GatesAir manufactures transmitters and associated broadcast gear for over-the-air television and radio broadcastingaround the world. GatesAir's PowerSmart Plus technology won an award in 2016 for providing the highest power efficiency possible for UHF ATSC transmission. GatesAir also manufactures audio systems for public safety and government communications, and studio-to-transmitter links for radio broadcasters. GatesAir continues to service not only its own products, but also those from its earlier incarnations. It also has a Training Center where operators and engineers can attend either product specific training sessions or an annual two-week training session on Broadcast TransmitterOperation and Maintenance, in cooperation with the United States Telecommunications Training Institute. In May 2018, GatesAir launched the website GatesAir University, an online library of training webinars and other educational videos centered around broadcast RF engineering.
Locations
Research and development is driven from the company's headquarter facilities in Mason, Ohio and supported by the long-standing manufacturing center in Quincy, Illinois. The Quincy facilities reside on a 40-acre campus that houses GatesAir's manufacturing, integration, test and global fulfillment operations. The Quincy location is also home to the Customer Service and Training Centers. The site is one of the world's largest producers of terrestrial broadcast equipment and technology.
History
GatesAir traces its origins to 1922 when the Gates Radio Company was founded by Parker Gates, with the help of his parents, in Quincy, Illinois. The company was sold in 1957 to Harris Intertype Corporation. The Gates brand was initially retained. In celebrating Gates' 50th anniversary in 1972, it was announced that the company was expanding to add television broadcast equipment with the acquisition of General Electric's TV equipment line that year. The company's name was changed to Harris in 1975. Harris Corporation sold its broadcast equipment operations to the Gores Group in 2012 with the sale completed in 2013. In March 2014, Harris Broadcast was split into two companies, and GatesAir. The GatesAir name restores the company's historic name. In February 2017, GatesAir sold its radio studioconsoles, studio networking, and studio furniture business to Wheatstone Corporation. Harris Corporation had acquired PR&E in 1999 and incorporated it into its Broadcast Division. In May 2019, GatesAir announced its acquisition of ONEtastic, a television transmitter manufacturer based in Brescia, Italy. Using the same staff and facilities, the entity continues operations as GatesAir S.r.l., adding its products to GatesAir's portfolio of offerings.
