John Deere Wants To Install Fixed TV White Spaces Devices on Tractors

The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology sought comment on a waiver request by John Deere to permit the use of a TV white space (TVWS) device manufactured by Koos. Deere asked for a waiver to permit operation of fixed TVWS devices installed on non-fixed, off-road agricultural equipment, including tractors, self-propelled harvesting machines and sprayers, OET said Friday. “The TV white space device would transmit real-time crop and equipment data as the agricultural equipment moves across a field and share that data via radio links with other machines equipped with TV white space devices on the farmland and/or with the farmhouse,” OET said. “Deere requests that the devices installed on the farm equipment be permitted to operate at the higher power levels permitted for fixed equipment as opposed to the lower power levels required for personal/portable operation.” Comments are due Sept. 21, replies Oct. 6, in docket 15-184.