Satellite Update

By Doug Lung
published

The FCC granted SES Americom’s application to modify its authorization for Ku-band satellite AMC-21 for operation at 124.9 degrees west longitude (WL). EchoStar was allowed to continue operation of EchoStar 6 under special temporary authority (STA), subject to conditions specified in the original authorization and with prejudice to action on any pending request for current operation.

The government of Canada requested frequency coordination for several Canadian earth stations operating in the 3700-4200 MHz and 5925-6425 MHz bands.

In an unusual mid-week Public Notice, the FCC released Report SAT-00542 on August 6 listing requests from XM Radio Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. for 180-day STA for operation of several terrestrial repeaters specified in Attachment E to the Consent Decree adopted on July 25 as part of the companies’ merger. The Consent Decree prohibits operation of repeaters that have not been brought into compliance with the specifications originally authorized. The same day, the FCC released Report SAT-00544 granting the requests for STA from XM Radio and Sirius for a period of 30 days.

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.