Welcome to RF Current, a weekly electronic newsletter focusing on Broadcast technical and F.C.C. related issues. This newsletter is part of The RF Page @ www.transmitter.com, a web site devoted to TV Broadcast RF engineering. For more information see the What is... guide to the R.F. Page site.
This page contains stories from RF Current issues published in February 1996. Links referenced in the articles were current when published but by this time may have changed. If you find a bad link, try connecting to the home page of the publication or company and look for an archive of past articles.
An article in Monday's EE Times reported Senate Republicans intend to put the digital-TV spectrum auction issue on a fast track and may link it to an extension of federal funding budget resolution.
FCC Commissioner James Quello, in his February 23rd Quello's Column, opposed an auction of digital-TV spectrum. He stated:
"At the end of this transition period, broadcasters will be required to return one of their channels, at which point they will be left with exactly what they have now -- one 6 MHz channel. So it is a mischaracterization to say, as some do, that broadcasters are being "given" a second channel for free. The second channel would be merely a loaner for a fixed period of time, for the purpose of implementing the country's transition to digital television."He strengthened the argument by saying that "the industry has already contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to develop digital TV" and
"Finally, at the end of the transition period, the returned spectrum will be able to be "repacked," thereby creating one contiguous block of spectrum--a much more valuable commodity than the disparate swatches of spectrum that now exist. The repacked spectrum could then be auctioned off for huge amounts of money."He continued
"Forcing broadcasters to pay for their digital spectrum would weaken the financial position of many stations, particularly those in smaller markets and jeopardize the continued viability of free over-the-air television as we now know it." ... "Why should desirable programming be denied to persons too poor or geographically remote to have access to cable TV?"
Quello's Column has a form where readers can send him their comments.
Friday the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology released reports outlining experimental licenses granted in October 1995, December and January. Several licenses were issued for nationwide testing of PCS gear in the 1850 to 1990 GHz. band -- refer for the reports for details.
Hughes Aircraft Company was granted a license to "develop and demonstrate spread-spectrum digital communications for the command and control of mass transportation systems on 2402.5 - 2481 MHz." in the Los Angeles, Oakland, New York and Boston metro areas. Harris Corporation received a license to "test and demonstrate an integrated circuit chipset targeted at direct sequence spread spectrum applications on 2412 - 2462 MHz." in Brevard County, Florida. David Sarnoff Research Center was issued a license for test and development of low-power short-range transceivers using frequencies between 38.60 to 38.65 GHz. and 39.95 to 40.00 GHz. Finally, AP Technoglass received authorization for a transmitter to test "antennas printed on the rear window of a vehicle in the 88 - 108 MHz band" at Elizabethtown Kentucky.
A news release from Johns Hopkins University, reprinted in ScienceDaily reports Johns Hopkins University assistant professor Ernst Niebur and University of Kiel professor Heinz Schuster in Germany have found equations that determine under what conditions chaotic systems can be controlled. Scientist Earle Hunt and others at Ohio University in Athens were able to test the theory on an electronic circuit developed by Hunt. The article should be interesting reading for anyone who has had to adjust a high power TV transmitter's exciter system.
Representatives from users of the RF spectrum - from public service agencies to cellular telephone providers and broadcasters will meet at the FCC on March 5th to discuss how spectrum will be allocated in the future, the effect of new technology on spectrum needs and when auctions are appropriate. Attendees include Lynn Claudy, Senior Vice President of Science and Technology, National Association of Broadcasters, Dale N. Hatfield, Senior Consultant, Hatfield and Associates, Glenn Reitmeier, Director, High Definition Imaging and Multimedia Laboratory, David Sarnoff Research Center, and Jonathan D. Blake, Partner, Covington & Burling, on behalf of Maximum Service Television, Inc.
ScienceDaily's Friday edition reported on a study done at Purdue University that developed a model for predicting the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful disorder of the hand and wrist often associated with extensive keyboard use. Compare your keyboard posture with the risk factors mentioned in the article before it's too late!
Real World Technology LTD announced Thursday it had designed a L-band tuner card for digital and analog satellite reception. They claim the bill of materials cost is under ten dollars. Channel decoder modules including QPSK demodulation, clock recovery and forward error correction are under development for European DVB reception. The modules will eventually be a single chip device. The small tuner cards can be installed in VCR's, TV sets or PC's. Full details on the design, including photos and technical details, are available at Real World Technology's web site. A press release dated February 12th has more information on this product. Inexpensive receiver and demodulator/decoder technology such as this are a good indication that inexpensive digital TV receivers with less than HDTV displays are possible.
Commissioner Rachelle B. Chong in a speech Thursday before the Midwest Chapter of the Federal Communications Bar Association in Chicago, Illinois said "we are awaiting further instructions from the Hill on this point" on an auction of digital TV channels for ATV. The Act does require the broadcasters to give up their analog channel at the end of the digital transition period. Commissioner Chong said "the Commission will have to set a timetable for the transition through a rulemaking." Congress detailed some of the changes in broadcast ownership limitations and sent others back to the FCC for action. She added "The FCC will be adopting appropriate orders and rulemaking notices to implement these changes immediately. One order may come out as soon as tomorrow, with an omnibus Mass Media order planned for March."
Chairman Reed Hundt addressed the Digital Technology Symposium sponsored by the Artists Rights Foundation in Los Angeles California. He focused on the program content of TV broadcasts, saying "Maybe the wonderful invention of digital television provides new opportunities, new outlets for the kind of programming I believe you want to produce but are frustrated by market forces, programming that truly educates and informs. "
Refer to the copyrighted article from the Associated Press in Nando News for details in this difference in opinion between the President and his Chief Economist.
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Last modified March 26, 1996 by Doug Lung dlung@transmitter.com
Copyright © 1996 H. Douglas Lung