Subject: [NEXTEL-1] COMMENT SOUGHT ON USE OF SEPARATE ANTENNAS TO INITIATE DIGITAL FM TRANSMISSIONS

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 16:16:47 -0500

PUBLIC NOTICE

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION  News Media Information: (202) 418-0500
445 12th STREET, S.W. Fax-On-Demand: (202) 418-2830
WASHINGTON, D.C.  20554 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
ftp.fcc.gov

DA 03-3898
December 8, 2003

MM Docket No. 99-325

COMMENT SOUGHT ON USE OF SEPARATE ANTENNAS TO INITIATE DIGITAL FM TRANSMISSIONS
Comment Date:  January 8, 2004
Reply Comment Date:  January 23, 2004

           On July 24, 2003, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)
submitted a report to the Commission regarding the use of separate antennas for
the analog and digital components of the hybrid FM IBOC signal.  The report
includes field tests prepared by an ad hoc technical group, and recommends that
the Commission permit certain FM stations implementing IBOC transmissions to use
separate antennas for analog and digital signals.  The NAB report is available
electronically at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs under MM Docket No. 99-325, or
from the Commission’s duplicating contractor, Qualex International, 445 12th
Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, DC, 20554, 202-863-2893.   We seek comment
on the conclusions and recommendations made by the NAB report.
 Stations may voluntarily initiate hybrid IBOC transmissions upon notification
to the Commission.  The initial grant of interim IBOC authority restricted
stations to use of facilities similar to those evaluated by the National Radio
Systems Committee.   As a result, stations are currently restricted to
transmission systems that combine the digital and analog signals into one
antenna.   Many broadcasters, however, have expressed interest in using separate
antennas for the analog and digital signals.  Separate antenna configurations
can be more efficient and less expensive than single-antenna designs.
Consequently, the NAB convened an ad hoc technical group to determine whether
broadcasters could use this approach without causing interference to the host
station’s analog signal or to other FM stations.

Based on the completed field tests, the NAB report proposes that the Commission
permit FM stations implementing IBOC operations to use separate antennas for
digital transmissions provided the following criteria are met:

? The digital transmission must use a licensed auxiliary antenna;
? The auxiliary antenna must be within three seconds of latitude and longitude
of the main antenna; and
? The height above average terrain of the auxiliary antennas must be between 70
and 100 percent of the height above average terrain of the main antenna.

The report also recommends that the Commission authorize use of antennas
specially designed with interleaved or stacked elements for analog and digital
signals.

 We seek comments on the test results, conclusions, and recommendations in the
report of the NAB ad hoc technical committee.  Interested parties may submit
comments on or before January 8, 2004, and reply comments on or before January
23, 2004.  Comments and replies should specifically reference this Public
Notice.  Comments and reply comments may be filed electronically at
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs , or on paper (an original and four copies) with the
Commission’s Secretary, Marlene Dortch, Federal Communications Commission, 236
Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC, 20002.

 Ex parte status:  This is a “permit-but-disclose” rulemaking proceeding.  See
Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and Their Impact on the Terrestrial Broadcast
Service, 15 FCC Rcd at 1745 (1999).  “Permit-but-disclose” ex parte  procedures
permit interested parties to make ex parte presentations to the Commissioners
and Commission employees and require that these presentations be disclosed in
the record of the relevant proceeding.  Persons making a written ex parte
presentation to the Commissioners or Commission employees must file the written
presentation with the Commission, as set forth below, no later than the next
business day after the presentation.  See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(1).  Persons
making oral ex parte presentations must file a summary of the presentation, as
set forth below, and deliver copies to the Commissioners or Commission employees
involved with the presentation no later than the next business day after the
presentation.  See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(2).  All ex parte filings must be
clearly labeled as such and must reference this Public Notice, as well as any
other applicable docket or file numbers.

 An original and one copy of all ex parte memoranda must be filed with the
Commission’s Secretary, Marlene Dortch, Federal Communications Commission, 236
Massachusetts Avenue, NE, Suite 110, Washington, DC, 20002, in accordance with
47 C.F.R. § 1.1206(b)(1).  In addition, one copy of each ex parte memorandum
should be delivered to each of the following locations: (1) the Commission’s
duplicating contractor, Qualex International, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 2-B450,
Washington, DC, 20554.  Copies of the reports and any subsequently filed
documents in this matter may be obtained electronically at
http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html, and on paper from Qualex International
during normal business hours in the Commission’s Reference Information Center
located at 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC, 20554.

 For additional information, contact Edward De La Hunt or Ann Gallagher at the
Audio Division, Media Bureau at (202) 418-2700.

By:  Chief, Media Bureau

-FCC-

http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-3898A1.doc

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