris and Nautel, but it 
 >  must be more than a complete set of replacement PDM capacitors, or you 
 would 
 > have one. Once you have something that's winning, why change? 
 
 I have no plans of changing it... just voicing an opinion, since the 
 gentleman who started the thread said that Nautel was too pricey (but you DO 
ge
 t what 
 you pay for!!!) and for whatever reason, Harris was on his "bad news" list.
 
 Personally, as long as it is possible to MAKE it fit the budget, (even if it 
 means stretching that budget a bit) it is ALWAYS better to pay a little more 
 up front for a superior product (or service) than to find the "cheapest"... 
and
  
 then to have to repair/replace the thing in 1/2 the time the more expensive 
 way would have cost. Buying something major "on the cheap" is very often a 
 "False Economy" when you look "down the road" a few years. I speak (type) 
from 
 experience.
 
 Willie...
 
  >>

Willie:

You are 100% correct about the foolishness of buying the cheapest transmitter 
(or anything else that's cheapest). I tend to go for the middle of the road 
on pricing. I always have to consider cost effectiveness of whatever I'm 
buying. I might be able to fit a more expensive item into my budget, but what a
m I 
gaining by doing so, and how important are those advantages? If the bang is not
 
worth the buck, I will go for the less expensive alternative. That usually 
puts me in the middle :-)

I have deald with Harris for decades, and I believe that their support is 
better than it used to be. It's been many years since I've heard the "Your the 
first person to have that problem with this product."  I find Harris very 
willing to help and to go that extra mile. They make a very cost effective prod
uct. 
My biggest complaint is probably the reason that they are cost effective. That 
is, there is nothing in their boxes that is not absolutely required. The 
metal work is only to the extent that it is required. Nice features seem to be 
the 
result of providing what's absdolutely required as opposed to an addition or 
afterthought.

I have very few problems and very few transmitter failures. It has been over 
a year since my 25K or 20H3 have failed due to the fault being the transmitter 
itself. BTW, I don't consider a bad tube as a transmiter failure any more 
than I consider replacing the air cleaner filter on my car as engine failure. I
t 
happens. 

I have some solid state transmitters made by a non-Harris vendor. Two (2.5 
kW) of those are pretty good. The third (5 kW) is a real problem child. The 5 k
W 
SS requires ten times more attention than do my two Harris museum pieces do. 
The 5 kW SS transmitter maintenance at one time cost as much $$$ per year as 
did my 317C-3. I have since managed to tame that Grizzly bear to where it does 
not eat as much money.

I've worked at two 50 kW AM stations, both of which had Continental 
Electronics 317C-3 rigs. Those were rock-solid products and an absolute pleasur
e to 
work on. Their reliability was outstanding. Customer support was top-shelf for 
the 317C-3.  I had one of their 20 kW FM transmitters at another station that 
was just as outstanding as their 50 kW AM. 


Jeff Glass, BSEE CSRE
Chief Engineer
WNIU WNIJ
Northern Illinois University

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