• Contents for this Newsletter

About This Newsletter
Meeting Announcement
Upcoming Meeting Schedule
Meeting Minutes
Amateur Radio Licensing Workshops
Digital Cable Deal Signed
EchoStar Ka-Band License Reinstated
Amateur Radio News
SBE Short Circuits
FCC Rulemakings
Chapter Sustaining Members
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The Chapter 24 Newsletter is published monthly by Chapter 24 of the Society of Broadcast Engineers; Madison, Wisconsin. Original hard copy edited by Mike Norton on Pagemaker 5.0. Submissions of interest to the broadcast technical community are welcome. You can make your submissions by e-mail to:

© 2003 by SBE Chapter 24. Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Society, its officers, or its members. SBE Chapter 24 regrets, but is not liable for, any omissions or errors. The Chapter 24 Newsletter is published twelve times per year. Other SBE Chapters are permitted to use excerpts if attributed to the original author, sources, and SBE Chapter 24.

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This month the program will be a demonstration of the Sony "e-VTR" plug in card for Sony digital VTRs. The e-VTR option provides the exchange of full bandwidth video content and remote control between VTRs via FTP over a network. Kevin Peckham and Michael Taylor of Sony will be there to explain the technology and answer questions.

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Chapter 24 of the Society of Broadcast Engineers met on Tuesday, December 17, 2002 at Timber Lodge Steak House in Madison, Wisconsin for a holiday celebration. There was no formal business meeting. There were eight persons in attendance with 7 members and 1 guest. Everyone had an enjoyable time with good food and conversation.

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Would you like to spend a weekend or two learning about amateur radio from knowledgeable instructors in a fun setting? Would you like to learn why amateur radio operators are called "hams"? Would you like to increase your familiarity with the spectrum bands and learn to equate frequencies with wavelengths? If so, this is your chance!

Members of the U W Space Place Amateur Radio Center (Station N9UW) are holding workshops at Space Place (figure 1) to help people prepare for the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Technician Class and General Class license examinations.

Figure 1. The UW Space Place is located at 1605 South Park Street.

An Amateur Radio Technician License Workshop will be held on Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18, 2003 at Space Place. There is no charge to attend this workshop. Participants are required to bring the book Now You’re Talking (4th edition, published April 2000) to the workshop. The book is published by the ARRL and can be purchased for $19 by calling 1(888) 277-5289, or accessing www.arrl.org. Alternatively, Now You’re Talking (4th edition) may be checked out from the South Central Library System. This reference will remain useful to you after you complete the workshop. It is essential that students acquire the 4th edition of the book because earlier editions will not reflect the latest rule changes.

A technician license exam (cost $12) and an optional 5 wpm Morse Code test will be given at the conclusion of this workshop on Sunday, May 18. The technician license is sometimes called the "no code" license, because it does not require the ham operator to learn Morse code. The instructors suggest that existing hams introduce their friends and family to the hobby of ham radio by encouraging them to attend this workshop.

The Space Place Amateur Radio General License Workshop will be held on Saturday, February 15 and Sunday, February 16, 2003. The benefit of upgrading from a Technician License to a General License is receiving access to all of the spectrum frequency bands allocated to hams, being able to operate in additional modes, and being able to communicate at high power on HF bands with hams around the world. There is no charge to attend this workshop. Attendees must bring the book ARRL General Class License Manual (4th edition, published October 2000) to the workshop. The book is published by the ARRL and can be purchased from them for $15. ARRL General Class License Manual (4th edition) may also be checked out from the South Central Library System.

A general license exam (cost $12) and a 5 wpm Morse Code test will be given at the workshop conclusion on Sunday, February 16. The general license requires the operator to pass a 5 wpm Morse Code test. The Morse code test may be taken on a separate occasion, before or after taking the general license written exam. However, the Morse code test must be successfully completed within one year after passing the general license exam in order to upgrade from the Technician License to the General License.

A Morse code workshop based on the Code Quick Morse Code Mastery system will be offered in March 2003. Darryl Lonowski (AB9BB) will present this session. There is no charge to attend this class, but students will need to provide their own copy of Code Quick (available at a reduced cost for this class).

