Satellite Update – Nov. 3, 2011

By Doug Lung
published


From FCC Report SAT-00817:

  • •SES Americom requested modification of its authority for AMC-5 to allow it to provide fixed satellite service (FSS), including direct-to-home services, using the 11.7-12.2 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 14.0-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands from 80.9 degrees west longitude (WL) instead of its currently assigned location at 79 degrees WL. SES Americom also asked for authority to operate telemetry, tracking and telecommand (TT&C) functions in these bands to maintain AMC-5 at 80.9 degrees.


From FCC Report SAT-00818:

  • •The FCC International Bureau's Satellite Division granted a request from DIRECTV Enterprises to modify the license for DirecTV RB-1, operating in the Broadcasting Satellite Service (BSS) using 17.3-17.7 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 24.75-25.15 GHz (Earth-to-space) to expand its coverage area to include Puerto Rico and to change its orbital location from 99.175 degrees WL to 99.235 degrees WL. The Satellite Division also allowed DirecTV to expand the coverage area of DirecTV RB-2 operating in the same bands to include Puerto Rico.
  • •On Oct. 21, 2011 the Satellite Division granted special temporary authority (STA) to ViaSat for 60 days to conduct in-orbit testing of ViaSat 1 at 109.2 degrees WL using 28.1-29.1 GHz and 29.5-30.0 GHz frequency bands (Earth-to-space) and 18.3-19.3 GHz and 19.7-20.2 GHz (space-to-Earth). The FCC also modified ViaSat 1's call sign from S2830 to S2747.
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.