GatesAir Releases New Transmitter Infrastructure

GatesAir extends its leadership position in high-efficiency RF innovation with the release of a new transmitter infrastructure for its entire range of DAB/DAB+ transmitters.

To be introduced at IBC2025 next month, the modernised architecture improves efficiency percentages by up to 50 percent or more. With solutions that include new adjustable-voltage power supplies that minimise power consumption, this major design update places GatesAir in the upper echelon of DAB/DAB+ transmission efficiency alongside its renowned RF and power efficiency innovations for UHF television and FM radio.

GatesAir sparked the modern-day high-efficiency movement of transmitter design nearly 20 years ago with the launch of its PowerSmart architecture, which represents the internal architecture of power amplifiers, power supplies and more that improve energy use and operating costs. The integration of new transistor technology increases efficiency for low to medium power transmitters by substantial margins. With the integration of the latest amplification devices plus smart software algorithms that manage new power supplies, GatesAir's entire DAB/DAB+ range can deliver efficiencies at 50 percent or higher.

"DAB and DAB+ frequencies can carry up to 18 channels, and our new high-efficiency architecture for five transmitter lines provides our customers with an adjustable palette to optimize bitrates, voltages and more," said Raymond Miklius, Vice President of Technology, GatesAir. "We are effectively applying our market-leading innovations in modulation ratios and energy efficiency to deliver true cost and labor savings for digital radio broadcasters and network operators seeking real ROI for their present and future DAB investments."

GatesAir's new high-efficiency DAB+ transmitter architecture crosses several production lines, including VAXT, VAX-OP, and PMTX-1 outdoor transmitters, covering both air-cooled (from 25 watts) and liquid-cooled models (up to 10kW). The new transmitters optimize EDI connectivity for enterprise-level contribution and distribution, with access to an Intraplex ultra-low-latency IP transport solution for large DAB networks. That solution leverages GatesAir’s IPConnect transport technology to leverage SRT transport instead of ETI or satellite-based distribution. The Intraplex technology ingests EDI streams and wraps them in the SRT protocol for transport to one or more points across the DAB network, with the added protection of network path redundancy through GatesAir's Dynamic Stream Splicing (DSS) software to enhance stream resilience.

While DAB/DAB+ represents the latest triumph in GatesAir’s long legacy of high-efficiency transmission, radio broadcasters seeking to modernize FM infrastructure can see the now-completed range of Flexiva FM transmitters. IBC marks the debut of a 3.5kW model, marking the final entry in a range of seven models (50 watts to 10kW) that reach previous unforeseen FM efficiency levels of 76 percent or higher.

GatesAir will demonstrate its latest DAB+ high-efficiency transmitters, Intraplex IP transport and networking solutions and Flexiva FM transmitters at Stand 8.B75 at the RAI Amsterdam from September 12-15.

www.gatesair.com