Mexico. The Federal Institute of Telecommunications, IFT, presented version 2.0 of the System of Consultation and Pre-Analysis of Online Broadcasting Coverage, which consists of two operational modules where it will be possible to consult the radio coverage and the parameters of the broadcasting stations, as well as generate preliminary studies for new stations in the Digital Terrestrial Television services, DTT, and Frequency Modulated, FM.
This tool is useful for the industry to estimate in advance the effect of changes in the coverage of FM and DTT stations to which they intend to make technical modifications.
Likewise, the system is useful so that people interested in obtaining FM radio and DTT concessions can have more elements on the viability and availability of frequencies for the particular project that is of interest to them, for its subsequent formal assessment by the Institute and its eventual inclusion in the Annual Programs of Use and Exploitation of Frequency Bands.
In this way, the System of Consultation and Pre-analysis of Online Broadcasting Coverage is especially relevant for those who do not have the necessary tools or specialized technical knowledge to carry out prediction studies.
In this version, as part of the improvements included, with IFT talent and using Google Maps and SPLAT! [1], a tool was created in which the coverage of the broadcasting infrastructure for the purposes considered necessary can be consulted on the map of the Republic.
In addition, in version 2.0 of the Coverage System are:
- The implementation of the "advanced search" option;
- Optimization of the functionalities of the custom antenna radiation pattern;
- The unloading of locations covered by station;
- The implementation of a "color code" for coverage identification;
- The addition, reordering and adjustment of navigation buttons;
- The optimization of the functionality of the direct link by station to the Public Registry of Concessions of the IFT, for consultation of the concession titles;
- The adaptation of the platform that supports the system for navigation on mobile devices; and changes in the graphical interface towards the user.
The aforementioned improvements contribute to the maturity and strengthening of the System, whose general functionalities are the following:
Consultation of coverages. Within this module, queries are made for any of the broadcasting services: AM, FM or DTT. For this purpose, the module is subdivided into three types of search: the first, "Search by locality", in which the user can consult the stations that have a presence in a selected locality of the Mexican Republic; the second, "Search by badge", where if the user knows the service and the distinctive of the station, the geographical coverage of the desired station can be displayed; and the third, the "Advanced Search" is added as a new functionality, in which the user can select multiple search filters according to their interests to find the stations that match the data entered. Once the stations of interest have been identified, users will be able to know the audible outline, the service areas, and the coverage areas, for AM, FM and DTT services, respectively.
Pre-analysis of coverages. This module allows to simulate a coverage according to the technical parameters assigned by the user, which are also necessary for the tool to perform a coverage analysis at a defined geographical point. The Pre-analysis of coverage is only available for FM and DTT services.
In addition to the simulation of the coverage prediction at the selected point, the tool will identify possible stations that, based on the distance separation criteria stipulated in the applicable Technical Provisions, could cause harmful interference, also having the possibility of visualizing the service areas and the coverage areas, as appropriate to the type of service.
It is relevant to mention that the System of Consultation and Pre-analysis of Online Broadcasting Coverage (the "Coverage System" or the "System") had its origin in the second half of 2018, as a result of certain needs expressed by the broadcasting industry in Mexico.
Most of the improvements that give rise to this version of the Coverage System are the result of the comments and opinions that users have expressed when interacting recurrently with the System.
The address to access the portal that contains the Coverage System is: http://mapasradiodifusion.ift.org.mx
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