[grc] [Stubblefield] Best way to test a used BW TX300 V2 FM

[Lloyd Ewing]

Danny, I have been expecting an actual engineer to respond to this 
question.

Unfortunately BW refuses to release the service manuals for their 
transmitters.  As far as I know, most other transmitter manufacturers 
provide complete maintenance manuals, including schematic diagrams and 
service and adjustment procedures. BW says that all of this information 
is proprietary.

Since SCMS is the only authorized service provider in the USA, they and 
the factory in the UK are the ONLY places that have knowledge of the 
transmitter's internal operation.  You will find other people who can 
check the transmitter output, but not much more.  There are probably 
amateur radio operators who have VHF instruments that can make those 
kinds of measurements.

I hope I never have to invest in a major piece of equipment that can 
only be serviced by a single provider.  I would NEVER buy a new BW 
transmitter. There are many scenarios that could result in equipment 
that is impossible to repair or service.  BW and/or SCMS could go out of 
business or get purchased by another company that refuses to provide any 
support for "discontinued" products.  When there is a single service 
provider with no competition, there is no limit to the prices they can 
charge, or they can claim the the equipment is not worth repairing so 
you are forced to buy a new transmitter.  Talking to salesmen for these 
companies gives me absolutely no confidence in their integrity.

These are my concerns, and I wonder if they are important to other LPFM 
operators.  A few thousand dollars may not be that much, and it is not 
our own personal money.  We would expect that a new piece of equipment 
will not require any service or repairs for at least five or ten years, 
and after that the transmitter is old enough so people may not mind 
buying a new one and dumping the old one to recycle the metal.

                              Lloyd
                              (512)836-7893

KXPE-LP
Austin Texas



> Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2016 19:17:05 -0400
> From: "Danny" <danny at wspj.org>
> To: <grc at maillist.peak.org>,	<stubblefield at lists.prometheusradio.org>
> Subject: [Stubblefield] Best way to test a used BW TX300 V2 FM
> 	Transmitter?
>
> We just bought a "lightly used" used BW TX300 V2 FM Transmitter with some
> limited guarantees and want to have it tested by someone knowledgeable
> before those guarantees run out. It came in the original box, with the
> original packing and manual.  It looks lightly used, but of course, it's
> what's inside that counts.
>

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