FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS: (Click on question to see answer)

Can I do my own Frequency Coordination?

Is there an FCC Filing Fee? If so how much is it?

If I replace my composite STL with a digital link do I need to re-license it?

How do I calculate the elevation angle of the antenna?

My license shows an emission type of 500KD7W – What does that mean?

What’s the difference between antenna gain in dB and gain in dBi?

What’s the maximum transmitter power I can use for an STL?

My FM station is upgrading to HD Radio^TM. What do I need to do to my STL?

ANSWERS:

Can I do my own Frequency Coordination? – Maybe, if you have the time and necessary resources you can certainly do your own coordination. The FCC doesn’t specify who must do the coordination, only how it is done. However, the frequency coordination requirements are quite stringent. They require you to have some specialized knowledge and access to a current database of existing STL licenses and applications. You, or hopefully your software, will need to calculate the amount of interfering signal you will generate at each “possibly impacted” licensed or previously coordinated receiver and compare it to the signal from that receiver’s own transmitter. This procedure must be done for facilities on your proposed frequency and adjacent channels. These calculations will give you a Carrier to Interference (C/I) or Desired to Undesired (D/U) ratio at each receiver. If the C/I ratio, for all facilities, meets the requirements– you’ve successfully frequency coordinated you proposal. Now you need to notify all “possibly impacted” licensees in a process called Prior Coordination Notification or PCN. The PCN Samples link on our Home Page will show you an example of the type of information you’ll need to send to each licensee. So, as this answer says, maybe you can do your own frequency coordination. If you’d rather have us do it for you, click here to get a copy of our data form. Back to Top

Can I prepare and file my own application? – Yes, you can do it, or we can do it for you. If we frequency coordinate your proposal we’ll email you the required frequency coordination exhibit, ready for filing. We’ll also email you all of the other data you’ll need to fill in the on-line application. If this will be the first time you’ve used the Universal Licensing System (ULS), be prepared to spend at least an hour (possibly more) navigating through the JAVA applet, the FCC supplies, to upload your data and the frequency coordination exhibit. If you’re ready to start, or just want to take a look – click here to go to the ULS Log In screen at the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau’s website. Note – you don’t need to finish the entire application in one session. You can save an incomplete application and it will be available for further work for 30 days. Back to Top

Is there an FCC Filing Fee? If so how much is it? – Some applications require the payment of a filing fee and some don’t. If you are a non-commercial educational broadcaster then you will not be required to pay a fee. If you are a commercial broadcaster and are applying for a new facility or making changes (beyond “Administrative” changes) then yes a filing fee will be required. The fee is $145.00. When you finish the application and click the “File” button, the FCC will determine if a fee is required. If so, you will be given the opportunity to pay the fee on-line (using a credit card) or to print out a form 159 “Remittance Advice”. If you choose the Remittance Advice you have ten days to submit it, by mail, with the payment to a lock-box address. Back to Top

If I replace my composite STL with a digital link do I need to re-license it? - Yes, a change from a composite STL to a digital STL (like a StarLink) changes the emission type so the current license cannot be used for the new equipment, without modification. This change is considered a “major change” by the FCC so before applying for a new license, the change must be frequency coordinated and Prior Coordination Notification must be completed. Back to Top

How do I calculate the elevation angle of the antenna? – Okay it sounds like you’re doing your own coordination. Because, if we’d done it for you, you’d have that information on the data sheet we sent you. Or – maybe you’re just curious. In either case, here's two ways to do it. Back to Top

My license shows an emission type of 500KD7W – What does that mean? – The emission designator is a standardized way to describe the modulation of a radio carrier. The designator contains lots of information. Yours, 500KD7W, tells us that you have a bandwidth (500K) of 500 kHz. The “D” indicates your carrier contains both amplitude and phase modulation (typically QAM). The “7” tells us the nature of the modulating signal – in your case the carrier contains two or more digital channels of information. Finally the “W” tells us the type of information – W indicates some mixture of audio, video or data. This emission designator is quite common in STL systems. It’s used by digital STLs utilizing QAM modulation carrying stereo audio and data (possibly an RS-232 link to a remote control or RDS system). Back to Top

What’s the difference between gain in dB and dBi? – It’s simply a difference in the reference. The gain in dB is referencing the gain of an antenna to a “standard” antenna, like a dipole. When the gain is specified as dBi, then the antenna is being compared to an isotropic radiator, a point source. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau wants the gain of an STL, ICR or Microwave Booster antenna expressed in dBi. If the gain of your antenna is given in dB, add 2.15 to the gain in dB and you’ll have the gain in dBi. Antenna gain is one of the most common errors we see in the ULS database. It’s important to get it right. Antenna gain directly affects the EIRP. Back to Top

What’s the maximum transmitter power I can use for an STL? – The FCC does not specify the maximum STL transmitter output power in the 950 MHz band. FCC Rules §74.534(a)(1) require only that “Transmitter output power shall be limited to that necessary to accomplish the function of the system”. But, since April 2003 they have limited the maximum Effective Isotropic Radiated Power or EIRP. The power limit for an STL, ICR or Microwave Booster in the 950 MHz BAS band is +40 dBW (note that it’s dBW not dBm, +40 dBW is +70 dBm). +40 dBW is 10 kW! A typical STL transmitter has a power output of 10 Watts (+40 dBm or +10 dBW). You’d need a gain of 30 dBi in your transmitting antenna (assuming no cable or connector losses) to boost your EIRP to the maximum limit. A typical 10’ grid antenna has a gain of about 27 dBi. So, how long did you say your path was??? Back to Top

My FM station is upgrading to HD Radio^TM. What do I need to do to my STL? – That’s a complicated question – actually it’s a simple question with a complicated answer. There are many variables. Click here to see the answer with system diagrams. Back to Top

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