Effective 25 January 2001	ABA Form E
	(ABA Ref:  ABA Form 49)

COMMERCIAL TELEVISION CONVERSION SCHEME

CONVERSION OF A COMMERCIAL TELEVISION 
BROADCASTING SERVICE 
FROM 
ANALOG MODE TO DIGITAL MODE

APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL TO TRANSMIT IN A REGIONAL LICENCE AREA BEFORE START OF SIMULCAST PERIOD

NAME OF LICENCE HOLDER:	     

SERVICE LICENCE NUMBER:	     

CALLSIGN:	     

Licence Area:	     

DATE OF APPLICATION*:	     

RELEVANT DIGITAL CHANNEL PLAN:
Name:        	Part No.:       	Date:      

GEOGRAPHIC AREA1 COVERED BY THIS APPLICATION:
     

•	If considered necessary, additional comments or explanations may be attached to this form.
•	Assurances from the holder may be sought, that appropriate consultation with other commercial television broadcasting licence holders / national broadcasters has taken place, where it is possible that the service of another holder / national broadcaster might be affected by approval of the implementation plan.
•	Note: Giving false or misleading information is a criminal offence.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
The following explanatory notes are referred to throughout this document: 
1.	‘Geographic area’ is for descriptive purposes only.  It is used to label and link implementation plans in a series.  If this Application is not referring to part of a series, then the ‘geographic area’ has the same meaning as ‘licence area’.
2.	Delete as appropriate.  
3.	Technical specifications [page 6] are required for each digital transmitting facility including a stand-by transmitting facility.  Responses to questions 3.1 to 3.12 are required for each digital transmitting facility, but need not be repeated for a stand-by transmitting facility.
4.	‘General Area Served’ will typically be the same as set out in the relevant Digital Channel Plan (DCP).  
5.	Accuracy to within 10 metres is required. Broadcasters should identify the appropriate ACA RADCOM Site ID. The ACA Site ID database can be accessed online at http://www.aca.gov.au/database/radcomm/index.htm.
6.	Include any frequency offset if appropriate (ie. -125 kHz or +125 kHz)
7.	Height of electrical centre of digital broadcasting antenna above ground level.
8.	The information contained within the DCP technical specifications area titled “Transmitter Site - Nominal location” reflects the data used in preparing the DCP and is a guide only.  The application may have a different co-located transmitter site to that specified in the DCP and still be consistent with the DCP.  For example, the DCP technical specifications for a service in Sydney may have a nominal location of Artarmon.  The corresponding Form E technical specifications may specify the location as Willoughby, and still be consistent with the DCP.
9.	The Australian Receiver Standard AS – 4933.1-2000 recommends that receivers accommodate channel offsets of 0 kHz, ‑125 kHz and +125 kHz which may be required to ease the implementation of adjacent channel transmissions.  Such a channel offset is consistent with the DCP technical specifications.
10.	The DCP technical specifications specify a maximum ERP but no minimum ERP.  An ERP lower than the maximum ERP is still consistent with the DCP technical specifications.
11.	Required if you propose a change of site, or exceed the limits outlined in the relevant DCP technical specifications.
12.	In some cases, to achieve the same level of coverage objective, the DCP technical specifications will result in excessive field strength outside of the licence area.  This excessive field strength outside of the licence area would be consistent with excessive field strength levels for the analog service and need not be considered in the implementation plan.
13.	Co-sited refers to transmitting facilities that operate at the same site using a common tower or mast. Co-located embraces co-sited and, in addition, refers to transmitting facilities that provide a service to the same geographic area but may use multiple towers and masts on one or more sites.

Certificate of Lodgement
Chairman
Australian Broadcasting Authority
c/- Planning and Licensing Branch
PO Box 34
BELCONNEN    ACT    2616
Pursuant to section 79 of the Commercial Television Conversion Scheme, I/we hereby apply to the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) on behalf of      , the holder of the licence for the commercial television broadcasting service known by the callsign      , for approval of an application to transmit before the start of the simulcast period in the regional licence area of      , as part of the conversion of the service from analog mode to digital mode.  This application relates to “early” transmission in the geographic area1 of      .
I/we certify that the statements in this application are true, complete and correct to the best of my/our knowledge and belief, and are made in good faith.
The common seal of	Name of 	
	licence holder:	     	
					
Seal					

					

					
					
		was affixed to this form in accordance with its articles of association in the presence of: 	

