Volunteers in Technical Assistance

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY

Applicant Name

Name of Applicant:

Volunteers in Technical Assistance

Address

Attention:	Gary Garriott
Street Address:	1600 Wilson Blvd., Suite 710
P.O. Box:
City:	Arlington
State:	VA
Zip Code:	22209
Country:
E-Mail Address:	[email protected]

Best Contact

Give the following information of person who can best handle inquiries pertaining to this application:   Last Name: Joseph First Name: Godles Title: Counsel Phone Number: (202) 429-4900

Explanation

Please explain in the area below why an STA is necessary: Volunteers for Technical Assistance ('VITA') is herein requesting Special Temporary Authority ('STA') under Part 5 of the Commission's rules for a period of six (6) months to operate a Portable Ground Station ('PGS') it is developing with Wavix, Inc., for use with the VITASAT-1R and VITASAT-2 satellites.[1] VITA's request for STA is supported by good cause. VITA is in the process of testing the PGS unit and anticipates that the results from continued development of the unit at its Arlington location will result in a final version that, within one year's time, could be brought to the commercial market. The PGS unit that VITA is developing will provide the cornerstone for affordable, easy-to-manage ground communications with the VITASAT satellites and other similarly-configured low earth orbit satellites. Further, by granting the request, the Commission will enable VITA to begin operations aboard the VITASAT-1R and VITASAT-2 satellites, furthering its humanitarian mission of providing essential educational, health, environmental, disaster relief, and technical communication services in developing nations. The Commission has repeatedly recognized that VITA's efforts throughout the developing world advance the public interest.[2] VITA also believes it is operating under a strict deadline imposed by the ITU to bring its first round satellite (VITASAT-1R) into operation prior to February 4, 2001. The requested STA will assist greatly in meeting that deadline. Accordingly, and for good cause shown, VITA respectfully requests an experimental STA for up to 6 months, commencing on January 1, 2001, to begin operating its PGS unit in Arlington, Virginia, in the manner specified in this exhibit and in the associated technical exhibits. ----- [1] VITA is operating VITASAT-1 (HealthSat-2) and VITASAT-2 (UoSAT-12) pursuant to Special Temporary Authority, granted November 24 and November 30, 2000, respectively. See letters from Thomas S. Tycz, Chief, Satellite and Radiocommunication Division to Joseph A. Godles, Esq. [2] E.g., Volunteers in Technical Assistance, 13 FCC Rcd at 10845. The PGS is a complete self contained portable ground-station including omni-directional antennas and software, which has been successfully demonstrated at the satellite department at University of Surrey (UK), and the Informatics Development Institute (IDI), a Dublin based organization financed by the European Union Commission. It has been deployed on a beta-test basis in West and East Africa. The equipment is fully automatic and designed to be used by those with no radio knowledge, and a minimum of computing experience. The PGS, while unattended, is capable of uploading and downloading several email messages per day as the satellite passes overhead. E-mail from the satellite is then downloaded by VITA and the IDI onto the terrestrial email network. The PGS unit weighs less than 6kg, is very robust, waterproof to 20 ft and will be small enough to carry as hand luggage on a plane. The unit can also be kept fully charged using a small 12 volt 1 amp solar panel. Prototype PGS units have been in use abroad communicating with the PoSAT satellite for 12 months in Europe and Africa. VITA seeks to employ another unit within the United States at its headquarters in Arlington, Virginia for additional testing and development of the PGS to enable tracking and automatic operation with the VITASAT-1R and VITASAT-2 satellites. VITA would rely heavily on this experimental operation of the PGS unit at its headquarters to continue the research that is already underway and to improve the responsiveness of the PGS unit before committing additional resources to the full-scale commercial production of improved terminals based on PGS technology. Several other organizations affiliated with VITA have also indicated interest in applying for separate STA's to operate PGS units temporarily within the U.S.

Purpose of Operation

Please explain the purpose of operation:

Test, development, and temporary operation of portable ground station for use with little LEO satellites.

Information

Callsign:	WB9XLM
Class of Station:	FX
Nature of Service:	Experimental

Requested Period of Operation

Operation Start Date:	01/01/2001
Operation End Date:	07/01/2001

Manufacturer

List below transmitting equipment to be installed (if experimental, so state) if additional rows are required, please submit equipment list as an exhibit:
Manufacturer	Model Number	No. Of Units	Experimental
VITA/Wavix	PGS-3	1	Yes

Certification

Neither the applicant nor any other party to the application is subject to a denial of Federal benefits that includes FCC benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C. Section 862, because of a conviction for possession or distribution of a controlled substance. The applicant hereby waives any claim to the use of any particular frequency or electromagnetic spectrum as against the regulatory power of the United States because of the prvious use of the same, whether by license or otherwise, and requests authorization in accordance with this application. (See Section 304 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.) The applicant acknowledges that all statements made in this application and attached exhibits are considered material representations, and that all the exhibits part hereof and are incorporated herein as if set out in full in this application; undersigned certifies that all statements in this application are true, complete and correct to the best of his/her knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Applicant certifies that construction of the station would NOT be an action which is likely to have a significant environmental effect. See the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR1.1301-1.1319.

Signature of Applicant (Authorized person filing form):	George Scharffenberger
Title of Applicant (if any):	President
Date:	2000-12-14 13:46:13.6

Station Location

	City	State	Latitude	Longitude	Mobile	Radius of Operation
	Arlington	Virginia	North  38  53  37	West  77  4  41

Datum:  NAD 27 Is a directional antenna (other than radar) used?   Yes Exhibit submitted:   No (a) Width of beam in degrees at the half-power point:   34.00 (b) Orientation in horizontal plane:   360.00 (c) Orientation in vertical plane:   90.00 Will the antenna extend more than 6 meters above the ground, or if mounted on an existing building, will it extend more than 6 meters above the building, or will the proposed antenna be mounted on an existing structure other than a building?   No (a) Overall height above ground to tip of antenna in meters:   (b) Elevation of ground at antenna site above mean sea level in meters:   (c) Distance to nearest aircraft landing area in kilometers:   (d) List any natural formations of existing man-made structures (hills, trees, water tanks, towers, etc.) which, in the opinion of the applicant, would tend to shield the antenna from aircraft:

Action	Frequency	Station Class	Output Power/ERP	Mean Peak	Frequency Tolerance (+/-)	Emission Designator	Modulating Signal
New	149.80000000-149.90000000 MHz	FX	50.000000 W 200.000000 W	M	0.00500000 %	15K0F1D	9600 bps

Action	Frequency	Station Class	Output Power/ERP	Mean Peak	Frequency Tolerance (+/-)	Emission Designator	Modulating Signal
New	400.50000000-400.65000000 MHz	FX	50.000000 W 200.000000 W	M	0.00500000 %	15K0F1D	9600 bps

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