Narrowbanding By Joe Jarrett Texas DPS / APCO Frequency Advisor

Narrowbanding Basics Who is required to Narrowband? – All Public Safety and Industrial/Business licenses in the MHz (VHF) and Mhz (UHF) bands What is required? – By January 1, 2013, Licensees must migrate their systems from 25 KHz (wideband) to 12.5 KHz (narrowband) channel bandwidth or a technology that achieves equivalent efficiency Benefits – It packs more communications in less space and therefore makes the spectrum more efficient!

Narrowbanding Deadlines All licensees must complete narrowbanding to 12.5 KHz by January 1, 2013 – FCC will also no longer allow manufacture or importation of equipment that includes a 25 KHz mode Some interim requirements are already in effect – 12.5 KHz operation required for all new VHF/UHF systems or expansion of existing systems – FCC will not certify new equipment that includes a 25 KHz mode

Why Meeting the Deadline is Important After Jan 1, 2013, FCC interference rules will not protect non-compliant WB systems from harmful interference Systems that fail to NB by the deadline could create interference or interoperability problems for systems that have converted to NB WB equipment will not be available after Jan 1, 2013

The Deadline will not be Extended The deadline has recently been reaffirmed by the FCC Some waivers may be granted... But waiver requests must meet a high standard and will not routinely be granted Informal contact with the FCC is encouraged prior to any filing What you must do now: – Plan!

Failure to transition to Narrowband Emissions by January 1, 2013 could result in enforcement actions by the FCC. – Admonishments – Monetary Forfeitures – up to $10,000 per day! – License Revocation and confiscation of equipment Migrating to Narrowband

License Modifications Licensees should modify their licenses to add a narrowband emission designator prior to commencing narrowband operations – Licensees may maintain both narrowband and wideband designators on their licenses while they are transitioning their systems Once the narrowband transition is complete, licensees should modify their licenses by removing the wideband emission designators These actions can be completed online using ULS

Frequency Coordination Frequency coordination is NOT required for addition of narrowband emissions designator or removal of wide band emissions designator, provided no other changes are being made Frequency coordination is required when narrowbanding is combined with other modifications that alter a stations footprint.

The Goal: To turn Texas Blue & Eventually all Green! As of 3/23/2011 Narrow Band 41.0%

NECP Goal 2 N/B Licenses CASM Freq Mapping Click here

Select your state and County Select your State and County

Or your CoG (WCTCoG) Or Select Your CoG You can also select a Call Sign or a FRN

Move the Transmitter Totals Box To move the totals box, click and hold your mouse here and drag it to where you want it

Show all the Radios in Midland County Click on the “Search Box Area”, move your mouse down and “drag” the red box to cover the area you want to expand Release the mouse button when you get the square defined. BE PATIENT!

Show all the Radios in Midland County (cont)

Look at a specific Site – Note color coding A site with 4 Narrowband only licensed transmitters

West Central Texas CoG

Stats for West Central Texas CoG Narrow Band 76.9%

A site with 4 transmitters Show a Wideband + Narrowband licensed transmitter

Texas DPS Licenses

Analysis Spreadsheets WB/NB Assistance Tool can generate a number spread sheets – Results by Region (or CoG) – Results by County – List of all licensed transmitters and their status – List of all Narrow Band licensed transmitters – List of all Wide Band Licensed transmitters

N/W Band Detailed Analysis County FRN FCC Call Sign Agency Name Frequency NB Emission WB Emission LOC/Ant # Location City Address of Site License Expiration Date Contact Information (Including phone #s) Licensee Transmitter Power Latitude and Longitude

State Wide Narrow Band Conversion Percentages As of 3/23/2011 NarrowCombinedWideTotal%NB 1PRPC % 2SPAG % 3NRPC % 4NCTCOG % 5ATCOG % 6ETCOG % 7WCTCOG % 8RGCOG % 9PBRPC % 10CVCOG % 11HOTCOG % 12CAPCOG % 13BVCOG %

State Wide Narrow Band Conversion Percentages NarrowCombinedWideTotal%NB 14DETCOG % 15SETRPC % 16H-GAC % 17GCRPC % 18AACOG % 19SDTC % 20CBCOG % 21LRGVDC % 22TCOG % 23CTCOG % 24MRGDC % Total %

Log in with FRN and Password

257 DPS Licenses – You need to modify one or more Click here

Go to the Select License Page

Select License to Modify 1 2 3

Select Technical Data Update

This will churn for awhile

Page 1 of Form 601 Select as indicated

Set up Ownership Question Page – Just say “No”

Select “Frequency” Page and select 1 st Location

Select antenna 1

Select Frequency 1 – Click on “Add Emission” To insert new Emission desig. Shows Current Emission desig.

Enter new Emission – Narrow band Voice is “11K2F3E” Insert new narrow Band Emission designator in the white area Then click on Save Emission

New Emission should display after entry – see note! New Emission list will show up here Important Note: you may NOT change the last 3 digits of the emission designator. Only a frequency coordinator may do that. If you are changing the designator of a digital service such as LoJack (20K0F2D), add a digital narrow band designator (11K2F2D). If you attempt to change it to a voice narrow band designator (11K2F3E ) it will be rejected by the FCC.

Walk through all the rest of the frequencies, Antennas and Locations Repeat the same process with multiple locations, multiple Antennas and Multiple frequencies. Remember: you can only add narrow band designators in this process. Any other modification of your license requires the assistance of a Frequency Coordinator!

After all emissions are modified, select “General Certifications Page” To complete the application Enter your name t in the space above, then click on SUBMIT

Your Done! When you get this screen, you are DONE!