GatesAir to celebrate 100 years with new products at NAB 2022

GatesAir will commemorate its 100th anniversary at NAB Show 2022 with a series of raffles and prizes, including crystal radio sets in recognition of Henry Gates’ son Parker’s earliest innovations. The company will also showcase its latest innovations for over-the-air broadcasters.

Following the sale of its first AM radio transmitter in 1936 (to WJMS in Ironwood, Michigan), the transmission gradually became the company’s core focus over the ensuing decades. GatesAir, then a part of Harris Corporation, would add TV transmitters to its product lineup in 1972. The company expanded its brand of wireless content delivery with the acquisition of Intraplex in 1999, then a specialist in legacy STL systems and today a major in audio over IP networking.

These three businesses serving over-the-air broadcasters — radio transmission, TV transmission and Intraplex networking — remain GatesAir’s exclusive focus today, with new products and features across each business planned for the 2022 NAB Show. That includes the Maxiva IMTX-70 Intra-Mast, a modular, multi-tenant transmitter solution that can house up to eight low-power TV transmitters in one compact chassis; and Intraplex Ascent, a cloud transport solution that can move broadcast and media content at scale. First introduced for radio broadcasters, GatesAir will unveil Ascent’s benefits for moving large volumes of ATSC 3.0 TV content at this year’s NAB show.

Joe Mack, Chief Revenue Officer, GatesAir, said: “GatesAir has outlasted and outperformed its competition over the long haul because we have remained focused on a business that we do very well. That includes building the most reliable and efficient transmitters in the business, and it means moving heaven and earth when it comes to customer service and support. I think our partners and customers really value that.”

According to Stefan Hadl, Vice President of Engineering for Hearst Television, GatesAir has been a “key partner for many years” that helped the broadcaster navigate complex challenges.

Hadl added: “GatesAir has been a true partner that provided the technology and innovation we needed to make the transition from analogue to digital TV, and from IOT tube transmitters to the highly efficient solid-state rigs of today. He also points to GatesAir’s guidance through the complex challenges of the recent spectrum repack, of which GatesAir was Hearst’s exclusive transmitter supplier. “GatesAir’s stellar customer support is in a class of its own. I sleep better at night knowing I can reach out at any time of day or night for help in any of our markets.”

Khun Pattara Pojanapanich, First Executive Vice President for Loxley Public Company, GatesAir’s partner in Thailand for more than 40 years, commented: “GatesAir has been by far our strongest and most trusted broadcast equipment partner, and the stability of their 100 years in business is unmatched by other suppliers. GatesAir has always been seen as the market leader by consistently introducing award-winning new products that best fulfil customer requirements. In the last 10 years, they have helped us transition from analogue to DVB-T2 television with more than 95% nationwide coverage. This year, GatesAir is providing Loxley with state-of-the-art VHF transmitters for the government’s digital radio trials.”

As Harris, the company introduced the broadcast industry’s first solid-state AM transmitter (1973), digital FM exciter (1993) and HD Radio exciter (2003) among other industry-firsts. The company continues to support AM and FM broadcasters of all sizes worldwide.

John Kennedy, Senior Vice President of Technical Operations, Audacy, stated: “GatesAir has truly been the leader in innovation for the industry, and always seeks to design and support products that are more reliable, efficient and built to last. Regardless of what size of a broadcaster you are, GatesAir works with you on a very personal level. They give you the time and attention you need to make thoughtful business decisions, as if you’re the only customer that matters. They are a true leader when it comes to emergencies as well, and are right there to work with you if you need help during a disaster.”

Bob Ross, retired Senior Vice President, East Coast Operations for CBS Broadcasting, along with the tragic loss of two employees lost some transmitters when the World Trade Center collapsed. Every broadcaster in the market was knocked off the air immediately, though CBS had a 34-year-old Harris tube transmitter on the Empire State Building that they were able to use in a time of profound crisis.

Ross remarked: “The transmitter came up, but we were concerned about burning up the very small cavity on the tube. I called Joe (Mack) and said, ‘We need a little help here.’ The Harris people in Quincy dug out the original blueprints, tracked down an original design engineer of that transmitter who had retired, and within one day they machined and shipped parts so we could rebuild the cavity. The best part is that they fit perfectly, and within two days we were back to full power. That is customer service.”

GatesAir CEO Bruce D. Swail noted that he is very proud to be associated with a company with such deep customer loyalty – an integral component of any company of notable longevity.

Swail, who was appointed CEO of GatesAir in 2017, said: “The story of GatesAir over 100 years is terrific. The spirit of innovation from the company’s beginnings remains here today. We see it alive and well in our manufacturing operation, in the new products we will bring to NAB, and across our global team of employees that deliver day in and day out. There is a century of knowledge and expertise at GatesAir, and that is an important part of the value proposition for our global customer base. We will continue to bring new technologies to market that solve problems and create new opportunities for broadcasters, and provide exceptional customer support along with that innovation for the next 100 years.”