Kathrein Broadcast offers a retrofit service that it says can extend the useful life of existing broadcast antenna systems, regardless of the supplier of the original system.
“Numerous broadcasting antennas with long-term prospects of use have already been in operation worldwide for 30 or more years,” the company said in its announcement.
“In Germany, for example, it is expected that, despite the planned migration to digital transmission standards such as DAB+, the large FM stations will remain in operation for years to come. In order to meet rising maintenance costs and ensure operational safety, these systems would actually have to be replaced.”
Kathrein said the “multivendor retrofit” starts with an inspection of the antenna systems in order to extend their service life and operational reliability.
“Kathrein Broadcast is able to analyze existing transmission antenna systems for all frequency ranges (VHF, VHF, UHF) and make them future-proof by replacing individual components, as necessary. Basic elements of the superstructure such as GRP cylinders or antenna mounts can often be reused. Solutions can be provided on the basis of basic system documentation, even if, for example, individual components are no longer available on the market.”
The company says suppliers of older installations are often no longer in the market, and the service can also apply to newer systems, given “the ongoing market consolidation of broadcast equipment suppliers.”
