Dielectric Celebrates 75th Anniversary

RADIO ONLINE | Tuesday, January 31, 2017 | 7:57am CT

Dielectric is celebrating 75 years of providing purpose-engineered antennas and RF systems for TV and radio broadcasters. The company is preparing for brisk business associated with the US TV spectrum repack and continued global investment in FM radio infrastructure in 2017.

Based in Raymond, Maine, Dielectric helped pioneer the broadcast age in 1942. Long regarded as the de facto leader in high-power antenna systems, more recent innovations in RF filtering and low-power TV and FM antennas have helped to sustain and grow Dielectric's global business, especially in North America, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific.

"With the original DTV transition in the US, the floodgates opened shortly after we moved what was formerly the RCA antenna business from New Jersey to Maine in 1994. We shipped about 350 antennas a year at our peak," said John Schadler, Vice President of engineering, Dielectric. "With the same core group of engineers and support staff on hand, we are well prepared to help our customers through this next period of transition."

Schadler emphasizes that Dielectric is prepared to do it "smarter" this time around by leveraging advanced software simulations and automation tools to collect design information. "We are relying more on these software simulations instead of physically building models and manually taking data," he said. "On the drafting side, we are using automated, parametric software to generate information faster, more accurately, and more efficiently. These tools will also help us more quickly accommodate systems for international TV and global FM radio customers, even as we keep pace with repack needs."

With 2017 representing its 75th anniversary, Dielectric is now planning a series of events throughout the year to commemorate the milestone, including local sponsorships, an NAB customer event and an Employee Appreciation Day. The anniversary and its associated events are especially meaningful for a company that almost faded to black due to a changing industry and a challenging business environment, but survived through sheer will, a supportive new owner, and an unwavering dedication to innovation for the broadcast industry.