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Harris sx5a

S

stephend2

Is it worth anything? We have the opportunity to pick one up for $1k, supposed to be operating, will get to test it before purchase.

Will it run reliably at 1kw ? We are 1kw full time.

Anything I should know about it? We're just wanting to have another transmitter on hand, currently do not have a backup, considering making the sx5a primary and the old csi backup unless it proves to be unreliable.

Stephen
 
Unless you already have an SX5 not much point. The transmitter uses a number of transistors that are no longer available. At that price, most likely the box has already been cannibalized.
 
If your authorized power is 1 kW, you can't (legally) install a 5 kW main transmitter - see 73.1665(b). Interestingly enough, however, I see nowhere where that restriction would apply to an auxiliary transmitter. I would imagine that enforcement of that rule would be up to the interpretation of an inspector, but if my name was on the line, I wouldn't want any interpretation to fall in question.

I maintained several of the SX line, and they're fine transmitters. At this point, they're getting a little age on them and are no longer supported by the manufacturer. I prefer the later "Gates" series - they eliminated a lot of the complex control components and redesigned a few things based on the in-field experiences with the SX line. But, at $1k, the price is definitely right, if it has been decently maintained.
 
If it is a 3 phase unit, get ready to spend some $$$ for electrical. If it is a single phase unit, it might be worth looking at.

RFB
 
I installed and maintained a few of them in the mid-1980s. They were rugged and reliable and they will operate at any power level from near zero to 5kW. They are a good sounding transmitter and are able to pass AM stereo or IBOC signals, should you have any desire to do so.They were expensive rigs at around $40,000 each, back in the day. Single phase units cost more back then, so it could be either single or 3 phase. If it's 3 phase, be sure your plant has 3 phase power available. Most commercial sites have it available, but not all do, and if your building isn't wired for it, there will be costs. If the one you are looking at is in good condition and matches your available power, it may well be worth having. If it has been abused, pass.

Unless you are lucky enough to find a box already on your channel, you will need to retune any used rig to your frequency, so be sure that any RF parts necessary will be available. Also, if you have not field tuned an AM before, it would be worth finding a true expert to help with the installation. The SX5 has a compact tuning network that's not much fun to rework. We had Harris assist with changing the frequency on one and it even gave the Harris field tech two days of trouble. Be sure they have the necessary tools like a network analyzer. There are companies and individuals out there that specialize in such work.
 
3 phase power is available at the site, would have to change service and add a 3 phase meter base and panel.

I've looked at the box, everything seems to be in place. I believe its on 1430 now, would have to change that to 1490.
 
60kHz probably can be done without swapping parts, but check with an expert to be sure. We moved one from 1390 to 1010 and that was a hassle, but that's quite a bit bigger jump. Chances are this will be pretty easily done. You still should have a network analyzer on hand because you will need to change some taps at the least and you want to maintain the broadband nature of the output tuning network.
 
Changing to 3 phase....buying an xmitter with no support?....some parts not available....change frequency? Please think about this...Regards...JBI
 
jboyd said:
Changing to 3 phase....buying an xmitter with no support?....some parts not available....change frequency? Please think about this...Regards...JBI
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking. For the money you are about to spend to re-hab an unsupported box, and make it your main transmitter, you can have a brand new, supported, Nautel rig. Make sure you know full well going into this project what it's about to cost for EVERYTHING.
 
I'm going to agree with J. Boyd and others... with the cost of electrical, retuning, etc., you would be better off buying a new solid state 1kw unit.

RFB
 
Comments suggesting a new rig are not wrong, but in the interest of an alternative view, I'd say it really might depend on what it costs to do the whole installation. I think the cost of an inexpensive, new, 1kW AM rig is going to be between $7k and $10k. You can probably acquire and install the SX5 for under $3k, probably a lot less if the SX5 is already single phase. So, the real question that only you can answer is this: Is it worth an extra $5k to have a new rig vs a 25 year old rig? The life expectancy of a well built rig should be 30 to 40 years, but the fact that Harris abandonded support means you have to find the parts yourself and some parts will be getting hard to find. The SX5 is a fairly complex product and can be intimidating to repair. At this point, most parts are still available and there are several individuals, like Mike Patton, that offer factory-like support for these older rigs, however, there's a lot of piece of mind in having a new standby. I'd suggest that you find out what your service and parts options are before deciding. That way, you can make an informed decision about the long term viability of the transmitter before making the final decision. Also, before buying, you might also want to talk to the engineer that's been servicing the rig to find out about its history, quirks and where they've been getting the parts or service for it.
 
Kmagrill said:
Also, before buying, you might also want to talk to the engineer that's been servicing the rig to find out about its history, quirks and where they've been getting the parts or service for it.
Click to expand...
That's a great bit of advice. The engineer probably doesn't care if the SX5 sells or not, making his commentary candid enough...unless he took it in exchange for services performed, in which case, his feedback may be quite biased.
 
All comments good and revelant...but...I stand by the fact you are getting support and parts availability, PLUS 20 plus years of service from the new unit. Different strokes for different folks...
but my feelings are based on over 50 years in field...that notwithstanding, it is a personal decision and good luck!
 
Even though I've offered some advice on getting through this if you choose to do it, at the end of the day, I personally would not move forward with this plan.
 
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