> I just received todays "Free Press" news. In it is a very > interesting story how the FCC is going to be auctioning > off a large swath of the soon to be old analog TV 700MHz > frequencies.
All TV frequencies in the USA above channel 51 will go away when analog transmission ceases in 2009. The frequencies will be auctioned off but some expansion of emergency comm frequencies is expected to relieve congestion in the 800 MHz range and to allow new channels that will allow interoperability between services. BPL is not in the picture as far as I know. The frequencies are way too high to propagate efficiently. Some VHF channels will be opened up as duplicate analog and digital stations will no longer be required. For example, I have heard via the grapevine that channel 6 in Philadelphia will go to exclusively a UHF frequency. That will open up some new station opportunities in the Philadelphia/Wilmington market for FM stations and translators at the low end of the FM band. Presently FM stations must protect channel 6 from interference which limits the amount of power FM stations can use at the low end of the band within the channel 6 protected contour. BPL might be able to make use of some of these vacated VHF frequencies, but the National Association of Broadcasters took a dim view of using VHF TV allocations when NASWA first suggested the idea during the FCC "deliberations" on BPL. The word "deliberations" is in quotes because in my opinion the entire process was a sham. The FCC had their minds made up by the White House and the solicitation of comments was simply an exercise required by law to give the appearance of due process. ARRL has taken the BPL issue and the FCC's lack of enforcement action to the courtroom. I hope they can make some headway. 73, Joe Buch N2JB _______________________________________________ Swprograms mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/swprograms To unsubscribe: Send an E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED], or visit the URL shown above.
