FMQ (Broadcast Query/FCCdata.org) release notes 2016.07

REC is in the process of making changes to the REC Broadcast Query tool at fccdata.org.  

The major highlight of this release is to introduce data from the FCC's new LMS (License Management System or by the internal name, License Modernization).  

At this time, LMS has been deployed for television and most new applications in the TV services are filed in LMS.  The FCC is cross-posting applications into CDBS.  LMS applications will have a file-prefix with the word "BLANK".  

LMS will eventually be deployed in audio services.  When it does, the current CDBS system will be retired.   We will be slowly releasing enhancements to fccdata.org as a part of this release.  It is our hope to also make some major fixes to the way that fccdata handles television records.   

Also, while LMS appears to have transferred over some archive records from CDBS, most of the TV station's analog history is not carried over.  Therefore, a part of this project will also be to take archive CDBS data and freeze it in time to assure that analog television data is preserved even if the FCC removes all television from the CDBS feed. 

We also note that at this time, Canadian and Mexican border-area television records are not yet in LMS and solely within CDBS.

7/3/2016
REC built tables in the data store and started to accept the raw data feed from LMS.  LMS will update daily (including weekends) at 4AM REC Operations Time (Mountain Standard/Arizona Time).  REC is storing all LMS data with the exception of Children's Television Program Reports.  Our system will be able to determine the existence of a children's television report but we will not store the actual text of the report.  
 
7/4/2016
Dialscape (listing of all stations in a particular community by frequency and channel) for television will now use LMS as its primary resource.  Canada and Mexico TV station listings will still come from CDBS.  
 
7/5/2016
The Application HIstory section of the facility screen for US stations (TV and radio) now looks at LMS data as well as CDBS records and where available, historic information from the legacy BAPS system and REC Radio History Project.  As a part of the FCC's conversion to LMS, the Childrens TV Report database (KidVid) was also integrated in.  Those records will show with the prefix "CPR".  Pure LMS records show with just a 10-digit zero-filled number.  Clicking on a CPR or pure LMS record will download a copy of the report or application from the FCC in PDF format.  Even though post-DTV conversion records from CDBS are showing in LMS, we are still using CDBS for CDBS records.  This will eventually get moved to the LMS source when we start implementing engineering data from LMS.
 
Maps on current TV facility records now use FCC provided service contours when they are available (except for DTS stations).  The bug in the displaying of contours for DTV stations using DTS transmitters is temporarily remedied by removing the contour from the map.  DTS maps will show the transmitter locations.  We will be working on a new solution for DTS down the road.  We will be making some long overdue fixes in the maps, especially where it comes to TV facilities. 
 
7/6/2016
REC's backend application that measures propagation curves has been upgraded to support the F(50, 90) curves that are used by digitial television stations.  This improves our ability to generate maps and other curve related data.
 
Maps for non-current video records (DTV and NTSC) will now show contours based on actual HAAT along each radial (the previous version "guessed" based on overall power and height).  We fixed an ongoing issue with blank engineering records (many of these are carryovers in the engineering database when the FCC converted from BAPS to CDBS in 1999).  These were showing previous applications with no coordinates or other information.  Recognition of these applications will still appear in the Application HIstory (right side) but will no longer have engineering detail (left side). 
 
7/7/2016
Fixed a bug that was causing archived AM application records recovered through BAPS to display with incorrect geographic coordinates. 
 
Made some cosmetic changes on the text under the maps.
 
DTV stations operating under DTS arrangements will now have a map that not only displays the location of each DTS transmitter but now also show the service contour of each DTS transmitter.  The individual links for the DTS sites within an engineering record are no longer used as all contours will now appear on the single map.   TV support now better displays Digital Replacement Translators (DRT).  
 
(In case you are wondering, DTS refers to Distributed Transmission System which is a new method of delivering digital television by using multiple transmitters and directional antennas.  Think of it like boosters for digital TV.)
 
7/8/2016
The ability to read vintage BAPS data (predecessor to the FCC's CDBS system, used between 1978 and 1999) for TV has been added. This means that any engineering records that were not put into CDBS during the conversion back in 1999 but was on a 1996 vintage BAPS data file has been placed into the engineering section (left side) of the FCCdata facility screen.  Recovered BAPS records show with a red "H" indicator.  This is similar to functionality that already exists in FCCdata for AM and FM stations. 
 
