Commercial radio reaches 12.4 million weekly listeners in Australia
Dielectric is expanding its OptiLoad series with two new models, OptiLoad FM and OptiLoad Light, designed to extend the system’s RF safeguards to radio and additional TV applications. Both models will debut at the 2025 NAB Show.
The original OptiLoad, introduced at the 2024 NAB Show, was developed to prevent transmission failures in liquid-cooled UHF and VHF TV systems. The system integrates passive RF components with electronics and sensing technology, an approach now adapted for FM radio and lower-intensity UHF environments.
OptiLoad FM maintains the original version’s footprint despite the significant wavelength differences between FM and UHF TV, making it suitable for high-power FM sites with shared master antenna systems. OptiLoad Light provides a lower-cost UHF solution by streamlining internal components while retaining core failure-prevention features.
Programmable logic controls
“All OptiLoad systems begin with a water column load that Dielectric has offered for over two decades,” said Keith Pelletier, president of Dielectric. “The water column is OptiLoad’s core building block, to which we have added a heat exchanger. Both are essential to a closed-loop cooling system that prevents the exposure of liquid coolant, which can lead to expensive system contaminations, equipment damage and site restorations.”
Dielectric says the system operates using programmable logic controls (PLCs) that monitor RF power and temperature, adjusting cooling functions accordingly. OptiLoad systems transition to standby mode when coolant temperatures are below 130°F (54°C). The circulator pump activates when temperatures rise to 130–150°F (54–66°C). Fans turn on when the temperature exceeds 150°F (66°C). OptiLoad Light maintains on-demand functionality, only activating when needed to correct power imbalances or failures.
The OptiLoad series also supports RF troubleshooting, allowing engineers to isolate transmission lines and antennas without unnecessary power consumption. New SNMP functionality enables daily transmitter handshakes, alerting stations if the connection fails.
Dielectric will showcase all three OptiLoad models at the 2025 NAB Show, booth W3000 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
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