FCC Issues New Experimental Licenses

The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology has released a list of experimental license applications that granted between Dec. 1, 2013 and Jan. 1, 2014.

Wireless microphone manufacturers and users are concerned about the loss of UHF and VHF television spectrum in the upcoming incentive auction repacking. The experimental grants indicate that Audio-Technica may be working on a solution. They were granted an experimental license to operate on 6 GHz, with equipment testing allowed in all 50 states.

Carlson Wireless received two licenses to operate in the 470-698 MHz band (TV Channels 14-51) for white space testing. The locations include Auburn, Ill.; Siren, Wis.; Mt. Ross and Beekmantown, N.Y.; Mountain View, Calif.; Castroville, Texas; Middleton, S.D.; Carthage, Tenn.; Hillsade, Mich.; Salem, Centralia, and Vandalia, Ill; Redmond, Wash.; Myakka, Fla.; and Utica, Kan.

DRS Sustainment System received a new experimental license to test short-range radios on VHF frequencies, including some low-band VHF TV spectrum. Authorized frequencies are 30-40 MHz, 50-60 MHz and 75.40-85.00 MHz. University of Wisconsin-Madison received an experimental license to operate in the 9.5-10.5 GHz band “to develop a prototype for a new communication architecture.” The specified location is mobile in Madison, Wis., the location of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

See Report No. 452 – Experimental Actions for a complete list of grants.

Doug Lung

Doug Lung is one of America's foremost authorities on broadcast RF technology. As vice president of Broadcast Technology for NBCUniversal Local, H. Douglas Lung leads NBC and Telemundo-owned stations’ RF and transmission affairs, including microwave, radars, satellite uplinks, and FCC technical filings. Beginning his career in 1976 at KSCI in Los Angeles, Lung has nearly 50 years of experience in broadcast television engineering. Beginning in 1985, he led the engineering department for what was to become the Telemundo network and station group, assisting in the design, construction and installation of the company’s broadcast and cable facilities. Other projects include work on the launch of Hawaii’s first UHF TV station, the rollout and testing of the ATSC mobile-handheld standard, and software development related to the incentive auction TV spectrum repack.
A longtime columnist for TV Technology, Doug is also a regular contributor to IEEE Broadcast Technology. He is the recipient of the 2023 NAB Television Engineering Award. He also received a Tech Leadership Award from TV Tech publisher Future plc in 2021 and is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.