Satellite Update - Sept. 16, 2010

By Doug Lung
published


From FCC Report SAT-00719:

  • •EchoStar requested extension of its special temporary authority (STA) for 180 days to continue to operate EchoStar 15 at 61.55 degrees west longitude (WL) providing DBS service via channels 23 and 24. Dish Operating LLC has filed an application to renew its STA to operate EchoStar 7 at 118.8 degrees WL to provide DBS service using its previously authorized channels 1-21 for an additional 180 days.


From FCC Report SAT-00720:

  • •The FCC International Bureau's Satellite Division granted, with conditions, STA to Intelsat North America LLC to conduct the telemetry, tracking and telecommand (TT&C) necessary to drift C- and Ku-band Intelsat 705 from its assigned location at 50 degrees WL to 29.5 degrees WL and to temporarily provide fixed satellite service (FSS) at 29.5 degrees WL. Intelsat was authorized use of specified C-band frequencies for TT&C and the frequency bands 3700-4200 MHz, 10.95 – 11.2 GHz, 11.7-11.95 GHz, 11.5-11.7 GHz, 12.5-12.75 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 5925-6425 MHz and 14.0-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space) for FSS operations. The STA is valid for 190 days.
  • •Intelsat North America LLC received STA for 60 days to continue to conduct TT&C operations necessary to drift C- and Ku-band Intelsat 706 to 72.1 degrees east longitude (EL) and to temporarily provide FSS from that location. TT&C operations are authorized on specified C-band frequencies and FSS operations are allowed in the 3700-4200 MHz, 10.95-11.2 GHz, 11.45-11.7 GHz, and 12.5-12.75 GHz frequencies bands (space-to-Earth) and 5925-6425 MHz and 14.0-14.5 GHz (Earth-to-space).
  • •SES Americom was granted STA to operate Ku-band AMC-4 at 67 degrees WL using 11.45-11.7 GHz and 11.7-12.2 GHz (space-to-Earth) and 13.75-14.0 GHz (Earth-to-space).
  • •EchoStar was granted STA for 30 days to conduct TT&C necessary to operate EchoStar 3 at 61.45 degrees WL as an in-orbit spare satellite.
  • •The FCC granted PanAmSat STA for another 30 days to continue to conduct TT&C operations with Galaxy 15 outside the +/- 0.05 degree north/south and east/west station-keeping box. As previously reported, Intelsat is hoping that Galaxy 15 will "reboot" when the satellite loses lock on the Earth and its solar panels then rotate away from the sun and back towards the sun, cycling the satellite's power and perhaps allowing operators to regain control.
  • •Sirius XM Radio was granted STA for 180 days to operate a satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) repeater with an EIRP of less than 12,000 watts in the Baltimore, Md. area using the 2320-2345 MHz SDARS band. Sirius XM Radio also received STA, for 30 days, to continue to operate a SDARS terrestrial repeater with an EIRP up to 2,000 watts in the Arlington, Va. area using the 2332.5-2345 MHz 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.