Satellite Update - Nov. 19, 2009

By Doug Lung
published

From FCC Report SAT-00646 [PDF]:

  • • DirecTV Enterprises LLC requested modification of its Spaceway 1 Ka-band satellite license to move it from 102.885 degrees west longitude (WL) to 102.925 degrees WL. Spaceway 1 uses the 18.3-18.8/19.7-20.2 GHz and 28.35-28.68/29.25-29.30 GHz frequency bands. DirecTV also asked for permission to modify the DirecTV 10 Ka-band satellite license to move it from 102.775 degrees WL to 102.815 degrees WL. With the exception of 19.7-20.2 GHz, DirecTV 10 uses the same frequency bands as Spaceway 1.
  • • Dish Operating LLC asked for authority to cease operations on spacecraft at 147.925 degrees WL for more than 90 days. That spot was previously occupied by EchoStar 5, which was recently de-orbited due to technical issues. Dish expects to restore service at that location when EchoStar 8 is relocated to 147.925 degrees WL in 2011. Dish is authorized to provide DBS service that location using EchoStar 5 in the 12.2-12.7 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 17.3-17.8 GHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands.
  • • Sirius XM Radio Inc. requested special temporary authority for 180 days to operate eight new terrestrial repeaters at power levels up to 2,000 watts EIRP at various locations throughout the United States. One repeater would operate in the 2320-2332.5 MHz band and seven repeaters would use the 2332.5-2345 MHz band. Both bands are allocated for exclusive use of the Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service.
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.