COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — When I arrived at Stonecom in January 2012, they had already decided to purchase a Nautel NV10 solid-state transmitter to replace the incumbent Harris 10 kW tube transmitter at WLQK(FM).

I was told the decision had been based on Nautel’s solid-state technology being more cost-effective and easier to service than tubes.

I’d had no experience with Nautel transmitters at that point, but heard through my peers of Nautel’s top-notch reputation, so I was pretty excited to visit the Nautel booth at last year’s NAB Show and check out the NV10 for myself.

I met with Nautel’s Central USA Sales Manager Jeff Welton and he showed me not only the NV10 but also the brand-new NV10LT transmitter, which combines the architecture and outstanding efficiency of the NS Series with the intelligent features and exceptional value of the VS Series.

Well, I was sold. For the same price as the NV10, I could get an NV10LT and a VS1 for backup. From our small-market standpoint the dollars made total sense, and we were getting such tremendous value that I changed the order right there and then on the show floor.

I installed the NV10LT in May easily, quickly and simply: Four wires and I was done. If I hadn’t had to wait for the electrical contractor, it could easily have been on the air within 24 hours of delivery. And since going on the air, there’s been no issues. It’s rock-solid.

The extensive redundancy with multiple amplifiers, modules, fans and power supplies eliminates any single point of failure, giving me the confidence to only check on it once a week, thus saving me time and trips to the site. The integrated direct-to-digital exciter is exceptional. The sound is so good and clean, we’ve had many people commenting on the marked increase in sound.

While I have not had a chance to quantify the exact power savings yet, I know they’re there and I’m also looking forward to hooking up the AUI for remote accessibility via the Internet soon.

As for the back-up VS1 — it’s a great little box. I installed it in June easily with no issues, and it serves as a regular backup for two FMs at the same site on a single-bay antenna. It is so frequency-agile that with just a little switching, I can back up any one of my FMs. I’ve even used it to back up an FM at a different site.

For information, contact Nautel Sales in Nova Scotia at (902) 823-5131 or visit www.nautel.com.