08/27/1974 Quote
August 29, 1974
Mr. Marshall C. Smith
Director of Marketing
Aerodyne Industries, Inc.
21 Commerce Drive
Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania 189~6
Subject:
Television Translator System
Aerodyne Quotation No. 736-14
Dear Hr. Smith:
This is to advise you that the Board of County Commissioners
of Monroe County, Florida, at a meeting held on August 27, 1974,
took official action to accept your proposal concerning the above
referenced subject under the following terms and conditions:
1. Total cost for your services as outlined in
Paragraph 10 of the enclosed letter in the amount of $9,000.00.
2. However, in the event the County is unsuccessful
in its current law suit and is prevented from completing the trans-
lator system by a court order, the County will only be liable for
the sum of $5,000.00 and your firm will not be required to furnish
the software portion of the program, the documentation and prepara-
tion and submittal of the FCC applications, etc.
Very truly yours,
HARRY HARRIS
Hayor
HH!PES/pa
Enclosure
~/.
---------- aerodyne
ir7c:fLJsstr-iess ir7C
21 Commerce Drive, Montgomeryville, Pa. 18936 · 215-368-2600 · TWX 510-661-7265
I
I
22 June 1973
Board of Commissioners
Monroe County
Key West, Florida 33040
Attention: Earl R. Adams
Clerk of the Board of County
Commissioners
Reference: Monroe County Invitation for
Proposal dated 6 June 1973
Subject: Television Translator System
Aerodyne Quotation No. 736-14
Gentlemen:
The Broadcast Field Support Group of Aerodyne Industries Inc.
is pleased to present this proposal to the Board of Commissioners
of Monroe County, Florida, to perform the engineering tasks and
services associated with the establishment of a television trans-
lator system to service the Florida Keys. In support of our
proposal we offer the following brief discussion of our capa-
bilities.
Aerodyne Industries Inc. was founded on the basis of
supplying high-quality electronic products to military
and commercial customers. A natural outgrowth of the
hardware aspect is the software capability within the
individual divisions. The Broadcast Division has
developed a software technique and capability that is
unsurpassed in the Industry. Enclosures to this letter
proposal detail several systems which are representative
of past Aerodyne engineering efforts. Also enclosed
are short resumes of several key contributing members
of the Division. These and other members of our staff
have had a great deal of experience with operating
systems and possess both a theoretical and practical
knowledge of translator system capabilities and
shortcomings. The Broadcast Support Group is dedicated
solely to the engineering and design of translator
systems, and we have previously provided services
similar to those proposed herein to numerous city,
county and state agencies throughout the United States
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Board of Commissioners
Monroe County
22 June 1973
Page Two
and overseas. In every case the final outcome was
a successful operational system performing in accord-
ance with the original design criteria.
The service offered to the Board of Commissioners is a total
engineering package specifically designed for Monroe County. It
is aimed at providing the total population of the Florida Keys
with high quality, free, over-the-air color television signals.
Toward this end, Aerodyne proposes that the Engineering Services
to Monroe County, Florida include, but not be limited to the
following tasks.
1. Field Strength Measurements and Preliminary First Translator
Site Selection
The selection of the site for the first translator is of
major importance in system design. Through field strength measure-
ments and actual off-the-air color television reception, a limit is
established to the useable signal from the originating Miami stations.
Moving the first site further away from this point will decrease the
quality of the signal received at the furthermost point in the
system. Moving the site closer to Miami may not improve the picture
quality, but will perhaps create the need for an additional relay
link, thereby increasing the cost of the system.
It should be pointed out, at this point, that the first site
sets up the system signal-to-noise ratio. The signal-to-noise ratio
of a television signal is, basically, a measure of the quality of
the signal. A high signal-to-noise ratio indicates a snow-free,
sharp picture. A low signal-to-noise ratio indicates a very weak,
snowy picture. It is very important in systems engineering, to
start with the best signal-to-noise available. This is due to the
fact that succeeding stages can virtually do nothing to improve
signal-to-noise, but can easily degrade it. Therefore, the first
translator site sets the quality of the signal for the whole system
and must be chosen with great care.
