MALAYSIA: JAA Systems Sdn Bhd (JAA.S) has built RTM’s first radio OB production van to be constructed entirely in Malaysia. RTM Kota Kinabalu, Sabah operates under the guidance of Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia, which issued a tender for the project. This tender was won by Saujana Media, which appointed JAA.S to construct the vehicle with a rebroadcasting antenna system.

‘We selected JAA.S to be the main contractor to design and build the radio OB van for RTM because of their proven track record, well-experienced staff and good standing with RTM as a reputable vendor and contractor in Malaysia,’ explained En Hairul Anuar, CEO of Saujana Media Sdn Bhd.

The project included the coachbuilding, soundproofing and acoustic treatment of the studio environment housed within the vehicle as well as the design of an audio system covering the inside of the van and a PA sound system on the outside. Assembly and installation of the antenna for transmission and the entire mechanical and electrical (M&E) setup was also completed by JAA.S. Products integrated as part of the audio solution included Yamaha QL Series mixers, Nexo speakers and Shure wireless microphones. Two Prodys IP audio codec were installed to communicate wirelessly to five different locations around Sabah.

‘We were chosen to design and build this radio OB van project from a sketch. We have prior experience, having built a radio OB van for Brunei many years ago, but this project was a different challenge altogether,’ recalled Azhar Abdul Latiff, head of technical at JAA.S. ‘With a short timeframe and limited budget, we were instructed to build this OB van on par with an international standard.’

JAA.S general manager David Chan elaborated: ‘Building an OB van has its big challenges. The difficulty level is much higher than in a normal studio. There are many factors to consider before we start to implement it. Among the major challenges in building an OB van are the considerations for the overall weight, load balancing, power consumption, air-conditioning system and internal sound proofing. We also have to think creatively to maximise the limited space available inside the van to ensure the crew will have enough workspace.

‘With our dedicated staff and teamwork, we managed to build the RTM radio OB van before the due date and well within the budget,’ Mr Chan continued. ‘This project takes JAA.S to another level where we are capable of designing, building and delivering sound systems for OB van projects. We are delighted to be part of the history of RTM, supplying a radio OB van that was built entirely in Malaysia.’

Source: https://www.proaudio-central.com/archive/asia/jaa-systems-builds-malaysia-s-first-radio-ob-van