[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8074-8084]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03732]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 18-124]


Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau Announce Post 
Incentive Auction Special Displacement Window April 10, 2018 Through 
May 15, 2018 and Make Location and Channel Data Available

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau provide 
sixty days' advance notice of the opening of a displacement application 
filing window for low power television, TV translator stations, and 
analog-to-digital replacement translators that were displaced by the 
incentive auction and repacking process. The IATF and Media Bureau also 
announce that simultaneous with the release of the Public Notice they 
are releasing a channel study to assist stations in identifying 
potential new channels in the repacked television bands.

DATES: The Special Displacement Window will open April 10, 2018 and 
will close on May 15, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shaun Maher, Video Division, Media 
Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, [email protected], (202) 
418-2324.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Incentive Auction Task Force (IATF) and 
the Media Bureau hereby provide sixty days' advance notice of the 
opening of a displacement application filing window for low power 
television (LPTV), TV translator stations, and analog-to-digital 
replacement translators (DRT) (referred to collectively as ``LPTV/
translator stations'') that were displaced by the incentive auction and 
repacking process (Special Displacement Window). The Special 
Displacement Window will open on Tuesday, April 10, 2018, and close on 
Tuesday, May 15, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The IATF and Media Bureau 
also announce that simultaneous with the release of this Public Notice 
they are releasing a channel study to assist stations in identifying 
potential new channels in the repacked television bands. The Public 
Notice provides details regarding the channel study, reiterate some of 
the eligibility and filing procedures for the window, and lifts the 
displacement application filing freeze for eligible stations. The 
Public Notice also reminds eligible full power television stations that 
they may begin filing applications for digital-to-digital replacement 
translators (DTDRTs) on April 10, 2018.
    The Commission in 2015 sought comment on whether to preserve a 
vacant television channel for use by unlicensed white space devices and 
wireless microphones in all areas of the country. See Preservation of 
One Vacant Channel in the UHF Television Band For Use By White Space 
Devices and Wireless Microphones, MB Docket No. 15-146, Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd 6711 (2015). In that proceeding, the 
Commission proposed that applications filed in the displacement window 
would have to demonstrate that they do not eliminate the last remaining 
vacant channel in their proposed service area. Id. at 6719, para. 17. 
While the Commission has not issued an order in this proceeding to 
date, it is noted that the opening of the displacement window and 
acceptance of displacement applications does not preclude the 
preservation of a vacant television channel. Because new 600 MHz 
licensees have already begun to deploy service in the 600 MHz Band and 
the earliest transitioning full-power and Class A stations will begin 
testing on their post-auction channels in a few months, the IATF and 
Media Bureau believe time is of the essence in opening the special 
displacement window and processing displacement applications in order 
to ``preserve the important services provided by LPTV and TV translator 
stations.'' In the Matter of Expanding the Economic and Innovation 
Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions, Report and Order, 
29 FCC Rcd 6567, 6576, para. 21 (2014). In addition, the IATF and Media 
Bureau expect that in many areas of the country there will likely be 
vacant channels available even after displacement applications are 
processed and granted.
    Channel Study. As described more fully in the Appendix to the 
Public Notice, the IATF and Media Bureau have compiled and are 
releasing data that identifies locations and channels where LPTV/
translator stations filing applications in the Special Displacement 
Window likely cannot propose displacement facilities because of the 
presence of non-displaced LPTV/translator stations and permittees, full 
power and Class A television stations, or land mobile operations. The 
release of this data satisfies the Commission's directive to provide 
channel availability data to assist eligible LPTV/TV translator 
stations sixty days prior to the opening of the Special Displacement 
Window. See Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television 
Translator Stations, MB Docket No. 03-185, Third Report and Order and 
Fourth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd 14927, 14946-47, 
paras. 40-42 (2015). Identification of the locations and channels where 
eligible LPTV/translator stations likely cannot operate will provide 
important information to help facilitate the LPTV/translator 
displacement application process. Stations are encouraged to use this 
information to help identify available channels and to use TVStudy to 
ensure