2. Population Survey
A population survey is necessary due to two criteria. One, of
course, is that the intent of the system is to provide quality
television to all of the residents of the Florida Keys. By locating
both major and minor areas of population, translator site selection
is arranged to provide the best local distribution possible.
~..
~/______--
Board of Commissioners
Monroe County
22 June 1973
Page Three
The second reason is due to the FCC rulings that translators
may not be used for pure relay purposes, i.e. one translator cannot
relay on to another without providing local television coverage.
Therefore, all translators in the system must provide coverage to
the population. Locations of populations, therefore, sometimes
dictate translator site selection.
3. Topographical Survey
Television signals are affected, in regards strength and some-
times quality, by the topography of the land over which they travel.
As such, hills, water, towers, etc. all have the potential of
detracting from the quality of the received signal.
It is expected that the Florida Keys area will have a minimal
effect, but a survey must be made to verify that this is so.
4. Preliminary Selection of Additional Translator Locations
Following steps 1, 2 and 3, previsouly mentioned, and in
conjunction with steps 5, 6 and 8, to be discussed, a preliminary
location for succeeding translator sites will be selected.
5. Investigations Into Site Availability in Conjunction with County
Representatives
Attempts will be made to choose sites that already fall under
the county domain or can easily come under county domain at a minimum
of cost. For example, if a county-owned tower is within one mile of
a proposed site, the tower location will be investigated as the
preferred location.
6. Discussions with Utilities and Service Agencies for Feasibility
and Cost Estimates
Each of the translator sites will require A.C. power, access
roads, fences, etc. Meetings will be held to determine cost of
electrification, etc. in order to prepare cost estimates and possibly
eliminate some sites.
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Board of Commissioners
Monroe County
22 June 1973
Page Four
7. Final Selection of Translator Sites
In conjunction with steps 1 through 6 and following step 8,
the final translator sites will be selected with the aim of assuring
a) Quality Telecasting, b) Maximum Reliability, c) Ease of Main-
tenance and Serviceability and d) Minimum Total Cost.
8. System Design Calculations
An important part of any translator system is the system design
calculations that predict system operation feasibility. Some of the
design parameters are:
Mean-free space - Calculations to determine loss of signal
strength in traveling through space to determine maximum
range of translators without deteriorating the signal-to-
noise ratio.
Radio Horizon - Television signals are limited in the distance
they can travel by the curvature of the earth. The actual
maximum distance is dictated by the heights of the transmit
and receive towers.
Fresnel Zones - Are zones around the main transmitted beam
which are dictated by the frequency of the transmission and
the distances traveled. For proper system operations, these
zones cannot be violated.
Interference Probability - System designs must be made to
assure that no signals interfere with any others.
9. Systems Design
This is the stage at which time hardware and peripheral equip-
ment are specified. The tower heights are determined by radio horizon;
the antennas are dictated by mean-free space, distance to next trans-
lator, population, etc.
~/_-------
Board of Commissioners
Monroe County
22 June 1973
Page Five
10. Software Package
As a necessary conclusion to the above, we propose to present
a software package to the Monroe County Board of Commissioners
which will include, but not be limited to the following:
a) Cost and scheduling estimates for equipment, construction,
installation, operation and maintenance.
b) Preparation of detailed equipment procurement specifications.
c) Preparation of plans and specifications for bids for
construction.
d) Preparation of documentation; prints, charts, maps,
radiation patterns, population coverage, etc.
e) Collation of documentation, presentation and submittal
to the FCC for approval.
f) Written approval from the four Miami stations to rebroad-
cast their programming.
g) Filing of applications for the FCC
It is our firm belief that the engineering surveys and designs will
prove that the system is feasible and that the resulting system
will provide Grade A television coverage to the total population of
the Florida Keys.
