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Dielectric going out of business

Sign of the times.
 
With all of the original people gone from the "Dielectric" division it's been a real treat to get support for some things.
Anyone else have the RMS2000 antenna monitors? Dielectric took over the repair of those VSWR monitors for their multi-station combiners and antennas in 2005. Recently tried to get support for one nobody there had even heard of an RMS2000 or knew anything about them. Hopefully the original manufacturer Davicom will help.
 
Their Raymond facility is just a short drive from me; it's at the top of a hill across from the WGME-TV/WBLM-FM transmitter site. Dielectric had been under decline under SPX's ownership in recent years, so this comes as little surprise.
 
Dielectric ceasing business

I saw that SPX is closing Dielectric Communications and that they won't make or deliver any more antennas or transmission line after June 30th.
 
Damn I'm sure glad I didn't by their CRAP. Unfortunately one of my friends did (antenna) and has had hell with getting proper support for a flaw with their design. They sure liked to play the blame-game. Unfortunately that former lousy support now equals no support.
 
Isn't it amazing they showed up to the NAB then closed right after the NAB was finished? I hope they didn't get any new sales out that the NAB as anyone that pre-paid will get the shaft....
 
Maybe they think the FCC is really going to get rid of us pesky, old-fashioned broadcasters.....
But, who is going to make all those "wireless" antennas for the spectrum we vacate?
::)
 
wrekfan said:
It is just a matter of years, not decades before TV and most radio is streamed and no longer broadcast
Click to expand...
If there was a way to get wi-fi seamlessly into cars for no cost to the end consumer (like AM/FM radio has for decades), then I might second the above motion. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.
 
wrekfan said:
It is just a matter of years, not decades before TV and most radio is streamed and no longer broadcast
Click to expand...

If you're going to stream it while in your car or walking down the street, that stream is still going to need to be transmitted by radio. Maybe not by a broadcast licensee operating at 210MHz or 100.7MHz or 620KHz; maybe it'll be a common carrier like Verizon operating at 530MHz.

But Verizon will still need antennas and connecting cables. Each individual installation will be much smaller than a 100,000-watt FM broadcaster, but there will be many more such installations.

Sounds to me as if Dielectric has not been able to retool for the new RF environment. RF isn't going to disappear, it's just going to *change*.

(that assuming we don't come to our senses & realize it's horribly inefficient to transmit thousands of copies of popular content when we have an effective system that reaches just as many users while transmitting only one copy)
 
It wasn't like Dielectric was the biggest player in FM radio broadcast antennas - ERI is king there. However, they supplied almost all the major TV broadcasters with antennas, and now they will have to go to either ERI (the old Andrew broadcast antenna business), Jampro, or any of the smaller players (SWR, PSI, etc.).
 
So to recap, SPX soaked up all the benefits of the DTV transition, then went to their final NAB convention to get one last stab at soaking some last minute "customers" for unknowingly last orders, then closed without even support. Let's hope we don't have many more companies like this in our industry. I'm glad they are gone... just sad some people had to buy their stuff and get burned on the way out...
 
This is unrelated, but who are the major players in the cellular antenna business? Is it anyone who's also involved in FM/TV antennas?
 
reelyreal said:
This is unrelated, but who are the major players in the cellular antenna business? Is it anyone who's also involved in FM/TV antennas?
Click to expand...

Two players familiar to broadcasters are Andrew and RFS (Radio Frequency Systems). Andrew appears to be largely out of broadcast antenna manufacturing, however (TRASAR TV line to ERI, and the classic Multi-V FM decades ago to Jampro.) They continue to make the broadcast industry's best-loved coax & hardline. RFS carries on the coax and broadcast antenna business (ECFM helical, anyone?) that originated with Cablewave & Phelps-Dodge.

I hope the loss of Dielectric helps out other smaller players...like Shively, which continues to make good products.
 
ironbear said:
reelyreal said:
This is unrelated, but who are the major players in the cellular antenna business? Is it anyone who's also involved in FM/TV antennas?
Click to expand...

Two players familiar to broadcasters are Andrew and RFS (Radio Frequency Systems). Andrew appears to be largely out of broadcast antenna manufacturing, however (TRASAR TV line to ERI, and the classic Multi-V FM decades ago to Jampro.) They continue to make the broadcast industry's best-loved coax & hardline. RFS carries on the coax and broadcast antenna business (ECFM helical, anyone?) that originated with Cablewave & Phelps-Dodge.

I hope the loss of Dielectric helps out other smaller players...like Shively, which continues to make good products.
Click to expand...

I'll add in Kathrein, owners of good old SCALA in Medford, OR. Kathrein claims to source 100,000 antennas into mobile services per month, including cell base antennas, on their website. SCALA is very popular for STL dishes, and a line of Yagis, log periodics, LPTV and translator antennas.
 
ironbear said:
ironbear said:
reelyreal said:
This is unrelated, but who are the major players in the cellular antenna business? Is it anyone who's also involved in FM/TV antennas?
Click to expand...

Two players familiar to broadcasters are Andrew and RFS (Radio Frequency Systems). Andrew appears to be largely out of broadcast antenna manufacturing, however (TRASAR TV line to ERI, and the classic Multi-V FM decades ago to Jampro.) They continue to make the broadcast industry's best-loved coax & hardline. RFS carries on the coax and broadcast antenna business (ECFM helical, anyone?) that originated with Cablewave & Phelps-Dodge.

I hope the loss of Dielectric helps out other smaller players...like Shively, which continues to make good products.
Click to expand...

I'll add in Kathrein, owners of good old SCALA in Medford, OR. Kathrein claims to source 100,000 antennas into mobile services per month, including cell base antennas, on their website. SCALA is very popular for STL dishes, and a line of Yagis, log periodics, LPTV and translator antennas.
Click to expand...

Kathrein also makes a great FM Panel Antenna...if your station can afford it.
 
The only antennas I spec for translator receive are Scala. They hold up to the elements and are built like a tank. Have taken a lot of lesser antennas down after only a year or two.

You get what you pay for.

I'm interested to see one of the Shively 6205 log periodic antennas, and see how the price/performance compares to the Scala.
 
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