[[Page 8075]]

the facilities they plan to propose will satisfy station needs. 
Stations are reminded that they must also use TVStudy to verify that 
the displacement facilities they propose will not create harmful 
interference. Additionally, given the public interest in promoting the 
efficient use of spectrum, LPTV/translator stations operating outside 
of the largest 40 DMAs are encouraged to select new channels for 
displaced stations that are adjacent to channels in use by other 
broadcast television stations to help provide flexibility in the 
future. Once a station has identified a suitable channel, it should 
file a construction permit application for it during the Special 
Displacement Window.
    The data being provided is based on use of the incentive auction 
repacking and optimization software nationwide, and includes: (1) All 
other primary users in the repacked television band or in adjacent 
bands, including land mobile operations; (2) licenses and valid 
construction permits for LPTV/translator stations; (3) licenses and 
valid construction permits for full power and Class A stations that 
were not reassigned to new channels in repacking; (4) the full power 
and Class A television station technical parameters in the Closing and 
Channel Reassignment Public Notice; (5) full power and Class A 
television station modifications proposed in the two alternate channel/
expanded facilities filing windows; and (6) full power and Class A 
television station applications filed during the period from November 
28 to December 7, 2017, when the April 2013 freeze on the filing of 
applications for minor modifications was lifted. See Media Bureau 
Temporarily Lifts the Freeze on the Filing of Minor Modification 
Applications That Expand the Contour of Full Power and Class A 
Television Stations From November 28 Through December 7, 2017, Public 
Notice, 32 FCC Rcd 9328 (MB 2017). If an application filed during 
either of the alternate channel/expanded facilities filing windows is 
granted and supersedes the full power or Class A station's facility as 
listed in the Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice, then an 
LPTV/translator station filing an application in the Special 
Displacement Window need only demonstrate that it will not cause 
interference to the facility authorized in the granted window 
application. The data is provided on the same 2 x 2 kilometer basis as 
used in connection with the incentive auction. The data is available 
online at https://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/LPTV-Data.
    It is noted that the data shows those locations and channels that 
are potentially unavailable for displaced LPTV/translator stations. The 
data also indicates which LPTV/translator stations are potentially 
displaced as a result of causing interference or receiving interference 
based on certain assumptions that are described in more detail in the 
attached Appendix. This information is provided as guidance, and 
stations must conduct their own interference studies using TVStudy, 
particularly since technical parameters for stations may change. 
Technical showings will be required to demonstrate that LPTV/translator 
station displacement applications are predicted to cause less than the 
amount of interference prescribed in our rules to other TV stations, 
including other LPTV/translator stations.
    In addition, the Incentive Auction Task Force and the Media Bureau 
announce today that they will host a webinar on the data on Wednesday, 
February 28, 2018 at 1 p.m., to review the assumptions described in the 
Appendix and the data we are providing, and to respond to questions 
from LPTV/translator stations. Additional information on this webinar 
will be provided in a future Public Notice.
    Reminder of Certain Eligibility and Filing Procedures. To be 
eligible to file in the Special Displacement Window, an LPTV/translator 
station must be both ``operating'' and ``displaced.'' ``Operating'' 
LPTV/translator stations are those that had licensed their authorized 
construction permit facilities, or had an application for a license to 
cover on file with the Commission, as of April 13, 2017--the release 
date of the Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice. See Media 
Bureau Announces Date By Which LPTV and TV Translator Stations Must Be 
``Operating'' In Order To Participate In Post-Incentive Auction Special 
Displacement Window, Public Notice, 31 FCC Rcd 5383 (MB 2016). In order 
to be ``displaced'' for purposes of filing in the Special Displacement 
Window, an LPTV/translator station must: (1) Be subject to displacement 
by a full power or Class A television station on the repacked 
television band (channels 2-36) as a result of the incentive auction 
and repacking process; (2) be licensed on frequencies repurposed for 
new, flexible use by a 600 MHz Band wireless licensee (channels 38-51); 
or (3) be licensed on frequencies that will serve as part of the 600 
MHz Band guard bands (which includes the duplex gap).
    During the Special Displacement Window, all of the requirements of 
the current displacement rules will continue to apply (e.g., required 
interference showing and limits on transmitter moves), except for the 
requirement that displacement applications be submitted only after the 
primary full power or Class A station obtains a construction permit or 
license. Eligible digital stations may propose a change in transmitter 
site of not more than 48 kilometers from the reference coordinates of 
the existing station's community of license. Eligible analog stations 
may propose a change in antenna location of not more than 16.1 
kilometers. In addition, eligible stations may apply only for a channel 
that continues to be allocated to broadcast television service (i.e., 
channels 2-36), and not for channels that have been repurposed for the 
new, flexible 600 MHz Band for wireless services or reserved for the 
600 MHz guard band and duplex gap (i.e., former television channels 38-
51).
    In order to ensure that as many potential channels as possible are 
available for operating LPTV/translator stations that are subject to 
displacement, we will permit stations to file displacement applications 
proposing pre-auction channels in the repacked television band 
(channels 2-36) that full power and Class A stations will relinquish as 
a result of the incentive auction and repacking process. This includes 
channels that were voluntarily relinquished by License Relinquishment 
Stations, Channel Sharing Stations, and Band Changing Stations as well 
as the pre-auction channels of Reassigned Stations. Applicants 
proposing such channels must include a request to waive the contingent 
application rule. The Media Bureau expects to view favorably requests 
to waive the contingent application rule filed by operating LPTV/
translator stations that are subject to displacement if the station 
demonstrates that the requested channel is necessary to allow the 
station to continue to serve its current viewers. In addition, in order 
to comply with Section 73.3700(g)(2), the station must agree to a 
condition that it will not begin transmitting on the requested channel 
prior to discontinuation of operation by the full power or Class A 
station that is currently licensed to use that channel. If a 
conditional grant would require an LPTV/translator station to be silent 
for a consecutive 12-month period prior to discontinuation of operation 
by the full power or Class A station, the Media Bureau will consider a 
request for extension or

