Transportable Earth StationsA Presentation for the RA Roadshow

Satellite News Gathering (SNG)Satellite News Gathering (SNG)

SNG is the use of mobile equipment to give live coverage of news stories away from the main newsroom. When the transmission is made via satellite, the equipment is known as a Transportable Earth Station. Before transmitting the material for broadcast, the film crew needs to obtain “Clearance to Transmit” from the RadioCommunications Agency in order to ensure that the transmission will not cause harmful interference.

The RadioCommunications Agency operates a Rapid Clearance system to enable Television Companies to apply for Clearance as news stories are breaking. Divesh Patel is currently responsible for overseeing this procedure and for maintaining the co-ordination tool (FLATCO) used to grant or refuse clearance.

Jan Feb Mar April May Jun Jul Aug

Fail

Pass

Total

1284 13181494 1547

1736

1442 14841569

11831147

1327 1389

1578

12381324

1428

101 171 167 158 158 204160

1410

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

TES Clearances from HQ using FLATCO - 2001

Fail

Pass

Total

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Fail

Total

978943

1155

971

1096

949

825

1145

1240

1339 1373

1043

754

893

1103

929

1048

913

756

10601149

1254 1293

932

224

50 52 42 48 36 69 85 91 85 80 111

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

TES Clearances from HQ using FLATCO - 2000

Fail

Pass

Total

Due to the nature of SNG, there is a need for Television Companies to be able to apply for Clearance at any time of the day or night, every day of the year. Outside of normal office hours, this job is currently performed by Baldock Radio Monitoring Station.

As part of HMG’s project to make services available online, the RadioCommunications Agency and Radio Spectrum International are in the process of developing an online version of FLATCO - eFLATCO. It is intended that the new system will be even easier and quicker to use than the present system. It will also bring benefits to the RadioCommunications Agency and SNG Customers alike, in terms of savings in time and resources. The new system will further the Agency’s mandate of effective management of the civilian spectrum in the United Kingdom.

The e-FLATCO project was demonstrated to Mr. Alexander, the Minister for E-Commerce and competitiveness, on his recent visit to the Agency’s Headquarters. During the course of his visit, the Minister witnessed a demonstration of some of the equipment required to make a transmission and heard an explanation of the need for a quick, simple & reliable co-ordination tool. He approved of the project to make FLATCO available online, and it is intended that eFLATCO will be launched early this Autumn.

This is the current e-FLATCO model - however the details have not yet been finalised.