Satellite Update - Oct. 29, 2009

By Doug Lung
published

From FCC Report SAT-00641 [PDF]:

  • • The FCC accepted for filing an application from SES Americom for authority to construct, launch, and operate a 17/24 GHz Broadcasting-Satellite Service (BSS) space station at 67.5 degrees West Longitude (WL) at full power and with full frequency protection using 17.3 – 17.8 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 24.75-25.25 GHz (Earth-to-space) frequency bands. Use of the 17.7-17.8 GHz band would be limited to international service only. SES Americom requested a waiver of FCC rules pertaining to submission of antenna gain contours in ".gxt" format for the non-Brazilian South American uplink beam.
  • • Skynet requested authority to construct, launch and operate a 17/24 GHz BSS space station with full power and full interference protection at 70 degrees WL, 1.0 degrees offset from the 71 degree WL orbital location specified in Appendix F of the 17/24 GHz BSS Report and Order. Skynet proposes uses of 17.3-17.7 GHz (downlink) and 24.75-25.15 GHz (uplink).
  • • DISH Operating LLC (formerly known as EchoStar Satellite Operating LLC) requested modification of its license for EchoStar 10, located at 110.2 degrees WL, to add authority to operate a spot beam focused on Cuba. EchoStar 10's capability to provide the spot beam was listed in the original application but DISH did not seek authority to operate the beam at that time.
  • • Spectrum Five LLC filed a petition for declaratory ruling seeking to use the 17.3-17.7 GHz and 24.75-25.15 GHz bands to access the market in the U.S. with a Netherlands-authorized 17/24 GHz BSS space station at 103.15 degrees WL. Operation would be at reduced power and without full interference protection. Spectrum Five also seeks to perform telemetry, tracking, and command operations at the edges of the 17.3-17.7 GHz and 24.75-25.15 GHz frequency bands.
  • • Sirius XM Radio requested special temporary authority (STA) to continue to operate terrestrial repeaters with EIRP less than 10 watts and signal boosters with EIRP less than 0.0001 watts within the 2320-2345 MHz frequency band at various venues, locations and dates that cannot yet be identified for a period of 180 days.


From FCC Report SAT-00642 [PDF].

  • • The FCC granted STA to DIRECTV Enterprises, LLC for 30 days to operate DIRECTV 11 at 99.225 degrees WL in order to conduct in-orbit testing using the 17.7 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 25.15 GHz (Earth-to-space) frequencies.
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.