Steven J. Crowley, P.E.
Consulting Engineer
Recently
FCC unveils executive summary of National Broadband Plan http://bit.ly/a5WTQ6
LTE driving new distributed antenna deployments http://bit.ly/bSR8o8
Geospatial lobbying group: Google maps are ‘cartoons’ http://bit.ly/9lHDRf
Tech industry splinters over patent reform proposal http://bit.ly/bvrkDS
Mobile patent lawsuits in perspective
Larry Downes explores several drivers of mobile patent lawsuits, and suggests a mobile-device patent pool as one solution. Moreover, he says, mobile device winners will be those companies focusing on compelling consumer offerings, instead of patent disputes.
Senators lay out patent reform agreement http://bit.ly/bbJQxL
How to get grant money for public safety radio
“When you read the application and fill it out, give them what they want.”
Urgent Communications has tips (registration required) from a grant-writing consultant on getting grant money for public safety narrowbanding.
Experimental Radio Applications at the FCC
This summarizes a selection of applications for the Experimental Radio Service received by the FCC during February 21-26: radar, WiMAX, MVDDS, aeronautical communications, private mobile data, millimeter wave, high-frequency data, space communications, and radiolocation.
- The Maryland Department of the Environment filed an application (with supporting exhibits) to operate a wind-profiling radar on 915 MHz. The equipment was developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and fabricated by Radian International. The antenna is to consist of one steerable four-panel micro-patch phased array.
- DTV Norwich filed an application (with supporting exhibit) for special temporary authority to conduct propagation tests prior to potential full-scale deployment of Multichannel Video and Data Distribution Service (“MVDDS”) at 12.2 to 12.7 GHz in the Miami area. This is to determine the suitability of potential transmitter sites for full-scale operation, for which DTV Norwich has a license.
IEEE sets “obligations” for participation in standards development, effective March 31 http://bit.ly/9sTiYR
Airbus explores 60 GHz for wireless in-flight entertainment http://bit.ly/9sAsji
Experimental Radio Applications at the FCC
This summarizes a selection of applications for the Experimental Radio Service received by the FCC during February 13-20: landslide monitoring, WiMAX, earth-station antennas, radar, military mobile data, automatic aircraft landing, psyops transmission.
- Skyport Global Communications filed an application (with supporting exhibits) to test a 55cm slot-array X-band antenna manufactured by EMS Technologies on 8218-8400 MHz. The test will be done using a satellite link between the 55cm antenna in Atlanta, Georgia and a hub in Houston, Texas using the XTAR LANT X-band satellite.
Tower safety guide released
The National Association of Tower Erectors has released a hazard recognition guide to provide aid in recognizing and alleviating hazards at tower sites. Issues covered include job site documentation and conditions, OSHA guidelines, protective equipment, rigging, and radiofrequency radiation exposure. The intended audience includes tower owners, wireless carriers, broadcasters, contractors, and others responsible for safety at tower sites.
The format is an online narrated presentation of about 170 slides. Internet Explorer and registration are required for viewing.
Backhaul trends: higher rates, more wireless
A 4G base station can’t be any faster than its backhaul. An article in the February 2010 issue of AGL magazine, written by analysts at Visant Strategies, looks at how backhauls improving in speed to match new air interfaces. Over the next five years, they see the number of base stations having more than 24 Mbps of backhaul capacity increasing more than 20-times.
Today most backhaul links are wireline; through 2015, the percentage of wireless versus wireline backhaul links is predicted to increase, with percentages about even by 2016. The number of backhaul links in wireless networks is predicted to increase from 300,000 in 2008 to 500,000 in 2015.

Cellphone jamming test at Maryland prison this week http://bit.ly/bzYpRO
Vodaphone, Verizon Wireless, Qualcomm (nPhase) in new US/Europe machine-to-machine (M2M) alliance http://bit.ly/bL9qBH