[[Page 8076]]

reinstatement pursuant to Section 312(g) of the Communications Act and 
a request for waiver of the applicable Commission rule.
    Lifting of Displacement Application Filing Freeze. To facilitate 
filing in the Special Displacement Window, the current freeze on the 
filing of displacement applications will be lifted on April 10, 2018, 
solely for the purposes of accepting applications by eligible stations 
during the Special Displacement Window. The displacement application 
filing freeze will be reinstated upon the completion of the Special 
Displacement Window on May 15, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
    Displaced LPTV/translator stations that do not qualify for the 
Special Displacement Window (e.g., permittees that were not operating 
as of the Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice), and stations 
that are eligible but do not file during the Special Displacement 
Window are reminded that they must wait until the freeze is lifted to 
submit a displacement application. In addition, stations are reminded 
that minor change filings and digital companion channel applications 
also remain frozen. The Media Bureau will announce a lifting of these 
three freezes in one or more subsequent public notices following the 
completion of the Special Displacement Window.
    Applications for DTDRTs. Beginning April 10, 2018, eligible full 
power television stations may file applications for DTDRTs. 
Applications will continue to be accepted until July 13, 2021 (one year 
after completion of the post-incentive auction transition period). 
Additional information about eligibility and filing procedures for 
DTDRTs is contained in the May 2017 LPTV Procedures Public Notice.

