TV Technology - January 7, 2009 - (Page 19)

Special Report 19 TV Technology January 7, 2009 Finish Line in Sight for BAS Transition Almost one-third of all markets have successfully switched by Michael Degitz Vice President, Global Development and Spectrum Management Sprint Nextel RESTON, VA. s a new year begins, it is commonplace to look back on the accomplishments and challenges of the past year. While the sheer complexity of the BAS transition ensured that 2008 would be a year of many challenges, I am awed by the progress Sprint Nextel and the broadcast community have made in the past 12 months. Overall, 30 percent of all BAS operators in Michael Degitz the United States have transitioned their BAS operations to frequencies above 2025 MHz. These stations A cover 64 markets and a population of about 84 million and include major markets like Washington, D.C., Houston and Chicago. We also met our commitment to complete the transitions in all the Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) priority markets. This substantial undertaking involved transitioning 26 markets that cover a combined population of more than 40 million people. Accommodating the MSS operators diverted resources from other scheduled markets, imposed greater costs and delayed the transition in some of the markets scheduled to transition earlier in 2008. CONTRACTING ISSUES As a result, equipment installation and cut-over activity increased an impressive 322 and 650 percent respectively from one year ago. While this is a remarkable accomplishment, it is made even more impressive given trol systems, mobile and fixed transmitters, connectors, cabling, transmission lines, antennas, decoders, modulators and central receive antennas clears the way for broadcasters to install and relocate their operations in coordination As successful as 2008 has been, I look forward to working with broadcasters, equipment manufacturers and vendors to make even more progress in 2009. the need to have all mobile, fixed, and portable newsgathering units in service at all times to cover the longest and most hard-fought Presidential election in recent memory. With this progress, 50 percent have received all of the equipment necessary to transition to the new band plan. Receipt of all of the BAS equipment necessary for the transition including conwith other operators in their market. In fact, 38 percent of broadcasters have installed their new equipment. As successful as 2008 has been, I look forward to working with broadcasters, equipment manufacturers and vendors to make even more progress in 2009. The finish line is in sight, and we must keep working together to reach it. EXTENDING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD In 2008, the BAS community and Sprint resolved nearly all outstanding contracting issues and turned their attention to ensuring that the manufacturers, integrators, shippers, and installers meet the terms of the executed contracts. The vast majority of Frequency Relocation Agreements— 99 percent—are either complete or awaiting incumbent document review or compliance with state law. Ahead of the Relocation Curve Denver’s KCNC-TV takes full advantage of BAS transition by Andrew Morris DENVER T he BAS transition has prompted Denver CBS O&O KCNC-TV to redesign its microwave systems from the ground up and implement the advantages inherent in digital microwave technology. The new design took place in coordination with the construction of a new multistation facility on Lookout Mountain for transmission of DTV in the Denver area. The BAS relocation project was “fairly timely for us to fit in a road we were already heading down,” said Eric Buckland, KCNC engineering manager. “In 2003, we had just replaced most of our backhaul microwave with digital ready radios.” With the new digital gear, KCNC outfitted receive sites and ENG trucks with dual band (2/6.5 GHz) digital microwave gear. The changeover also with a proprietary COFDM microwave transmitter. “We got our feet wet with the helicopter and in 2003 we outfitted one of our ENG trucks with a digital ready transmitter,” KCNC Engineer Chris Jones said. “The whole Nextel project was serendipitous in the sense that we had committed to go digital on our own because of all the things it is: Eric Buckland, KCNC engineering manager and Chris Jones, bandwidth effiKCNC engineer. cient, video is better, the signal is Lookout Mountain transmitter site. remarkably robust. We had luckily COFDM EXPERIENCE gone the way of first upgrading the KCNC had gained some experi- backhaul infrastructure and about ence with digital microwave when in the time we considered doing the CURVE, PAGE 21 1999 they outfitted their helicopter allowed KCNC to implement camera back digital microwave systems and a diversity receiver system located at the Broadcasters should be aware that if the FCC buildout date is approaching for your station’s modification application to add digital operations and your station is not ready to transition to the new band plan you must file an extension request with the FCC to keep the application active. This extension request should explain that the application was filed to comply with the transition of the 1990-2025 MHz band from the Broadcast Auxiliary Service to emerging technologies but your TV market or your station is not ready to transition and, therefore, you need Commission permission to extend the construction period. If your application contains any frequency bands other than 1990-2110 MHz it is critical that you include these frequency bands in your extension request. You should state that these other frequency bands are part of an integrated system and that these frequencies will be reported constructed along with the 1990-2110 MHz frequencies when the TV market or station is transitioned. If you do not explain that frequency bands other than 19902110 MHz are part of an integrated system, your application may be dismissed. For additional information on the 2GHz BAS relocation go to www.2GHzRelocation.com. I http://www.2GHzRelocation.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TV Technology - January 7, 2009

TV Technology - January 7, 2009 NFL Enters a New Dimension Mobile DTV Looms Large in 2009 Contents A ‘Flexible Framework’ Doing More With Less ‘X’tra-Streamlined Finish Line in Sight for BAS Transition Ahead of the Relocation Curve DTV Transition Survival Guide ENG and the Lines of Communication DTV Transition Survival Guide Who Do We Really Work For? Obama to Expand Internet Access The Wizard Takes a Holiday The Solid-State Disk Revival To Light the Ear... or Not Hulu Gets It Right—the First Time User Reports—Video Servers & Recording/Controllers Reference Guide Product Showcase Classifieds Marketplace TV Tech Business

TV Technology - January 7, 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.