Listed stations must file their pre-auction technical details by July 9, 2015.
On June 9, 2015, the FCC released a public notice regarding stations eligible for protection in the repacking process and for relinquishment in the reverse auction. Also included was an eligibility list of stations attached as Appendix A. Only full-power and Class A TV stations are on that list. For full-power or Class A stations not shown on the list, the SBE recommends contacting the licensee’s FCC counsel ASAP and find out why. The notice states that any station listed in the Appendix must file Form 2100, Schedule 381 by July 9, 2015.
A licensee, by filing this form, states that it has verified and certifies the accuracy of its authorization. The four-page public notice describes in detail what is required of a full-power or Class A licensee. What follows are the SBE’s minimum recommended efforts:
Confirm accuracy of authorization. This includes call sign, facility ID, Antenna Structure Registration (ASR) number, coordinates, heights, ERP, antenna make, model and pattern orientation for directional antennas. It is also worth comparing the coordinates on the Antenna Structure Registration to ensure they agree. Remember, coordinates on the license authorization will be in NAD27 and those on the ASR should be in NAD83. It may be necessary to use NADCON to compare the coordinates. Comparing this data across the two databases takes time. Don’t wait until July 8 to start working on the form completion. If the information in the Appendix is correct, check the first box on the Schedule, then complete the remainder of the form. If information is missing or incorrect, a licensee should contact its FCC counsel and possibly employ the services of a consulting engineering firm to look into getting the corrections made. The accuracy of this data cannot be overstated. The FCC will perform its calculations for interference with this data. Stations that plan on remaining on the air after the repack will be responsible to build a facility with the assigned parameters. Incorrect data could lead to loss of coverage in the future.
Additional details are posted on the SBE website.
Links:
■ FCC Public Notice
■ FCC Appendix A list of stations
■ FCC Form 2100, Schedule 381
