Harris Corporation’s Broadcast Communications Division has been awarded a contract to provide FM radio transmission systems and associated equipment for operation throughout the world under the auspices of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB). The IBB provides engineering support for U.S. government-funded, non-military international broadcast services, including the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Sawa, and Radio and TV Martí (Office of Cuba Broadcasting).
Under the contract, Harris will ship numerous transmission systems, including Harris Quest(R) 1kW FM radio transmitters, Harris Z2CD 2kW FM radio transmitters, Z5CD 5kW FM radio transmitters, Z10CD 10kW FM radio transmitters with accessories, antennas from Shively Labs, and Orban products from CRL Systems Inc. for yet-to-be specified sites around the world.
“We are honored to be chosen, once again, as the International Broadcasting Bureau’s supplier of choice for this important contract,” said Debra Huttenburg, vice president and general manager of the Radio Broadcast Systems business unit of Harris’ Broadcast Communications Division. “Harris is very proud to be playing a key role in bringing uncensored news and information to listeners around the globe.”
Harris Corporation also announced the first Caribbean installation of its NetVX high-speed, integrated networking platform, and TRuepoint, Harris’ next-generation microwave radio, at Television Jamaica Limited (TVJ), the island’s leading broadcast television station. NetVX provides the broadcaster with high-speed IT-based connectivity for video and data distribution, while TRuepoint ensures highly reliable wireless communication links for voice and data transmission. The joint solution supports TVJ’s central-casting model and allows for bidirectional networking to source and return regional feeds between the broadcaster’s “hub” in Kingston and the various channels’ transmitters that are dispersed around the island.
TVJ’s terrestrial broadcast television stations cover 95 percent of the island of Jamaica. As TVJ transitions from analog to digital, NetVX and TRuepoint will integrate into the existing infrastructure to provide the station with a digital backbone. The joint solution enables centralized broadcast operations through one stream containing four channels: two radio and two television. The combination of NetVX and TRuepoint provides a cost-efficient, single-vendor solution.