The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment on a waiver request...
The FCC Wireless Bureau sought comment on a waiver request by PTC-220, a joint venture of the nation’s seven Class I freight railroads, which is asking for increased power and antenna height limits in part of the spectrum railroads own,…
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which they are using to deploy positive train control (PTC) systems. Railroads face a mandate to deploy PTC by Dec. 31, 2015, under the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. PTC systems are designed to protect trains from collisions, overspeed derailments and other threats to rail safety. PTC-220 owns spectrum in two bands -- the lower 220-221 MHz and upper 221-222 MHz bands, but the latter band faces more restrictions, the bureau notes. Commission rules currently permit stations in the lower 220-221 MHz band to use 500 watts of effective radiated power (ERP) and antennas with height above average terrain (HAAT) of up to 150 meters, the commission explains (http://bit.ly/Y19nye). But fixed stations in the upper 221-222 MHz band with an ERP greater than 50 watts are limited to antennas with a HAAT no greater than 7 meters. Higher antennas are allowed but at lower power levels. “PTC-220 states that under the rule’s current limits, base station transmissions in the upper 221-222 MHz band would have a much smaller coverage footprint than those with higher power and antenna height in the lower 220-221 MHz band,” the bureau said. “PTC-220 states that waiver of Section 90.729(b)’s power and height limits would enable it to increase network capacity and allow more railroads to benefit from PTC-220’s member networks, including commuter and short line railroads, and especially in congested markets.” Comments are due April 8, replies April 23.