Harris Corporation Donates High-Power FM Radio Transmitter To SAIT Polytechnic Broadcast Training School In Canada
Radio Equipment Will Help Bolster Knowledge And Education In The Radio Industry
CALGARY/CINCINNATI, December 3, 2007 – Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information technology company, has donated a high-power FM radio transmitter and digital exciter to the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary. The Harris® Z-Series™ transmitter, to be installed this month, will be part of SAIT Polytechnic’s Broadcast System Technology program curriculum for RF engineering beginning in 2008.
SAIT is the oldest publicly funded technical institute in Canada, and offers the only broadcast technology program in the country. The two-year program, certified by the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), provides education in all technical aspects of the broadcast industry including radio, television and post-production, with a focus on audio, video, RF and networking. The Harris donation marks the first time a high-power FM transmitter will be included in the curriculum.
“High-power FM broadcasting is an important part of our training, and Harris recognized the need for our students to train on current state-of-the-art equipment,” said Garry Shepherd, technology instructor at SAIT. “Terrestrial broadcast radio is very strong in Canada, and there is a definite need for RF industry expertise in this industry. Our students and faculty are very excited about this donation and the opportunity to train on an industry-leading high-power FM transmitter.”
The donation was arranged by David “Geets” Haydu, director of engineering at CHUM Radio, a division of CTV Ltd.
“The fact that SAIT students will be instructed and trained on new state-of-the-art equipment will help them tremendously once out in the workforce,” said Haydu. He added that Harris will train SAIT instructors on the operation of the transmitter so they can incorporate the transmitter into their curriculum as quickly as possible.
“This donation places Harris equipment in the hands of students in an institution that is a primary source of obtaining new broadcasting personnel in Canada,” said Tim Thorsteinson, president of Harris Broadcast Communications. “Harris has made this donation as a gesture to support students in the broadcasting field. Providing this equipment to this non-profit institute will bolster knowledge and education in the radio industry and benefit the community in general.”
Harris® Z-Series™ medium-to-high power transmitters are among the wide range of Harris solutions that optimize the transmission workflows of today’s FM and HD Radio™ broadcasting operations.
Harris Broadcast Communications provides products, systems and services that deliver interoperable workflow solutions that span the entire broadcast delivery chain. The Harris ONE approach brings together highly integrated and cost-effective products that are ideal for emerging media business models and for customers upgrading media operations to digital and high-definition services.
About Harris Corporation
Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government, defense, and commercial markets in more than 150 countries. Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has annual revenue of over $4 billion and 16,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists. Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications™ products, systems, and services. Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.