Appendix A

Data To Assist LPTV/Translator Stations in Identifying Potential New 
Channels Prior to the Special Displacement Window

I. Introduction

    This appendix describes the maps and data (collectively, 
``Channel Study'') released in conjunction with this Public Notice. 
As previously indicatd, the Channel Study provides location and 
channel availability information to assist eligible low power 
television (``LPTV'') stations, TV translator stations, and analog-
to-digital replacement translators (``DRT'') (referred collectively 
as ``LPTV/translator stations'') in identifying potential new 
channels in the repacked TV bands, consistent with the Commission's 
direction in Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television 
Translator Stations, MB Docket No. 03-185, Third Report and Order 
and Fourth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd 14927, 14946-
47, paras. 40-42 (2015). The data is available at https://data.fcc.gov/download/incentive-auctions/LPTV-Data.
    The Channel Study includes detailed information on a 2 x 2 km 
cell level about locations and channels that are likely not 
available for LPTV/translator station displacement facilities 
because of the presence of full power and Class A television 
stations, non-displaced LPTV/translator stations and permittees, or 
land mobile operations. The Channel Study also includes maps 
available in Tableau files to provide LPTV/translator stations a 
method to visually identify locations and channels that are likely 
unavailable as displaced channels. Both the maps and the detailed 2 
x 2 km cell-level information should allow LPTV/translator stations 
to narrow their search options to the most viable locations and 
channels.
    The Channel Study is based on the assumptions detailed in this 
appendix. Eligible displaced LPTV/translator stations must also 
conduct their own interference analysis using TVStudy prior to 
submitting displacement applications during the Special Displacement 
Window.

II. Overview of Study Process and Assumptions

a. Overview

    The Channel Study examined potential interference caused by 
LPTV/translator stations to full power or Class A stations and 
interference received by LPTV/translator stations from full power 
and Class A stations. For each full power, Class A and LPTV/
translator station, the Incentive Auction Task Force and Media 
Bureau (referred to collectively as ``we'') determine the station's 
current interference-free population and then determined how much 
interference it caused and how much interference it received from 
each other station using two post auction scenarios--one scenario 
utilizing the most recent universe of granted applications and the 
second scenario utilizing the most recent universe of both pending 
and granted applications.

b. Compiling the List of Stations

    Compiling a complete list of stations and permittees was a 
necessary first step in developing the Channel Study. On January 17, 
2018 (the ``pull date''), we pulled a station list from the 
Commission's Licensing and Management System (LMS) that included the 
following categories of stations:
     All licensed full-power and Class A stations that 
existed prior to the auction;
     all LPTV/translator licensees and permittees (including 
DRTs, digital companion channels, permittees whose status is 
currently ``CP Off Air,'' and the set of LPTVs which have already 
been displaced as a result of the auction); and
     all Mexican and Canadian stations.
    More specifically, we included all Canadian and Mexican stations 
in the border regions that were protected during the incentive 
auction. This approach is consistent with what was done during the 
incentive auction, however, the data set also includes additional 
Mexican allotments which need to be protected after the auction.