7/9/2016
Added public notice text from TV applications from the BAPS era for which there is no engineering record.  Many of these public notices use text similar to those used in the old history cards and some can be very descriptive.  This functionality already exists for AM, FM and FM translators.  To determine if public notice text is available, look for a blue arrow in the Application History section (right side).  Clicking on the arrow will display the public notice text. 
 
7/10/2016
BAPS-era public notice text added for TV translators, TV boosters and FM boosters.  Prepared internal cross-reference tables to be able to drive both CDBS and LMS data on the engineering section (upper left side) in appropriate order.  Added additional fields to the BAPS public notice table to allow for BAPS applications where there are no engineering records in CDBS to be added to the engineering section (upper left side) if there is enough information in the public notice comment to determine location, frequency/channel, power and height (FM/TV).  
 
7/14/2016
Application records, engineering data and mapping for applications entered into LMS will be retrieved from LMS data instead of imported CDBS data (currently, all LMS applications are cross-posted into CDBS and show with an application number that begins with the word "BLANK").   At this time, we have replicated the fields that CDBS provides.  There are potentially a few more things that can be added.  The "More Application Details" on LMS records now displays many of the application indicators in the order that they are on the actual application.  
 
In the engineering section (left side) for LMS records, a three character code has been added preceding the file number.  We added this because LMS file numbers do not decribe what the application is doing (breaking a tradition going back to the 1920s).  The codes are the same ones used in LMS to describe the application type (L2C=License to Cover, STA=Special Temporary Authority, etc.).
 
LMS records in FCCdata will now support the "additional azimuths".  This is new functionality for REC systems.  Normally, applicants give field values for directional antennas in 36 different directions in 10-degree increments but they can also add additional azimuths between the 10-degree increments to better describe the pattern of the antenna.  REC has always supported only the 10-degree increments. 
 
7/15/2016
Fixed bug where DTS maps on the CDBS side were not properly taking directional field values into consideration and considering all antennas omndirectional.
 
7/23/2016
Implemented first phase of the Enhanced Public Notice capability for REC Radio History Project.  For AM records, we are now able to enter parameters from the text of the public notice messages of BAPS era (1980-1999) applications where there is no engineering record available in CDBS or our 1996 BAPS file.  Normally, these appear in the application history (right side under the map) with a blue arrow to the left of the file number.  We can now use the data from that message to fill in basic engineering information similar to the History Card capability.  When this happens, you will no longer see the blue triangle next to the file number.  Instead, you will now see the application in the engineering history (left side).  Applications with manually entered public notice data can be identified with a blue H in the header.  We have back-end functionality for the entry of AM, FM and TV engineering details.  Currently, only AM is supported on the front end.  As of the time of this writing, a small number of New York area AM stations have received the enhanced data. 
 
7/26/2016
Front end functionality for Enhanced Public Notice data for FM facilities added. 
 
7/27/2016
Corrected back end history records entered using Excel spreadsheets to correspond with the format now being used for records being added with the back-end History Card Tool.  Fixed a bug in the BAPS file parser that was not properly reading both the daytime and nighttime portions of AM broadcast applications.  
 
07/29/2016
REC has been able to parse the daily FCC Broadcast Applications and Broadcast Actions public notices from late 1996 to the end of September 1999 when the FCC converted from BAPS to CDBS to generate these public notices.  This project was able to recover over 10,000 application records that did not flow from BAPS to CDBS.  Many of these records are assignments, transfers and renewals and there are also records for stations deleted prior to the CDBS conversion but still had "skeleton" records in CDBS.  The parsing of the Actions files brought in pending applications prior to late 1996.  For those who follow the history of stations, as well as those who are following media concentration in the wake of the Telecom Act may find this data useful.  Based on any user requests, we will find other ways other than through FCCdata's facility pages to display this valuable information.   
 
For now, the additional records will be displayed in FCCdata.  They can be distinguished only by the fact that there is a blue triangle to display the public notice text and the application reference number is not a link.  
 
07/30/2016
Back end and front end support added for Public Notice Project for TV records. 
 
Other than cosmetic and bug fixes, this concludes all of the major  work planned for FCCdata for July.