Request for extension of STA

0197-EX-ST-1999 Text Documents

COMSAT CORPORATION

1999-06-10ELS_6796

. 0197—EX—ST—1999 ©comsar Mobile Communications . Senior Counsel 6560 Rock Spring Drive Bethesda, MD 20817 Telephone 301 214 3459 Fax 301 214 7145 Telex 197800 Internet robert.mansbach@comsat.com June 1, 1999 Ms. Magalie R. Salas Secretary Federal Communications Commission Experimental Radio Service P.0O. Box 358320 Pittsburgh, PA 15251—5320 Re : COMSAT Corporation, Request for Extension of Special Temporary Authority for a Maritime C—Band Radio Experiment, Call Sign WAOXBL, File No. S— 3451—EX—1998 Attn: Office of Engineering and Technology Dear Ms. Salas: COMSAT Corporation, through its COMSAT Mobile Communications business unit ("CMC"), herein requests extension of the Special Temporary Authority ("STA") first granted on July 6, 1998, in File No. S—3451—EX—1998. This STA authorizes CMC to conduct a maritime radio experiment at C—band for six months, under Sections 5.202 (i) and 5.202 (;j) of the Rules, utilizing six shipboard earth stations installed on vessels traveling in the Caribbean and in the U.S. coastal waters, a temporary—fixed earth station at Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Santa Paula, California, and the COMSTAR D—4 and GE Americom Aurora—2 satellites. The current STA is due to expire on June 6, 1999. CMC herein requests an extension of STA through December 6, 1999. To date, CMC has successfully installed a number of C— band stablized antennas on foreign registry cruise ships operated in the Caribbean and in U.S. coastal waters. Should the Commission decline to extend CMC‘s STA, its customers will suffer from interruption of their ongoing communications operations and investments. Such a result would not be in the public interest.

Particulars in support of this request are set forth in File No. S—2769—EX—97, as well as in previous filings regarding the COMSTAR D—4 experiment. Attached to this request is a technical report describing the results of CMC‘s experimental operations over the past six months. As shown in the report, the two spacecraft have provided reliable service to shipboard earth stations and there have been no reports of interference to other radio communications facilities due to the operation of this experiment. Continuation of this experiment will serve the public interest by demonstrating the utility of the two spacecraft and the stabilized VSAT antennas in the provision of C—band service to maritime users. The COMSTAR D—4 will continue to operate in inclined orbit at 76° W.L. Grant of this request will not have a significant environmental impact and, thus, does not require an Environmental Statement under Section 1.1307 of the Commission‘s Rules. CMC certifies that neither the applicant nor any other party to this application is subject to a denial of Federal benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti—Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C. § §53a. Accordingly, CMC respectfully submits that the public interest would be served by extension of the requested experimental authorization and the continued operation of the COMSTAR D—4 at 76° W.L. for an additional six months until December 6, 1999. Res tfully submitted, itfgh — Rbbert A. ‘Mansbach Attachment co: Carl Huie . . . /COMSTAR.doc


Document Created: 2001-08-23 22:57:25
Document Modified: 2001-08-23 22:57:25
© 2025 FCC.report
This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FCC