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 29 - Issue 216

June 5, 2000 - Issue 217 Final Edition

FCC and LSGAC Release "Plain English" Guide on Antenna RF Safety (June 2)

The FCC and the Local and State Government Advisory Committee (LSGAC) have released a "plain-English" guide to assist local governments and individual citizens better understand FCC rules to safeguard the public health from RF exposure. The guide is titled A Local Government Official's Guide to RF Emission Antenna Safety: Rules, Procedures, and Practical Guidance.

The FCC News Release announcing release of the guide said: "The guide is designed to provide local communities with a greater understanding of RF emission issues and comprehensive information and guidance in devising efficient procedures for assuring that local antenna facilities comply with the FCC's limits for human exposure to RF electromagnetic fields. It is designed to answer in clear, understandable language the questions of elected officials and local residents alike on the impact of antenna towers on community health."

The guide explains how various federal, state and local agencies, including the EPA and FDA, assisted the FCC in establishing consensus limits for human exposure to RF emissions. It also notes that the limits are set "many times below levels generally accepted as having the potential to cause adverse health effects."

The guide provides information on identifying facilities that are unlikely to raise issues of compliance with the federal guidelines. Issues such as zoning, construction, siting, permits, inspections or environmental review of antennas are not covered. Procedures for determining compliance are explained, along with how to bring violators of the guidelines into compliance and instructions on how to contact the FCC with compliance questions. An appendix lists distances that should be maintained from single cellular, PCS and paging base station antennas.

The guide is available on the FCC RF Safety Page as PDF file FCC_LSGAC_RF_Guide.pdf.

FCC - Satellite Applications Accepted for Filing (June 2)

The June 2, 2000 Report SAT-00046 from the FCC International Bureau's Satellite Policy Branch listed applications accepted for filing. Astrovision International filed an application to launch and operate a geostationary commercial land remote sensing satellite system consisting of AVStar*1 at 60 degrees and AVStar*2 at 90 degrees. The application proposes downlinking in the 8 GHz band and uplinking in the 2.025 GHz band. EarthWatch, Incorporated requested a modification of its authorization to construct, launch and operate Earth Exploration Satellite Service satellites Quickbird-1 and Quickbird-2. It asked to modify the construction completion and launch milestones of Quickbird 1 to November 2000 and April 2001, respectively, and modify the milestones for Quickbird 2 to May 2001 and December 2001.

The May 31, 2000 Report SAT-00045 included a request by Loral Skynet for Special Temporary Authority to use the Mexico-licensed Morelos II satellite to continue to provide service to Alaska. The agreement between Canada and Mexico permitting the Morelos II satellite to be operated at 120 degrees West Longitude expired on March 1, 2000. Telsat Canada has agreed to permit SatMex to operate Morelos II at 120 degrees until July 31, 2000. Telesat Canada intends to launch and test the Anik F1 satellite into the 118.7 degree spot in August 2000.

Additional details can be found in the FCC reports, available only as PDF files. See June 2, 2000 Report SAT-00046 and May 31, 2000 Report SAT-00045.

FCC OET Hosts July 14th Forum on 90 GHz Technologies (May 31)

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology will host a forum on "New Horizons: 90 GHz Technologies" on July 14, 2000 in the Commission Meeting Room in Washington D.C. The forum will explore possible commercial uses for the 92-95 GHz band, which is presently allocated for both government and nongovernment use. The FCC Public Notice (da001191) said that that the potential transmission range of the 92-95 GHz band is closer to that of the 40 GHz band than the very limited range of 59-64 GHz band.

Topics will include:

1) Technologies available for the 92-95 GHz band;
2) Possible system applications for this band;
3) Alternative frameworks for services rules (licensed, unlicensed, band manager, etc.)
4) Technical rules including issues of protecting adjacent passive allocation at 86-92 GHz;
5) Approaches the FCC might take to stimulate techical innovation in this band; and
6) Whether, and the extent to which, sharing all or part of the band with the Federal Government systems is practical.

If you are interested in attending or speaking at the forum, see FCC Public Notice (da001191) for details.

FCC Chairman Kennard Urges Strategy to Promote Wireless Web (May 31)

FCC Chairman William E. Kennard warned, "All of the new technologies-- mobile phones, faxes, wireless computers-- are consuming spectrum faster than we can make it available, and we are in danger of a spectrum drought. We need to find spectrum to build the web of wireless applications that will continue to fuel our economic growth. The demand for spectrum is simply outstripping supply." He called for an agressive plan to avert a spectrum drought.

Key elements of Kennard's plan are to:

"Establish as a goal that spectrum become like any other commodity that flows fluidly in the marketplace.
"Look to technology to provide better spectrum management tools, for example, ultrawideband and software-defined radios.
"Promote greater spectrum efficiency."

Chairman Kennard convened a public forum on the development of secondary markets in spectrum. He stated, "One of the Commission's most important responsibilities is the management of our nation's airwaves. Spectrum is the lifeblood of wireless services, and spectrum management is becoming increasingly difficult and complex as a result of the tremendous growth in these services. This forum will help us understand the issues involved to go the next step in spectrum management. I want us to be ahead of the curve. I want to have rules and policies that allow a secondary market for spectrum so that it flows as freely in the marketplace as any commodity."

This information is from FCC News Release (nrmc0032). Refer to it for additional information.

INDUSTRY - Adaptive Broadband Agrees to Sell EF Data to Comtech (May 30)

Adaptive Broadband has agreed to sell its EF Data division to Comtech Telecommunications Corporation. EF Data designs, develops and manufactures a wide range of communications products used in the microwave and satellite industry, including modems such as the SDM-2020 DVB compliant QPSK, 8PSK and 16QAM modem; switches and transceivers. EF Data will be combined with the Comtech Communications Corporation subsidiary, which also produces equipment used in satellite communications. Both companies are based in Tempe, Arizona.

The sale is expected to close by June 30, 2000. Comtech Telecommunications is paying $61.5 million in cash for EF Data. More details are available in the Comtech Telecommunications Press Release.

OTHER Items of Interest

FCC Certificates of Eligibility for Class A Television Station Status - Public Notice - List of LPTV licensees deemed eligible to fine an application for Class A station status.
New FCC Form 302-CA - Application for Class A Television Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License - Public Notice - New form available on FCC Form Page.
FCC Releases New Form 601 for Radio Services Authorizations - Public Notice - The August 1999 version can continue to be used, but the Universal Licensing System will prompt filers to enter questions required by the new form.
TWICE article - Sony Delays DTV Lineup - article by Greg Tarr
EE Times article - DVB digital TV format gains on ATSC standard - article by Junko Yoshida

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