The FCC released Oct. 20 what it envisions as the final step in the DTV channel election process that will provide eligible stations with final channel assignments for DTV service after cessation of analog transmission.
With the release of the Seventh Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making, the commission has proposed a new DTV Table of Allotments and spelled out specific technical requirements, including effective radiated power (ERP), antenna height above average terrain (antenna HAAT), antenna radiation pattern and geographic coordinates where stations can operate.
The release of the notice initiates the last portion of a process that will recover 108MHz of spectrum between TV channels 52 and 69 and limit TV transmission to digital operations in the core spectrum, channels 2 through 51.
The commission is still seeking comments from licensees on a variety of issues, but no longer on issues related to the DTV transition other than channel assignments.
Comments are due to the commission Jan. 11, 2007. Reply comments are due Feb. 12, 2007.
For more information, visit: www.fcc.gov.
