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 In the first part of this series we developed some basic understanding of the sources of unwanted radiofrequency noise, and how much of a significant hindrance to ordinary radio communications it constitutes. Some “home experiments” done by the Curmudgeon during an unanticipated regional power failure led to the conclusion that the external urban radio noise [...]  Chris Horne, the Chief Technical Officer of LBA Group Inc., takes his expertise on the road to Minnesota in May as one of two featured speakers on wireless trends. The May 17 event is the “Spring Lunch and Learn” meeting of the Minnesota State Wireless Association in Eden Prairie, on the western edge of Minneapolis. [...]  The FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, in cooperation with the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), will host an educational workshop addressing collocations of wireless and broadband antennas on communications towers and other structures. The workshop will take place live and by webcast Tuesday, May 1, 2012, from 9:30 AM – 4 PM EDT [...]  In the last blog posting we looked at probably the biggest long term threat to the future usefulness of the radiofrequency spectrum, the accelerating large scale consumption of a scarce natural resource for short term convenience and profit (see, “Why is the US Strip Mining the Radio Spectrum?”). This time we will look at a [...]  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today acted (WT Docket No. 12-69) to examine the wireless system interference concerns should the Lower 700 MHz band utilize a single band class for devices operating across the Lower 700 MHz A, B, and C Blocks. In its NPRM, the FCC seeks comment on technical and operational factors as [...]  Distributed Antenna Systems, or DAS, is a small-cell wireless application that improves a wireless network and can also cause interference problems. DAS deployments have important implications for building owners, as well as for wireless carriers. It is swiftly becoming a major topic of engineering discussions as a practical solution to 3G, LTE, and 4G network [...]  For many months, now stretching into years, the Curmudgeon has been searching for logical explanations to a bedrock fundamental question, the very one which underlies almost all of his recent blog postings: Why is the United States (and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the rest of the First World) consuming, burning up, pillaging the finite [...]  Using hydrogen fuel cells as backup power units for telecommunication sites, particularly remote ones, is a common practice. More fully incorporating the units into a provider’s overall managed power strategy makes economic sense, too. A WCAI-members only webinar—“Smart Energy Solutions Using Fuel Cells”—will explore the option Thursday, Feb. 23. Chris Horne, the chief technical officer [...]  Chris Horne, chief technical officer of LBA Group, moderated an expert panel discussion earlier this month on the conundrum of squeezing more serviceable networking capacity from finite, congested spectrum. The discussion occurred at the 4G Wireless Evolution conference Feb. 1-3 in the Miami Convention Center. Members of the three-person panel were Thomas Knippen, who is [...]  (What’s all this Fresnel Zone Stuff, Anyway?) As wireless cell towers and antennas flourish, towns, cites and municipalities are challenged to adopt ordinances that let citizens receive the best telecommunications services available. Regulatory legislation hasn’t helped. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was over 500 pages long; during debate, most legislators considered it to only be [...]  GREENVILLE, NC January, 2012 – LBA Group Inc. has been singled out as a successful, privately owned business—not once, but three times. The Greenville telecommunications company ranks high in three separate surveys of American businesses in 2011. “As one of the awardees from around the country, you have distinguished yourself as one of the leading [...]  We have now finished reviewing the dismal (partial) list of historic FCC spectrum management engineering mistakes, and in this final part of the series we’ll look at some suggestions for how the FCC could, ideally, conduct this highly-important function. The Commission would never adopt any of these proposals, of course, but “even engineers can dream!” [...] Chris Horne, the chief technical officer of LBA Group Inc., will participate in another national forum highlighting the emerging issue of overloaded wireless spectrum. Horne is a panelist presenter Feb. 1-3 at the 4G Wireless Evolution conference in the Miami Convention Center. The 4GWE conferences attract wireless carriers and industry stockholders who are keen to [...]  Business in 2011 was a challenge for every company in America. Did you notice? Here at LBA Group Inc., our team did a magnificent job of tuning out the static and vectoring in on solutions to customers’ needs. Consequently, we are able to look back on the year with considerable satisfaction and to look forward [...] In this post we will finish the list of FCC historic spectrum management mistakes that began with Part 1 of this series. 12. Land Mobile “Re-farming:” (1990s-present). By itself not a major league blunder, but more of a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” gambit. The basic idea is to halve, and then later halve again, the [...]  