This is the GatesAir Radio Section of
The Broadcast Archive

Maintained by:
Barry Mishkind - The Eclectic Engineer
Last Update 1/13/17

	Gates Radio Co   Quincy, IL       www.broadcast.harris.com
	Harris Broadcast   Quincy, IL / Mason, OH    www.broadcast.harris.com
	GatesAir Mason, OH, Quincy, IL gatesair.com

Gates Radio was founded in 1922 by Parker Gates' father, Henry C. Gates. As a pioneering company, Gates invented many different pieces of equipment for the broadcast industry. 

(In 1957, Gates Radio was purchased by Harris Corp, although the Gates Radio logo was used until 1975. Existing products were re-labeled "Harris." The Gates brand was revived in 1990 with the Gates One and Gates Five "budget" transmitters.)  

The "SA" model appellation was introduced for the 25th anniversary - "Silver Anniversary" models.

The industry changed a bit in the early 1950s, as many Class IV stations raced to implement a power increase to 1 kW daytime. A number of manufacturers developed low cost transmitters and other equipment specifically to cash in on the "upgrade" fever. As price points were "sensitive," each company tried to provide the "best value," and gear started to be made more cheaply. The term at Gates was "Value Analysis," led by George Dively. During the time when "value" manufacturing hit its peak, in 1957, Gates Radio Company was purchased by Harris Intertype Corporation (now Harris Corporation). 

Sadly, Gates Radio began to acquire the moniker "Quincy Tin Works" as it sought ways to cut costs of manufacture. Some commentators remark about the "time line" between early Gates equipment that was "solid, well built, reliable" and "cheap, sort of OK, difficult to maintain" products. This was not said to be in harmony with Gates' reputation. 

Phil Alexander notes: "The "Quincy Tin Works" moniker came about through George Diveley's edict to build products at a lower cost once Harris-Intertype bought Gates Radio. Although Parker Gates stayed for 10 more years as President, the major policy directives came from Cleveland. Both cosmetic and cost surgery started with the cabinets. Square corners are so much cheaper than anything more esthetic. Harris insisted on a VA (value analysis) program which was a major buzzword when they bought Gates in the late '50's. Ed Gagnon was their PR honcho at the time and he headed up the program. The directives came from Cleveland, not from Parker Gates. This gave birth to the BC-1T (tin can) succeeded a few years later by the 1G."

In 1975, Harris dropped the "Gates Division" and relabeled the products as "Harris." 

In 2013 Harris Broadcast was purchased by Gores, a venture capital company. On March 17, 2014, the company was split to Imagine Communications and GatesAir.

Consoles

Remote Gear

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	B-60 - 1935  -   $90 for 200 Ohm Velocity, 30 Ohm W.E. Dynamic or 5 Megohm Crystal mics.
	Remote Combine - 1936
	Dynamote M4880
	Dynamote 1
	Bimote

Tape machines

(also look for the Cart Machine page)

Miscellaneous

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