Maine-based Dielectric LLC has engineered a new broadband TV delivery system that provides a tunable, bandwidth-efficient option to high-band VHF broadcasters. The complete system will be unveiled at the 2016 NAB Show. It includes a new slotted, sidemount antenna and compact RF filter to support single- and multi-channel TV operations. Dielectric will display both products in its exhibit, which are also available separately.

Engineered for flexibility across Channels 7-13, the system also gives VHF broadcasters that share transmission sites a more cost-friendly, operationally efficient way to multiplex more than one channel through the same RF infrastructure.

The new antenna and filter introduce key Dielectric innovations for VHF that retain the company’s trademark engineering quality, which accentuates longevity and reliability at an affordable cost for the over-the-air broadcaster. These innovations include a stripline slot design for the new TLSV-BB Series antenna, which simplifies frequency tuning across the high VHF band. This broadband approach eliminates manufacturing costs associated with the production of frequency-specific antennas, and establishes a foundation to support two or more VHF broadcasters from a shared site.

The new TLSV-BB Series antenna lowers wind load by up to 75 percent compared to panel antennas, reducing weight. Its lower wind load potentially reduces tower reinforcement costs and requirements during UHF-to-VHF channel changes. The cardioid azimuth pattern optimally supports sidemount installation for directional, hemispheric coverage, minimizing tower structure-based interference.

Broadcasters sharing sites or transmitting more than one VHF channel can amplify that efficiency through Dielectric’s new MT6E6-4K Tunable VHF Filter. The MT6E6-4K introduces a compensated resonator design that cleanly filters one or more channels through the same architecture. This design effortlessly adapts to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, ensuring that harsh conditions do not adversely affect channel tuning as signals move through the RF filtering process. A compact, “folded” design returns precious real estate to broadcasters inside the RF plant, with flexible options for floor, ceiling or cabinet-mounted installations.