FCC says TV airwaves being sold for wireless use worth $86.4 bln

[ChrisSmolinski]

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Wednesday the price of 126 MHz of television airwaves taken from broadcasters to be sold for wireless use in an ongoing auction is $86.4 billion.

But analysts said wireless providers may not be willing to pay the staggering amount for the airwaves to expand their networks, which could prompt the FCC to hold another round of auctions.

...

Recon Analytics analyst Roger Entner said the results confirm that broadcasters have "significantly inflated expectations."

Full article: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-airwaves-auction-idUSKCN0ZF22U

[skeezix]

Can 76-88 MHz be converted to some form of LPFM or something similar?


(personally, I'd rather see C-QUAM here, but I'm not going to push my luck).

[ka1iic]

I'd be surprised if they got even 1/10th of this amount.... more like 1/100th or less.

But they better hurry because perhaps the Chinese market will start selling devices for the frequencies.

[ff]

But they better hurry because perhaps the Chinese market will start selling devices for the frequencies.

They already do Vince.  The Chinese FMs you see on Ebay that are built around the Rohm BH1414 and BH1415 chips are capable of operation throughout that entire range.  The BH1416 can be used 76.8-78 MHz.  Many of the sellers' units are easily put into operation there.

I'm with Skeezix.  I'd also like to see a good chunk of that go for low power broadcast but I'm not holding my breath. 

Until then, we'll just have to be happy using the range for our STL links - with those aforementioned cheap Chinese FM band bangers... and cheap Chinese receivers that are capable of tuning the same range. 

[ka1iic]

You are right ff ... I forgot and it was a stupid memory blank for me as I have tested some of those units right here (on a dummy load of course... yes really a dummy load... honest... I wouldn't kid you... <sigh>).

I was amazed at the overall frequency coverage and my stomach kinds sorta turned over when the thought passed that some evil person could raise hell with these devices.

I had 2 identical units just by chance , one was relativity clean but the one was dirty as all get out.  Same design, board, parts, layout, power supply, etc... so the only thing that could be different were the active component quality...  voltages seemed the same but...  something was wrong. 

Lacking a full lab I never wrote this up.  Maybe someone with a complete lab could try this same experiment...   Oh well, I'm too old and worn out to enter into such matters 

Later and thanks for giving my memory a much needed kick