Signature

	Signature	Signature	
Printed name
     	Printed name
     	Printed name
     	

Position in organisation	
Position in organisation	
Position in organisation	
     

Date         	     

Date         	     

Date        	

For the purposes of this form, a regional licence area is a licence area other than a remote licence area or a licence area in which the General Post Office of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide is situated.
Under Division 11 of the Commercial Television Conversion Scheme (the Scheme), the holder will need to apply to the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) for approval to transmit a regular digital service before the start of the simulcast period.  The simulcast period for a regional licence area is determined by the ABA under s48 of the Scheme.  The date must be during the period beginning on 1 January 2001 and ending immediately before 1 January 2004.
The holder may, or may not, have an approved implementation plan (Form C) in force at the start of this period of early transmission.  If the holder has an approved implementation plan, the holder is likely to be seeking to start transmission earlier than the date of effect (the simulcast start date) stated in the holder’s transmitter licence.
If the holder does not have an approved implementation plan (Form C), the ABA expects the holder to prepare and submit a plan in accordance with Division 3 of the Scheme.  If the holder does not have an approved plan by the deadline for submitting a plan, or by the start of the simulcast period, the ABA will decide whether it is appropriate to allow the holder to continue to transmit without an approved plan.
In considering the application for approval to transmit before start of simulcast period in a regional licence area section 81 states:
(1)	The ABA may, in writing, ask a holder to do 1 or more of the following things to help the ABA to consider its decision on the application:
to give the ABA the information mentioned in the request;
to carry out a test or other analysis described in the request;
to do something else mentioned in the request.
(2)	The request may be to do, or repeat, something that was required in the application form.
(3)	The ABA is not required to consider the application while it is waiting for the holder to respond to the request.
Form E consists of three parts.  
Part 1 requests details about the proposed early start up dates for digital transmissions in the area.
Part 2 relates to matters detailed in section 80(4) – coverage of analog transmissions. 
Part 3 is to be completed for each digital transmitting facility, if an application for approval of an implementation plan (Form B) has not been submitted for approval.  It consists of technical specifications and a number of questions to enable the ABA to assess the application with regard to the matters detailed in section 80(1)(b) and section 83 of the Scheme.

Part 1 –	Proposed early start up dates in regional licence areas.  

1.1	The date on which the holder proposes to start digital transmissions in the area, or in specified parts of the area covered by this application, before the simulcast start date for the licence area.
Geographic Areas1	Proposed Early Start Date	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	
     	     	

1.2	Have you lodged a previous application to start digital transmissions in the regional licence area before the simulcast start date?
Indicate Yes / No	     
If yes, please indicate which geographic areas the application/s related to:
     
1.3	Have you submitted, and had approved, an application for approval of an implementation plan (Form B) and an implementation plan (Form C) for this area previously?
Indicate Yes/No	     
1.4	When do you expect to submit an application for approval for of an implementation plan (Form B) and an implementation plan (Form C) for the area/s to which this application relates?
     

Part 2 –	Coverage of analog transmissions

2.1	Have you decreased the level of coverage and/or potential reception quality of your analog service in the geographic area1 covered by this application since Schedule 4 of the Broadcasting Services Act commenced (27 July 1998)?
Indicate Yes / No	     
If yes, please provide details:
     
Note: 	If you have provided these details in a previous application Form B or Form D, and the information supplied then has not changed, please indicate the date of the relevant application and, if the application relates to a series of implementation plans, the area covered by the application.
Form	Date of application:	Geographic area1 covered by application:	
B / D2	     	     	

2.2	Will there be changes to your analog service in the geographic area1 covered by this application during the period from the time from the proposed start up of the digital service and prior to the commencement of the simulcast period in order to facilitate digital transmissions during this time?
Indicate Yes / No	     
If yes, please give details of the analog changes:
     
and whether an agreement is in place with another commercial television broadcasting licence holder / national broadcaster with respect to management of interference from digital transmissions.  If so, please provide a copy of the relevant parts of the agreement.
     
Copy of relevant parts of agreement Provided / Not Provided	     
If not provided, please explain why not:
     
Note: 	If you have provided these details in a previous application Form B or Form D, and the information supplied then has not changed, please indicate the date of the relevant application and, if the application relates to a series of implementation plans, the area covered by the application.
Form	Date of application:	Geographic area1 covered by application:	
B / D2	     	     	

Part 3 –	To be completed if an application for approval of an implementation plan (Form B) for the area/s covered by this application, has not been submitted for approval.  
All pages in Part 3 should be reproduced and completed for each digital transmitting facility3.  
DIGITAL CHANNEL 
PLAN (DCP) -	Name of DCP:	     	
	Part No.: 	     	
	Date of DCP:	     	

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS – 
	Digital Television	
Transmitter Site:-	Indicate whether Main or Stand-by transmitter:         	
General Area Served4: 	     	State:        	
Technical Specifications Number:
(as specified in the Digital Channel Plan)  	TS No. 	     	
	Attachment No.:	     	
Name of Site
	          	
Australian Map Grid Reference5:
	Zone
     	Easting
     	Northing
     	
Australian Communications Authority RADCOM site ID (if applicable):	     	
Emission:-
	
Frequency Band:	     	Mode:    TV	
Channel: 	     	
Centre Frequency6:	     	
Polarisation: 	     	
Antenna Height7:	     	
Output Radiation Pattern:-
	
Attach a diagram of the horizontal radiation pattern for the service. The diagram should indicate the reference ERP for the radiation pattern, that is, the expected peak operating ERP of the digital transmission.	
Required Information:-
		Optional Additional Information:-	
Bearing or Sector	Max ERP		Mean ERP	Limits	Beam Tilt	Min VRP	
T (clockwise direction)	(watts)		(watts)	(dB)	(degrees)	(%)	(angle)	
     	     		     	     	     	     	     	
