New Jersey, Delaware VHF TV Auction Applications Received

By Doug Lung
published


The FCC this week released a Public Notice (DA 11-7) announcing the short form applications received for Auction 90 for two VHF DTV channels—Ch. 4 in Atlantic City, N.J. and Ch. 5 in Seaford, Del.

The FCC said that eight of the applications were complete and two were classified as incomplete. (Applicants with incomplete applications are allowed to correct and resubmit applications by Jan. 21.)

Two of the complete applications were for the Atlantic City slot, with the balance requesting both allotments.

It will be interesting to see the bids offered in the auction, which starts Feb. 15.

The field strength at the FCC service area contour for low-band VHF DTV stations is only 28 dBµV/m, allowing the stations to show predicted coverage over a very large area at the maximum allowed effective radiated power. In practical terms, the high noise level (natural and man-made) at these frequencies, plus the large antenna required to effectively receive the signals, greatly limits coverage and can make indoor reception difficult, if not impossible.

Doug Lung
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.