c. Calculating Interference

    We entered the compiled list of stations into TVStudy to 
calculate the interference-free populations for all LPTV/translator 
stations to create a baseline, using the methodology described in 
OET Bulletin 69 (OET-69) and at a 2 x 2 km cell level of granularity 
consistent with the repacking software used in connection with the 
incentive auction. We then used TVStudy to run pairwise studies to 
determine whether two TV stations on either the same channel or on 
an adjacent channel within the same region would create new pairwise 
interference greater than 0.5% between the two stations.
    In order for a displaced LPTV/translator station to receive the 
most complete picture of likely channel availability, two separate 
sets of data were generated. The first set of data used the 
parameters from the most recent universe of granted construction 
permits or licenses. This set will inform LPTV/translator stations 
of the required protections for full power and Class A stations as 
of the pull date. The following parameters were used to create this 
first set of data:
     The operating parameters from the most recent granted 
construction permits for any full power, Class A and LPTV/translator 
station as of the pull date;
     the post-auction baseline parameters for full power and 
Class A stations that did not have a granted construction permit 
since the close of the auction;
     the licensed operating parameters of LPTV/translator 
stations that did not have a granted construction permit since the 
close of the auction; and
     the protected parameters of Canadian and Mexican 
stations (including Mexican auction allotments).
    Note that in addition to granted construction permits and 
licensed operating facilities included in this first set, we also 
included a small number of pending minor modifications for LPTV/
translator stations in this first set. These pending minor 
modifications are likely either awaiting international coordination 
or were otherwise filed prior to the December 20, 2017 freeze on 
LPTV/translator minor modifications and, in either case, will 
require protection from applications filed in the Special 
Displacement Window. See Media Bureau Freezes the Filing of Minor 
Change Applications for LPTV/Translator Stations, Public Notice, DA 
17-1227 (rel. Dec. 20, 2017).
    The second set of data used the operating parameters from the 
most recent universe of both granted and pending applications for 
any station that has an application still under consideration as of 
the pull date. This set will inform LPTV/translator stations of the 
pending operating parameters that may be granted by the Commission. 
Even if a full power or Class A application is still pending when a 
displacement application is considered, it must nevertheless be 
protected from interference, as must any pending LPTV/translator 
minor modification application filed before December 20, 2017. The 
following parameters were used in this second set of data:

[[Page 8077]]

     The operating parameters from the most recent pending 
construction permits for any full power, Class A, and LPTV/
translator stations (including LPTV/translator stations that have 
already been displaced as a result of the incentive auction) as of 
the pull date;
     the operating parameters from the most recent granted 
construction permit for any full power, Class A, and LPTV/translator 
station that did not have a pending construction permit as of the 
pull date;
     the post-auction baseline parameters for full power and 
Class A stations that did not have a pending or granted construction 
permit since the close of the auction;
     the licensed operating parameters of LPTV/translator 
stations that did not have a pending or granted construction permit 
since the close of the auction; and
     the protected parameters of Canadian and Mexican 
stations (including Mexican auction allotments).
    We had to make one minor correction to the set of stations 
included in the pending and granted applications study. WWDT-CD 
(facility ID: 58261) was accidentally not included in the data used 
by TVStudy to create this scenario. To provide a more accurate 
picture for this study, WWDT-CD's interference-free service area was 
added manually into the data used to create the Tableau maps. WWDT-
CD was, however, correctly included in the study that considered 
only granted applications.
    The results of these pairwise studies indicate, for each 2 x 2 
km cell, whether the LPTV/translator station causes interference to 
a full power or Class A station or whether the LPTV/translator 
station receives interference from a full power or Class A station. 
If the LPTV/translator station was predicted to cause more than 0.5% 
new interference to the interference-free population of a full power 
or Class A station, it is considered displaced in the Channel Study 
due to interference caused. In addition, by aggregating the pairwise 
studies, the resulting output shows whether a LPTV/translator 
station receives in aggregate more than 2% new interference to its 
interference-free population from any combination of repacked full 
power and Class A stations. Any station that receives more than 2% 
new interference in aggregate but does not cause more than 0.5% 
interference will be considered displaced in the Channel Study due 
to interference received. We used the 2% threshold as a conservative 
measurement of displacement based on the pairwise protections that 
LPTV/translator stations owe other LPTV/translator stations.
    LPTV/translator stations that are marked as displaced, either 
because they cause or receive more than the stated threshold amount 
of interference, may not in fact be displaced because LPTV/
translator stations have the option to modify their facility to 
eliminate such interference issues and remain on their current 
channel. Nevertheless, for purposes of the Channel Study, we mark 
these stations as being potentially displaced so that other LPTV/
translator stations will be aware of this fact. Also, LPTV/
translator stations that currently broadcast on channels (38-51) are 
automatically displaced because they are in the new 600 MHz band for 
mobile broadband service and are not included in the interference 
studies underlying the Channel Study.
    This data was then aggregated by point (i.e., each 2 x 2 km 
cell) for each channel. Any point that exists in an interference-
free service area (``service area'') for a given channel is 
categorized using the first valid condition from the following list:
     Protected due to land mobile or off shore radio;
     within a full power or Class A station's service area;
     within an LPTV/translator station's service area where 
that station does not cause more than 0.5% interference to a full 
power or Class A station or receive more the 2% aggregate 
interference;
     within an LPTV/translator station's service area where 
that station receives more the 2% aggregate interference; or
     within an LPTV/translator station's service area where 
that station causes more than 0.5% interference to a full power or 
Class A station.
    Note that for purposes of generating the Channel Study, we 
continued to use the same distance-based protections that were used 
in the incentive auction. See Incentive Auction Task Force Releases 
Information Related to Incentive Auction Repacking, ET Docket No. 
13-26, GN Docket No. 12-268, Public Notice, 28 FCC Rcd 10370, 10407-
10 (2013). This conservative approach was adopted for ease of use, 
but displaced LPTV/translator stations can still make a technical 
showing to demonstrate that they can operate on these excluded 
channels and locations.
    Points are categorized in this way to show areas likely to be 
unable to accommodate a displaced LPTV/translator station. Land 
mobile, full power and Class A stations, and LPTV/translator 
stations not causing or receiving interference are unlikely to 
modify their facilities and their current service areas are unlikely 
to be able to accommodate a displaced LPTV/translator station. LPTV/
translator stations that are receiving interference may accept the 
interference and continue to broadcast or make modifications to 
mitigate the interference, or, if they cannot tolerate or eliminate 
the interference, they may file for a new channel in the Special 
Displacement Window. LPTV/translator stations causing interference 
must make modifications to mitigate the interference or file for a 
new channel in the Special Displacement Window.