     	     		     	     	     	     	     	
     	     		     	     	     	     	     	
     	     		     	     	     	     	     	

DCP Name	TS No:	Attach No.:	General Area Served	
     	     	     	     	
	
Expected coverage of digital transmitting facility
3.1	Will this digital transmitting facility be co-located13 with your current analog transmitting facility?
Indicate Yes / No	     	
If no:
(a)	please describe the area expected to be covered by this digital transmitting facility in SDTV digital mode.
     
and	
(b)	please explain how you expect to achieve the same level of coverage and potential reception quality in SDTV digital mode, in the area covered by the analog facility not covered by this digital facility.
     	
3.2	If you answered yes to question 3.1, is the is the transmission of the service in SDTV digital mode expected to achieve the same level of coverage and potential reception quality as is achieved by the co‑located13 analog service (as defined in the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Planning Handbook), from the simulcast start date?
Indicate Yes / No	     	
If no, please provide:
(a)	reasons why it is not practicable to achieve the same level of coverage and potential reception quality from the simulcast start date;
     	
(b)	the date by which the same level of coverage and potential reception quality will be achieved for this digital transmitting facility; 
     	
(c)	measures proposed to be taken to achieve the same level of coverage and potential reception quality as soon as practicable;
     
and	
(d)	reasons why it is not practicable to achieve this objective by an earlier date.
     c	
3.3	(no question)	
Proposed emission characteristics
3.4	Are the technical specifications (site8, emission characteristics9, ERP10 and radiation pattern) of this digital transmitting facility consistent with those set down in the relevant Digital Channel Plan?
Indicate Yes/No	     	
If no, please give reasons for any differences and attach broadcast interference calculations11:
     	
3.5	Will emissions use the reference modulation for planning purposes as defined in the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Planning Handbook (64QAM, 2/3 code rate and 1/8 guard interval)?
Indicate Yes/No	     	
If no, please detail the modulation mode(s) that will be used and attach broadcast coverage calculations for the alternate modulation mode(s).
     	
Excessive signal strength levels outside the licence area 
3.6	If the technical specifications of this digital transmitting facility are not consistent with those set out in the relevant Digital Channel Plan, are excessive signal strength levels expected outside the licence area of the service (as defined in the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Planning Handbook)?12
Indicate Yes / No / Consistent with DCP	     	
If yes, please give details.
     	
Interference to other services
3.7	Do you propose to operate this digital transmitting facility at an ERP that exceeds any limitations defined in special conditions added to the technical specifications set out in the relevant Digital Channel Plan?
Indicate Yes / No / No Special Conditions	     	
If yes, please provide:
(a)	evidence of measures taken to address the potential interference identified in the special conditions; 
     
and 	
(b)	a copy of the relevant parts of the agreement with the affected operator indicating that this digital transmitting facility will not cause unacceptable interference to their services.
Copy of relevant parts of agreement Provided / Not Provided	     	
If not provided, please explain why not:
     ,	
3.8	Are transmissions from this digital transmitting facility likely to cause interference to services other than as identified in any special conditions added to the technical specification set out in the relevant Digital Channel Plan?
Indicate Yes / No	     	
If yes, please provide:
(a)	details of the services likely to suffer interference;
     	
(b)	evidence of measures taken to address the likely interference;
     
and 	
(c)	a copy of the relevant parts of the agreement with the affected operator indicating that this digital transmitting facility will not cause unacceptable interference to their services.
Copy of relevant parts of agreement Provided / Not Provided  
     	
If not provided, please explain why not:
     	
Sites and Towers
3.9	Do you have access to the site and broadcasting tower you are proposing to use to transmit your service in digital mode?
Indicate Yes / No 	     	
If no, please explain. 
     	
3.10	Have you conducted consultations with other broadcasters about the co‑location13 of this digital transmitting facility?
Indicate Yes / No	     	
If yes, with whom?
     	
If no, please explain:
     	
3.11	Have you obtained the necessary clearances from all relevant third parties (eg local government planning approval to use the site, air safety clearance, environmental clearance) to ensure your proposed service is feasible at this site?
Indicate Yes / No	     	
If yes, please indicate names of relevant bodies and attach evidence of clearances received:
     	
If no, please give details and if appropriate, a likely timetable for obtaining clearance:
     	
Test Transmissions
3.12	Have you conducted test transmissions in digital mode from the proposed site?
Indicate Yes / No	     	
If yes, please indicate:
(a)	dates the tests were conducted;
     	
(b)	the ERPs used during the tests; 
     
and	
(c)	outline any problems encountered, including interference problems.
     	
(d)	The ABA requires a copy of any test transmission reports. Have reports been prepared for the test transmissions mentioned above?
Indicate Yes / No	     	
If yes, please provide details of the test reports in the table below: 	
Report Date	Report Title	Report Author	Copy attached (y/n)	If no, date copy provided