Presentation on theme: "Fixed and Portable Services"— Presentation transcript
Slide1
Fixed and Portable Services
in Broadcast Microwave BandsSlide2
Broadcast Microwave
Presented By…
Dan Ryson, Cavell Mertz & Associates, Inc.
With Assistance and Photos From…
Joe
Snelson
,
Craig Strom, & Ray BenedictSBE National Frequency Coordination Committee Additional Photos Provided By…Cindy Cavell, Jeremy Lewis, Gary Nadler, & Mike RhodesSlide3
Broadcast Microwave
Introduction
What is Broadcast Microwave?
How broadcasters use BAS bands
Fixed point-to-point
News
coverage
Sports coverageTrends in equipment used by broadcastersConsiderations in sharing 7 & 13 GHz
SBE Frequency CoordinatorsSlide4
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Broadcast Microwave is:
A bit unusual
Associated with broadcast licenses
Renewed with broadcast license
Expiration concurrent with broadcast licenseOriginally administered by Media BureauSlide5
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Types of Broadcast Microwave StationsSlide6
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Types of Broadcast Microwave Stations
Aural Broadcast
Auxiliary Stations
Issued to AM, FM, LPFM, some FM translator, FM booster, and TV stations.
Aural studio
transmitter link stations
Aural broadcast intercity relay
stations
Aural broadcast microwave booster
stationsSlide7
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Types of Broadcast Microwave Stations
Television Broadcast Auxiliary Stations (§74.601)
Issued to a TV, Class A TV, LPTV, or TV translator stations and TV network entities.
Television pickup stations
TV studio transmitter
link stationsTV relay stations
TV microwave booster stations
TV translator relay stationsSlide8
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Aural
Broadcast STL Stations
Radio Service code “AS”
Fixed stations
for the transmission of aural program material between the studio and the transmitter of a broadcasting station.
ULS universe: 10,800 or 42.9% (as of May 2012)
There are far more Aural STLs than any other BAS Radio Service. Slide9
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Aural
Broadcast STL Stations (cont’d.)
Typically
licensed by radio stations
High Reliability
VitalPreviously coordinated by local (often SBE) frequency coordination committees.Now coordinated using Part 101 and PCN proceduresSlide10
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Aural
Broadcast Intercity Relay Stations
Radio Service code “AI”
Fixed stations
for the transmission of aural program material
to other radio stations, FM booster stations and FM translator stations,
or other
purposes
per §74.531.
ULS universe: 6,419 or 25.5%
(as of May 2012)Slide11
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Aural
Intercity Relay Stations (cont’d)
Use same frequencies as Aural STLs
Typically licensed by radio stations
High reliability
often requiredSlide12
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Aural
Broadcast Microwave Booster Stations
Radio Service code “AB”
A
fixed station in the broadcast auxiliary service that receives and amplifies signals of an aural broadcast STL or intercity relay station and retransmits them on the same frequency
.ULS universe: 7 or 0.03% (as of May 2012)
Same frequencies as Aural STL/ICRsSlide13
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
TV
Studio Transmitter Link Stations
Radio Service code “TS”
Fixed
station
that transmits TV program material and related communications from the studio to the transmitter of a TV, Class
A or LPTV station or other purposes
per §
74.631
.
ULS universe
:
3,112 or 12.4%
(as of May 2012)
There are more TV STLs than other TV services Slide14
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Television
Pickup Stations
Radio Service code “TP”
Land
mobile
stations for transmission of TV program material and related communications from scenes of events to TV or LPTV stations or other purposes per
§74.631
.
ULS universe
:
2,616 or 10.4%
(as of May 2012)
Because they’re unusual, we’ll focus on TV Pickup Stations in today’s presentation.Slide15
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
TV
Relay Stations
Radio Service code “TI”
Commonly known as “ICR” (InterCity Relay)
A fixed station
for transmission of TV program material and related communications for use by TV, Class A or LPTV stations
or other purposes as
per §
74.631
.
ULS universe
:
6,419 or 25.5%
(as of May 2012)Slide16
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
TV
Microwave Booster Stations
Radio Service code “TM”
A fixed station in the TV broadcast auxiliary service that receives and amplifies signals of a TV pickup, TV STL, TV relay, or TV translator relay station and retransmits them on the same frequency
.
ULS universe: 9 or 0.04% (as of May 2012)Slide17
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
TV Translator
Relay Stations
Radio Service code “TT”
A fixed station used for relaying programs and signals of TV broadcast or Class A TV stations to Class A TV, LPTV, TV translator, and to other communications facilities that the Commission may authorize or for other purposes as permitted by §
74.631.