III. Description of Maps and CSV Data Files

a. Maps Overview

    We provide four types of maps as visual tools to assist LPTV/
translator stations in identifying available channels in their 
service area. All visualizations are Tableau workbooks that can be 
viewed using the free Tableau Reader (available here https://www.tableau.com/products/reader).
    The first and second workbooks show the locations and channels 
currently in the service area of full power, Class A, non-displaced 
LPTV/translator, or land mobile operations, and are therefore likely 
not available to displaced LPTV/translator stations. The third and 
fourth workbook show which LPTV/translator stations that remain in 
the TV band are displaced either as a result of causing or receiving 
interference. The four visualizations are identified in the bullets 
below and described in more detail in the following subsections.
     Protected Points by Channel--Granted: These maps 
provide a visual representation of granted construction permits or 
licensed stations, as described in detail in Section II.c, paragraph 
6, to identify locations and channels that are potentially not 
available for displaced LPTV/translator stations.
     Protected Points by Channel--Pending and Granted: These 
maps provide a visual representation of pending construction 
permits, granted construction permits, or licensed stations, as 
described in detail in Section II.c, paragraph 7, to identify 
locations and channels that are potentially not available for 
displaced LPTV/translator stations.
     Potentially Displaced LPTV Stations Map--Granted: These 
maps provide a visual representation of granted construction permits 
or licensed stations, as described in detail in Section II.c, 
paragraph 6 (except those stations in the new 600 MHz band--i.e., 
channels 38-51--which are automatically displaced), to identify 
LPTV/translator stations that are potentially displaced.
     Potentially Displaced LPTV Stations Map--Pending and 
Granted: These maps provide a visual representation of pending 
construction permits, granted construction permits, or licensed 
stations, as described in detail in Section II.c, paragraph 7 
(except those stations in the new 600 MHz band--i.e., channels 38-
51--which are automatically displaced), to identify LPTV/translator 
stations that are potentially displaced.

