More on Citigroup Spectrum Study
Last week I reported on the Citigroup study that questioned the shortage of broadband spectrum. The study itself is now being questioned, with CTIA, the Wireless Association, issuing a statement saying, "This time, NAB points to a report to conclude that there is no spectrum shortage. Aside from our concerns with several of the data points in the report, the most amazing element of the report that NAB fails to consider is that the authors of the study include 120 MHz of reallocated broadcast spectrum in their analysis when they talk about spectrum availability being 'high.'"
The study went on to said that there was "an additional 300 MHz of spectrum 'waiting in the wings,' with 120 MHz of this being 'the very broadcast spectrum that the FCC has proposed to reallocate and that Congress is considering for incentive auctions.'"
The Marcus Spectrum Solutions LLC "Spectrum Talk" has a good overview of the debate in NAB vs. CTIA: Citigroup Report, which is highly negative of the NAB position and their lobbying efforts.
A Google search on the Citigroup spectrum study Wednesday night provided a link to the report on the NAB Website, but the link didn't work, perhaps indicating NAB is having second thoughts about the study. The link was not listed on the NAB home page or in its newsroom section. And on Thursday morning the listing didn't show up in a Google search.
LightSquared May Sue GPS Manufacturers
In the on-going battle between LightSquared and GPS manufacturers and users, IDG news has a troubling report, LightSquared might take legal action over GPS. Stephen Lawson includes this quote from Jeffrey Carlisle, LightSquared's VP of regulatory affairs and public policy:
"If it is impossible to get a decision on this that allows us to go forward, I think our way forward is pretty clear, that we then have to insist on our legal rights. If you have to be the bad guy, and go out and start ... insisting on your property line, well, then that's what we'll do."
Paul Sinderbrand, a partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer, questioned whether LightSquared could sue the GPS industry, "LightSquared certainly has every right to contend that GPS chose not to install appropriate filtering, and should bear the burden of solving the problem. But it cannot sue manufacturers for building GPS devices that are vulnerable to interference."
Color TV's 60th Anniversary
For lighter reading, check out the Huffington Post article Color TV's 60th Anniversary: A Look Back Through Life.com Photos. The article notes that "In the fall of 1951, the first CBS manufactured color television rolled off the assembly line." It doesn't mention that the CBS color system was replaced by the RCA color system, but the photos are a great look back at what many would call the golden age of TV.
Build Your Own 2.4 GHz Yagi From Household Items
Save those Popsicle sticks. With them and some large paper clips, you could construct a high-gain 2.4 GHz Yagi antenna to extend the range of Wi-Fi devices. See Easy to Build WIFI 2.4 GHz Yagi Antenna on the Instructables Website for details. The writer pays more attention to details than some of the designs I've seen, recommending a metric caliper as one of the tools. Soldering is required.
Cellular Tower Location Info Available
EVDOInfo.com has two links to Website that will help you track down cell phone towers in the article How to Locate Your Cellular Tower. The two sites mentioned are Antennasearch.com and Cellreception.com.
ALMA Radio Telescope Produces First Images
From the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) Website, ALMA Opens its Eyes says "Humanity's most complex ground-based astronomy observatory, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), has officially opened for astronomers at its 16,500-feet elevation site in northern Chile." The Array is not an optical telescope; it is an array of ultra-precision millimeter/submillimeter wavelength radio telescopes working together.
"With the start of Early Science, we welcome ALMA into NRAO's working suite of state-of-the-art engines of exploration alongside the Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, and the Green Bank Telescope," said Dr. Fred K. Lo, NRAO director. "With them, and other novel facilities around the world, the astronomical community is entering a golden age of discovery using radio techniques."
Also see the beautiful First Images from ALMA.
As a side note, broadcast and wireless site operators aren't the only ones having problems with people taking stuff from their sites. Fox News reported Mexican authorities recover stolen radiotelescope parts. According to the report, some 128 metal panels were stolen. These were valued at approximately 13 million pesos ($1 million), and were designed especially for the Large Millimeter Telescope located on the summit of Mexico's Sierra Negra volcano. The panels were recovered and two suspects were arrested, according to the report.
