RF CURRENT

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.

Issues are dated each Monday, although recently I've needed an extra day or two to complete each issue. Articles may be posted earlier if time permits or if there is a major, breaking story.

<<< Back to May 15 - Issue 214

May 22, 2000 - Issue 215 Final Edition

SPECIAL REPORT - FCC DTV Review Comments - 8-VSB vs COFDM & A DTV Tuner in Every TV (May 22)

The May 17th deadline for filing comments in the FCC Docket 00-39, Review of the Commission's Rules and Policies Affecting the Conversion to Digital Television has passed and sixty-two comments have been posted on the FCC ECFS. Comments were received from both broadcasters and manufacturers. A senior citizens group even offered their comments on the future of TV.

Comments from the NAB, ATSC, CEA and other organizations are summarized along with comments from individual manufacturers, broadcast group and other interested parties in the RF Current Special Report FCC DTV Transition Review 2000. Please follow the link to find out who is supporting the 8-VSB standard and who wants COFDM and, perhaps more important, the reasons behind the positions. The 8-VSB versus COFDM modulation standard debate isn't the only issue in this docket. In the Special Report you will also be able to read discussions on FCC processing of maximization applications, new DTV coverage requirements and problems with the current FCC method of evaluating DTV interference and coverage.

Publisher's Note: The Special Report took a considerable amount of time to assemble and I'd appreciate comments on whether you find it useful. The response will determine if RF Current will publish special reports on other topics in the future. Thanks, Doug Lung dlung@transmitter.com.

FCC Clarifies Antenna Connector Requirements for Unlicensed Transmitters (May 22)

Unlicensed transmitters operated under Section 15.203 are required to be designed so that no antenna other than than the one furnished by the party responsible for certifying compliance is used with the device. This could be accomplished by using a permanently attached antenna or a unique coupling at the antenna and at any cable connector between the transmitter and the antenna.

In the past, the FCC considered the following connectors sufficiently "non-standard" that they were considered to meet Section 15.203 requirements: MMCX, MCX, SMA, BNC, TNC, "and reverse polarity". The FCC, however, has determined that "because these connectors have become readily available, they are no longer considered sufficient to demonstrate compliance with Section 15.203. Therefore, 30 days from the date of this Public Notice, we will no longer accept MMCX, MCX, and reverse polarity, SMA, BNC and TNC type antenna connectors for meeting the requirements in Section 15.203 for all Part 15 transmitters."

Additional information may be found in the FCC Public Notice: OET Clarifies Antenna Connector Requirements for Part 15 Unlicensed Transmitters.

FCC Modifies DTV Table of Allotments in Salt Lake, Ogden and Provo Utah (May 18)

Eight television stations in the Salt Lake City, Utah TV market joined together as "DTV Utah" and proposed four modifications to the FCC's DTV Table of Allotments. The channel substitutions requested are:

Channel 44 for KBYU-TV DTV channel 39 (Provo)
Channel 46 for KJZZ-TV DTV channel 27 (Salt Lake City)
Channel 36 for KULC-TV DTV channel 34 (Ogden)
Channel 48 for KUWB-TV DTV channel 17 (Ogden)

Upon review, the FCC found "the public interest will be served by adopting DTV Utah's channel reallocation proposal. That plan will enable the eight Utah stations to share facilities, costs and equipment in converting to and operating with DTV technology, while permitting full- power and secondary services to coexist during that transition."

The modified parameters are:

KBYU-DT Channel 44 - 403.0 kW at 1257m
KULC-DT Channel 36 - 200.0 kW at 1257m
KJZZ-DT Channel 46 - 200.0 kW at 1267m
KUWB-DT Channel 48 - 200.0 kW at 1257m

Comments filed by Airwaves, Inc., Telemundo of Northern California License Corporation and Utah Communications, L.L.C. were dismissed and comments filed by Tooele 36, L.L.C. were denied. More information is available in the FCC Report and Order (MM Docket No. 99-197).

OTHER Items of Interest

ATSC Awards First ATSC Outstanding Contributor Award to Bernie Lechner (Acrobat PDF file) - Latest achievement by Lechner includes work on developing ATSC PSIP standard
FCC Auction of Licenses in the 747-762 and 777-792 MHz Bands Scheduled for September 6 - FCC Public Notice - comment sought on allowing combinatorial (package) bidding
FCC Reaffirms Decisions on Use of Radio Frequencies Above 40 GHz for New Radio Services - Third Memorandum Opinion and Order - Petitions for Reconsideration by National Radio Astronomy Observatory and others were denied.
GE-4 Satellite Authorized for Ku-band Service in Brazil - Press Release - Uses include Internet connectivity and other high- speed broadband data services.
Teracom extends its DVB terrestrial network with Thomcast transmitters - press release - Order covers forty-one 2.5 kW UHF digital liquid-cooled transmitters.

>>>>Next May 29 - Issue 216

RF Current Index

Return to The RF Page @ www.transmitter.com