[BC] NAB North hall

[Mike McCarthy]

My favorite one for the FM was already done.  Single phase 
operation.  The box can be run on either three 200A circuits or a 
single 600A circuit from 240 1ph.  The V series can also do that 
now.  So no more having the power company hold a gun to my head when 
they want $100K for adding a third cable to close the delta.  Just 
give me 800A single phase service.  Which then forces use of HIGH 
QUALITY switch gear. Another plus for better operation.

Adding the HD constellation monitoring is also a nice tool and one 
which is sorely needed.

HOWEVER, since the controller is basically a Linux box,  I've 
specifically asked for provisions to add/allow the use of a UPS to 
power the low voltage controllers and GUI on any of the new series 
TX's so as to shorten the interval between loss of power and 
restoration of RF.  On the BE 4MX, it's 20-30 seconds depending on 
the restored power quality.  If it's 15 seconds or less on the new 
NX/NVboxes, I will be pleasantly surprised.

I gave them about 1/2 dozen in total....Some mechanical and others 
software related improvements. Leave room for accessing and 
installing conduit lock-nuts on the inside, tightening the top mesh 
to keep critters at bay, and and a status input to allow for 
generator transfer to drive a greatly slowed power ramp up (like over 
10-15 seconds) so as to avoid creating the dreaded hunting problem SO 
many gensets incur when a load is dumped on them and the regulator 
can't respond correctly.

I also asked them to seriously consider adding the scalar/network 
analysis to the FM.  Imagine not requiring a Site Master, HP analyzer 
or anything else to set your antenna's match for best overall 
performance where it matters the most..at the FET's.  Imagine being 
able to see your match change with ice and monitor it's condition 
over time from the office.  A key diagnostic tool is the ability to 
see/track subtle trends and react pro-actively to a failing antenna 
condition BEFORE the fault occurs and you go down.

One anecdote too....A comment was made about two Harris VIP's looking 
at the new boxes and shaking their heads.  To that I say, that's what 
happens when you take your eye off the radio ball and focus on TV for 
all the R&D in RF.  A single new low power box (not a bad product on 
it's own merit) does not make for a serious commitment.  That said, I 
will bet Harris has an answer to Natuel next year or even later this 
year at the Radio  show.  The question will be...is it too late?

MM

At 09:50 PM 4/17/2008 -0700, Barry Mishkind wrote
>Yes,
>
>the AM was a "jump" ... especially in the built-in control and 
>diagnostic features, but the FM transmitter really leap-frogged over 
>virtually anything else in the world.
>
>I'm hard pressed to think of anything that I would ask of a 
>transmitter that the new FM box will not do - actually, I thought of 
>one thing, but Nautel tells me they are already considering it.