Satellite Update - Oct. 22, 2009

By Doug Lung
published

From FCC Report SAT-00640 [PDF].

  • • The Amazonas-2 satellite at 61 degrees west longitude (WL) has been added to the FCC's Permitted Space Station list. U.S. licensed Earth stations with “ALSAT” designated as a point of communications are now allowed to use the satellite to provide fixed satellite service in the 14.0-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space) and 11.7-12.2 GHz (space-to-Earth) frequency bands to, from or within the United States.
  • • The FCC International Bureau determined DG Consents Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of DigitalGlobe, Inc. has met the fifth and last milestone associated with its authorized call sign, S2129.
  • • The FCC has granted SkyTerra's motion to design certain applications to modify SkyTerra's authority to operate its current and future mobile satellite service systems using certain frequencies in the L-band as “permit-but-disclose” for purposes of FCC rules governing ex parte communications.
  • • EchoStar Corporation filed a request for special temporary authority to operate EchoStar 8 from 77 degrees WL using 12.2-12.7 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 17.3-17.8 GHz (Earth-to-space) for an additional 180 days. The requested operations are pursuant to agreements between EchoStar, QuetzSat 5S. de R.L. de C.V, and SES Global Latin America, S.A. EchoStar stated QuetzSat had confirmed that Mexico didn’t object to interim operation of EchoStar 8 as a U.S. licensed satellite providing service to the United States, provided that the satellite operates in conformance with the technical characteristics in QuetzSat's broadcast satellite service concession.


From FCC Report SAT-00639 [PDF].

  • • Sirius XM Radio requested STA for 180 days to operate two new Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service (SDARS) terrestrial repeaters at power levels of up 2,000 watts equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) in the Detroit, Mich. area using the 2320-2332.5 MHz SDARS band.
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.