What is a DX-LIC digital auxiliary?

comfortably_numb

Dogs have owners, cats have staff

Original poster

Pub Member / Supporter

Nov 30, 2011

17,599

25,577

Kansas City / Las Vegas

• Jan 19, 2018

• #1

I've noticed a number of the channels in my market have applied for DX-LIC. In the FAQ's on the Rabbitears site, it states that a DX-LIC is a "digital auxiliary." What is a digital auxiliary and why would a station want/need one? I notice that the broadcast power of the DX applications is significantly lower than the full-power output.

 

Trip

RabbitEars Webmaster

Staff member

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Jun 21, 2008

1,393

903

Alexandria, VA, US

• Jan 22, 2018

• #2

Backup facility in case the main fails/needs maintenance.

- Trip

 

comfortably_numb

Dogs have owners, cats have staff

Original poster

Pub Member / Supporter

Nov 30, 2011

17,599

25,577

Kansas City / Las Vegas

• Jan 22, 2018

• #3

Trip said:

Backup facility in case the main fails/needs maintenance.

- Trip

Click to expand...

Is this something new? Any particular reason why 3+ stations in one market would all of a sudden decide to apply for such a license?

 

Trip

RabbitEars Webmaster

Staff member

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Jun 21, 2008

1,393

903

Alexandria, VA, US

• Jan 22, 2018

• #4

Nope, been around for a long time. But not sure who's suddenly applying. KSHB and KMCI licensed theirs in 2016, KMBC/KCWE in 2013, KCTV in 2014, and WDAF in 2012. None of them are particularly new, and many stations have backup facilities of some kind, though not all are on-file with the FCC in this manner. (For those stations without their aux facilities on file, they have to file an STA to turn on their backup facilities.)

- Trip

 

comfortably_numb

Dogs have owners, cats have staff

Original poster

Pub Member / Supporter

Nov 30, 2011

17,599

25,577

Kansas City / Las Vegas

• Jan 22, 2018

• #5

Trip said:

Nope, been around for a long time. But not sure who's suddenly applying. KSHB and KMCI licensed theirs in 2016, KMBC/KCWE in 2013, KCTV in 2014, and WDAF in 2012. None of them are particularly new, and many stations have backup facilities of some kind, though not all are on-file with the FCC in this manner. (For those stations without their aux facilities on file, they have to file an STA to turn on their backup facilities.)

- Trip

Click to expand...

Maybe I just never noticed those before on the Rabbitears site. I check the local records quite frequently, and don't recall seeing any DX-LIC before on those stations. Probably just me.

 

harshness

SatelliteGuys Master

May 5, 2007

18,812

4,017

Salem, OR

• Jan 22, 2018

• #6

Trip said:

For those stations without their aux facilities on file, they have to file an STA to turn on their backup facilities.

Click to expand...

I'd imagine that an STA is much quicker in an emergency than going after a license more or less from scratch. Then again, every application has costs associated with it.

 

Trip

RabbitEars Webmaster

Staff member

HERE TO HELP YOU!

Jun 21, 2008

1,393

903

Alexandria, VA, US

• Jan 22, 2018

• #7

The point of an auxiliary license is that it's authorized ahead of time. That is, you license your auxiliary now and can operate it at any time, rather than having to file an emergency STA when the crisis hits.

It's the difference between having canned goods in the pantry versus running to the store to try to wrestle for it after the storm is over.

- Trip

 

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