ULS universe: 574 or 2.3%
(as of May 2012)Slide18
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Common Terms
BAS – Broadcast Auxiliary
Service
ENG – Electronic News Gathering
ENG Truck – A vehicle (typically a van) equipped with a
mast, transmitter & antenna
Portable – Temporary fixed
links, sometimes used on building rooftops or mountains and deployed from the trunk of a car.Slide19
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Common Terms
Mobile – Transmissions from a vehicle in motion or aircraft
Backhaul link – A fixed link used to transmit program material to the studioSlide20
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Broadcast Auxiliary Microwave Bands
Aural
944–952
MHz
18 GHz BAS band – 18.76 to 18.82 GHz and 19.10 to 19.16 (legacy
)*
* Shared with other servicesSlide21
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Broadcast Auxiliary Microwave Bands
ENG, STL, ICR, Television Translator Relay
2 GHz BAS band – 2,025 to 2,110 MHz
2.5 GHz BAS band – 2,450 to
2,483.5 MHz*
7 GHz BAS band – 6875 to 7125 MHz*13 GHz BAS band – 12.70 to 13.25 GHz*18
GHz BAS band – 17.70 to 18.58 GHz and 19.26 to 19.70*
* Shared with other servicesSlide22
What is Broadcast Microwave
?
Broadcast Auxiliary Microwave Bands
Mobile Only
6.5 GHz BAS band – 6,425 to 6,525 MHz
*
* Shared with other
services Slide23
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Studio
Transmitter Link (STL) – Transmits program material from the studio to the main transmitterSlide24
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Intercity Relay (ICR) – Feed program material back to the studio such as:
TV
Network programs from
off-site satellite receivers
Remote
news
bureausENG receive sitesStudio programming to other TV stationsSlide25
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
Sports:
Camera back operation inside a stadiumSlide26
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
Sports (cont’d):
Television remotes such as parades and sporting eventsSlide27
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
Sports (cont’d):
Multiple non-directional receive antennas were located throughout the NASCAR track.Slide28
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
Sports (cont’d):
Golf coverage is particularly challenging
This temporary transmitter site is for a multiple golf course event.Slide29
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
Sports (cont’d):
This is the temporary receive site for the same multi-course broadcast.Slide30
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
Sports (cont’d):
Some sports coverage requires Herculean effort.
This is 1 of 6 7GHz microwave relays from Mount Everest to Kathmandu, Nepal.Slide31
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
News:
Temporary, transmit equipment for live news
coverage
of the 2009 inauguration.Slide32
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television
Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
Rooftop Receive Equipment for live
news
coverage of the 2009 inauguration.Slide33
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
This is the WLS-TV, Chicago newsroom.
Journalists pick the news stories that deserve coverage. Slide34
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
The WLS-TV Assignment Desk monitors and dispatches news crewsSlide35
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
Based on the story and the location, the Assignment Desk may deploy an ENG truck.Slide36
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
The ENG truck is equipped with AC and generator controls, UHF communications, a digital editor, and ENG/SNG modulators and power amplifiers.Slide37
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
They may also deploy the WLS-TV helicopter, known as Chopper 7HD.Slide38
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
ENG signals are received by a steerable antenna atop Willis Tower, the tallest building in the USA.Slide39
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
From such a tall rooftop, one might think ENG coverage with low antennas wouldn’t be a challenge. Still, “bounce” shots are often necessary.Slide40
How Broadcasters Use BAS Bands
Television Pick-Up
News (cont’d):
At the studio, Transmission is responsible for remote control of the Central Receive antennas. Slide41
BAS Microwave Equipment Trends
Lower Antenna Gain and Height.
Will-Burt “Night Scan” mast doesn’t require any interior vehicle space. Only extends ~15 ft. Slide42
BAS Microwave Equipment Trends
Combination of ENG and Satellite Technology.
In some cases, ENG is used for “first mile” and satellite is used to backhaul video to a distant city.Slide43
BAS Microwave Equipment Trends
Wireless Camera-back Transmitter
Often used for short “hop” to the ENG truck or in lieu of long cable runs in buildings.Slide44
BAS Microwave Equipment Trends
3G, 4G,
WiFi
, Microwave Combo
Claimed to go where ENG and satellite signals are impractical.
Shared with public, can be problematic.Slide45
Sharing
7 & 13 GHz – Possible Issues
Fixed and Mobile in the Same Band:
News crews are often in a rush to get to a news event and quickly establish video.
STLs must have high reliability – or broadcast stations go off the air.
Having these diametrically opposed needs within the same band can be problematic, even among fellow broadcasters.
New FCC Rules preclude FS in markets with 7 & 13 GHz ENG. It’s a good move. Slide46
SBE Frequency Coordination
Most coordinators are unpaid volunteers
Many are familiar
with the nuances of
broadcasting
and
news – in their region.
They typically do not assign frequenciesPrimarily a facilitator to provide contact and predominant use information
May not know
precise, day-to-day
usage by
every broadcaster in his region.
There are a
few incorporated coordination committeesSlide47
Fixed and Portable Services
in Broadcast Microwave Bands
Questions
