Satellite Update

By Doug Lung
published

The FCC granted a request from Sirius Satellite Radio for special temporary authority to operate a terrestrial repeater with an effective isotropically radiated power of up to 200 watts (average) at the Chrysler headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., from Feb.28, 2008, through March 21, 2008.

Construction and testing of Turkey’s TURKSAT 3A new generation communications satellite has been completed and the satellite is ready for launching from a launch pad in South America in April or May. Turkish officials said that in addition to TV broadcasts, the satellite will bring telephone, fax, Internet and other services to regions that do not have the infrastructure in place for radio links and cable communications services. TURKSAT 3A is a Ku-band satellite with 24 120 W transponders. It is planned to coverage all of Europe and the majority of Asia. TV and radio broadcasts from the satellite will be able to be received in Turkey, Europe and Central Asia using dishes as small as 50 to 60 cm.

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.