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

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