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transmitter comparison

Armstrong is a cheaper unit, but considering how LOUSY Harris supports their stuff these days I'd just take the cheaper way out and go with Armstrong. Being that they are a smaller company I think you'll be much more satified with the purchase AFTER the sale when you need help. Good luck!
 
You might want to also talk to Larry Fuss over in the Missippi board about AM transmitters. He's had some some personal experience with a couple brands and I recall him mentioning a certain brand gave him a great deal of grief (not big H). Personally I really like the Nautel units. I have a station that has been very happy with theirs.
 
I think a nice Nautel or BE would be the right way to go if a guy could afford it. The Big H boxes are probably just as reliable, but the tech support and parts dept. issues with them make their stuff less of a value IMHO. Overpriced and out of production (after 10 years) is what they are all about.
 
Go for the Nautel. You won't be sorry. I've installed 3 Jazz 1000 transmitters and they have been the most reliable 1kw AM transmitters I've ever dealt with.

RFB
 
How about a price comparison? Energy-Onix has an AM too, right? Let's say, for a 1kw backup...
 
I second Mr Burns. I have installed 2 J1000 rigs and scheduled for a third this fall. It's a solid, efficent rig that sounds good with just an Innovonics 222 proc on it.

Just do it...do it man!
 
The Energy-Onix solid-state AM box is "O.K" but I assure you it is quite a few steps down from a Nautel, BE, etc. E-O is a fine company that does back up their stuff very well but their AM solid-state isn't the best of their product line. Now, their FM tube transmitters just sit there and run. I have NEVER seen a box like it for reliablity. Other than tube changes a guy can almost forget they own a transmitter!
 
You guys certainly know what you're talking about.

However, if possible, could we get back to the original two transmitters posted. We want to stay in the same cost arena as these, given our limited coverage area, pop., and budget.

Does anyone use either of these two transmitters?

Thanks for ALL the input.
 
If you can afford a Big H, then you probably can afford a Nautel.. Harris support just keeps getting worse and worse, and I wouldn't reccomend Armstrong to anyone (lots of problems years ago on an FM rig)
Give Nautel a call....
 
Second that. Have heard the price for the basic Nautel kilowatt is around 13K. Cost goes up if you want IBOC ready options

Be aware that sales people being sales people, they will want to quote you into a rig with all the add-on options they can think of--so you you might check on quotes from different distributors as well as for different transmitters.
 
Don't have any experience with an AM Armstrong rig, but our experience with an FM rig has left a few engineers with scrapes and scars. Anyone else worked on the insides of an FM Armstrong? yeesh.
 
TomT said:
Second that. Have heard the price for the basic Nautel kilowatt is around 13K. Cost goes up if you want IBOC ready options

Be aware that sales people being sales people, they will want to quote you into a rig with all the add-on options they can think of--so you you might check on quotes from different distributors as well as for different transmitters.
Click to expand...

One option you do want is Nautel's surge protector. One box that protects the incoming AC line and RF output line. It's very worth the money.
 
I have worked with almost all of the aformentioned transmitters. Of the bunch, my favorites are the BE AM1000 and the Nautel Jazz. Both are excellent, reliable transmitters!

Look at it this way: You are buying something that 100% of your revenues are going to rely on for at least the next ten years. Why would you cheap out on this?

That's crazy!
 
You'd be better off buying a pre-loved BE or Nautel and saving a few bucks for parts than buying a lesser transmitter. There are some companies that even offer a short-term guarantee on their used transmitters. Why be hung up on Big H or Armstrong?
 
The Armstrong FM's are good for the money, depending on the model. The new solid states are good, the older 1000 solid state is also very good, I have one that has run for 10 years without a single failure. Had some trouble with the older FM300S, power transistor blows easy (although cheap to fix). The 2500-3500, 5000, and 15000 grounded grid FM transmitters (with the tubes ending in A7) are also very good. I have all of these and they've been good, especially the 5000, my Pocono 5000 has yet to ever fail (8 years), the 3CX3000A7 is the absolute best tube with regard to reliability (the 5000 uses this). I have no experience with the Armstong AM's. The last AM transmitter I bought was a 2.5 Nautel, it is great. By the way, Nautel's quote on this install (the 2.5) was under both Harris and Energy-Onix; hmmmm the best and the least expensive; that was an easy decision!
 
Price a BE to be certain it's not an option before fencing yourself in. I've installed 5 BE's in the past 12 years & most of them have had a problem or two over that time period. But the support is outstanding...even on Saturdays. More than once, the on-call tech has given me his personal cell number and went to the factory, got a part & took it to the airport! I'm not saying that the others won't go the extra mile, but I am saying that BE will & they do it cheerfully. Last pricing showed less than a grand in difference between a 500W BE & Armstrong...the boss, who's not rollin' in the dough--opted for the BE. If there's any way, I'd recommend the BE over either of your preferred choices. I hear nothing but great things about Nautel, but except for a V10 FM and an ancient 1KW AM, I have little first hand experience. The AM is flakey & doesn't modulate nearly as well as the BE that replaced it. The FM had a failure 18 months in...loose bolt on a power supply eventually caused a meltdown of a power supply wire. Nautel's support guy was a prince...intelligent and patient.

Bottom line...change your choices from Armstrong or Harris to BE or Nautel and plead your case to the bean counters. Once you prevail, you'll look like a hero for years to come. Been in this position several times with some serious penny pinching owners & got my BE way each time. I've never had an owner regret buying a BE...your's won't either...even if it does cost a few hundred dollars more.
 
Be aware the many modern boxes, particularly the BE, do not have any kind of adjustable output matching. If your antenna input is not 50 ohms you will need to do some matching.

Also, the BE's supply sits directly on the power line, surge suppression alone may not enough protection. One in town here has been fried twice when our third-world electric company sent some nasty stuff down the line. Most recent incident occurred when loggers dumped a tree on a HV feeder, the resulting spike burned out tv's, compressors etc. throughout town. I know the site had surge suppression at the breaker panel because our company built that station, (though we sold it several years ago). I would recommend looking at a 1:1 transformer ahead of a BE box, as well as surge suppression.
 
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