b. Protected Points by Channel Maps

    The two Protected Points by Channel visualizations display color 
coded maps. The colors identified below signify the existence of 
certain services in an area. Points that do not fall within any 
relevant service's or station's service area are not colored. 
Examples of these visualizations are provided in Figure 1 and Figure 
2 below, and comprehensive information is available in the CSV files 
discussed below and posted online.
     Green denotes an area protected due to land mobile or 
off shore radio.
     Blue denotes an area within a full power or Class A 
station's service area.
     Light blue denotes an area within an LPTV/translator 
station's service area where that station does not cause more than 
0.5% new interference to a full power or Class A station or receive 
more the 2% new aggregate interference.
     Orange denotes an area within an LPTV/translator 
station's service area where that station receives more than 2% new 
aggregate interference.
     Red denotes an area within an LPTV/translator station's 
service area where that station causes more than 0.5% interference 
to a full power or Class A station.
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P

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    As noted above, there are two Tableau workbooks for each 
visualization. One workbook reflects the data set using the service 
area parameters from the most recently granted construction permits 
or licenses of full or Class A TV stations as of the pull date and 
the second workbook reflects the data set using the service area 
parameters from pending construction permits as of the pull date.

c. Potentially Displaced LPTV Stations Maps

    The two Potentially Displaced LPTV Station Map visualizations 
show LPTV/translator stations that are potentially displaced because 
they cause new pairwise interference greater than 0.5% to a full 
power or Class A station or because they receive aggregate new 
interference greater than 2%. The 2% parameter is a default used in 
the data but it can be changed using a filter next to the map. Using 
the lasso tool within Tableau, the user can select a geographic 
region to generate a table containing the pairwise and aggregate 
interference data, and also view the interference free service area 
of individual LPTV stations to see the impact of new interference. 
Examples of the visualizations available are provided in Figure 3 
through Figure 6 below and comprehensive information is available in 
the data provided online.

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BILLING CODE 6712-01-C

d. CSV Data Files

    The online Channel Study includes three zip files. The first zip 
file contains the three CSV files unique to the granted applications 
study. The second zip file contains the three CSV files unique to 
the pending and granted applications study. The third zip file 
contains the two CSV files common to both studies. The CSV files 
contained in these three zip files were used to generate the Tableau 
maps. Each study contains a CSV file, lptv_aggregated.csv, which is 
the aggregated 2 x 2 km point data as categorized above, and forms 
the basis for the Tableau maps. The other two CSV files combined 
with the common two CSV files contain the underlying point data for 
each LPTV/translator station used to generate the aggregated data. 
These are provided in comma separated value format and are available 
to users to generate their own study scenario or to replicate our 
analysis.
    The following three files (detailed in Tables 1-3 below) are in 
the zip file unique to each study. The lptv_aggregated.csv file 
identifies, for each channel, any point that falls within a service 
area. The file contains the fields listed in Table 1 below:

                                Table 1--Data Dictionary for lptv_aggregated.csv
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Field                        Description                  Type                    Sample
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pointkey..........................  The unique identification   Integer..............  e.g., 62592057.
                                     for a 2 x 2 grid cell
                                     determined by TVStudy.
Channel...........................  The channel number          Integer..............  e.g., 29.
                                     assigned to the station
                                     of the protection
                                     category indicated by the
                                     ``type'' field.
Type..............................  The classification of       String...............  Types will be one of the
                                     service for that point                             following:
                                     according to the                                   LM/LMW/Offshore.
                                     priorities listed above.                           FP/CA.
                                                                                        LPTV.
                                                                                        LPTV--Agg IX.
                                                                                        LPTV--Pairwise
                                                                                        IX.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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    The stations_points.csv file identifies the interference-free 
points for each station on the station's assigned channel in the 
study. These points establish the total interference-free population 
for a given station and also the possible locations for interference 
to that station. The file contains the fields listed in Table 2 
below:

