Spectrum reallocation long overdue

Wills Point, Texas
I enjoyed reading [Bill McCarthy’s] editorial on some potential problems of interference caused by home and industry devices to critical security devices — including our national defense systems.

The idea proposed to use spectrum with the television broadcast band is the best choice, but let’s get the spectrum for this and other consumer rf products clear and stable for the long haul.

It is my belief that the FCC should now be migrating the lower 12 VHF television channels to the UHF television band 14 through 59.

I will only make a short comment here that television UHF tuners in home receivers have improved and off-the-air reception of UHF television is good quality.

For the UHF television broadcaster, towers of adequate height and transmitters of adequate power are readily available so that the UHF broadcaster can cover his licensed service area.

How can the move be accomplished?

The FCC begins by migrating all VHF channel 2 television stations to available and suitable UHF channels, this migration should take no longer than 12 months, same with channel 3 and on up through 13.

Some broadcasters are going to protest, but it will all work out very well.

The five lower VHF channel operators are going to have viewers that immediately enjoy the improved signal to noise of the UHF signal.

The upper VHF 7 channel operators are not going to like this move, because they already have about the best of the television broadcast world, but they will have five to 12 years to get ready, and in fairness to the lower 5 VHF operators, they (the upper VHF 7) must move to UHF also.

Now then, back to consumers and WiFi. Each year, starting with the vacating of VHF channel 2, 6 Mhz of spectrum will become available.

In 12 years, 72 Mhz of spectrum will be open for use across the nation, all kinds of wireless systems can operate and frequencies used for the vital protection of our country will not be in jeopardy.

I understand that I have presented this in a very simplistic manner, but I did not want to take up your time with complicated technical issues.
Michael L. Joyner
R&M Communications

DbSpectra shares gratitude

Lewisville, Texas
dbSpectra would like to thank MRT for the exposure we received during this year’s IWCE in Las Vegas.

MRT was instrumental in the attention we received at this year’s show, especially regarding our Combiners, Multicoupler, and Antenna Switch products.

Due to the advertising we have done with MRT regarding our 800 MHz Control Station Combiner and Deluxe Receiver Multicoupler, we have experienced a great increase in the volume of requests for quotes and sales on these products over the last few months.

In addition to the advertising we run in MRT, MRT has downloaded information on other products from our Web site and debuted them in the “New Products” category — the latest being the “DBS-112AA Dual Antenna Switch,” included in the March 2003 edition. This resulted in some very good interest in this product during the show and we expect our Antenna Switching product line to benefit significantly.

Here at dbSpectra we take pride in creating unique RF products, we want to thank the staff at MRT for always exploring creative products and companies that incorporate fresh ideas and technologies.

Each month our engineers scramble to see who can grab our monthly copy of MRT first, it is the publication we rely on to keep us on top.

Thanks again MRT
!
Ron Flower
Sales director
dbSpectra

Schwaninger’s expertise missed

Milwaukee
Both my wife and myself were regular readers of Robert Schwaninger’s articles in [Mobile Radio Technology magazine]. My wife is not directly associated with our business, however, she has met Schwaninger several times.

We were both very disappointed to read Schwaninger’s last article, “Adieu, but not goodbye.”

Schwaninger and his staff, especially [Elaney] DiStefano, were probably the best thing that happened to a lot of two-way radio and [specialized mobile radio] operators. With the assistance of Schwaninger, many SMR operators were able to make the best of a situation that looked very ominous for us, at best.

Although I have much respect for Nextel and the [Federal Communications Commission], I suspect that neither party had our best interests at heart. I realize that most of us paid for Schwaninger’s assistance (the American way), however both my wife and myself – and many other SMR operators – feel it was some of the best money we ever spent.

With the assistance we received we were able to comply with the mandates of the FCC auction and still continue to function as a UHF SMR operator. I suspect that if it were not for the assistance from Schwaninger’s office, things might have turned out differently.

In addition to the excellent assistance from Schwaninger and his office, his presentations and candor are very refreshing. He can speak legalese with the best of them, and he also can communicate with SMR operators on our level in our language.

We will very much miss his informative, colorful, to-the-point, no-holds-barred, articles.

I could go into further detail, however, I need to limit what I mention in writing for many reasons.

Our sincere, heartfelt thanks to Schwaninger and crew.
Sal and Gayle Dragotta
Viking Communications

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