Just three decades after the first generation of wireless telephone technology was introduced, engineers, wireless operators, and industry analysts are talking about the best way to split the fourth generation broadband spectrum into more usable parts. It could get messy, LBA Group’s Chris Horne warns. Horne’s warning came in a discussion at last week’s 4G [...] Now, we continue the long list of FCC historic spectrum management mistakes that began with Part 1 of this blog series. 6. Nextel (1990s). Back when it all began they were known as “Fleetcall,” but their real intention became apparent with the re-naming of the company after a few years. Their mission: to construct a [...]  LBA Group has asked the Federal Communications Commission to speed up broadband deployment by promoting wireless antenna collocation on AM towers. How? By cutting local red tape for collocations and halving the annual AM fee for station owners who allow use of their towers. The Sept. 30 filing in WC Docket No. 11-59 is LBA’s [...] The Curmudgeon recently read an account of yet another potential spectrum management (engineering) gaffe toward which the FCC has been briskly marching, and that set him to pondering. The FCC has, historically, produced a series of what might be classified as spectrum management mistakes, ranging from blunders at the marginally tolerable level to complete fiascos. [...]  Two RF safety experts from LBA Group, Inc. will teach radio frequency safety to company managers in a class in Texas. The class sponsor is ComTrain, which provides safety training for the vertical structure construction industry. It sought LBA’s expertise. “Basic Tower Construction Class” is Sept. 19-23 at ComTrain headquarters in Austin. LBA will present [...]  Knowledge is power. More to the point, knowledge of radio frequency energy is the surest way for a wireless worker to protect himself from being exposed to dangerous levels of RF radiation. LBA Group, in cooperation with university educators, has developed the OSHA RF awareness course with certificate of completion so that wireless tower workers [...] The Curmudgeon, having been licensed in the Amateur Radio Service for more than fifty years, has had a long-standing desire to attend the nation’s premiere annual ARS convention, the Dayton Hamvention. However many small, niggling practical matters, such as employment, family, and funding have always created road blocks. Now in full retirement and well along [...]  Chris Horne, LBA Group, Inc. CTO, will be moderating a free webinar on PIM: Passive Intermodulation sponsored by the WCAI Engineering committee. The speaker will be Ray Butler, Vice President – Base Station Antenna Products and Development at CommScope. PIM has become increasingly important with the explosion of wireless data services and the increasing need [...] In this series we have been looking at the telecommunications technology available to the average consumer in the year 1960 and comparing it with what exists today. In this concluding post we will summarize what has been presented and draw some (personal) conclusions. Summary: It should be somewhat apparent to the reader of these past [...]  Global Positioning System receivers remain wary of the plan by 4G network provider LightSquared to create a wireless broadband network to serve every nook and cranny of the U.S. In testimony June 23 before a House subcommittee, opponents of the LightSquared system said it would endanger the GPS navigation systems that aircraft and ships depend [...]  Christopher K. Horne, chief technical officer at telecommunications innovator LBA Group Inc., is participating in industry discussions on both coasts this month. This week, Horne is one of 8 panelists in a peer review forum in Los Angeles, Calif. Speakers carried a variety of specialty credentials to the closed-door presentation. The 43-year-old Horne is a [...] LightSquared apparently has dodged a GPS bullet that almost shot it down before it started up. It will switch to another spectrum that virtually eliminates interference with Global Positioning System receivers. Early tests by the Reston, Va., 4G network provider indicated that one 10-megahertz spectral block of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) open wireless broadband [...]  Many radio and TV broadcasters in the United States are not aware that a year’s old FCC rule may be about to wreck their microwave operations! If you have an affected operation, you should take immediate action to preserve interference protection for your system. On October 16, 2004 the FCC changed the coordination rules for [...] In this series of posts we are looking at the telecommunications technology available to the average consumer in the year 1960 and comparing it with what exists today. We will perhaps be able to see some of the changes in daily life that the technological advances of the past fifty years have brought, as a [...] Field testing has been performed to determine the effect of a 4G base station, typical of those proposed by LightSquared, upon first responder GPS devices. Early results of tests in New Mexico show an impact on police and medical services equipment. Bill Range, Program Director of New Mexico 911 services reported the test results (PDF) [...] |
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