                                Table 2--Data Dictionary for stations_points.csv
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Field                        Description                  Type                    Sample
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facility_id.......................  The unique facility ID      Integer..............  e.g., 52887.
                                     assigned to the station.
Channel_id........................  The channel number          Integer..............  e.g., 29.
                                     assigned to the station.
Pointkey..........................  The unique ID of each 2 x   Integer..............  e.g., 62592057.
                                     2 km cell.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The ix_paired.csv file identifies interference between any two 
stations (LPTV/translator stations and full power/Class A stations) 
according to TVStudy at a given point. The file contains the 
following fields listed in Table 3 below:

                                   Table 3--Data Dictionary for ix_paired.csv
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Field                        Description                  Type                    Sample
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facility_id.......................  The unique facility ID      Integer..............  e.g., 52887.
                                     assigned to the station
                                     receiving interference.
Channel_id........................  The channel number          Integer..............  e.g., 29.
                                     assigned to the station
                                     receiving interference.
ix_facility_id....................  The unique facility ID      Integer..............  e.g., 53442
                                     assigned to the station
                                     causing interference.
ix_channel_id.....................  The channel number          Integer..............  e.g., 35.
                                     assigned to the station
                                     causing interference.
Pointkey..........................  The unique ID of the 2 x 2  Integer..............  e.g., 62592057.
                                     km cell.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The following two files (detailed in Tables 4-5 below) are in 
the other zip file and are common to both runs. The lm_points.csv 
file identifies points that must be protected on a specific channel 
due to land mobile, land mobile waivers, and off shore radio (LM/
LMW/OSR). The file contains the fields listed in Table 4 below:

                                   Table 4--Data Dictionary for lm_points.csv
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Field                        Description                  Type                    Sample
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facility_id.......................  The unique facility ID      Integer..............  e.g., 52887.
                                     assigned to the LM/LMW/                           Note: facility_id 999999
                                     OSR station.                                       is used for off shore
                                                                                        radio.
Channel_id........................  The channel number          Integer..............  e.g., 29.
                                     assigned to the LM/LMW/
                                     OSR station.
Pointkey..........................  The unique ID of each 2 x   Integer..............  e.g., 62592057.
                                     2 km cell.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The pointkeys.csv file identifies the characteristics associated 
with each point, specifically latitude, longitude, country and 
population. The file contains the fields listed in Table 5 below:

                                   Table 5--Data Dictionary for pointkeys.csv
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Field                        Description                  Type                    Sample
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pointkey..........................  The unique ID of each 2 x   Integer..............  e.g., 62592057.
                                     2 km cell.
Latitude..........................  The latitude coordinate of  Decimal..............  e.g., 28.586667.
                                     the 2 x 2 km point.
Longitude.........................  The longitude coordinate    Decimal..............  e.g., -81.082778.
                                     of the 2 x 2 km point.
Country...........................  The country where the 2 x   String...............  One of the following:
                                     2 km point is located.                             US
                                                                                        CA
                                                                                        MX.
Population........................  The population of the 2 x   Integer..............  e.g., 586.
                                     2 km cell.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

e. TVStudy Scenarios

    We are also making available on the website a zip file that 
contains the three TVStudy XML scenarios used to generate the 
interference data used in the Channel Study. The first scenario, 
``180124-Pre.xml'', was used to generate the interference-free 
service areas of LPTV/translator stations on their current channels. 
The second scenario, ``180124-PostG.xml'', was used to calculate the 
interference to/from LPTV/translator stations in the granted 
applications study. The third scenario, ``180124-PostP.xml'', was 
used to calculate interference to/from LPTV/translator stations in 
the pending and granted applications study. These studies were run 
using the Interference Check template included with TVStudy 2.2.4. 
The output of these three TVStudy scenarios was combined into the 
data tables described in III.d. above.


[[Page 8084]]


Federal Communications Commission.
Barbara Kreisman,
Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2018-03732 Filed 2-22-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P