I attended the Technician and General License workshops in 2001, and found the sessions interesting, informative, and fun. I recommend attending these workshops for many reasons. For starters, complimentary doughnuts and coffee are served (donations are appreciated). Attending these free workshops gave me a chance to learn about the fascinating hobby of ham radio from knowledgeable instructors so devoted to amateur radio that they committed their weekends to teaching their hobby. I met others who are interested in radio communications. We watched an entertaining video that introduced us to the dangers of "RF in the shack", the expression "Super Ham", how to say the ITU Phonetic Alphabet, and lots of other ham lingo.

During the workshop, we were exposed to Morse code. Learning how to communicate with Q-signals taught us how to express a phrase in just two or three characters. Some of the concepts taught were applicable to broadcast engineering as well as amateur radio. After completing the workshops and studying independently, I felt well-prepared for the Technician and General Class written exams. I now have a call sign of my own. As an added bonus during my visit to Space Place, I observed a retired satellite (Figure 2) in the lobby, and spent time in the N9UW amateur radio station (Figures 3 and 4).

Figure 2. This satellite from the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO-2) program was launched December 7, 1968 from the Kennedy Space Center. An experiment package aboard the satellite –built at the U.W. Madison Space Astronomy Lab– gathered data on the energy distribution of selected stars and star clusters in the UV region.

Figure 3. N9UW Amateur Radio Station at UW Space Place

Figure 4. A closer look inside the N9UW Station.

Class space is limited so you need to sign up in advance. To register for either workshop, send the following information to Don Michalski (W9IXG) by e-mailing dem@sal.wisc.edu or by phoning (608) 274-1886:

• Which workshop you would like to attend
  

• Your name
  
• Address
  
• E-mail address
  
• Phone number
  
• Age (Only needed for youth of high school age or younger)
  

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The National Cable and Telecommunications Association, the Consumer Electronics Association, and 14 electronic manufacturers have signed an agreement that sets the standards for the addition of tuners in television receivers, digital recorders and other devices to receive digital transmission from cable providers.

The agreement will give the consumer the opportunity to receive digital cable transmissions without the problems of a separate set-top box for new sets, and the opportunity to purchase their own set-top boxes for older equipment.

The tuners should receive all analog and digital unscrambled transmissions and scrambled pay services. The standards set in this document are for one-way boxes that do not communicate back to the cable provider, so on-demand pay-per-view and interactive services are not supported. Future standards will address the two-way issues.

This document sets standards for digital and analog interfaces for scrambling systems, including copy guarding on the analog outputs when required. Digital interfaces including IEEE 1394 are addressed. The reception of PSIP and EAS is also addressed. The standards will be phased in starting with larger screen sized sets.

The CEA and the NCTA both feel the standards should meet copyright requirements and still allow for home recording. The various copyright holders still need to agree to the standards.

The document has been submitted to the FCC for approval. Information on these standards can be found on the NTCA’s website at www.ntca.com under press releases. There is a link to the agreement and the list of manufacturers. The CEA also has a release from their website.

From NTCA (www.ntca.com) and CEA (www.ce.org) releases

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The FCC has reconsidered a decision made last year which had cancelled the authorization for EchoStar Communications' EchoStar 9 hybrid C/Ku/Ka-band satellite. The change occurred last November, after EchoStar submitted new information about the Ka-band subsystem, including the power budget for the spacecraft.

The additional information provided to the FCC last year asserted that the Ka-band system construction was near completion. EchoStar 9 will operate at 121º WL, and is scheduled for a 2003 first quarter launch.

(Information for this article came from industryclick.com and www.fcc.gov)

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• With no fanfare, the American Radio Relay League allowed its WA2XSY 5-MHz experimental license to lapse January 1 rather than request renewal for another year. Last May, the FCC proposed going along with the ARRL’s 2001 request for a new domestic (US-only), secondary HF allocation at 5.25 to 5.4 MHz. Discussions with various governmental agencies—including the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee (IRAC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)—continue on how to accommodate amateur operation in the band, which is primary for several governmental agencies, including the military. The NTIA regulates radio spectrum allocated to the federal government.

