EchoStar filed an application to renew its special temporary authority (STA) to operate EchoStar 6 at 110.4 degrees west as an in-orbit spare. Sirius Satellite Radio requested STA to operate a terrestrial repeater in Las Vegas for 180 days. Sirius stated that while it was previously granted STA to operate this repeater, it must be relocated due to the imminent demolition of the structure on which it is located. Sirius also requested STA to operate repeaters with power levels of 200 W EIRP and 0.0001 W EIRP at trade shows in various cities from Dec. 31, 2006 through June 29, 2007. Sirius stated the repeaters are necessary to provide quality reception inside trade show venues, due to signal blockage from walls and ceilings. ICO requested authority to extend the remaining milestone dates to complete testing and launch of its ICO G1 satellite. For additional information, see Report SAT-00402. To obtain copies of the applications, enter the file numbers in SAT-00402 in the quick search box (search by file number) on the FCC IBFS Web site.
The FCC granted a modification request from DirecTV to operate the DirecTV 9S satellite's on-station telecommand functions on the 17,795 MHz (uplink) frequency, after coordination with all potentially affected lawfully operating satellite networks to ensure no unacceptable interference results from operation on this frequency.
The authorization for Intelsat 601 was modified to allow operation on C-band and Ku-band (14.0-14.5 GHz, 10.95-11.2 GHz, 11.45-11.7 GHz) frequencies at 63.65 degrees east. The FCC previously dismissed, without prejudice to refiling, certain portions of DirecTV's application pertaining to operation of DirecTV 13 at 110 degrees west in the 36 MHz and 82 MHz wideband modes, and launch of a payload capable of operating on even-number channels 2-26.
Friday, the FCC granted the remaining portion of the application, authorizing DirecTV to construct, launch and operate the DirecTV 13 DBS satellite at 109.8 degrees west with feeder links in the 17.3-17.8 GHz band on DBS channels 28, 30, and 32 and service links (space-to-Earth) in the 12.2-12.7 GHz band on DBS channel 28, 30 and 32. The two Sirius Satellite Radio requests for STA described in the paragraph on applications were granted. For additional information on these actions and other actions affecting to Sirius Satellite Radio and ICO Satellite Services, see FCC Report SAT-00403.
