Recent FCC Experimental License Actions

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology released a list of experimental licenses granted from Nov. 11, 2007 to Dec. 1, 2007 . Of interest to broadcasters, two nuclear power plant operators received experimental licenses to operate in TV bands "for evaluating communications inside and around a nuclear reactor."

Constellation Generation Group was allowed to use bands between 150 MHz and 806 MHz at the R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in Ontario, N.Y. The experimental license granted to Florida Power and Light Co. allows operation in the high VHF two-way and TV bands (150 -- 216 MHz) at their Two Creeks, Wisc. facility.

BAE Systems Information and Electronics Systems Integration received a license to use various bands between 850 KHz and 26 GHz for testing for military contracts in Litchfield, N.H. Wireless Beehive Manufacturing was allowed to operate in the 494-506 MHz TV band for purposes of testing a device to identify UHF broadcast channels and broadband service. Turner Broadcasting System appears to be looking at use of frequencies around the 2 GHz BAS band. It received license WE2XKF, which allows operation in the 1905-1910 MHz, 1920-1930 MHz, 1985-1990 MHz and 2110-2120 MHz bands "for investigating the feasibility of content delivery via existing and emerging wireless platforms" in Atlanta.

I thought the license to Cornell University for a license at 29.795 MHz for testing radar was a typo, but a review of the application showed that wasn't the case. The radar, located in Kingshill, Virgin Islands, will operate with 12 kW average and 525 kW peak power levels, just above the ten meter amateur radio band, using an antenna with a beam width of 10 degrees. The operation is pursuant to a National Science Foundation research contract and will support the Arecibo Observatory.

See experimental licenses granted from 11/1/07 to 12/1/07 for additional licenses and information.