Until surprise opposition surfaced last fall from the NTIA, the FCC had the League’s request for a new 60-meter band on the proverbial fast track. In a letter filed with the FCC last August—after the comment deadline had passed—the NTIA recommended that the Commission not go forward with the 5-MHz proposal. The NTIA said critical federal agencies, including the Department of Justice, the US Coast Guard, and the Department of Defense, were making extensive use of 5 MHz frequencies. The FCC’s May 2002 Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) fails to adequately protect these "critical government operations" from harmful interference, the NTIA asserted.

The ARRL has called the 5 MHz allocation "an urgent priority of the Amateur Service." In its July 2001 petition, the League told the FCC that a new band at 5 MHz would aid emergency communication activities by filling a "propagation gap" between 80 and 40 meters.

• Special event station KM1CC will be on the air January 11-19 to mark the 100th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi’s inaugural wireless transmission between the US and Great Britain January 18, 1903 (January 19 UTC). On that date, from the sandy Cape Cod cliffs overlooking the Atlantic, Marconi—using a 35 kW rotary spark transmitter coupled to a massive antenna system—transmitted a 54-word greeting from President Theodore Roosevelt to England’s King Edward VII. The monarch promptly acknowledged receipt of the message via land line and cable.

The Marconi Radio Club, W1AA, and the Marconi Cape Cod Memorial Radio Club, KM1CC, are working in partnership with the National Park Service at Cape Cod National Seashore to organize the celebration. The special event will take place at the former Coast Guard station at Coast Guard Beach in Eastham, Massachusetts, which is near the original Marconi site. Operation will include several amateur modes, including SSB, CW, FM, digital, and satellite. Marconi’s daughter, Princess Elettra Marconi, is scheduled to attend the reenactment of the groundbreaking wireless transmission on January 18, when KM1CC will transmit the text of Roosevelt’s original message to King Edward VII.

• Hams responded to fill a communication gap December 23 after the town of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, experienced a city-wide telephone outage that left telephone customers unable to call outside their local exchange. Broken Arrow implemented its Telecommunications Failure Plan as a result.

A request went out for amateurs to assist at the local emergency operations center (EOC) and at three area hospitals. Several hams in and around the town of 75,000 residents responded to the call, staffing positions at the Broken Arrow EOC and at three hospital emergency rooms. The operation lasted about five hours.

In addition to passing traffic between the EOC and the hospitals, lines of communication also were opened with the Oklahoma State Department of Civil Emergency Management in Oklahoma City via the EOC’s HF amateur station. The telephone system troubles were traced to the loss of a digital protocol needed for call routing.

(Excerpts from "The ARRL Letter" and the www.arrl.org web site)

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The SBE Frequency Coordination and FCC Liaison committees have been discussing a course of action, regarding the recent FCC decision impacting Part 74 frequency coordination. The Executive Committee will take up the issue at their meeting on January 11. They will also discuss how the FCC ruling affects the responsibilities of SBE regional frequency coordinators. After establishing what changes are necessary, SBE will provide guidance to frequency coordinators on how to proceed.

SBE contributed an Amicus Curiae brief in a recent case heard by the New Hampshire Supreme Court that will be instructive to courts in other states with similar circumstances. In Koor Communications, Inc. v. City of Lebanon, NH, the Court ruled the decision establishes that, where compliance with the terms of an FCC construction permit or license and compliance with land use regulations are mutually exclusive, the FCC’s authority is preemptive. In other words, under some circumstances, the FCC’s assignment of a construction permit to serve a particular community preempts that community’s preclusion of broadcast service through unreasonable land use regulation.

While not controlling in other states, the case is instructive to courts in other states with similar circumstances. The Lookout Mountain case in Colorado, for example, might be resolved consistent with the Koor decision, since all DTV is effectively precluded by land use decisions there. More details will be available in the March issue of the SBE SIGNAL. Our thanks to SBE’s general counsel, Chris Imlay for his work in drafting and submitting the brief.

SBE presented the "Broadcast News and Sports Tutorial" to more than 100 staff of the Federal Communications Commission on December 17. The purpose of the five-hour program was to inform attendees about broadcasters’ use of auxiliary spectrum regulated under 47 CFR Part 74. Many other FCC staff watched the presentation on closed circuit TV from their offices.

