Satellite Update – May 21, 2010

By Doug Lung
published


From FCC Report SAT-00689:

  • • EchoStar Satellite Operating LLC requested special temporary authority (STA) to operate EchoStar 1 at 77.15 degrees west longitude (WL) for 180 days. EchoStar 1 uses the 12.2-12.7 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 17.3-17.8 GHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands. Operation at this location is pursuant to agreements between and among EchoStar, QuetzSat S. de R.L. de C.V., SES Latin America S.A., and SES S.A.
  • • QuetzSat has a broadcasting satellite service concession from the Mexican Administration for operation at the 77 degree WL orbital location. Telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) operations are permitted using C-band frequencies.
  • • XM Radio Inc. requested STA for 180 days to continue to operate a satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) terrestrial repeater with an EIRP of up to 2000 watts in Las Vegas, NV using the 2332.5–2345 MHz SDARS band.

From FCC Report SAT-00690:

  • • The FCC granted a request from SES Americom to allow conventional C-band satellite AMC-11 to operate at locations up to 0.5 degrees to the east and west of its assigned orbital location of 131 degrees WL for a period of 30 days, commencing May 20, 2010. (See this week's story for information on SES's plans to protect AMC-11 customers from interference from the out-of-control Galaxy 15 satellite.)
  • • PanAmSat Licensee Corp was granted STA for 30 days to continue to conduct TT&C operations necessary to complete the drift of Galaxy 12 from 133.3 degrees WL to 133.0 degrees WL. Intelsat moved Galaxy 12 to 133.3 degrees WL to provide service to Galaxy 15 customers after it lost control of Galaxy 15 and the satellite started drifting away from its assigned location.
  • • DirecTV Enterprises LLC received STA to conduct TT&C operations with DIRECTV 10 for a period of 30 days commencing May 14, 2010 during the drift of the satellite from 102.815 degrees WL to 102.6 degrees WL. DirecTV is allowed to provide commercial service to subscribers during drift of DirecTV 10 while traffic is transferred from DIRECTV 10 to DirecTV 12.
  • • EchoStar Corp. was granted STA for 180 days, commencing April 24, 2010 to maintain and operate EchoStar 8 at 77 degrees WL. EchoStar's STA to operate EchoStar 12 at 61.35 degrees WL was also renewed.
  • • Intelsat North America LLC was granted STA for 60 days to continue to operate the C- and Ku-band payloads on Intelsat 801 at 29.5 degrees WL and use specified C-band frequencies for TT&C operations. Authorized frequency bands are 3625–4200 MHz, 5850–6425 MHz, 10.95–11.2 GHz, 11.45–11.95 GHz, 12.2–12.75 GHz and 14.0–14.5 GHz.
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.