RF Shorts – Oct. 14, 2010

By Doug Lung
published

  • •Two articles this week describe a patent Apple received for a "multiband cellular 'telephonic MacBook.' See Apple Granted Patent for 3G MacBook, Netbook in the Future? on Ubergizmo.com and Apple wins patents on antenna tech, iMac and Touch designs on www.ipodnn.com.
  • •Ham radio operators may have a new source of interference to 432 MHz weak signal operations— remote car starter devices. Lisa Johnson writes in an article in TV Technology sister publication, TWICE, Knowledgefest Ushers in New Products. "Perhaps most notable for the company is the CA5051MT, Code Alarm's first ever remote-start and keyless-entry system for manual transmission vehicles. Features include two one-way 433MHz four-button remote controls, the ability to accept up to four remote controls, glass-mount antenna with built-in red LED light and valet switch, RPS, onboard lock/unlock parking light flash confirmation relay, trunk release, DBI port and diesel compatibility."
  • •A press release $5 Million NSF Grant Will Upgrade and Expand NJIT Radio Telescope Array focuses on upgrades at the Owens Valley Solar Array near Big Pine, Calif., which will enable the use of a wider range of frequencies. NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology) Distinguished Professor Dale Gary noted that as low frequencies grow more saturated with such interference, techniques for removing it have become a research topic itself. "Interference is the radio analog of light pollution, which frustrates optical astronomers," he said. "Eventually we can look to a time in the not so far future when even the high frequencies will be spoiled."
  • •Correction on white space channels in Los Angeles: two weeks ago in my article on limit channels for white space devices in urban areas, I said the Spectrum Bridge white space database tool found that Channel 27 was available. Howard Fine reported that Channel 27 is on the air in Los Angeles under FCC special temporary authority (STA). He pointed out that the Spectrum Bridge site does not see STA or stations that have filed licenses to cover operations, adding that the site shows a lot of open channels in the Orlando/Lake Mary area in Florida that are actually in use by TV stations. TV relays licensed under Part 74 are also ignored.
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.