The program included presentations by SBE, CBS Sports, the National Football League, Broadcast Sports, Media Alert, and the Southern California Frequency Coordination Committee. The importance of spectrum availability and coordination of its use was described using real-life examples of breaking news and sports programming. Video clips of breaking news coverage of wildfires, marine disasters, and severe weather depicted how broadcasters rely on auxiliary spectrum and wireless communications to report news to the public. The wide use of wireless devices in sporting events was depicted using PGA Golf tournaments, auto races, and NFL football games as examples. The important role of the SBE regional and event frequency coordinators was explained.

Serving as moderator and chief organizer for the program was David Otey, SBE Frequency Coordination Director. Others on the organization team were SBE General Counsel, Chris Imlay, SBE Vice President, Ray Benedict, Board Member, Ralph Beaver and Executive Director, John Poray.

Presenters included Ken Aagaard and Larry Barbatsoulis of CBS Sports, Ralph Beaver of Media Alert, Howard Fine of the Southern California Frequency Coordination Committee, Jay Gerber and Karl Voss of the National Football League, Peter Larsson of Broadcast Sports and Louis Libin of Broad-Comm. Imlay and Otey also were presenters. Bruce Franca, Deputy Chief of the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology, Benedict and Poray provided opening comments. A follow-up visit to the FCC is planned for late January.

The Ennes Educational Foundation Trust and SBE will once again collaborate to present an Ennes Workshop during the NAB spring 2003 convention in Las Vegas. It will be held on Saturday, April 5 at the Las Vegas Convention Center from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Topics will include Digital Audio Technology, Facility Infrastructure, and Improving Station Efficiency Through Centralization. Participants can apply for SBE recertification credit following the Workshop. The Ennes Workshop is open to all who hold full NAB registration credentials for the convention. Members of SBE are eligible for the NAB Partner convention registration rate, a savings of $230 from the non-member rate. Go to the NAB web site, www.nab.org, to register.

SBE will be releasing the new, SBE Handbook for Radio Operators early this year. A new certification level and exam are being prepared and will be available when the book is released. The book will include sample questions to help users prepare for the optional test. Watch for future announcements about the release and discounts for pre-publication sales.

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The FCC has granted an 18-day extension of time in which to file comments on the reports of the Spectrum Policy Task Force. The deadline for comments has been extended from January 9th to January 27, 2003. Time to file replies has been extended from February 10th to February 23, 2003.

This action was taken on a motion from Nickolaus E. Leggett and the IEEE 802.18 Radio Regulatory Technical Advisory Group for an extension of time, due to the holidays and the unavailability to gather information from various parties during that time. The action was taken on December 10, 2002 and released on December 11th.

The FCC is proposing rules that would allow unlicensed RF equipment to operate in the broadcast television bands and in the 3650-3700 MHz band. They wish to expand the amount of spectrum due to the successful introduction of unlicensed equipment in the 902-928 MHz, 2400-2483.5 MHz and the 5725-5850 MHz bands. Unlicensed equipment is used in those bands for such uses as cordless phones, wireless LANs, and other wireless computer devices. Point to point and point to multipoint devices for the transmission of data using Spread Spectrum Modulation is also allowed. Because of the success of these devices in the marketplace, the FCC wishes to find more spectrum for these devices to operate in.

They have proposed the use of low-power devices in the TV broadcast bands and devices of up to one watt in the 3650-3700 MHz band. They are asking for information on interference criteria, the methods that the Commission can use to enforce rules concerning interference to licensed users from unlicensed users, and what kinds of technology can be used to prevent interference. The FCC has proposed the use of GPS tied to a database look-up system, frequency agile systems with protocols for frequency sharing, or mechanisms that would avoid frequency collisions.

In statements from the Commissioners, Chairman Michael Powell touted the use of smart devices to avoid interference, with support from Commissioner Kathleen Abernaty and Michael Copps. Commissioner Kevin Martin supported making more spectrum available for unlicensed use, but wrote at length about his fear of interference to the television broadcast band.

This Notice was adopted on December 11, 2002 and released on December 20, 2002. Comments are due 75 days after publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER and replies due 105 days after publication in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

From FCC Notices (www.fcc.gov)

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