We shall consider the engineering effort complete at the time that
all information and documentation has been submitted to the FCC in
accordance with the Commission's rules pertaining to translator
construction applications. We offer to provide the requested
services at a rate of $150 per man da~ plus travel and expenses,
not to exceed a maximum of $5000. The software portion of the
program, the documentation and preparation and submittal of the
FCC applications, etc. shall be accomplished at a firm-fixed price
of $4000.
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Board of Commissioners
Monroe County
22 June 1973
Page Six
Any redesign and/or resubmittals or redundant work that may be
required as a result of conditions that could possibly develop
that are beyond our control, such as withdrawal of authorization
to utilize chosen sites and the like, these shall be considered
beyond the scope of this program and such tasks shall be
accomplished at the before mentioned daily rates. In the event
that engineering services are required either before contract
award or following the completion of the program, i.e. super-
vision of the construction phase of the system, these services
shall also be provided at the stated daily man day rate.
Aerodyne proposes to invoice the County on a weekly basis
detailing the tasks that were accomplished and the effort
expended during that period.
We estimate that the proposed study and system design effort
shall be completed within 6-8 weeks from the date of contract
and the County's authorization to proceed with work.
In the event that legal action should be taken by a third party
against Aerodyne or against Aerodyne and the County jointly, and
that such action is a direct result of Aerodyne's participation
in this program, we expect the County to hold Aerodyne harmless
and to make compensation for any legal fees and associated
costs that might be incurred.
We sincerely appreciate this opportunity to offer our proposal.
We trust that the information contained in this letter will meet
with your approval and look forward to working with the Board
members and the people of Monroe County.
MCS/reh
Enclosures
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~I
RESUME
John L. Baron - Manager, Broadcast Field Support Group
As Manager of the Broadcast Field Support Group, Mr. Baron
brings a number of years of experience in Communications Systems
to Aerodyne. At UNIVAC, he was associated with some of the
early developmental work in data transmission. At Philco-Ford
he contributed to ultra reliable, tightly-classified systems.
At Aerodyne he specializes in Translator Systems.
Along with his duties in system design, site surveys,
theoretical calculations and software packages, Mr. Baron
supervises all equipment system tests and applications, and
participates in vendor meetings and customer interfaces. He
has provided creative engineering for many of the small and
large translator systems that Aerodyne has handled. He has
designed a customer training course which is individually
tailored and presented both on-site and in the factory.
His previous duties at Aerodyne include production Supervisor,
Sr. Product Engineer and Sr. Field Engineer.
Mr. Baron holds a BEE from Villanova University, has numerous
patent applications and is a member of National Association of
Inventors, MENSA and IEEE.
~l______-----------
RESUME
John D. Parke - Broadcast Products Division Manager
Mr. Parke's involvement with Aerodyne Industries has paralleled
that of the Aerodyne Television Translator. Recruited as the
Manager of the Broadcast Products Division, Mr. Parke has been
personally and fully involved with the design, development and
ultimate production of Aerodyne's line of Television Trans-
lator Equipment. As Division Manager, Mr. Parke's overall
responsibilities include engineering, test and systems design,
and applications and field service.
Mr. Parke has contributed in the design and development of
many new Aerodyne products, such as modulators and transmitters.
He was directly responsible for the successful completion of
such diverse systems as helicopter-borne transmitters, micro-
wave multi-channel video relay links and airborne translator/
transmitter systems operating at the 1 kw level.
Mr. Parke was previously associated with the ReA Advanced
Microwave Technology Group and with the Bell Telephone Labora-
tories in Whippany, New Jersey. He holds a Masters Degree
in Engineering, N.Y. University and a BSEE from Drexel.
He is a member of Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu.
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EXTENSION OF EXISTING SYSTEM
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66/69
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FIGURE I
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3 CHANNEL DISTF<lBUTION SYSTELi (PROPOSED)
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