[SBE] Sat Truck Operator Licensing

[Gibson Prichard]

What is the consensus of the legality of a two-person crew (reporter & 
satellite-trained photographer) being sent to operate a sat truck for 
ENG News gathering? Once the shot is up and on the bird, the operator 
might step away from the controls to operate the camera while the 
reporter is on-air. It would be possible to tie the uplink's transmit 
enable to a remote line that the photographer could toggle off if need 
be in an emergency. It could be tied to H sync or valid SDI clock data 
from the camera, so turning the camera off would turn the satellite 
transmitter into standby, thus essentially meeting the "designated 
remote control point" requirement.
I'm sure there are many times when the scenario above takes place, and 
probably most ENG trucks are without a remote turn-off ability. Does 
anyone know if a station has ever been cited for not having an operator 
in front of the "radiate" switch at all times?

Gibson Prichard
Nashville

Gary Blievernicht wrote:

> I'm not Henry, but I'll take a shot at the answer  (the magic word is trained, rather than certified, and before you ask, "trained" is not defined, and would be at the licensees discretion.  But, you would get fined if you discretion wrong.  Eh? 

>

> 25.271 (b)

>

> (b) The licensee of a transmitting earth station licensed under this

>    part shall ensure that a trained operator is present on the earth

>    station site, or at a designated remote control point for the earth

>    station, at all times that transmissions are being conducted. No

>    operator's license is required for a person to operate or perform

>    maintenance on facilities authorized under this part.