WRC-07 Spectrum Changes Have Little Impact on Broadcasters

By Doug Lung
published

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology issued a 130 page Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 12-140) proposing changes to its rules necessary to implement the final acts of the 2007 World Radio Communications Conference (WRC-07). None of the changes affect Part 73 broadcast operations, although some Part 74 operations in the bands above 13 GHz could be impacted.

Users of 18 GHz microwave frequencies would find new coordination areas added to protect critical federal government receiving earth stations located near San Miguel, Calif. and on Guam from harmful interference. Services affected include TV broadcast auxiliary service (BAS) and Cable television relay service (CARS). The NTIA coordination requirements for Denver, Colo. and Washington, DC remain.

Under the proposed rules, Amateur Radio operators would get a new allocation at 135.7-137.8 kHz and primary status in the 1900-2000 kHz portion of the 160 meter band. The Amateur Radio Service already has exclusive use of the 1800-1900 kHz 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.