Laverne Siemens, Director of Engineering for Golden West Broadcasting in Altona, Manitoba, Canada, writes:

Golden West Broadcasting got involved with Marti back in the early 1970s when the STL-15 and R-200 series of STLs were just beginning to roll off the line. We had an immediate need of a number of systems as we were launching an AM station that required a five-hop STL system. Marti came through and provided the specifications we needed with all the units in the 450 MHz band. The lowest serial number is #17.

Virtually all of the units that were bought in the 1970s are still in operation today for a total of 16 links. Here are the pictures of one system that just came through the shop for a repair and check out.

Most of the systems can still achieve factory specs. About the only spec that deteriorates over time is transmitter power out. They end up settling between 10 and 12 watts out which is plenty in almost all cases. The specs are so repeatable that you can tell within ±.02% THD if you have it tuned properly. Routine repairs include modulator diode replacement, card edge and pot cleaning and electrolytic capacitor replacement.

GWB has added many more systems over the years as the products have evolved to a total of about 40 STL links and numerous RPU systems.

We look forward to many more years of reliable service from this gear.