RF Shorts: Other Items of Interest - Jan. 22, 2010


The FCC is saying it doesn't plan to forcibly take spectrum from broadcasters, but leaves it as a possibility in the future. See John Eggerton's article FCC's Bellaria Says Broadcasters Lobbying Against Scenario That's No Longer On Table Lead spectrum staffer addresses proposals.

TerreStar was granted a license to add an ancillary terrestrial component to its S-band spectrum. TerreStar is using some of the frequencies reallocated from the lower part of the 2 GHz broadcast auxiliary service (BAS) band.

While I missed it at CES, thanks to DigitalTrends.com I’ve learned about a new media server that’s available with up to three ATSC tuners. The XStreamHD media server can capture signals from satellite as well as record up to three broadcast HDTV programs simultaneously.

Finally, Scientific American describes a personal vertical take-off and landing plane that NASA is designing that will run entirely on batteries. While this isn't directly RF-related, you could certainly put a camera and 2 GHz transmitter in it. The article Electric Icarus: NASA Designs a One-Man Stealth Plane includes pictures and a computer generated video showing how it would function. Researchers plan on testing a one-third scale model in March. The device looks simple. Electric motors eliminate the need for the complex mechanical assemblies needed on conventional helicopters. Perhaps one day it will be available as a kit. It sure looks like fun.

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.